the fides in which the two veffels are joined, but extending far beyond the prows; and at the top of the mafts of the veffels are fixed pullies and ropes. At the proper time the ropes are faftened to the top of the machine; and while fome, ftanding on the ftern of the veffels, draw the ladder upwards by the pullies, others on the prow, at the fame time, affift in raifing it with bars and levers. The veffels being then rowed near to the fhore, endeavours are used to fix the machine against the walls. At the top of the ladder is a little stage, guarded on three fides with blinds, and containing four men upon it, who engage with thofe upon the walls that endeavour to obstruct the fixing of the machine. And when it is fixed, thefe men, being now raised above the top of the wall, throw down the blinds on either fide and advance to attack the battlements and towers. The rest at the fame time afcend the ladder, without any fear that it fhould fall, because it is strongly fastened with ropes to the two vellels. The name of fackbut is bestowed not improperly upon this machine; for, when it is raised, the appearance of the ladder and the veffels, joined thus together, very much refembles the figure of that inftrument.

In this manner then, when all things now were ready, the Romans defigned to attack the towers. But Archimedes had prepared machines that were fitted to every distance. And, while the veffels were yet far removed from the walls, employing catapults and baliftæ, that were of the largest fize, and worked by the strongest fprings, he wounded the enemy with his

darts and stones, and threw them into great diforder. When the darts paffed beyond them, he then ufed other machines, of a finaller. fize, and ftill proportioned to the distance. By thefe means the Ro mans were fo effectually repulfed, that it was not poffible for them to approach. Marcellus therefore, perplexed with this refiftance, was forced to advance filently with his veffels in the night. But, when they came fo near to the land as to be within the reach of darts, they were exposed to new danger from. another invention which Archime des had contrived. He had caused openings to be made in many parts of the wall, equal in height to the ftature of a man, and to the palm of a hand in breadth. And, having planted on the infide archers and little fcorpions, he difcharged a multitude of arrows through the openings, and difabled the foldiers that were on board. In this manner, whether the Romans were at a great diftance, or whether they were near, he not only rendered ufelefs all their efforts, but destroyed alfo many of their men. When they attempted alfo to raise the fackbuts, certain machines, which he had raifed along the whole wall. on the infide, and which were be fore concealed from view, fuddenly appeared above the walls, and ftretched their long beaks far be yond the battlements. Some of thefe machines carried maffes of lead, and ftones not less than ten talents in weight. And, when the veffels with the, fackbuts came near, the beaks, being first turned by ropes and pullies to the proper point, let fall their ftones, which broke not only tire fackbuts, bur M 3. the

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the veffels likewife, and threw all those that were on board into the greatest danger. In the fame manner alfo the rest of the machines, as often as the enemy approached under the cover of their blinds, and had fecured themselves by that precaution against the darts that were difcharged through the openings of the wall, let fall upon them ftones of fo large a fize, that all the combatants upon the prow were forced to retire from their station.

He invented likewife a hand of iron, hanging by a chain from the beak of a machine, which was used in the following manner. The perfon, who like a pilot guided the beak, having let fall the hand, and catched hold of the prow of any veffel, drew down the oppofite end of the machine that was on the infide of the walls. And when the veffel was thus raised erect upon its ftern, the machine itfelf was held immoveable; but, the chain being fuddenly loofened from the beak by the means of pullies, fome of the veffels were thrown upon their fides, others turned with the bottom upwards, and the greatest part, as the prows were plunged from a confiderable height into the fea, were filled with water, and all that were on board thrown into tumult and diforder.

Marcellus was in no fmall degree embarraffed, when he found himfelf encountered in every attempt by fuch refiftance. He perceived that all his efforts were defeated with lofs, and were even derided by the enemy. But, amidst all the anxiety that he suffered, he could not help jefting upon the inventions of Archimedes. This man, faid he, employs our hips as buckets to draw water; and boxing about

our fackbuts as if they were unworthy to be associated with him, drives them from his company with difgrace. Such was the fuccefs of the fiege on the fide of the fea.

Appius alfo on his part, having met with the fame obftacles in his approaches, was in like manner forced to abandon his defign. For, while he was yet at a confiderable distance, great numbers of his army were deftroyed by the ballista and the catapults. So wonderful was the quantity of stones and darts, and fo aftonishing the force with which they were thrown. The machines indeed were worthy of Hiero, who had furnished the expence; and of Archimedes, who defigned them, and by whofe directions they were made. If the troops advanced nearer to the city, they either were stopped in their approach by the arrows that were difcharged through the openings in the walls, or, if they attempted to force their way under the cover of their bucklers, were destroyed by ftones and beams that were let fall upon their heads. Great mifchief alfo was occafioned by thofe hands of iron, that have been mentioned, which lifted men with their armour ino the air, and dashed them against the ground. Appius therefore was at laft conftrained to return back again to his camp. And when he had held a confultation with the tribunes, it was with one confent determined by them, that every other method should be tried to ob. tain poffeffion of Syracufe, but that they would no more attempt to rake it by affault. Nor did they after. wards depart from this refolution. For, though they remained eight months before the city, and during that time invented various strata

gems,

gems, and carried into execution many bold defigns, they never had the courage to attack the place in the regular forms. So wonderful and of fuch importance, upon fome occafions, is the power of a fingle man, and the force of science properly employed. With fo great armies, both by land and fea, the Romans could scarcely have failed to take the city, if one old man had been removed. But, while he is prefent, they dare not even to make the attempt, in the manner at least which Archimedes was able to oppofe. Being perfuaded therefore, that, as the city was crowded with inhabitants, it might at laft most easily be reduced by famine, they refolved to have recourfe to this as their only hope, and to intercept by their fleet the provifions that fhould be brought by fea, while the army cut off all approach on the fide of the land. And, that the time employed in the fiege might not pafs wholly without action, but be attended with advantage in fome other place, the confuls divided the army. And, while Appius with two parts of the forces invested the city, Marcellus with the reft, advancing through the country, wasted the lands of the Sicilians, who had joined the Carthaginians in the war.

Account of the Fens in Lincolnshire, and their Produce. From Mr. Pennant's Tour to Scotland.

HE profpect (from the emi

THE

nence on which stands Lincoln Cathedral and the ruins of its Castle) is very extenfive, but very barren of objects, a vast flat as far as the eye can reach, confifting of plains not the most fertile, or of Fens * and Moors: the last are far lefs extenfive than they were, many being drained, and will foon be come the best land in the country. But ftill much remains to be done; the Fens near Revesby-abbey,eight miles beyond Horncastle, are of vaft extent; but ferve for little other purpose than the rearing great numbers of geefe, which are the wealth of the Fenmen.

During the breeding feafon,thefe birds are lodged in the fame houses with the inhabitants, and even in their very bed-chambers: in every apartment are three rows of coarse wicker pens, placed one above an other; each bird has its feparate lodge divided from the other, which it keeps poffeffion of during the time of fitting. A perfon attends the flock, and twice a day drives the whole to water; then brings them back to their habitations, helping thofe that live in the upper ftories to their nefts, without ever mifplacing a fingle bird.

The geefe are phucked five times in the year, the first plucking is at Lady-day, for feathers and quills, and the fame is renewed, for feathers only, four times more between that and Michaelmas. The old geefe fubmit quietly to the opera

M 4

tion

tion, but the young ones are very noify and unruly. I once faw this performed, and obferved that goflins of fix weeks old were not fpared; for their tails were plucked, as I was told, to habituate them early to what they were to come to. If the feafon proves cold, numbers of geefe die by this bar barous cuftom.

Vaft numbers are driven annually to London, to fupply the markets; among them, all the fuperannuated geefe and ganders (called here the cagmags) which ferve to fatigue the jaws of the good citizens, who are fo unfortunate as to meet with them.

The fen, called the weft fen, is the place where the ruffs and reeves refort to in the greatest numbers; and many other forts of water fowl, which do not require the fhelter of reeds or rufhes, migrate here to breed; for this fen is very bare, having been imperfectly drained by narrow canals, which interfect it for great numbers of miles. Thefe the inhabitants navigate in most diminutive fhallow boats; they are, in fact, the roads of the country,

The eaft fen is quite in a ftate of nature, and gives a fpecimen of the country before the introduction of drainage it is a vast tract of morafs, intermixed with numbers of lakes, from half a mile to two or three miles in circuit, communicating with each other by narrow reedy ftraits; they are very fhallow, none are above four or five feet in depth; but abound with fish, fuch as pike, pearch, ruff, bream, tench, rud, dace, roach, burbolt, fticklebacks, and eels, The fen is covered with reeds, the harvest of the neighbouring inhabitants, who

mow them annually; for they prove a much better thatch than ftraw, and not only cottages, but many very good houfes are covered with them. Stares, which during winter refort in myriads to rooft in the reeds, are very deftructive, by breaking them down by the vast numbers that perch on them. The people are therefore very diligent in their attempts to drive them away, and are at great expence in powder to free themselves from thefe troublefome guests. I have feen a flock of reeds harvested and ftacked worth two or three hundred pounds, which was the property of a fingle farmer.

The birds which inhabit the dif ferent fens are very numerous; I never met with a finer field for the zoologist to range in. Befides the common wild duck, wild geefe, garganies, porchards, fhovelers and teals, breed here. I have feen on the eaft fen a fmall flock of the tufted ducks; but they feemed to make it only a baiting-place. The pewit gulls and black terns abound; the laft in vaft flocks almost deafen one with their clamours: a few of the great terns, or tickets, are feen among them. I faw feveral of the great crefted grebes on the eaft fen, called there gaunts, and met with one of their floating nefts with eggs in it. The leffer crefted grebe, the black and dufky grebe, and the little grebe, are alfo inhabitants of the feos; together with coots, wa ter-hens, fpotted water-hens, waterrails, ruffs, redfhanks, lap-wings, or wipes, red-breafted godwits, and whimbrels. The godwits breed near Wafhenbrough; the whimbrels only appear for about a fort. night in May near Spalding, and then quit the country. Oppofite to

Foff

Eoffdyke-Wah, during fummer, are great numbers of avofertas called there yelpers, from their cry: they hover over the fportman's head like the lap-wing, and fly with their necks and legs extended.

Knots are taken in nets along the thore near Foldyke in great numbers during winter; but they difappear in the fpring.

The fhort eared owl, Br. Zool. 1. 156. viits the neighbourhood of Wathenbrough, along with the woodcocks, and probably performs its migrations with thofe birds, for it is obferved to quit the country at the fame time; I have alfo received fpecimens of them from the Danish dominions, one of the retreats of the woodcock. This owl is not obferved in this country to perch on trees, but conceals itfeif in long old grafs; if difturbed, takes a fhort flight, lights again and keeps itaring about, during which time its horns are very vible. The farmers are fond of the arrival of thefe bids, as they clear the fields of mice, and will even flv in fearch of prey during day, provided the weather is cloudy and mifty.

But the greatest curiofity in thefe parts, is the vaft Heronry at CreffiHall, fix miles from Spalding. The herons refort there in February to repair their nefts, fettle there in the fpring to breed, and quit the place during winter. They are numerous as rooks, and their nefts fo crouded together, that myself and the company that was with me counted not fewer than eighty in one tree. I here had opportunity of detecting my own mistake, and that of other ornithologists, in making two fpecies of herons; for I found that the crefted heron was

only the male of the other: it made a moft beautiful appearance with its fnowy neck and long creft ftreaming with the wind. The family who owned this place was of the fame name with thefe birds, which feems to be the principal inducement for preferving them.

In the time of Michael Drayton, Here ftalk'd the fately crane, as though he march din war:

But at prefent this, bird is quite unknown in our ifland; but every other fpecies enumerated by that obfervant poet ftill are found in this fenny tract, or its neighbour hood.

Spalding, in form, neatnefs, and fituation, resembles very much a Dutch town: the river Welland paffes through one of the streets, a canal is cut through another, and trees are planted on each fide. The church is a handsome structure, the fteeple a fpire. The churches in general, throughout this low tract, are very handiome; all are built of ftone, which must have been brought from places very remote along temporary canals; for, in many inftances, the quarries lie at least twenty miles diftant. But thefe edifices were built in zealous ages, when the benedictions or maledictions of the church made the people conquer every difficulty that might obftruct thefe pious foundations. The abbey of Crowland, feated in the midst of a shaking fen, is a curious monument of the infuperable zeal of the times it was erected in; as the beautiful tower of Bofton church, vifible from all parts, is a magnificent fpecimen of a fine gothic taste.

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