THE BLACKWATER ESTUARY.
115
water at the jetty end, enabling steamboats to land passengers there at all times
of the tide. When the channel receded, the sand accumulated above the outlet of
the sewer on the beach to the extent of about ten feet. This is being gradually
removed as the channel advances, and, as stated, it is expected that the cause of
the nuisance complained of at Silloth since the outlet of the sewer was filled up,
will soon exist no longer."
In this last case we have a change for the better, but what may be
the nature and date of the next alterations in the channel, no one
can foretell. Any purchaser of the Ordnance maps of North Cum-
berland and South Dumfries, which were executed at slightly different
dates, may ascertain for himself the nature and amount of these
shiftings on the Solway. Those on the Blackwater Estuary have
probably been less both in amount and in frequency, but a glance at
the geological map of the district suffices to show that very con-
siderable alterations must have occurred from time to time—altera-
tions that would have made the prolonged existence of a port lower
down the estuary an extremely improbable event. Thus it is evident
that at one time the channel was south, instead of north, of Northey
Island; while at another period it was north, instead of south, of
Osea Island, and probably, at a third, its course was south of Ramsey.
But old maps give no trustworthy information about matters of this
kind, and the non-existence of any ports below Maldon prevents us
from getting any glimpse of the date and nature of past changes such
as we were able to obtain in the case of Skinburness.
Thus Maldon, from its commanding site, copious water supply,
and permanent closeness to the channel of the estuary, must always
have been the one good position for a port on the Blackwater, its
advantages being all such as must have seemed much more striking
ten or twenty centuries ago than they now do. In short, in the site
of Maldon, as in that of ancient London, we have the one position in
a district which must have always been occupied as hill, fort, or town,
from the very earliest period. We must consequently remember that
the real antiquity of such a town can never be measured by appeal
to Saxon charters or Roman remains, which belong to a comparatively
modern period in its history.
The Hatching of Cygnets.—Some correspondence has recently taken place
in the "Standard" newspaper as to the number of cygnets which may be hatched
in one brood, from which it appears that eight or nine, or even more, are not
uncommon events. Mr. John Webb, writing from Dunmow, on June 8th, says,
"that a pair of swans, belonging to Lady Brooke, of Easton Lodge, near Dunmow,
have this year hatched off nine cygnets, all of which are fine birds and are doing
well. This is the largest brood I have ever seen."