THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
131
" We arrive by train at the neat little town of Hertford. Before com-
mencing our voyage from this, the beginning of the navigable part of the
river, we take an object-lesson from our host, who is guide, philosopher, and
friend. We take an imaginary stand in a balloon, and gaze down on a water-
shed, whence the congealed dews of heaven are drained over an area of 600
square miles. The watershed may be likened to a crooked trough, the bottom
of which is the River Lea, stretching sinuously for about 70 miles, and
drawing water from the tributaries and slopes on either side, and the tilt of
which, from source to mouth, is about 400 feet. Our bird's-eye view stretches
into four counties—those of Bedford, Hertford, Essex, and Middlesex. For
navigable purposes Hertford is the dividing line, the part from the source to
Hertford being usually described as the Upper Lea, and from Hertford to the
Thames as the Lower Lea. On the upper part we see a few pleasure boats ;
on the lower part, numerous barges bearing timber, gunpowder (from the
works round and about Enfield), malt from Hertford, Ware, Hoddesdon, &c.
The navigation is much busier than the uninitiated imagine. The traffic
down the Lea does not merely touch the Thames ; there is a junction of the
Regent's Canal at the lower part, along which barges travel, and thence along
the Grand Junction Canal to Birmingham.
" We gaze down on this picture map, and see a dozen tributary streams
lacing and braiding the slopes, pouring their liquid wealth into the Lea,
appearing like so many ribs joining the spine. But only three of these are
visible in the first 40 miles, and they are just above Hertford, so that the
river is comparatively narrow in its upper part. We notice a silver-like sheen
in the side streams down as far as Hoddesdon, then a little yellow tinge in a
few tributaries, towards the lower reaches a more sombre hue. Why is this?
Simply because the bed of the upper stream (with the beds of tributaries) and
part of the lower stream, is of chalk. The Ash, which joins the left bank near
Hoddesdon, has a soil of gravel and chalk ; and some of the lower tributaries
come over clay and even mud. Fielde's Weir is taken as the dividing line for
geological purposes. There the unadulterated chalk ends ; and the purity of
the water, and essentially the higher quality of the fish, commence to change.
This accounts for the dingy and gloomy shade of the Lea, which has fallen
into bad company, as it enters London proper.
" The Lea rises in the form of a spring at Leagrave (formerly Leagrove)
a grove in which the river is born. This is in Bedfordshire, about three
miles north-west of the town now designated Luton, which takes its name
from the river. It was once known as Luyton ; the letter "y" has since
dropped out, and the name remains as Luton, meaning the town on the Luy.
The stream travels nearly to Hertford, about 40 miles, with no accession of
consequence other than soakage from the banks. After passing Hatfield,
and almost reaching Hertford, it is joined by Bayford Brook on the right
bank, and two pretty trout streams (the Mimram and the Beane) on the left.
And here we bid adieu to the Upper Lea.
"Heave O! 'The anchor's weighed,' We are nearly 30 miles (by
water) from London ; our homely barge steams gently on, and we pass Dicker
Mill, in sight of some richly-clothed heights, on the left bank, known as Port
Hill. History lends enchantment to the place, for here Alfred the Great is
said to have fought his last battle with the Danes ; and our host produces for
our gratification a time-worn, corroded, double-edged sword, with an equally
quaint dagger, which had been dredged from the river bed at this part, the