CHAPTER IX. Wells at Athens: their antiquity; manner of procuring the Water. Construction of the Wells in Thrace. Canals of Egypt, for distributing the Inundations of the Nile. Egyptian contrivances to convey Water over Mounds, &c. Old Cairo: Aqueduct and Machinery for raising Water to Reservoirs. Ponds. Deep Well at Cairo. One Fresh Water Spring in the Country. Chinese methods of taking Water from Rivers and Pools: their Chain Pump: manner of working it similar to the Tread-mill. Cochlion. Persian Wheel. Chinese Water-wheel, formed with Bamboos. Water-wheel with hollow rim, arms, and axis. Various Devices for preserving Soft Water. Cisterns at Jerusalem and Alexandria. Venice: Reservoir at the Ducal Palace: its Construction and Mode of Filtering. Proportionate Quantity of Rain Water. Vast energy of Capillary Action. Atmometer. Principle of Filtration. Lisbon Aqueduct, and plan of supplying the Inhabitants. Algiers. Malta. Superiority of the means adopted in Great Britain. As wells and fountains were the first artificial contrivances of mankind, for procuring a supply of pure water for beverage and other domestic purposes, so the general use of the same devices, not only continues, wherever civilization has made but little progress, but even at the present time, among highly civilized nations, the rustic portion of the population obtain a great part of it, for common exigencies, by similar means. The benefits derived from them, as well as the familiarity with such useful objects may, perhaps, be the principal reason for their frequent occurrence, in the similes and metaphors, of rural bards and sages of all ages and every clime. Apparently simple as may be these inventions of antiquity, they present some varieties and peculiarities, which render them interesting to philosophical curiosity. The wells formed during the primitive ages of Greece, had a massive marble cylinder placed at their top, and as the water ascended near to the surface, it was obtained by means of a bucket, which had a rope made of twisted herbs attached to its handles. As this was the practice at Athens, it is probable that the inhabitants were unacquainted with the method of raising it, either by a windlass, or the common lever. The mode of procuring the supply from their wells, by the use of a rope evidently continued through centuries, for among the interesting and instructive remains of that renowned people, some of the marble cylinders have actually grooves of two or three inches deep, produced solely by the friction of the ropes against their sides. Water is stated to have been the sole beverage of the Greeks in the early periods of their history; and to this cause may, perhaps, be chiefly ascribed the high estimation they generally entertained for the wells. The inhabitants were in the practice of resorting to, and assembling together around them, not merely to procure what was necessary for their daily wants, but also for the purposes of social conversation and public festivities, of which music, dancing, and other amusements, formed a principal part. Mr. Dodwell, who travelled in Greece, relates that the circular marble top of a well at Corinth has ten figures of divinities ornamenting it, and of these he has given a representation, at the same time stating such decorations to be common to the sacred wells of the Greeks. The utility of such structures rendered them objects of peculiar regard and veneration, from conducing both to their wants and enjoyments; but, as the population and prosperity of Athens and Corinth increased, the principal supply of water was probably derived from other more distant sources. Indeed, the vestiges of aqueducts in their vicinity, evince the correctness of this conclusion; and contrivances of the kind are evidently implied, in the following verses of Homer's description of the gardens of Alcinoüs: "Two plenteous fountains the whole prospect crown'd: The construction of the wells of Thrace differed from that of Athens, and consisted of an arched excavation in the side of a rock, or other declivity, containing a spring, with a flight of covered steps and the front by an arch, to afford the means of descending to obtain the water.† Another kind of well was likewise once common in various parts of Europe, from which the water was elevated by the aid of a large lever, having the bucket at one end, with a counterpoise of stones attached to the other; and this contrivance is said still to be employed at some places in Rumelia. Besides, in Turkey, casual circumstances have suggested the plan of rendering the cavities, formed by the sides of the roads, either by nature or art, * Odyssey, B. VII. † A well of this kind is situate in a field at the west side of Hampstead, and at the distance of about 500 yards below the church; but there are many others of the same description in different parts of Great Britain. Such contrivances were objects of great care and attention prior to the invention and use of pumps that at Hampstead was protected by the Act of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. for allowing the citizens of London to obtain water from the bottom of the heath. subservient to the same useful purpose; for wherever springs constantly supplied them with water, they have been inclosed and converted into fountains, so as to preserve the water clean and pure, to allay the thirst, or afford the means of ablution to travellers; and structures of this kind are often to be seen far distant from of the habitations of man. any Probably for a long time before the invention of pumps, the use of the windlass and bucket to raise water was adopted in England, from the contrivance being employed in mining operations. But whether such a supposition be correct or not, the exigencies of men in different countries, arising either from climate or other causes, have stimulated them to exercise their inventive powers in devising contrivances for ensuring a supply of water for their various wants and conveniences. As some of them display much ingenuity, a description of a few of the most remarkable will not be irrelevant, and perhaps may be found both interesting and useful. The Egyptians have been particularly distinguished for ingenious and diversified contrivances to elevate water from a low to a higher level, with the view of promoting vegetation, and to subserve the purposes of agriculture. To effect such an object, being essential to the subsistence of its inhabitants, their efforts to conduct and distribute that of the Nile, over the country, were astonishingly great. Solely for this end, they constructed canals in various directions, several of them extending the length of sixty, ninety, or even one hundred miles. The number of these works for receiving water during the inundations, and distributing it to a great distance, is said to have amounted to eighty. The grand cavities, called the Lakes of Moeris, Behira, and Mareotis, are deemed to be vast reservoirs, excavated for containing the superabundance, which was afterwards to be employed for irrigating the plains in their vicinity. The means of conveying it over the mounds and high lands consisted of a series of buckets connected together by chains, and raised by the assistance of a wheel, when on their arriving at, and in passing over, the summit, each bucket successively discharged its contents. The invention of this machine is ascribed to the Egyptians, and oxen are sometimes employed to work it. Besides, as the power of one animal is sufficient for turning it, the watering of a large field can be effected by the labour of a single ox. It has been conjectured, that whilst Archimedes was in Egypt, the inspection of this useful device suggested to him the idea of his ingenious screw for raising water, which, at the present time, is very seldom used. Savary observes that, "at the entrance to Old Cairo, stands an hexagonal building, each side of which is eighty feet wide, and one hundred feet high. Oxen mount up a very gentle ascent, and turn a wheel which raises water to the summit of this building :-five basins receive the water, whence it flows into an aqueduct, sustained by 300 arches for conveying it into a reservoir; but from the latter, other oxen, and another machine raise it to the palace of the Pacha. The Arabs constructed this work according to the plan of that described by Strabo, and of which the remains are visible, between the citadel of Babylon and the Nile. Strabo describes "the mountain as having a gentle descent from the fortress to the banks of the Nile, and 150 slaves continually employed in raising water thither, by means of wheels and screws. The same interesting traveller likewise relates, that * Travels in Egypt. |