tions are caused by the large body of water, which descends from the surrounding hills after a long continuance of rain , and flowing down the valley finds a resting-place in the cricket-ground. The gathering of water in the cricket-ground at an early hour was the first sign of the coming flood, and in a comparatively short time the entire surface of the ground was covered ,until the water was several feet in depth . Pleasure skiffs were skimming about over the surface,and during the morning a rowing match might be seen at the spot where, on the previous day, a cricket match was played . The appearance of a cricket-ground has , perhaps, never been more suddenly changed."
Having thus adverted to some of the physical causes which have exerted such an influence on the fortunes of our own town, I will endeavour to sketch briefly its history in the following chapters.
