The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-07-28

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dents waited for the coming out of
their patrons.
The shops beneath the rows were
the Cryptac and Apothecac Magazines
for the various necessaries of the
owners of the houses.
visited one of these Crypts, now
used as wine cellar which contained
specimens of vaulting equal to the
cloistors of the Cathedral. a volume
of interesting matter might be made
in descriptions of the old streets and
houses.
An old house onWater-gate street
which seemed ready to fall bore the
following inscription, Gods Proyi-
denco is my inheritance; 1852. At
the time when the plague was devas-
tating the city, this was one of the
very few houses which escaped its
fearful havoc Lower down the street
on the same side is another curious
old house, the whole front of which is
divided in square compartments filed
with carved work of various des-
criptions illustrating scripture history
and heraldry. Adam and Eye; Cain
killing Abel Abraham Offering up
Isaac; \ Martyrdom etc Three COM
partments contain armorial bearings
including the Eardom of Derby and
Chester, one has an inscription, illcgi-
bic from my then stand point, dated,
1913. In a cellar in Bridge street
now occupied as shop are the re-
mains of Roman Hypocaust and
Sudatorium or sweating room, the use
of which appears to have been gener-
al among tue Romans, ancient histo-
rians having handed down details of
these curious erections by which we
learn that they were not only con-
structed SO as to secure the comfort and
convenience Of the bathers to the
fullest extent, but were often built in
magnificent style Of architecture,
The one in Bridge street is Is feet
long, 8 wide and feet deep There
IS one adjoining chamber or prefer
nam of the same size. The Hypo-
caust is supported by % square pillars
? feet g inches high and one foot
square at top and bottom. Over these
pillars are placed bricks, Is inches
square and three inches thick which
support others two feet square per-
forated with small holes about six
inches apart for the purpose of con
veylng the heat upwards. Immediate
ly above this uppermost layer of bricks
Is terrace floor composed of several
layers of lime, pounded bricks etc, in
different proportions and degrees Of
tineness. The room above is the Su-
/ datorium or sweating room which re-
ceived the hot air from the Hypocaust
below.
Around the walls were benches,
rising one above another, on which
the bathers sat until they burst out
into free perspiration; after which
| they were scraped with bron2ed in
strument called a st'igH, then and
/ Flexible, like a hoop, by which all inn
purities were removed from the skin;
they were then shampooed, rubbed
down with towels and their bodies
anointed with oil, after which they re-
turned to the tepidarium where they
attired them selves and gradually
cooled before retiring to the open air
NermOnters have no time for such
elaborate performances and yet they
consider themselves clean after their
operation, with hot water, soap, bruh-
es and friction towels while the Turk
ish or Roman attendants will take n
man, thus cleaned, into his own bath
and presently exclaim, American very
dirty" In 1879, another Hyphocanst
and remains of several adjoining
rooms of Roman house were discov-
cred in excavation for the foundation
of modern building. The Roman
pavement has been often discovered a
few feet below the modern road and
during the past few years many re-
markable antiquities have been dis
covered in making excavations, among
others, fine Roman Alter, bearing a
a meek inscription, has excited much
interest and speculation. In fact,
which ever way you turn within the
old walls matter of enjoyment is to be
meet with and | leave them and the
city with profound regret.
We enjoyed, immensely, drive with
a four-in hand (the Englishmen. S ulti-
ma thule of enjoyment with horses to
the Bioxton Hills. some ten miles
distant over roads almost equal to
those of our Central Park, the whole
way lined with vine and ivy clad coz
tages and houses, the yards of which
were filed with beautiful flowers; and
such green as the fields displayed, /
have never seen. | was almost intox-
icated with delight We brought up
at the Edgerton Arms, Braxton Hall,
a very perfectly preserved specimen Of
the old English inn; over the door was
n sign inscribed with ancient charac-
tiers, and it looked two hundred years
old. We walked to the top of the hill
and the view there presented was in
deed magnificent. The Kelliby Hills
on our right and on the north, met
those we stood upon (Braxton) near
the ruins of the old Braxton Castle
which was bailt on projecting cliff
overlooking an immense ext Mt OF
country. Far away in our fror t, fifty
miles at least, stretching around and
almost joining the Braxton Ellis on
A A.