SAwn bage, in the art of war, are bags filled with earth or sand, holding each about a cubic foot ; their use is to raise parapets in haste, or to repair what is beaten down.
SAnn flood, a terrible mischief, incident to the lands of Suffolk, and some other parts of England, which are frequently covered with vast quantities of sand, rolling in upon them, like a deluge of water, from sandy hills in their neighbour hood.
The flowing of sand, though far from being so tremendous and hurtful as in Arabia, is of very bad consequences in this country, as many valuable pieces of land have thus been entirely lost ; of which we give the following instances from Mr. Pennant, together with a probable means of preventing them in future. "I have more than once," says he, the east ern coasts of Scotland, observed the cala mitous state of several extensive tracts, formerly in a most flourishing condition, at present covered with sands, unstable as those of the deserts of Arabia. The pariah of Furvic, in the county of Aber deen, is now reduced to two farms, and above 5001. a year lost to the Errol family, 'as appears by the oath of the factor is 1600, made before the Court of Session, to ascertain the minister's salary. Not a vestige is to be seen of any buildings, un. less a fragment of the Church. The es tate of Coubin, near Forres, is another melancholy. instance. This tract was once wont 3001. a year, at this time overwhelmed with sand. This strange inundation was still in motion in 1769, chiefly when a strong wind prevailed. Its motion is so rapid that I have been assured, that an apple tree had been so covered with it in one season, that only the very summit appeared. This distress was brought on about ninety years ago, and was occasioned by the cutting down Some trees, and pulling up the bent or star which grew on the sand hills ; which at last gave rise to the act of 15 George II. c. 33, to prohibit the destruction of this useful plant.
" I beg leave to suggest to the public a possible means of putttng a stop to these destructive ravages. Providence bath kindly formed this plant to grow only in pure sand. Mankind was left to make, in aft ei times, an application of it suitable to their wants. The sand-hills on a por tion of the Flintshire shores, in the par ish of Llanasa, are covered with it natur ally, and keep firm in their place. The Dutch perhaps owe the existence of part, at least, of their country to the sowing of it on the mobile aohtm, their sand-banks. My humane and amiable friend, the late Benjamin Stillingfleet, Esq. recommend ed the sowing of this plant on the sandy wilds of Norfolk, that its matted roots might prevent the deluges of sand which that country experiences. It has been already remarked, that wheresoever this plant grows, the salutary effects are soon observed to follow. A single plant will fix the sand, and gather it into a hillock ; these hillocks, by the increase of vegeta tion, are formed into larger, till by de. grecs a barrier is made often against the encroachments of the sea, and might as often prove preventive of the calamity in question. I cannot, therefore, but re. commend the trial to the inhabitants of many parts of North Britain. The plant grows in most places near the sea, and is known to the Highlanders by the name of murah ; to the English by that of bent-star, mat-grass, or marram. Linnxus calls it arundo arenaria. The Dutch call it helm. This plant bath stiff and sharp-pointed leaves, growing like a rush, a foot and-a half long : the roots both creep and pene trate deeply into their sandy beds : the stalk bears all ear five or six inches long; not unlike rye; the seeds are small, brown, and roundish. By good fortune, as old Gerard observes, no cattle will eat or touch this vegetable,allotted for other pur poses, subservient to the use of mankind."