lane, just where Clarence and
Russell-streets now meet, there was once a Powder House, to which vessels
used to send their gunpowder while in port. This Powder House, in the
middle of the last century, was a source of anxiety to the inhabitants of
the town, who fully anticipated, at any moment, a blow-up, and the
destruction of the town. The Powder House was afterwards converted into
a receptacle for French prisoners. My grandfather knew the place well.

It does not require a man to be very old to remember the pleasant
appearance of Moss Lake Fields, with the Moss Lake Brook, or Gutter, as
it was called, flowing in their midst. The fields extended from
Myrtle-street to Paddington, and from the top of Mount Pleasant or
Martindale's-hill, to the rise at Edge-hill. The brook ran parallel with
the present Grove-street, rising somewhere about Myrtle-street. In olden
times, before coal was in general use, Moss Lake Fields were used as a
"Turbary," a word derived from the French word _Tourbiere_, a turf field.
(From the way that the turf is dried we have our term _topsy turvy_,
_i.e._, top side turf way). Sir Edward More, in his celebrated rental,
gives advice to his son to look after "his turbary." The privilege of
turbary, or "getting turf," was a valuable one, and was conferred
frequently on the burgesses of towns paying scot and lot. I believe
turf, fit for burning, has been obtained from Moss Lake Fields even
recently. Just where Oxford-street is now intersected by Grove-street,
the brook opened out into a large pond, which was divided into two by a
bridge and road communicating between the meadows on each side. The
bridge was of stone of about four feet span, and rose above the meadow
level. The sides of the approach were protected by wooden railings, and
a low parapet went across the bridge. {167} Over the stone bridge the
road was carried when connection was opened to Edge-hill from Mount
Pleasant, and Oxford-street was laid out. When the road was planned both
sides of it were open fields and pastures. The first Botanic Gardens
were laid out in this vicinity; they extended to Myrtle-street, the
entrance Lodge stood nearly on the site of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. In
winter the Moss Lake Brook usually overflowed and caused a complete
inundation. On this being frozen over fine skating was enjoyed for a
considerable space. The corporation boundary line was at this side of
the brook. In summer the voluntee