“Before leaving the subject of surveys, I may mention that I afterwards led my class to measure and plot, with sections longitudinal and transverse, so much of the Ickenield Street as then remained on Sutton Coldfield, the length being about three miles; and lastly, that at the request of Dr. Blair, now well known to every reader of the life of Professor Wilson, we made a survey underground, viz., of a coal-pit, his property, near Dudley. This, though a dark and dirty piece of work, was much enjoyed by the lads, the more so as at the close of their task they were plentifully regaled at Dr. Blair’s hospitable table. “These operations extended over a portion of 1818 and 1819. “A little incident which occurred during the survey on Sutton Coldfield may be worth mentioning. A farmer coming up towards the close of our operations asked what we were doing, and upon being told that we were surveying the Roman road, inquired, ‘What’s that?’ At this time, the sun, being low in the sky, threw the depressed parts of the road into sufficient shadow to bring out alike the convexity of the carriage-way and the comparative elevation of the causeways on either side, so that the road, not easily discernible in the full light of day, had now its outlines distinctly marked. The answer, therefore, was easy, and pointing to the long line of road stretched before us, I replied, ‘There it is.’ The rustic looked in the direction indicated, and after gazing for awhile in bewildered surprise exclaimed, ‘Good God, I have crossed this way every day for twenty years, and never saw that before!’”[45] CHAPTER IV.