There the soft, oozy earth, which can never dry under the trees, is poached into a slough through which even timber carriages cannot be drawn.
"Hodge and His Masters"
Richard Jefferies
Presently they came to a spot where the oozy mud extended at least eight or ten feet before the next tuft of grass.
"Two Little Confederates"
Thomas Nelson Page
After travelling in this manner much longer than was desirable, finding the sidewalks so bad that he takes to the middle of the street, and finally goes back to the walk again in desperation; stumbling over barrels and carts, and so much rubbish that is oozy and soft as to cause him to imagine that everything is turning into a liquid state in order that it may leave the place by way of the gutters, the rivulets, and the river, he becomes aware that a lantern, carried by one of two men, whose legs are to be seen in long shadows, is approaching, and that they are very merry, for they are making a good deal of noise, and stop frequently to accuse each other of being jolly old boys, or thorough scoundrels, or dreadful villains, or to lean up against the buildings to discuss ribald questions which seem to amuse them.
"The Mystery of the Locks"
Edgar Watson Howe