52 M. Duvaucel on the Great Cavern of Boobon. 



in Brunswick, nor Antiparos, nor Pen-park Hole, in the coun- 

 ty of Gloucester, nor Devil's Hole in the county of Derby, are 

 of such vast extent ; and Boobon is at once one of the most 

 gigantic and frightful monuments of the power of time united 

 with the action of the elements. 



The entrance to the cavern of Boobon is in the midst of a 

 pile of secondary rocks. It is a narrow opening, through which 

 we descend without danger by sliding down some stones, which 

 are arranged like steps. We reach the ground some feet below 

 the opening. The first view presents all the confusion of a 

 sudden slip of earth, and we walk at first across rude blocks of 

 stone, which have deep and narrow paths between them ; but 

 this inequality disappears as we continue to advance, and the 

 road, at first so broken, irregular, and painful, becomes at last 

 practicable in nearly the whole breadth. 



The vault sensibly inclines to the right and left, and the 

 waters which accumulate at the latter side leave there a vast 

 number of stalactites, like large planks, very close together, and 

 lying in a vertical direction. 



Other stalactites, as various in their forms as in their size, 

 are attached to the top of the vault, and the ground is covered 

 with innumerable stalagmites; and in this immense work, which 

 nature has produced so slowly, we recognize one of the most an- 

 cient productions she has formed since the consolidation of the 

 globe. The height of the cavern is everywhere about fifteen 

 feet, and its width, which is from twenty to twenty-five feet, is 

 contracted at different places only by rocks, which are converted 

 by the stalactitic deposites into the shapes of men or animals, 

 which pass among the inhabitants of Cossyah for beings meta- 

 morphosed into stone. These superstitious people look upon this 

 cavern as the work of Satan, and as the abode of several wicked 

 gods. In passing before each diabolic work, they take care to 

 cry out, and to strike their hands to frighten the demons. On 

 reaching a certain depth they will not advance without great 

 fear. In one word, the cavern of Boobon is to the Cossyahs 

 what the grotto of Trophonius was to the Greeks. 



After walking three hours a distance of about four miles, 

 without finding any change in my route, my guides took fright, 

 and refused to proceed any farther. I had observed that the 

 flame of the torch which lighted us wavered always in the same 



