Stanley's Memoir cni a Cave at Cefn in Denbigshire, 43 



abode somewhere in these cliffs, suddenly appearing, and as sud- 

 denly, at the end of seven years, disappearing. Nothing was known 

 of him, but the prevailing opinion seemed to be, that he was a ca- 

 tholic priest or pilgrim, performing penance for some deadly sin : 

 assuredly with such an intention, no situation could have been 

 found more eligible, with its fine porch by day, and its inner-cham- 

 bers, as a dwelling-place, for the night. The extent of this porch, 

 if it may be so called, is about 20 feet, in a direction nearly due 

 east, the front of the main opening being nearly due west. 

 But beyond this extent, till about two years ago, none had pe- 

 netrated. Indeed, from all I could learn, the existence of any 

 cavern beyond it was not even suspected, further progress being 

 cut off by a solid mass of indurated soil, on the north-eastern 

 angle of this main entrance. At the above mentioned time, 

 however, the labourers employed in forming the walks on 

 the face of the rock, were directed to remove some of this 

 soil ; and it was soon apparent, that it occupied the entire space 

 of a continuous cave, which, after running due north about 

 12 or 14 feet, turned to the east at nearly a right angle, follow- 

 ing this direction for the space already opened, of about 15 

 yards, making in all from the immediate front entrance a conti- 

 nued cavern of about 80 feet, varying in height from about 6 to 10 

 feet. Here and there, calcareous exudations present themselves, 

 though in no part assuming the slightest approach to pendent 

 stalactite, their general appearance being that of a hard chalky 

 white froth, of close texture ; with one exception, namely, a cu- 

 rious fungus-like spongy-formed excrescence, projecting from 

 the roof, compounded of a calcareous deposit of a crystalline 

 character, its sharp points and angles being amalgamated with 

 a portion of clay, and in one instance, which I collected, with an 

 imbedded grey wacke pebble. At the extremity of the present 

 excavation, the cavern presents the annexed appearance, the 



whole space being choked up, ^ ^ 



with the exception of the y^ ^A. \ 



space A, with a more or less / <T \ 



indurated mass of fine loam / j^-^M 



or clay, of an ochrey colour, jj^ ::^==^\ 



and calcareous nature, readily /" ~ ^ 



