PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 175 



Accordingly, on Saturday last, we set out for the Cave, on reaching which, we 

 seemed with one consent to stop and gaze with feelings of admiration on the highly 

 picturesque and grand appearance of the mouth, richly clothed as it is at this season 

 in all the varied tints of green, as exhibited in the young foliage of the several 

 species of shrubs with which the edges of the entrance of the Cave are fringed, from 

 the light green of the deciduous thorn and elder to the very sombre tint of the ever- 

 green ivy. Our feelings of admiration were, however, mingled with regret on 

 observing that some thoughtless visitor had injured much of the brushwood at one 

 side of the entrance to the Cave by having set fire to it. 



Every well-disposed person should endeavour to prevent wanton injury of this 

 description from being committed on our natural scenery, antiquities, or the modern 

 decorations of places of public resort. 



Amongst the plants which grow around the mouth of the Cave are two or three 

 varieties of fern, one of them, the hart's-tongue fern (Phyllitis Scolopendrium) seems 

 to flourish vigorously at a distance often or twelve feet within the arch of the Cave. 

 Having advanced a short way into the Cave, and having ascertained the point from 

 which O'Neill made his much-admired painting, we were struck with its cor- 

 rectness. I had also brought a sketch-book with me, which contained an equally 

 faithful, but rough drawing, of the same view, made by the late George Miller. 



Having now lighted our candles, we proceeded to explore the chambers, the 

 details of which have been so well described by the late Mr. Robertson, in the notes 

 already read to you, that I shall not further dwell upon them than to say, that we 

 lighted up the " MarketCross," and examined Miller's sketch of it, which, although 

 executed upwards of forty years ago, is still a most faithful likeness, even to the large 

 fracture wantonly made in one of the stalactic flutings of this bold pillar. On 

 arriving at the point from which the fissure disclosing " the light of day" is seen, we 

 came to the conclusion (confirmed with the aid of a compass, brought by Mr. 

 Graves) that we had described a semicircle in our progress through the chambers ; 

 and that the water and wet stones which we saw through the fissure, were on the 

 ground near the entrance to the "Fairies' Floor," which is on the right hand as 

 you enter the cave. 



We now proceeded to explore the southern chamber, which is of great length, 

 but less broken in the outline of its plan than the other chambers. Having ad- 

 vanced into it, until we were obliged to stoop, we arrived at the well or reservoir of 

 water, which is formed by a hollow in a deposit of sandy mud, the rocky side of 

 the Cave forming one brink of the pool ; next to this side the water is deepest. 

 The water is not only very pure, but agreeable to the taste, notwithstanding the 

 large quantity of bones which it contains, proving thereby their great antiquity. 



In the immediate vicinity of the well, fragments of bones are also very abundant, 

 embedded in the sandy soil, to which I have alluded, and which appears to be the 

 earthy deposit brought down by the water percolating through the fissures in the 

 ceiling of the Cave. From this sandy deposit, this part of the Cave probably 

 derives its name of the "rabbit burrow." 



We collected and carried away a great many fragments of bones, but having 

 submitted them to Dr. Johnson, I find that they are all bones which belonged to 

 different parts of the human frame, embracing portions of the skull, jaw-bone, 

 arms, ^fingers, and toes. We could observe that visitors have made many exca- 

 vations in search of bones. One large bone, which is encrusted to the surface 

 of the rocky floor, has been nearly destroyed by attempts to remove it, by striking 

 it with hammers ; a light iron wedge would have been more effective. 



Having concluded our observations in this chamber, we retraced our steps 

 towards the mouth, and in doing so we set up a few lights, which continued to 

 burn during our retreat. 



The effect was very pleasing, as the outline of the ceiling, with the inequalities 

 of the floor, were all clearly defined. We also ascertained in this way that the 

 current of air was outwards, as the flame flickered towards the mouth of the Cave, 

 and the smoke made its exit in the same direction. After a careful examination of 

 the several chambers of this remarkable Cave, we have come to the conclusion: — 

 That human and other bones are confined not only to one chamber, but to a parti- 

 cular part of that chamber — the immediate vicinity of the well. 



