170 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



this wondrous work of nature is formed, is visible on every side, and its various 

 faces beautifully broken by pendent plants, sapling ash, thorns, and elder. When 

 you have descended about seventy feet, right in front of your path a grand natural 

 arch presents itself, formed of the rude limestone rock, the arch approaching in 

 form to a quarter circle, about twenty-two feet high, by thirty-seven feet at the 

 base, and the height continues along the inclined plane with some few deviations. 



" The appearance which the Cave presents at this point of view (under the arch), 

 is singularly impressive, vast horizontal strata of limestone ledges, in a descending 

 series, seem retreating one behind the other, each supported by that beneath it ; 

 lichens, ferns, ivy, and briars hang from the joints, and, in some measure, clothe 

 the perpendicular and otherwise naked surface, and give a picturesque appearance. 

 Having entered the archway, to the left hand is a kind of rude but inclined plat- 

 form, full of rocks, and expanding into a large and wide chamber; the roof, or 

 ceiling nearly horizontal, and from twelve to fifteen feet above you. The view 

 outward, towards the mouth of the Cave, was from this position singularly beautiful. 



" Having advanced far enough into the Cave to prevent its mouth being visible, 

 there was sufficient light to render objects around us perfectly distinct, although 

 immersed in shade, while the figures of those descending the outer (or upper) path, 

 were beautifully illumined by the uninterrupted light falling upon them. In a few 

 minutes our guides produced another very singular effect, quite different, but not 

 less beautiful, by the firing of some straw which they had brought to light our 

 candles with. The chamber of the Cave was filled with smoke that, for a time, ob- 

 scured every object ; but owing to the dampness of the air, the smoke lingered 

 long, and on clearing away left that agreeable kind of haze so peculiar to the 

 evenings of autumn and spring, which added surprisingly to the effect of the ob- 

 jects around us, and increased their effect on the imagination tenfold. Were these 

 guides conversant with their business, how mightily could they increase the effect of 

 this great natural curiosity, upon the minds of all ordinary visitors, by the use of 

 this innocent circumstance. 



"From our position, now looking inward, upon our right hand lay the bottom of 

 the Cave, visible at a greath depth ; the inclined plane, by which we had originally 

 entered, descending into it with a rapid inclination, and unbroken by any interruption. 

 On our left, and divided from the former by a thick mass or partition of rock, lay 

 another chamber of a very different character. To a few yards beyond us the floor 

 on which we stood continued tolerably even ; but, on a sudden, it appeared rugged 

 and dissevered into large masses, separated from each other by deep and wide 

 chasms, through which, following each other down an abrupt and dangerous decli- 

 vity, we saw the guides precede us, with candles in their hands, the puny light of 

 which showed but very indistinctly, the tremendously rude objects that surrounded 

 us, and made but " darkness visible," adding extreme interest to every new object 

 that presented itself. The descent was troublesome owing to its intricacy, and 

 being very slippery from the water impregnated with stalactic matter, constantly 

 dripping from the roof, and keeping the stones of the floor wet. 



"We had descended from twelve to fourteen feet below our former level, and, 

 having advanced a short way, saw before us, by the lights of our guides, who now 

 appeared ascending, another fine natural arch of considerable height, and of the 

 same rude materials as the arch of the mouth, which appeared to lead into another 

 chamber of greater height, but of less dimensions than that from which we had de- 

 scended. It appeared to be elliptical, its longest diameter standing obliquely to 

 the former chamber. The floor was rough and uneven, but not composed of those 

 rude and dangerous masses through which we had just clambered ; the path ap- 

 peared beaten as if frequented. The roof, or ceiling, here changed its appearance 

 to that of an irregular conical dome of great height at its apex, probably forty feet. 

 Scarcely had we time to bestow any attention upon this wonderfully natural ex- 

 cavation, when our curiosity was attracted as powerfully, by the sound of our 

 guides' voices at an elevation far above us. 



"Wonderful as the former scenes appeared to minds so fully occupied as ours were 

 with them, that now before us excited new and strong interest. At the termination 

 of this elliptic chamber, appeared a high and narrow cavity, filled for the most part, 

 by what appeared to us as a rock with a broken surface, almost perpendicular ; 



