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thofe fhady trees with which it is yet adorned. 



this admirable piece in a perfect ftate 



hofe 



ling progeny flill helps to 

 fe new banks ani wondeis 



the defcending ftrea 

 The Grotto, of which 



refolved to 



fo 



account, lies in tlvj 



fame parifh, and about feven miles above the bay : It is fituatcd at the foot of a hill, 

 under which it runs, by a gradual and oblique defcent, for the fpace of two or thrc 



hundred yards, and ferves as a 



vale, 



the rainy feafons 



eyance for the waters that fall into the adj 



well as a convenient habitation for batts, owls, and 



fculking negroes, in fairer weather 



Eft curvo anfraftu Caverna accommodafraudi 

 Nigrorumve dolts ; quam denjis frondibu 



Vrgit utrumque I 



qua femita duett 



Virg 



After you pafs the narrow and woody path, that leads to this cave through the 

 adjacent vale, you foon reach the opening of the grot, which is wide and free at 

 the entrance ; but contracts as it recedes, and further back, is divided into a num- 

 berlefs feries of caverns, and more regular fpaces, fuftained and adorned with a 

 thoufand rifing, and defcending, or compleated pillars of nalacYites ; which 

 are formed of various crufts, that have been laid fuccemvely by the waters that 

 have dribled through the mountain after the more heavy rains of an uncertain feries 

 of years : Thefe pillars rife and defcend in every part of the grotto, but are far more 

 robuft and perfect backwards, where the waters, paffing through the thicker beds 



have been more abundantly charged with fparry particles, and lefs difhirbed by the 

 open and agitated air. 



The fog that fo regularly obfeures the air in Sixteen mile Walk for a certain part 

 of the day, has been remarked almoft from the fir ft fettlement of the Ifland ; and as 

 it flill continues, ftill deferves our attention : the place, where it is obferved, is a plea- 

 fant vale, fituated foutherly, at the foot of the 

 and about the middle of the Ifland j but furrounded by hills on all other fides. 



main ridge or chain of mountains, 



The 



foil is fertil, and the place well fupplied with fprings and rivulets, which fall into 

 two principal channels that unite their ftreams a little lower, and continu 



thei 



common courfe foutrrwards between two rocky hills, and barren precipices, until they 

 reach the plain below. This level fpace is almoft daily and duly overcaft with mifts, 

 (c) that begin to rife with the approach of night, thicken as it advances, fpread 

 gradually unto the neighbouring vales, is heavicft about the dawn of day, and con- 

 tinues until the more active rays of the fun begin to warm and agitate the air : then 



it gradually rifes and expands ; and between the hours of eight and nine, begins to 

 flow in two principal ftreams ; the one weftward among the mountains and neigh- 

 bouring vales, the other fouthward, and directly over the courfe of the river, pntil 

 it reaches, and vanifhes about the plains below : it is extremely thick in the morn- 

 ing, and when viewed from the top or brow of any of the neighbouring mountains, 

 looks like a perfect fea, whofe various arms and inlets are thoroughly reprefented by 

 the neighbouring and adjoining vales. 



There are many other remarkable curiofities in this Ifland ; but as we treat of all 

 the branches of Natural Hiftory in the following feries, we will endeavour to intro- 

 duce them in their proper places -, and for the prefent, content ourfelves with having 

 given fome idea of fuch as we could notfo conveniently introduce in any other part, 

 nor chufe to omit. 





(c) See the courfe and nature of thofc mifts explained in our Diflertaiion on the general and partial 

 motions of the atmofphere. 



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