POOLE S HOLE. II 



very unpleasant. The roof was now in most parts visible, (appearing 

 very rugged, and in general encrusted with petrefactions) altiiough 

 the sides were in some places so widely extended, that both sides 

 were not discernible at the same time. Having arrived at the 

 extremity of the cavern, which I conceived to be about half a 

 mile from the entrance, I took up a piece of rock and struck off 

 some of the white spar, which contained some particles of a 

 [)etrified quality, similar in appearance to what is called Bristol 

 stone, and equally transparent. Should any person, in future, 

 adventure to this place, I could wish to caution them against 

 striking the rock violently, as the moment I faced about to return, 

 a piece of rock fell near me from the roof, as I suppose, in con- 

 sequence of being shaken when I knocked off the spar. Having 

 proceeded some distance, on my return, I came, to my very great 

 astonishment, to another extremity of the cavern. As the guides 

 had said I could not lose my way, I immediately conceived this 

 part of the cavern to be unexplored. I returned and endeavoured 

 to find the aperture on the top of the precipice, but in vain. At 

 length I discovered a chink in the rock, which, at first appearance, 

 I thought to be the aperture before mentioned, but, upon exami- 

 nation it proved not to be the same. Conceiving it to be almost 

 impossible for a person to climb from the rock below to where I 

 then was, my candle being burnt nearly to my fingers, I found I 

 had no time to lose in deliberation, therefore determined to 

 adventure, whatever might be the consequence. At the hazard 

 of not being able to return, and also of extinguishing my candle, 

 I let myself down upon the rock, which I effected by clinging 

 with my hands and dropping at once upon the rock below ; when 

 upon the rock, a space so extensive presented itself, that I could 

 but feintly discern the roof and opposite side of the cavern, the 

 bottom was invisible ! With the most imminent danger of falling, 

 I then got down the side of the rock (which was as steep as the 

 roof of a house) to the verge of it, when holding myself with one 

 hand, and holding out the candle with the other, nothing was to 

 be seen beneath me but a yawning gulph, which appeared to be 

 bottomless ; with difficulty I climbed back to the top of the rock, and 



