380 



the rock. A descent was then made round either side of the 

 boss, still further downwards, over a particularly rough and 

 uneven floor ; two more Caudine forks had to be passed in a 

 prone and wriggling manner, and then the final cavern of all was 

 dimly seen by its darkness (if one may use the expression) 

 apparently barring all further progress. However the dim light 

 of some caudles showed that preparations had been made for a 

 further descent ; two bars of wood round one of which a rope was 

 passed, another in the dim distance over which one end of the 

 rope was run through a pulley, and five stalwart men at the brink 

 of the darkness, indicated the nature of the further method of 

 proceeding. First of all a board on which was stuck some five or 

 six candles was let down by a string to the bottom, and quickly 

 passed out of sight ; then when all was ready and the coils of 

 rope arranged for lowering, Mr. NichoUs was slung into the end 

 of it, and slowly lowered down a steepish slope of ten feet 

 of stalagmite to the brink, gradually his feet disappeared, then 

 his head, and at last that was lost to view, but occasionally was 

 heard echoing up from the darkness "hold on," "lower away," 

 until the final "slack out" announced that he had reached the 

 bottom, and that 13 fathoms of rope had been paid out. This 

 process was repeated in Mr. McMurtrie's case ; but the writer of 

 this account not being to the manner born, and not liking to spin 

 round in mid-air like a leg of mutton at the fire, and moreover 

 tliinking of the little pledges he had left at home, came to the 

 conclusion that he would stay further progress, and remain behind 

 to chronicle events, and watch the strands of rope widen out as 

 the strain increased, and finally part asunder (which latter event 

 happily he has not to record). The descent was particularly 

 unpleasant, as after passing over the lips of stalagmite the side 

 sloped away suddenly inwards so that there was nothing whereby 

 to steady oneself in the descent. This final chamber and its 

 method of approach by rope reminded the writer forcibly of 

 Professor Boyd Dawkins's account of his descent into Heln Pot in 



