Suitenaneous Cave'/'h at Paris. 379 



deavour to keep it as fecret as pofTible, left, if 

 it fhould get generally knov/n, it might prove 

 a fource of uneafinefs and alarm to the inhabitants 

 above. For, what is very remarkable, notwith- 

 ftanding the extent of this quarry, and the ap- 

 parent danger many parts of the city are in from 

 it, few, even of thofe who have conftantly refided 

 at Paris, are at all acquainted with it, and on 

 my mentioning the expedition I was going to 

 undertake to feveral of my Parifian friends, they 

 ridiculed me upon it, and told me it was im- 

 poflible there could be any fuch place. 



About nine o'clock in the morning we aflem- 

 bled to the number of forty, and, with each 

 a wax candle in his hand, precifeiy at ten 

 o'clock, defcendcd, by fteps, to the depth of 

 three hundred and fixty (ttt perpendicular. Wc 

 had likewife a number of guides with torches, 

 which we found very ufeful ; but, even with 

 thefe afliftants, we were feveral times under the 

 necefTity of halting, to examine the plans the 

 infpedors keep of thefe quarries, that we might 

 dired our courfe in the right road. I was dif- 

 appointed in not being able to obtain one of 

 thefe plans, which would have given the cleareft 

 idea of this mofl: extraordinary place. At the 

 entrance, the path is narrow for a confiderable 

 way ; but foon we entered large and fpacious 

 iireets, all marked with names, the fame as in 

 the city; different advcrtifements and bills were 



found. 



