.ET. 47.] GOWER CAVES. 139 



On September 12th he ascended Snowdon, next day 

 proceeding to Carnarvon, and afterwards to Clynnog. 

 Taking a circuitous route, he arrived at Stouthall from 

 Swansea on the 20th. Next day, with the assistance 

 and local knowledge of Colonel Wood, he commenced 

 the joint investigation with Falconer of the caves on 

 the picturesque coast of Gower. To quote the words 

 of Falconer, " Its line of coast stretches from the 

 ' Mumbles ' on the E. to the ' Worm's Head ' on 

 the W., and with the indentations of Port Eynon, 

 Oxwich, and smaller bays, it presents an iron-bound 

 wall of bold, lofty, and precipitous or scarped cliffs, 

 occasionally exhibiting features of the grandest 

 description." 



The best known of the caverns, which are at different 

 heights above the sea, are " Bacon Hole," " Bosco's 

 Den," "Minchin Hole," "Long Hole," and " Eaven's 

 Cliff." These all occur in this southern range of cliffs 

 between Worm's Head and the " Mumbles." Nor 

 must " Paviland Cave " be omitted, which was de- 

 scribed in 1821 by Dr Buckland, and where the 

 fragmentary skeleton of a woman was found. The 

 bones were stained red ; thus the skeleton was known 

 in Gower as " The Red Lady of Paviland." How 

 the poor human form was introduced into this cave, 

 and came to be found in association with tusks and 

 remains of elephant, is a problem that will never be 

 solved. The generally accepted explanation is that 

 the body was brought and laid there for burial. 



One of the best -known of the caves is " Spritsail 

 Tor," situated to the west of the Gower Peninsula 

 and facing Carmarthen Bay. It was discovered by 

 quarrymen in 1839, who had cut back into the Car- 

 boniferous Limestone. Although of comparatively small 



