A USTRALASIA ILL USTRA TED. 



A PASSAGE IN THE CAVES. 



most truly, and just round the corner is " The Devil's Coach-house." Upon the eastern 

 edge, within the arch, a flight of wooden steps leads to a vault-like entrance guarded by 

 an iron gate. This gate the guide opens, and following him with candles lighted, 

 visitors leave daylight and the outer world, and enter the realm of the gnomes. It is 

 the double-branched " Imperial Cave." The first marvel discovered is a chamber, " The 



Wool-shed," some 

 twenty feet broad and 

 of a noble height, 

 where particles of lime- 

 stone, carried down by 

 dripping water, have 

 been deposited in 

 shapes resembling 

 fleeces tiny fleeces 

 shorn from the lambs 

 of fairy-flocks, and huge 

 fleeces, ample to swathe 

 the limbs of Hercules, 

 hung apparently on 

 benches, drooping from 

 ledges, or spread upon 

 the floor, looking in 



the flickering light of the candles as soft as newly-shorn wool. " The Vestry " follows 

 " The Wool-shed," and then, in what may be termed an alcove of the Cave, " The 

 Architect's Studio." This is a large chamber whose walls are a dull gray, and about 

 whose floor are many columns, indeed a double chamber, as is presently seen, for 

 through a noble Gothic arch faint white lights gleam, which, in the glow of the 

 magnesium wire, declare themselves as clustered stalagmites of infinitely varied form 

 an experiment, it might well be supposed, of some architect of the gnome world, 

 and an effort which resulted in the perfections to be discovered later on. A hun- 

 dred yards in from this " Studio," the narrow channel leads by walls, at times dripping 

 wet and sparkling in every ray of light at others dull, cold, gray and vault-like ; and 

 occasionally strewing the floor are bones rapidly changing into beautiful specimens. A 

 little farther in there is the " Margaretta Cave," with innumerable columns and curtains 

 of marble and alabaster. "Helen's Cave" is similarly glorified, and sanctified moreover 

 by the presence of a " Madonna "-not a perfect Madonna, or one carved by human 

 hands, but a stalagmite left solitary a column of dull white marble, weather-worn into 

 a shape resembling the mother and child ; at times, no matter how dim be the light, 

 the mother seems to wear a sun-bonnet. Still onward runs the narrow way, and soon 

 the " Lucinda " is found, of which it may be well to speak at length, in order to 

 explain some terms which must be frequently used in future description. The " Lucinda 

 Cave " is rich in " shawls ;" they hang from the roof and drape the walls, and enfold 

 the alabaster columns of the great central formation, which would make the noblest, 

 most beautiful reredos that ever adorned cathedral sanctuary. But these " shawls " are 



