OF GIBRALTAR. 



of larger dimensions. The interior is shown to the 

 public when the rock is visited hy some distinguished 

 personage, or a particular friend of the Colonels of 

 Artillery or Engineers ; it is then seen to the best 

 advantage : a host of people is assembled near the 

 entrance of the cave at the hour appointed. Martial 

 music sounds. The gates are opened, and the cavern 

 is entered with the utmost degree of caution, the 

 ladies of course assisted by the gentlemen, the descent 

 being very slippery from the accumulated moisture. 

 Wax tapers burning at distant intervals, cast a dim 

 light over all around ; as you proceed, a little stream 

 is passed, and you enter a beautiful grotto sixty feet 

 high, adorned with many sparry petrifactions, and 

 supported by colossal stalactitic pillars resembling 

 the most elaborate architecture ; the splendid roof 

 looks as if it were chizzled by the hand of the finest 

 sculptor, the whole illumined by coloured lights. 

 Within the last few years this cavern has been 

 explored by several enterprising gentlemen ;* and 

 I gathered from some of them that the party pene- 

 trated the cavern to more than three hundred feet 

 below the level of the grotto just described, and that 

 in their progress they went from one cavern into 

 another, passing thus a series of caverns of various 

 dimensions till they arrived at one, in the centre 

 of which was a small pool of water. Aided by 



* Among these were Mr. Risk, R.N., Rev. Mr. Burrow, 

 Mr. Flint, R.A., Captain Stewart, 7th Fusileers, Dr. Hearn, 

 Medical Staff, and Mr. Litle, R.A. 



