of the Old World. 323 



Having peered about carefully to make sure there 

 were no beasts of any kind likely to molest us, 

 I lighted a couple of blue-lights, which enabled us to 

 see every part of the grotto distinctly. The cavern 

 appeared to be about seventy yards long by forty 

 wide, and varying from ten to sixty feet in height ; it 

 was vaulted with live rock covered all over with 

 elegantly-formed stalactites which glittered like bril- 

 liants from the reflection of the blue-lights. The 

 ground was very uneven, and covered with fine 

 sand, except on one side, where there were enormous 

 boulders of black granite. We saw several fissures 

 and crevices which appeared to be passages stretch- 

 ing out further in different directions into the bowels 

 of the earth, but did not care to explore them on 

 account of the close heat and insupportable stench, as 

 well as for fear of snakes and scorpions, several of 

 which reptiles we discerned moving about the place. 



We therefore wrote our names and the date on a 

 huge slab of smooth rock with charcoal, for the benefit 

 of any one who might come after us, and retraced 

 our steps into daylight, glad to breathe the fresh air 

 once more. 



We found that the Gooroo and Veerapah had 

 finished skinning the tigress, and were busily engaged 

 in searching for our bullets; she had received five 

 wounds, besides the last, which entered between the 

 eyes and penetrated the brain, causing instantaneous 



Y 2 



