THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 125 



top was, as might be expected, very fine, extending over a great 

 expanse of wooded ranges and deep valleys. 



Having given you a brief sketch of the sights accessible to any 

 visitor, I will now attempt to briefly describe some of those which 

 cannot be seen without a guide. The original discovery of the 

 large caverns is said to have been made about 1830, but for many 

 years nothing was known of the beautiful sights hidden away in 

 the sombre hillsides. At last one or two venturesome persons 

 explored some of numerous openings, which are everywhere, and 

 their wonders gradually attracted attention. The leader of most 

 of these explorations was Mr. J. Wilson, through whose persistent 

 efforts the Government at last reserved the locality, and in 1868 

 appointed him to the post of curator, which he still ably fills. 

 The caves have thus been secured from the depredations of sight- 

 seers, before whose hands some of the stalactites were beginning 

 to vanish. It must not be supposed that all the wonders have 

 yet been found, as new openings and caves are continually being 

 made known, and perhaps the famous Imperial and Lucas Caves 

 may yet be excelled. 



Visitors are taken into the cave at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily, 

 and new arrivals have to go wherever the senior visitors are 

 going. Thus it fell to our lot at 3 p.m. on the Saturday after- 

 noon to visit the right-hand branch of the Imperial Cave, which 

 is considered the gem of the series. The entrance gate to this 

 is reached by a steep flight of steps, some 20 ft. or 30 ft. above 

 the floor of the Grand Arch, and near its western entrance. This 

 cave is partly lighted by electricity, incandescent lights being 

 used, and to give you some idea of the extent of the galleries, 

 about 23^ miles of double wire were used for the right-hand 

 branch alone. The wire is, of course, insulated, so there is no 

 danger from touching it, and is arranged in sections so that the 

 guide turns it on and ofl" as he proceeds ; there are also a 

 number of switches situated near special features, so that he can 

 attach a portable electric lamp, and thus throw additional light 

 on the subjects. This branch of the Imperial Cave reminded 

 me very much of the drives in a mine, but of course was more 

 irregular in shape, being a succession of passages from chamber 

 to chamber, principally about the same level, but twisting and 

 turning in every direction. One of the first sights is the Shawl 

 Cave, so called from a most beautiful form taken by the lime- 

 stone, which resembles a number of shawls hanging from the 

 roof, some creased in folds, others smooth, some variegated with 

 lines of colour produced by the infiltration of iron. These are 

 only about an inch thick, and, being semi-transparent, when the 

 lamp was shown behind them a very pretty effect was produced. 

 The Coral Grotto appears as if its walls were still in their 

 original coralline structure. Passing on, new beauties unfold at 



