214 THE PEAK IN THE DAYS OF QUEEN ANNE. 



They let him down so low that the Bell could not be heard ; 

 at last having given him all the Line they could, and not 

 hearing the Bell drew him up, but were surprised to find the 

 Poor man distracted : his eyes rolled and were ready to start 

 from their Fountains : his Tongue was void of utterance, and 

 everything betrayed the misfortune of the Poor Wretch. He 

 dyed immediately, and as to the Cause of his disorder, whether 

 from the fear of falling or the sight of Ghosts or Spectrums, 

 or what else nobody cou ; d conjecture.* 



" There is another melancholy story of the Place so related 

 by Mr. Cotton. A gentleman traveling this road and being 

 overtaken by night applyed himself to a neighbouring Village 

 for Direction. He had presently two fellows to attend him 

 who perceiving his Portmantua to be well stuff'd immediately 

 contrived his Ruin. They pretended a greate care of his 

 person, and when they were near Eldon Hole he was desired to 

 alight and walk over a place they represented dangerous. The 

 gentleman obeyed and one of the Rogues took his Horse, 

 while the other lead him by the Arm ; and when they came to 

 the mouth of this Horrid Gulf they push'd him headlong into 

 it. The Unfortunate Stranger apprehensive of his misfortune 

 shook the chambers of y e gloomy Abyss with his dying groans 

 and cries while his body was dash'd in a thousand peices 

 against the pointed stones, which remained coloured with his 

 Blood. 



" O Horred Act of Villainy ! But Heaven that never lets 

 such crimes pass with Impunity found one of the Authors of 



* This story is taken from Hobbes' De Mirabilibus Pecci. The man 

 was said to have been hired by Dudley, Earl of Leicester. A person, 

 quoted by Catcott in the Treatise on the Deluge, declares that he let down 

 a line nine hundred and ninety -three yards without meeting the bottom. 



In the year 1770 Mr. John Lloyd, F.R.S., descended into Eldon Hole 

 and reached the bottom sixty-two yards from the mouth, and discovered 

 several interesting caves hung with stalactites. Other descents have been 

 made, verifying the fact that this " bottomless abyss" is only about seventy 

 yards deep. No bones or other remains have been found to support the 

 Cottonian legend, but the floor was so covered with the stones which have 

 been thrown in by thousands of curious visitors that anything of the kind 

 would only be found by excavation. 



