THE YOKKSHIEE CAVES. 57 



small pool of water. Creeping along the low cavern, the guide 

 then placed the full lights in the midst of the fairy structure, 

 and lighting his pipe sent clouds of the delicious weed through 

 and through the delicate pillars. So complete was the reproduc- 

 tion of the curious scene, in the still dark pool below, that oui' 

 lady member, who had strictly obeyed the injunction to look into 

 the water, without observing the proceedings of the guide, ex- 

 claimed, "AYhy, there is an old man below." 



And here is the end, that is to all ordinary visitors, for some 

 adventurous explorers, on one occasion, endeavouring to proceed 

 further found a still lower cave, fi^om which arose the sound of 

 falling water. Letting themselves down to the lower level they 

 were stopped by a deep pool, the receiver of the fall, and here, 

 fixing a candle in his cap, and with a rope round his body, Mr. 

 James Farrer swam across the murky lake, but found it closed 

 in by what appeared to be an impassable wall of limestone. We 

 are now, however, 700 yards from the entrance, approaching to 

 half a mile into the heart of a hill, and we retrace our steps, 

 occasionally stopping to express anew our admii^atiou and 

 astonishment at the wondrous spectacle ; and, having spent more 

 than an hour in the cave, a walk and drive under a teeming rain, 

 back to Ingleton, scarcely sufficed in the least degree to damp 

 the ardour of our enjoyment, which was most appropriately 

 crowned by a comfortable dinner at the humble "Wheat Sheaf Inn. 



The second morning broke into glorious sunshine as we started 

 on a five miles' drive to the Thornton Porce and Yordas Cave, 

 in the vale of Kingsdale, which is threaded by the river Doe. 

 Leaving the conveyances by the roadside, a walk of about a mile 

 brought us in sight of the Force, which, fi-om the heavy rainfall 

 of the previous day, was seen to great advantage. 



The rocks on the left rise to a height of ninety feet, forming 

 a solid wall of limestone, oveT which the stream, with tremendous 

 roar and spray, dashes on the projecting strata of slate below, 

 and glides swiftly thence into a dark and sullen pool. There 

 are two small falls and a large one, and access to a rocky seat 

 behind the latter is gained by following a path crossing a tiny 

 stream on the left of the falls. 



