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at a depth of about thirty metres was a black unfathomable gulf, 

 whence arose the deep murmur of the waters. About fifteen 

 metres below, to the right, was the other entrance, resembling an 

 immense window opeuing upon the sea, Before us the cavern 

 seemed to extend indefinitely into the shade, and the green and 

 blue tints of the rock growing gradually darker and darker formed 

 a strange contrast to the magnificent pearl-grey of the stalactites 

 which hung on our right ; above us the rock was of a dead white, 

 whilst the floor of the cavern, which seemed to be the ancient bed 

 of a torrent, presented a series of striking and sharply- marked 

 tiers of colour, resembling a painter's palette. The most brilliant 

 decorations of out' pantomimes could give but a feeble idea of the 

 magnificent tableau we had before us. 



Leaping from rock to rock, we descended to the floor of the 

 grotto, which is formed of pebbles and water-brought soil ( 1 ) : this 

 floor rises with a gentle slope towards the interior ; after one hun- 

 dred paces all became so dark around us. that we were obliged to 

 light torches ; on every side crossed each other in flight millions of 

 swallows, which deafened us with their piercing cries, while our 

 torchlight lent to the gigantic bambu scaffoldings the most pic- 

 turesque effect; every time they flared up the cavern was illumi- 

 nated to great distances, and we suddenly perceived an inextricable 

 web of bambus, white rocks and streamlets, which appeared to mul- 

 tiply as we advanced, when suddenly all vanished in darkness ; the 

 effect was most fantastic. 



The soil of the cavern, in which we sank up to our knees, is light 

 and dry, being formed of the excrement of the swallows ; insects 

 breed there in great numbers and the glare of the torches reflected 

 on their armour produced a splendid play of light. The soil seemed 

 made of precious stones flashing across at each other at our feet. 



(*) The fact can only be explained by supposing that the floor 

 of the cavern was originally below trie level of the sea. It is one 

 of many observations I have recorded, which shew indisputably the 

 ascending movement of Malaya ; this movement is being still con- 

 tinued in our time, as observations made at other points of the 

 East and West coasts of Sumatra have shewn me. 



