335 



another our fteppings were upon loofe fton^s^ 

 and, perhaps, the following inftant we found 

 our feet in water, or upon damp earth : now 

 we feemed to have reached the utmoft depth 

 of the cave— then we ftepped fuddenly into 

 a wide fpace. At length we reached the 

 fartheft extent that had been explored, but 

 unlimited windings feemed yet to lead on, 

 in dark and terrific gloom, to the very centre 

 of the earth. 



Having no other lights than two or 

 three open tapers, we did not feel it prudent 

 to venture farther into paffages unexplored, 

 and more particularly as the road we had 

 pafled, had been fo obfcure and perplexing 

 that, in cafe of any accident occurring to 

 extinguifh our light, we might not have been 

 able to have traced our way back, to the 

 mouth of the cave. Hence we declined pro- 

 ceeding any deeper into this filent tomb of 

 "the earth ; and turned about to retrace our 

 fteps to a brighter fcene. Feeling better 

 affured refpeding our path we now more 

 leifurely contemplated the ftupendous walls of 

 rock, the varied incruftaiions, and ponderous 

 maffes of ftalactites, the multitudes of mad- 



