Bllseellanie:^ X X 7LV 111» 



.Vol ir. No. Si 



R E M A Pi K ABLE GROTTOS. 



Fig. 



i. 



The Grotto of Paufilippo. 



eft From Naples, on the road which leads 

 from this Capita! of lower Italy to the borough 

 Pozzuoli, is a wonderful Grotto which, going 

 through the mi à cite of the mount Paufilippo, is 

 called the Grotto of Paufilippo, This remarkable 

 paffage is 363 rods long , 50 rods high and iß 

 wide. It is certain, it has been hewn through 

 the mountain which conflits of a volcanic tophus, 

 hut the time when this happened,; is unknown. 

 Through this Grotto the only and mofi frequen- 

 ted road leads from Naples to Puzzuoli, whence 

 it is always full of Carriages, horfemen and foot- 

 paffengers. To avoid disorder and confufion, 

 thofe that go to the borough , are obliged to keep 

 to one fide of the road, and thofe that return 

 to Naples , to the other. The travellers buy 

 torches and burning fplints of the watches 

 which live on both ends of the Grotto, to pass 

 it with more fafety. The high gloomy vault 

 which is only faintly illuminated by the light of 

 the few torches, together with the noify rattling 

 of the carriages and the crying of the mule -dri- 

 vers , make a peculiar fenfation. In the middle of 

 this Giotto is a little chape' of the Virgin Mary 

 which is illuminated by the charity of the paffen- 

 gers. 



Fig. 2. The Dog s Grotto near 

 Naples, 



Coming from Naples, and having palled the 

 above mentioned Grotto one arrives at the plea- 

 fant lake Agnano. Twenty paces from this lake 

 lies the renowned Dog's Grotto which is formed, 

 by nature in a rugged rock. It is 10 feet long, 

 21 feet wide and about 9 feet high. From its 

 loofe earthy ground an atmofpherical in vi Able 

 damp continually arifes which in Chemiftry is 

 called charbonic or aereal acid. By this air every 

 burning light is extinguished , every animal 

 choked in breathing it a few minutes. Being muck 

 heavier than the common atmofphere, it lies ge- 

 nerally like a Stratum 2 or 3 feet high on the 

 ground, and, whilft men may walk with fafety 

 in this Gretto, little dogs upon their entering are 

 feized with con vulfions and choked T if they are 

 not immediately taken ont and immei fed into 

 cold water. A, guide who lives near thei Grotto 

 to >how it to firangers, keeps continually fome 

 little dogs for the cruel experiment; hence thia 

 dismal abode was called the Dog's Grotto. 



There is alfo fuch a cave in Germany which 

 is poffelTed of the fame Phenomenon as the Dog's 

 cave near Naples. It is the Damp - hole or cave 

 (Dampf - Höhle) near the famous watering place 

 Pyrmont; a kind of temple is now built over it 

 and feveral fteps muß be descended before one 

 arrives at the cave. 



