VISIT TO CONGO GROTTO. 
89 
but, in trying to aid the next person up, he was 
dragged from his high position, and rolled to 
the bottom with his protege, both covered with 
the yellow mud. At length, by cutting holes 
for our feet, we reached the top; not, however, 
without much mirth and merriment. 
" On our return to the outer cave, we com- 
menced exploring amongst the smaller cham- 
bers, and after a variety of plunges into the deep 
pools, falls and bruises, we found ourselves in a 
curiously excavated room, with a round hole 
pierced through one of its sides. Through this 
I thrust my body and torch, and endeavoured 
to reconnoitre, but without success, the dark- 
ness spreading itself out on every side. I could 
just discern the bottom, about fifteen feet be- 
low me, but the wall between it and me, was 
perfectly perpendicular, and the air was close 
and unwholesome. I have little doubt, that 
this cave, extends far away into the heart of 
the Zwarte-Bergen. Several of our torches 
being, at this juncture, extinguished by a rush 
of bats from the interior ; and as our oil was be- 
ginning to fail, in consequence of some of the 
bottles having suffered in the manifold falls 
and slides, we deemed it advisable to wend our 
way towards the daylight. "When we reached 
it, the first encounter was painful in the ex- 
treme to our eyes : and the roars of laughter 
