JOURNEY IN SNEUBERG. 
179 
17th. I went in the morning, with ten or twelve of 
our people, to examine a cave in the deep excavation, 
which turned out to be a far more formidable adven- 
ture than I had expected. It was on the side of a high 
clifij separated from an opposite cliff equally high, 
only by a few yards. For about two hundred yards 
we had to walk on projecting rocks near the middle 
of the opposite cliff. We were soon obliged to take off 
our shoes lest we should slide down the rocks, and 
advancing a few yards farther we were advised to take 
off our stockings, as more likely to prevent our sliding 
down. When we came opposite to the cave, with 
great caution we descended to the bottom of the cHfF; 
then two of our Hottentots went into a pool formed 
by the river, on purpose to sound it, as we had to 
cross it to reach the cave. They found it two feet 
and a half deep, till within two yards of the other side, 
over which they placed a ladder they had brought 
with them. Michal mounted first, who when climbing 
the rock slipped; and rolled down into the water, com- 
pletely over the head, which appeared to the otlier 
Hottentots a mere trifle, for they only smiled about 
half a minute, and pressed forward. A friend from 
Graaf Reynet, who was tall and strong, carried me 
over on his back. It was no easy matter to chmb up 
to the cave's mouth, from the steepness and smooth- 
ness of the rock. A light being struck, we ventured in 
with three candles. On the roof of the cave, which 
resembled that of a cathedral in miniature, hung hun- 
dreds of bats fast asleep. Our lights awoke many of 
them, and they flew about us to the no small danger 
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