juNF*] JOURNEY TO LATTAKOO. 233 
the majesty and glory of the infinite Jehovah, the 
endless, unbounded felicity of the blessed, and the 
unspeakable misery of the wicked in the world to 
come — subjects which in all ages have produced won- 
derful effects on the human mind* 
After breakfast, Mr* Read and Ij with one of our 
Hottentots carrying a lighted candle, proceeded to 
explore this powder mine. After having descended 
with some difficulty, we went towards the centre of 
the mountain, and soon lost sight of the world, some- 
times wading half way up the leg, in black lead dust* 
The arched roof was full of projecting pieces of the 
shining rock, and large caverns appeared on each 
side as we advanced. The roof at one place, appeared 
curiously carved, as if the work of art, part of which 
we were able to reach. On touching this carved work, 
we perceived it had life, and on examination, we found 
it to be composed of a multitude of bats, hanging 
asleep from the roof and the projecting rocks on the 
sides of the cave. Moving them backwards and for- 
wards neither awoke, nor made any of them lose their 
hold of the rock on which they hung by the claws 
of their hinder legs — but holding the candle at a litde 
distance under one of them, aw^oke it, when it flew to 
another part of the cave. Perhaps we penetrated 
about a hundred feet into the mountain, when it became 
so low and narrow that we could proceed no farther 
in that direction. We returned, and w^ent by a passage 
leading to the right, deeper into the mountain; at 
the bottom of the descent we entered a large cavern, 
H h 
