CUTTRISS : NOTES ON THE CAVES OF YORKSHIRE. 439 
than Clapham Cave, partly on its own account and also because 
it is believed to have been the outlet for the water falling into 
Gaping Ghyll Hole on the moorland above. Efforts have 
repeatedly been made to discover a communication between the 
two, notably within the last few years by Mr. Calvert, but as 
yet without success. Gaping Ghyll Hole itself remained an 
unfathomable mystery until 1895, when Mons. E. A. Martel, of 
Paris, successfully completed its descent and discovered an 
immense cavern at the bottom having an area of about half 
an acre, and which he places sixth in the list of known caverns 
in the world. The descent was made by the aid of rope ladders 
to the great depth of 350 feet."*^ 
In the following year (1896), Mr. E. Calvert and several 
friends, among whom I had the good fortune to be included, 
made several descents and discovered numerous passages and 
other caverns, besides completing a careful survey of the main 
cavern itself. Mr. Calvert devised a scheme whereby the 
explorers were lowered to the bottom by a rope attached to 
a windlass, obviously a safer and more expeditious method than 
Martel's, while it had the additional advantage of enabling 
several people to be at the bottom at one time to continue the 
explorations. In justice to Mr. Calvert it should be mentioned 
his preparations were actually in progress when Mons. Martel 
forestalled him, neither gentleman being aware of the other's 
intentions. 
Although Gaping Ghyll is undoubtedly the finest pot-hole 
in the country, it must give place to Rowten Pot, in Kingsdale, 
for pre-eminence in the matter of depth. Separating AVhernside 
from Gragareth, Kingsdale, though perhaps the most lonely and 
dreary valley in all Yorkshire, is of considerable interest to the 
geologist and cave-hunter. The Kingsdale Beck sinks under- 
ground at its head, appearing on the surface again two miles 
lower down at Keld Head. On the east side of the valley 
there is an entire absence of surface water, and although several 
* Irlande et Cavernes Anglaises. E. A. Martel, 1897, pp. 335-364. 
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