THE UNDERGROUND WATERS OF NORTH-WEST YORKSHIRE. 5 
The early records are highly interesting as showing, not 
only the changes that have occurred in the surface flow, but also 
that the facts connected with the underground streams were 
fairly well known at the close of the last century. 
Thomas Hurtley, who lived at Malham, published in 1786 
a pamphlet entitled " Natural Curiosities of the environs of 
Malham-in-Craven," in which he describes the Cove ; and, referring 
to its foot, says "from whence issues a strong current of water 
having traversed upwards of a mile from the Tarn in its subter- 
ranean caverns." He also speaks of cascades from the top after 
"rainy and tempestuous weather when the water-sink at the 
southern extremity of the Tarn is unable to receive the over- 
flow of the Lake." 
The Kev. Thomas Dunham Whitaker, LL.D., F.S.A., who 
began his Histor}^ of Craven about the close of the last century 
and published it in 1805, says that "in rainy seasons the over- 
flowings of the lake spread themselves over the shelving surface 
of the rocks below, and, precipitating from the centre of the 
Cove, form a tremendous cataract of nearly 300 feet." He says 
that the inhabitants of Malham "plead" that the waters of the 
Tarn appear at Aire Head, and further that "it is well known 
that a collection of springs rising in the Black Hills, the 
Hensetts, and Withes is swallowed up in a field called the 
Street, and from the turbid quality of the water, very unlike 
that of the Tarn, there is little doubt that, after a subterraneous 
course of more than two miles, this is the stream which here 
emerges again." 
Mr. William Howson, in his "Guide to the District of 
Craven," published in 1850, says that "twice within the last 
forty years the swollen waters of the Tarn have made their 
way over the Cove." Referring to *Comb Scar he continues : — 
"In a flood the Tarn water not unfrequently rushes over here 
and forms a second Gordale, but it is commonly prevented from 
Mr. Howsou spells it "Coomb.'' 
