C 573 1 
It has no doubt been formed by the fame earthquake, 
that fplit the mountain in two parts nearly equal. 
The parting goes North and South; to the North is 
the cleft and the cavern, in tire middle the abyfs, 
and to the South the burning gulph; the whole on 
a diredt line. 
This cave appears at firft fight very deep, but you 
get down with eafe. At the entrance it may be 
about twenty 20 or 25 feet wide, as much in bight, 
and about do paces deep. At the bottom is a kind 
of pool, formed by the waters, that drain or ouze 
from different parts of the vault. The bottom of 
this pool appears to be an exceeding fine miry earth, 
like clay mixed with afhes. The water, that diftills 
in thefe places, is very acid, aftringent, fharp, and 
taftes of alum. The water of the other pool on the 
outfide is much of the fame nature, but contains 
fewer falts ; which is a proof, that thefe two pools 
are both filled with the waters, that drain from the 
great cleft. The interior pool may be about 15 
feet wide acrofs the cave : They have thrown up a 
kind of bank, made of rocks, to crofs it without 
finking into the mud. Before we entered the cave, 
we lighted fome torches made of candle- wood, 
which I had taken care to provide. The candle- 
wood is full of refin and very inflammable ; the in- 
habitants cut it in fplinters, and tie it up in bundles,, 
which they call torches. When they were well 
lighted, we croffed the pool, and got upon a fmall 
eminence made of fiones, that have fallen or fepa- 
rated from the vault : you then go down into a great 
hole or cave, about fixty feet in length, as much in 
breadth, and forty in height. Here the heat is mo- 
Vol. 49. 4 D derate 
