58 THE PEAK OF DEKBYSHIIIE. 
Buxton, is a vast cavern formed by nature 'm the UnaesW 
rock, and was, according to tradition, the residence of ^ 
out-law, named Poole. The entrance is low and contract®^ 
and the passage narrow ; but this widening, at length, k*’ , 
to a lofty and spacious cavern, from the roof of which * j. 
lactites or transparent crystals, formed by the const^ 
dropping of water laden with calcareous matter, han^ 
spiral ma.sses. Other portions of these petrifactions ojj 
and attach themselves to the floor, rising in cones, and ^ 
coming what are termed stalagmites. ^ 
One of the dropping stalactites, of an immense 
llXl Jill t t ^ 
called the flitch of bacon, occure about the middle of ^ 
cavern, which here becomes very narrow, but soon sp^’^y 
to a greater width, and continues large and lofty until ' 
visitor reaches another surprisingly large mass of stalacb 
to which the name of Mary Queen of Scots’ Pillar is 
from tlie tradition of that unfortunate queen having 
a visit to the cavern, and proceeded thus far into its 
cesses. As this pillar cannot be passed without some diffit'O* ' 
few persons venture beyond it ; nor does it seem desirah 
as, by proceeding thus far, a very competent idea of 
vern may be formed. The patli hitherto is along the -S' 
and at some height from the bottom of the cavern ; but . 
nc<^ 
visit and examine the interior extremity, it becomes nc^'^ 
sar)' to descend a few yards by very slippery and ill-foO'‘'|^ 
steps. The path at the bottom is tolerably even and 1-'^^ 
for about sixty feet, when an almost perpendicular _aS“ 
commences, which leads to the extremity of the flssti 
through the eye of St. Anthony’s needle ; a narrow 
beyond which the steepness of the way is only to be 
mounted by clambering over irregular masses of 
The cavern terminates at nearly three hundred feet be/' 
llie Queen of Scots’ pillar. Towards tlieendis an 
through a projecting rock, behind which a candle is gj*;: 
rally placed, when any person has readied the e.xtreuiji 
when seen at that distance, it appears like a dim .ilar. 
xisitor returns along the bottom of the- cavern, benc*'' i 
considerable portion of the road by which he entered ; 
by thus changing the path, has -an opportunity better to 
certain the height and width of the cavern, in every Pj >, 
and to view other accumulated petrifactions, some ct 
are ot' a prodigious size, and of an extraordinary forut’ 
