THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
72 
hues of the lofty mural cliffs of Ras-il-Wardia, 
that here attain the maximum height of 450 feet, 
and that, 
“Rise like ramparts all along 
The blue sea’s border.” 
the tremendons down-throw of the strata of the 
Dueira Basin; these, together with the cold, 
neutral grey of the rock masses, relieved by the 
rich, -warm colouring of the patches of soil that 
here and. there chequer the surface, and the hill 
sides, when bathed in the purple and crimson 
rays of a Mediterranean sunset, combine to make 
up a scene, which contains all of the essential 
elements of the sublime, and picturesque. 
Unlike most limestone districts, the Maltese 
area is singularly deficient in any really fine 
examples of cavernous excavations. 
The reasons for this I have already stated are 
due primarily to the lithological character of the 
strata. 
At Gozo, however, there is a small but very 
interesting example of a stalactite cave, and being ! 
the only good example of the kind in the island, 
it is therefore the more noteworthy. 
It is situated on the “Ta-Sciara” hill, in the 
vicinity of Mars-el-Forn Bay. Gozo, and as it was 
not discovered until the latter part of the year 
1888, it is, therefore, still in a good state of 
preservation. 
It is located under a field, that is in close pro- 
ximity to the village church of Sciara; and access 
may be had to it, by means of a hole in the surface, 
and, also, by a door way. 
Both of these entrances have been built by 
the farmer in possession, since the discovery of 
the cave, for the accommodation of the numerous 
tourists that annually visit the place; for though 
small, it contains within its limited area, “shapes 
and forms” that are at once the wonder and ad- 
miration of all who behold them. 
To obtain entrance, a descent of about 16 feet 
is necessary, but there is no difficulty attendant 
on this, as the series of steps, that have been cut 
in the rock, renders the task both an easy, and a 
convenient one. 
The known dimensions of the cave are about 
80 feet in length, and about 60 feet in width; but, 
judging from the numerous smaller caverns and 
tunnels, that occur around the sides, it would 
appear as though it extends over a much greater 
area. 
When lighted up with tapers, or with mag- 
nesium Avire, the interior presents a very charming 
and picturesque appearance. 
Suspended from the roof, like icicles hanging 
from the branches of a tree after a severe frost, 
are thousands of crystalline, semitransparent sta- 
lactites, the colours of which range from a snowy 
white to a deep golden yellow. 
Through the sides and roof of the cave, a never 
failing supply of lime-charged Avater, sloAvly finds 
its way, and decorates, Avitli living pearls, the 
pendants and traceries that hang around. As the 
light of the tapers is tliroAA n on these, and on the 
encrustations of lime that stand out, in many 
places, in bold relief from the smooth, alabaster 
like sides both of the cave and of its columns, the 
light, that is reflected, sheds a softness and 
mellowness around, that has the effect of causing 
the background of the cave to appear as though 
' it Avere hung with the most delicate of crystalline 
draperies. 
Rising from the floor in yellow pyramidal mas- 
ses, ihat gradually taper off as a clear translucent 
white, are countless stalagmites, many of which 
are still undergoing the processes of formation; 
Avhile others have united themselves with the 
pendant stalactites, and have formed fantastic co- 
lumns, from Avhose irregular, and strangely fashion- 
ed sides, the light scintillates and sparkles with 
the brilliancy of diamonds. In the middle of the 
cave, several of these columns have attained ex- 
ceptionally large proportions. Many of the pendant 
stalactites do not descend in a perpendicular direc- 
tion, but they curve slightly towards one another, 
and tend to form festoons, the loops of AA’hich, 
sweep in graceful curves in every direction. 
And to Avhat causes may Ave attribute the origin 
of this fairy-like grotto? “Every thing in nature,” 
observes the great essayist, Emerson, “is engaged 
in Avriting its own history;” and, it is a remark, 
that expresses in terse, and definite language, a 
rule to Avhich Ave can find no exception. 
The autobiography of this cave is as plainly 
written, as though it had been inscribed in a book, 
— as indeed it really has been— for Avhat is nature, 
but a book, that is replete with the most wonder- 
ful histories, and the most beautiful imageries, 
