CAVKllN OF ANTI PA ROS. 
f>00 
some green, and all rect?ding in due perspective. They struck os 
with the more amazement, as we knew them to be the mere pro- 
ductions of nature, which, hitherto in solitude, had in her playful 
moments dressed the scene as for her own amusement. But we had 
as yet seen only a few of the wonders of the place ; and we were 
introduced as yet only into the portico of this amazing temple. In 
one corner of this half-illuminated recess; there appeared an opening 
of about three feet wide, which seemed to lead to a place totally 
dark, and that, one of the natives assured us, contained nothing more 
than a reservoir of water. Upon this we tried ; and by throwing down 
some stones, which rumbling along the sides of the descent for some 
time, the sound seemed at last quashed in a bed of water. In order, 
how^ever, to be more certain, we sent in a' Levantine mariner, who, 
by the promise of a great reward, with a flambeau in his hand, ven- 
tured into this narrow aperture. After continuing within it for about 
a quarter of an hour, he returned, bringing some beautiful pieces of 
white spar in his hand, which art could neither imitate nor equal. 
Upon being informed by him that the place was full of these beau- 
tiful incrustations, I ventured in with him, for about fifty paces, 
anxiously and cautiously descending by a steep and dangerous way: 
finding, however, that we came to a precipice that led into a spa- 
cious amphitheatre, if I may so call it, still deeper than any other part, 
we returned ; and being provided with a ladder, flambeau, and other 
things to expedite our descent, our whole company, man by man, 
ventured into the same opening, and, descending one after another, 
w^e at last saw ourselves all together in the most magnificent part of 
the cavern. Our candles being now all lighted up, and the place 
completely illuminated, never could the eye be presented with a more 
glittering or magnificent scene — the room all hung with solid icicles; 
transparent as glass, yet solid as marble ; the eye could scarcely 
reach the noble and lofty ceiling ; the sides W'ere regularly formed 
with spars ; and the whole presented the idea of a magnificent thea- 
tre, illuminated with an immense profusion of lights. The floor con- 
sisted of solid marble; and in several places magnificent columns, 
thrones, altars, and other objects, appeared, as if nature had designed 
to motk the pretensions of art ; our voices, upon speaking or singing 
were redoubled to an astonishing loudness, and, upon the firing of a 
gun, the noise and reverberations were almost deafening. 
“ In the midst of this grand amphitheatre rose a concretion of 
about fifteen feet high, that in some measure resembled an altar, 
from which, taking the hint, we caused mass to be celebrated there. 
The beautiful columns, that shot up round the altar, appeared like 
candlesticks; and many other natural objects represented the cus- 
tomary ornaments of this sacrament. Below this spacious grotto 
there seemed even another cavern, down which I ventured with my 
former mariner, and descended about fifty paces by means of a rope. 
I at last arrived at a small spot of level ground, where the bottom 
appeared different from that of the amphitheatre, being composed of 
soft clay, yielding to the pressure, and in which I- thrust a stick to 
about six feet deep. In this, how^ever, as above, numbers of the most 
beautiful crystals were formed, one of which particularly resembled 
