MALTA AND SICILY. 
209 
is ninety feet, according to our guide’s state¬ 
ment ; but I believe it is considerably less, 
and it diminishes gradually towards the ex¬ 
tremity. The extent of the cavern is pro¬ 
bably about two hundred feet, but I very 
foolishly omitted to take any measurement 
of its dimensions at the time. The sides 
are adorned of the true maiden-hair. In 
the face of the rock, a little on one 
side of the top of the arch, is a small 
recess, which is supposed to have been the 
listening place where Dionysius was sta¬ 
tioned to overhear the discourse of his cap¬ 
tives, who were confined at the further end of 
the cavern. The recess communicates with 
the top of the cavern by means of a small 
passage. 
Upon inquiring whether there was any way 
of ascending to the listening place, some 
men living in the neighbourhood immediately 
