CAVES OF KEREFTO. 
543 
leads from without into the chief cavern. I found no inscription 
or other mark in these rooms, excepting a few rude scratches in 
the forms of circles and lozenges on the inlets of the windows, 
but without any apparent connection. 
The other entrance from without (which is called the chief, 
being direct to the great cavern) commences a very steep as¬ 
cending passage, gradually widening as we penetrated the moun¬ 
tain. Having advanced about fifteen yards, we entered a little 
portal, which led us through a narrow way on the left, to a 
flight of apartments over those just described. The first entered 
is square, and a few feet larger than those below. The roof is 
arched like the others; but this place presented the interesting ad¬ 
dition of a mass of the rock standing directly in the centre of its 
floor, about three feet high, hewn into a rounded columnar form, 
and bearing the appearance of an altar or pedestal for a statue. 
The solidity of the marble cliff in which this excavation is made, 
does not seem to require any central support to its vaulted sum¬ 
mit ; therefore we need not ascribe this block of stone to any for¬ 
mer design of surmounting it with other pillared material. About 
seven feet from the floor, in a regular line round the wall of the 
cave, small niches are cut, just large enough to admit a lamp. 
They stand so close to each other, that when lit up, the whole 
must have presented one girdle of light. That they had been in 
frequent use, is manifest from the state of the place ; walls and 
roof being covered with a thickly encrusted smoke from the oils 
burnt in the lamps, now shining like black japan. I must not 
omit mentioning, that we brought no small store both of oil 
and candles, to guide us through these at present dark passages. 
In some parts of the walls this jetty colouring has fallen off, 
leaving the white purity of the marble visible. A doorway at one 
