548 
CAVES OF KEREFTO. 
of fathomless depth, while the banks around were covered with a 
rich verdure, comprising every species of grass possible to be 
met with. This was very like a tale of the genii, and told well 
in the spot where we heard it. In returning, we took one of 
the openings on our right, which, after various zig-zag turnings, 
brought us to a room of irregular shape, with an arched roof, 
and all blacked as the others, with bright japaning smoke. This 
conducted us into another narrow and long passage, leading off 
in a direction north-west; and which, pursued to some distance, 
placed us again in a very spacious square apartment, full as large 
as any over the main entrance. A second room joined to this, 
and both were hewn and arched with admirable skill and finish. 
No mode of issue being from the last, but by the way we came, 
we again traversed the two chambers, into the passage; where 
new avenues still invited on all sides to continue our researches. 
But the old Courd now became seriously anxious we should go 
no further, adding as an argument, that our lights, of which 
we had rather been prodigal in trying their effect in the most 
striking parts of the caverns, would now hardly last us out to 
find the place of emerging. On this threat, we turned our faces 
to retreat; and walking rather briskly, soon found ourselves at 
the door of the large irregular chamber we had crossed in our 
passage to this avenue; but not turning into it, we kept on, 
exploring our way along another common passage. Others 
branched off from it, but the line we took seemed to me to point 
directly to the great circular cavern; and my conjecture happily 
proving right, in very good time we found ourselves under its 
lofty dome. Here our old Courd breathed again, the bend from 
the water-chamber having been rather out of his usual course. 
Indeed, from what I observed while moving through the various 
