j 
414 Letters of a Wanderer through England and Wales. [Dec. 15 
chance of tumbiing into it. We were, 
however, fortunate in escaping evéry 
accident of that unpleasant nature, and 
thought ourselves well rewarded for the 
trouble we had undergone by the sight 
ef the cascade, whose noise had echoed 
so tremendousiy through the cave. 
Nothing can be more strikingly grand 
and beautifel than the scene which here 
presented itself, which, though the cata- 
Fact is not so large as some [ have seen, 
Is astonishingly magnificent. Figure to 
yourself a sheet of water tumbling over 
2 precipice of about five yards in height, 
into a sort ef circular apartment, adorned 
by innumerable petrifactions, brilhantly 
jiluminated by the hghts carried by our 
guide ; and producing altogether an efiect 
to which no language can do justice, and 
no sceuic representation ever equal. 
Both B—— anid myself were enchant- 
ed with a scene so bew to us: for though 
we had both at different periods visited 
the Peak and Poole’s Hole, this was so 
different and superior in grandeur, that 
we could not pass a thought on either, 
but were lost in admiration of this sub- 
time and awful work of Nature. 
Tradition says, a giant of the name of 
Yordas once inhabited this cave; and 
there are several gloomy recesses shewn 
in the large cavity, wlich tear the ap- 
pellation of his bed-chamber, his oven, 
and other necessary’ accommodations. 
‘Fhe walls are composed of a blackish 
stone, or marble, veined with red and 
_ white, uearly sixty yards in length, ofa 
proportionate width, and in height about 
fifty yards. 
On the mountain above there is a 
quarry of marble, which receives a fine 
polish ; and many elegant ornaments have 
been manufactured at Kendal, from the 
produce of that quarry. 
Having returned to behold the glorious 
light of day, we seated ourselves upon a 
rocky ledge not far from the entrance 
of the cave, and partook of some refresh- 
ment we had the precaution to’make our 
servants bring with them, and which we 
found both azreeable and wecessary to 
‘reeruit our strength aud spirits for the 
reinainder of our’excursion over the 
mountains, about three miles to Chapel 
in the Dale; a long uninteresting valley, 
sprinkled with mean cottages and In- 
diferent farm-houses, enclosures sur- 
rounded by bare stone walls, and scarce 
a tree, or bush, to give beauty or an ap- 
‘pearance of animation to the sterile 
‘scene. As we purposed completing our 
ramble by a visit to Weathercete-Cave, 
aoe 
we proceeded forwards with considerable 
speed, notwithstanding the sultriness of 
the air, which was really often overco- 
ming; and when we least expected to 
afrive at the end ot our journey, we 
reached a field in which, ove shaded by 
some low trees and shiubs, was a door, 
which, on being thrown open for our 
reception, we beheld with astonishment 
indescribable, a sheet of watcr dashing 
down a craggy steep, the ‘height of at 
least sixty feet, roaring aud foaming as 
it fell imtoa frightful chasm, whence it 
in a moment disappeared beneath the 
earth, and for upwards of a mile was no 
more seen or heard of; when it again 
becomes visible to human eyes, in a calm 
unrutfied state. 
Descending a rocky steep, crawling 
and clambering over rocks aid broken 
stones for the space of twenty yards, we 
found ourselves beneath a rude-con- 
structed arch; and passing onward, 
nearly the same distance further, we 
reached the margin of the pool, where 
the force of the tumbling waters seems to 
shake the rocks themselves, and a white 
foam rising high around, casts a conti- 
nual spray over the objects upon either 
hand. As the precipices do not here 
unite at top, the effect of the light ad- 
mitted through the aperture is astonish- 
ingly beautiful. The walls are nearly 
perpendicular, a hundred feet in height, 
aud covered with a beautiful intermix- 
ture of shrubs and coloured mosses ; 
while the grandeur of the scene 1s greatly 
heightened by a large stone being sus- 
‘pended over the aperture from whence 
the water issues, where if must have 
hung for ages; and, though placed in an 
apparently insecure foundation, it will 
in all probability remain for centuries ta 
come. ‘There are several passages be- 
neath, and near to, the cataract, which 
some persons have been hardy enough te 
visit; but we did not venture to explore 
any of their gloomy recesses; we were 
satished with a sight of the truly beauti- 
ful scene before us, which we contmued 
Jong to admire and wonder at, and con- 
sidered infinitely more deserving of a 
Visit than the Peak, or Poole’s Hole, 
those so-much-talked-of wonders in the 
neighbourhood of Buxton. Alehouds 
In the vale of Langdale, near Elter 
Water, herd scene that bears a vreat 
similarity to Weathercote Cave, easier 
of access, and scarcely less beautiful. 
As the day was far spent when we 
returned again tt the open field, we 
could not visit, nor were we, In truth, v 
