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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1246a03 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #53063 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/53063) diff --git a/old/53063-8.txt b/old/53063-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6c33930..0000000 --- a/old/53063-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6408 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Netherworld of Mendip, by -Ernest A. Baker and Herbert E. Balch - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Netherworld of Mendip - Explorations in the great caverns of Somerset, Yorkshire, - Derbyshire, and elsewhere - -Author: Ernest A. Baker - Herbert E. Balch - -Release Date: September 16, 2016 [EBook #53063] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Whitehead, Chris Curnow and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP - - - - - NETHERWORLD - OF MENDIP - - EXPLORATIONS IN THE GREAT CAVERNS - OF SOMERSET, YORKSHIRE - DERBYSHIRE, AND ELSEWHERE - - BY - ERNEST A. BAKER, M.A.(LOND.) - - AUTHOR OF "MOORS, CRAGS, AND CAVES OF THE HIGH PEAK" ETC. - JOINT-EDITOR OF "THE VOICE OF THE MOUNTAINS" - - AND - - HERBERT E. BALCH - - - - CLIFTON - J. BAKER & SON - - LONDON - - SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO. - 1907 - - - - -PREFACE - - -The objects of this work are twofold: to describe the actual incidents -of various interesting episodes in the modern sport of cave exploring, -and to give an account of the scientific results of underground -investigations in the Mendip region of Somerset. Speleology is the -latest of the sporting sciences: like orology and Arctic exploration, -it has two sides, sport and adventure being the lure to some, whilst -others are chiefly attracted by the new light thrown by these -researches on the geology, the hydrology, and the natural history -of the subterranean regions explored. The chapters dealing with the -scientific results are by H. E. Balch, who has been working on the -geology of Mendip, more especially among the caves, for upwards of -twenty years: the accounts of actual experiences, in which the sporting -side is predominant, are by E. A. Baker, who described the recent -exploration of the Derbyshire caves in his _Moors, Crags, and Caves -of the High Peak_, 1903. No attempt is made to traverse the ground so -perfectly covered by Professor Boyd Dawkins in his fascinating volume -on _Cave Hunting_, and elsewhere, most of the work described here being -supplementary to that done by him, and, largely, outside the scope of -his aims. The authors are indebted to the kindness of the Editors of -the _Liverpool Courier_ and _Daily Post_, the _Manchester Guardian_, -the _Standard_, the _Yorkshire Post_, the _Irish Naturalist_, and the -_Climbers' Club Journal_ for permission to use the substance of various -articles which have appeared in their pages, and to M. Martel, Mr. -C. Blee, and Messrs. Gough for permission to reproduce a number of -excellent illustrations by them. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - THE CAVE DISTRICT OF THE MENDIPS 1 - - THE CHEDDAR GROUP OF CAVERNS 16 - - ANTIQUITY OF THE CAVES OF MENDIP 21 - - CAVE EXPLORING AS A SPORT 32 - - EXPLORING WOOKEY HOLE 45 - - STRENUOUS DAYS IN THE EASTWATER SWALLET 60 - - SWILDON'S HOLE 70 - - THE GREAT CAVERN AT CHEDDAR 82 - - FIVE CAVERNS AT CHEDDAR 91 - - THE BURRINGTON CAVERNS 99 - - THE CORAL CAVE AT COMPTON BISHOP 106 - - LAMB'S LAIR 115 - - A CAVE IN THE QUANTOCKS 123 - - CAVE EXPLORING AT ABERGELE 127 - - CAVE DISCOVERIES ON THE WELSH BORDER 133 - - THE EXPLORATION OF STUMP CROSS CAVERN 138 - - SWALLET-HUNTING IN DERBYSHIRE 144 - - EXPLORING NEW CAVES IN DERBYSHIRE 152 - - A VISIT TO MITCHELSTOWN CAVE 159 - - INDEX 169 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - MAP OF THE MENDIP DISTRICT OF SOMERSET, SHOWING - SWALLETS, CAVES, AND OUTLETS 5 - - THE GREAT GORGE OF CHEDDAR 16 - Photo by DAWKES & PARTRIDGE, Wells. - - ROMANO-BRITISH POTTERY, COINS, HUMAN REMAINS, - ETC., WOOKEY HOLE CAVE 22 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - HYÆNA DEN AND BADGER HOLE, WOOKEY HOLE 23 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - PLAN AND SECTION OF WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN 25 - By H. E. BALCH. - - THE GREAT SWALLET ON BISHOP'S LOT, PRIDDY 28 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - ST. ANDREW'S WELL, WELLS 29 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - PROFILE OF THE "WITCH OF WOOKEY," WOOKEY HOLE - CAVERN 46 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - AMONG THE POOLS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN 47 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - MASS OF STALAGMITE, WOOKEY HOLE 48 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - IN THE FIRST CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN 49 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - STALACTITE TERRACE, WOOKEY HOLE 50 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - GREAT RIVER CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE 51 - Photo by DAWKES & PARTRIDGE, Wells. - - SECOND GREAT CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE 52 - Photo by DAWKES & PARTRIDGE, Wells. - - ENTRANCE OF THIRD CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE 53 - Photo by DAWKES & PARTRIDGE, Wells. - - STALACTITE GROTTO: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE - CAVE 54 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE 55 - Photo by CLAUDE BLEE. - - STALACTITE PILLARS, WOOKEY HOLE 56 - Photo by CLAUDE BLEE. - - NEW STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE 57 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - THE GRILLE: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE 58 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - THE SOURCE OF THE AXE, WOOKEY HOLE 59 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - ENTRANCE TO GREAT CAVERN OF EASTWATER 62 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - SECTION OF EASTWATER CAVERN 63 - By H. E. BALCH. - - THE DESCENT OF EASTWATER CAVERN, THE SECOND - VERTICAL DROP 64 - From Sketch by H. E. BALCH. - - THE GREAT CANYON, EASTWATER CAVERN 65 - From Sketch by H. E. BALCH. - - ENTRANCE OF SWILDON'S HOLE 72 - Photo by M. MARTEL. - - WATERFALL, SWILDON'S HOLE 73 - Photo by H. E. BALCH. - - ENTRANCE OF STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE 78 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - STALACTITE CURTAINS, SWILDON'S HOLE 79 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE 80 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - STALAGMITE PILLARS IN GOUGH'S GREAT CAVERN 84 - Photo by GOUGH, Cheddar. - - THE PILLARS OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, GOUGH'S CAVES, - CHEDDAR 85 - Photo by GOUGH, Cheddar. - - ORGAN PIPES, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR 86 - Photo by GOUGH, Cheddar. - - "NIAGARA," GOUGH'S CAVE, CHEDDAR 87 - Photo by M. MARTEL. - - IN COX'S CAVERN AT CHEDDAR 92 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - GREAT RIFT CAVERN, CHEDDAR GORGE 93 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - ENTRANCE TO LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE 116 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - PLAN AND SECTION OF THE GREAT CAVERN OF LAMB'S - LAIR 117 - By H. E. BALCH. - - THE "BEEHIVE" CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR 118 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - STALACTITE WALL, LAMB'S LAIR 119 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - ENTRANCE TO GREAT CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR 120 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - LARGEST CHAMBER IN SOMERSET, LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE 121 - From Sketch by H. E. BALCH. - - STALACTITES IN ENTRANCE GALLERY, LAMB'S LAIR 122 - Photo by BAMFORTH, Holmfirth. - - THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE 128 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - INSIDE THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE 129 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - IN THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE 130 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - A PRE-GLACIAL CAVE, LLANDULAS 132 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - ON THE CEIRIOG 134 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - UPPER CEIRIOG CAVE 135 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - LOWER CEIRIOG CAVERN 136 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - IN STUMP CROSS CAVERN 140 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - THE PILLAR, STUMP CROSS CAVERN 141 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - THE CHAPEL: STUMP CROSS CAVERN 142 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - RICKLOW CAVE IN FLOOD 156 - Photo by G. D. WILLIAMS. - - A GREAT PILLAR: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN 160 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - A FAIRY LANTERN: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN 161 - Photo by E. A. BAKER. - - - - -THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP - - - - -THE CAVE DISTRICT OF THE MENDIPS - - -"A land of caves, whose palaces of fantastic beauty still adorn the -mysterious underworld where murmuring rivers first see the light." In -these words an imaginative writer describes Somerset, which shares with -Derbyshire and Yorkshire the title of a land of caverns. Across it the -range of the Mendips, a region of Old Red Sandstone and Carboniferous -Limestone, 1000 feet above tide-level, stretches in a huge, flat-topped -rampart for nearly 30 miles, from the town of Frome to the sea. No -piece of country in the kingdom offers so much to explore. An abundant -harvest is there waiting to be reaped; for on every side are obvious -indications of half-buried gateways to the dark and secret pathways -to the netherworld, and everywhere upon the surface of the Mendip -tableland lie the open pits and hollows which the local speech calls -"swallets," that is to say, swallow holes, some of them dry, some -actively engulfing streams, but all testifying to untold ages of water -action. - -This Limestone district lies far from the busy hives of industry, -remote and secluded in the very heart of lovely Somerset. Only on the -darkest of nights, with the clouds low in the sky, can the glare of the -lights of Bristol be seen reflected far to the northward. One main -line of railway, the Great Western from Bristol to Exeter, passes near -it, and even that does not intrude beyond the margin of this Caveland. -The rendezvous for the cave explorers of the district is usually the -quiet little city of Wells, lying calm and secluded under the southern -slopes of Mendip, in close proximity to all the principal caverns. A -mile to the south-east rises the bold and picturesque Dulcote Hill, -a fragment of the most southerly anticline of Mountain Limestone in -the kingdom. From this point, rolling northward in a great fivefold -anticline, Old Red Sandstone, Lower Limestone Shales, and Mountain -Limestone form the great mass of the worn-down stump of the once mighty -Mendip range. The extent of the denudation which has taken place -indicates that this range was originally at least 5000 feet high, -yet now in but a few places is the height of 1000 feet attained, and -this is reached only by the Old Red Sandstone ridges laid bare in the -prolonged course of that denudation. The first of these high ridges -rises boldly to the north of Wells, and a steep climb of 900 feet in -two and a half miles brings us to the summit of Pen Hill, or Rookham, -from which a grand southward view is to be obtained. Immediately below, -the three cathedral towers pierce the blue mist hanging over the little -city we have just left. Beyond, the peat moors of the Brue and the Axe -stretch away to the Isle of Avalon, sacred as the birthplace of our -Christian faith in England. Here below us is that - - "Island valley of Avilion, - Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow, - Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies - Deep meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard lawns, - And bowery hollows crowned with summer seas." - -Here, where Arthur's bones are said to have been found, and where -traditions associated with him abound, his memory is kept green in -the names of many well-known spots; and yonder rises Cadbury Camp, -looked upon by many as the Camelot of romance. On the low ridge which -intervenes between the valleys of the Axe and the Brue lies Wedmore, -where King Alfred gained in the Peace of Wedmore such temporary -respite from his foes as allowed him to gather strength for the great -operations that resulted at last in the conquest and unity of the -whole kingdom. Yonder, too, are the marshes of the Parrett and the -Tone, around which cluster tales familiar to every schoolchild. In the -marshes between the Mendips and Glastonbury, exploration has unearthed -a most interesting example of a swamp or lake village, with great -store of antiquarian material, throwing a flood of light upon a period -of which little was known. Beyond lies Sedgemoor, where in 1685 took -place the last battle ever fought on English soil; and throughout this -neighbourhood the infamous Jeffreys worked his will in the judicial -slaughter of countless Somerset men. - -In the far distance the sunshine glints on the waters of the Bristol -Channel, where, 60 miles away, the bold promontory of the Foreland -rises sheer from the sea; to the south, upon the farthest limits of our -vision, Pilsdon and Lewsdon mark the descent of our southern counties -to the English Channel; whilst, on a clear day, between them is seen -the summit of Golden Cap, the base of which is washed by our southern -sea. Surely here is as fair a scene as eye could wish to see. - -Only a pleasant walk away, the great chasms of Ebbor and Cheddar -have rent the rocks asunder, forming two of the loveliest ravines in -the kingdom. Northward across the intervening syncline of Mountain -Limestone, pitted with swallets marking the entrances to many an -unknown subterranean labyrinth, are seen the Old Red Sandstone summits -of North Hill, crowned with its seventeen Neolithic barrows, and of -Blackdown beyond, from whose bare top is seen the broad estuary of the -Severn spreading out across the view, giving a glimpse of the coast -of South Wales in the far distance, its busy factories showing their -pencil-like chimneys against the dark hills behind. In the Channel the -little islands of Steepholm and Flatholm mark the line of the original -continuation of the great Mendip range into South Wales. The limestone -shores of the former rise sheer from the sea, forming an impregnable -fortress. Here, far below the level of the salt water around, a supply -of pure water is obtained from the Limestone, brought, doubtless, from -the Limestone area of Mendip by way of some hidden fissure. - -Hard by, at Clevedon, is the grave of that great friend of Tennyson, -who sat here and listened to - - "The moaning of the homeless sea, - The sound of streams that, swift or slow, - Draw down æonian hills, and sow - The dust of continents to be." - -Very truly and accurately his words describe the action that is going -on, by which the swallet streams are undermining and honeycombing these -hills and bearing their component rocks away to the sea. - -Standing on Pen Hill and looking northward, a great east and west -depression is seen forming a broad low valley in the tableland of -Mendip. Into this valley numerous springs and a liberal rainfall are -for ever pouring their waters. Yet nowhere is there a surface channel -which can carry this water away; and nowhere, save in the small hollows -of the Old Red Sandstone and Shales, does water accumulate. The reason -is not far to seek. The Carboniferous Limestone, evenly stratified -everywhere, has been split by vertical joints into a series of gigantic -cubes. Between them, the surface waters, laden with carbonic acid -obtained from the atmosphere and from vegetation, have for ages made -their way, enlarging them by both chemical and mechanical action, till -they have become fissures capable of giving passage to an enormous -quantity of water. So from one joint to another, from one bedding plane -to another, the water percolates downwards until it meets with some -impermeable rock beneath, or until it finds an outlet at the level of -the Secondary rocks forming the valley below. Such impermeable beds -are found in the Lower Limestone Shales, and the resulting outlets are -well known in the great risings of St. Andrew's Well in the gardens of -the Bishop's Palace at Wells, in the source of the Axe at Wookey Hole, -in the Cheddar Water and other large springs, of all of which more -hereafter. - -[Illustration: MAP OF THE MENDIP DISTRICT OF SOMERSET, SHOWING -SWALLETS, CAVES, AND OUTLETS.] - -Reference to the sketch map of the district will show that the majority -of the more important swallets lie along the line of the great -depression referred to. These comprise by no means all the swallets -of Mendip, yet they are the chief ones. It is obvious that the whole -of the mass of material represented by this great depression has been -removed in suspension by way of these swallets; and one is compelled to -ask, How long has this work been going on? What time is represented by -so vast a work? On the threshold of the inquiry we are met by such an -amount of evidence bearing upon it that the subject must be dealt with -separately. For, upon the upturned edges of the Carboniferous Limestone -rocks, which can have been brought down to their present plane of -denudation only by long-continued water action, have been deposited, -and still remain _in situ_, great masses of the basement beds of the -Secondary rocks, lying in such a manner as to convince us that swallet -action had prepared the denuded surfaces upon which they lie. And upon -this hinges the whole question of the antiquity of the caverns of -Mendip. But whilst the age of our caverns is a debatable matter, no -one can question the accuracy of the theory of ravine formation from -the collapse of cavern roofs, as evidenced by the instances supplied by -Mendip. - -Through crevices and cracks, here, there, and everywhere, the -percolating waters find their way. Now some crevice is enlarged into -a passage; now some weak point in the passage becomes a chamber; and -on the water rushes, steadily joining forces and accumulating, until -on the level of the lower land it finds an outlet, and rushes forth -a considerable stream. In its headlong course the water again and -again leaps down some great series of potholes, as down some giant -stairway, forming many fine cascades, whose deafening roar goes on for -ever where there is no ear to hear and where no footstep ever treads -the rocky ways. Along the course of the larger streams huge chambers -occur; for the ever-eddying water, bearing sand along in its course, -eats out the sides of its channel, or, revolving stones in its bed, -carves out the pothole by friction. Or some pendent mass of rock has -its support undermined and comes crashing into the streamway, only to -be broken up and carried away by the ceaseless energy of the stream, -so ever enlarging the chambers upwards towards the light of day. But -whilst this action is going on underground, a more potent factor is -at work where the subterranean stream first sees the light. Here -very soon the action of the water alone gives rise to a little cliff -overhead. Now rain and frost, wind and tempest, loosen, bit by bit, -the fragments of rock forming the face of the cliff, which fall away -into the river, to be broken up and carried away. Little by little the -face of the cliff recedes, along the line of the subterranean river, -until the first underground chamber is reached. The undermined archway -of rock is less able to withstand the agents of denudation, and the -cliff front recedes apace. Such is the present stage at Wookey Hole, -the chamber whence the river Axe issues being still in process of -destruction. Thus the work goes on slowly, yet none the less surely, -until along the whole course of the subterranean river the roof of -the cavern is destroyed, perhaps effectually hiding the stream under -huge blocks of Limestone, such as those of Ebbor Gorge, near Wells, -or until the water finds another course for itself, as at Cheddar, to -begin the whole story over again. Every stage is abundantly illustrated -by our Mendip swallets and caves. The large swallets of Eastwater, -three and a half miles from Wells, of Swildon's or Swithin's Hole, a -half-mile nearer Priddy, and the more recent swallet of Stoke Lane, -half-way between Wells and Frome, are excellent examples of streams -engulfed on the summit of Mendip. The whole of the country surrounding -the two first-named caverns is dotted with innumerable small pits and -hollows. The great swallet of Hillgrove, three miles north of Wells, -in the exploration of which we are at present engaged, in an endeavour -to penetrate the labyrinth of ways to which it will undoubtedly -afford access, is a fine example of an intermittent swallet. Here -three ways, carved deeply through the stream-borne sands and clays of -some uncertain epoch of geological history, converge in a deep glen, -beautiful with its tropical wealth of ferns. In the bottom of the glen -huge spurs of Limestone stand up boldly, dipping towards the Old Red -Sandstone exposed to the south, and pointing to a great fault, along -the line of which the Limestone water is bound to accumulate in a -huge triangular reservoir, the outflow from which may account for the -summer flow of the Axe when the majority of the swallets are dry. In -winter the converging torrents here find ingress into the Limestone, -but, though pits and hollows abound on every hand, no foot of man has -ever yet trod the hidden ways beneath. At a depth of 10 feet we have -reached the first open channel, only to have it blocked subsequently by -a fall of the treacherous gravel through which we have been working. - -Vast dry swallets are represented by a great depression which we call -the Bishop's Lot Swallet, on the road from Wells to Priddy. Here a huge -hollow in the ground, perfectly circular and 300 yards round, shows -us the largest swallet in Mendip. Though the surrounding land slopes -gently to the edge of the great pit, which is 60 feet in depth, there -is but the smallest trace of water penetrating it. It is ages since the -drainage of the surrounding land gravitated towards it, for it lies at -a considerable height above the level of most of the other swallets -in the neighbourhood. A mile and a half to the west, a similar pit -occurs called Sand Pit Hole. Here too water has ceased to flow, and it -remains, with precipitous sides, a problem for us to investigate in the -near future. - -To enter either of the active swallets of Eastwater or Swildon's Hole, -and to follow it to its greatest depth, is to gain an insight into -the action of subterranean streams such as no other method can give. -The former is well illustrated by the annexed section, in which its -profound depth and its labyrinth of passages may readily be understood. -The difficulties and disappointments which we encountered when I -conducted the operations which at last resulted in our effecting -an entrance into this cavern, the existence of which was not even -suspected previously, need not here be recapitulated. Altogether, what -with volunteers and labourers, nearly a dozen of us were occupied ten -days in the determined effort which we made, and which at last was -crowned with success. From the point of view of the subsequent explorer -the reader is referred to the ensuing chapter upon Eastwater Cavern, -which will convey some idea of what the first explorers must undergo in -any such place when to the ordinary difficulties of such an exploration -is added the great uncertainty felt at every step taken, and when -every boulder upon which our weight is to rest must first be carefully -examined. The difficulty of our work at Eastwater is practically what -must be experienced in any new work undertaken in the Mendip region, -and there is much waiting to be done. If there is one thing more than -another to be learned from Eastwater Cavern, it is the great importance -of chokes in determining the lines of subterranean drainage. Here they -are seen in every stage of formation and destruction, and the channels -which have been carved by the arrested water may be readily recognised. - -There is a fascination in exploration work such as that at Eastwater, -where corridors, hitherto untrodden by the foot of man, open up all -around as you make your way ever downwards into the heart of the hills; -and even now there are many accessible passages into which as yet no -one has penetrated. Reference to the section annexed will show an upper -way, which terminates abruptly in a choke of stones and gravel, holding -up a little water, whilst allowing a considerable quantity to pass. It -is a remarkable fact that in all the labyrinths of galleries which we -have explored in the profound depths of this cavern we have not yet -alighted upon any portion which gives access to the continuation of -this channel. There, rendered inaccessible by the barrier of débris, -is, without doubt, a cavern as extensive as that which we have proved -to exist in the sister watercourse hard by; and these two channels, -starting from practically the same point, must diverge widely, and -certainly do not unite again before the depth of 500 feet is attained. - -Farther eastward in Mendip, too, are similar swallet caverns. Not far -to the north-west of Stoke Lane is an interesting cavern locally known -as Cox's Hole. It is situated in the Limestone forming the southern -edge of the great basin in which lies the Radstock Coalfield. Owing to -the existence of this coalfield, there are no deep caves accessible in -this part of Mendip. Yet a good deal of water must be absorbed through -the innumerable fissures into the depths of the Carboniferous Limestone -underlying the coalfield, and it is by no means unlikely that this -water, heated to a high point by the subterranean temperature, gives -rise to the hot springs at Bath. Cox's Hole was at a remote period, -when the form of the hill was very different from that presented now, -an active water-channel, evidently draining towards St. Dunstan's Well. -It has two distinct entrances, one, the more westerly, being a cavity -of considerable size. For about 100 feet the cavern consists of a roomy -gallery running more or less horizontally. Then it pinches in, until -the height is less than a foot, and only those can get along who are -able to compress themselves into small compass. In a few feet, however, -it widens out into a good-sized passage, with fine stalactites here and -there, especially at a point on the northern side where an aven opens -into a chamber more than 30 feet high. Now roomy and now contracted, -the passage leads on until, at a distance of 100 yards from the -entrance, it becomes so small that there is considerable difficulty in -proceeding. Beyond this point the cavern becomes a simple water-tunnel, -of a type common in Yorkshire. At 130 yards there is a sharp descent, -the floor is littered with boulders, and 20 yards farther the passage -is choked with silt. A very small passage, which had water in it when -I was there, is said to be passable at times, though I am inclined to -doubt this. An almost vertical ascent amongst treacherous boulders, -however, seems an indication of a possible route onwards, which may, -I trust, with care be yet explored. The last 50 yards of the cave run -to the south-east--that is, away from the direction of St. Dunstan's -Well--a beautiful spring rising from the Carboniferous Limestone hard -by; yet I feel sure that it must of necessity be a part of the same -waterway. Either it was an inlet which received the waters of some -vanished Old Red Sandstone spring, or it was a former outlet for the -waters of that well. I am inclined to favour the former theory. As to -the present source of the waters of St. Dunstan's Well there can be -no doubt whatever. In the valley below Stoke Lane, and three-quarters -of a mile distant from the well and from Cox's Hole, there is a most -interesting swallet, of comparatively recent age. It is obviously -certain that, not so long ago, the stream which courses down the -valley flowed unchecked down its whole length, and so reached the -larger stream below. Slightly retarded, in all probability, by some -flood-borne silt, the water found a little joint in the western bank of -the valley, and by slow degrees so enlarged it that it at last became -capable of swallowing the whole. Even now a few hours' work would -divert the water and cause it to resume its former course. Upstream is -a mill, the owner of which has courteously given every facility for -testing and for exploration. It was found that the effect of damming -the mill stream entirely was to reduce the flow at St. Dunstan's Well -enormously, and to render the entrance of the swallet passable. Mr. -Marshall of Stratton-on-the-Fosse with his party made a successful -descent, and travelled a considerable distance, mainly parallel -with the valley without and to a great extent horizontally, through -water-tunnels of small size. As no measurements were taken one cannot -say yet how far it is passable, but he says that they did not get to -the limits of possible exploration, as the time which they spent there -was getting dangerously near the hour up to which it is possible to -dam the water, and they most wisely beat a hasty retreat. The first -opportunity will be taken by us to make use of a spell of fine weather -to carry this exploration to a successful issue. Not far distant, -too, is another swallet, from which the water has been diverted to be -used for water-supply. This is in the vicinity of a ruined hunting -lodge, and is said to lead in the same direction as the Stoke Lane -Swallet. The whole of this district is likely to be very interesting, -there being a series of remarkable rifts or fissures in the Dolomitic -Conglomerate which deserve attention. One of these, called Fairy Slats, -has been known for many years, and is indeed shown on the Ordnance -map; and the fact that such fissures abound has been forcibly brought -home by a disaster to a new reservoir, only recently completed by the -authorities of Downside Monastery, to supply the neighbouring villages. -Here a finely designed basin, having been constructed over one of these -fissures, had its massive concrete bottom burst out as if it were an -egg-shell the moment the water filled it, and in a single hour the -whole fabric was absolutely ruined. Some measure of the extent of the -concealed fissures may be gathered from the fact that 500,000 gallons -of water were absolutely swallowed up without a drop coming to light -in the neighbouring valley. An early visitor to the adjoining field -reported that air was being ejected through the grass all around him, -much to his alarm, as he was quite unaware of what had occurred. It -will be a most interesting subject for inquiry, as to how far such -fissures as these are the results of water action or otherwise, and -it is most desirable to descend one of them at the first opportunity -in search of evidence. At present I am inclined to attribute their -presence to movements in the Secondary rocks, due to the intersection -of the district by valleys. The Conglomerate mass has parted along the -lines of the principal joints, and the rifts thus formed have become -lines of drainage. This theory, in view of possible future discoveries, -may have to be modified. - -Above Stoke Lane Swallet, and evidently connected with it in some -remote way, is a cavity without a name, the exploration of which would -probably be interesting, and would be most likely to yield remains of -primitive Man. Mr. Marshall also reports the existence of a fissure -of considerable size, where, after a very small entrance, a point -is reached with a vertical descent of great depth. All these things -indicate that there is a splendid field here for further work. - -Indeed there are abundant evidences of this all over Mendip. One of -the most interesting problems has had further light thrown upon it -by work recently done by us at Wookey Hole. The Hyæna Den and the -Badger Hole are testimony that a large amount of underground action -has taken place upon the east side of the ravine, yet nothing has been -known hitherto of any series of dry channels upon that side. Recently, -however, we have succeeded in gaining access, by way of the smallest of -fissures, into what will turn out most likely to be a portion of this -very series. Here is to be seen a choked-up chamber of precisely the -same type as the Hyæna Den, but far deeper in the wall of the ravine. -Without doubt it contains prehistoric remains, yet its excavation will -entail great labour. We have already reached a distance of 80 feet from -the entrance, and only a partially choked passage bars the way. - -High up in the ravine at Ebbor, too, there is a very promising field -for further research. This is immediately beneath a cliff on the -western side of the valley, where we have already done much preliminary -work. There is also a very promising little cave, slightly north of -Tower Rock in the same gorge and high up in its side. Here a narrow -entrance gives access to a small chamber, on the floor of which is a -deep deposit of cave earth, from which I have obtained Deer bones. - -At Dulcote, again, there is a series of waterways and dry caves of -great interest, which in themselves bear corroborative evidence of the -great antiquity of the caverns of the district. From time to time the -quarrymen have broken in upon these waterways, which have been lost in -subsequent operations. Not many years ago a blast blew off the top of -an almost vertical shaft, carved out in the Limestone by water action -and descending to a great depth. The mass of rock blown off by the -charge turned over and fell down the shaft, blocking it at 30 feet from -the surface. It was possible to descend to this point and throw down -stones, which fell for a considerable distance; but the block was never -moved, and in the process of quarrying the hole became filled, and is -now lost in the general level of the quarry. Hard by, also, a cavern of -considerable extent was opened, and still remains. It contains nothing -of peculiar interest, though when I was first lowered into it, from -a hole 60 feet above its floor, it contained very pretty coral-like -splash stalagmite; and also, in the mud floor, the tubular linings -of calcite, formed from the drip from above. In this quarry, too, -were found a considerable quantity of the bones of Bear, Deer, Bos, -Horse, etc., and these are now in the Wells Museum, where they were -deposited some years since by A. F. Somerville, Esq. There are numerous -other minor caves in this locality. Farther up the same valley, above -Croscombe, is a small cave known locally as Betsy Camel's Hole, and it -appears to have been occupied by a woman bearing that name for some -years. She was, of course, carried away by the devil, according to the -same popular report. It may very well have been a rock shelter at some -stage of its history. Mr. Somerville informs me, too, that in Dinder -Wood there is a small cave which was almost certainly a rock shelter. -This also has never been explored. In fact, the whole district may -be described as an unexplored field, and there is abundant room for -willing helpers. The landowners, for the most part, are exceedingly -kind and ready to offer every facility for scientific research. - - H. E. B. - - - - -THE CHEDDAR GROUP OF CAVERNS - - -The great gorge of Cheddar and its caverns form a subject of surpassing -interest to the student of Geology. Presenting some of the most -stupendous cliff scenery in England, the great wall of rock on the -southern side of the valley towers nearly 500 feet into the air, -defying all attempts at mapping contour lines; and the road which -traverses the ravine winds, with many a sudden turn, along the base of -this noble cliff, ever upwards, until in four miles the actual summit -of the Mendip downs is reached. At the entrance to the gorge, and -close to the caverns owned by Gough, the hidden river bursts into the -light, pouring forth a stream of great volume, which, after serving -the purposes of various millers in the village, hurries on to join its -sister stream from Wookey Hole, the two then flowing into the sea near -Weston-super-Mare. It is strange that in all the exploration work that -has been done at Cheddar, the underground channel of the stream has not -once been reached. Near the entrance in Gough's Cave a fairly deep hole -contains water, which changes in level along with the river itself, but -no open passage leads from it. A vertical rope descent of 100 feet from -the upper and practically unknown caverns belonging to Gough brings the -explorer to what must be regarded as the nearest point which has yet -been reached to the subterranean river of Cheddar. As this gorge is -the most stupendous in the Mendip region, so is this stream the most -considerable in volume. Mr. Sheldon of Wells has gauged its minimum -flow to be not less than three million gallons per day, whilst its -torrent at flood time must be many times as much, probably not less -than eight or ten millions. - -[Illustration: THE GREAT GORGE OF CHEDDAR. - -_Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells._] - -This is considerably larger than the other two great outlets of the -subterranean waters of Mendip, those of Wookey Hole and Wells, each of -which, however, pours forth an enormous volume. That it is the Cheddar -stream which is responsible for the existence of the gorge itself no -one can doubt, and it is a most interesting subject for discussion as -to how this has been brought about. It is not difficult to determine -what points must mark the boundaries of the catchment area, the waters -of which drain to Cheddar. The road from Castle Comfort to Charterhouse -on the north-east, the outcrop of Shales south of Blackdown on the -north, and a line drawn from Rowberrow Farm north of Priddy to the -gorge itself on the south, enclose the whole area from which the supply -is obtained. This is somewhere about 12 square miles in extent. To this -must be added, possibly, some water from slightly more to the eastward. -It is now the commonly accepted theory that the whole of this water, -or at any rate the bulk of it, found inlet into a series of caverns -along the line now occupied by the gorge, and that then the processes -which are so well known to be going on gradually enlarged these to -the point of collapse, the falling débris being removed by the still -flowing stream. It is only right to add that M. Martel, arguing from -his long experience, which probably exceeds that of any man who has -ever studied the subject, sees in the gorges of Cheddar, Burrington, -and presumably Ebbor, the superficial channels worn by the escaping -streams from the ancient Mendip plateau. He says, "The numerous dried -valleys (Burrington Combe, Cheddar Cliffs, etc.), which cut through the -circumference of the Mendips, witness, as everywhere, to the ancient -superficial flowing off of the rivers, and to their capture by the -natural wells, successively opened and enlarged in the cracks of the -Limestone rock." That even small streams acting through a sufficient -period of time are capable of doing enormous erosive work it would -be idle to deny, but the difficulties in the way of accepting this -theory as alone sufficient are too great to admit of its acceptance. -It demands that the water of a very large area could find access to -the eastern end of the ravine, which itself demands that the general -configuration of the Mendips must have been very different from that -presented now. This, from the existence of the Secondary beds in their -present position, say near Harptree, was not the case; and therefore, -for the theory to hold good, we must suppose that the superficial gorge -was pre-Triassic. As it was not filled in, either in Triassic time or -subsequently, it could not have been superficial. Of course it may be -contended that the reversal of this line of argument demonstrates that -the gorge is post-Liassic and may then have been a superficial channel, -but I hold this to be disproved in my chapter on the antiquity of the -Mendip Caves. I am, accordingly, forced to the conclusion that the -Cheddar gorge was during the whole of the Secondary period a roofed-in -cavern. The only difficulty which arises is a doubt as to the ability -of the stream to remove so vast a bulk of falling material as must -be accounted for; but when we see the process in actual operation, -as at Wookey Hole, it is only necessary to demand sufficient time, -and the difficulty vanishes. That a time did arrive when the rate of -collapse more than kept pace with the destructive energy of the stream -is indicated by the rapid rise which takes place in the road through -the gorge. This favours the cave theory as opposed to the superficial -channel theory, inasmuch as a superficial channel would probably have -maintained a more nearly equal depth throughout. - -That the portion of M. Martel's theory which explains the absence of -the stream from the gorge is correct is very clear, there being obvious -indications, notably at the western end of the ravine, where points of -absorption might be traced beneath the high cliffs, any one of which, -if excavated, would almost certainly lead to the present channel of -the river beyond Gough's Caves. The Long Hole above, as pointed out in -my chapter upon the antiquity of the Mendip Caves, is corroborative -evidence which tends to disprove the superficial valley theory, as it -is without a doubt an old cavern of absorption, which could not have -existed had the ravine been a superficial valley. Everyone must lament -the recent developments in the Cheddar gorge by which the northern side -is being hacked to pieces to provide road metal. There are thousands of -places where the same stone could be obtained, with almost equal ease; -and it does seem pitiful that one of the finest places in the kingdom -should be sacrificed to the most callous and sordid commercialism. -The conditions under which the work is being carried on constitute -also a public danger, as has now been exemplified by the collapse into -the gorge of a huge mass of the rock. The dip of the Limestone is to -the southward, and consequently any work done on the northern side is -removing the support that holds up the great mass upon an inclined -plane. Of necessity the mass above, its support gone, comes hurtling -down to the roadway, and it is practically certain that, if quarrying -operations continue, some day the gorge will be entirely closed by a -gigantic fall. - -An interesting little tributary ravine and cavern, far up the gorge, -provides a perfect example of the cave theory of the formation of the -gorge itself. About two miles from the village, on the southern slopes -of the ravine, is an extensive fir wood. High up on the opposite side -this little ravine is visible, and it may be reached with ease. Here -sides that gently slope give way to precipitous walls, between which -you walk. Moss-grown stones give place to new-fallen stones, and then -you have before you the little ravine roofed in; you pass beneath, -and find yourself in the darkness of the cavern itself, which can be -followed for some distance. Here, at any rate, there can be no doubt as -to the process that has been at work. - - H. E. B. - - - - -ANTIQUITY OF THE CAVES OF MENDIP - - -When we consider the question of the age of our caverns, we are met -at the outset by a mass of evidence forcing upon us the certainty -that they must be credited with a very high antiquity indeed. Here -measurement by years and centuries fails, and the imagination must -be called in to aid us to compute the epochs that have successively -elapsed since the first cave, to take one example, began to be formed -at Wookey Hole. These evidences are of three kinds: historical, -palæontological, and geological. In the first place, there has been -obviously little change in the general configuration of our caverns -since earliest historical times. The dens and caves of the earth -have afforded a retreat to the persecuted of all generations, and a -ready-made home when all else has failed. Here, too, with the rocky -walls behind him and his protecting fires at the entrance, early man -could defy the savage beasts that roamed the land in those far-off days. - -At Wookey Hole it was only necessary to scratch the very surface of -the accumulated débris within the mouth of the great cave to turn up -fragments of Romano-British pottery and a human jaw and rib-bones. -These interesting relics are in the possession of myself and Mr. Troup. -From the very nature of the place, it is obvious that the tendency -has been to accumulate more and more débris upon the mass of cave -earth which contains these remains. Slightly deeper, yet still only -in the loose earth of the cavern mouth, we found pottery of still -earlier date, unwheeled and cruder. The fact is borne in upon us, that -certainly for two thousand years this entrance has remained much as it -is now. Perhaps a loose rock here and there has been dislodged from -the overhanging cliff outside, and, crashing to the stream bed below, -has there been broken up and carried away by the river. But no one can -doubt that the general outline is the same now as then. And farther -within the cavern an interesting sidelight is thrown on the slowness -with which things change in the underworld. At the descent into the -first great chamber a chalk inscription roughly made reads "E A 1769." -That inscription has been there unchanged, to my knowledge, for the -last twenty years, and I have no reason to doubt its authenticity. If a -chalk mark remains unerased for a century and more, how long have those -solid walls stood, and how long will they endure? - -As I have gazed upon that inscription, the thought has come, that such -a place as this would be an ideal site for national monuments. When our -abbeys and cathedrals are crumbled away, these great subterranean halls -will remain practically unchanged. And in the caves of Cheddar like -evidences meet the eye. In the loose material in the Roman cave there, -Roman and Romano-British remains have been found in abundance; and here -again we are forced to the conclusion that no change has taken place -since those remains were deposited. - -But when we consider the evidences furnished by the remains of the -extinct mammalia, mingled with those of primitive man, much more is it -impressed upon the mind that we are dealing with relics of enormous -antiquity. The great assemblage of bones of the extinct animals which -occurs at Banwell Cave, and the numberless finds from the caves of -Cheddar, are indications of this; but those of the Hyæna Den of -Wookey Hole, and the conditions of their deposit there, afford us -much more reliable testimony. Here are two principal cavities on the -eastern side of the ravine, representing two of the five river levels -which the stream of the Axe has hollowed for itself in the Dolomitic -Conglomerate. These are branch or side chambers which have not been -totally destroyed in the process of erosion that formed the ravine at -the expense of the cavern. In the uppermost cavity, known as the Badger -Hole (it was the haunt of badgers until a few years ago), no traces -of the extinct mammalia are to be found, nor have I found definite -traces of prehistoric man. At seven feet below the surface, however, -there is a bed of river sand of precisely the same kind as that in the -upper chambers of the great cavern. In the Hyæna Den below, on the -other hand, so thoroughly and systematically explored by Professor Boyd -Dawkins, was found one of the most perfect assemblages of the remains -of extinct animals ever discovered. Many years after his labours were -completed I searched there again, and was rewarded with a by no means -poor collection of bones and teeth: Mammoth and Woolly Rhinoceros, -Irish Elk and Reindeer, Red Deer, Bison, Cave Lion and Bear, Hyæna and -Wolf, Wild Goat, Wild Horse, and Wild Boar have all been found. One -of my earliest trophies was a fairly complete skull of a young Bear; -and I have representatives of all the others. From a small hole in the -side of the valley hard by, which I thought looked promising, we have -obtained a large number of Rhinoceros teeth, together with those of -several of the other kinds present in the Den. The examination of these -cavities and their contents demonstrates the fact that they were the -actual dens of some of these animals. The abundant marks of gnawing -show that the Hyænas made their home there. Over the vertical cliff -many a worn-out beast was hunted to its death by the Hyænas and Wolves, -and its shattered carcass dragged to this hole. - -[Illustration: ROMANO-BRITISH POTTERY, COINS, HUMAN REMAINS, ETC., -WOOKEY HOLE CAVE. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: HYÆNA DEN AND BADGER HOLE, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -It is easy to wander back in imagination and bring the state of things -that existed visibly before the mind's eye: to watch the unwieldy -Mammoth or the great Rhinoceros rolling its huge bulk along; to see the -pack of cowardly Hyænas or Wolves hounding some worn-out Bison to its -death, over the awful cliff close by their den, which purpose effected, -they themselves rushed headlong down the steep slope hard by, to fight -and wrangle over the shattered carcass of their prey; or to see the -Lion lying in wait by the peaceful stream in the little valley for the -noble Elk or timid Deer to come for its accustomed drink; and then to -behold savage Man, with his weapons of flint or bone, when out on his -hunting expeditions, arriving at this peaceful valley, and there for -a while making his quarters in the Den, and lighting his fires at the -entrance to scare the wild beasts from their lair.[1] - - [1] Only a few years since, three cows were driven over the cliff by - several unruly dogs, and of course were instantly killed. Thus was the - tragedy of long ago re-enacted. - -How long ago this state of things existed is a matter for geological -calculation. Suffice it that the earliest historical records show us -no wild beasts existing in the land except Bears and Wolves, along -with the Red Deer which is with us to this day. Now there is no sign -at Wookey Hole of the time when the Bear and Wolf alone remained and -all else had become extinct from the land. There is no trace whatever -in the Hyæna Den of the pottery which we find in the entrance of the -great cave. Without a doubt, the latest deposits here are vastly older -than the most ancient deposits there. The commingling of northern, -temperate, and southern forms gives evidence of oscillations in -temperature such as demand a vast time to have taken place. Yet the -whole of these remains accumulated between the time when the entrance -to the Den was left exposed by the gradual destruction and retreat -of the cliff face up the valley, and the infilling and choking of the -entrance by the accumulating gravel which eventually blocked it. It is -only within the last few years that the gravel arch which was first -formed, and then undermined in the search after bones, has collapsed, -revealing the true configuration of the cavern. Here we must again -postulate a great antiquity for our caverns, since these deposits exist -in what is really an insignificant fragment of the great cavern, and -are only an incidental part of the material which an exposed cavity -is sure to receive. But when purely geological evidences are taken -into account, the demand for time becomes still more imperative. The -subterranean Axe occupies, as its present channel, vast chambers formed -by the excavation of thousands of tons of the hard Conglomerate, great -halls over 70 feet in height and of fine proportions. The process which -formed these is still at work enlarging them, till in the course of -time they must collapse; yet no change is ever visible, no signs of -recent action can at any point be seen. The rarely occurring great -flood serves but to remove one film of sand from the floor and to leave -another in its place as the waters subside. So slow is the undermining -action that no eye can ever detect a change though the waters rise ever -so high. Yet this channel is but one of five distinct levels which the -river has occupied from time to time, until it has found in turn a -lower course, leaving its sands as a record upon each, here and there -sealed down beneath a mass of stalagmite. What untold ages have elapsed -since first the river flowed through these upper channels! - -[Illustration: PLAN AND SECTION OF WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN.] - -But an examination of the top of the Mendips points to a vaster -antiquity still. The published horizontal section No. 17 of the -Geological Survey gives an excellent idea of the plateau of Mendip, -which stretches from immediately north of Wells to the neighbourhood -of Compton Martin. This plane of denudation would never have been -reached save by the long-continued action of subterraneous streams, -an assumption supported by the existence of the great depression -crossed by the road from Wells to Priddy. That depression of nearly -100 feet in depth and several miles in length, hollowed in the hard -Carboniferous Limestone, here dotted with every known type of swallet -or swallow hole, has been obviously formed by the slow action of -swallet streams prolonged through vast periods of time. Every atom of -the millions of tons of solid rock represented by this depression has -been borne down the course of the subterranean Axe. Tributary to this -depression a little valley has been eroded across the Old Red Sandstone -anticline immediately to the north, and in it are deposited masses of -Dolomitic Conglomerate, the component pebbles of which were derived -from the surrounding rocks. The same valley existed, therefore, in -pre-Triassic time, and as there was obviously no other outlet for its -water, the cavities into which it flowed--that is to say, the swallets -and subterranean channels--must have existed also, and are therefore -pre-Triassic in date. Though at first sight this appears impossible, -inasmuch as the known course of the resulting Axe River is through -Triassic Conglomerate, I propose to show that such a conclusion is -necessary and inevitable. Long ago I was struck with the fact that at -Wookey Hole the Triassic Conglomerate attains an abnormal thickness, -and measurements have shown that at the far end of the cavern there is -certainly a thickness of over 350 feet of this rock. As there is no -sign of any approach to the Limestone against which it must abut, nor -any change in the character of the Conglomerate itself at this point, -I think that we may fairly conclude that the total thickness of it -must be at least 500 feet. Now this is a vast deposit, far exceeding -any known to exist elsewhere, and it requires a special explanation -to account for it. Only one explanation is possible. The Conglomerate -is here filling in some great pre-existing valley in the Mountain -Limestone. That is just what I should expect. - -The great Limestone cavern formed by the action of the swallet streams -in early Triassic times collapsed, and formed a Limestone ravine, into -which was rolled a great accumulation of fragments of the Limestone -derived from the slopes and crags above. With the whole of this part of -England these beds were subsequently submerged, remaining so during the -deposit of the whole of the Secondary beds; and on their emerging once -more from beneath the sea the lines of drainage were re-established -along the old courses, where these had not been choked with sedimentary -material. Forcing a way through the Conglomerate which then impeded its -flow, the river formed those cavities which we see. Indeed, it may well -be that the successive levels cut by the Axe through the Conglomerate -may represent stages in the uplifting of the land, the lowest channel -being the last and largest, as it has been formed during an extended -period of stability. But we are not without evidences of another -sort as to the existence of some of our swallet ways at that remote -period. The cavities found in the Holwell quarries, near Frome, filled -in with Rhaetic material containing bones and teeth of fishes; those -of Gurney-Slade, near Radstock; and numbers which from time to time -are laid bare in the Limestone quarries, all filled in with Triassic -sediment, show that penetrating waterways of considerable size then -existed. There was, too, at Charterhouse-on-Mendip, north of Cheddar, a -fissure, possibly a swallet, which, being open, received an infilling -of Liassic material that is known to extend to a depth of 300 feet. Had -these channels been closed by a narrow aperture temporarily blocked, -no infilling but by water would have taken place when the land sank -beneath the waters of the Triassic and Liassic seas. - -Furthermore, in the position of the entrances of many of our swallets -there is corroborative evidence to the same effect. The great circular -swallet on Rookham, near Wells, situated far from any existing line of -drainage, yet withal one of the largest cavities on Mendip, shows that -great changes have taken place since it was an active waterway. The -position of the caverns of Compton Bishop and of Banwell, far removed -from any stream or any line of drainage possible with the present -contours, proves that the configuration of the country has utterly -changed since they formed the points of engulfment of any streams. The -Coral Cave (as we have called it) at Compton Bishop descends abruptly -into the earth, and its outlet must have been far below the level -where now the Triassic Marl forms an impervious barrier. The waters -of Banwell Pond rise through the Marl, forced upwards through beds -which do not yield water and ordinarily retard its passage. Doubtless -the Marl when it was deposited covered some earlier outlet from the -Limestone. The waters of St. Andrew's Well, at Wells, are forced -upwards through Dolomitic Conglomerate and overlying Pleistocene -gravel, the former of which was doubtless deposited upon what was once -a free and unimpeded outlet from the Mountain Limestone, similar to -that of Cheddar. The water of Rickford, near Burrington, resulting from -the streams engulfed at and around Burrington, is forced up through -the Secondary beds, which have been similarly deposited upon the -pre-existing outlet. All these things help to demonstrate that what I -contend is true, viz. that our caverns as a whole are pre-Triassic in -age. The Long Hole at Cheddar, high in the cliffs above Gough's Cave, -lends its evidence too. Contrary to all the other caves at Cheddar, it -was a channel of intake for the water which formed it. Doubtless it -is a fragment of a larger cavern, which, before the gorge of Cheddar -itself was formed, existed in the mass of rock occupying the whole -area. At the northern end of the Limestone defile of Ebbor, near Wells, -the ravine is carved through Dolomitic Conglomerate, which has been -much worked for iron ore. The fact that this Conglomerate was deposited -in a depression in the land, at the head of the present ravine, yet -without entering it, suggests that here was an entrance to a series of -caverns, the collapse of which produced the gorge. - -[Illustration: THE GREAT SWALLET ON BISHOP'S LOT, PRIDDY. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth_] - -[Illustration: ST. ANDREW'S WELL, WELLS. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -The Devil's Punchbowl, near the Castle of Comfort Inn on the Mendips, -is, in all probability, a collapse of the remarkable Lias beds which -there occur into some pre-existing cavity in the Mountain Limestone -below, somewhat in the same manner as the Shake Holes in the Glacial -Drift on the Yorkshire moors were formed. No one questions the -existence of the cavities beneath before the deposit of the Drift, -neither do I doubt the existence of swallets beneath the Trias and Lias -before these were deposited on the Mendips. The question naturally -arises, Why do we not find in our caverns remains of all the ages -that have elapsed since that time? Why are only Pleistocene remains -discovered? Surely, because we have not found them it does not follow -that they are nonexistent. The recent discovery of Pliocene remains -in a cavern at Doveholes, near Buxton (Derbyshire), is clear proof -that we may search hopefully for similar remains in the Mendips. It -must be borne in mind, that the further we go back in time, the more -certain we are to find that the contents of any Limestone cavern would -be completely mineralised, until the whole of the contents may have -become cemented into a solid mass. Where running water is present, -attrition may have destroyed them, or borne them onwards to those great -depths where, constantly submerged as they must be, we can never hope -to penetrate. I am aware, however, of the existence, in the Eastwater -Cavern, of very ancient chokes of water-borne material, from which I -have some hope of obtaining remains. - -I might mention the demonstrated antiquity of the bosses of stalagmite -in Kent's Cavern at Torquay, and from it argue the immense age of -the great masses of stalagmite in the Mendip Caves, but, recognising -the variable rate of deposit of the carbonate of lime in different -caverns, and indeed in different parts of the same cavern, no useful -purpose would be served thereby. The huge Beehive of Lamb's Lair at -Harptree, the large boss in the first great chamber at Wookey Hole, -Gough's "Niagara" at Cheddar, the tall and slender pillars in Cox's -Cave at Cheddar, and the taller "Sentinel" pillar at Wookey Hole, all -demand for their formation a prodigious length of time, which it is but -folly to attempt to compute with our present information. Certainly -many thousands of years are required for some of them, and it should -be remembered that we have then arrived merely at the time when the -floor upon which they stand had received its final form, the action of -running water having ceased.[2] Who can doubt then, that, as we stand -in the great waterways of the profound depths of our hills, we are -looking upon scenes which have varied little since remote ages, and -that in some form or other these waterways played an important part in -the degradation of the earlier and loftier Mendip range? - - [2] In 1894 the initials "T. W." were carved by Mr. Willcox of Wells - on the great stalagmite bank in the end chamber of Lamb's Lair. I - added "1894," that in years to come some measure may be obtained - of the rate at which this bank is being formed. I make a rule of - never making an inscription, but in this case I thought that the end - justified the means. - -It is worthy of remark in this connection that the veteran M. Martel, -commenting upon the caverns of Mendip, says, "In consequence of the -existence, on the flanks of the Mendip Hills, of deposits of Triassic -Dolomitic Conglomerate (Keuper) of Rhaetian beds, and of possibly -Glacial alluvia, unconformably on the Carboniferous Limestone, the -outflow of the water in the risings operates in three ways: (A) by -large fissures in the Limestone itself, when it flows out freely, as -at Cheddar; (B) through the crevices in the Dolomitic Conglomerate -(the Axe at Wookey Hole, etc.); (C) where the outlet of the water from -the Limestone is hidden by alluvia (St. Andrews Well, at Wells). The -consequence of this arrangement is that it will be possible--notably -at Wookey Hole, when the explorations now going on have enlarged the -new galleries recently found--to ascertain whether the Dolomitic -Conglomerate is there shown in long beds of ancient shores, regularly -superposed on the Limestone, or rather accumulated in filled-up -pockets, in hollows pre-existing in the Limestone; that is to say, -there will be a material verification of Mr. Balch's hypothesis -(already outlined by Boyd Dawkins in 1874) of the very ancient -excavation of certain caves of the Mendip Hills, even before the Keuper -period. The lie of the Conglomerate under the vaulted roofs of Wookey -Hole appeared to me to favour this idea. And it is necessary to wait -till formal proofs have been gathered together here, that caves were -hollowed out there before the Trias. I recall, on this subject, that -long ago I concluded, with Messrs. De Launey, Van den Broeck, Boule, -etc., that the formation of caves could commence in the most distant -geological epochs, and that the pockets of phosphorites, among others -at Quercy and the Albanets of Couvin (Belgium), testify to caves or -abysses of at least Eocene times." - - H. E. B. - - - - -CAVE EXPLORING AS A SPORT - - -We are called a nation of sportsmen; yet the first criticism we -level against any new sport, not our own, is the question, usually -unanswerable and always irrelevant, What is the use of it? One -may then, with a certain show of propriety, point out that cave -exploring is a sport not entirely lacking in utilitarian or scientific -objects. It belongs, in fact, to that large class which originated -as something else than mere pastime. Mountaineering and hunting are -typical representatives of that class. The earliest mountaineers were -geographers. Cave exploring was first of all taken up as a branch of -archæological and palæontological research, and then as a general -inquiry into the physical nature of caves. But a science that has -discovery as its principal object, and hardships and adventure as -its natural concomitants, is bound to attract as many sportsmen as -scientists. The geographical might be called the sporting sciences. -And so there are now many ardent cave explorers who would blush to be -called speleologists, their sole motive being the enjoyment of the -game, and scientific results purely a by-product. Thus the science of -caves has given birth to a sport that subserves its aims in the same -irregular way as rock-climbing and peak-bagging subserve the aims of -geography, geology, meteorology, and other sciences. - -Speleology itself is, comparatively, a new science. Cave hunting, the -search for human and animal remains, has been an important bypath -of scientific investigation since the days of Dean Buckland and -the discoveries recorded in _Reliquiæ Diluvianæ_, 1823. Professor -Boyd Dawkins has in recent decades done still more valuable work -for palæontology. Speleology is a word of both wider and narrower -meaning; in the widest sense covering all kinds of knowledge about -caves, their geography, geology, hydrology, their fauna, their -palæontology. But most speleologists confine their attention to -the physical characteristics of caves. This side of the inquiry -has practical utilities. At Vaucluse, for instance, near Avignon, -M. Bouvier in 1878 explored the channels of a gigantic siphon that -carries the waters of an inaccessible reservoir into the Fontaine de -Vaucluse, a famous "rising." His object was partly scientific, and -partly to determine the nature of this permanent source, so as to -utilise its waters to regulate the level of the Sorgue, to extend the -irrigation system of the neighbourhood, and to secure water-power for -manufacturing purposes. The Katavothra of Pod-Stenami were enlarged by -an enterprising engineer, and protected by iron gratings, after their -subterranean exits had been explored, and so utilised to regulate the -drainage of the marshy plains of Laibach, and to prevent periodical -inundations. In our own country, underground exploration has brought to -light valuable water-supplies, and enabled us to safeguard the public -interests by pointing out sources of pollution. Caves are most abundant -in the districts where those great fissures known as rakes occur, -which are rich in minerals, especially lead, calamine, copper, gypsum, -and fluor-spar. During the short period in which cave work has been -taken up as a sport, discoveries have been made, which of course it is -impossible to particularise, that may be the source of considerable -profit in the future. - -The majority of those engaged in this physical exploration of caves -are French. France possesses a Société de Spéléologie, the secretary -of which, Monsieur E. A. Martel, author of _Les Abîmes_, is a most -indefatigable and courageous explorer, and the man who has made the -science an important and a living one. But M. Martel himself awards the -title of "créateur de la spéléologie" to a forgotten predecessor, Dr. -Adolphe Schmidl, who published _Die Grotten und Höhlen von Adelsberg_, -in 1854. In this country, although such brilliant discoveries have -been made of extinct animals and prehistoric relics of humanity, cave -exploring of this kind is a new pursuit. M. Martel says, in _Irlande -et Cavernes Anglaises_, 1897: "In short, the underground of the -calcareous regions of the British Isles may be considered as being, -topographically, very insufficiently known; this is the conviction -impressed on me by my own researches in 1893." Something has been -accomplished since that date. Two or three clubs, consisting chiefly -of climbers, and a few speleologists working independently, have -effected a thorough examination of the great caverns of the Peak, the -extraordinary system of underground waters, huge cavities, and profound -abysses in the West Riding, and the beautiful caverns of Somerset. But -the ground that remains unexplored, the opportunities for adventure and -the possibilities of discovery are such as may probably astonish those -people who think there is nothing of the sort left in Old England. - -Caves are formed in calcareous strata by the chemical action of water -laden with carbonic acid, and by the mechanical action of streams. In -consequence of the original structure of the Limestone, the joints of -which run at right angles to the bedding planes, these eroded hollows -have two dominant forms: the vertical pot, swallet, or hole, produced -by the widening of a master-joint; and the horizontal water-channel, -running in the same direction as the line of stratification. But the -strata being commonly tilted, these pits and abysses are often a long -way out of the vertical, and the caverns that follow the strata very -steep. Many of these ancient watercourses are now dry, but others -are still traversed by streams, and present the explorer with most -formidable obstacles. The complete exploration of any cave system would -involve the tracing out of all its passages from the point where the -stream or streams enter the earth to the point of exit. But I know -not a single instance where such a task has been worked out in its -entirety. In many cases the streams enter the ground merely as small -rivulets, and begin to excavate passages practicable to man only at a -considerable depth. "Siphons," or traps, as they ought to be called, -complete or partial chokes, and a variety of other causes, may put -insuperable obstacles in the explorer's way. - -Take two of the most important cave problems still awaiting solution, -one in Yorkshire, the other in Somerset. A large beck is precipitated -into the abyss of Gaping Ghyll, 360 feet deep, and emerges from -an opening in the hillside, a mile away, close to the mouth of -Ingleborough Cave, which was itself an earlier exit. Several parties -have descended Gaping Ghyll, and followed the passages at the bottom -to a distance of more than 1000 feet. Then impenetrable water-sinks, -and muddy chambers with no outlet, have been encountered, and the -communication with the lower cavern has hitherto proved undiscoverable. -Both the dry galleries and the canals of Ingleborough Cave have been -explored, with great toil and daring, to a considerable distance -upwards, with similar results; and though many speleologists are -still absorbed in this problem, there is little hope that it will be -cleared up without adopting the drastic and costly measure of cutting -through the obstructions. The other problem is that of Wookey Hole, -the cave in Britain which has the longest history, and which is still -yielding interesting discoveries. A number of streams disappear into -the earth on the Mendip plateau, 2 miles away and 700 feet above, and -find their issue in the source of the Axe at Wookey Hole. Two of the -Mendip swallets have been explored to a great depth. Swildon's Hole, -an exquisite series of terraced galleries and stalactite grottoes, has -been penetrated to a depth of 300 feet. But a more determined attempt -has been made to reach the bottom of the Eastwater Cavern. This was -discovered in 1902 by my friend Mr. Balch, of Wells, by means of -opening the swallet, where a tiny brook ran away through small crevices -in a Limestone ravine. A far-extending cave was thus disclosed, full -of intricate ramifications, that explain in a graphic manner how -new galleries are formed and old ones left dry and deserted, as the -result of floods and partial chokes. We have, in the longest route -discovered in this complicated system, reached a distance of 2000 feet -from the entrance and a depth below the surface of 500 feet. At this -point no absolutely impassable barrier has been met with. There is -reason to hope that we may still advance farther into the mysterious -region between it and Wookey Hole. But the formidable difficulties of -the journey hither have set a limit to endurance. Hundreds of feet -of creeping through steep, narrow, and contorted passages, compared -with which a series of drain-pipes would afford luxurious travelling; -perpendicular drops of 50 and 90 feet, with no convenient ledges at -the top for letting men down; and, in addition, the necessity of -transporting great quantities of tackle to the bitter end of it, have -made a twelve hours' day underground as much as we could stand. The -difficulty may perhaps be got over by means of a subterranean bivouac. -Unfortunately, it would not do to leave the apparatus in position for -long beforehand, as it would deteriorate so rapidly. In Wookey Hole -itself, we have not yet succeeded in reaching a farther distance than -600 feet from the cave mouth; there a submerged tunnel has stood in -the way. But Mr. Balch has thoroughly explored the upper passages that -honeycomb the rock above the known caves; he has discovered a number -of promising galleries, which are being slowly cleared of débris; -and, among them, a series of the most beautiful incrusted grottoes in -Britain. A season of drought may reveal an opening up the river-course. - -Innumerable similar problems still await solution. Some of us have been -engaged in trying with pick and crowbar to engineer a way into the -swallets above Castleton, which send their waters through the heart of -the hills down to the caves in the dale of Hope. One of these, which -we have penetrated to a distance of 350 feet, may turn out to be the -entrance to as wonderful a chain of caverns as those of Eastwater. Long -Kin Hole, Helln Pot, and other tremendous cavities in the Ingleborough -district, still promise good sport. Of all the varieties of cave -forms these vertical holes are the most impressive, and also the most -perilous to explore. No exploit stands out more finely in the record of -that intrepid explorer, M. Martel, than his single-handed descent into -Gaping Ghyll, the first ever accomplished. In the Cevennes, however, he -has reached the bottom of abysses still more profound, though without -the unpleasant accompaniment of falling water. One of the most awkward -of the descents described by him is that of the Aven de Vigne Close -(Ardèche), 190 mètres in depth. This strange pit is almost a corkscrew -in shape, comprising five perpendicular drops, the bottom of one being -a few feet from the top of the next. To manage the final pitch, with -a chain of rope ladders 40 mètres too short, it was necessary to get -six men down to the "Salle à Manger" at the foot of the fourth stage, -others remaining as sentinels at the head of the various stages. Some -of these waited on their narrow perches for eleven hours, in the dark, -with nothing to do but listen to the distant noises of their comrades -at work. One man, hanging at the end of a rope, succeeded single-handed -in fastening a pulley to the free end of the second ladder, and so let -down the third ladder to the required extent. This critical operation -was carried out under grave difficulties, the nerves of the whole party -having been shaken a few minutes earlier by the accidental fall of a -heavy lamp, which was within an inch of killing the men beneath. - -Elden Hole, in the Peak of Derbyshire, a yawning cavity 200 feet deep, -with an inner cave 65 feet deeper, has been descended several times -recently. On the first occasion, through the inexperience of the party, -I had the privilege of spending nine hours in the hole, in a state of -uncertainty as to whether it was in the power of the other men to get -me out. On the next occasion, we let down a dozen men safely. But there -still remains the possibility that excavation might clear up the puzzle -as to the connection of Elden Hole with other swallets and caves in the -vicinity. The old miners believed that it had communication with the -natural chambers in the Speedwell Mine; and that is a problem which -will entail exploration in collapsible boats along the flooded levels. -The great chasm in the Speedwell, which used to be reputed bottomless, -has been proved to be only 90 feet deep. It has an upward extension, -in the same steep rake, which has not been climbed, nor its top so -much as caught sight of. It attains a height, most probably, of at -least 400 feet. That is a problem worthy the mettle of our most skilful -cragsmen. In the Blue John Mine, a vertical fissure has been climbed, -by a party properly roped up, to the height of 130 feet, between walls -splendidly adorned with polished and translucent stalagmite. Ladders -may sometimes be rigged up, one above another, to reach hollows in -the roof of caves. In this way a handsome grotto was discovered above -Peak Cavern. When these vertical fissures are open to the sky, it is -a simple matter to fix tackle, and even a windlass, for letting men -down. When they open in the floor of a well-nigh impracticable gallery, -as in the Eastwater Cavern, the difficulties of securing pulleys and -ropes are serious. There our troubles are aggravated by the proximity -of deep, gaping chasms at the foot of each pitch, lying in wait to -receive falling bodies. Nevertheless, by an ingenious arrangement of -life-line and pulley, the entire party gets safely to the bottom of the -gulf and back again, although it is usual in such situations to leave -a sentry behind at the top. Grandest of all these underground cavities -in England is the great chamber of Lamb's Lair, in the Mendips. The -approaches and subsidiary chambers of that marvellous cavern are -magnificent in the richness of their incrustation and their colouring; -but this mighty hall surpasses the rest by far. Floor, walls, and -roof, of a dome-shaped chamber 110 feet high, are a mass of sculptured -transparencies, fantastic reliefs and glowing enamel, all the colours -of the rainbow being produced by the different veins of minerals. Only -a strong party of experienced climbers or cave workers, fully equipped, -should venture to explore this fine cavern in its present dangerous -state. - -No chapters in _Les Abîmes_ are more absorbing than those describing -the exploration of underground waters. By means of collapsible boats, -M. Martel explored the concealed streams that tumble into the canyon -of the Ardèche. In 1890-91, M. Mazauric, with enormous toil and -considerable danger, traced out the labyrinthine ramifications of the -Bonheur at Bramabiau (Gard). The Tindoul de la Vayssière (Aveyron), -with its yawning abyss and powerful subterranean torrent, and the -Causse de Gramat (Padirac), both entailed the descent of a deep chasm -and the navigation of large streams. At Padirac the exploring party -made their way in four boats along a river, with frequent portages -caused by dykes of stalagmite, and discovered some of the most -exquisite and romantic stalactite scenery in the vaults through which -the river flows. - -As a sport, cave exploring ranks high. The exertion it entails is -exceedingly severe. The innumerable obstacles and difficult problems -to be faced make incessant demands on our inventiveness, adaptability, -and presence of mind. The exposure, the hardships, the dangers that -must be encountered, form an admirable discipline. Those who consider -these any detraction from the merits of the sport, must condemn, not -one sport, but a whole class. Running risks, we must remember, is -always foolhardy, but to nullify danger by means of science and skill -is an aim worthy of the noblest kinds of sport. It will, of course, be -objected that the lack of exhilarating conditions, and of the stimulus -of fresh air, deprives the sport of the usual benefits of outdoor -games. But the air at the bottom of a cave 100 or more feet deep is -usually as pure and sweet, and not seldom as dry, owing to its free -circulation, as that on the hills. Then the darkness and the sense of -imprisonment, you say, are not conducive to healthy enjoyment. But a -cave explorer, enthralled by the manifold interest and excitement of -the pastime, will never admit this. The variety of entertainment it -affords constitutes a peculiar charm. - -Only to judge by the number of climbers that have taken up cave work -as a pastime, there must obviously be a natural relation between this -sport and rock climbing. Certainly, there are many methods common to -the two sports, and the expert cragsman has an immense advantage over -others when he takes to cave exploring. But the methods and appliances -of the mountaineer are restricted by artificial regulations. There are -many things that must not be done, even to enable a climber to ascend -an otherwise inaccessible peak or to avoid serious peril. In cave work, -on the other hand, the difficulties and dangers are multiplied so -formidably by the singular conditions, of which darkness is but one, -that such prohibitions would be absurd. When one may be called upon to -climb a wall of mud, or a sheet of slippery stalagmite, or to traverse -water-swept rocks with an unfathomed pool or swallet underneath, -every safeguard must needs be utilised. Any mechanical means of -accomplishing, facilitating, or expediting a passage is legitimate in -cave work; ropes, pulleys, ladders of rope and wood, windlass, rafts, -boats, crowbar, pick, shovel--all these, and an enormous variety of -other things, have their place in the cave explorer's equipment. - -One might write a volume on the equipment of cave explorers. Hardly any -other sport requires so formidable a variety. I must limit myself to a -few words. The explorer's dress should be a boiler suit, made all in -one piece from neck to heel, and with no pockets or buttons to catch -in the jagged Limestone, plenty of both being provided inside. He must -renounce any hankering after waterproof garments, the proper precaution -against the effects of wet being to wear thick woollen underclothing. -His boots should be nailed after the manner of those worn by rock -climbers. Candles are the best illuminant, much better than any -lamp--acetylene, electric, or other. But a supply of magnesium wire -should be carried, with waterproofed matches in water-tight boxes; and -a powerful limelight, burning ether instead of hydrogen, for the sake -of portability, is a useful auxiliary. Boats have been used in some -of the caves in the Peak, in Wookey Hole, and in the cavern of Marble -Arch, explored by M. Martel, in Ireland. Plenty of rope--not of the -Alpine Club material, but hempen--is necessary, and a few rope ladders -often come in handy. The only rule of the game that I should like to -insist upon is, that no damage should be done to the beautiful features -of a cave. It is a rule observed by every cave explorer worthy of the -name. The temptation to acquire specimens must be resisted. - -The first thing that the cave explorer, eager for discovery, has to -learn, is not to lose himself. In many cases no special precautions are -necessary, but if there are numerous bifurcations, specific measures -must be adopted. Often it is sufficient to station a hurricane lamp or -a good-sized candle at the cross roads; a surer method, but one that is -rather troublesome, is to unreel a thread as we advance. Such a cavern -as Goatchurch, in Burrington Combe, Somerset, is a perplexing maze, -where one loses one's bearings completely two minutes after looking -at the compass. The mass of the hill is shivered into innumerable -fragments, of giant size. Passages striking off along the fractures -often lead one back imperceptibly to the point of divergence. At the -Eastwater Cavern, in the same district, after I had already gone four -times through the enormous aggregation of shattered rocks at the top, -where a human body is like a beetle in a heap of macadam, I tried in -vain to make my way out without using the life-line. Although there is -but 100 feet of it, one takes half an hour to get through. The original -explorers spent a much longer time in discovering a practicable route. -For my own part, I was lost in a few moments, and compelled to return. -The imprudence of two men in the Bagshawe Cavern, in Derbyshire, who -went too far in advance in their anxiety to be discoverers, led to an -uncomfortable experience both for them and for their rescuers. This -very extensive cavern has a number of ramifications. The two men who -were following reached a distant and unexplored part of the cave, only -to find that they had missed their comrades, the sand and clay on the -cave floor being still perfectly smooth and untrodden. They failed to -discover the wanderers in the neighbouring passages, and lost their -own way for a time before they got back, through the winding tunnels, -low-roofed fissures, and deep canals, crawling, scrambling, and wading -breast-deep through icy water, to the place where they had parted. -They hoped the truants had found their way back, but there was no sign -of them, and preparations had to be made for a second journey. After -a fatiguing quest, that lasted several hours, they found the missing -adventurers in a remote part of the cavern, nursing their last shred -of candle and waiting to be rescued. The experiences of some youthful -explorers in Wookey Hole, who found themselves on dangerous ground and -all their matches gone, are described on another page. - -There is a romance about cave exploring that is almost unrivalled. -The conditions of the sport are so weird and exciting, so strangely -different from everything we are accustomed to. To be so near to, and -yet so far from, the scenes of our everyday life; to be launched on a -voyage of discovery on an English river, or to be the first to gaze on -some miracle of fantastic crystallisation only a few miles away from -a large town--these are among the attractions of the sport, at least -in its present stage. There is nothing in this country to compare with -the prodigious caves of Kentucky or the terrific subterranean defiles -of Adelsberg. One might as well look for the magnificence of the Alps -among our English mountains. Yet the caves and gulfs of Derbyshire and -Yorkshire have a grandeur of structure and diversity of character, and -the Somerset caves a brilliance of crystalline deposits, that are fully -as admirable and impressive. - - E. A. B. - - - - -EXPLORING WOOKEY HOLE - - "Where Albion's western hills slope to the sea, - There is a cave, and o'er its dismal mouth, - Whence come to quick, mysterious ears hoarse sounds - Of giant revelry, the ivy grew - And shut the old sepulchral darkness in; - And by its side a well, whence ever full - And ever overflowing, silent, deep, - And cold as death, the waters creep - Adown the broken rocks in search of day. - Above it frowns a fretted, stony brow, - And only from the setting sun e'er came - Within that place the joyfulness of light." - - W. W. SMITH, _Angels and Men_: a Poem. - - -Hardly anywhere else in Britain is the mind borne down with such -a sense of incalculable antiquity as at Wookey Hole. Nowhere, -certainly, is there anything like such a continuous record from ages -inconceivably remote. To touch first of all upon periods that are -historical and measurable, we have the name Wookey, which appears to -be the one bestowed by the ancient Britons; for it is a recognisable -corruption--especially as the people of the district sound it, -"Ookey"--of the Celtic Ogo, a cavern, the same word, Ogof, as the -modern Welsh still apply to several caves in the Principality. Clemens -Alexandrinus, in the second century A.D., has a reference to the -cavern, and there are periodical allusions in Latin and English writers -from that time to the present. In the Middle Ages its fame as one of -the wonders of England was great. William of Worcester has a quaint -description; he says, "Its entrance is narrow, and the ymage of a man -stands beside it called the Porter, of whom leave to enter the Hall of -Wokey is to be obtained." What became of this janitor is now unknown, -unless he be represented by the recumbent monolith still to be seen -outside the portal. References to the antiquities of Wookey Hole occur -in Leland's _Itinerary_ and in Camden's _Britannia_, and there is -incorporated in Percy's _Reliques_ a ballad, by an eighteenth-century -virtuoso, Dr. Harrington of Bath, entitled "The Witch of Wokey," -recounting an old legend of the neighbourhood. - - "In aunciente dayes, tradition showes, - A base and wicked elfe arose - The Witch of Wokey hight." - -So it begins, and goes on to relate, in the sham antique style of the -day, how a malevolent old woman was for her misdeeds changed to stone -by a "lerned clerk of Glaston." The Witch, a black, aquiline profile -in stone and stalagmite, is with her culinary utensils the chief -attraction to sightseers in the first great chamber, or, as it is -sometimes called, the Witch's Kitchen. - -[Illustration: PROFILE OF THE "WITCH OF WOOKEY," WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: AMONG THE POOLS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -It is impressive enough to stand beside the very modern-looking -paper-mill, where the infant Axe, still dazzled by its sudden entry -into the sunlight, is harnessed to assist in the manufacture of such -workaday commodities as Bank-note paper, and to see before one things -that carry the memory back all those stages; yet it is but the last -few pages of the voluminous history that we are considering now. -Professor Boyd Dawkins, who won his spurs as a palæontologist by his -researches at Wookey Hole, discovered in the neighbouring Hyæna Den, -which is really a branch of the old cavern, human and animal remains -whose antiquity, compared with the periods just reviewed, is as the age -of Stonehenge compared with that of a man. In the less known passages -of the Hole itself, such relics have constantly been found in the -course of our investigations. Potsherds, celts, bone implements, the -carbonised embers from ancient hearths, all sorts of refuse lying in -odd corners, have continually brought us, as it were, face to face with -the time when man was little more than the king of beasts. Whosoever -would read in the deeper chapters of this vast chronicle must be -referred to the fascinating pages of _Cave Hunting_; there will be only -an occasional glance at the human history in this record of a different -class of exploration. Palæontological research has not been our object. -Several of my companions have made some valuable discoveries in this -line, and are intent on making more; but my own original motive, and -that of several others, was the sport, as much as the scientific -results, to be enjoyed in endeavouring to work out the great problem of -the waters that have made themselves a road through the underworld of -Mendip, and found an escape from bondage at Wookey Hole. This cavern -has been known so long and so familiarly, that it must have seemed as -if there were nothing more to be found out about it. It will, surely, -be a surprise to many to learn what important additions have recently -been made to the extent of its known and accessible passages, and -what progress there has been in explaining the secrets of its water -system. We are, in all probability, on the brink of yet more startling -revelations. - -Drayton complained, in "Polyolbion," that the renown of the Devil's -Hole in the Peak of Derbyshire, then as in the present day, had robbed -the Somersetshire cave of some of its glory. - - "Yet Ochy's dreadful Hole still held herself disgrac'd - With th' wonders of this Isle that she should not be plac'd: - But that which vex'd her most, was that the Peakish Cave - Before her darksome self such dignity should have." - -Many things here bring to mind the Derbyshire cavern, which several -of our party had explored pretty thoroughly before we did any serious -work in Somerset--the approach along the deep wooded ravine cut through -the Dolomitic Conglomerate, the river pouring out from vast reservoirs -within the earth, the legendary associations, and the mystery shrouding -the stream's subterranean course. From the drainage area about Priddy, -700 feet above, on the top of Mendip, these waters find their way -down through a multitude of channels. Most of these passages are -quite unknown, but the two most important, of which a good deal will -be said presently,--the Eastwater Swallet and Swildon's Hole,--have -been explored to a considerable depth. In the latter we have got to a -depth of 300 feet, but natural obstacles and other difficulties have -prevented us from following the stream-course farther. Mr. Balch has -traced the Eastwater Swallet, which he opened in 1902, to the depth -of 500 feet below the point of absorption--almost, that is to say, -down to the level of Wookey Hole; but an enormous thickness of rock -still remains unexplored between the farthest points attained, from -below upwards and from above downwards. Most likely, when we get -farther, if we succeed in passing the present obstacles, we shall soon -find ourselves entering the canals and water caverns that lie on the -same level as the great natural reservoirs of Wookey Hole; in other -words, we are approaching the plane of saturation. Exploration in the -Eastwater Swallet is still being carried on, though perforce very -slowly; and concurrently therewith, efforts are being made, not without -success, to trace the passages in the lower cavern farther and farther -back. - -[Illustration: MASS OF STALAGMITE, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: IN THE FIRST CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -The summer tourist, conducted through the three principal chambers -of Wookey Hole by a guide armed with a can of benzoline, for making -stalagmites into torches, comes out having a very imperfect knowledge -of the geography of the cavern, and a totally inadequate idea of -its beauties. I well remember how little I was impressed by my first -visit, under these conditions, many years ago. The weak illumination -seemed to reveal only the proportions of some rather large cellars, -pervaded by oily pools, into which the contents of the can were poured -and set on fire, producing an unearthly glare through the darkness and -the waters; and a number of dingy and unconvincing natural effigies, -black with the accumulation of soot. Our exploring party in March 1903 -saw these things under an illumination such as had never been kindled -there before, and I for one was quite unprepared for the revelation of -brilliance and spaciousness and beauty that we were to witness. - -"Wokey Hole," says Bishop Percy, "has given birth to as many wild, -fanciful stories as the Sybil's (sic) Cave in Italy. Through a very -narrow entrance it opens into a large vault, the roof whereof, either -on account of its height or the thickness of the gloom, cannot be -discovered by the light of torches. It goes winding a great way -underground, is crost by a stream of very cold water, and is all horrid -with broken pieces of rock: many of these are evident petrifactions, -which, on account of their singular forms, have given rise to the -fables alluded to in this poem," the story, that is, of the blear-eyed -hag who was turned into stone. This quaint description is true in every -particular. The first cavern, or the "Witch's Kitchen," has a weird -similitude to Gothic architecture. Arch springs from arch up to the -lofty summit, and the walls and vaulting are full of canopied recesses, -with wild foliations of glistening calcite wreathed from niche to niche. - -Below us, as we enter, a broad deep pool stretches away into darkness. -Could we follow the gently moving current in a boat, we should enter -another great vault, whose existence the ordinary visitor never -suspects. There, in a small passage beyond the water, Mr. Balch -discovered human remains. Whilst we peered into the gloom, the -limelight was burning up, and now it flashed across the cavern to where -the black scowling head of the Witch overshadows terraces, basins, and -wild imageries of spectral stalagmite. - - "A glow! a gleam! - A broader beam - Startles those realms of endless night, - While bats whirl round on slanting wing, - Astonished at this awful thing. - The rocky roof's reflected rays - Are caught up in the waterways, - And every jewelled stalactite - Is bathed in that stupendous light, - One moment only; then the caves - Are plunged again in Stygian waves; - The fairy dream has passed away - And night resumes her ancient sway." - -The Vicar of Whiteparish, near Salisbury, wrote these expressive lines -after seeing Wookey Hole lighted up with magnesium. Our beam of light -was less transitory, and gave us ample leisure to contemplate the -glories of this magnificent chamber. Its walls for the most part are -coloured a rich red, which absorbs light readily and makes photography -a slow business. The first exposure took half an hour. Against the -warm red, the pearly streaks of stalactite and stalagmite shine in -exquisite relief. There is a superb mass of stalactite near the Witch; -to say truth, the eye is confounded by the wild grouping of fantastic -piles of dripstone around that uncouth head; the colours of the rocks -and the flashing crystallisations are reflected in the pellucid water, -and confused again with our glimpses of the river-bed, smitten by the -moving shaft of light. On the nearer side of the cave, where a narrow -arch leads into an incrusted grotto, a gentle stream has deposited -a fairy-like series of fonts and stoups, ending in a pure white -sheet of dripstone, over which the water murmurs. The surface of all -these fabrications is diapered over with a network of delicate pearly -ridges; so that here you see a mass, as it were, of polished brain -coral, and there madrepores and alcyonaria, where the deposits have -continued their growth under water. Some of these efflorescences are -like petrified filaments of water weed. The foul scurf and soot that -covers the Witch's cooking apparatus and other accessories would, -doubtless, disappear under a fresh deposit of pristine white, would -the guides but cease for a twelvemonth to drench them in benzoline, -for the delectation of such as love conundrums in stone. Still, these -things are but a small part of the scenery, when all is lighted up as -we were able to light it. Our work done, a Bengal fire was set off, and -the glimpses it gave us along the waterway to the inaccessible chamber -beyond added vastness and mystery to the scene. - -[Illustration: STALACTITE TERRACE, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: GREAT RIVER CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells._] - -The next chamber is a loftier vault, and the arching is more decidedly -Gothic in its suggestiveness. Two low arches at either side form -the portals, far above which a series of pointed arches spring to a -height of 70 feet, their summits converging in a polygonal cleft, like -the lantern of some cathedral dome. Then we make our way across the -sandbanks, between the pools, into the largest chamber of all, with a -roof of enormous span, whose breadth dwarfs its height, arching over -the sleeping river and the broad slopes of sand, whereon grotesque -Limestone monoliths take the likeness of prehistoric monsters sleeping -by the waterside. Through the clear water we can discern a submerged -arch communicating with more distant caverns. There is a tradition, -coming down from the mediæval historians, that unfathomable lakes lie -behind the barrier. This is probably true in so far as it points to the -existence of enormous reservoirs of water beyond the accessible parts -of Wookey Hole, the theory being confirmed by the behaviour of the silt -at flood time. Were the hatches belonging to the paper-mill opened, -and the water lowered a few feet, an attempt might be made to solve -these problems. Mr. Balch did, in fact, at a time when the water was -partially lowered, make his way into two unexplored chambers, fed by -tunnels submerged a foot or so below the surface. - -[Illustration: SECOND GREAT CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells._] - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE OF THIRD CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells._] - -The older and the newer caves and passages of Wookey Hole lie at five -levels, one above the other like five storeys, the topmost of all -representing the oldest channel of the subterranean Axe, which has -in the course of ages forsaken first one and then the other, boring -fresh passages in the Conglomerate. Of these five storeys, one alone, -the nethermost, is known to the uninitiated visitor. Portions of the -other four had been explored from time to time by Mr. Balch, who in -1903 made such discoveries of unknown continuations as fill us with -hopes of penetrating deeply into the mysterious region beyond. Climbing -into the Upper Series from a spot near the threshold of the Witch's -Kitchen, we made our way eastward over dry rocks, and came speedily -to the junction with another passage from nearer the cave mouth. -Only a thin leaf of rock separates the two, for it is characteristic -of all these upper passages that they run almost parallel to each -other whilst rising to other levels. Altogether, we doubled back on -our original direction three or four times, creeping through holes -in the walls partitioning the corridors, and ascending to the top of -several lofty bridges, formed by fragments that have fallen from roof -and walls and wedged themselves securely. The construction of these -bridges is often marvellous to see. In one case a number of rocks form -an irregular arch, at the top of which a keystone wedges the whole -cluster together. Obviously they must have fallen and come together -practically at the same instant. This was what happened hard by with -two great boulders that fell down the rift and caught each other in -mid-air. Another impressive natural structure is known to explorers -of Wookey Hole as the Spur and the Wedge. The huge horizontal peak of -Limestone projecting into the chasm brings to mind a famous passage in -Mr. Rider Haggard's _She_. This spot was the scene of a droll adventure -that befell one of my companions years ago. With several other boys, -he wandered into these passages, when suddenly the one candle they -had with them went out. A boy had been commissioned to bring a supply -of matches, but it was ascertained that he had only one left, which -on being struck promptly went out. In this emergency, the lads could -do nothing but sit still until help arrived. They had no food, and -in trying to feel the time, they broke the hands of the only watch. -They computed that they had been in durance three days when the rescue -party reached the spot, but the protracted and hungry period of waiting -turned out to be only eight hours. Their resting-place was the flat -back of the pinnacle, with a 60-foot drop on one side and jagged rocks -on the other. - -In two places in these galleries there are fine displays of stalagmite -on the wall, in the form of corrugated sheets, the ridges of which, -stained red with ferrous deposits, hang straight down like a series of -organ pipes. The walls glisten here and there with minute crystals. -But the most striking sight is where the Dolomitic Conglomerate, of -which the walls are composed, appears in clean-cut sections. One of -these, which has been successfully photographed, shows the differently -coloured pebbles, chiefly Mountain Limestone with a few of Old Red -Sandstone, embedded in the matrix, and surrounded with distinct layers -of cement, all as brilliantly defined as the concentric rings of an -agate. Hard by is a corner where Mr. Balch discovered the bones of -a man; they were mineralised, but it was impossible to tell their -period, or even whether they represented an interment, or were merely -the remains of some wanderer from his tribe who had perished in this -forlorn spot. - -Sleeping bats hung from many a coign, and would not be awakened even -when lifted down. Big cave spiders crawled over the walls in the parts -adjoining the open air, where the breeze found its way in, although -we could not see through the narrowing crevices. Here and there the -cocoons of the spiders hung from the roof in white, woolly balls. At -the farthest point reached was a settlement of jackdaws, with a number -of untidy-looking nests, and there we could hear a thrush singing in -the trees outside; for we were close to the main cliff, and the river -was flowing out beneath our feet, under a great thickness of rock. - -[Illustration: STALACTITE GROTTO: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVE. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Claude Blee._] - -By the natural falling in of the roof, the first great chamber of -Wookey has broken through into the galleries above, and certain -passages of the Upper Series now open high up in the vault of the -Witch's Kitchen. One of these openings has been known for years; -another, which we reconnoitred carefully in March 1903, has now had -its barrier of cave earth cut through, with the result that a group -of stalactite chambers of wonderful beauty has been disclosed, with -untold possibilities of further advance. Boxing Day 1903 was spent in -an exploration of these new chambers. Climbing on my shoulders, Mr. -Balch got hand-hold in a chink of the Limestone, and pulled himself up -10 feet. Here a stalagmite peg held the rope ladder whilst we clambered -after, entering a cross gallery that gives access by another short -scramble to the loveliest of the new grottoes. When the discovery was -made, Mr. Balch and his assistants had to keep watch and ward day and -night, until a door had been fitted up, and every hole and crevice -securely blocked; for the entire village was quickly on the scene, and -irretrievable damage might have been committed. - -The grotto is irregular in shape, and the incrustations are -disposed without order or system. From every nook and corner in the -superimpending rocks bundles of stalactite spears are thrust; bosses -and pillars spring from the floor, and sometimes meet the descending -shafts. Of all these frail pillars, the finest, rising on the very edge -of the rift we had ascended, seems to support the whole ponderous roof, -like the fragile column left by a dexterous architect, to cheat the -eye, in some cathedral vestibule. Certain of these hanging shafts are -shaped like the barbed head of a spear, a slanting stalactite having -intercepted and coalesced with the dripping calcite from an inch or -two away. A creamy, brownish yellow, with a golden lustre like that of -amber, is the prevailing tint; but, here and there, plaques of dazzling -white shine out against the burning magnesium. - -Crawling in and out among the stalagmite pedestals, grievously afraid -of injuring the diaphanous fabric, we emerged in a very low chamber of -great area, right across which a grille of translucent rods, each a -foot high and ranged in regular line, fills the narrow space between -roof and floor. This extraordinary and strangely beautiful railing is -some 30 feet long, and only in one spot is it possible, by dint of -careful wriggling, to pass between the rods into the farther parts -of the chamber. Mr. Balch entreated me not to attempt this. When he -tried it, a fortnight ago, he had indeed got through to the series of -caves beyond, but, in returning, a projection had caught him at the -lowest spot, where the chamber is only nine inches high, and he had -struggled hard for twenty minutes before he could move an inch. Two -of us, notwithstanding this advice, ventured through. After draining -off a pool of water that was held back by a thin rim of dripstone, we -traversed the low chamber and a short tunnel beyond, climbed a vertical -cleft, and entered another low chamber of immense length and breadth, -whose various extensions we explored until the accumulated deposits -of boulders and cave earth stopped our advance for the time being. -In returning through the tunnel and the low chamber with the grille, -we tried successfully to dive under the archway and wriggle into the -opening head foremost, in spite of two opposing stumps of stalagmite. -By these tactics we escaped the worst of the squeeze. - -[Illustration: STALACTITE PILLARS, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Claude Blee._] - -[Illustration: NEW STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -Whilst engaged in this excursion, we had heard the sound of hammering -somewhere away in the heart of the rock. It was our three friends -attempting to break into a promising gallery, which ought to cross -the vestibule of the main cavern and connect the two groups of upper -caves. We were not long in joining them; and now with pick, hammer, -and crowbar we attacked the barrier in force. The chief obstacle was -a great flat rock standing on end across the unexplored opening, and -propped up by a heap of boulders, which we gradually smashed up or -removed to one side. Still the big fellow would not budge, and we -had to sap his foundations by degrees. Yet this huge rock was but a -fragment that had fallen from the edge of a vast and threatening leaf -of rock, which now hung over our heads like a monstrous guillotine. The -upper caves are waterless, and it soon became desirable to send one -of our number to fetch us a drink. Presently we heard a plaintive cry -from the distance: his candle had gone out, and he had forgotten the -matches. Going to the rescue, I found him groping about on a shelf of -rock, 30 feet from the floor, hard by the Spur and Wedge; he had lost -his bearings altogether. On his return, we made another onslaught upon -our rocky adversary, the five of us sitting on his shoulder and pushing -against the wall, whilst our leader waxed grimly facetious as to what -would happen to us if the shock brought down the guillotine. Slowly -and painfully we tilted the mass of rock over, but only a few inches, -leaving just room enough for a thin man to crawl behind. Squirming -eagerly into the opening, I looked under, and was disappointed to see -that, if wide, it was still heaped right to the crown of the arch -by the rubbish flung there long ago by the river. Nevertheless, Mr. -Balch was not dissatisfied. Though parts of these ancient waterways -are choked with débris, it is unlikely, nay impossible, that the main -channels should not remain open. Our day's work had taken us on another -stage in our slow journey. The labour of removing the new obstacle will -be considerable, but the result is sure. - -In 1904 we had the pleasure of escorting that veteran speleologist, -Monsieur E. A. Martel, through the old and the new caves at Wookey -Hole. About the same time efforts were made anew to force a way into -unexplored territory, with not uninteresting results. Many hours were -spent one day by three of us in a hole that we had discovered just -within the doorway of the cavern, a thing that had most unaccountably -escaped observation hitherto, though right under our noses. The opening -pointed in the direction of the lower cave mouth, where the Axe comes -out; but it certainly did not look very promising. Crawling in, we -found ourselves in a steeply descending passage, almost completely -choked by stones and cave earth. But at the end of the first portion it -was noticed that the floor dropped suddenly, indicating a chamber or -gallery below. An afternoon was spent in the laborious task of shifting -rocks, small stones, and earth, and passing up the fragments, great and -small, from hand to hand, until they could be placed in safe positions -near the mouth of the hole. Eventually, an ancient channel through the -solid rock was disclosed, and at the end of 60 feet or so a broad low -chamber appeared, floored with rocks and earth, and roofed in with -solid rock at a height of 12 or 14 inches. Pushing on, the leader -speedily found he was jammed between floor and ceiling, and could go -no farther without more engineering; but an elder wand was procured, -a candle tied to the end of it, and this rough-and-ready torch being -pushed forward, it was possible to see some 35 feet ahead into the low -chamber, in the depths of which a row of spiky stalactites stretched -across like an alabaster grating. - -To explore this chamber thoroughly, it will be necessary to hollow out -a passage in the soft floor. In all likelihood, it crosses the present -river-course at a level only a few feet higher. Quantities of pottery, -bones, teeth, and fragments of charcoal were found in digging out the -obstacles. It seems most probable that the hole was stopped up by human -agency in prehistoric ages; perhaps it was a place of sepulture. The -obstacles were carefully wedged together, and their removal caused -much difficulty. It is not pleasant to lie on one's back in a hole, -whose roof is only a few inches above one's face, and have a block of -Limestone rolled from end to end of one's frame, without allowance for -projections in either. In all several tons of material were shifted and -carried out of the way. Much of the pottery had designs of a primitive -character worked on the surface; the more elaborate was Romano-British. -Considerable sections of amphoræ and other vessels have since been -pieced together. - -[Illustration: THE GRILLE: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: THE SOURCE OF THE AXE, WOOKEY HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -Next day I made a curious find at a point farther in. Where the path -from the entrance rises over a big accumulation of rocks, just before -it reaches the first great chamber, a hole in the floor had been -noticed. It had not been explored, but was waiting for someone capable -of standing an exceptionally hard squeeze. The depth being uncertain, I -had a rope tied on, and after a brief struggle managed to get through -the first hole, into a crooked passage of no great length, which -brought me down to a small bell chamber. This had simply been produced -by the piling up of huge quantities of rocks and stones on the floor of -the original cavern, the whole structure having since become thoroughly -cemented and solidified by the growth of stalagmite. There were many -teeth lying about, but the most interesting object was a wooden bowl, -slightly flattened out, and resembling the top of a man's skull in -shape and size. It felt soft, like a piece of cork, but was perfectly -sound. What its age would be one could not tell within a century or -two. It is now in the possession of Mr. Troup of Wells. - - E. A. B. - - - - -STRENUOUS DAYS IN THE EASTWATER SWALLET - - -From two to three miles north of Wookey Hole, on the top of the Mendip -tableland, is a broad, shallow valley, surrounded on every side by -higher ground. It is a grey, desolate tract, with few trees dotted -over its surface, but a thick belt of wood on the south, the dark -green of which in summer, and the black stems in winter, make the grey -landscape seem the more arid, gaunt, and desolate. The ruined engine -house of a deserted lead mine does not add to the attractiveness -of the scenery. But that is soon lost to sight in the vastness of -the rolling tableland, which swells up in the distance to 1000 feet -above the sea on Pen Hill to the east, and again to the same height -at Priddy Nine Barrows on North Hill, the general brown tints of the -heather and bracken showing that the Old Red Sandstone comes to the -surface on these and the other saliences of the plateau. Within this -shallow basin the rock is Limestone, and the causes of the existence -of a valley without any visible outlet for its drainage are at once -manifest. In many places the surface of the ground is scored and pitted -by innumerable depressions of diverse shapes and sizes; roundish -basins, steep funnels, craggy troughs with streams running in and -disappearing, and mere dimples, grass-lined and perfectly dry. Through -these swallets, or swallow holes, the whole of the drainage finds a -vent, and all the material excavated by the forces of nature in the -process of hollowing out this valley, has been carried off in the -same way. The work is still going on. At Eastwater a little stream, -flowing down a long ravine, suddenly comes against a Limestone cliff, -and begins to burrow. Less than a mile away, another stream, big enough -to be called a brook, pours into a cleft in the ground and is seen no -more. This second swallow is known as Swildon's Hole, Swildon being a -corruption of Swithin. Years ago, in the course of a lawsuit, it was -proved that the waters about the village of Priddy, which stands on -the edge of this upland valley, find their way into the Axe, uniting -their streams somewhere in the heart of the hill between this point -and Wookey Hole. When there were storms on the hilltop, or the upland -waters were fouled artificially, the Axe came out turbid. That the -area drained by the underground Axe is a large one is proved by the -size of the river, which must be formed by the junction of a good many -streams of the volume of Eastwater and the Swildon brook. Probably that -area extends as far east as Hillgrove, where a series of swallets in a -woodland ravine are now being enlarged by Mr. Balch, with a view to an -exploration of the underlying caverns. - -In 1901 Mr. Balch's party made a descent into Swildon's Hole, and got -to a depth of 300 feet below the point of absorption, which is at the -same level as the Eastwater Swallet and that at Hillgrove--that is, 780 -feet above the sea. Difficulties having been put in the way of a more -complete exploration by the owner of the field in which the swallet -is situated, he turned his attention to the neighbouring stream of -Eastwater, which, unfortunately, runs away through holes impenetrable -to man, and therefore had not promised so easy a route into the -unknown. Undeterred by the obvious difficulties, Mr. Balch set to work -early in 1902, and, as he describes, made his way at last into the open -passages underneath the swallet. In the course of two or three visits -he reached a point nearly 500 feet below the cave mouth, and distant -about 2000 feet in horizontal measurement. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO GREAT CAVERN OF EASTWATER. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: SECTION OF EASTWATER CAVERN.] - -He invited a large party to descend with him on March 18th, 1903, for a -more elaborate exploration. Besides the leader, Mr. Balch, experienced -cave explorers came from Oxford, Derby, Holmfirth, Glastonbury, and -Wells. Driving up from Wells early in the morning, we donned our -overalls at the mouth of the swallet. Everything was in readiness -for the adventure, and at eleven o'clock or thereabouts the first -man descended the artificial hole, 20 feet deep, into the enormous -accumulation of loose rocks that extends for more than 100 feet into -the head of the cavern. The blocks forming the sides of this shaft, -and many of those beyond its foot, had been carefully underpinned with -timber. Everything bore witness to the labour and perseverance spent in -engineering an entrance. The baggage having been let down by a rope, -we pushed on through the confusion of rocks by a maze of passages -resembling the intricacies of the well-known Goatchurch Cavern, at -Burrington, although the rocks, instead of being huge rectangular -masses, were shattered into the most irregular forms and sizes, -leaving holes between scarce big enough for a human body to squeeze -through. The first explorers were two hours in finding a way through -this bewildering labyrinth. Some of our men went head foremost, others -crawled on their backs with feet in front. The rocks were water-worn -and jagged, and often so rotten with the action of water laden with -carbonic acid, that a finger could be thrust in up to the hilt, as into -clay. We formed ourselves into a chain to hand on the luggage; this was -a trying business, for we were taking down more than 500 feet of rope, -besides a pick, a shovel, a bucket, various steel pulleys, an ample -stock of candles, and provisions for three meals, to humour which -through these unaccommodating passages was worse than coaxing one's own -body along. Both horizontal and vertical openings occurred here and -there, and had to be avoided carefully, one of the most important of -these being a flood-way formed by the stream entering the swallet. It -was curious to find a withy stick making desperate efforts to put forth -leaves in the darkness, and succeeding in producing a long white sprout. - -Suddenly the noise of falling water was heard, and the leading men -called for the rope ladder. The masses of loose rock end abruptly. To -the right a steep tunnel, called the 380-foot way, carries a small -stream down; to the left is a large, irregular chamber; and beyond it, -the main passages of the cavern. The ladder being secured, each man -resigned himself to the inevitable drenching, and descended into the -rugged cave at the head of the 380-foot way. A camera was got down so -far, but most of the apparatus was left at the parting of the ways. Our -road was now decidedly easier. The water-channel was rugged, but the -roof rose fairly high, and there were few boulders. A large tunnel, -cut in the solid rock, brought down a tributary stream on the right; -on the other side, a horizontal tunnel was marked down for further -investigation. The real termination of the 380-foot way has not been -discovered. At present there is no passing beyond a choke of stones -and gravel that fills it nearly to the roof; but Mr. Balch proposes to -remove this. - -We returned to the horizontal tunnel. It led into an extensive sloping -chamber whose shape is peculiarly characteristic of this cavern. -Roof and floor, roughly parallel, are inclined at an angle of fifty -degrees. For a long distance there was space to creep along under -the roof, then the space grew less, and at length the leading men -shouted that they could get no farther. Being rather slighter in -build than those who were in front, I made an effort to pass them, and -succeeded by clambering along at a higher level. A hole between some -choke-stones and a stalactite gave me admittance to a continuation of -this extraordinary chamber. Then, dropping into a dry water-channel, I -wriggled downward and downward, following the noise of some dislodged -stones that rattled away to a considerable depth. At last I found it -impossible to get any farther, though two more feet would have led -me into a sudden widening that looked rather promising. The next man -behind was unable to get within 50 feet of this point. - -[Illustration: THE DESCENT OF EASTWATER CAVERN, THE SECOND VERTICAL -DROP. - -_From Sketch by H. E. Balch._] - -[Illustration: THE GREAT CANYON, EASTWATER CAVERN. - -_From Sketch by H. E. Balch._] - -After an exceedingly painful journey back to the mouth of the tunnel, -we sat down to lunch, before re-ascending the rope ladder, and carrying -our baggage through a series of awkward holes and pits, all deluged -with water, into the big chamber at the head of the main passages. -In this chamber, whose walls, floor, and roof are formed of gigantic -blocks seemingly on the point of collapsing, is an opening in the -roof, through which a stream comes tumbling in. At the farthest corner -therefrom a large opening leads to the bottom of a chimney or aven. -Great quantities of clay on walls and roof show that this cavern has -frequently been filled with water through the choking up of the lower -exit. The stream runs away into the rocky floor at the lower end of -the cave, and a few feet above it is a flood-way, a short, low tunnel, -through which we crawled. Then begins one of the most interesting -portions of the cavern. In one of those broad, low-roofed fissures, -inclined at the same angle of fifty degrees as the general dip of -the strata, and formed, in fact, by the widening of a bedding-plane -in the Limestone strata, a deep, winding channel has been cut by the -stream we have just passed. It has been called, from its likeness, the -Canyon. For a considerable distance our path lies down the Canyon, -and with our heavy burdens we find the passage far from easy. As far -as possible, we keep near the top of the ravine, straddling across. -Sometimes, however, there is no help for it but to drop right to the -bottom. Before we reach its termination, we have to climb out on the -smooth, sloping floor of the main fissure, and wriggle forwards lying -on our sides or on our backs. Foot-hold and hand-hold being singularly -scarce hereabouts, we shall find this one of the most troublesome -places in returning. On the right, we have a glimpse through a hole -here and there of another great low-roofed fissure sloping at the same -angle; then there are cross roads, with a tunnel on the left admitting -to a stalactite chamber, and a passage on the right leading to the -lower end of the Canyon. - -We now reached the most constricted portion of the main channel. It is -a low, roundish tunnel, with an S curve at the distant end. A good deal -of our locomotion might be likened to crawling through drain-pipes; -we were now coming to a sort of trap. The S bend has to be taken with -the body lying on its right side. Once in it, the explorer cannot turn -round, since the diameter every way only just admits a human body, -and the three curves are close together. My candle went out half-way -through, and to unjam my arm and get it down for the waterproof matches -was a difficult and protracted operation. Moving the luggage through -was a very severe task, the width of the hole at one spot being only -nine and a half inches. - -We issued into a good-sized passage. Immediately on the left a twisting -fissure went down to the head of the first perpendicular drop; but, -leaving this for a while, we spent nearly an hour exploring the -lofty chamber straight ahead of us. It rises to an unknown height in -a vertical fissure, narrowing gradually. At the bottom is a deep -cutting, which some of us passed by back and knee work, at a height -above the floor. On the left, that is the eastern, wall are openings -into a parallel tunnel with good stalactites. At the far end both this -tunnel and the passage itself are blocked with clay and gravel.[3] On -our second visit, a day or two later, I explored a tunnel in the other -wall 10 feet from the floor. It led into another of the vast sloping -fissures already described, which I was too much exhausted to explore -very far. These fissures, all inclined at the same angle, and either -parallel or else lying in one plane, are most impressive features of -the Eastwater Cavern; their extent is evidently enormous, and it seems -as if only a few frail pillars of jammed stones served to prevent the -great mass of the hill from settling down and crushing roof and floor -together. On a more minute survey it may turn out that these are all -portions of one huge fissure, merely partitioned off by different -chokes. - - [3] Recently, October 1906, Mr. Balch dug through an obstruction here - and entered a vast fissure chamber, which he climbed to a height of - 150 feet: it has a remarkable shaft as its outlet. - -It was four in the afternoon when we entered the twisting fissure -leading to the first vertical descent, and two of the party had now -to return. Through an oversight in not bringing a short rope for -harnessing the pulley, nearly two hours were spent in rigging up the -tackle, the situation being awkward for letting men down safely. We -were ensconced in a little chamber, the boulder floor of which opened -into the top of a narrow rift widening downwards, where, about 60 feet -beneath, the walls funnelled into a yawning pit 60 feet deep. This pit -had been explored previously, and was found to be choked at the bottom; -it formed a safe and certain receptacle for anything lost or dislodged -by persons descending the cliff above it. The configuration of our hole -was such that only one man at a time could get a steady pull on the -life-line, which ran over a pulley. A manilla rope was therefore let -down from the same belaying-pin, for a man to climb up and down by, so -far as he was able, the life-line being used merely as a safeguard. One -by one the explorers dropped over into the abyss. The last three or -four had the best of it, since, with a hauling party below, full use -could be made of the pulley. - -We were now drawing nigh to the final tug of war. A quarter of an hour -of indescribable wriggling brought us to a narrow and lofty rift, into -which as many of the party as it would accommodate wedged themselves, -right over the second vertical drop. Much the same tactics were -resorted to here, save that, instead of a fixed pulley, each man in -turn had a large steel pulley belted to him, through which ran 200 feet -of rope, one end fixed to a wedged boulder beneath us, the other end -in the hands of the hauling party. A 90-foot manilla was, as before, -allowed to hang free, as a guide-rope, over the crags, and enabled each -man to do something for himself and assist those above. Only four men -essayed this last descent. - -The gigantic cavity into which we now dropped is one of the most savage -and impressive things it has ever been my lot to see. At the top, -over the heads of the hauling party, it runs up into the rocky mass -of the hill as a vertical chimney, under the mouth of which lay what -appeared to be a deep black pit. We alighted, one by one, on a sloping -shelf that traversed the side of the cavity at a considerable height. -Creeping along this ledge, we saw at the end of it a huge cavernous -opening descending into darkness, with a mighty rock wedged across it -like a bridge. The black, gaunt walls on each side of us were craggy -and rifted; their surfaces glistened with streaming water. Our ledge -ending abruptly, we dropped, hand over hand, on the rope, to the edge -of a large pothole, into which a stream was rushing. At this point a -tunnel goes off to the left, and, as it had not been explored, I was -asked by Mr. Balch to proceed down it. Two of us crept and clambered -and slid down a very dirty watercourse, till, at a distance of perhaps -50 yards, we found ourselves atop of a high clay bank, closely overhung -by rocks, with a stream rumbling along to the south-south-west. I got -within 10 feet of the water, but without a rope to get us up again -we would not venture farther. We had now been in the cave nine and a -half hours, and were too much fatigued to undertake new work. It was -ascertained, beyond reasonable doubt, that a fine series of potholes -that exist in the continuation of the great cavity must drain into the -stream just discovered. Beyond those potholes, to pass which involves -much hard work, is another cavity, and beyond that what?--at present no -one can tell. All we know is, that the water finds its way ultimately -into the vast reservoirs inside Wookey Hole; but whether there are -other vast cavities, or merely narrow crevices and impassable clefts -between, is a question that will require labours almost Herculean to -solve. - -In scrambling back along the ledge in the big cavity I gave the -final shove to a dangerous loose rock weighing something like six -hundredweight. It fell into the ravine beneath, and hurtled onwards -toward the chain of potholes, making the whole grim place ring with a -crash of echoes. It took us two hours and a half to return to the cave -mouth, although we were unencumbered with apparatus, for we had left -the ropes and pulleys in place for another descent. Getting seven men -up the higher of the two vertical pitches was a tough undertaking at -the end of an arduous day, and when we returned through the famous S -tunnel more than one explorer seemed disposed to snatch a sleep on its -procrustean bed. We had been twelve hours underground when we revisited -the glimpses of the moon. - -It had been proposed to continue the exploration next day, but no one -was fit for such a repetition of exhausting labours. The day following, -a party of three was mustered to recover the apparatus that had been -left in the depths. Two of us reached the head of the nethermost pitch, -and after hours of severe work got everything up to the mouth of the -swallet. Once more we drove back over Mendip in the dark. All around -us on the desolate plateau was impenetrable gloom, but in the northern -sky, and it seemed but a few miles away, the lights of Bath and Bristol -flared across the heavens like two immense conflagrations. Never does -one feel the sublimity of the open, windy earth, the starry sky, and -the free sense of space, so profoundly as after striving for a long -day to break through the barriers that shut us out from the regions of -mystery under the hills. - - E. A. B. - - - - -SWILDON'S HOLE - - -An insignificant crevice, a hole scarcely wide enough to tempt a dog -or fox, alone gives admittance to what is perhaps the wildest and -most magnificent cavern in Britain. Swildon's Hole, it has already -been stated, lies at the same level, 780 feet above the sea, as the -Eastwater Swallet and that of Hill Grove. It lies in a separate trough, -within the same basin as the Eastwater stream, with whose waters it -unites somewhere in the bowels of the rocky hills, to flow out of -Wookey Hole as the river Axe, of which it may be considered as the -principal feeder. A few years ago the actual swallet was visible, -the brooklet running away into holes under a bank of earth and rock -crowned with foliage. More recently, in order to make a small fish -pond, the landowner has made a dam above the swallet, which is entirely -concealed by this means, an entrance remaining, however, into the maze -of cavities and waterways through a narrow crevice at the side. Mr. -Balch was the first person to recognise the importance of Swildon's -Hole as a chief feeder of the Axe, and in 1901 he made preparations to -explore it. But through some delay, three members of his party were the -first to enter the cave, without him--namely, Messrs. Troup and H. and -F. Hiley. A short while after, Mr. Balch was able to carry out a more -extended exploration. Then for some time no one entered the swallet, -which gradually became choked with stones and litter brought down by -the stream. Very few had ever heard of the cave, and hardly anyone -realised that one of the most beautiful pieces of underground scenery -in Britain was lying there unseen, and one of the most important of -hydrological problems remaining quite unsolved. - -The next visit took place about Christmas 1904. Mr. Troup, who had been -one of the first in the cave, took the lead of our party. My other -companions were Messrs. Bamforth and E. E. Barnes, but we expected to -be joined some hours later by Mr. Balch and Mr. Slater. - -When the first explorers entered this cavern some little while ago, -they met with serious difficulties owing to the presence of ancient -chokes or dams that held back pools of water, but they were assisted -by the dryness of the weather. We, on the contrary, made our descent -after a period of heavy rains, and the volume of water that accompanied -us down was twentyfold as great. We had one advantage, however: the -original discoverers were with us to point the way. With luggage -reduced to a minimum, two ropes, plenty of illuminants, food, and -two cameras, we passed through the uninviting entrance, and attacked -methodically a close-packed mass of débris that had been washed into a -narrow gut since the former visit. - -Whilst we lay at work, the sound of falling water in the depths below -broke on our ears, a musical but ominous salutation. The obstacle -wasted two hours of valuable time. Wriggling through at last, feet -foremost, our legs came out over the rift, a narrow chasm some 20 feet -deep, with the head stream of the cavern tumbling in over a choke-stone -at one end. Our goods were let down carefully into the hands of the -first man, who lodged them in a sheltered spot whilst we scrambled -hastily down through showers of spray. Now began a painful advance into -the depths. Along the tilted bedding planes, down the perpendicular -joints of the Limestone, widened by the water into broad, low chambers -and deep shafts and canyons, we forged ahead, hugging the stream, which -grew larger and angrier as tributaries came swishing in from walls and -roof. At one point the water swept horizontally along a straight canal, -but was stopped at the end by a recent choke, and now tumbled through a -hole in the wall into a huge pothole. Through this lay our road. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE OF SWILDON'S HOLE. - -_Photo by M. Martel._] - -[Illustration: WATERFALL, SWILDON'S HOLE. - -_Photo by H. E. Balch._] - -The water poured down a staircase of similar basins, where to keep -clear of the stream was impossible. So far we had kept tolerably dry, -but as we clung to this watery ladder I pricked up my ears at the -remark, "Will you have your back or your stomach in it?" Crouching on -all fours, with back pressed against the low roof, and looking between -my legs, I watched the performances of my comrades, as each in turn -went through the final archway. Not one escaped a severe wetting. -But I was going to be more wily--at least, I thought so. With hands -and knees in the rushing stream, I squirmed hastily but cautiously -through. I seemed to be getting on famously, and gave a spurt. That -moment the rocks ended; they were undercut. I found myself sliding -down a waterfall 10 feet high, and floundering in a big pool at the -bottom. Drenched we were; but what better preparation could we have for -the troubles ahead? This part of the cavern shows traces of enormous -changes in the course of the stream, which has planed down great masses -of stalagmite, the growth of ages, when this section of the tunnels was -dry or all but deserted by the streams, which found a way down by the -horizontal canal or some higher channel. Between this first water-chute -and the second lies the most nerve-trying part of the journey to the -farthest point hitherto attained. It is a succession of lofty rifts, -giving into each other at right angles, the water sweeping from one to -the next through curving fissures and sudden falls. For a while we kept -above the canyons on a water-worn shelf, all that remained of a low, -flattish chamber that sufficed for the small streams of older times. -This giving out, we scrambled along the cliffs of the canyons, which -seemed in the gloom without top or bottom, bestraddling the rift, or -with feet on one side and back to the other pushing on from hold to -hold. The Limestone grips would have been amply sufficient for this -mode of progression had they not been drenched and slippery. Below us -the waters raced and bellowed. At the junctions of the canyons they -sounded on all sides at once; the invisible hollows all round seemed -to be alive with angry voices, mad to be at us. What if a thunderstorm -burst over Mendip now? Such thoughts would occur, although we knew we -could climb into safety on the upper shelves of the canyon; for with a -water-chute above and another below, a little flood would make us fast -prisoners. - -At the Well, the stream tumbles suddenly into a deep round pit, in -which it is churned to foam before being driven out with accelerated -speed along a rugged gorge to the second staircase of potholes. Shreds -of magnesium ribbon dropped into the Well lit up such a turmoil of -waters as one might see in some gigantic turbine going at full speed. -Two of us now went ahead to report on the condition of the next stage. -The gorge was too wide for climbing, but we found a footing on the -rocks in the bed, then squirmed through a narrow fissure, and began to -descend the potholes. These were deep basins, with high walls on the -upper side where the stream poured in, and the other side broken down -by the force of the torrent. Below them lay the second water-chute, -a big fall pitching into a hole underneath a low arch, and sliding -out into a turbulent pool. It was a sort of culvert, with very little -head-room above the water. Had we not come through so many tribulations -already, and had we not known of the glories that awaited us in the -great stalactite chamber beyond this last trial, we should certainly -have been turned back by this obstacle. After some little hesitation -we resolved to attempt it, and went back to the head of the Well for -our companions. One of the cameras had already been left behind; it was -decided to leave the other here. The leader went down the water-chute -on his back; the rest adopted all the other attitudes possible short -of a complete header. But it made little difference; all got a most -effectual drenching. - -Running the gauntlet beneath another tributary, which came swishing -in just over our heads, we pushed on into a high and ample chamber, -where in times gone by a volume of water had accumulated in a sort of -gigantic cistern. The rocky roof was flat and smooth, its cracks and -fissures fringed with meandering lacework of stalactite. In front, -the rocky mole that once held up the reservoir was cloven into a -series of Limestone seracs, between which the stream found its way -down into the remoter cavities. Masses of clay, some 15 feet thick, -deposited by the ancient waters, still flanked this rugged portal -into the unknown. Bones of sheep, cattle, horses, and lesser mammals -lay about in profusion, enough to reconstruct whole skeletons; with -them were the relics of animals now extinct on Mendip, deer and other -creatures. Higher up sherds of Samian pottery had been found, brought -down by the stream from the rubbish heaps of long ago. What struck the -imagination as still more wonderful was that in this sunless spot, 300 -feet below the surface, there were creatures that lived. Empty snail -shells were abundant, but yet more plentiful were tiny snails that were -actually crawling over the clay, feeding, no doubt, on water-borne -vegetable matter. Gossamer-like webs stretched across many chinks in -the Limestone, but the microscopic spiders we could not see. What flies -did they live on? Surely not the caddis, whose corpses lay about in -plenty on every shoal. - -From this chamber the stream quickly descends into the great Water -Rift, one of the most wonderful things in the whole cavern. It is but -a few feet wide, but its height is enormous. The walls go up like -mountain cliffs, but are lost in gloom instead of mist. Here tremendous -changes had taken place since the former exploration. At that time -the rift was blocked up in one place by a vast barrage of rock and -stalagmite, that came down to the stream and forbade human progress -save by one strait and difficult way. At a height above the water a -hole ascended seven feet into the barrier, its orifice all but closed -by a fringe of stalactites. Contriving to enter, the explorers crept -up this pipe, and down a corresponding one on the other side, coming -out on a cliff face overhanging the continuation of the Water Rift, to -attain the bottom of which was an abstruse gymnastic problem. A little -farther on they reached the utmost limit of their journey, where the -stream beats violently against the termination of the rift, is hurled -sideways, and finds an outlet through a low crevice, whence it tumbles -in a 40-foot cataract into an unknown pool. Our main object to-day had -been to descend this 40-foot pitch; that was the reason why we had -encumbered ourselves with two long ropes. But now all was different. -In the short interval that had elapsed since the former visit, the -strength of the ungovernable torrent had swept away the whole of this -vast structure, the work of thousands of ages--for the Pyramids are -recent erections compared with these products of unimaginably slow -crystallisation. Hardly a vestige remained; and now the current dashed -unimpeded from end to end of the Water Rift, and the incessant thunder -of the cataract deafened ears already attuned to the noise of the -higher falls and canyons. Probably the removal of stones and dams by -the former party, in making their way down, had contributed largely to -this extraordinary event. - -Nothing could be done in the face of such a volume of water. We turned, -accordingly, out of the main passage into a lofty gallery or transept -that branches off to the west, the general direction of the cavern -being due south. To say it branches off is slightly incorrect, for it -is really the course of a tributary brook, and quite possibly may have -been in remote times the channel of the main stream. At all events -its shape and magnitude indicate that it was once a very important -section of the cavern. Scrambling cautiously along the sides of the -toppling fragments of the mole, we crossed a deep gap and entered the -gallery. At the portal a great hollow corbel of stalactite stood out -from the wall, like an enormous stoup, its huge rims curved over like -the petals of a flower. It stood there in solitary grandeur, but it was -a token of transcendent glories beyond. A few more steps, and we saw -that we were on the threshold of a fane more beautiful than any made -with hands. The rocks to right and left were sheeted with crystalline -enamel, its surface powdered thickly with a minute splash deposit, so -frail that it gave one a twinge to crush the lovely efflorescence as -we moved. One could not go a step without destroying hundreds of these -delicate spicules, the work of untold ages of water action. More great -corbels stood out from the walls as we advanced; they were richly -moulded with concentric rings of stalagmite, and these again were -carved and chased with wonderful reliefs. From the corbels sprang huge -pillars right to the roof, pillars 40 feet in height; and from their -capitals shining curtains hung down in ample folds, heavy as Parian -marble, and as lovely in hue. One would have called them white, had -we not seen, hanging from a cleft high up in the lofty walls, a mass -of curtains as white as arragonite, the whitest thing there is. So -dazzling was their immaculate purity that the rich creamy surface of -the other incrustations showed dusky in comparison. We were veteran -cave explorers, yet it seemed to us that all the caves we had ever -seen in Britain could no more vie with this than parish churches -with cathedrals. At each turn there was a new and more enthralling -vista: more pillars, ampler curtains, piers and arches of Oriental -magnificence, fluted and moulded into wildest fantasies. It struck one -with a curious wonder to think that all these splendours had lain here -unbeheld by living eye, untouched by a gleam of light, until one casual -year in the twentieth century. - -But the photographer was exercised by other feelings. He was here, but -where was his camera? It had seemed a Herculean labour to bring that -much-enduring instrument down to the 300-foot level, but he declared -that the task was not superhuman, and, furthermore, he was determined -to do it. He could not do it alone, however; that was obvious. The -expedition, therefore, came down out of the stalactite gallery. Two -went through the water-chute, two remained just outside it, to assist -in the last and most dangerous stage of the transportation. We waited -a long time; in fact, we had leisure enough to explore an interesting -side gallery whilst the others made their way to and from the head -of the Well. At last their welcome shout was heard. Standing in the -water, with light held low under the arch, we caught sight of a hand, -and then of a wading and much-crumpled-up man, lugging the camera, -which he kept out of the foaming water with admirable skill. We grabbed -it, and put the precious instrument in a place of safety; ten minutes -later the flashlight was at work, taking our breath away with its -gorgeous revelations. The photographer had his troubles even here, -though not such as to be compared with those of the water caverns -we had recently traversed, where at this moment two of our party, -following us down, were engaged in photographing the canyons and the -falls, under difficulties that few cameras have ever been confronted -with. Here there was no marble pavement suitable to the splendours -of the walls; nothing for the camera to stand on but an inch or two -of slippery ledge, with a depth of mud in the middle that none of us -cared to fathom. The only place that could be found at one spot for the -flashlight was the top of my unfortunate head, which I generously put -at the photographer's disposal. On it was laid a piece of stone, on -which the gun-cotton was spread and sprinkled with the powder, which, -when it went off, made me shut both eyes for fear of the shower of -sparks, and so I missed the glorious blaze of light that illumined the -cavern. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE OF STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: STALACTITE CURTAINS, SWILDON'S HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -These stately columns, soaring vaults, and sweeping marble draperies -were strangely out of proportion to the narrowness of the place. But -now the sinuous aisle broadened out, and the style of the architecture -was changed entirely. We were at the junction chamber where, in the -remote past, two big streams came down from the yawning passages to -the left and right, and met here, probably as the main stream of the -cavern. The roof is a spacious dome, hung with resplendent candelabra. -But the unique feature of the place, the thing that impresses itself on -the memory as one of the most dazzling creations of the wonder-working -calcite, is the stalagmite bridge. Bridge, I say, but it is more than -a bridge, for its complicated arches support a beautiful piazza, with -a huge array of dripstone terraces, crystal basins, massive pedestals, -and obelisks of stalagmite, which all but fills the chamber and extends -some distance up the alcoves behind. Standing on one of the great -hemispheres of dripstone, one could put one's head among the pendulous -shafts above, and see how each was marvellously twisted, moulded, and -fantastically embossed and gemmed with flashing crystals. The splash -formation covered everything beneath the roof, save portions of the -polished floor, with millions of tiny spicules. We had to move about -cautiously, not only for fear of doing damage, but to avoid gaping -pitfalls in the bridge, the surface of which was smooth as ice. - -[Illustration: STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -Whilst we were at work photographing a distant shout was heard, and -soon the two men who had followed us down arrived at the big chamber. -But our party was again reduced to its original four by the departure -of two other members, who were to go back by the aquatic route in order -to pick up certain articles that had been deposited on the way down. We -ourselves hoped to get to the surface by another and a drier course. -At the previous exploration two men had missed the rest of the party, -and found their way, after divers adventures, through the ramifications -of the cavern, to what they described as a great stalactite chamber, -which was presumably our gallery. When they reached it, however, no -one was there, nor any trace of human presence; either the explorers -had finished their work and departed, or the pair had missed their way -altogether. It was believed that they had come down to this very spot -by the gallery joining this one on the north, and we purposed following -that passage out. But this, as we presently discovered, was all wrong. - -Two of us now went off on an exploring trip into the great passage -running west. At once we encountered a series of huge obstructions. -This passage was of the usual rift pattern, and, save for holes and -crevices between, was wholly blocked up by large masses of tumbled -rocks. One of us climbed to the top of the Cyclopean pile, whilst I -attempted to make my way along at the middle height, but eventually -found it easier to crawl through the culverts and water-gaps, -regardless of mud and wet. Even among the piled-up rocks there were -charming little nooks adorned with rich incrustations. When the rocks -ended the open tunnel began to ascend rapidly; then, after a while, we -came to another tunnel joining it on the north. This, though smaller, -was the more important passage; the other shortly came to an end in -a lofty grotto, bountifully tapestried with curtains and tassels of -stalactite. We climbed the northern passage, through several brilliant -displays of incrustation, and reached a level approximately 70 feet -below the surface, by aneroid; there we could get no farther. But, -unknown to ourselves, we had brought back important information. - -We had noticed mysterious bits of string at two points in this series. -When we reported the discovery to the two men left behind, they at once -saw its significance. The two men whose route down to the stalactite -chamber had caused so much perplexity had used a ball of string to mark -their way out--these were the relics. Our casual trip had, perhaps, -saved us from a night of blind wandering in the unknown branches of the -great tunnel on the north. All being in readiness for our departure, we -now proceeded to take up this providential thread. It was not an easy -task. Often not an inch of string remained undecayed for many hundreds -of feet together, and often we nosed the walls and floor, eagerly but -in vain, for droppings of candle grease left by our predecessors. -The way was dry, that was a relief, after six or seven hours in wet -clothes; but it was a tighter squeeze than the other, and the sharpness -of the turns was often aggravated by a portcullis of crystals on our -backs, and a _cheval de frise_ of stalagmite spear-heads against our -stomachs. All the while we wondered whether we should really find the -exit, or whether we should have to return and undertake the canyons -after all. Mr. Balch compared our task of finding the desired exit -to an attempt to ascend from the mouth of a river to some unknown -point upon one of its tributaries, with nothing to indicate which way -to take. This puts the position clearly enough, I think. There was -no string to be found in the higher parts. At last the man in front -disappeared feet foremost through the ugliest hole we had yet seen, out -of which the noise of waters sounded ominously. A cheering cry came -back to us; he had found the rift, where we had descended seven hours -ago into the route through the canyons. A few more yards of determined -wriggling, and the candle left by the other two men hove in sight. We -found they had got out two hours ago. The stars were shining from a -clear sky, and a keen frost was on the fields, but the excitement and -the success of our adventure were stimulant enough to keep out the cold. - - E. A. B. - - - - -THE GREAT CAVERN AT CHEDDAR - - -The ultimate goal of our researches at Cheddar has been the discovery -of the underground river-course. Not many yards below the entrance to -Gough's, or the Great Cavern, a large body of water wells up at the -foot of a cliff, spreading out into a beautiful mere, half encircled -by crags; flows on thence through the village, performing a great deal -of industrial work on its way; and, finally, proceeds a mile or two -farther as the Cheddar Water, to join its brother, the Axe, which has -a similar origin. But less is known about the darksome course of the -Cheddar Water than about the stream flowing out of Wookey Hole. With -its tributaries, it has doubtless been the principal agent in the -formation, not only of the caves, but also of the famous Cheddar gorge, -which bears every evidence of having been produced by the gradual -destruction of a series of caverns. Yet this important stream has -actually not been met with hitherto at any single point of its course -underground, and we have anything but complete information as to its -sources on the uplands of Mendip. The owners of the Great Cavern, the -Messrs. Gough Brothers, tell me that they intend to blast away about -10 feet of rock immediately overlying the exit of the river. When the -stream is very full, water often bursts forth here from cracks and -joints several feet above the normal level, and they imagine that -there must be a chamber of some height just within. This, however, -in my opinion, is not a necessary inference, since every cavity and -crevice behind the outlet would at such times be heavily charged with -water, under pressure, and the large cavities might be a long way back. -It is curious that the water in a low tunnel recently discovered in -Cox's Cavern, which lies some distance from Gough's, and at a lower -level, rises and falls in unison with the movements of the water-level -of the river outside, although that always remains 10 feet higher. -Cox's Cavern is occasionally flooded, yet the water never rises to a -point within 10 feet of the river level. Obviously the subterranean -connection must be of a complicated and roundabout form. - -At the time of my first serious attempt to explore the caves of -Cheddar, when our party contained Dr. Norman Sheldon, Mr. J. O. -Morland, and Mr. Harry Bamforth, two of whom have not since been able -to join us in Somerset, I had not the advantage of knowing Mr. H. E. -Balch, and we were utterly unaware of the great work he had been doing -in the cave region adjoining Wells. On the other hand, we received -invaluable assistance from the brothers Gough, who are not only -proprietors of show caves, but take a sincere interest in underground -exploration. Their father, who died in 1902, was the discoverer of the -caverns that bear his name, and was actively at work pushing his way -farther and farther into the rocky bosom of the hill up to the year of -his death, at a good old age. - -[Illustration: STALAGMITE PILLARS IN GOUGH'S GREAT CAVERN. - -_Photo by Gough, Cheddar._] - -[Illustration: THE PILLARS OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR. - -_Photo by Gough, Cheddar._] - -The Great Cavern was discovered in 1898. The parts open to visitors -extend in a generally easterly direction for some 600 yards, and -consist of natural chambers and passages, connected here and there -by artificial tunnels. We began work early in the morning, carrying -into the cavern a large quantity of ropes, ladders of wood and rope, -and plenty of illuminants, including a 2000-candle-power limelight, -which with its lens or condenser is one of the most valuable aids in -subterranean work. Many openings are seen overhead and in the walls -of the cavern as the visitor advances, some of which end abruptly, -whilst others lead into small grottos and galleries. One of the most -conspicuous chimneys, or perpendicular caves, has at its base a -peculiar staircase of stalagmitic basins, formed by the deposits of -a calcareous spring that is now dried up. These basins are known as -the "Fonts." Our conductors had been in the habit of climbing about -50 feet up this lofty chasm, over the crust of stalagmite, and a wire -rope had been fixed to assist visitors in ascending to a broad, deep -ledge. Above this point the rocks were much steeper. No one had ever -succeeded in seeing the top, and at first we thought it would be -impossible to ascend any higher without some sort of apparatus. We sent -for a ladder, and meanwhile Dr. Sheldon and I tried to clamber over -the jutting arch of rock that formed the first obstacle--a cave-pitch -in a gully or chimney we should call it in climbing parlance. To our -surprise, we succeeded in reaching the continuous channel or gutter -above it, which ascended at a high angle, with sheer walls to right -and left, and the other side of the huge shaft overhanging it. The -holds were shallow and slippery, and with one hand grasping a candle we -found the ordinary difficulties of a rock-climb multiplied enormously. -Half-way up my candle went out, but my companion was now well ahead, -and I groped my way after him with confidence. When a shout from below -announced that the ladder had been hoisted up to the platform above the -"Fonts" we were within a few yards of the top. At a height of 120 feet -(by the aneroid) above this platform and of 170 feet above the floor -of the cavern we found the shaft completely blocked up with débris and -clay. We were in a subterranean pot, or swallet, of large dimensions, -formed in remote ages by a big stream, which had worked through its -Limestone bed, and continued its path at a deeper level. Whether this -was the main stream that now flows in an unknown course hundreds of -feet below, or only a tributary, it is at present impossible to tell. -Mr. Bamforth's limelight was now projected up the chasm, revealing -grand masses of superincumbent rock on the farther side, whilst the -view downwards, past our friends into the dark bottom of the pit, was -very curious. Roping ourselves together for the descent, we kept near -each other for fear of a slip, and took the utmost precautions not to -dislodge any stones on the heads of those underneath. The limelight -was a great advantage, although many dark reaches had to be carefully -inspected with a taper before we could secure foothold. When we got to -the critical bit at the bottom we found the ladder placed ready for us. - -Not far from the entrance to the "Fonts" is the mouth of a low passage -on the other side, with a hole at the far end of it, that our guides -thought must communicate with the underground river which, they -conjecture, has its channel not far below this spot. We crawled into -this burrow and fixed ourselves in the confined space round the black -pit, which we found, by throwing in stones, had water in it. With a -rope round my waist I climbed down the fissure, whose sides were of -sharply corrugated rock though they looked like wet clay. About 30 feet -down the hole grew so narrow that I could not turn round; I could just -reach the water with my foot, but found that it was quite a small pool. -Another "well," nearer the cave mouth, was explored after our further -operations had been carried out. It was situated at the extremity of -another burrow, but was much larger in circumference. Steadied by the -rope, I climbed to the bottom and found a large pool of great depth -about 30 feet below the edge. No current was perceptible, and its -connection with running water is hardly probable. Some years later, -a perfect skeleton of a man was exhumed from the clay beneath the -stalagmite in this burrow; accompanying it were numerous flint flakes. -Some peculiarities indicate that the find was that of a man of early -Neolithic age. It is shown by the Gough Brothers at the entrance of -their cave. - -While some of the party were photographing the "show place," a lofty -dome-shaped cavern with its sheet of stalagmite poured over the cliff -like a petrified waterfall, two of us retraced our steps from "St. -Paul's," as this beautiful sight is nicknamed, to the branch leading to -the other principal shows. "Solomon's Temple" is a wonderful grotto, -walled, roofed, and floored with gleaming white and ivory calcite, and -set at the top of another great fall of stalagmite which has flowed -on and on in a gentle stream and covered the floor of a lofty cavern -with dimpling waves of crystal. Nor are these all its attractions, for -on turning round the spectator sees on the opposite cliff a broad and -voluminous sheet of stalagmite, rippling down, spouting and foaming -over the rocks like a waterfall, but still as marble and white as -frozen snow. We had seen all these things before, however, and were -anxious to move on to new ground again. - -[Illustration: ORGAN PIPES, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR. - -_Photo by Gough, Cheddar._] - -[Illustration: A STALAGMITE FALL, GOUGH'S CAVE, CHEDDAR. - -_Photo by M. Martel._] - -In the fork between the main passage and this big cavern is a large -irregular opening, with disorderly blocks of Limestone heaped up on -its floor. We picked our way across these, and at a height of 40 feet -reached the edge of an abrupt rock some four yards high. We dropped -over on to an earthy floor, and going a little farther found ourselves -in a domical chamber with three low exits. First of all exploring -that on our left, we had a look at a slanting shaft filled with a -"ruckle" of big shattered blocks wedged insecurely, above which are -two small chambers incrusted with stalagmite, but with no apparent -exit. We climbed down again, and tried the third opening. It led -through a series of caves and narrow clefts into a larger chamber, -all maintaining the same easterly direction, and there we found two -possible ways onward. The first of these brought us in a few moments -to the brink of a steep cliff, which seemed to be one wall of a -considerable cavern. We preferred to wait for the limelight before -venturing to let a man down into this unknown abyss, and meanwhile -to examine the other passage. A few minutes' crawling brought us to -a great pit, which sounded very deep when we threw in some fragments -of rock. Apparently it was the chasm that had been described to us as -300 feet deep by one of our guides who had descended part of the way. -We approached the edge with respect, and as a preliminary step let -down a rope ladder into the upper part, which is strangely twisted. At -a depth of 20 feet I found a possible landing-place; the second man -joined me, and by dint of careful manoeuvring the third got down to -the same spot. With an 80-foot rope tied on, I now explored the next -section of the chasm, and was delighted to find that there was just -enough rope to reach a slope of big rocks at the bottom. A little more -scrambling brought me into a vast chamber, the floor of which was piled -up with enormous blocks, while the lowest part seemed to offer two -possible routes onwards. One of these proved to be a mere hollow, but -the other was evidently the channel of a stream, and apparently led -onwards into further caves. But the roof was extremely low, and it was -quite impossible to wriggle through. One of my companions, who had now -joined me, also failed to squeeze through the opening, and we decided -to leave it until the hole could be enlarged with pick and shovel. -The alleged 300 feet was found by aneroid to be exactly 100 feet. In -a corner of this lofty cavern was a steep fissure which seemed to be -well worth exploring. The bottom half of it was completely walled in -by an enormous flake of Limestone that had come down from the roof, -and looked as if a touch would send it tumbling on the heaps of rock -at the bottom of the cave. We scrambled up the fissure at the back of -this, and reached a promising gallery; but, to our disgust, this was -entirely blocked up with clay and mud at the top, and it was impossible -to proceed. Gaining the summit of the huge Limestone flake, we lit up -the cave with magnesium wire, and were deeply impressed by its height -and the grandeur of the shattered crags bristling on walls, roof, -and floor. Everything was black, save one long, dripping cascade of -stalagmite on the wall over against us; its unsullied whiteness shone -weirdly out of the gloom as the fierce light fell on it. Just at that -moment voices were heard, and from a rent in the rocky wall in front -the intolerable beam of the searchlight came right in our faces. The -remainder of the party had followed us up, and reached the spot where -we had first looked over into the deep chasm. Revealed in all its -extent by this penetrating light, the cave reminded us strongly of -the enormous chamber that we had explored a few months earlier in the -lowest part of the Blue John Mine in Derbyshire. On the way back one of -the acetylene lamps fell down the pit by which we had entered, and was -completely smashed. With no other mishap, we made our way through the -tortuous passages and amongst the chaos of tumbled rock masses back to -the cavern under "Solomon's Temple." - -Two of us explored the openings above "St. Paul's" a few days later. A -30-foot ladder was placed against the corner of the stalagmite fall, -and a yard or two of scrambling took us to the top. On the left was an -ascending vault, with openings to right and left. Taking the latter -to begin with, we found it gradually trend downhill and dwindle away -into a series of holes scarcely big enough to let a human body pass. -Squeezing through with a good deal of trouble, I reached a flattish -cave with a floor of rock and stalagmite all cracked and fissured. -The whole of this part seemed to have been shivered by some large -movement of the rocky strata. One of the fissures gave entrance to a -passage underneath the floor; but this speedily narrowed, and when -it was impossible to get farther I found myself right underneath my -companion, who was holding my rope and paying it out as I advanced -from his original position in the outer passage. No other exit being -discoverable on this side, we crossed to the passage on the right, and -after a few yards of crawling under a depressed roof we found ourselves -on the largest expanse of stalagmite either of us had ever met with. -It had flowed down from fissures high up on our left and spread over -a wide, rocky slope; it had then contracted and poured over a cliff -immediately on our right. We still kept the rope taut, and moved about -cautiously, for the crystalline floor was extremely slippery, and the -cliff immediately beneath us would have made the slightest accident -serious. A broad flat roof of rock overhung the floor of stalagmite -closely, and was covered with thin pipes and reeds of stalactite. We -soon ascertained that we had returned by a different route to the crown -of the petrified cascade in "St. Paul's," although a craggy partition -separated us from our route up the ladder. We explored the edges of -this huge surface of stalagmite, which we could not measure, having no -better light to guide us than a few tapers, but which could not be much -less than 100 feet wide. Where the deposits came down through crevices -at the top they had settled in jewelled and diapered masses of the most -fantastic patterns. Our situation was, however, too precarious for -lingering in this strange spot, and without another man to back one up -it was impossible to explore the hole at the top. We gave up our quest -reluctantly and returned towards our ladder, incrusted from head to -foot with the thick, plastic clay. A convenient knob of stalagmite -enabled us to give the rope a hitch whilst we scrambled down to the top -of our ladder. - -One other passage from the main cavern was explored, with a curious -cluster of vertical cavities near its extremity. The end of the -passage was coated in every direction with tinted deposits, among -which we noticed beautiful specimens of the branching stalactites -that were called _anemolites_ by the explorers of the Blue John -caverns, who thought they had acquired their abnormal shapes through -the irregularity of evaporation caused by air currents. I climbed 30 -or 40 feet up one of the openings in the roof, whilst Dr. Sheldon -explored another. At the top we found no exits big enough to afford -a man passage. A wider cavity in the middle of the roof looked more -promising. A ladder was adjusted, but fell short; but my companion, -with considerable risk of a dangerous fall, clambered up to the rocky -slope and over the piles of jagged blocks that well-nigh filled it. -This too failed to afford us a passage, and the daring climber had -great difficulty in coming down, being forced to thread the rope and -let himself down on it to the ladder. During the operation a flake of -rock came hurtling down and hit the ladder, but luckily did nothing -worse than smash a rung. These cavities in the roof were extremely -interesting, and no doubt are connected together and have a common -origin in some neighbouring fissure or waterway. - - - - -FIVE CAVERNS AT CHEDDAR - - -The Cheddar gorge, which is the deepest and narrowest defile, and -on its south side presents the loftiest face of absolutely vertical -rock in England, is not dissimilar, though far superior in height -and grandeur, to the Winnats pass in Derbyshire. The huge chasm runs -east-north-east across the dip of the Limestone beds, which are tilted -up towards the saddle of Mendip; one of its sides, consequently, is -formed mainly of shelving rock, and the other is almost continuously -precipitous. If, as may be assumed with confidence, the original -cause of the ravine was a stream or streams flowing through a chain -of caverns, one would naturally expect to find openings on the abrupt -side through which the underground waters were successively tapped, -and followed the trend of the strata to a lower level. This view is -confirmed by observation. Except at the jaws of the defile, where -both sides are equally high and precipitous, there are no caves on -the northern side, but on the south openings both large and small -are frequent, some narrow and lofty--"slitters," they are called -locally--the others low and wide, according as they originated in a -vertical joint or a bedding plane. They occur at various levels, some -on inaccessible shelves high up in the cliffs, others along the base. -But the larger number of these openings have in the lapse of time -become silted up with clay and débris, so that the entrance is either -completely masked or it is impossible to penetrate far without toilsome -work with pick and shovel. - -After exploring the Great Cavern our party of four devoted some time -to an examination of these openings, so far as could be done without -excavating. There are three important caverns in close proximity to -the Great Cavern, or Gough's. The best known is Cox's, a small but -exceedingly beautiful stalactite cavern (see frontispiece). No one -interested in caves would think of visiting Cheddar without seeing -the Great Cavern, nor would any such person dream of missing Cox's. -Each is the complement of the other as a piece of underground scenery. -The spacious vaults and vast stalagmite falls of the one fill one -with a sense of power and majesty; the other is a gem of fantastic -architecture, embellished with the most lawless and fairy-like designs -of the subterranean artificer, and unique in one respect--the wealth -and diversity of the mineral deposits that have dyed its multiform -incrustations with luminous tints. No sane man, however, would attempt -to describe Cox's Cavern in detail, and a photograph can give only -colourless glimpses of its kaleidoscopic beauties. The cavern seems, -at first sight, to be a solitary freak of nature, having no connection -with the general system of caves and streams. But since the visit just -referred to, several new passages have been opened, among them the -interesting water-tunnel with its ebb and flow corresponding to the -movements of the Cheddar Water outside, which, as already described, -flows at a higher level. Of three other good-sized fissures or ancient -channels radiating from the same large chamber, two after a while -dwindle away almost to nothing, but the third has indications of a -channel striking downwards, which it might be worth while to clear of -rubbish. All these passages were choked with clay until quite recently. - -[Illustration: IN COX'S CAVERN AT CHEDDAR. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: GREAT RIFT CAVERN, CHEDDAR GORGE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -The next cave also is of minor interest to the speleologist, although -it contains many curious sights. It is called "Gough's Old Cavern," -and its entrance is close to the mouth of the Great Cavern. It is an -ascending cleft, apparently not linked at present with the other caves, -although it was once probably a sloping aven draining into the big -series of caverns that have been gradually cut back by the falling in -of the defile. Whoever likes such things may find here plenty of those -freaks and alleged similitudes that puzzle and delight the ordinary -sightseer. On a stalagmite excrescence nicknamed the "Ribs of Beef" we -had the luck to see a far more interesting phenomenon. The calcite mass -was clustered over with a number of motionless black objects, which -we found to be roosting bats, hanging head downwards by their claws. -They were not disturbed in the least by our presence, and one that -was lifted off gently just showed his teeth and claws, and clung on -again as fast as ever when replaced on the rock to resume his patient -sleep. A photograph of this curious sight was obtained by means of the -flashlight. At the head of the cave are several incrusted grottoes, -where the process of deposition is still going on, roof and walls -streaming with moisture. This part is not unlike the show places in the -Bagshawe Cavern in the Peak of Derbyshire. - -In many respects the Roman Cave is much more interesting. Its mouth is -situated about 150 feet up the cliffs, almost immediately over the cave -just described. Quantities of Roman pottery, coins, bones, and other -remains, have been discovered there, showing it to be one of the places -that sheltered fugitives after the evacuation of Britain by the Roman -legions. The entrance is a broad anticlinal arch, and the main passage, -high-roofed and ascending gradually, runs east for perhaps a furlong. -Then the floor, which has been covered with earth and stones, becomes -rugged and rock-strewn, and suddenly we creep through a lowly portal -into a high and gloomy chamber, the shadowy corners of whose roof -our lights are too feeble to explore. To all appearances this was the -end of the cavern; but we had been told that the passage takes a turn -here and goes on nearly a quarter of a mile farther. We scanned every -part of the walls as far up as we could see, but no accessible opening -disclosed itself. In a recess on one side a number of fallen rocks -were piled up and wedged between the converging walls. To examine the -cavity from a vantage spot, we climbed with a good deal of difficulty -to the top of these, and there, to our astonishment, a wide passage -sloped up at right angles to the one we had entered by. A curious slit -in the wall opened into a perpendicular fissure that was situated right -in the roof of the latter, and through the hole we caught a glimpse of -our friends following us up. Three men now pushed on up the new passage -and entered a chamber whose sole exit was a small and uninviting hole. -We crawled and scraped through, and on over sharp stones till at last -we could get no farther. We had evidently doubled back over the main -cavern, and that we could not be far from the open air was shown by -the presence of a bewildered bat, who flew to and fro in the confined -space and hit us in the face several times. And in the extreme recess -of this narrow branch a steady draught of air blew in through a crevice -and nearly put the lights out. Through an oversight we found ourselves -at this point reduced to two tapers and a bit, and to economise we -kept only one alight at a time, so as to have enough for the return -journey. All went well, however, and the sole difficulty we met with -was in getting down over the wedged blocks in the big chamber, a climb -that proved extremely awkward when taken the reverse way. In many -parts of this cavern we noticed prodigious quantities of moths on the -walls, as well as many huge spiders. But a more interesting thing was -the vegetation naturalised in the caves, examples of which we found -in other Mendip caverns as well. It will be advisable to have them -examined by a botanical specialist. All I can say about them now is -that they consist of extremely slender branching tendrils, some white -and translucent, others brownish, thin as cotton. - -It was late in the afternoon when we entered the Roman Cavern; it -was dark now, and the stars were out. Returning in advance of the -others, I sat down just within the majestic gateway of the cavern, a -flattened arch about 100 feet wide resting on enormous rocky jambs, and -looked out across the deep wooded abyss where Cheddar lay, its lights -reflected here and there by the dark waters of the mere, towards the -craggy heights of Mendip opposite, just sinking down towards Sedgemoor. -The Great Bear was shining brightly right in front--it almost spanned -the breadth of the cave mouth; and the solemnity of the place and -the hour could not but bring to mind the miserable fugitives who sat -in this forlorn asylum, hemmed in by foes, and looked out on the -same giant constellation thrice five hundred years ago. The place is -admirably adapted for defence. A rear attack was of course impossible, -whilst a frontal attack by way of the cliffs would be easily repelled; -and a tolerable water-supply was to be found inside the cavern. The -huge natural glacis of the fortress is covered to-day with a dense -tangle of ivy and other climbers, through which we made our way -heedfully, for a slip would have been easy in the dark, and a terrible -fall the consequence. - -Next morning we strolled up the defile and looked at the mouths of -several caves that are now choked up. Two furlongs above its entrance -the ravine makes a double curve like a gigantic figure three. The -two crescents of beetling Limestone, with their jutting horns, that -appear to the astonished beholder underneath like towering pyramids -and slim aiguilles, rise to a vertical height of 430 feet, and, -being absolutely unassailable, they fill a crag climber's mind with -admiration tempered by regret. What enhances their grandeur, while it -softens the savage aspect of the sheer and ledgeless precipice, is the -bountiful vegetation clinging wherever it can find a hold, dark shrouds -of ivy and darker masses of yew standing out against the grey rock in -beautiful relief. Would the indomitable scramblers who haunt Lakeland -at Easter, we asked ourselves, have forced a way up these tremendous -"chimneys" if the Cheddar cliffs had been pitched somewhere in the -latitude of Wastdale? We went so far as to reconnoitre one alluring -fissure, 200 feet or more in length, but the gap between its base and -the first feasible lodgment was insuperable. Not far away a long talus -of scree marks the foot of an easy though rather sensational way to -the cliff top. Passing it by, we stopped at the mouth of a vertical -fissure that opens on to the roadway. It expands slightly inside, and -the roof soars higher and higher; then the floor breaks away, and the -two men who descended the next 80 feet had to be steadied by the rope. -The walls were wet and soft, being incrusted with a sticky calcareous -substance. At the bottom of the precipitous slope the magnesium ribbon -revealed the enormously lofty walls of a narrow chamber, whose farther -extent was blocked up by an accumulation of rocks and débris. - -Returning to the open air, we ascended to the cliff top, and, skirting -each promontory and rounding the edge of every bay, proceeded towards -the mouth of the defile on the lookout for openings. Not far from the -highest point we had noticed from the road a series of dark cavities. -One man scrambled along a ledge to the uppermost of these, and found -that it was merely a shallow niche, and another, on a ledge some 50 -feet lower, proved to be only 20 feet deep. He made a determined effort -to reach another fissure on the same level as the last but sundered -from it by a wide space of cliff which was covered with dense brambles. -Holding on to the prickly stems, and fighting his way through, he got -near enough to see into the fissure, but was quite unable to enter -it for a closer examination. An opening in the cliffs at a lower -point, but still some 200 feet above the road, led a long way into the -recesses of the Limestone strata, making two wide curves to the right, -but maintaining a generally easterly direction. The passages were very -low, narrow, and awkwardly shaped, involving a great deal of unpleasant -crawling; and when we reached the stalagmite grotto at the end we -found that it had been pillaged of every bit of calcite that could be -removed. This cavern, the "Long Hole," must have been the channel of a -stream that once flowed from somewhere on the other side of the gorge, -through the mass of rock that has now been swept away by the forces of -disintegration. Though several hundred feet long, it is but the tail -end of the cavern that once existed. - -The remainder of our time was devoted to two of the Burrington caverns, -on the opposite side of the Mendip Hills, and to a fruitless search -for a large chasm or swallet hole into which the drainage from the now -abandoned lead mines on the top of Mendip used to fall and ultimately -find its way to Cheddar, where it poisoned the trout stream. A score -or more of years ago I saw these mines, still in working order; but -now the dried-up pools and the wilderness of refuse, with fragments of -ruined buildings, look as old almost as the remains of the Roman mines. -Of the important opening that we sought there is now no trace; it may -have been filled up intentionally and the stream allowed to revert -to its old channel, whence it had been turned artificially. Hard by, -in the Long Wood near Charterhouse, and elsewhere, there are smaller -swallets that we were already acquainted with; and there are others at -Priddy, the waters of which find an exit farther to the east. - -The ground we were on is well known to readers of Walter Raymond's -romances, and we were much interested when it was pointed out that the -lonely house facing us was the actual Ubley Farm that figures in _Two -Men o' Mendip_. - - E. A. B. - - - - -THE BURRINGTON CAVERNS - - -Burrington Combe is a smaller Limestone defile on the north side of -Mendip--that is to say, the opposite side to that of Cheddar. It is -smaller, and because of its proximity to Cheddar it has to suffer -disadvantageous comparisons. Anywhere else the grandeur of Burrington -Combe, the magnificence of its crags, with dark, heather-clad Black -Down lowering behind them, and the beauty of the copses that lurk in -its corners and clamber up its precipices, would excite the admiration -of guide-books and attract crowds of tourists. Like the Cheddar defile, -Burrington Combe was doubtless formed by the gradual destruction of a -series of caverns, and there remains of that series a number of caves -or openings of blocked-up caves on either side of the ravine. Of these -the most important and the only one well known to speleologists is -Goatchurch Cavern, which was explored by Professor Boyd Dawkins in -1864. The next in importance is Aveline's Hole, discovered in 1796, -but not explored till 1820, when about fifty human skeletons were -found lying side by side with their weapons, a stalagmitic crust -sealing bones and implements to the floor. This cavern has since had -its mouth silted up by drainage from the road, so that troublesome -excavation will have to be undertaken before it can be entered again. -It would well repay a thorough exploration, for it is reported that -a natural pit, covered by a slab, has never yet been descended, and -leads probably into important cavities. Foxe's Hole is interesting for -its curious bosses of tufaceous stalactite. A nearly vertical cave, -Plumley's Den, has been stopped up with a plug of timber and stones -at the depth of 80 feet, in consequence of a fatal accident to a man -who tried to descend it in 1875. At a level probably a few feet below -that of the caves whose destruction was the origin of the Combe, a good -road with a grassy margin now ascends towards the top of Mendip, where -it joins the old Roman road that runs from "Severn Sea" to Old Sarum, -along the crown of the ridge. - -Our waggonette when we left the Bath Arms at Cheddar was piled up with -ropes, cameras, gas cylinders, condensers for the searchlight, and an -incredible amount of needful and superfluous things, for we were quite -unable to say what would be wanted. Climbing to the miniature mountain -pass across Mendip at Shipham was hard work for the horse, and we -walked up the hill. Dr. Sheldon and Mr. Bamforth were my companions. -Our clothes, still richly daubed with the clay and mire of the Cheddar -caverns, made our appearance both business-like and picturesque. The -north side of the Mendips is very different from the bleak and craggy -slopes on the south. From the broad bare top of the hills down to the -valley stretches, almost continuously, a deep mass of trees that looks -in the distance like a wall of dusky verdure. We drove between orchards -where great bushes of mistletoe grew on nearly every tree, till we -were within a few hundred yards of Burrington village; then, turning -towards Mendip, we drove through more orchards, till suddenly the rocky -entrance of the Combe appeared and we heard the clink of pick and -crowbar in the Limestone quarry not far from Plumley's Den. Half-way up -the gorge makes a sudden bend towards the east, a little below which -point a shallower ravine comes in on the other side. About 120 feet -above the bed of this dry ravine is the entrance to Goatchurch Cavern. -We coaxed the horse over the stony turf and up the ravine till the -roughness of the ground and the thickness of the bramble bushes stopped -him. At this point we were met by the lord of the manor, Mr. James -Gibson of Langford, who is the owner of the Burrington caves. His men -assisted us to get our apparatus up to the cave mouth, and afterwards -convoyed us and the luggage throughout the less difficult parts of the -cavern. - -A few years ago the entrance to Goatchurch Cavern was an insignificant -hole, through which adventurous boys used to crawl as far as the -first considerable chamber, where Professor Boyd Dawkins found a few -remains of extinct animals. Owing to the depredations which were made -by neighbouring villagers in search of specimens of calcite, Mr. -Gibson recently had the entrance enlarged and closed with a padlocked -gate, the public being admitted only on certain days of the week or -by appointment. It is a pity this step was not taken before many of -the finer stalactites had been carried away. In this long chamber, -the floor of which is covered with sheets and bosses of dripstone, we -entered some of the funnel-shaped openings in the roof by means of a -ladder, but soon perceived that no discoveries were to be made that -way. At the end of the chamber a precipitous hole goes down to the -left, and fixed ropes are used for getting into the lower galleries. -We found ourselves at once entering on a maze of passages, where -the presence of our guides saved valuable time. So intricate and -bewildering are these ramifications that Mr. Balch tells me that he -discovered a passage some years ago that led him eventually to a much -deeper part of the cavern than had ever been reached before, but every -attempt to rediscover the passage since has failed. In spite of our -efforts to examine every branch of the various passages, we also missed -this important link. It would seem that the solid mass of the hill has -been shivered here into vast, roughly cubical fragments, between which -lie the irregular passages and narrow chambers of the cavern. Many -tempting galleries lead the explorer on and on till they dwindle to a -mere rabbit hole, or till he finds himself wedged in the cleft between -two enormous surfaces of rock. Disorderly accumulations of boulders -and splinters cover the floor; there is hardly a level spot anywhere, -and it is desirable to explore every yard carefully with a taper or a -lantern to avoid the consequences of a rash step. We crawled on hands -and knees and wormed along through insignificant holes, making our way -into spots that had probably not been inspected before; but we always -came back to the main channel, where our guides were waiting, having -made no noteworthy find. - -Assembling again in a more roomy chamber, about 140 feet below the -entrance, we all proceeded along a tunnel that showed evident traces of -the action of a stream to another chamber, where the sound of running -water came up from a grim-looking chasm. Only two of us went beyond -this point. The rest secured the rope, whilst we climbed down the -steep hole into a large cavern through which the stream runs from the -swallet hole in the ravine outside on its way to Rickford Rising, where -it issues in considerable volume. The stream has a somewhat puzzling -course after leaving the cavern, for it runs underground athwart -Burrington Combe and through the solid hill opposite, Burrington Ham. -This stream, as Professor Boyd Dawkins pointed out, was doubtless the -originating cause of Goatchurch Cavern, running in at the present -mouth, which is now dry. The ravine outside has since been hollowed -out to a further depth of 120 feet, and the stream finds its way in at -a lower level. The Professor also describes a very pretty experiment. -Having taken the temperature of the stream before it enters the cave, -he tested it again after it had run some distance underground, finding -that it was here several degrees cooler. It is obvious that a colder -stream must have joined it at some unknown point midway. - -The nethermost series of chambers and passages are not very different -from those above, their shape rugged and irregular, and their floor -heaped up with fragments of all sizes. We reached no lower point than -that attained by previous explorers--that is, 220 feet below the -entrance, as measured by aneroid. Squeezing with difficulty through -the deepest fissure, I found myself in a small cave, whence, turning -round, I only perceived one exit. It looked and felt so small that I -despaired of pushing through and turned to go back, when it suddenly -occurred to me that this was the hole I had come in by, and there was -no other way out. Such little incidents often happen in cave work, -but most often in such a complicated network of tunnels and fissures -as the Goatchurch Cavern, where we were quite convinced that an -important passage ran due east until the compass assured us that the -direction was west. Clambering up a steep bank of stiff clay out of the -lowest cave, we reached a vaulted grotto with a cascade of stalagmite -flowing down one side. On the edge of this a sloping passage disclosed -itself, lined with stalagmite, and we ascended it in the expectation -of finding something new. It brought us by an easy scramble back to -the upper cave, whence we had descended on the rope; and with little -more deviation from the main passages we made our way back to the cave -mouth, where a well-earned lunch was waiting. - -But little time was wasted in examining the silted-up entrance to -Aveline's Hole and another cave mouth, and the next halt was made at -Plumley's Den. Tying two Alpine ropes together, a pair of us descended -this ancient pothole as far as the artificial pile of débris that -blocks it up. One man was hit rather severely by a dislodged stone--a -serious danger in caves of this sort--and in returning he dropped and -smashed his acetylene lamp. The hole is effectually plugged, a tree and -a quantity of stone having been flung in after Plumley's fatal mishap; -and until Mr. Gibson carries out his proposal to remove the stones that -block it, the 200 feet which are said, on doubtful authority, to lie -beyond can never be explored. Mr. Gibson also proposes to bore a new -entrance from the Combe into the lower series of caves at Goatchurch. -Above Plumley's Den a magnificent rib of Limestone, like those at -Matlock, springs nearly to the hilltop; and over the way a picturesque -pile of crag comes out to meet it, and is known as the "Rock of Ages," -from the tradition that Toplady, the divine, taking shelter under it -from a storm, composed his famous hymn there. - -Still piloted by our kind host, we walked across Burrington Ham and saw -the brook which we had heard babbling amid the silence of Goatchurch -Cavern flowing out, a strong body of water, at Rickford Rising, after -a subterranean course of about two miles from its sources high up on -Black Down. - -Rickford Rising is in the Secondary beds, but a short mile up the -beautiful Combe at whose outlet it lies, a Limestone ridge comes down -to the road. Hard by the extremity is a hole in the rocky ground, now -almost entirely choked with stones, but not so many years ago an open -pit. It is known as the "Squire's Well." Here, in times of continuous -rain, a body of water issues forth, often flooding the road. It seems -to be connected with the water-channels that feed Rickford Rising, to -which it acts as a safety valve. To open it would not be a very serious -affair, and might discover something interesting. - -At the back of Mendip Lodge, on the hill immediately west of Burrington -Combe, the hilltop is cut up by innumerable ravines ending in -swallets, the water of which comes to light again in a large stream -in the Yeo valley near Upper Langford, about a mile away. Several of -these swallets look as if they would repay the trouble of a little -excavation; and the size of the stream at the point of issue indicates -the existence of large cavities in the line of its subterranean course. - - E. A. B. - - - - -THE CORAL CAVE AT COMPTON BISHOP - - -A cave just discovered near Compton Bishop, on the skirts of Mendip, -furnishes valuable evidence in corroboration of the theory that the -Limestone caverns of this region were formed at a period enormously -anterior to that generally accepted. It is situated a little way up the -slope of Wavering Down, only a short distance above the upper limit -of the red marl laid down in the Triassic age, unconformably on the -denuded edges of the Carboniferous Limestone. - -We had been engaged in some exploring work in the Cheddar caves, the -results of which were of a negative kind, but none the less important, -as modifying the lines of costly excavation. Accompanied by the Messrs. -Gough, the proprietors of the great cave at Cheddar, we proceeded late -in the day to Axbridge, where Mr. Balch joined the party. Our goal was -a certain cavern, explored about a century ago, and described by the -antiquary Phelps, but now little known. This purpose was, however, -not carried out that day, for in making inquiries about the cave as -we passed through the village of Cross, we got wind of a cavern that -had never yet been explored, and was therefore treasure-trove to such -ardent cave workers. Two years ago, in blasting for stone to line a -drinking-place for cattle, a farmer had blown a hole into the top of -a subterranean cavity. Two 30-rung ladders were lashed together, so -we learned, and a bold countryman, secured by a cart-rope, descended -into the mysterious hollow, alighting on a slope of shifting stones -and earth, whence he could see a second chasm, black as Tophet and of -unknown profundity, yawning beneath him. No one would venture on this -further descent; a rock was rolled against the opening to prevent sheep -or incautious persons from tumbling in, and there for the time being -was an end of the matter. - -Our first task was to withdraw this formidable plug. It was a sound, -unfissured block of Mountain Limestone, weighing perhaps half a ton. We -thought that six men with a rope ought to move it easily; but we could -not make it budge. A spade and a crowbar were fetched, with which we -laboured diligently for an hour; but the only effect was to drop the -stone deeper into the hole. A sledgehammer was now obtained from the -nearest smithy, and one after another we attacked the foe with might -and main. At length it yielded. Pieces flaked off, and at last it -split; the fragments tumbled into the chasm, and the rock, diminished -to half its former size, was rolled away. The job had taken two hours -and a half, and it was now dark. - -Mr. Balch and I cast lots for the honour of the first descent: it fell -to me. An Alpine Club rope was tied on as life-line, whilst a 70-foot -cotton rope was to be used for lowering and lifting. Slung in a bight -of the latter, I was carefully let down over the cliff-like face below -the entrance. The cavity formed part of a huge choked swallet, which -extended up into the hill above the point where we had been working, -and ran away obliquely underneath, so that I was coming down from a -hole perforating one corner of the roof. Over against the hole was -the steep slope of earth and scree already mentioned, steep almost -as a wall, and the scree so loose that it seemed to be in a state -of suspended animation. As soon as one came into contact with the -treacherous stuff, an avalanche of stones was launched, and I sought -in vain for a spot where it would be safe to unrope and await the next -man. The cliff down which I had been lowered was undercut by a wide -archway, through which I looked into a black, forbidding pit gaping at -the bottom. With nowhere to rest, and with the risk of falling stones, -it was obviously wiser to finish the descent before another man started. - -Tying the loose rope round me (for it was necessary to swing out under -the arch), I was let down slowly, and began to slip over a smooth, -greasy rock-face into the unknown cavity. At 60 feet from the ground -I alighted at the top of a slope of stones, and was able to remove -the ropes and scramble to the bottom. Lighting some magnesium wire, -I found myself in a bell-shaped chamber about 65 feet high, opening -above by the precipitous archway into the upper cavity, and on the -other side into an ascending vault running north-west. All around -were the indelible marks of water action in the remote past. On the -upper side the rocks were carved and pitted as by the swirling of a -violent torrent. But there was now no sign of running water, only the -drip, drip from the moist roof; and the outlet of the ancient stream -at the bottom of the cavern was blocked up by a deep accumulation of -débris. Among the countless fragments strewn all over the floor I found -a large stone covered with a mass of dog-tooth crystals, clear as -diamonds and large as walnuts. But at the very bottom of the place was -something even more lovely, myriads upon myriads of exquisite spicules -of carbonate, some little more than specks of red, orange, and amber, -but thousands like wee tendrils of coral three-eighths of an inch -in length. They were the growth, through age after age, of a splash -deposit from the roof or from the stream that had disappeared. Such a -formation is not rare in water caverns; but in such beauty of shape and -hue it is rare indeed, for these tender little crystal flowers took -all manner of forms, blossoming ofttimes into wreaths and clusters -like a miniature coral. One of the most exquisite and most puzzling -features was that the dots and spicules were often arranged in set -patterns, symmetrical and even geometrical, in tiny circles, squares, -and triangles, by the rhythmic action of the waters that had left this -beautiful record of their passage. We named the cave the Coral Cavern. - -As the descent had not been direct, and there might be difficulty in -recovering the ropes if once let go, it seemed most prudent that no -one should follow me down for the present. Climbing the slopes of -rocks and scree that led up through a lofty vault to the north-west, -I reached a height of considerably more than 100 feet above the floor -of the Coral Cavern, the present floor of which is 90 feet below the -point of entrance. The open way then came to an end abruptly, in a tiny -grotto, at a distance of 240 feet from that point. But hard by there -were funnel-like cavities penetrating the roof, and hinting at the -proximity of a Secondary swallet hole on the hillside close overhead. -Evidently, when the cave was in working order, in times of indefinable -remoteness, a big stream had run down this steep vaulted passage, and -united with the main stream at the bottom, both then pursuing their way -into the fissures of the rock, and ultimately finding an exit into the -open air at some point now buried under Triassic deposits. Enormous -slabs of Limestone, smooth, and fitting close over each other like -boiler-plates, formed the sloping floor of this tunnel on one side. -These too were a conspicuous testimony to powerful water action. - -At present the red marl of the Trias comes nearly up to the artificial -entrance of the cavity. It is obvious that when the cave was occupied -by a stream, its waters must have found a vent some distance below the -upper limit of the marl; whence it necessarily follows that the marl -has been laid down here since that period. Much evidence has been -gathered in the course of our cave work in the Mendips to show that -many of the caverns are older than the vast accumulations of Dolomitic -Conglomerate and other deposits of Triassic age, but nowhere is the -proof put so clearly and concisely as by the new cave at Compton Bishop. - -My stay underground was cut short by the fear that the others would -grow impatient. I was hauled up without mishap, save that at one point -the cotton rope stuck fast in a cleft, and I had to pull myself up hand -over hand on the life-line. Two men then went down, with the result we -had dreaded--the rope could not be got back to the last man without -extreme difficulty. Only after tying on stone after stone, and making -many a cast in vain, did we ultimately restore communication. He came -up; the guardian block was pushed back into its place; and at a late -hour we struck down the hillside home. - -A day or two later we set out once more to find Phelps's Cavern. It -opens on the very crest of the ridge leading up to Crook Hill, or, as -it is more commonly known to-day, Crook's Peak, a sharp Limestone spur, -running south-east from the western extremity of Wavering Down. At the -foot of the hill, near the road, we came across a small cave, called -the Fox's Hole, which we searched thoroughly for any continuation -upwards or downwards, but in vain. After a great deal of jamming and -squeezing, we got in to a distance of 50 feet, where a low chamber -has holes between wall and floor that had acted as a water-sink to -some ancient system of cavities. But the floor was heaped with stones, -and in spite of our efforts to clear these out, we did not discover a -single hole big enough to enter. This small cave is, doubtless, but the -tail end of the cavern that once existed here; and, indeed, the large -cavern at the hilltop must be little more than a fragment of what it -was. Crook's Peak seems to be the mere skeleton of a hill. To account -for the presence of such a cavern at the summit, one must postulate -a large drainage area in days gone by, and a general configuration -entirely opposite to the present. The higher part of the hill is but a -Limestone shell enclosing these ancient, and now waterless, caverns. - -The big cavern is known as Denny's Hole. Descending the sloping side -of an open pit, we found ourselves under an arch of mighty span, the -crown of which was formed by the rock-wall on the other side. Under -this arch the floor sloped precipitously into the jaws of the cavern; -then the roof came close down, and the farther passages wound onwards -as low tunnels, descending steeply into the entrails of the hill. It -is easy enough to get to a considerable depth and distance in the -largest of these, but the journey is not specially interesting, for the -place has been looted by adventurous rustics, and serious exploration -is at present brought to a standstill by the enormous quantities of -loose stones filling every cavity in the floor. Coming back to the -cave mouth, we were struck by the grandeur of the vestibule, which has -every appearance of being the remains of a great subterranean chamber, -the pit-like entrance, through which we look up to the sky and the -sunshine, being the remnant of a cave-tunnel, once perhaps of very -considerable length. - -Phelps had alluded to another chamber, of some beauty, to be attained, -at the expense of divers wrenches and abrasions, by a certain tortuous -passage leading out of the vestibule. After diligent search we found a -hole in the floor at one corner, but it seemed to be only a foot or two -deep. Kicking about for some time, with body half in and half out of -the hole, I managed to shift some loose stones, and felt space below. -But the space proved, on experiment, at least as excellent a place of -torment as Phelps's description had been able to do justice to. The -passage doubled back upon itself at once, and twisted here and there -like a corkscrew. Only by obstinate wriggling were we able to worm a -way down to the low cavity at the bottom. Two blind passages started -therefrom, and in one wall was a long, horizontal slit, with some big -place beyond, as we judged from the sound of the stones we threw in. -In various cautious attitudes we inserted ourselves into the slit. The -drop inside, though fearful to anticipate, was a matter of only a few -feet. - -The cave we found ourselves in was a sort of double chamber, with -vestiges of a partition across the middle; the whole was some 40 feet -in length. At one end was a pool of water, stagnant at present, or -nearly so. Close by, a low fissure sloped downwards to a vertical hole -or pot that sounded deep; but we could not get near it for the spikes -of stalactite that guarded it on all sides. This chamber, which we -thought must communicate with the series reached by the main passage -from the vestibule, seems to have been hardly ever visited. We heard -a story of a lady's pet dog that had been lost here for a week, and -was not found, although a tempting reward was offered, until a farmer, -who told us the story, explored the corkscrew tunnel leading to this -cave. He found the poor beast shivering on the edge of the slit we -had come in by, afraid to jump. Even the farmer, who thought he knew -all the ramifications of this perplexing cavern, did not seem to have -reached this chamber, the natural ornaments of which showed no trace of -specimen-hunting. - -Returning to daylight, we examined a cave vent in the ground hard by, -where a vapour was steaming up into the chilly air. The penetrable -portion was just big enough to accommodate the six feet two of our -tallest man. With some time left on our hands, we decided now to walk -on to Loxton, the next village, where another cave was situated on -a Limestone hilltop. There were only two miles to walk, so we did -not think it worth while to doff our cave panoply. Great was the -speculation that our unexampled appearance excited in the people we -met. We could not be tramps--in fact, we hardly looked respectable -enough; and yet our rucksacks, ropes, and cameras gave us an air of -distinction that was puzzling in the extreme. Faces crowded to the -windows at every house we passed, and at Loxton we had to run the -gauntlet of satiric observation. As we asked our way to the quarry at -Loxton, the general conclusion was that we were in quest of a job there. - -This cave must have been a very interesting one long ago, but now it -is like those at Compton Bishop, only a remnant; and besides what has -been destroyed by natural denudation, a great deal has been damaged by -the gradual approaches of a Limestone quarry on the side of the hill. -This has exposed the outlets of several passages. A labyrinth of low -galleries remains, with a few larger hollows here and there; but of -whatever beauty they once possessed they have long been denuded by -the devastating village boy, who has found the intricacies of Loxton -Cavern a perfect paradise. It does not follow that the cave would -necessarily not pay for a thorough exploration. If some of the lower -reaches were carefully examined, entrances would very likely be found -into still nether caverns, of which these dry channels were at one time -the feeders. But the work would be peculiarly difficult on account of -the smallness of the open spaces, and the result uncertain. Yet the -Limestone of the Mendips is so thick--the thickest in England--and the -parts that have been explored are so honeycombed with cavities and -passages, that every gateway into this strange underworld promises -more or less reward. It is somewhere in the neighbourhood of Loxton -and Banwell that the famous "Gulf" was discovered in the days of the -old lead miners. In driving an extensive level through a hill, at a -point 80 fathoms below the summit, they came upon a gigantic rift. A -man was let down on a long rope--so tradition reports--and when he had -descended to the full extent of it he was unable to see either walls -or bottom of the tremendous abyss. We are probably on the track of -this monster cavity, an exploration of which will entail labour and -fortitude. That and the exploration of the swallet at Hillgrove, when -it is opened, are the two most fascinating problems awaiting us in the -immediate future. - - E. A. B. - - - - -LAMB'S LAIR - - -A few years ago the Great Western opened what they called the Wrington -Vale Light Railway up the valley of the Yeo, which borders Mendip -on the north. A few miles beyond its present terminus lie the two -Harptrees, in the heart of a sequestered countryside of great pastoral -beauty. Here, where nowadays all the pursuits are agricultural, a great -deal of mining was carried on in years gone by, the relics of which are -still visible in the surface workings, grown over with grass. In the -upland ravines of Lamb's Bottom, near the top of the Mendip plateau, -these are very numerous, and seem to be the work of both lead miners -and searchers for black oxide of manganese. Early in the eighteenth -century a cavern of prodigious size and beauty was discovered in this -locality; but, by one of those curious accidents which are by no -means infrequent in the history of caves, it was lost, and its site -remained unknown for a hundred and twenty years. Its fame, however, -was cherished by the country folk, and the tradition of its fabulous -wonders induced a lord of the manor, a quarter of a century ago, to -offer a heavy monetary reward, which led to its rediscovery in the -year 1880. This new exploration made some noise at the time, and a -fair number of people ventured on a descent. The difficulties were -smoothed down considerably. Ladders were fixed in the shaft, which was -strengthened by timber supports, and in difficult parts of the lower -galleries; solid beds of arragonite were cut through, and a heavy -structure of timber, carrying a windlass, was built out on the verge -of an abyss, to make accessible the floor of the Great Chamber. Lamb's -Lair is even alluded to, though incorrectly, in the fourth edition of -Murray's Guide--that for 1882--and, for a while, great was the renown -of its unparalleled beauties. Then, as usually happens with cave -scenery when there is any difficulty or any peril involved, the novelty -and the popularity of Lamb's Lair waned; and now for a long period the -cave has been derelict, the timber erections have become rotten and -dangerous, and the only visit during many years previous to the one I -am about to describe nearly resulted in a catastrophe. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: PLAN AND SECTION OF THE GREAT CAVERN OF LAMB'S LAIR.] - -Our party of four had been engaged in some arduous work near Wells, and -a descent into Lamb's Lair meant a long drive across Mendip, nearly to -East Harptree. We were dropped by our waggonette, with a great pile of -apparatus, at a gate into a field. The field was part of the Lamb's -Bottom ravine, and we had some difficulty in locating the entrance to -our cavern among the innumerable workings and natural depressions that -cut up the surface. At length we caught sight of the end of a ladder -sticking out from a hole that was buried in brushwood, and straightway -we found ourselves on the brink of the 60-foot shaft. The uppermost -ladder was broken six feet from the top, and so was the second; neither -was fit to be trusted. We supported the broken part of the top ladder -with a forked branch, and I took up my station on a ledge 15 feet -down, to steady the things as they were lowered. Each man was roped -for the descent, for the crazy ladders, the decayed woodwork, and the -loose stones in the shaft all threatened disaster. At last all our -paraphernalia was safe at the bottom, and now a muddy progress began -through a narrow, dripping cleft into a low tunnel, that brought us, -after many windings, to the top of a fourth ladder. This one was not -so high, but it was quite as shaky as the others, and a member of the -party got a nasty blow on the shoulder from a beam connected with it, -that gave way whilst we were passing the luggage from hand to hand. - -Descending still through an irregular passage, we suddenly entered a -roomy vault with stalactites on the roof. Here the glories of Lamb's -Lair begin. In a few moments we shall be at the threshold of the -incomparable Beehive Chamber, and thence, to a point far beyond what -we can attain to-day, the poetry and witchery of cave scenery are -at their finest. Stumbling over the irregularities of the crystal -floor, we see dimly, by the light of our candles, great luminous arcs -bending over our heads; and then, catching sight of a regularly shaped -hemisphere rising out of the darkness and dwarfing the cave with its -enormous proportions, we realise that this is the Beehive Chamber. When -the limelight is brought in, and its fierce beams play upon the wild -arcades and groining of this fantastic vault, we are astounded by the -wealth and brilliance and extraordinary variety of the incrustations: -not a rib, not a corner of bare rock remains visible; every inch of -floor and walls and roof has been thickly coated with the calcareous -enamel. The Beehive itself, 12 feet high and enormous in girth, is not -more astonishing for its size than for the regularity of its shape. It -is probably the largest boss of stalagmite in England. The sides are -streaked with white and yellow bands, which enhance the weird symmetry -and polish of its appearance; and, on the summit, wide enough for a man -to walk about, we noticed that a number of stalactites, fallen from the -vault above, had become embedded in its mass, and were slowly being -crusted over with the ceaseless deposits. All over the chamber there -is a continuous patter of water-drops, carrying on the work of the -ages, and laying film after film of lustre on the imageries of this -hidden shrine, which man has visited so rarely. To right and left of -the Beehive the uneven floor descends into deep recesses--which we see -as we draw nigh to be rocky porches adorned with the most magnificent -incrustations--leading into two passages. These two porches, the arch -by which we have entered, and the wild vaulting that rises to an apex -over our heads amid a profusion of glistening stalactites, are the -dominant features of this piece of fairy architecture. But who can -count or describe the gleaming volutes and scrolls that wind over the -walls in brilliant confusion, the clustered corbels whence random ribs -spring towards the roof, the lace-like fringe of delicate stalactites -that hangs from every ridge, or the gnome-like fingers and ghoulish -faces, staring and pointing downwards, that one seems to discern amid -the disordered sculpture of roof and walls? - -A broken bottle of paraffin and some pieces of cotton-waste, evidently -the relics of the last party who had used them to light up the Beehive -Chamber years ago, were lying in a corner just as they were left. In -one of the galleries I noticed the marks of fingers and the impress of -the clothes of a man who had crawled along the clay floor--as fresh as -if he had been there an hour ago. This changelessness of everything -fills one with a certain awe; but what impresses one as still more -wonderful is that all this consummate beauty and grandeur should lie -concealed and unknown in the midst of modern England, only a few miles -away from important cities, but unvisited by a soul for long periods -of years, while the country people seem hardly aware of the cave's -existence. Were the cave easily accessible, one can hardly question -that crowds of sightseers would be attracted, and much of the charm -would be dispelled, even if its treasures were not ransacked. For the -present these are perfectly safe. - -[Illustration: THE "BEEHIVE" CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: STALACTITE WALL, LAMB'S LAIR. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -From the Beehive Chamber a passage winds downward under one of the -glorious porches already described, and on and on between walls of -calcspar and arragonite, toward the chief wonder of Lamb's Lair, the -Great Chamber. The original passage was low and difficult, and early -explorers cut a deeper way through solid beds of arragonite, whose -miraculous whiteness glistens on every side as we advance. So enormous -is the thickness of this compact and fine-grained variety of the -calcium carbonate, with its delicate lines of crystallisation showing -transparently where it is shattered, that fully three and a half feet -are shown in section, a wall of snowy brilliance; and one cannot judge -how much more is hidden. The tunnel widens into an arch of reddish -rock, covered with sparry reliefs; then suddenly we find ourselves -stepping on a plank, and out of the darkness ahead starts up the gaunt -shape of a windlass. We have reached the spot where the gallery breaks -into the upper part of the Great Chamber; under our feet is a black -void, and further progress is forbidden. The gallery ends on a sloping -bevel, 10 feet wide, that dips steeply into the chasm. On this bevel, -which overhangs by many feet the receding wall of the Great Chamber, a -timber platform was erected a quarter of a century ago. It is a sort of -cantilever, with the windlass resting on the long arms. We moved here -with utmost caution, hardly venturing to place a foot on the time-worn -structure without holding on to the rocks at the side. On the last -occasion that the cavern was visited, some years ago, a fatal accident -was averted almost by a miracle. The rope broke while Mr. Balch was -descending; he fell about 60 feet, on to the broken rocks beneath, -checking his fall by catching at a tangle of line that was hanging -near. His hands were cut to the bone, and he lay at the bottom stunned -for a quarter of an hour, and has hardly ceased to feel the effects -of the shaking. Naturally, he now felt little inclination to venture -another descent, especially as he told us that the rickety state of the -platform has filled him with grave doubts as to its safety if weight -were put on it. - -At present, beyond the stark shape of the windlass, darkness reigned. -We flung blocks of arragonite out into the void. There was an interval -of silence, then a crash on the hard floor, and the missile burst -into fragments. When the ray of our 2000-candle-power searchlight -flashed across the abyss, we found ourselves looking into a chamber -whose weird majesty held us spellbound. Its height is 110 feet, and -the walls curve gradually over in an irregular dome. Hardly a square -foot of this mighty wall-space is blank. Stripes and reticulations -and pendulous lacework run all over it in enchanting disorder. Here a -snow-white flood of calcite drops from an unseen cleft, there a cascade -of many colours ripples down from roof to floor. There are great sheets -of opaline enamel, curtains drooping in massy folds, silken fabrics -wrinkled over the face of the rock, all giving one the sense of motion -suddenly arrested, and of light and colour captured from the rainbow -and sleeping here in the darkness, waiting year after year for our lamp -to awaken it to life and beauty. - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO GREAT CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - -[Illustration: LARGEST CHAMBER IN SOMERSET, LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE. - -_From Sketch by H. E. Balch._] - -The cylinder of oxygen and the ether saturator were pushed out as far -as we dared, and the camera was set up on the edge of the platform, -to secure at least a glimpse of this hall of wonders. We were told -what lay beyond. Another gallery, begemmed as richly as the one behind -us, leads on and on, until a high chamber is reached, into which -water pours over a sheet of snowy stalagmite, 60 feet high. We could -not descend into the Great Chamber, but we intended to light it up. -A tinful of Bengal fire was put into an iron saucer, hanging from -a string by iron wires; and this with a light attached was lowered -through the hole in the platform, whereon we lay extended at full -length looking over into the gulf. There was a fizz, and then the -fierce radiance swept from side to side of the huge vault, staining the -sheets and curtains and cascades of white a splendid crimson. The walls -sparkled blood-red as if set with rubies, and the blue-black sheets of -calcite marked by oxide of manganese were empurpled by the glow. We -fled before the pungent clouds of smoke that rose into our gallery, -back to the Beehive Chamber, leaving that glorious hall once more to -solitude and silence. - -The only other part we explored was the winding tunnel that begins -under the second porch in the Beehive Chamber. It goes far away down, -and is knee-deep in mire for a considerable distance. At last, when it -seems as if the Great Chamber itself cannot be far away, the passage -ends in a choke. We had been in the cavern about five hours, when, -after much hard work, we got our apparatus back to the foot of the -shaft. Climbing ahead up the rickety ladders, the broken rungs of which -were caked with mud and clay, and keeping hold of the life-line all -the while, I found our driver waiting for us at the top, for we were -an hour late. Several dangerous stones were shifted in pulling up the -luggage, and one man below not only received a nasty blow, but narrowly -escaped destruction by another stone that he just succeeded in warding -off his face. - -We have since regretted that we did not test the platform and windlass -by a rough-and-ready method, and then descend by a long Alpine rope. -The sharp ledges underneath might, however, have rendered this -dangerous. We had not seen everything, but we had seen enough to -recompense us abundantly for the toil, the slight risk, and the dirt. -Murray says that Lamb's Lair is the finest cave in Somerset; I would -confidently venture further, and say that for transcendent beauty it -has not its equal in England.[4] - - E. A. B. - - - [4] Mr. James McMurtrie, then manager of Earl Waldegrave's estates, - was responsible for the exploration of this cavern after its - rediscovery in 1880. He had it surveyed and plans made; he had the - windlass erected, but went down himself before it was fixed. Very - great credit is due to him for this valuable work, which it is hoped - will not be rendered less valuable by allowing the artificial shaft - as well as the windlass to be permanently destroyed through neglect - and decay. The plan and section contained here were the result of - independent measurements, which fully confirmed the results of his - previous survey. - -[Illustration: STALACTITES IN ENTRANCE GALLERY, LAMB'S LAIR. - -_Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth._] - - - - -A CAVE IN THE QUANTOCKS - - -At Bridgewater, where we had arrived one winter morning at sunrise, -after a melancholious journey in unwarmed carriages across the flooded -moors beyond Glastonbury, not a person had heard tell of a cave in the -Quantocks. But the information we relied on, though a century old, was -definite enough to warrant the hire of a trap to convey us and our -apparatus to a certain lonely cross-road, seven miles away, in a corner -of the broad parish of Bloomfield. Climbing steadily through Enmore, -we found the cross-road on a hilltop 800 feet above the sea, hard by -a homely tavern, where we got cider for ourselves and feed for the -horse. To our west was the Beacon on Cotherstone Hill, and two miles -farther the Fire Signal Pits on Will's Neck (1261 feet), the highest -of the Quantock Hills. But of the red-deer country that lay around us -we saw little, and less as the day wore on, for a cold sea-mist came -rolling up from the Bristol Channel, and would have given us trouble -in finding our cave, had not a guide appeared providentially. It was a -tattered and weather-beaten countryman, who emerged from the tap-room -and announced that he was the only person who knew anything about -the cave. He dilated in glowing terms on its beauties--"It be very -ornamental, sur, very ornamental." Fox by name and fox by nature, so he -described himself--for he was both garrulous and egotistical--he was -fond of burrowing into holes. That he was a poacher to boot, we had no -reason to disbelieve after a few minutes' conversation. He led us by -a veritable fox's path over fields and hedges, through a mist-drenched -spinney, down to a dingle, where beetle-browed rocks overhung the -entrance to the cave. A rusty iron gate barred the way, and was -padlocked. Reynard proposed to make a journey of several miles, at our -expense, to procure the key; but a broken link in the chain saved us -time and cider. - -There is not much Limestone on the Quantocks, and caves are a rarity. -At this spot an outlier of Carboniferous Limestone lies in close -contact with beds of Greywacke Slate--a very unusual conjunction, -which prepared us for something new and strange in the way of -crystallisations. Descending a few yards beyond the entrance, the main -passage rises a little, and then drops gradually towards a stagnant -pool, beyond which it is impossible to get. The length of this portion -is only 140 feet, and the direction from north-east to south-west. -Certain narrow passages, however, bore into the Limestone on the north, -and extend their ramifications much farther. Only one of these seems -to have been known before our visit. In the main passage, near the -pool, is seen the special wonder of Holwell Cave, a brilliant display -of arragonite crystals all over the roof. Arragonite usually occurs -in massive deposits of satin spar, distinguished by a perfection of -whiteness when newly split, a whiteness that grows dingy very soon if -you try to keep specimens. Here it occurs in quite another form--the -coralloid, known as flos ferri; thousands of filaments or spicules -ramifying from centres, and looking as soft as cobweb, though as -brittle as blown glass. This delicate product is often tinged with a -pink stain like that of fluor-spar. Andrew Crosse, the electrician, -who was carrying on his researches in the neighbourhood when Holwell -Cavern was found about 1800, thought that the crystal might have been -distorted by slow degrees into these fanciful shapes "through the -invisible action of electric energy," an agent to which most mysterious -natural processes have been attributed some time or another; but the -fibrous arragonite, scientists tell us, is by no means abnormal. It all -lies on the Greywacke part of the roof; the adjoining Limestone has -no arragonite, but is incrusted with the usual sheets and bosses of -calcite, mutilated somewhat by visitors who have taken away mementos. - -"Ain't it ornamental, sur?" said our conductor; but his exclamations -were still more enthusiastic when the magnesium ribbon lit up the -millions of arragonite crystals that covered the roof with a glistering -efflorescence. Then the flashlight blazed out, as our camera got into -action, and the old man was speechless with amazement. He had known the -cave, boy and man, all his life, but never before had he, or anyone -else for that matter, gazed upon all its beauties. Several photographs -were secured--among them the portrait of a sleeping bat clinging to the -groining of calcite--and then the cave grew too smoky for further work. -So we went off to explore. - -First we climbed into an opening high up in the north wall. It seemed -to run parallel with the main passage, and soon we beheld daylight in -front. Ere we reached the open air, however, we came to a steep drop, -and found that the branch had simply brought us back to the vestibule -of the cavern. Another opening, near the entrance, running due north, -proved more interesting, leading eventually to a bell chamber, floored, -walled, and roofed with polished carbonate. Someone had reached this -point twenty years ago, so dates and initials testified; but there were -virgin passages branching off to left and right for us to investigate, -as far as bodies of speleological slimness were admissible. - -A squeeze through a crevice in the east wall led into a parallel -tunnel, depressingly low and painfully narrow, which seemed to run on -indefinitely to the north. The soft clay floor showed it was at times -the path of a heavy stream. Northward, it shrank to a mere drain-pipe; -southward it led by one joint and culvert to another, all at right -angles, into other straight channels, all going in the same general -direction. My companion stuck fast a little way beyond the first -tunnel; I pushed on like a weevil into the maze of perforations, but -met the same fate at last, not giving in, however, until I had been -held as in a vice at one point for a good five minutes, with boot -jammed, candle out, and no room to get my hand to the pocket where the -waterproof matches were safely stowed away. - -It was still possible to see a long way ahead, by candlelight and -magnesium; and we made out that north of the known cave lies a whole -network of dry waterways, the principal channels running due north, -roughly parallel to the Limestone escarpment in which the cave mouth -opens, and all connected together by rectangular branches. One channel -brought us within view of daylight; but the crevice was too small for -anything but a rabbit, and we had to return by the same arduous and -abrading passages we had come by. As old Fox would have said, the -things we saw were "very handsome," but we could not tempt him to enter -this uncomfortable region. - - E. A. B. - - - - -CAVE EXPLORING AT ABERGELE - - -Travellers on the North-Western to Holyhead or Snowdonia are familiar -with several cave mouths that form a prominent feature in the Limestone -cliffs above Lord Dundonald's castle, near the station of Llandulas. -The most conspicuous is a vast antre near the cliff-top; and legend -has it that this opens into passages running for great distances, -and eventually descending beneath the sea. (Welsh cave-myths are not -less extravagant than those of Derbyshire and Somerset, where stories -of dogs, geese, and other animals that have made long pilgrimages -underground and come into daylight again divested of feathers or hair, -are still piously cherished by the credulous.) The name attached to -this group of caves, Tanyrogo--"under the cave"--is derived from -the Celtic ogo or ogof, a cavern, and is almost identical with the -original name of Wookey Hole in Somerset. A party of explorers from -Liverpool and Colwyn Bay have recently carried out some researches in -the Tanyrogo caves, and in those at St. George, on the other side of -Abergele; and while verifying their disbelief in the supposed extent of -the subterranean galleries, have ascertained many interesting facts as -to the formation and the geological history of both series. - -A grassy terrace runs along the cliff face to the gaping portal of -the Ogo, the biggest of the Tanyrogo caves, which looks seaward and -commands a magnificent view over the coast and the Irish sea. The -prehistoric men who doubtless lived here once showed not only good -taste in the choice of a site for their residence, but a judicious eye -for military possibilities; the place is all but impregnable, save by -starvation, the only access being by this narrow ledge, which a handful -of men could defend against an army. Spanned by a noble arch is a -colossal vestibule, rock-floored and dry. But this imposing entrance -is a deception--there is nothing beyond to compare with its shape and -magnitude. We swerved to the left, and at once found ourselves treading -a floor of wet clay, which began to ascend, and soon steepened into -a high bank leading up towards the roof. Creeping under an arch, we -found ourselves in a transverse fissure that may have run as far as the -legends pleased, but grew too narrow in a few feet for any human being -to penetrate farther. A few rudimentary stalactites and a crust of pure -white calcite adorned one small grotto; the rest was bare rock walls -and rugged arches, springing here and there high into the darkness, -in fissures that must reach very nearly to the summit of the cliff. A -branch passage dwindled away still more quickly, and so did a minor -opening that looks like a side door to the main entrance. - -The rock structure of the cave arches is displayed in very beautiful -ways in this cavern, but the most interesting feature is the remnant -of an old cave floor. The cavern was evidently formed in pre-Glacial -times, and the vast quantities of clay that plug it up almost entirely -now must have been carried in by the ice. After the glaciers had -receded, the normal agencies began their work again; a stalagmite floor -was formed by the drip of water from the roof, depositing a layer of -calcite; this in the course of time was broken down again, and now -leaves a kind of high-water mark all round the walls of the cavity. - -[Illustration: THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -[Illustration: INSIDE THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -The line of the fissure creating the upward chasms inside the cave -can be traced in the external configuration of the cliff; in sundry -vertical openings in the face, and in the clean-cut walls, where -sheer masses have fallen away, broken at the joints. Similar joints -and fissures played a part in the formation of a lower tier of caves, -which we explored next. The first was only a yard or two wide, but very -lofty, and its floor was composed of a level bed of sand and clay. -This gradually rose as we walked into the darkness, until the cave -ended more abruptly even than the last. We noticed pebbles of Bunter -sandstone in the floor, and the next cave produced many more examples -of the same stone, which must have been brought from a long distance, -the nearest strata corresponding to it being in Wirral. At the back of -this next cave a bank of cave earth and boulder clay was piled right -up to the roof, so steeply that it was not too easy a climb to the -summit. Arrived there, we found no possible egress; but a horizontal -tunnel, a sort of squint or hagioscope probably more than forty feet -long, gave us a peep through the rocky cliff out to the sunlight. We -set out forthwith to discover the outside orifice of this curious hole, -and found it came out on a ledge in the face of the cliff, hard by an -open platform which had a very queer look about it. On examination -this proved to be the floor of an old cave that had been destroyed by -the quarrymen. Half-embedded in thick clay were a number of stalagmite -pedestals, and a floor of stalagmite underneath several feet in depth, -surmounting a thick bed of boulder clay stuck full of Bunter pebbles. -It was obvious that the quarrymen, coming across this mass of useless -material, had not troubled to attack the solid layer of stalagmite -above it. The remains of stalactites and stalagmite curtains still -adhered to the neighbouring cliff. - -The spot is well worth visiting, if only to see this remarkable -illustration of several consecutive chapters in the history of a -cavern. The destructive work of the Limestone quarry, having been -checked at this particular point, exposes the whole thing as in a -diagram; and the actual evidences are there just as they were produced -by the forces acting in successive epochs--the mouth of the original -cave, formed perhaps in pre-Triassic times; the masses of drift -thrust in by the glaciers; and the new cave floor, with its growth of -stalagmites. Since the caves lie at a height of several hundred feet -above sea-level, it is fairly certain that the moving glaciers exerted -an upward as well as a horizontal force, shoving the plastic masses -of clay and débris into the ascending passages, and caulking up, no -doubt, a good many tributary galleries that are now unknown. The caves -look north, and the material pushed into them must have come from -seaward; there is, furthermore, no rock in the adjoining districts -that could have yielded this kind of pebbles: so that it appears the -stream of glaciers which flowed across from Lancashire and Cheshire, -impinging against the contrary flow of ice from Snowdonia, must be -held responsible for the presence of these dense deposits. All along -the meadow-lands between the Limestone hills and the sea a series of -risings or big springs are noticeable from the railway, forming large -pools. These are the outlets of the drainage that has been absorbed by -the Limestone strata, through which the water has found its way until, -meeting with an impermeable layer of rock, or reaching the plane of -saturation at sea-level, it has been forced to the surface. - -[Illustration: IN THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -The St. George's Caves are situated on and about a wooded hill of -Limestone near the village, which adjoins the low-lying lands of Morfa -Rhuddlan, the scene of a murderous battle in the year 795. The Celt, -with his strong historical imagination, such a factor in national -solidarity, still remembers, though confusedly perhaps, some incidents -of that calamitous fight. The old woman who pointed out the situation -of the caves drew our attention to the ditch and rampart which run -round the hillcrest, where it is not protected by cliffs. There, she -said, the routed Welsh tribes had entrenched themselves and fought -desperately on until every man was put to the sword. The wood on the -hilltop is full of graves, she told us, and weapons often come to light -there. - -A great master-joint or fissure runs across the hill towards the -battlefield, and in it lie the caves, or rather the cave, for so far -as we could make out they are all parts of one stream-channel. At the -top of a cliff that is now being worked for lime is a small orifice, a -mere fox's hole, blocked up against Master Reynard or the badgers that -often find a home in these small caves. A hundred feet beneath it is a -larger opening, which is said to give entrance into several good-sized -chambers; but that also has been carefully built up with fragments of -Limestone by the quarrymen. We were driven accordingly to seek the -outlet of the cave, and this we found by following the smooth, straight -escarpment, produced by the fault, in a wood close to the mainroad. -A large stream once issued from the cave mouth, but has since become -engulfed in some internal swallet, and emerges a few yards lower down, -welling out from a funnel of crystal water some 15 feet deep. The cave -itself discharges a stream only in flood-time. There, too, we were -stopped from penetrating far by the beds of clay that gradually rose -to the cave roof; but in this instance the deposits had been made by -the stream, and were not the results of glacial action pushing upwards. -In fact, this is a cave with quite a modern history, one still in -working order, and used as a waterway at the proper times and seasons -by the stream that made it. The Tanyrogo Caves, on the other hand, -have ceased for untold ages to be actual water-channels, having been -deprived long ago by denudation above and behind them of the greater -part of their drainage area. And since that remote epoch they have gone -through the series of vicissitudes so plainly recorded in their present -physiognomy. - -[Illustration: A PRE-GLACIAL CAVE, LLANDULAS. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - - - - -CAVE DISCOVERIES ON THE WELSH BORDER - - -The other day, a Liverpool friend, who has a bungalow in the Ceiriog -Valley, close to Offa's Dyke, told me he had found a cave there, which -had never been explored, but was reputed to go six miles underground, -to the neighbourhood of Oswestry. He invited me to come down and -explore it, and I readily agreed, on the condition that he was to seize -the opportunity to make his début as a cave explorer. On the side of -the valley where the cave lies the hill falls steeply to the Ceiriog, -and the densely-wooded cliff of Limestone that bathes its foot in the -river is like a bit of Dovedale. Not so the other side of the valley, -where different strata crop out, and the hills, with all their trees, -rise more gently to the brow overlooking Llangollen. - -The cave mouth is about 20 feet above the river, in a cliff facing due -north, in which the Limestone is tilted at an angle of 45 degrees. -It is recessed within a lofty arch, but the entrance itself is low, -compelling us to creep for the first few yards. After two or three -bends, the roof as well as the floor rises, and the passage opens into -a chamber whose floor is heaped up to a height of 10 feet with fallen -débris, thickly plastered with mud. At first the cave runs due south, -but the main axis of this chamber, which is lofty and measures about -20 feet by 20, runs east-south-east. The roof rises about 20 feet -higher than the central heap of débris. Water drips occasionally, but -there are no stalactites. At the far end the passage turns south-east, -and, though lofty, is narrow, the walls being parallel, and tilted at -an angle of 20 degrees from the perpendicular. Then a second chamber -widens out, 50 feet long by 6 feet broad, as muddy as the former. -Rising 10 feet, the passage continues to the east-south-east, but -the walls converge for a time, forcing us to crawl, extended on our -sides. Then it opens out again, and we climb over more heaps of débris -littering the floor, and all bedaubed with thick, tenacious clay. - -Now the passage becomes loftier but narrower, and progress has to be -made by keeping near the roof, the walls sloping at an angle of 30 -degrees from the vertical, opening at one point into a small chamber -with a false floor of jammed rocks, then immediately closing again, and -so continuing for a distance of 60 feet. The narrowness is so great -that one goes ahead only by dint of a continuous struggle against -friction. Up to this, my friend had kept close at my heels, followed by -his man. But here the only way visible was down a still narrower rift -bending off to the left, and the latter found his own diameter greater -than that of the cave. We left him, and pushed obstinately forward, -though we had not seen a sign of any person's former presence for a -long distance. Nearer the cave mouth matches and candle-grease and the -marks of crawling had been plentiful, local adventurers having got in -nearly 100 feet. - -[Illustration: ON THE CEIRIOG. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -[Illustration: UPPER CEIRIOG CAVE. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -Already we had struck the water in two or three places, but had not -found it in the main passage. Now we crossed a long pool or runnel of -stagnant water, which came in from under the rocks to the south-east, -and climbed into a tight little curving tunnel that led back to it in -a semi-circle. Beyond it, I found myself in a rift chamber, with the -water coming in from under the rocks at one end, and flowing out in -like manner at the other. There seemed to be no egress, till suddenly -I noticed that the niche in which I was sitting was the end of a small -horizontal hole or dry water-pipe, striking off at right angles. But -my companion had found the tunnel too much for him. The sides bristled -with points of rock, and pressed in so close that one could only -wriggle through by fractions of an inch, stretched at full length on -the left side. Now he made a stout attempt to get through underneath, -in the water tunnel. I heard the sound of wallowing, and then my -friend's head and shoulders came splashing in at the bottom of the -cave, his body dragging after through water and mud. But again he stuck -fast, and announced that he would give the thing up. - -It was not wise to go on far alone, for fear of being left by any -accident without a light; but in order to make a reconnaissance -for future work I pushed through the water-pipe, and to my delight -found myself in another horizontal tunnel running parallel to the -main chamber. Crawling ahead, first over a clay-lined floor, and -then over splinters of Limestone mixed with stalagmites, I emerged -presently into an open passage, 25 or 30 feet high, with the stream -peacefully reposing in one long pool at the bottom. It appeared to go -on indefinitely, and I might have gone farther, but for the present -determined to leave off the exploration at this point. The parallel -tunnel seemed to be going straight back towards the cave mouth, and -it looked as though it might form a short cut home. As a matter of -fact, this was a right branch striking off from the point where our -man had stuck fast. By crawling in his direction and shouting, I made -him hear, and at last saw his light through a chink only three inches -wide. Fallen blocks of Limestone choked the tunnel at his end, where -it leaves the main passage near the roof, and in its present state -this branch of the cave was practically invisible. We shifted several -big stones, however, and in a few minutes my friend joined me, pleased -enough to find a way out that saved the discomforts of his recent -journey. He had had the misfortune to array himself in white flannels, -and now the state of his garments was so deplorable that he straightway -hid himself in the river, like the pseudo Marquis of Carabas, until -more presentable clothing could be fetched. - -[Illustration: LOWER CEIRIOG CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -A veteran cave-hunter from Liverpool gladly joined me in a second -visit to the Ceiriog Cavern. Our host could not be with us, but sent -a village youth as his substitute. This young man was very keen -and plucky, and, as things turned out, saved the situation, for my -speleological friend, to his intense chagrin, failed to get through the -narrow entrance to the parallel tunnel, and the two of us had to finish -the job by ourselves. Climbing along the walls of the water-rift, -we soon found it best to wade straight through the stream bed, and -finally, when the space grew more and more restricted, to crawl through -the water. Toward the end of the rift a small tunnel broke away to the -left, and the water disturbed by our advance flowed into it and away -down a small swallet. Wriggling through, heedless of a wetting, we -came into a small chamber with four exits, each of which we explored, -marking off each with a cross or arrow to prevent our losing the route -back. Every branch led eventually to other points of divergence, and -ultimately to small tunnels or pipes, through which the water flows -in rainy weather into the head of the cavern. Having conscientiously -examined every one, without finding the mythical passage to Oswestry, -we returned to the tunnel of the swallet. One of the bifurcations, it -was interesting to discover, led back unexpectedly into the water-rift. -There were numberless chinks and fissures, and holes in the roof, -leading into this network of passages, all very interesting as a -concise example of the whole history of the formation of a cave; but -the farthest point reached was, by measurement, only a little more than -500 feet from the entrance. Only in places were there stalactites, and -those small ones. There were stalagmite curtains on the walls at one or -two spots, and patches of very white amorphous tufa. Curious filaments -of cave-weed, white and brown, without a vestige of leaves, abounded -throughout the cavern. Not far above the cave mouth I came across the -exit of the water, a beautiful spring, pouring down into the Ceiriog, a -few yards away. - -On the top of the hill, in a disused Limestone quarry, there were -traditions of a cave opening that had been covered by a landslip for -some thirty years. A man was set to work digging it out, and a small -fissure was disclosed, the old channel of a tributary leading into -the middle of a cave running north-north-east and south-south-west. -The total length was 172 feet. The water apparently entered at the -top of the left passage and ran away into a low bedding cave to the -right. The floor is wet clay at present, but there are traces of large -stalagmites, including one handsome "beehive"; and the roof is covered -with beautiful white and amber stalactites. Our further attempts to -uncover openings into the Limestone only brought us down to the solid -rock, and we found nothing to confirm the rumour that a cave exists -which carried a stream down to the Ceiriog, 800 feet below. - - - - -THE EXPLORATION OF STUMP CROSS CAVERN - - -The explorers who have done so much work in Derbyshire and -Somersetshire have also carried out extended explorations in some -of the more remote caves of Yorkshire. Recently a party carried out -farther investigations than any previous explorers in Stump Cross -Cavern, on the moors between Wharfedale and Nidderdale. This cavern, -which is named after the ancient boundary mark of Knaresborough -Forest, and is situated near the summit of the moors, 1326 feet above -sea-level, 4-1/2 miles from Pateley Bridge and 11-1/2 from Skipton, -was discovered in 1843 by miners searching for lead, as was the case -with several of the Derbyshire caverns. The Greenhow lead mines are -not far off, and the ground in many parts hereabouts is riddled with -old workings. No place could look more unlikely for caves than the -flat field on the top of the hill, where a few steps lead down to a -doorway into the ground, close to the rough road to Grassington and -Appletreewick. - -The party of five, besides myself, Messrs. B. and F. Wightman, J. -W. Puttrell, J. Croft, and H. Bamforth (all members of the Kyndwr -Club), drove up from Bolton Abbey Station by way of Burnsall, and -through various delays did not reach the cave mouth till nine o'clock -on Saturday evening. With our photographic and other apparatus we -descended at once to a level gallery 50 feet or so below the surface, -whence several passages branch off, and there we made a halt. To -give a clear general idea of the structure of this cavern is not -easy. It consists of a number of galleries running in different -directions at different levels, with a few intercommunications, and -many continuations that have gradually become choked with clay and -stalagmite and have for ages been impassable. Descending the steep -stairway in a northerly direction one soon reaches the first of the -natural passages, which bears to the west. A gallery goes off to the -right, west-south-west, and bifurcates, but is uninteresting, the earth -and clay that show its proximity to the surface rendering it very -dirty. In the opposite direction, east-north-east, the corridor where -we had placed the luggage and made our general rendezvous continues to -a distance of 120 feet, and then dwindles away into a low stalactite -grotto. Being so inaccessible and so little known, the various chambers -have never yet been christened, except with the vague and general -names of Upper Caverns and Lower Caverns, which have little meaning -owing to the intricate conformation of the series. From our rendezvous -two important tunnels, called the Lower Caverns, go off in a westerly -direction from the bottom of a natural shaft 20 feet deep. These were -left for the present whilst we went into the Middle Caverns, which -strike off to the north from the same spot, and after many turns and -twists approach the surface in the ravine of Dry Gill, south-east -from the entrance to the caves. Many chambers and passages open out -from this series, the largest and most beautiful being called, very -inappropriately, the Top Cavern. As it leads eventually to a charming -piece of cave scenery that we agreed to call the "Bowling Alley," it -might well be named after this. - -[Illustration: IN STUMP CROSS CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -[Illustration: THE PILLAR, STUMP CROSS CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -I will now, as clearly as I can, follow the steps of the party in -their exploration of these Middle Caverns, and proceed afterwards with -them into the other series. Descending gradually, and passing many -nooks and corners where exquisite recesses are wreathed about by the -ivory-white incrustations on wall, roof, and floor, we stayed to drink -a ceremonious glass from the icy waters of Jacob's Well, a crystal -pool curtained in with masses of stalactite, and then passed on to one -of the chief show places seen by the public, bearing the modest name -of the Chapel. Its great attraction is the series of massive pillars -of translucent white that seem to uphold the arching roof. In few of -the caverns that I have explored is there anything to compare with the -stateliness of this pure colonnade, the cylindrical shafts of which -are a good deal longer than a man's height, and modelled fantastically -by the irregular deposit of the calc spar. One column in this part of -the cave measured three feet in circumference. A peculiar beauty was -the transparency of the material, a pure glassy white through which -the light of a candle shone clearly, whilst a light inside converted -the hanging folds and clusters of stalactites into a beautiful species -of lantern. On the walls were folds and ridges of snowy stalagmite, -and from the roof hung stalactites of all shapes and sizes, myriads -of threadlike growths hanging in a lacy fringe. Onwards the arcading -and the array of pillars extended into a roomy vault, the end of which -struck upwards, as already explained, south-eastwards, toward Dry -Gill. Though a perceptible draught comes through from the open air, -and the heaps of clay-coated blocks show that a swallet is not far -off above, no way can be forced through without excavation. Augmented -by the arrival of two or three local friends, the party descended, -after lunch, into the Lower Caverns. Unlike the other passages, with -their continual windings and perplexing branches, these two series -of large vaults, narrow tunnels, and almost impracticable crevices -maintain a westerly direction throughout, and the few branches strike -off decisively to the right or to the left. Two of us, being delayed -by some trifling accident, missed the others at the bottom of the -short vertical descent, and, unaware that there were two series of -passages, crept on along the first that opened. This had the appearance -of an old stream-bed, the ground being littered in places with blocks -of Limestone, in others clayey, and in some parts smoothed down by -the rush of a torrent. High in places, it often dwindled to a very -low passage, through which we crept and wriggled after the manner of -the serpent, ofttimes exerting no little strength to push beneath -the projections overhead. Here a shaft of glassy stalagmite, uniting -floor and roof, tried to bar the way, and there it was impossible to -advance without scraping against the vitreous threads that hung like -hairs from the dripping rocks. We shouted to the others who we thought -were ahead of us, but got no reply, and after twenty minutes of this -painful progression began to think of returning. Noticing a hollow -in the right wall, I asked my comrade to wait while I examined it. -Inside was a blind passage and the round orifice of a small tunnel, -into which I thrust my head and shoulders and then crawled forward. -It was not an inviting hole, being wet and an exceedingly tight fit, -and I was on the point of returning when a voice was heard faintly in -the distance. Listening intently and creeping on again, I heard the -voice more distinctly, and shouted. The voice replied from below. I -quickly realised that we two had missed the others, who were following -a lower series of passages somewhere beneath us. Unable to turn round, -and too far advanced to return up this slippery tunnel, I saw there -was nothing for it but to push on, head downwards. In a yard or two, -to my unspeakable relief, the hole grew big enough to turn round in, -just before I got to the end of it, and saw Messrs. Croft and Puttrell, -12 feet below me, holding out their hands and inviting me to drop. -The leap was a little sensational, but I had my turn of enjoyment in -witnessing the grace with which my comrade from above, who was now -courteously invited to follow me through the water-pipe, took the jump -on to the clay floor of the lower tunnel. - -We returned later to the other westerly passage, at the top of the -water-pipe. Examining every opening carefully, we noticed many similar -communications between the two series, evidently proving that the upper -was a very ancient stream course that had been tapped successively -until the lower tunnel superseded it as a waterway. Pushing ahead, we -soon realised that we had arrived at the richest part of the whole -cavern, though also the most inaccessible. The roof came down bristling -with spikes and shafts of the purest calcite; the floor was one mass -of crystallisation, ridged all over with the rippling lines that form -as the crust grows under water. This exquisite scene was continued -for hundreds of feet, various and indescribable as a dream, whilst -our march onward over the sharp crystals of the floor and through the -portcullis that closed every chamber was as painful as a nightmare. -Loveliest of all was a long tunnel that once held many pools of water, -half-encrusted over with a film of carbonate. Only one of these lucid -mirrors remained, but the dried-up basins were as beautiful now as -ever, with the bottom and sides covered by a coraline growth delicate -in colour as in form. At the end was a small dome-like chamber, where -we extended ourselves for a hard-earned rest before facing the toils -and tribulations of the journey back. - -[Illustration: THE CHAPEL: STUMP CROSS CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -We thought this expedition to the lower series had exhausted the -principal beauties of Stump Cross Cavern, but we were wrong. On our way -to rejoin the other men in the Middle Cavern we were much impressed by -two large curtains of stalactite, one of them folded and wrinkled, -and the other hanging straight down without a curve, but both striped -with deep bands of crimson, orange, and golden yellow when a piece -of magnesium was burnt behind them. These were equal in extent and -brilliance to anything I have ever seen, even in Cox's Cavern at -Cheddar. A round tunnel, ribbed and groined with glistening dripstone, -and a broad low arch set with pillars and string-like stalactites -stretched from top to bottom, led into the long, wide chamber that we -dubbed the "Bowling Alley," on account of the stumps and pedestals of -stalagmite that stud the floor between the pillars. Beyond it a short -passage leads into a grotto to the right, and a very difficult one -continues some distance to the left. - -It was now past three in the morning. Tired and battered to the point -of exhaustion, but delighted with an exploration that far exceeded -in interest all we had looked for, we returned to the cave mouth. An -unpleasant-looking bull which had with great suspicion watched us -make our nocturnal entry into the regions below had, greatly to our -relief, got tired of waiting, and the coast was clear. Out of the -everlasting silence and the shadows, lit so rarely by the glare of the -magnesium and the beams of the limelight, we returned again, with the -surprise that never fails, to the light of the heavens. Dusk was on -the far-extending moors and hills, daylight was creeping on over the -sky, a pair of larks saluted us with a hilarious song. Our driver was -soon awake at the little inn, two furlongs away, and in the freshness -of the morning we crawled down the break-neck road to Appletreewick, -Bolton Woods and the Wharfe growing in light before us; and then at an -exhilarating pace rolled up the dale to the Red Lion at Burnsall. - - - - -SWALLET-HUNTING IN DERBYSHIRE - -"GIANT'S HOLE" AND "MANIFOLD" - - -Between Sparrowpit and the head of the Winnats the old road from -Chapel-en-le-Frith to Castleton skirts what is, geologically, one of -the most important localities in Derbyshire. It runs along the side -of a shallow upland valley, about 1200 feet above tide-level and two -miles long, which is bounded on two sides by the curve of Rushup Edge -and on the other two by Elden Hill, Windy Knoll, and other Limestone -acclivities. One of the great faults of the Pennine chain traverses -this valley longitudinally, the Yoredale strata having been thrown -down to the level of the Limestone, so that the middle of the valley -is the boundary between the Yoredale rocks, shale grits, and milestone -grit on the north, and the Limestone plateau of Mid-Derbyshire on the -south. The valley is completely encircled by higher ground; there -is no egress for streams on the surface. Accordingly other modes -of drainage are to be looked for, and they will be discovered in a -numerous series of swallets situated along the line of the fault, the -water that runs over the impervious shales perforating the Limestone -as soon as it comes in contact with it. This shallow valley, in fact, -is the gathering ground for the waters that pour into the abyss of -the Speedwell Cavern, traverse Peak Cavern, and make their way to the -open air at Russet Well and other springs at Castleton. That such is -the case has long been proved by observations of the temperature and -colour of the waters, and by tracing chaff and other things thrown into -the upland streams. But there exist hardly enough data to establish the -theory of the French speleologist, M. Martel, that Peak's Hole Water -comes from Perryfoot, and the water of Russet Well from Coalpit Mine, -near Sparrowpit. All that is definitely known is that these waters run -through the massive Limestone for distances varying from two to three -miles and reappear in Castleton, 600 feet beneath. Whether they unite -into one or two large streams, which form considerable chambers and -caverns in the inaccessible region beyond the farthest known parts of -Speedwell and Peak Caverns, is an interesting question, that tempts one -to answer boldly in the affirmative, since the action of underground -streams in Somerset and Yorkshire seems to justify the assumption, if -we take into account the extent of the vertical joints eaten away by -the water in its descent of 600 feet, and the effects of periodical -floods. In Somerset, in a situation exactly similar, two caves of 600 -feet fall and 2000 feet horizontal measurement have recently been -discovered by opening similar swallet-holes. Is there any hope of -finding such hypothetical cavern or caverns here by exploring, and if -necessary opening artificially, any of the swallets between Perryfoot -and Giant's Hole? The investigations recently carried out by a friend -and myself do not make us hopeful that if there are such caverns they -will ever be made accessible. - -We began our work at Giant's Hole, which opens in the bottom of a -little gorge between Peak's Hill and Middle Hill. The brooklet that -runs in at the cave mouth was very low, and we passed almost dryshod -over the rough stones that cover the stream-bed for some 60 feet. -Giant's Hole has an arched entrance about seven feet high, and the -first part of the cave retains the same form. Then the walls contract, -and the cave takes the shape of a deep and narrow canyon, cut through -solid rock, with the stream coursing along at the bottom over little -falls and waterslides and through pools that are not easy to pass -without a wetting. One hundred and fifty feet from the entrance to the -cave is a lofty rift, near the top of which an upper gallery turns -west, the general direction of the main passage being southerly. -Passing this, we followed the stream downhill for another fifty or -sixty yards, and were then brought to a standstill by a partial choke. -At this point a quantity of stones and gravel comes within two feet of -the roof, and the water is dammed back in a pool a foot deep, so that -there is barely a foot of clear space between water and roof. - -Returning to the steep climb to the upper gallery, we scaled the wet -and slippery rocks, and found ourselves on a shelf over the canyon. -The shelf gave ingress to the gallery, which rose gently in a westerly -direction, with frequent twists and turns, and then turned north. In -150 feet it divided. We scrambled on; but all the branches evidently -approached the surface of the ground, becoming earthy, and we soon -found it impossible to get any farther. This upper level, which for -our purposes was of less interest than the lower, is incrusted with -deposits throughout its length of 80 or 90 yards. There are stalagmite -curtains and sheets of tufa on the walls, the older rocks on the floor -are cemented together with a crust of polished stalagmite, and some -of the boulders are covered with shining enamel. We found it best to -use an Alpine rope in getting back to the lower level, the ledges -underneath not being easy to find by candlelight. Outside the sun was -shining brightly, and the light that streamed in at the cave mouth, -through the ferns and flowers and grasses that encircled it, was -stained a fairy-like green. - -Continuing our way through the gorge between the sharp Limestone -knoll of Peak's Hill and the bulkier Middle Hill, we followed a stream -that comes down from Rushup Edge, perforates the Limestone base of -Peak's Hill, and comes out on the other side at a small cave. In three -furlongs this stream is swallowed under a cliff some 20 feet high, the -ingress at present being through a series of holes, where the water -makes an intermittent roaring, almost like the throb of a hydraulic -ram, as if a siphon were momentarily discharging. Older rifts are -seen in the same line of cliffs, and can be penetrated for 30 feet, -but are now deserted by the water save at flood-time. Farther on is -a deep depression in the hillside, big enough to engulf a house. It -is supposed locally to have been produced by the falling in of a cave -roof, but it is more probably an independent swallet, one of a series, -nearly all funnel-shaped and long out of working order, that lie along -a higher level in the Limestone than those that occupy the line of -demarcation from the shales. The biggest of them is Bull Pit, which -we come to later. Next to the last pair of large openings into which -streams are running, and which may be called the Peak's Hill Swallets, -since their waters rise out of Peak's Hill, we come to a large -irregular series of trough-shaped hollows converging on another swallet -at this same geological border-line. The openings here are all little -ones. But the next swallet has a cave above it, into which we entered. -It does not go far, but it has two ascending branches that can be -traced to two small depressions in the Limestone where tiny affluents -have percolated and cut for themselves little tunnels in the rock. -The next swallet beyond this has but a small opening, although the -hollow cut out by its rivulets through the shales is hundreds of square -yards in area. An abrupt cliff walls in the hollow on the Limestone -side, only a few paces from which are naked patches of Yoredale rocks, -clearly defining the boundary of the two series. - -We now came to one of the most interesting openings that we have met -with. It lies about 200 yards north of Bull Pit. As often happens, -immediately above the swallet, in the Limestone, is a deep chasm almost -perforating the escarpment. At the base of the escarpment is a rounded -archway with a turbulent stream running in. After securing a photograph -we enter, and make our way down stream easily for a little distance; -then the cave twists and narrows, and at a distance of 40 feet or so -we are disappointed to find the channel too confined for us to force -our way farther. Outside we had observed that the basin-shaped area -had been flooded not long ago, and inside the vegetable débris that -was plastered over the walls and roof showed that the swallet must -have been completely choked during the recent wet weather. But the -peculiarity of this swallet was that the solid mass of rock through -which the stream had carved its way was not ordinary Limestone, but -beautifully veined and crystalline like marble, and its surface smooth -and polished. It had very much the same appearance as the marmorised -Limestone found in the neighbourhood of intrusive lavas, such as those -near Tideswell. By the action of the water it had been sculptured into -fantastic shapes; in one place a corner had been cut through and a -small pillar left, joined to the rock at top and bottom. We scrambled -with some difficulty into the chasm behind the swallet. At the bottom, -on the same side as the existing swallet, was the broad and lofty arch -of a cave, which went only a few yards in, otherwise it would have -broken through the escarpment. Right above the keystone of the arch was -a weathered group of stalactites hanging from a ledge, and under them -the broken stalagmite floor of a tiny grotto. It is a rare thing to -find such deposits in the open air, and doubtless it indicates that the -chasm was formed by the destruction of a larger cave. A thick deposit -of earthy mud covered the floor, and at one side a big hole penetrated -this to a depth of six feet, the work of a stream that had perhaps not -run for ages. This deposit, though dry, was so soft that I nearly sank -through into the hole. We found four birds' nests in this cave mouth, -with eggs and young in them, and were disappointed not to come across -the egg of a cuckoo that flew out the moment before we entered. In the -wiry grass not far away from the top of the cavity we discovered a -lark's nest with two eggs in it. - -Bull Pit lies in the wood just above this opening, nearer the road. -It is a great open abyss, walled on three sides by crags of Limestone -nearly a hundred feet high, and with trees growing all round the -edges. This, no doubt, is a very ancient swallet that has not been -in operation for ages--belongs, perhaps, to the same period as Elden -Hole, which opens 200 or 300 feet higher, a mile away, on Elden Hill. A -little way on, near Perryfoot, we come in sight of another very ancient -cavity, on the side of Gautries Hill. It is a gaping pit about 70 feet -deep, with a noble arch inside, spanning the entrance to a broad cave. -At present the cave mouth is silted up with sand and clay. All these -rocky openings are the lurking-places of beautiful ferns and mosses; -the feathery fronds of the Limestone polypody, the late primroses, -various saxifrages, and the delicate foliage of herb robert making a -brave show. The wilder birds take refuge there. A crow flew out of the -hole on Gautries Hill, and one day on approaching Elden Hole I was -startled by a dense cloud of jackdaws, more than a hundred, suddenly -rushing out. Farther down, from 50 to 100 feet lower, a host of -starlings had built their nests on the walls of the chasm. Disturbed, -they came flying up in twos and threes, beating the air in painful -efforts to wing their way straight up and out of the hole. - -At Perryfoot a stream is engulfed which M. Martel considers to be -the source of Peak's Hole Water, and to be identical with the stream -that flows through the inmost passages of Peak Cavern. It now runs -into a cleft that is too small to be explored. But at a comparatively -recent date it was swallowed in a number of large fissures in a -crescent-shaped wall of Limestone 100 yards away. Most of these -openings are impracticable, but at the extreme east I had already -reconnoitred a promising cleft which we now proceeded to examine -thoroughly. This complicated swallet, with the passages behind it, -is known locally as "Manifold." Going east for 35 feet, the fissure -divides, one passage striking up towards the surface and the other -turning south. We soon had to crawl, the passage being very low, -narrow, and lined with objectionable stones. After 30 feet more we -came to a wider place, with a sort of chimney on one side. Here was -the sole mark of humanity that we found in this cave, a stake that had -apparently been used to climb into the chimney. Nothing was gained -by climbing it, so we squeezed our way along the main passage. Now -the tunnel grew into a high but narrow canyon where we could stand -upright, then it dwindled to a tunnel again, generally descending, but -occasionally rising in what was once a siphon. We passed one or two -branches, at the most important of which the principal tunnel curved -to the left and descended a little more steeply over some small ledges -and basins brimming with water. We began to feel sanguine about the -wished-for cavern, but presently the diameter of the tunnel grew so -small that we could not advance another yard. My companion was some -distance behind with his candle out, and I would not make a move until -he had got it relighted, the consequences of both candles going out at -once being unpleasant and possibly dangerous. For a long way we could -not turn round, and had to crawl feet foremost. Just after repassing -the junction my companion shouted that we were going wrong. He did -not recognise the passage. I remained at the junction whilst he went -farther and ascertained that it was the right channel after all. Then -I examined the branch. It ascended 20 feet and then divided, the left -branch, which was earthy, plainly striking up to the surface, the right -branch going back towards the swallet. Undoubtedly there must be quite -a labyrinth of dry water channels to correspond with the numerous -series of openings in the cliff, but the one we explored seemed to be -the largest and most practicable. Very tired and hot, not to mention -the dirt, we made our way back to the exit, glad to feel that our day's -work was done. - -The one thing that had impressed us most during our explorations was -that all these swallets and water channels are cut through solid rock. -Only when the rocks are shattered or disintegrated, as in the cases -alluded to in Somerset, would there be any possibility of enlarging a -swallet artificially. And though we had penetrated to a distance of -400 feet at Manifold we had not found the passages growing more roomy -nor enlarged by the accession of tributaries. So far, the prospect -of opening up the large fissures and chambers that must surely exist -deeper in the rock seems unfavourable, unless the main channel of -Giant's Hole can be unblocked. - - E. A. B. - - - - -EXPLORING NEW CAVES IN DERBYSHIRE - - -The new and exciting game of cave-exploring has been pursued so -strenuously during the last four years that one would almost think -the possibilities of fresh discoveries had been exhausted. When a -little while ago, therefore, rumours came in of a big cavern in -Lathkill Dale, so big that people were said to have been lost in its -recesses, they were received not a little incredulously. But after -the usual allowances had been made for exaggeration and myth, and -the alleged casualties reduced to the misfortunes of a sheep-dog who -spent fourteen days in the cavern, probably rock-bound on a ledge, it -still appeared that there was something worth exploring. Accordingly -two friends, Messrs. W. H. and G. D. Williams, who were residing near -Matlock, kindly undertook to find the cave or caves, and see what was -to be done; and a native of Middleton was commissioned to make further -inquiries. First, a letter arrived with the disappointing intelligence -that there was no cave on the Lathkill, nothing but old mine workings: -but hard on its heels came a wire to say that a cave had been located -and was being explored tentatively. Then further messages arrived with -mention of another opening, but which was the reputed great cavern was -a question to be settled only by a regular exploration. - -A day was fixed for the campaign, and my section of the party drove -up early in the morning from Bakewell Station on the Midland. Our -friends were waiting at the head of Ricklow Dale, a mile below the -little village of Thornyash, and we proceeded without delay down that -streamless canyon, first over smooth greensward between the grim -Limestone walls, then hopping from point to point of huge, close-packed -fragments, until we reached the uppermost cave mouth. It has a very -imposing entrance, solid piers supporting a massive lintel, about 20 -feet wide. It opens in the west cliff of Ricklow Dale, at a height -of 690 feet above sea-level, and is evidently the source at times of -a large stream. Ricklow Dale is really the upper part of Lathkill -Dale, above the junction with Cales Dale, and the head streams of the -Lathkill originally flowed down it from the neighbourhood of Monyash. -But at a later period, seemingly, the stream betook itself to an -underground course, until it emerged into the open from this cave. -At the present time the cave is swept by water only when the deeper -cavities of the rock overflow. This happened, for instance, a few weeks -ago, when the cave discharged a considerable stream, and was for the -time being quite impenetrable to man. As the Messrs. Williams had been -into this cavern a day or two before, we left it for the present, in -order to try some unexplored openings farther down the dale. - -On the same side of the dale they had detected the entrance to -something, whether cave or mine they knew not, covered in by stones and -earth. With pick and crowbar an entrance was soon exposed, not much -larger than a badger's hole, and we crept through. At once it became -evident that the hole was not a natural one; it was no "self-cave," -as the country people say, but an ordinary level or a sough draining -a lead mine. A pool of water filled the tunnel from side to side, -stretching away into the distance; and as we preferred, if wading were -necessary, to postpone it as long as we could, we left this alone for -the present, and went on with our quest at two other spots in the -entrance to Cales Dale. Needless to say, we had missed no opportunity -of cross-examining the inhabitants of the district, but the results -had been absurdly inaccurate and conflicting. Already a crowd of -rustic onlookers had gathered round, but the only individual among -them who knew anything about the region inside was the afore-mentioned -sheep-dog, who could tell us nothing. He, too, was the only one who -showed any inclination to join our underground party. In the upper -Cales Dale Cavern, as we named it, he actually went ahead of us, and -put our candles in jeopardy with the spirited wagging of his tail. - -This cave is doubtless a very ancient channel of the Cales Dale Water, -which now runs through hidden crevices till it meets the Lathkill; -the span of its antiquity may be gauged by the fact that Cales Dale -has been cut 200 feet deeper, and the cave left high and dry, since -it was a regular stream-course. I say dry in a comparative sense, for -we quickly found ourselves confronted by a short passage of extreme -dampness. The main channel runs west for 150 feet, and then divides, -both branches dwindling rapidly to mere water-pipes. But near the -entrance a branch strikes off to the right. Although the roof came -down on our backs as we crawled, we managed to keep just above the -surface of a shallow pool that lay in the middle: but a second pool was -almost entirely mopped up by our journey to and fro. The passage ended -in a chamber where two can stand upright. Every bit of this little -nook is covered with a creamy-white and brownish coating of amorphous -carbonate. It is like a small empty shrine, with heavy curtains flowing -over its walls, their folds and ridges flecked with innumerable scaly -projections, like some delicate frilling. The rest of the cave is -devoid of charm, though there are interesting masses of white tufa on -the walls, as soft as putty. - -At the bottom of the dale, almost exactly under and parallel to this -upper cave, is a larger one, which we called the Lower Cales Dale -Cavern. It is entirely concealed by bushes and nettles, and we had -to remove a mass of blocks and detritus before we laid bare the two -entrances. Even then, room could not be made for the broad-shouldered -member of the party to get in. At the end of 15 feet of very tight -wriggling there was more head room. We were in a straight tunnel, -arched as evenly as a culvert, the floor covered with the gravelly -deposits of a stream. Evidently it is a channel still used frequently -by the Cales Dale Water. It ran due west for 300 feet, with room in -most places for us to crawl on hands and knees: then it bent one -point to the north. Here the stream had thrown up a low dam, behind -which it had bored a series of holes on the south side, through which -most of it gets away. Soon a wall of rock, shaped like the steps of -a weir, confronted us, at the top of which we found ourselves in a -wide, irregular chamber, the height of whose roof varied from 6 feet -to 18 feet. We called it the Pot Hole Cavern, because of the number -of water-worn cavities in the roof. The biggest of these cavities -appearing to give entrance to an upper gallery, I climbed into it with -the aid of a comrade's shoulder. It contained a pretty grotto, lined -with incrustations, but led to nothing. Deep horizontal fissures yawned -on every side of the Pot Hole Chamber, and vertical joints split the -interposing strata. All the exits, however, came to an end speedily -except two, one extending a point east of south, the other a point east -of north. I explored the northern branch before my friends arrived. It -had several short ramifications, in some of which there were trails of -rabbits, and other evidences of a communication with the surface, such -as pieces of sodden wood and deposits of soil; but it gave ingress for -barely 50 feet. The other branch seemed more important, and as we were -tired out and hungry, we left it until we had returned to the dale for -rest and lunch, a waste of time, unfortunately, for it ran only for 100 -feet farther. - -[Illustration: RICKLOW CAVE IN FLOOD. - -_Photo by G. D. Williams._] - -We crept over a pavement of fractured blocks, into a broad, low passage -that seemed to have been hewn by giants out of the solid Limestone. -All around were the marks of a powerful, swirling current, that had -split and torn the rocks asunder, and bored its way through their -joints; yet not a grain of sand or a speck of mud was visible on their -cleaned and polished surface. Fissures and passages twisted away at the -side, but returned in a few yards to the main corridor. In the roof -were discernible the clean-cut hollows whence slabs of Limestone had -fallen that still cumbered the floor. The large chamber that we reached -finally was bestrewn and heaped up with such masses, and all the ways -of egress save one were entirely blocked up. This very soon came to an -abrupt termination in a bell-shaped cavity, floored with a crust of -stalagmite. But there were narrow fissures, a few inches only in width, -running away in many directions; a strong draught made the candles -gutter; and the occasional presence of great volumes of water was made -evident by the damage done to some of the incrustations. There was no -sign or sound of flowing water now; the silence was as profound and -impressive as the darkness. Yet this rock-strewn chamber was once the -birthplace of a river. Hither, from countless fissures, the streamlets -gathered together and poured through the hidden places of the hill, now -in a rippling brook, and now in a torrent, crashing and rending. At -present the Cales Dale stream finds its way to the Lathkill river by -still more secret channels. But at no infrequent times, even yet, the -torrent thunders over the waterfall in the Pot Hole Cavern, the swallet -is inundated, and a flood pours on through the long tunnel, and so into -the open stream-course in the dale, now dried up and covered with -vegetation. Proofs of this were legible all around us. - -Returning up the dale, we closed the mouth of the artificial level, and -went back to the Ricklow Cavern. Although the portal is so majestic, -the passage becomes anything but commodious at the end of a few paces. -Once more we had to crawl over hard, water-worn rock, deeply fissured -and thrown out of the horizontal; our galled knees and elbows could -scarcely be induced to go at all, and the pace was miserably slow. -Then the roof came down so close in a horizontal fissure of huge -extent, that there was nothing for it but to wriggle. My friends had -ascertained that 280 feet of this work leads into a lofty chamber. It -is one of those long, vertical fissures, not wide but enormously high, -that are common in the Castleton caves. There were indications of -galleries overhead, but we were too much exhausted to attempt climbing -without a ladder. Only one exit was practicable, which led in 20 feet -into just such another hollow, but still wider and uglier of aspect. -Filling the cavity to a height of 30 feet was a mountain of shattered -rocks, flung together pell-mell and wedged loosely. When we climbed -it, the light of our candles showed that the structure was hollow, and -hardly more durable in appearance than a house of cards. Some of the -rocks were held by points and corners, swinging on their long axes; a -touch sent others clattering down, as we crept with the utmost caution -up the adjoining wall. It was as if the interior of the hill had been -rent apart by an earthquake, and the headlong stream of rocks caught -suddenly and held by the closing in of the fracture. We clambered to -the summit of this hollow mass of ruin, and lit some magnesium wire. -The formless walls went up into a dark void above us, their ledges -fringed with glistening spikes and tendrils of transparent stalactite, -revealed by the glare. There had been visitors here before. Scratched -on the walls, but partially coated over by a crystalline enamel, were -the initials "H. B.--R. A.," and the date 1817; other scrawls were -indecipherable. No doubt this was the cave whose legendary renown had -reached our ears. Getting down our shattered staircase was a more -formidable job than the ascent. One stone, as big as a table, rocked -like a see-saw when we set foot on it. - -Stalactites were not numerous in these caves, which are not only very -humid, but continually swept by water. Animal remains were plentiful, -all recent, bones being carried in by beasts of prey and deposited -by floods. As this process must have been going on for ages, the two -Cales Dale caverns would probably yield good results to palæontological -research. - -A comic incident cheered my fatigued comrades when we regained the -open air. In the morning I had brought my family up from Bakewell -Station for a day in the country, a work of supererogation that now -placed me in a curious predicament. The waggonette had gone off to -pick them up for the early train, and, to my distress, I found the -driver had relieved us of all the luggage, including the rücksack -which held my clothes, not to mention boots, pipe, and railway ticket. -The alternative stared me in the face of proceeding to town in slimy -overalls or in attire of dangerous slightness. But the broad-shouldered -friend came to the rescue with his cave jacket, a garment that fell -about me like a baggy greatcoat, hiding the worst deformities, and with -battered hobnailers at one extremity, and a cap that had more stiff -clay than cloth in it at the other, I made the best of my way home -under the cover of darkness. - - - - -A VISIT TO MITCHELSTOWN CAVE - - -Mitchelstown Cave, the largest ever discovered in the British Isles, -is not situated at the town of that name, in county Cork, but 10 miles -away, in Tipperary, on the road to Cahir. Its entrance is in a small -Limestone hill in the broad vale of the Blackwater, midway between the -Knockmealdown Mountains and the Sandstone ridges and tables of the -Galtees. The cave was laid open in the course of quarrying operations -in 1833, from which time to the present the work of exploration has -gone on progressively, if at long intervals, and may, perhaps, continue -until the extent of the passages known is considerably enlarged. It -seems now to be entirely forgotten that the spot has been famous from -time immemorial for a wonderful stalactite cavern. In October 1777, -Arthur Young was taken into a cave, known as Skeheenarinky, after the -townland, but the old Irish name of which was Oonakareaglisha. "The -opening," he says, "is a cleft of rock in a Limestone hill, so narrow -as to be difficult to get into it. I descended by a ladder of about -twenty steps, and then found myself in a vault of 100 feet long and -50 or 60 high: a small hole, on the left, leads from this a winding -course of, I believe, not less than half an Irish mile." He goes on to -describe the beautiful scenery of the cave, which, he says, is much -superior to the Peak Cavern in Derbyshire, "and Lord Kingsborough, who -has viewed the Grot d'Aucel in Burgundy, says that it is not to be -compared with it."[5] The odd thing is that the very existence of this -cavern seems to have been forgotten since the discovery of its much -finer neighbour. Yet the trees and brushwood guarding its mouth are in -full view of the well-frequented entrance to the other cave; and Dr. -Lyster Jameson, who was with Monsieur Martel on his visit in 1895, told -me some years ago that an opening had been pointed out to him into a -lower series of caves, which I have little hesitation in identifying -with Young's cavern and the cave mouth I allude to. - - [5] Arthur Young's _Tour in Ireland_; ed. by A. W. Hutton. 2 vols. - Bell, 1892. See pages 464-465, vol. i. - -[Illustration: A GREAT PILLAR: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker._] - -[Illustration: A FAIRY LANTERN: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN. - -_Photo by E. A. Baker_.] - -Dr. C. A. Hill and I visited the spot in August 1905, intending to -go through all the accessible parts of the huge series now known -collectively as Mitchelstown Cave, and also to examine the series -referred to by Dr. Jameson, who had been unable to undertake their -exploration. Our impression was that little or nothing was known of -the latter series, and it was not until after our return from Ireland -that we were startled and puzzled by turning up an account in _The -Postchaise Companion_ (1805 ed., pp. 301, 302) of a cave in this place -already known and celebrated thirty years before the discovery of the -Mitchelstown Cave. The explanation probably is that the guides find -one cave a more profitable investment than two. To show the second (or -rather the first, since the other is the usurper) would involve twice -as much labour, but would hardly bring in twice the income. Since 1833, -then, the original cavern has been suppressed, so successfully that -even the omniscient Baddeley never suspected that there are two series, -although he had read Young's description and confused it with the -other. Dr. Hill let me down a few feet into the old cave-mouth, just -such a narrow slit as Young depicts; but we found that the rock was cut -away immediately beneath, and without more hauling power, the only way -to get down was to use a long ladder, and this we could not obtain. -The guide told us that the hole led into nothing of any interest, and -that the entrance had been used as a receptacle for deceased dogs -and other excreta. This effectually took away any wish to pursue our -researches in that direction for the present. Still, the old cave ought -not to be lost sight of; and we propose, if no one else undertakes the -work, to explore the lower series on some future visit to Ireland. The -unscientific explorers of a hundred years ago may have left discoveries -to future workers as important as those which remained for so many -years after the early explorations in the neighbouring great cave. - -What was done in the latter during the first year after the discovery -may be read in an article by Dr. Apjohn in the _Dublin Penny Journal_ -for December 27, 1834, an article reproduced from the _Dublin -Geological Journal_, vol. i. Dr. Apjohn carried out a most elaborate -and painstaking survey to points considerably beyond the second -great cavity, now known as the "House of Lords," but failed to reach -"O'Leary's Cave," the key of the farther ramifications, or to explore -the tunnels connected with "The River." His plan, worked out to scale, -and showing the differences of level with great minuteness, remained -the only map of the cave until M. Martel's survey in 1895. Meanwhile -various adventurers had got to more distant points, particularly to -the long chain of caverns running east to Brogden's, at the end of -which M. Martel's chart stops. The French explorer does not seem to -have broken any fresh ground; but his plan, which appeared in _The -Irish Naturalist_ for April 1896, with an account of his visit, was a -brilliant achievement, especially when the short time at his disposal -is considered, six hours for the whole of the cavern. Parts of this -chart were only hastily sketched in, either from a rapid survey or -from information supplied by the guide, as M. Martel explained to me in -a conversation some time ago, and errors of detail were, under these -conditions, unavoidable. For instance, "O'Leary's Cave" is much larger -than appears on the plan, and the "Chimney" is not situated at the -far end of a passage, but actually opens in the floor of "O'Leary's -Cave." The caves running east, again--O'Callaghan's and Brogden's--are -not such a simple series of straight passages as they seem on the -chart; our guide had considerable difficulty in threading his way -among the various bifurcations. As will transpire later, there is a -mystery connected with the name of "Cust's Cave," the real Cust's being -in a totally different part of the series, and a different chamber -altogether in shape. Unfortunately we did not go prepared to carry out -any survey, believing that all this had been done; so that we can at -the most point out some places where the existing plans are at fault. -We were also unfortunate in not being prepared to take a large number -of photographs, the accounts we had read not leading us to anticipate -the actual grandeur and extent of the scenery. M. Martel compares the -Mitchelstown Cave with such famous continental caverns as those of -Adelsberg, Padirac, Dargilan, and Han-sur-Lesse, and it comes off but -poorly in such a comparison. I have seen his lantern slides of these -caves, and after exploring all the most beautiful caves discovered as -yet in England, I venture to say there is not one English cave that -would not come off badly if set beside any of these. Compared, however, -with other British caverns, that of Mitchelstown can hold its own -easily; though individual chambers may be surpassed, there is nothing -like the same extent of brilliant subterranean scenery anywhere else in -these islands. - -The tourist portion of the cavern, a fraction of the whole, but yet -a considerable extent of underground passages, is deservedly much -frequented. The spacious vault, nicknamed the "House of Commons," vies -in dimensions and dignity with those in the Peak of Derbyshire, but -it is far surpassed by the "House of Lords." Seventeen massy columns -of pure white stalactite, surmounting enormous cones of terraced -stalagmite, tower from floor to roof of this impressive dome, some -140 feet in span and 70 feet high. The grandeur of its height is lost -somewhat through the mountain of fallen blocks that rises from the -entrance almost to the apex of the roof. Behind this vast accumulation -a sort of ambulatory runs round under the walls, opening here and there -into side chapels and irregular cavities, all bountifully adorned with -the fairy-like work of the Limestone carbonate. The so-called "Tower of -Babel" is a majestic pillar rising from the summit of a pyramidal mass -of stalagmite, 40 feet in circumference, that being also the measure -of its total height. A crowd of other Limestone freaks, some aptly and -some incongruously nicknamed, and many extremely beautiful, are found -in this chamber. - -The cavities and passages that lie to the north-east of the first great -chamber are not often visited. They start from "Sadlier's Cave," which -is not large but bewilderingly picturesque, and contains a superb -pillar, "Lot's Wife," almost of the prodigious size of the "Tower." -The "Kingston Gallery" is a straight rift, nearly 300 feet long, but -only two or three feet wide, with sheets of snowy white sweeping down -the walls, and breaking into whole garlands of scrolls and pennons and -curtains, which in places have been thrown right across the gallery, -dividing it into lofty cells. Manholes, actually, had to be cut through -these diaphanous partitions to create a passage. From the cave at the -end, a lower passage, the Sand Cave, comes back in a parallel direction -to the point of junction, and from the quantities of fine sand on -its bed, was evidently an important stream-course after the Kingston -Gallery was drained of its waters. It has one unique feature, the -succession of parallel rifts, called the "Closets," which are connected -together by rents in their dividing walls. Some of these are extremely -narrow, and by candlelight it is impossible to see any limit to their -height, depth, or length. Similar widenings of the master joints and -degradation of the Limestone separating them, are a special feature of -the Mitchelstown Cave, and the key to its ground-plan, with its maze of -right-angles. - -The great eastern vault, the Garret, which is only 19 feet below the -level of the entrance, does not fall, as stated by M. Martel, towards a -series of choked swallets, that originally carried the waters farther -down, but rises towards inlets from the surface. Its fretted roof has -fallen in at the upper end. A little to the south is a nameless series -of charming vestibules, grottoes, and tunnels, meandering towards the -insignificant lakelet called the "River." Here we spent the whole of -our first day. It is possible, we learned, to reach the easternmost -series of caverns by this route, which also takes one into the square -cavity designated as "Cust's Cave" on M. Martel's chart. We chose the -other way, that is, through the passage from the "House of Lords" to -the "Cathedral." - -In the tangle of contrary passages into which this leads we lost -ourselves several times, in the absence of the guide, and only -recovered the thread by careful observation with the compass. -Eventually we found the way into "O'Leary's Cave," which struck us as -one of the most impressive chambers in the whole cavern. It is not -only much larger than is shown on the plan, but different in shape. -Apparently it is the most recent of all in formation, although this may -be only an appearance caused by the falling in of the roof. Unlike the -other parts, where every bit of débris is sealed down by a glistening -layer of stalagmite, this great cavity is heaped high with loose -fragments, as free from incrustation as if the ceiling had collapsed -yesterday. So wild and vast is the configuration of "O'Leary's Cave" -that, standing on the lower side and looking across a depression in -the middle to the ascending ground opposite, one fancied oneself, in -the dim candlelight, gazing across a valley to a range of hills in the -distance. We spent some time vainly searching for the horizontal tunnel -supposed to end at the "Chimney," and before the guide joined us were -lucky enough to hit upon a string of chambers that seem never to have -been entered before. These run, so far as we could make out without -actual measurement, right over the O'Callaghan series. In fact there -were openings in the floor which we might have explored but for the -aggressive and tenacious clay bedaubing everything, apparently leading -down to these nether passages. Brilliant draperies swept down to the -bold masses of stalagmite below the walls, and long crystalline wands -hung from the roof in thousands, so that we could not move without -committing havoc in this pendulous forest. - -Conducted by the guide, we now descended the "Chimney" into the -tortuous passages leading to the "Scotchman's Cave," which lies under -O'Leary's. It is a small but very beautiful chamber, giving one the -idea that it has been hollowed out in a mountain of Parian marble. Now -we struck into the long series running east through "O'Callaghan's -Cave" to the farthest point yet reached. This was one of the principal -channels by which the ancient waters descended, from openings now -unknown and inaccessible, to the labyrinth of forsaken waterways we -had left behind. Our guide, who astonished us by the rapidity with -which he got over difficult ground, was unable to make very speedy -progress here. The ramifications are extremely hard to unravel, and he -had only been in this part twice before, in 1895 with M. Martel, and -twenty-five years earlier, as a boy, with his father. Eventually, after -many wanderings, we reached "Brogden's Cave," where hitherto all direct -progress had stopped. On the south side (not on the north, as shown -in the chart) is the "Chapel," which M. Martel rightly described as -the most beautiful thing in the whole cavern. It is an arched recess, -canopied with stalagmite of the purest and most delicate lustre. - -Whilst my companion rested, I joined the guide, who was hunting for the -passage to a cave where his father had taken him thirty-five years ago. -We discovered the opening at last, and after wriggling and squirming -round innumerable twists and corners, we dropped over a low cliff, -beyond which a short wriggle brought us into a long and lofty cave, -magnificently walled and pillared with snowy calcite. Floor, walls, -and roof were a spotless white, wrought into intricate reliefs and -embroideries by the flow of the freakish stalagmite. The guide stated -that this was "Cust's Cave," and the one beyond, where our progress -stopped, he called the "Demon's Cave." M. Martel's chart shows a -"Cust's Cave" of a totally different shape and size, near the "River"; -and, as there is no mention extant of any cave beyond Brogden's, I take -it that this, the real Cust's, was unknown to him. Unfortunately I had -followed the guide without bringing the plan or a compass, unaware -that we were going so far from the known parts of the cavern; and -now, to my disgust, the guide was unable to find the way out. Twice -he descended into a hole at our end of the cave, and emerged with the -intelligence, "It's not there, sir." We ransacked every opening in -wall and floor, but failed to hit on any exit whatever. The guide grew -alarmed, and rushed off to the farther end of the cave, wondering if -we had completely lost our sense of direction. He tried whistling; but -the hundreds of feet of rock between us and our companion were well -able to guard their ancient silence. Tired with these exertions, he -next proposed that we should put out the lights and rest for a while. -Whether his idea was to husband the only provisions we had, I could not -say; but at any rate the situation did look serious, since rescuers -might have taken days to discover our position in this remote corridor, -of whose very existence, probably, our guide was the only man in -Ireland that knew anything. But where there is a way in, there is a way -out, as I very well knew from several similar experiences; and after a -pretty bad half-hour, we did manage to recover the trail, and got back -to our friend, who had been completely mystified by our disappearance, -and was almost as relieved as we by our return. After many hours of -fatiguing work, we were glad to follow our guide back through the -labyrinthine passages, by the most direct route to the open air. - -Our chief regret was that we had relied too much on the completeness of -previous surveys, and had not taken materials for correcting the map. -We had secured many photographs of the earlier chambers, but had not -taken the camera into the innermost cavities, where photography would -be most profitable. M. Martel's dictum can still be endorsed that there -is a great field for research in the Mitchelstown Cavern. - - - - - INDEX - - - Abergele, 123. - - _Abîmes, Les_, 34, 39. - - Adelsberg, 43, 162. - - Albanets of Couvin (Belgium), 31. - - Alfred (King), 3. - - Alps, 43. - - Anemolites, 90. - - _Angels and Men_ (quotation), 45. - - Antiquity of caverns, 18, 21, 25. - - Apjohn (Dr.), 161. - - Arragonite, 119, 124. - - Arthur (King), 2. - - Attrition, effect of, 29. - - Avalon, Isle of, 2. - - Aveline's Hole, 99, 103. - - Aven de Vigne Close (Ardèche), 37. - - Avignon, 33. - - Axbridge, 106. - - Axe, the river, 2, 3, 5, 7, 23, 25, 26, 27, 31, 36, 46, 57, - 70, 82. - - - Badger Hole, 13, 23. - - Bagshawe Cavern, 42, 93. - - Balch (Mr.), 31, 36, 37, 48, 61, 71, 83, 101. - - Bamforth (Mr. H.), 71, 83, 85, 100, 138. - - Banwell Cave, 22, 28, 113. - - Barnes (Mr.), 71. - - Bath, 10, 69. - - Bats, 54, 93, 125. - - Bear, 14, 23, 24. - - Beehive, 30. - - Beehive Chamber, Lamb's Lair, 117. - - Betsy Camel's Hole, 14. - - Bishop's Lot Swallet, 8. - - Bishop's Palace at Wells, 5. - - Bison, 23, 24. - - Blackdown, 3, 17, 99, 104. - - Blackwater, 159. - - Blue John Mine, 38, 88, 90. - - Bonheur (Gard), 39. - - Bos, 14. - - Boule (M.), 31. - - Bouvier (M.), 33. - - Bowling Alley, 139. - - Bramabiau (Gard), 39. - - Bristol, 1, 2, 69. - - Bristol Channel, 3. - - Brogden's Cave, 166. - - Brue, 2, 3. - - Buckland (Dean), 33. - - Bull Pit, 147, 148, 149. - - Bunter Sandstone, 129. - - Burrington, 17, 28, 42, 62, 97, 99, 102, 104. - - Buxton, 29. - - - Cadbury, 3. - - Calamine, 33. - - Cales Dale, 154, 155, 156. - - Camden's _Britannia_, 46. - - Camelot, 3. - - Canyon, 64, 65, 72, 73, 81, 150. - - Carbonic acid (action of), 4. - - Carboniferous or Mountain Limestone, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 26, - 28, 29, 53, 106. - - Cascades, 6. - - Castle of Comfort, 17, 29. - - Castleton, 37, 144, 157. - - Causse de Gramat (Padirac), 40. - - Cave-earth, 21. - - _Cave Hunting_, 47. - - Cave Man of Cheddar, 85, 86. - - Ceiriog Valley, 133. - - Cevennes, 37. - - Chapel-en-le-Frith, 144. - - Charterhouse, 17, 27, 97. - - Cheddar, 3, 7, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 28, 29, 30, 31, 82, 96. - - Cheddar Water, 5, 82, 92. - - Chokes, 9, 34, 63. - - Clemens Alexandrinus, 45. - - Clevedon, 4. - - Coalpit Mine, 145. - - Compton Bishop, 28, 106, 113. - - Compton Martin, 25. - - Copper, 33. - - Coral Cave, 28, 105. - - Corridors, 9. - - Cotherstone Hill, 123. - - Cows hounded over cliff, 24. - - Cox's Cavern, 83, 92. - - Cox's Hole, 10, 11. - - Croft (Mr. J.), 138. - - Crook's Peak, 110, 111. - - Croscombe, 14. - - Cross, 106. - - Crosse (Andrew), 124. - - Cust's Cave, 162, 164, 166. - - - Dangers of exploration, 41, 43. - - Dargilan, 162. - - Dawkins (Prof. Boyd), 23, 31, 33, 46, 99, 101, 102. - - De Launey (M.), 31. - - Deer, 14, 23, 24, 74. - - Demon's Cave, 166. - - Denny's Hole, 111. - - Denudation, 2, 5. - - Derbyshire, 1, 29, 42, 43, 44, 91, 138. - - Devil's Hole, 47. - - Devil's Punchbowl, 29. - - Dinder Wood, 15. - - Dolomitic Conglomerate, 12, 13, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 48, - 53, 110. - - Dovedale, 133. - - Doveholes, 29. - - Downside Monastery, 12. - - Drayton, 47. - - Dulcote, 2, 14. - - - East Harptree, 116. - - Eastwater, 7, 8, 9, 30, 36, 37, 42, 48, 60, 70. - - Ebbor, 3, 7, 13, 17, 29. - - Elden Hill, 149. - - Elden Hole, 38, 149, 150. - - English Channel, 3. - - Enmore, 123. - - Eocene, 31. - - Exeter, 1. - - Exploration (dangers of), 41, 43, 72. - - Extinct animals, 22, 23, 34, 74. - - - Fairy Slats, 12. - - Fauna of caves, 33, 74. - - Fissures, 5, 12, 27, 33, 39, 66, 73, 85, 87, 89, 94. - - Flatholm, 4. - - Fluor-spar, 33. - - Fontaine de Vaucluse, 33. - - Foreland, 1. - - Foxe's Hole (Burrington), 99. - - Fox's Hole (Compton Bishop), 110. - - Frome, 1, 7, 27. - - Frost (action of), 6. - - - Galtees, 159. - - Gaping Ghyll, 35, 37. - - Gautries Hill, 149. - - Geological Survey, 25. - - Giant's Hole, 144, 145, 151. - - Gibson (Mr. James), 101, 104. - - Glacial drift, 29, 31. - - Glastonbury, 3. - - Goatchurch Cavern, 42, 62, 99, 100, 104. - - Golden Cap, 3. - - Gough (Messrs.), 16, 19, 28, 82, 93, 106. - - Grassington, 138. - - Gravel, 8. - - Great Cavern of Cheddar, 82, 83, 92. - - Great Chamber of Lamb's Lair, 116. - - Green How, 138. - - _Grotten und Höhlen von Adelsberg, Die_, 34. - - Gurney Slade, 27. - - Gypsum, 33. - - - Han-sur-Lesse, 162. - - Harptree, 18. - - Harrington (Dr.) of Bath, 46. - - Helln Pot, 37. - - Hiley (Mr.), 70. - - Hill (Dr.), 160. - - Hillgrove, 7, 61, 70, 114. - - Holwell, 27, 123, 124. - - Hope, Dale of, 37. - - Horse, 14. - - Hyæna, 23, 24, 46. - - Hyæna Den, 13, 22, 23, 24. - - Hydrology, 33. - - - Ingleborough Cave, 35, 37. - - Inscriptions, 22, 30. - - Irish Elk, 23, 24. - - _Irlande et Cavernes Anglaises_, 34. - - - Jackdaws, 54. - - Jacob's Well, 140. - - Jameson (Dr.), 160. - - Joints, 5, 11, 13, 71. - - - Katavothra, 33. - - Kent's Cavern, 30. - - Kentucky, 43. - - Keuper, 31. - - Knockmealdown Mountains, 159. - - Kyndwr Club, 138. - - - Labyrinths, 8, 9, 62. - - Laibach, 33. - - Lake village, 3. - - Lamb's Lair, 30, 39, 115. - - Lathkill Dale, 152, 153, 154. - - Lathkill River, 156. - - Lead, 33. - - Leland, 46. - - Lewsdon, 3. - - Lias, 27, 28, 29. - - Lion, 23, 24. - - Llangollen, 133. - - Long Hole, 19, 28, 97. - - Long Kin Hole, 37. - - Long Wood, 97. - - Lower Limestone Shales, 2, 4, 5. - - Loxton, 112, 113. - - - Mammoth, 23, 24. - - Manifold, 150, 151. - - Marble Arch, 42. - - Marshall (Mr.), 11, 13. - - Martel (Mons.), 17, 19, 30, 34, 37, 39, 57, 145, 160, 161, 164, - 165, 167. - - Master-joint, 34, 131. - - Matlock, 104. - - Mazauric (M.), 39. - - McMurtrie (Mr. J.), 122. - - Mendip plateau, 36. - - Middle Hill, 147. - - Mitchelstown Cave, 159. - - Monyash, 153. - - Morfa Rhuddlan, 131. - - Morland (Mr. J. O.), 83. - - Murray's Guide, 116, 122. - - - Natural wells, 18. - - Neolithic barrows, 3. - - Niagara (Gough's Caves), 30. - - Nidderdale, 138. - - North Hill, 3, 60. - - - O'Callaghan's Cave, 162, 165. - - Offa's Dyke, 133. - - Ogo, 45, 127. - - Ogof, 45, 127. - - Old Red Sandstone, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 11, 26, 53, 60. - - O'Leary's Cave, 161, 164. - - Ookey, 45. - - Oonakareaglisha, 159. - - Outfit, 41, 62. - - - Padirac, 162. - - Parrett, 3. - - Peace of Wedmore, 3. - - Peak, 34, 38, 39, 42, 47, 144, 159. - - Peak's Hill, 147. - - Peak's Hole, 145. - - Peak's Hole (source of water of), 150. - - Pen Hill, 2, 4, 60. - - Percolating water, 6. - - Percy's _Reliques_, 46. - - Perryfoot, 145, 150. - - Phelps, 106. - - Phosphorites, 31. - - Pilsdon, 3. - - Pleistocene gravel, 28. - - Pliocene, 29. - - Plumley's Den, 100, 103, 104. - - _Polyolbion_, 47. - - Pot, 34, 84. - - Pothole Cavern, 155, 156. - - Potholes, 6, 68, 72. - - Pottery, 21, 22, 58, 74. - - Priddy, 7, 8, 17, 48, 60, 61, 98. - - Primitive man, 13, 22, 24, 34, 47, 128. - - Puttrell (Mr. J. W.), 138. - - - Quantocks, 123. - - Quercy, 31. - - - Radstock, 27. - - Radstock Coalfield, 10. - - Rain (action of), 6. - - Rakes, 33, 38. - - Ravine formation, 19. - - Ravines, 6, 20, 23. - - Raymond, Walter, 98. - - Red Deer, 23, 24. - - Reindeer, 23. - - _Reliquiæ Diluvianæ_, 33. - - Revolving stones (action of), 6. - - Rhaetic, 27, 31. - - Rhinoceros, 24. - - Rickford, 28, 102, 104. - - Ricklow Cavern, 157. - - Ricklow Dale, 153. - - Risings (extent of flow), 17. - - "Rock of Ages," 104. - - Rock shelter, 15. - - Roman Cave of Cheddar, 93, 95. - - Roman mines, 97. - - Romano-British pottery, 21, 22, 58, 74. - - Rookham, 2, 28. - - Rowberrow Farm, 17. - - Rushup Edge, 144, 147. - - Russet Well, 144, 145. - - - "S" bends, 65, 68. - - St. Andrew's Well, 5, 28, 31. - - St. Dunstan's Well, 10, 11. - - St. George's Cave, 127, 130. - - "St. Paul's," 86, 88. - - St. Swithin's Hole, 7. - - "Salle à Manger," 38. - - Sand (action of), 6. - - Sand Pit Hole, 8. - - Schmidl (Dr. Adolph), 34. - - Scotchman's Cave, 165. - - Secondary Rocks, 5, 12, 18, 27, 28. - - Sedgemoor, 3. - - Severn, 4. - - Shakeholes, 29. - - Sheldon (Dr.), 83, 84, 90, 100. - - Sheldon (Mr., of Wells), 17. - - Shipham, 100. - - Silt, 10, 11. - - Siphons, 33, 34. - - Skeheenarinky, 159. - - Slater (Mr.), 71. - - Smith (W. W.), 45. - - Snowdonia, 130. - - Société de Spéléologie, 34. - - "Solomon's Temple," 86, 88. - - Somerville (A. F.), 14, 15. - - Sorgue, 33. - - Sparrowpit, 144, 145. - - Speedwell Mine, 38, 144. - - Speleology, 32. - - Spiders, 54. - - Springs, 5, 11. - - Spur and Wedge, 53, 56. - - Squire's Well, 104. - - Stalactites, 10, 76, 77, 80, 89, 118, 140, 142. - - Stalagmite bridges, 78. - - Steepholm, 4. - - Stoke Lane, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13. - - Stratton-on-the-Fosse, 11. - - Stump Cross Cavern, 138. - - Subterranean streams, 6, 7, 8, 72. - - Subterranean waterfalls, 72. - - Swallets, swallow-holes, 1, 5, 7, 8, 12, 26, 27, 34, 60, 61, 84, - 148. - - Swildon's Hole, 7, 8, 36, 48, 61, 70. - - - Tanyrogo, 127. - - Tennyson, 4. - - Thornyash, 153. - - Tideswell, 148. - - Tindoul de la Vayssière (Aveyron), 40. - - Tone, 3. - - Torquay, 30. - - Tower Rock, 14. - - Traps, 34, 65. - - Trias, 18, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 106, 109, 110, 130. - - Troup (Mr.), 21, 59, 70, 71. - - _Two Men o' Mendip_, 98. - - - Ubley Farm, 98. - - Undermining, 4, 6, 25. - - Upper Langford, 105. - - - Van den Broeck, 31. - - Vaucluse, 33. - - - Wastdale, 96. - - Wavering Down, 106, 110. - - Wedmore, 3. - - Well (in Swildon's Hole), 73, 77. - - Wells, 2, 5, 7, 8, 17, 26, 28, 29, 36, 83. - - Wells Museum, 14. - - West Riding, 34. - - Weston-super-Mare, 16. - - Wharfedale, 138. - - Wightman (Mr. F.), 138. - - Wild Boar, 23. - - Wild Goat, 23. - - Wild Horse, 23. - - Willcox (Mr.), 30. - - William of Worcester, 45. - - Williams, (W. H. and G. D.), 152. - - Wills Neck, 123. - - Wind (action of), 6. - - Winnats, 91, 144. - - Wirral, 129. - - Witch of Wookey, 46. - - Wolf, 23, 24. - - Wookey, 45. - - Wookey Hole, 5, 7, 13, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 30, 31, 36, 37, 42, - 43, 45, 52, 60, 70, 82, 127. - - Woolly Rhinoceros, 23. - - Wrington Vale, 115. - - - Yoredales, 144. - - Yorkshire, 1, 10, 29, 35, 44. - - Young's Cavern, 160. - - -_Printed by_ J. BAKER & SON, _Clifton_ - - - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: - -Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's -original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Netherworld of Mendip, by -Ernest A. Baker and Herbert E. 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Balch. - </title> - - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover-image.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1, h2, h3 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -h1 -{ - text-align: center; - font-size: x-large; - font-weight: normal; - line-height: 1.6; -} - -.center -{ - text-align: center; -} - -.spaced -{ - line-height: 1.5; -} - -.space-above - -{ - margin-top: 3em; -} - -.small -{ - font-size: small; -} - -.ph2 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } -.ph2 { font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; } - -.pagebreak {page-break-after: always;} - -table.centered { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} - -td.title { text-align: left; vertical-align: top; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;} -td.page { text-align: right; vertical-align: top; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; -} /* page numbers */ - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -.covernote { - visibility: visible; - display: block; -} - -/* Footnotes */ - -.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} - -.footnote {margin-left: 11%; margin-right: 11%; font-size: 0.9em;} - -.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 82%; text-align: right;} - -.fnanchor { - vertical-align: super; - font-size: .8em; - text-decoration: - none; -} - -/* Transcriber's notes */ -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Netherworld of Mendip, by -Ernest A. Baker and Herbert E. Balch - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Netherworld of Mendip - Explorations in the great caverns of Somerset, Yorkshire, - Derbyshire, and elsewhere - -Author: Ernest A. Baker - Herbert E. Balch - -Release Date: September 16, 2016 [EBook #53063] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Whitehead, Chris Curnow and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img class="border" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" src="images/cover-image.jpg" id="coverpage" width="500" height="733" alt="Cover for Netherworld of Mendip" /> -<div class="transnote covernote"> -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The cover image was restored by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.</p> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<h1 style="margin-top: 4em; margin-bottom: 4em;">THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP</h1> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> -<img src="images/image1.jpg" width="450" height="595" alt="Title page for the Netherworld of Mendip" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">PREFACE</h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> objects of this work are twofold: to describe the -actual incidents of various interesting episodes in the -modern sport of cave exploring, and to give an account -of the scientific results of underground investigations in -the Mendip region of Somerset. Speleology is the latest -of the sporting sciences: like orology and Arctic exploration, -it has two sides, sport and adventure being -the lure to some, whilst others are chiefly attracted by -the new light thrown by these researches on the geology, -the hydrology, and the natural history of the subterranean -regions explored. The chapters dealing with the -scientific results are by H. E. Balch, who has been -working on the geology of Mendip, more especially -among the caves, for upwards of twenty years: the -accounts of actual experiences, in which the sporting -side is predominant, are by E. A. Baker, who described -the recent exploration of the Derbyshire caves in his -<i>Moors, Crags, and Caves of the High Peak</i>, 1903. No -attempt is made to traverse the ground so perfectly -covered by Professor Boyd Dawkins in his fascinating -volume on <i>Cave Hunting</i>, and elsewhere, most of the -work described here being supplementary to that done -by him, and, largely, outside the scope of his aims. -The authors are indebted to the kindness of the Editors<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span> -of the <i>Liverpool Courier</i> and <i>Daily Post</i>, the <i>Manchester -Guardian</i>, the <i>Standard</i>, the <i>Yorkshire Post</i>, the <i>Irish -Naturalist</i>, and the <i>Climbers' Club Journal</i> for permission -to use the substance of various articles which have -appeared in their pages, and to M. Martel, Mr. C. -Blee, and Messrs. Gough for permission to reproduce -a number of excellent illustrations by them.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CONTENTS</h2> - -<table class="centered" border="0" cellpadding="5" style="max-width: 65%;" summary="CONTENTS"> -<tr><td class="title"></td> <td class="page">PAGE</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont1"><span class="smcap">The Cave District of the Mendips</span></a></td> <td class="page">1</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont2"><span class="smcap">The Cheddar Group of Caverns</span></a></td> <td class="page">16</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont3"><span class="smcap">Antiquity of the Caves of Mendip</span></a></td> <td class="page">21</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont4"><span class="smcap">Cave Exploring as a Sport</span></a></td> <td class="page">32</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont5"><span class="smcap">Exploring Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">45</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont6"><span class="smcap">Strenuous Days in the Eastwater Swallet</span></a></td> <td class="page">60</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont7"><span class="smcap">Swildon's Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">70</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont8"><span class="smcap">The Great Cavern at Cheddar</span></a></td> <td class="page">82</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont9"><span class="smcap">Five Caverns at Cheddar</span></a></td> <td class="page">91</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont10"><span class="smcap">The Burrington Caverns</span></a></td> <td class="page">99</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont11"><span class="smcap">The Coral Cave at Compton Bishop</span></a></td> <td class="page">106</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont12"><span class="smcap">Lamb's Lair</span></a></td> <td class="page">115</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont13"><span class="smcap">A Cave in the Quantocks</span></a></td> <td class="page">123</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont14"><span class="smcap">Cave Exploring at Abergele</span></a></td> <td class="page">127</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont15"><span class="smcap">Cave Discoveries on the Welsh Border</span></a></td> <td class="page">133</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont16"><span class="smcap">The Exploration of Stump Cross Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">138</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont17"><span class="smcap">Swallet-Hunting in Derbyshire</span></a></td> <td class="page">144</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont18"><span class="smcap">Exploring New Caves in Derbyshire</span></a></td> <td class="page">152</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont19"><span class="smcap">A Visit to Mitchelstown Cave</span></a></td> <td class="page">159</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Cont20"><span class="smcap">Index</span></a></td> <td class="page">169</td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - -<table class="centered" border="0" cellpadding="3" style="max-width: 65%;" summary="ILLUSTRATIONS"> -<tr><td class="title"></td> <td class="page">PAGE</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus1"><span class="smcap">Map of the Mendip District of Somerset</span></a>,</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">showing Swallets, Caves, and Outlets</span></td> <td class="page">5</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus2"><span class="smcap">The Great Gorge of Cheddar</span></a></td> <td class="page">16</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Dawkes & Partridge</span>, Wells.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus3"><span class="smcap">Romano-British Pottery, Coins, Human</span></a></td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Remains, etc., Wookey Hole Cave</span></td> <td class="page">22</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus4"><span class="smcap">Hyæna Den and Badger Hole, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">23</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus5"><span class="smcap">Plan and Section of Wookey Hole Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">25</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> By <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus6"><span class="smcap">The Great Swallet on Bishop's Lot, Priddy</span></a></td> <td class="page">28</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus7"><span class="smcap">St. Andrew's Well, Wells</span></a></td> <td class="page">29</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus8"><span class="smcap">Profile of the "Witch of Wookey,"</span></a></td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Wookey Hole Cavern</span></td> <td class="page">46</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus9"><span class="smcap">Among the Pools, Wookey Hole Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">47</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus10"><span class="smcap">Mass of Stalagmite, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">48</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus11"><span class="smcap">In the First Chamber, Wookey Hole Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">49</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus12"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Terrace, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">50</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus13"><span class="smcap">Great River Chamber, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">51</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Dawkes & Partridge</span>, Wells.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus14"><span class="smcap">Second Great Chamber, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">52</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Dawkes & Partridge</span>, Wells.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus15"><span class="smcap">Entrance of Third Chamber, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">53</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Dawkes & Partridge</span>, Wells.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus16"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Grotto: New Chambers</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Wookey Hole Cave</span></td> <td class="page">54</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus17"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Grotto, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">55</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Claude Blee</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus18"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Pillars, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">56</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Claude Blee</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus19"><span class="smcap">New Stalactite Grotto, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">57</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus20"><span class="smcap">The Grille: New Chambers, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">58</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus21"><span class="smcap">The Source of the Axe, Wookey Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">59</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus22"><span class="smcap">Entrance to Great Cavern of Eastwater</span></a></td> <td class="page">62</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus23"><span class="smcap">Section of Eastwater Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">63</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> By <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus24"><span class="smcap">The Descent of Eastwater Cavern</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">the Second Vertical Drop</span></td> <td class="page">64</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> From Sketch by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus25"><span class="smcap">The Great Canyon, Eastwater Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">65</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> From Sketch by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus26"><span class="smcap">Entrance of Swildon's Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">72</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">M. Martel</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus27"><span class="smcap">Waterfall, Swildon's Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">73</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus28"><span class="smcap">Entrance of Stalactite Chamber</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Swildon's Hole</span></td> <td class="page">78</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus29"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Curtains, Swildon's Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">79</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus30"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Chamber, Swildon's Hole</span></a></td> <td class="page">80</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus31"><span class="smcap">Stalagmite Pillars in Gough's Great Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">84</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Gough</span>, Cheddar.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus32"><span class="smcap">The Pillars of Solomon's Temple</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Gough's Caves, Cheddar</span></td> <td class="page">85</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Gough</span>, Cheddar.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus33"><span class="smcap">Organ Pipes, Gough's Caves, Cheddar</span></a></td> <td class="page">86</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Gough</span>, Cheddar.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus34"><span class="smcap">"Niagara," A Stalagmite Fall</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Gough's Cave, Cheddar</span></td> <td class="page">87</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">M. Martel</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus35"><span class="smcap">In Cox's Cavern at Cheddar</span></a></td> <td class="page">92</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus36"><span class="smcap">Great Rift Cavern, Cheddar Gorge</span></a></td> <td class="page">93</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus37"><span class="smcap">Entrance to Lamb's Lair, Harptree</span></a></td> <td class="page">116</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus38"><span class="smcap">Plan and Section of the Great Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">of Lamb's Lair</span></td> <td class="page">117</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> By <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus39"><span class="smcap">The "Beehive" Chamber, Lamb's Lair</span></a></td> <td class="page">118</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus40"><span class="smcap">Stalactite Wall, Lamb's Lair</span></a></td> <td class="page">119</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus41"><span class="smcap">Entrance to Great Chamber, Lamb's Lair</span></a></td> <td class="page">120</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus42"><span class="smcap">Largest Chamber in Somerset</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Lamb's Lair, Harptree</span></td> <td class="page">121</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> From Sketch by <span class="smcap">H. E. Balch</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus43"><span class="smcap">Stalactites in Entrance Gallery</span></a>,</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> <span class="smcap">Lamb's Lair</span></td> <td class="page">122</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">Bamforth</span>, Holmfirth.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus44"><span class="smcap">The Ogo, near Abergele</span></a></td> <td class="page">128</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus45"><span class="smcap">Inside the Ogo, near Abergele</span></a></td> <td class="page">129</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus46"><span class="smcap">In the Ogo, near Abergele</span></a></td> <td class="page">130</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus47"><span class="smcap">A pre-Glacial Cave, Llandulas</span></a></td> <td class="page">132</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus48"><span class="smcap">On the Ceiriog</span></a></td> <td class="page">134</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus49"><span class="smcap">Upper Ceiriog Cave</span></a></td> <td class="page">135</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus50"><span class="smcap">Lower Ceiriog Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">136</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus51"><span class="smcap">In Stump Cross Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">140</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus52"><span class="smcap">The Pillar, Stump Cross Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">141</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus53"><span class="smcap">The Chapel: Stump Cross Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">142</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus54"><span class="smcap">Ricklow Cave in Flood</span></a></td> <td class="page">156</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">G. D. Williams</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus55"><span class="smcap">A Great Pillar: Mitchelstown Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">160</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"><a href="#Illus56"><span class="smcap">A Fairy Lantern: Mitchelstown Cavern</span></a></td> <td class="page">161</td></tr> -<tr><td class="title"> Photo by <span class="smcap">E. A. Baker</span>.</td> <td class="page"></td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;">THE NETHERWORLD OF MENDIP</h2> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 75px;"> -<img src="images/image2.jpg" width="75" height="18" alt="line" /> -</div> - -<p class="ph2" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont1" id="Cont1">THE CAVE DISTRICT OF THE MENDIPS</a></p> - -<p><span class="smcap">"A land</span> of caves, whose palaces of fantastic beauty -still adorn the mysterious underworld where murmuring -rivers first see the light." In these words an imaginative -writer describes Somerset, which shares with Derbyshire -and Yorkshire the title of a land of caverns. Across it -the range of the Mendips, a region of Old Red Sandstone -and Carboniferous Limestone, 1000 feet above tide-level, -stretches in a huge, flat-topped rampart for nearly -30 miles, from the town of Frome to the sea. No piece -of country in the kingdom offers so much to explore. -An abundant harvest is there waiting to be reaped; for -on every side are obvious indications of half-buried -gateways to the dark and secret pathways to the netherworld, -and everywhere upon the surface of the Mendip -tableland lie the open pits and hollows which the local -speech calls "swallets," that is to say, swallow holes, some -of them dry, some actively engulfing streams, but all -testifying to untold ages of water action.</p> - -<p>This Limestone district lies far from the busy hives of -industry, remote and secluded in the very heart of lovely -Somerset. Only on the darkest of nights, with the -clouds low in the sky, can the glare of the lights of -Bristol be seen reflected far to the northward. One main<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> -line of railway, the Great Western from Bristol to Exeter, -passes near it, and even that does not intrude beyond the -margin of this Caveland. The rendezvous for the cave -explorers of the district is usually the quiet little city of -Wells, lying calm and secluded under the southern slopes -of Mendip, in close proximity to all the principal caverns. -A mile to the south-east rises the bold and picturesque -Dulcote Hill, a fragment of the most southerly anticline -of Mountain Limestone in the kingdom. From this -point, rolling northward in a great fivefold anticline, Old -Red Sandstone, Lower Limestone Shales, and Mountain -Limestone form the great mass of the worn-down stump -of the once mighty Mendip range. The extent of the -denudation which has taken place indicates that this -range was originally at least 5000 feet high, yet now in -but a few places is the height of 1000 feet attained, and -this is reached only by the Old Red Sandstone ridges -laid bare in the prolonged course of that denudation. -The first of these high ridges rises boldly to the north of -Wells, and a steep climb of 900 feet in two and a half -miles brings us to the summit of Pen Hill, or Rookham, -from which a grand southward view is to be obtained. -Immediately below, the three cathedral towers pierce -the blue mist hanging over the little city we have just -left. Beyond, the peat moors of the Brue and the Axe -stretch away to the Isle of Avalon, sacred as the birthplace -of our Christian faith in England. Here below us -is that</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 25%; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"> "Island valley of Avilion,<br /> -Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,<br /> -Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies<br /> -Deep meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard lawns,<br /> -And bowery hollows crowned with summer seas."</p> - -<p>Here, where Arthur's bones are said to have been -found, and where traditions associated with him abound, -his memory is kept green in the names of many well-known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -spots; and yonder rises Cadbury Camp, looked -upon by many as the Camelot of romance. On the low -ridge which intervenes between the valleys of the Axe -and the Brue lies Wedmore, where King Alfred gained in -the Peace of Wedmore such temporary respite from his -foes as allowed him to gather strength for the great -operations that resulted at last in the conquest and unity -of the whole kingdom. Yonder, too, are the marshes of -the Parrett and the Tone, around which cluster tales -familiar to every schoolchild. In the marshes between -the Mendips and Glastonbury, exploration has unearthed -a most interesting example of a swamp or lake village, -with great store of antiquarian material, throwing a flood -of light upon a period of which little was known. Beyond -lies Sedgemoor, where in 1685 took place the last -battle ever fought on English soil; and throughout this -neighbourhood the infamous Jeffreys worked his will in -the judicial slaughter of countless Somerset men.</p> - -<p>In the far distance the sunshine glints on the waters -of the Bristol Channel, where, 60 miles away, the bold -promontory of the Foreland rises sheer from the sea; to -the south, upon the farthest limits of our vision, Pilsdon -and Lewsdon mark the descent of our southern counties -to the English Channel; whilst, on a clear day, between -them is seen the summit of Golden Cap, the base of which -is washed by our southern sea. Surely here is as fair a -scene as eye could wish to see.</p> - -<p>Only a pleasant walk away, the great chasms of -Ebbor and Cheddar have rent the rocks asunder, forming -two of the loveliest ravines in the kingdom. Northward -across the intervening syncline of Mountain Limestone, -pitted with swallets marking the entrances to many an -unknown subterranean labyrinth, are seen the Old Red -Sandstone summits of North Hill, crowned with its -seventeen Neolithic barrows, and of Blackdown beyond,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -from whose bare top is seen the broad estuary of the -Severn spreading out across the view, giving a glimpse -of the coast of South Wales in the far distance, its busy -factories showing their pencil-like chimneys against the -dark hills behind. In the Channel the little islands of -Steepholm and Flatholm mark the line of the original -continuation of the great Mendip range into South Wales. -The limestone shores of the former rise sheer from the -sea, forming an impregnable fortress. Here, far below the -level of the salt water around, a supply of pure water is -obtained from the Limestone, brought, doubtless, from -the Limestone area of Mendip by way of some hidden -fissure.</p> - -<p>Hard by, at Clevedon, is the grave of that great -friend of Tennyson, who sat here and listened to</p> - - -<p style="margin-left: 25%; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">"The moaning of the homeless sea,<br /> - The sound of streams that, swift or slow,<br /> - Draw down æonian hills, and sow<br /> - The dust of continents to be."</p> - -<p>Very truly and accurately his words describe the action -that is going on, by which the swallet streams are -undermining and honeycombing these hills and bearing -their component rocks away to the sea.</p> - -<p>Standing on Pen Hill and looking northward, a great -east and west depression is seen forming a broad low valley -in the tableland of Mendip. Into this valley numerous -springs and a liberal rainfall are for ever pouring their -waters. Yet nowhere is there a surface channel which -can carry this water away; and nowhere, save in the -small hollows of the Old Red Sandstone and Shales, does -water accumulate. The reason is not far to seek. The -Carboniferous Limestone, evenly stratified everywhere, -has been split by vertical joints into a series of gigantic -cubes. Between them, the surface waters, laden with -carbonic acid obtained from the atmosphere and from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -vegetation, have for ages made their way, enlarging them -by both chemical and mechanical action, till they have -become fissures capable of giving passage to an enormous -quantity of water. So from one joint to another, from -one bedding plane to another, the water percolates -downwards until it meets with some impermeable rock -beneath, or until it finds an outlet at the level of the -Secondary rocks forming the valley below. Such -impermeable beds are found in the Lower Limestone -Shales, and the resulting outlets are well known in the -great risings of St. Andrew's Well in the gardens of the -Bishop's Palace at Wells, in the source of the Axe at -Wookey Hole, in the Cheddar Water and other large -springs, of all of which more hereafter.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a name="Illus1" id="Illus1"></a> -<a href="images/image3b.jpg"><img style="margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;" src="images/image3a.jpg" width="600" height="537" alt="MAP OF THE MENDIP DISTRICT OF SOMERSET, SHOWING SWALLETS, CAVES, AND OUTLETS." /> -</a></div> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1em">MAP OF THE MENDIP DISTRICT OF SOMERSET, SHOWING SWALLETS, CAVES, AND OUTLETS.</p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">(Click on map to see a larger version. Not available on all devices.)</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Reference to the sketch map of the district will show -that the majority of the more important swallets lie along -the line of the great depression referred to. These comprise -by no means all the swallets of Mendip, yet they are -the chief ones. It is obvious that the whole of the mass -of material represented by this great depression has been -removed in suspension by way of these swallets; and one -is compelled to ask, How long has this work been going -on? What time is represented by so vast a work? On -the threshold of the inquiry we are met by such an -amount of evidence bearing upon it that the subject -must be dealt with separately. For, upon the upturned -edges of the Carboniferous Limestone rocks, which can have -been brought down to their present plane of denudation -only by long-continued water action, have been deposited, -and still remain <i>in situ</i>, great masses of the basement -beds of the Secondary rocks, lying in such a manner as -to convince us that swallet action had prepared the -denuded surfaces upon which they lie. And upon this -hinges the whole question of the antiquity of the caverns -of Mendip. But whilst the age of our caverns is a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> -debatable matter, no one can question the accuracy of -the theory of ravine formation from the collapse of -cavern roofs, as evidenced by the instances supplied by -Mendip.</p> - -<p>Through crevices and cracks, here, there, and everywhere, -the percolating waters find their way. Now some -crevice is enlarged into a passage; now some weak point -in the passage becomes a chamber; and on the water -rushes, steadily joining forces and accumulating, until on -the level of the lower land it finds an outlet, and rushes -forth a considerable stream. In its headlong course the -water again and again leaps down some great series of -potholes, as down some giant stairway, forming many fine -cascades, whose deafening roar goes on for ever where -there is no ear to hear and where no footstep ever -treads the rocky ways. Along the course of the larger -streams huge chambers occur; for the ever-eddying water, -bearing sand along in its course, eats out the sides of its -channel, or, revolving stones in its bed, carves out the -pothole by friction. Or some pendent mass of rock has -its support undermined and comes crashing into the -streamway, only to be broken up and carried away by -the ceaseless energy of the stream, so ever enlarging the -chambers upwards towards the light of day. But whilst -this action is going on underground, a more potent factor -is at work where the subterranean stream first sees the -light. Here very soon the action of the water alone -gives rise to a little cliff overhead. Now rain and frost, -wind and tempest, loosen, bit by bit, the fragments of rock -forming the face of the cliff, which fall away into the -river, to be broken up and carried away. Little by little -the face of the cliff recedes, along the line of the subterranean -river, until the first underground chamber is -reached. The undermined archway of rock is less able -to withstand the agents of denudation, and the cliff front<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -recedes apace. Such is the present stage at Wookey -Hole, the chamber whence the river Axe issues being still -in process of destruction. Thus the work goes on slowly, -yet none the less surely, until along the whole course of -the subterranean river the roof of the cavern is destroyed, -perhaps effectually hiding the stream under huge blocks -of Limestone, such as those of Ebbor Gorge, near Wells, -or until the water finds another course for itself, as at -Cheddar, to begin the whole story over again. Every -stage is abundantly illustrated by our Mendip swallets -and caves. The large swallets of Eastwater, three and a -half miles from Wells, of Swildon's or Swithin's Hole, a -half-mile nearer Priddy, and the more recent swallet of -Stoke Lane, half-way between Wells and Frome, are -excellent examples of streams engulfed on the summit of -Mendip. The whole of the country surrounding the two -first-named caverns is dotted with innumerable small pits -and hollows. The great swallet of Hillgrove, three miles -north of Wells, in the exploration of which we are at -present engaged, in an endeavour to penetrate the -labyrinth of ways to which it will undoubtedly afford -access, is a fine example of an intermittent swallet. Here -three ways, carved deeply through the stream-borne sands -and clays of some uncertain epoch of geological history, -converge in a deep glen, beautiful with its tropical wealth -of ferns. In the bottom of the glen huge spurs of Limestone -stand up boldly, dipping towards the Old Red -Sandstone exposed to the south, and pointing to a great -fault, along the line of which the Limestone water is bound -to accumulate in a huge triangular reservoir, the outflow -from which may account for the summer flow of the Axe -when the majority of the swallets are dry. In winter the -converging torrents here find ingress into the Limestone, -but, though pits and hollows abound on every hand, no -foot of man has ever yet trod the hidden ways beneath.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -At a depth of 10 feet we have reached the first open -channel, only to have it blocked subsequently by a fall -of the treacherous gravel through which we have been -working.</p> - -<p>Vast dry swallets are represented by a great depression -which we call the Bishop's Lot Swallet, on the road from -Wells to Priddy. Here a huge hollow in the ground, -perfectly circular and 300 yards round, shows us the -largest swallet in Mendip. Though the surrounding -land slopes gently to the edge of the great pit, which -is 60 feet in depth, there is but the smallest trace of -water penetrating it. It is ages since the drainage of -the surrounding land gravitated towards it, for it lies at -a considerable height above the level of most of the other -swallets in the neighbourhood. A mile and a half to the -west, a similar pit occurs called Sand Pit Hole. Here -too water has ceased to flow, and it remains, with precipitous -sides, a problem for us to investigate in the near -future.</p> - -<p>To enter either of the active swallets of Eastwater or -Swildon's Hole, and to follow it to its greatest depth, is to -gain an insight into the action of subterranean streams -such as no other method can give. The former is well -illustrated by the annexed section, in which its profound -depth and its labyrinth of passages may readily be -understood. The difficulties and disappointments which -we encountered when I conducted the operations which -at last resulted in our effecting an entrance into this -cavern, the existence of which was not even suspected -previously, need not here be recapitulated. Altogether, -what with volunteers and labourers, nearly a dozen of us -were occupied ten days in the determined effort which we -made, and which at last was crowned with success. From -the point of view of the subsequent explorer the reader is -referred to the ensuing chapter upon Eastwater Cavern,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -which will convey some idea of what the first explorers -must undergo in any such place when to the ordinary -difficulties of such an exploration is added the great -uncertainty felt at every step taken, and when every -boulder upon which our weight is to rest must first be -carefully examined. The difficulty of our work at -Eastwater is practically what must be experienced in any -new work undertaken in the Mendip region, and there is -much waiting to be done. If there is one thing more -than another to be learned from Eastwater Cavern, it is -the great importance of chokes in determining the lines -of subterranean drainage. Here they are seen in every -stage of formation and destruction, and the channels which -have been carved by the arrested water may be readily -recognised.</p> - -<p>There is a fascination in exploration work such as that -at Eastwater, where corridors, hitherto untrodden by the -foot of man, open up all around as you make your way -ever downwards into the heart of the hills; and even now -there are many accessible passages into which as yet no -one has penetrated. Reference to the section annexed -will show an upper way, which terminates abruptly in a -choke of stones and gravel, holding up a little water, whilst -allowing a considerable quantity to pass. It is a remarkable -fact that in all the labyrinths of galleries which we -have explored in the profound depths of this cavern we -have not yet alighted upon any portion which gives access -to the continuation of this channel. There, rendered -inaccessible by the barrier of débris, is, without doubt, a -cavern as extensive as that which we have proved to exist -in the sister watercourse hard by; and these two channels, -starting from practically the same point, must diverge -widely, and certainly do not unite again before the depth -of 500 feet is attained.</p> - -<p>Farther eastward in Mendip, too, are similar swallet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -caverns. Not far to the north-west of Stoke Lane is an -interesting cavern locally known as Cox's Hole. It is -situated in the Limestone forming the southern edge of -the great basin in which lies the Radstock Coalfield. -Owing to the existence of this coalfield, there are no deep -caves accessible in this part of Mendip. Yet a good deal -of water must be absorbed through the innumerable fissures -into the depths of the Carboniferous Limestone underlying -the coalfield, and it is by no means unlikely that this -water, heated to a high point by the subterranean temperature, -gives rise to the hot springs at Bath. Cox's -Hole was at a remote period, when the form of the hill -was very different from that presented now, an active -water-channel, evidently draining towards St. Dunstan's -Well. It has two distinct entrances, one, the more -westerly, being a cavity of considerable size. For about -100 feet the cavern consists of a roomy gallery -running more or less horizontally. Then it pinches in, -until the height is less than a foot, and only those can -get along who are able to compress themselves into small -compass. In a few feet, however, it widens out into a -good-sized passage, with fine stalactites here and there, -especially at a point on the northern side where an aven -opens into a chamber more than 30 feet high. Now -roomy and now contracted, the passage leads on until, -at a distance of 100 yards from the entrance, it becomes -so small that there is considerable difficulty in -proceeding. Beyond this point the cavern becomes a -simple water-tunnel, of a type common in Yorkshire. -At 130 yards there is a sharp descent, the floor is -littered with boulders, and 20 yards farther the passage -is choked with silt. A very small passage, which had -water in it when I was there, is said to be passable at -times, though I am inclined to doubt this. An almost -vertical ascent amongst treacherous boulders, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -seems an indication of a possible route onwards, which -may, I trust, with care be yet explored. The last 50 -yards of the cave run to the south-east—that is, away -from the direction of St. Dunstan's Well—a beautiful -spring rising from the Carboniferous Limestone hard by; -yet I feel sure that it must of necessity be a part of the -same waterway. Either it was an inlet which received -the waters of some vanished Old Red Sandstone spring, or -it was a former outlet for the waters of that well. I am -inclined to favour the former theory. As to the present -source of the waters of St. Dunstan's Well there can be -no doubt whatever. In the valley below Stoke Lane, -and three-quarters of a mile distant from the well and -from Cox's Hole, there is a most interesting swallet, of -comparatively recent age. It is obviously certain that, -not so long ago, the stream which courses down the -valley flowed unchecked down its whole length, and so -reached the larger stream below. Slightly retarded, in all -probability, by some flood-borne silt, the water found a -little joint in the western bank of the valley, and by slow -degrees so enlarged it that it at last became capable of -swallowing the whole. Even now a few hours' work would -divert the water and cause it to resume its former course. -Upstream is a mill, the owner of which has courteously -given every facility for testing and for exploration. It -was found that the effect of damming the mill stream -entirely was to reduce the flow at St. Dunstan's Well -enormously, and to render the entrance of the swallet -passable. Mr. Marshall of Stratton-on-the-Fosse with his -party made a successful descent, and travelled a considerable -distance, mainly parallel with the valley without -and to a great extent horizontally, through water-tunnels -of small size. As no measurements were taken one cannot -say yet how far it is passable, but he says that they did -not get to the limits of possible exploration, as the time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -which they spent there was getting dangerously near the -hour up to which it is possible to dam the water, and -they most wisely beat a hasty retreat. The first opportunity -will be taken by us to make use of a spell of fine -weather to carry this exploration to a successful issue. -Not far distant, too, is another swallet, from which the -water has been diverted to be used for water-supply. -This is in the vicinity of a ruined hunting lodge, and is -said to lead in the same direction as the Stoke Lane -Swallet. The whole of this district is likely to be very -interesting, there being a series of remarkable rifts or -fissures in the Dolomitic Conglomerate which deserve -attention. One of these, called Fairy Slats, has been -known for many years, and is indeed shown on the -Ordnance map; and the fact that such fissures abound -has been forcibly brought home by a disaster to a new -reservoir, only recently completed by the authorities of -Downside Monastery, to supply the neighbouring villages. -Here a finely designed basin, having been constructed -over one of these fissures, had its massive concrete bottom -burst out as if it were an egg-shell the moment the water -filled it, and in a single hour the whole fabric was -absolutely ruined. Some measure of the extent of the -concealed fissures may be gathered from the fact that -500,000 gallons of water were absolutely swallowed up -without a drop coming to light in the neighbouring -valley. An early visitor to the adjoining field reported -that air was being ejected through the grass all around -him, much to his alarm, as he was quite unaware of what -had occurred. It will be a most interesting subject for -inquiry, as to how far such fissures as these are the results -of water action or otherwise, and it is most desirable to -descend one of them at the first opportunity in search of -evidence. At present I am inclined to attribute their -presence to movements in the Secondary rocks, due to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -the intersection of the district by valleys. The Conglomerate -mass has parted along the lines of the principal -joints, and the rifts thus formed have become lines of -drainage. This theory, in view of possible future discoveries, -may have to be modified.</p> - -<p>Above Stoke Lane Swallet, and evidently connected -with it in some remote way, is a cavity without a name, -the exploration of which would probably be interesting, -and would be most likely to yield remains of primitive -Man. Mr. Marshall also reports the existence of a fissure -of considerable size, where, after a very small entrance, a -point is reached with a vertical descent of great depth. -All these things indicate that there is a splendid field here -for further work.</p> - -<p>Indeed there are abundant evidences of this all over -Mendip. One of the most interesting problems has had -further light thrown upon it by work recently done by us -at Wookey Hole. The Hyæna Den and the Badger Hole -are testimony that a large amount of underground action -has taken place upon the east side of the ravine, yet -nothing has been known hitherto of any series of dry -channels upon that side. Recently, however, we have -succeeded in gaining access, by way of the smallest of -fissures, into what will turn out most likely to be a portion -of this very series. Here is to be seen a choked-up -chamber of precisely the same type as the Hyæna Den, -but far deeper in the wall of the ravine. Without doubt -it contains prehistoric remains, yet its excavation will -entail great labour. We have already reached a distance -of 80 feet from the entrance, and only a partially choked -passage bars the way.</p> - -<p>High up in the ravine at Ebbor, too, there is a very -promising field for further research. This is immediately -beneath a cliff on the western side of the valley, where we -have already done much preliminary work. There is also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -a very promising little cave, slightly north of Tower Rock -in the same gorge and high up in its side. Here a narrow -entrance gives access to a small chamber, on the floor of -which is a deep deposit of cave earth, from which I have -obtained Deer bones.</p> - -<p>At Dulcote, again, there is a series of waterways and -dry caves of great interest, which in themselves bear corroborative -evidence of the great antiquity of the caverns of -the district. From time to time the quarrymen have -broken in upon these waterways, which have been lost -in subsequent operations. Not many years ago a blast -blew off the top of an almost vertical shaft, carved out in -the Limestone by water action and descending to a great -depth. The mass of rock blown off by the charge turned -over and fell down the shaft, blocking it at 30 feet from -the surface. It was possible to descend to this point and -throw down stones, which fell for a considerable distance; -but the block was never moved, and in the process of -quarrying the hole became filled, and is now lost in the -general level of the quarry. Hard by, also, a cavern of -considerable extent was opened, and still remains. It -contains nothing of peculiar interest, though when I was -first lowered into it, from a hole 60 feet above its floor, -it contained very pretty coral-like splash stalagmite; and -also, in the mud floor, the tubular linings of calcite, formed -from the drip from above. In this quarry, too, were found -a considerable quantity of the bones of Bear, Deer, Bos, -Horse, etc., and these are now in the Wells Museum, -where they were deposited some years since by A. F. -Somerville, Esq. There are numerous other minor caves -in this locality. Farther up the same valley, above -Croscombe, is a small cave known locally as Betsy -Camel's Hole, and it appears to have been occupied by -a woman bearing that name for some years. She was, of -course, carried away by the devil, according to the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -popular report. It may very well have been a rock shelter -at some stage of its history. Mr. Somerville informs me, -too, that in Dinder Wood there is a small cave which was -almost certainly a rock shelter. This also has never been -explored. In fact, the whole district may be described as -an unexplored field, and there is abundant room for willing -helpers. The landowners, for the most part, are exceedingly -kind and ready to offer every facility for scientific -research.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">H. E. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont2" id="Cont2">THE CHEDDAR GROUP OF CAVERNS</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> great gorge of Cheddar and its caverns form a -subject of surpassing interest to the student of Geology. -Presenting some of the most stupendous cliff scenery in -England, the great wall of rock on the southern side of -the valley towers nearly 500 feet into the air, defying -all attempts at mapping contour lines; and the road -which traverses the ravine winds, with many a sudden -turn, along the base of this noble cliff, ever upwards, -until in four miles the actual summit of the Mendip -downs is reached. At the entrance to the gorge, and -close to the caverns owned by Gough, the hidden river -bursts into the light, pouring forth a stream of great -volume, which, after serving the purposes of various -millers in the village, hurries on to join its sister stream -from Wookey Hole, the two then flowing into the sea near -Weston-super-Mare. It is strange that in all the exploration -work that has been done at Cheddar, the underground -channel of the stream has not once been reached. Near -the entrance in Gough's Cave a fairly deep hole contains -water, which changes in level along with the river itself, -but no open passage leads from it. A vertical rope -descent of 100 feet from the upper and practically unknown -caverns belonging to Gough brings the explorer -to what must be regarded as the nearest point which has -yet been reached to the subterranean river of Cheddar. -As this gorge is the most stupendous in the Mendip region, -so is this stream the most considerable in volume. Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -Sheldon of Wells has gauged its minimum flow to be -not less than three million gallons per day, whilst its -torrent at flood time must be many times as much, -probably not less than eight or ten millions.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus2" id="Illus2"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image4.jpg" width="365" height="606" alt="THE GREAT GORGE OF CHEDDAR. Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells." /> -</a></div> -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">THE GREAT GORGE OF CHEDDAR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>This is considerably larger than the other two great -outlets of the subterranean waters of Mendip, those of -Wookey Hole and Wells, each of which, however, pours -forth an enormous volume. That it is the Cheddar stream -which is responsible for the existence of the gorge itself -no one can doubt, and it is a most interesting subject for -discussion as to how this has been brought about. It is -not difficult to determine what points must mark the -boundaries of the catchment area, the waters of which -drain to Cheddar. The road from Castle Comfort to -Charterhouse on the north-east, the outcrop of Shales -south of Blackdown on the north, and a line drawn from -Rowberrow Farm north of Priddy to the gorge itself on -the south, enclose the whole area from which the -supply is obtained. This is somewhere about 12 square -miles in extent. To this must be added, possibly, some -water from slightly more to the eastward. It is now the -commonly accepted theory that the whole of this water, -or at any rate the bulk of it, found inlet into a series of -caverns along the line now occupied by the gorge, and -that then the processes which are so well known to be -going on gradually enlarged these to the point of collapse, -the falling débris being removed by the still flowing -stream. It is only right to add that M. Martel, arguing -from his long experience, which probably exceeds that of -any man who has ever studied the subject, sees in the -gorges of Cheddar, Burrington, and presumably Ebbor, -the superficial channels worn by the escaping streams -from the ancient Mendip plateau. He says, "The numerous -dried valleys (Burrington Combe, Cheddar Cliffs, etc.), -which cut through the circumference of the Mendips,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -witness, as everywhere, to the ancient superficial flowing -off of the rivers, and to their capture by the natural wells, -successively opened and enlarged in the cracks of the -Limestone rock." That even small streams acting through -a sufficient period of time are capable of doing enormous -erosive work it would be idle to deny, but the difficulties -in the way of accepting this theory as alone sufficient are -too great to admit of its acceptance. It demands that the -water of a very large area could find access to the eastern -end of the ravine, which itself demands that the general -configuration of the Mendips must have been very -different from that presented now. This, from the -existence of the Secondary beds in their present position, -say near Harptree, was not the case; and therefore, for the -theory to hold good, we must suppose that the superficial -gorge was pre-Triassic. As it was not filled in, either in -Triassic time or subsequently, it could not have been -superficial. Of course it may be contended that the -reversal of this line of argument demonstrates that the -gorge is post-Liassic and may then have been a superficial -channel, but I hold this to be disproved in my chapter on -the antiquity of the Mendip Caves. I am, accordingly, -forced to the conclusion that the Cheddar gorge was -during the whole of the Secondary period a roofed-in -cavern. The only difficulty which arises is a doubt as -to the ability of the stream to remove so vast a bulk of -falling material as must be accounted for; but when we -see the process in actual operation, as at Wookey Hole, -it is only necessary to demand sufficient time, and the -difficulty vanishes. That a time did arrive when the rate -of collapse more than kept pace with the destructive -energy of the stream is indicated by the rapid rise -which takes place in the road through the gorge. This -favours the cave theory as opposed to the superficial -channel theory, inasmuch as a superficial channel would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -probably have maintained a more nearly equal depth -throughout.</p> - -<p>That the portion of M. Martel's theory which explains -the absence of the stream from the gorge is correct is -very clear, there being obvious indications, notably at the -western end of the ravine, where points of absorption might -be traced beneath the high cliffs, any one of which, if -excavated, would almost certainly lead to the present -channel of the river beyond Gough's Caves. The Long -Hole above, as pointed out in my chapter upon the -antiquity of the Mendip Caves, is corroborative evidence -which tends to disprove the superficial valley theory, as it -is without a doubt an old cavern of absorption, which could -not have existed had the ravine been a superficial valley. -Everyone must lament the recent developments in the -Cheddar gorge by which the northern side is being -hacked to pieces to provide road metal. There are -thousands of places where the same stone could be -obtained, with almost equal ease; and it does seem pitiful -that one of the finest places in the kingdom should be -sacrificed to the most callous and sordid commercialism. -The conditions under which the work is being carried on -constitute also a public danger, as has now been exemplified -by the collapse into the gorge of a huge mass of -the rock. The dip of the Limestone is to the southward, -and consequently any work done on the northern side is -removing the support that holds up the great mass upon -an inclined plane. Of necessity the mass above, its -support gone, comes hurtling down to the roadway, and -it is practically certain that, if quarrying operations -continue, some day the gorge will be entirely closed by -a gigantic fall.</p> - -<p>An interesting little tributary ravine and cavern, far -up the gorge, provides a perfect example of the cave -theory of the formation of the gorge itself. About two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -miles from the village, on the southern slopes of the ravine, -is an extensive fir wood. High up on the opposite side -this little ravine is visible, and it may be reached with -ease. Here sides that gently slope give way to precipitous -walls, between which you walk. Moss-grown stones give -place to new-fallen stones, and then you have before you -the little ravine roofed in; you pass beneath, and find -yourself in the darkness of the cavern itself, which can be -followed for some distance. Here, at any rate, there can -be no doubt as to the process that has been at work.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">H. E. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont3" id="Cont3">ANTIQUITY OF THE CAVES OF MENDIP</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> we consider the question of the age of our caverns, -we are met at the outset by a mass of evidence forcing -upon us the certainty that they must be credited with a -very high antiquity indeed. Here measurement by years -and centuries fails, and the imagination must be called in -to aid us to compute the epochs that have successively -elapsed since the first cave, to take one example, began -to be formed at Wookey Hole. These evidences are of -three kinds: historical, palæontological, and geological. -In the first place, there has been obviously little change -in the general configuration of our caverns since earliest -historical times. The dens and caves of the earth have -afforded a retreat to the persecuted of all generations, and -a ready-made home when all else has failed. Here, too, -with the rocky walls behind him and his protecting fires -at the entrance, early man could defy the savage beasts -that roamed the land in those far-off days.</p> - -<p>At Wookey Hole it was only necessary to scratch the -very surface of the accumulated débris within the mouth -of the great cave to turn up fragments of Romano-British -pottery and a human jaw and rib-bones. These interesting -relics are in the possession of myself and Mr. Troup. -From the very nature of the place, it is obvious that the -tendency has been to accumulate more and more débris -upon the mass of cave earth which contains these remains. -Slightly deeper, yet still only in the loose earth of the -cavern mouth, we found pottery of still earlier date,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -unwheeled and cruder. The fact is borne in upon us, -that certainly for two thousand years this entrance has -remained much as it is now. Perhaps a loose rock here -and there has been dislodged from the overhanging cliff -outside, and, crashing to the stream bed below, has there -been broken up and carried away by the river. But no -one can doubt that the general outline is the same now -as then. And farther within the cavern an interesting -sidelight is thrown on the slowness with which things -change in the underworld. At the descent into the first -great chamber a chalk inscription roughly made reads -"E A 1769." That inscription has been there unchanged, -to my knowledge, for the last twenty years, and I have -no reason to doubt its authenticity. If a chalk mark -remains unerased for a century and more, how long have -those solid walls stood, and how long will they endure?</p> - -<p>As I have gazed upon that inscription, the thought has -come, that such a place as this would be an ideal site for -national monuments. When our abbeys and cathedrals -are crumbled away, these great subterranean halls will -remain practically unchanged. And in the caves of -Cheddar like evidences meet the eye. In the loose -material in the Roman cave there, Roman and Romano-British -remains have been found in abundance; and here -again we are forced to the conclusion that no change has -taken place since those remains were deposited.</p> - -<p>But when we consider the evidences furnished by the -remains of the extinct mammalia, mingled with those of -primitive man, much more is it impressed upon the mind -that we are dealing with relics of enormous antiquity. -The great assemblage of bones of the extinct animals -which occurs at Banwell Cave, and the numberless finds -from the caves of Cheddar, are indications of this; but -those of the Hyæna Den of Wookey Hole, and the -conditions of their deposit there, afford us much more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -reliable testimony. Here are two principal cavities on -the eastern side of the ravine, representing two of the five -river levels which the stream of the Axe has hollowed for -itself in the Dolomitic Conglomerate. These are branch -or side chambers which have not been totally destroyed -in the process of erosion that formed the ravine at the -expense of the cavern. In the uppermost cavity, known -as the Badger Hole (it was the haunt of badgers until a -few years ago), no traces of the extinct mammalia are to -be found, nor have I found definite traces of prehistoric -man. At seven feet below the surface, however, there is -a bed of river sand of precisely the same kind as that in -the upper chambers of the great cavern. In the Hyæna -Den below, on the other hand, so thoroughly and systematically -explored by Professor Boyd Dawkins, was -found one of the most perfect assemblages of the remains -of extinct animals ever discovered. Many years after his -labours were completed I searched there again, and was -rewarded with a by no means poor collection of bones and -teeth: Mammoth and Woolly Rhinoceros, Irish Elk -and Reindeer, Red Deer, Bison, Cave Lion and Bear, -Hyæna and Wolf, Wild Goat, Wild Horse, and Wild -Boar have all been found. One of my earliest trophies -was a fairly complete skull of a young Bear; and I have -representatives of all the others. From a small hole in -the side of the valley hard by, which I thought looked -promising, we have obtained a large number of Rhinoceros -teeth, together with those of several of the other kinds -present in the Den. The examination of these cavities -and their contents demonstrates the fact that they were -the actual dens of some of these animals. The abundant -marks of gnawing show that the Hyænas made their -home there. Over the vertical cliff many a worn-out -beast was hunted to its death by the Hyænas and Wolves, -and its shattered carcass dragged to this hole.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus3" id="Illus3"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image5.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="ROMANO-BRITISH POTTERY, COINS, HUMAN REMAINS, ETC., WOOKEY HOLE CAVE. Photo by H. E. Balch." /> -</a></div> -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">ROMANO-BRITISH POTTERY, COINS, HUMAN REMAINS, ETC., WOOKEY HOLE CAVE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"><a name="Illus4" id="Illus4"> -<img src="images/image6.jpg" width="370" height="612" alt="HYÆNA DEN AND BADGER HOLE, WOOKEY HOLE. Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">HYÆNA DEN AND BADGER HOLE, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>It is easy to wander back in imagination and bring -the state of things that existed visibly before the mind's -eye: to watch the unwieldy Mammoth or the great -Rhinoceros rolling its huge bulk along; to see the pack -of cowardly Hyænas or Wolves hounding some worn-out -Bison to its death, over the awful cliff close by their den, -which purpose effected, they themselves rushed headlong -down the steep slope hard by, to fight and wrangle over -the shattered carcass of their prey; or to see the Lion -lying in wait by the peaceful stream in the little valley -for the noble Elk or timid Deer to come for its accustomed -drink; and then to behold savage Man, with his weapons -of flint or bone, when out on his hunting expeditions, -arriving at this peaceful valley, and there for a while -making his quarters in the Den, and lighting his fires at -the entrance to scare the wild beasts from their lair.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> - -<p>How long ago this state of things existed is a matter -for geological calculation. Suffice it that the earliest -historical records show us no wild beasts existing in the -land except Bears and Wolves, along with the Red Deer -which is with us to this day. Now there is no sign at -Wookey Hole of the time when the Bear and Wolf alone -remained and all else had become extinct from the land. -There is no trace whatever in the Hyæna Den of the -pottery which we find in the entrance of the great cave. -Without a doubt, the latest deposits here are vastly older -than the most ancient deposits there. The commingling -of northern, temperate, and southern forms gives evidence -of oscillations in temperature such as demand a vast time -to have taken place. Yet the whole of these remains -accumulated between the time when the entrance to the -Den was left exposed by the gradual destruction and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -retreat of the cliff face up the valley, and the infilling and -choking of the entrance by the accumulating gravel which -eventually blocked it. It is only within the last few years -that the gravel arch which was first formed, and then -undermined in the search after bones, has collapsed, -revealing the true configuration of the cavern. Here we -must again postulate a great antiquity for our caverns, -since these deposits exist in what is really an insignificant -fragment of the great cavern, and are only an incidental -part of the material which an exposed cavity is sure to -receive. But when purely geological evidences are taken -into account, the demand for time becomes still more -imperative. The subterranean Axe occupies, as its present -channel, vast chambers formed by the excavation of -thousands of tons of the hard Conglomerate, great halls -over 70 feet in height and of fine proportions. The -process which formed these is still at work enlarging -them, till in the course of time they must collapse; yet no -change is ever visible, no signs of recent action can at -any point be seen. The rarely occurring great flood -serves but to remove one film of sand from the floor and -to leave another in its place as the waters subside. So -slow is the undermining action that no eye can ever detect -a change though the waters rise ever so high. Yet this -channel is but one of five distinct levels which the river -has occupied from time to time, until it has found in turn -a lower course, leaving its sands as a record upon each, -here and there sealed down beneath a mass of stalagmite. -What untold ages have elapsed since first the river flowed -through these upper channels!</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a name="Illus5" id="Illus5"></a> -<a href="images/image7b.jpg"><img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image7a.jpg" width="600" height="490" alt="PLAN AND SECTION OF WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN." /> -</a></div> -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">PLAN AND SECTION OF WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN.</p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">(Click on map to see a larger version. Not available on all devices.)</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>But an examination of the top of the Mendips points to -a vaster antiquity still. The published horizontal section -No. 17 of the Geological Survey gives an excellent idea -of the plateau of Mendip, which stretches from immediately -north of Wells to the neighbourhood of Compton Martin.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -This plane of denudation would never have been reached -save by the long-continued action of subterraneous streams, -an assumption supported by the existence of the great -depression crossed by the road from Wells to Priddy. -That depression of nearly 100 feet in depth and several -miles in length, hollowed in the hard Carboniferous -Limestone, here dotted with every known type of swallet -or swallow hole, has been obviously formed by the slow -action of swallet streams prolonged through vast periods -of time. Every atom of the millions of tons of solid rock -represented by this depression has been borne down the -course of the subterranean Axe. Tributary to this depression -a little valley has been eroded across the Old Red -Sandstone anticline immediately to the north, and in -it are deposited masses of Dolomitic Conglomerate, the -component pebbles of which were derived from the surrounding -rocks. The same valley existed, therefore, in -pre-Triassic time, and as there was obviously no other -outlet for its water, the cavities into which it flowed—that -is to say, the swallets and subterranean channels—must -have existed also, and are therefore pre-Triassic in date. -Though at first sight this appears impossible, inasmuch as -the known course of the resulting Axe River is through -Triassic Conglomerate, I propose to show that such a -conclusion is necessary and inevitable. Long ago I was -struck with the fact that at Wookey Hole the Triassic -Conglomerate attains an abnormal thickness, and measurements -have shown that at the far end of the cavern there -is certainly a thickness of over 350 feet of this rock. As -there is no sign of any approach to the Limestone against -which it must abut, nor any change in the character of -the Conglomerate itself at this point, I think that we may -fairly conclude that the total thickness of it must be at -least 500 feet. Now this is a vast deposit, far exceeding -any known to exist elsewhere, and it requires a special<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -explanation to account for it. Only one explanation is -possible. The Conglomerate is here filling in some great -pre-existing valley in the Mountain Limestone. That is -just what I should expect.</p> - -<p>The great Limestone cavern formed by the action of -the swallet streams in early Triassic times collapsed, and -formed a Limestone ravine, into which was rolled a great -accumulation of fragments of the Limestone derived from -the slopes and crags above. With the whole of this part -of England these beds were subsequently submerged, -remaining so during the deposit of the whole of the -Secondary beds; and on their emerging once more from -beneath the sea the lines of drainage were re-established -along the old courses, where these had not been choked -with sedimentary material. Forcing a way through the -Conglomerate which then impeded its flow, the river -formed those cavities which we see. Indeed, it may well -be that the successive levels cut by the Axe through the -Conglomerate may represent stages in the uplifting of -the land, the lowest channel being the last and largest, -as it has been formed during an extended period of -stability. But we are not without evidences of another -sort as to the existence of some of our swallet ways at -that remote period. The cavities found in the Holwell -quarries, near Frome, filled in with Rhaetic material containing -bones and teeth of fishes; those of Gurney-Slade, -near Radstock; and numbers which from time to time are -laid bare in the Limestone quarries, all filled in with Triassic -sediment, show that penetrating waterways of considerable -size then existed. There was, too, at Charterhouse-on-Mendip, -north of Cheddar, a fissure, possibly a swallet, -which, being open, received an infilling of Liassic material -that is known to extend to a depth of 300 feet. Had -these channels been closed by a narrow aperture temporarily -blocked, no infilling but by water would have taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -place when the land sank beneath the waters of the -Triassic and Liassic seas.</p> - -<p>Furthermore, in the position of the entrances of many -of our swallets there is corroborative evidence to the same -effect. The great circular swallet on Rookham, near Wells, -situated far from any existing line of drainage, yet withal -one of the largest cavities on Mendip, shows that great -changes have taken place since it was an active waterway. -The position of the caverns of Compton Bishop -and of Banwell, far removed from any stream or any line -of drainage possible with the present contours, proves -that the configuration of the country has utterly changed -since they formed the points of engulfment of any streams. -The Coral Cave (as we have called it) at Compton Bishop -descends abruptly into the earth, and its outlet must have -been far below the level where now the Triassic Marl -forms an impervious barrier. The waters of Banwell Pond -rise through the Marl, forced upwards through beds which -do not yield water and ordinarily retard its passage. -Doubtless the Marl when it was deposited covered some -earlier outlet from the Limestone. The waters of St. -Andrew's Well, at Wells, are forced upwards through -Dolomitic Conglomerate and overlying Pleistocene gravel, -the former of which was doubtless deposited upon what -was once a free and unimpeded outlet from the Mountain -Limestone, similar to that of Cheddar. The water of -Rickford, near Burrington, resulting from the streams -engulfed at and around Burrington, is forced up through -the Secondary beds, which have been similarly deposited -upon the pre-existing outlet. All these things help to demonstrate -that what I contend is true, viz. that our caverns -as a whole are pre-Triassic in age. The Long Hole at -Cheddar, high in the cliffs above Gough's Cave, lends its -evidence too. Contrary to all the other caves at Cheddar, -it was a channel of intake for the water which formed it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -Doubtless it is a fragment of a larger cavern, which, before -the gorge of Cheddar itself was formed, existed in the -mass of rock occupying the whole area. At the northern -end of the Limestone defile of Ebbor, near Wells, the -ravine is carved through Dolomitic Conglomerate, which -has been much worked for iron ore. The fact that this -Conglomerate was deposited in a depression in the land, -at the head of the present ravine, yet without entering it, -suggests that here was an entrance to a series of caverns, -the collapse of which produced the gorge.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus6" id="Illus6"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image8.jpg" width="500" height="303" alt="THE GREAT SWALLET ON BISHOP'S LOT, PRIDDY" /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE GREAT SWALLET ON BISHOP'S LOT, PRIDDY</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus7" id="Illus7"> -<img src="images/image9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="ST. ANDREW'S WELL, WELLS." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ST. ANDREW'S WELL, WELLS.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The Devil's Punchbowl, near the Castle of Comfort Inn -on the Mendips, is, in all probability, a collapse of the -remarkable Lias beds which there occur into some pre-existing -cavity in the Mountain Limestone below, -somewhat in the same manner as the Shake Holes in the -Glacial Drift on the Yorkshire moors were formed. No -one questions the existence of the cavities beneath before -the deposit of the Drift, neither do I doubt the existence -of swallets beneath the Trias and Lias before these were -deposited on the Mendips. The question naturally arises, -Why do we not find in our caverns remains of all the -ages that have elapsed since that time? Why are only -Pleistocene remains discovered? Surely, because we have -not found them it does not follow that they are nonexistent. -The recent discovery of Pliocene remains in a -cavern at Doveholes, near Buxton (Derbyshire), is clear -proof that we may search hopefully for similar remains in -the Mendips. It must be borne in mind, that the further -we go back in time, the more certain we are to find that -the contents of any Limestone cavern would be completely -mineralised, until the whole of the contents may have -become cemented into a solid mass. Where running -water is present, attrition may have destroyed them, or -borne them onwards to those great depths where, constantly -submerged as they must be, we can never hope to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -penetrate. I am aware, however, of the existence, in the -Eastwater Cavern, of very ancient chokes of water-borne -material, from which I have some hope of obtaining -remains.</p> - -<p>I might mention the demonstrated antiquity of the -bosses of stalagmite in Kent's Cavern at Torquay, and -from it argue the immense age of the great masses of -stalagmite in the Mendip Caves, but, recognising the -variable rate of deposit of the carbonate of lime in different -caverns, and indeed in different parts of the same cavern, -no useful purpose would be served thereby. The huge -Beehive of Lamb's Lair at Harptree, the large boss in the -first great chamber at Wookey Hole, Gough's "Niagara" -at Cheddar, the tall and slender pillars in Cox's Cave -at Cheddar, and the taller "Sentinel" pillar at Wookey -Hole, all demand for their formation a prodigious length -of time, which it is but folly to attempt to compute with -our present information. Certainly many thousands of -years are required for some of them, and it should be -remembered that we have then arrived merely at the time -when the floor upon which they stand had received its final -form, the action of running water having ceased.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> Who -can doubt then, that, as we stand in the great waterways -of the profound depths of our hills, we are looking upon -scenes which have varied little since remote ages, and that -in some form or other these waterways played an important -part in the degradation of the earlier and loftier -Mendip range?</p> - -<p>It is worthy of remark in this connection that the -veteran M. Martel, commenting upon the caverns of -Mendip, says, "In consequence of the existence, on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -flanks of the Mendip Hills, of deposits of Triassic Dolomitic -Conglomerate (Keuper) of Rhaetian beds, and of possibly -Glacial alluvia, unconformably on the Carboniferous Limestone, -the outflow of the water in the risings operates in -three ways: (A) by large fissures in the Limestone itself, -when it flows out freely, as at Cheddar; (B) through the -crevices in the Dolomitic Conglomerate (the Axe at -Wookey Hole, etc.); (C) where the outlet of the water from -the Limestone is hidden by alluvia (St. Andrews Well, at -Wells). The consequence of this arrangement is that it -will be possible—notably at Wookey Hole, when the explorations -now going on have enlarged the new galleries -recently found—to ascertain whether the Dolomitic Conglomerate -is there shown in long beds of ancient shores, -regularly superposed on the Limestone, or rather accumulated -in filled-up pockets, in hollows pre-existing in -the Limestone; that is to say, there will be a material -verification of Mr. Balch's hypothesis (already outlined by -Boyd Dawkins in 1874) of the very ancient excavation of -certain caves of the Mendip Hills, even before the Keuper -period. The lie of the Conglomerate under the vaulted -roofs of Wookey Hole appeared to me to favour this idea. -And it is necessary to wait till formal proofs have been -gathered together here, that caves were hollowed out there -before the Trias. I recall, on this subject, that long ago I -concluded, with Messrs. De Launey, Van den Broeck, Boule, -etc., that the formation of caves could commence in the -most distant geological epochs, and that the pockets of -phosphorites, among others at Quercy and the Albanets of -Couvin (Belgium), testify to caves or abysses of at least -Eocene times."</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">H. E. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont4" id="Cont4">CAVE EXPLORING AS A SPORT</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">We</span> are called a nation of sportsmen; yet the first -criticism we level against any new sport, not our own, is -the question, usually unanswerable and always irrelevant, -What is the use of it? One may then, with a certain -show of propriety, point out that cave exploring is a -sport not entirely lacking in utilitarian or scientific objects. -It belongs, in fact, to that large class which originated as -something else than mere pastime. Mountaineering and -hunting are typical representatives of that class. The -earliest mountaineers were geographers. Cave exploring -was first of all taken up as a branch of archæological and -palæontological research, and then as a general inquiry -into the physical nature of caves. But a science that -has discovery as its principal object, and hardships and -adventure as its natural concomitants, is bound to attract -as many sportsmen as scientists. The geographical -might be called the sporting sciences. And so there are -now many ardent cave explorers who would blush to be -called speleologists, their sole motive being the enjoyment -of the game, and scientific results purely a by-product. -Thus the science of caves has given birth to a sport that -subserves its aims in the same irregular way as rock-climbing -and peak-bagging subserve the aims of geography, -geology, meteorology, and other sciences.</p> - -<p>Speleology itself is, comparatively, a new science. -Cave hunting, the search for human and animal remains, -has been an important bypath of scientific investigation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -since the days of Dean Buckland and the discoveries -recorded in <i>Reliquiæ Diluvianæ</i>, 1823. Professor Boyd -Dawkins has in recent decades done still more valuable -work for palæontology. Speleology is a word of both -wider and narrower meaning; in the widest sense covering -all kinds of knowledge about caves, their geography, -geology, hydrology, their fauna, their palæontology. But -most speleologists confine their attention to the physical -characteristics of caves. This side of the inquiry has -practical utilities. At Vaucluse, for instance, near -Avignon, M. Bouvier in 1878 explored the channels of -a gigantic siphon that carries the waters of an inaccessible -reservoir into the Fontaine de Vaucluse, a famous "rising." -His object was partly scientific, and partly to determine -the nature of this permanent source, so as to utilise its -waters to regulate the level of the Sorgue, to extend the -irrigation system of the neighbourhood, and to secure -water-power for manufacturing purposes. The Katavothra -of Pod-Stenami were enlarged by an enterprising engineer, -and protected by iron gratings, after their subterranean -exits had been explored, and so utilised to regulate the -drainage of the marshy plains of Laibach, and to prevent -periodical inundations. In our own country, underground -exploration has brought to light valuable water-supplies, -and enabled us to safeguard the public interests by -pointing out sources of pollution. Caves are most -abundant in the districts where those great fissures -known as rakes occur, which are rich in minerals, -especially lead, calamine, copper, gypsum, and fluor-spar. -During the short period in which cave work has -been taken up as a sport, discoveries have been made, -which of course it is impossible to particularise, that -may be the source of considerable profit in the -future.</p> - -<p>The majority of those engaged in this physical exploration<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -of caves are French. France possesses a Société -de Spéléologie, the secretary of which, Monsieur E. A. -Martel, author of <i>Les Abîmes</i>, is a most indefatigable and -courageous explorer, and the man who has made the -science an important and a living one. But M. Martel -himself awards the title of "créateur de la spéléologie" -to a forgotten predecessor, Dr. Adolphe Schmidl, who -published <i>Die Grotten und Höhlen von Adelsberg</i>, in 1854. -In this country, although such brilliant discoveries have -been made of extinct animals and prehistoric relics of -humanity, cave exploring of this kind is a new pursuit. -M. Martel says, in <i>Irlande et Cavernes Anglaises</i>, 1897: -"In short, the underground of the calcareous regions of -the British Isles may be considered as being, topographically, -very insufficiently known; this is the conviction -impressed on me by my own researches in 1893." -Something has been accomplished since that date. Two -or three clubs, consisting chiefly of climbers, and a few -speleologists working independently, have effected a -thorough examination of the great caverns of the Peak, -the extraordinary system of underground waters, huge -cavities, and profound abysses in the West Riding, and -the beautiful caverns of Somerset. But the ground that -remains unexplored, the opportunities for adventure and -the possibilities of discovery are such as may probably -astonish those people who think there is nothing of the -sort left in Old England.</p> - -<p>Caves are formed in calcareous strata by the chemical -action of water laden with carbonic acid, and by the -mechanical action of streams. In consequence of the -original structure of the Limestone, the joints of which -run at right angles to the bedding planes, these eroded -hollows have two dominant forms: the vertical pot, -swallet, or hole, produced by the widening of a master-joint; -and the horizontal water-channel, running in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -same direction as the line of stratification. But the -strata being commonly tilted, these pits and abysses -are often a long way out of the vertical, and the caverns -that follow the strata very steep. Many of these ancient -watercourses are now dry, but others are still traversed -by streams, and present the explorer with most formidable -obstacles. The complete exploration of any cave system -would involve the tracing out of all its passages from the -point where the stream or streams enter the earth to the -point of exit. But I know not a single instance where -such a task has been worked out in its entirety. In many -cases the streams enter the ground merely as small -rivulets, and begin to excavate passages practicable to -man only at a considerable depth. "Siphons," or traps, -as they ought to be called, complete or partial chokes, -and a variety of other causes, may put insuperable -obstacles in the explorer's way.</p> - -<p>Take two of the most important cave problems still -awaiting solution, one in Yorkshire, the other in Somerset. -A large beck is precipitated into the abyss of Gaping -Ghyll, 360 feet deep, and emerges from an opening in the -hillside, a mile away, close to the mouth of Ingleborough -Cave, which was itself an earlier exit. Several parties -have descended Gaping Ghyll, and followed the passages -at the bottom to a distance of more than 1000 feet. Then -impenetrable water-sinks, and muddy chambers with no -outlet, have been encountered, and the communication -with the lower cavern has hitherto proved undiscoverable. -Both the dry galleries and the canals of Ingleborough -Cave have been explored, with great toil and daring, to -a considerable distance upwards, with similar results; -and though many speleologists are still absorbed in this -problem, there is little hope that it will be cleared up -without adopting the drastic and costly measure of cutting -through the obstructions. The other problem is that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -of Wookey Hole, the cave in Britain which has the longest -history, and which is still yielding interesting discoveries. -A number of streams disappear into the earth on the -Mendip plateau, 2 miles away and 700 feet above, and -find their issue in the source of the Axe at Wookey -Hole. Two of the Mendip swallets have been explored -to a great depth. Swildon's Hole, an exquisite series of -terraced galleries and stalactite grottoes, has been penetrated -to a depth of 300 feet. But a more determined -attempt has been made to reach the bottom of the -Eastwater Cavern. This was discovered in 1902 by my -friend Mr. Balch, of Wells, by means of opening the -swallet, where a tiny brook ran away through small -crevices in a Limestone ravine. A far-extending cave -was thus disclosed, full of intricate ramifications, that -explain in a graphic manner how new galleries are -formed and old ones left dry and deserted, as the result of -floods and partial chokes. We have, in the longest route -discovered in this complicated system, reached a distance -of 2000 feet from the entrance and a depth below the -surface of 500 feet. At this point no absolutely impassable -barrier has been met with. There is reason to hope that -we may still advance farther into the mysterious region -between it and Wookey Hole. But the formidable -difficulties of the journey hither have set a limit to -endurance. Hundreds of feet of creeping through steep, -narrow, and contorted passages, compared with which a -series of drain-pipes would afford luxurious travelling; -perpendicular drops of 50 and 90 feet, with no convenient -ledges at the top for letting men down; and, in addition, -the necessity of transporting great quantities of tackle to -the bitter end of it, have made a twelve hours' day underground -as much as we could stand. The difficulty may -perhaps be got over by means of a subterranean bivouac. -Unfortunately, it would not do to leave the apparatus in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -position for long beforehand, as it would deteriorate so -rapidly. In Wookey Hole itself, we have not yet succeeded -in reaching a farther distance than 600 feet from -the cave mouth; there a submerged tunnel has stood in -the way. But Mr. Balch has thoroughly explored the -upper passages that honeycomb the rock above the -known caves; he has discovered a number of promising -galleries, which are being slowly cleared of débris; and, -among them, a series of the most beautiful incrusted -grottoes in Britain. A season of drought may reveal an -opening up the river-course.</p> - -<p>Innumerable similar problems still await solution. -Some of us have been engaged in trying with pick and crowbar -to engineer a way into the swallets above Castleton, -which send their waters through the heart of the hills -down to the caves in the dale of Hope. One of these, -which we have penetrated to a distance of 350 feet, may -turn out to be the entrance to as wonderful a chain of -caverns as those of Eastwater. Long Kin Hole, Helln -Pot, and other tremendous cavities in the Ingleborough -district, still promise good sport. Of all the varieties of -cave forms these vertical holes are the most impressive, -and also the most perilous to explore. No exploit stands -out more finely in the record of that intrepid explorer, M. -Martel, than his single-handed descent into Gaping Ghyll, -the first ever accomplished. In the Cevennes, however, -he has reached the bottom of abysses still more profound, -though without the unpleasant accompaniment of falling -water. One of the most awkward of the descents described -by him is that of the Aven de Vigne Close (Ardèche), 190 -mètres in depth. This strange pit is almost a corkscrew -in shape, comprising five perpendicular drops, the bottom -of one being a few feet from the top of the next. To -manage the final pitch, with a chain of rope ladders 40 -mètres too short, it was necessary to get six men down to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -the "Salle à Manger" at the foot of the fourth stage, -others remaining as sentinels at the head of the various -stages. Some of these waited on their narrow perches for -eleven hours, in the dark, with nothing to do but listen -to the distant noises of their comrades at work. One -man, hanging at the end of a rope, succeeded single-handed -in fastening a pulley to the free end of the -second ladder, and so let down the third ladder to the -required extent. This critical operation was carried out -under grave difficulties, the nerves of the whole party -having been shaken a few minutes earlier by the accidental -fall of a heavy lamp, which was within an inch of killing -the men beneath.</p> - -<p>Elden Hole, in the Peak of Derbyshire, a yawning -cavity 200 feet deep, with an inner cave 65 feet deeper, has -been descended several times recently. On the first -occasion, through the inexperience of the party, I had the -privilege of spending nine hours in the hole, in a state of -uncertainty as to whether it was in the power of the other -men to get me out. On the next occasion, we let down -a dozen men safely. But there still remains the possibility -that excavation might clear up the puzzle as to the connection -of Elden Hole with other swallets and caves in -the vicinity. The old miners believed that it had communication -with the natural chambers in the Speedwell -Mine; and that is a problem which will entail exploration -in collapsible boats along the flooded levels. The great -chasm in the Speedwell, which used to be reputed bottomless, -has been proved to be only 90 feet deep. It has an -upward extension, in the same steep rake, which has not -been climbed, nor its top so much as caught sight of. It -attains a height, most probably, of at least 400 feet. That is -a problem worthy the mettle of our most skilful cragsmen. -In the Blue John Mine, a vertical fissure has been climbed, -by a party properly roped up, to the height of 130 feet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -between walls splendidly adorned with polished and translucent -stalagmite. Ladders may sometimes be rigged up, -one above another, to reach hollows in the roof of caves. -In this way a handsome grotto was discovered above Peak -Cavern. When these vertical fissures are open to the sky, -it is a simple matter to fix tackle, and even a windlass, for -letting men down. When they open in the floor of a well-nigh -impracticable gallery, as in the Eastwater Cavern, -the difficulties of securing pulleys and ropes are serious. -There our troubles are aggravated by the proximity of -deep, gaping chasms at the foot of each pitch, lying in -wait to receive falling bodies. Nevertheless, by an ingenious -arrangement of life-line and pulley, the entire -party gets safely to the bottom of the gulf and back again, -although it is usual in such situations to leave a sentry -behind at the top. Grandest of all these underground -cavities in England is the great chamber of Lamb's Lair, -in the Mendips. The approaches and subsidiary chambers -of that marvellous cavern are magnificent in the richness -of their incrustation and their colouring; but this mighty -hall surpasses the rest by far. Floor, walls, and roof, of -a dome-shaped chamber 110 feet high, are a mass of -sculptured transparencies, fantastic reliefs and glowing -enamel, all the colours of the rainbow being produced -by the different veins of minerals. Only a strong party -of experienced climbers or cave workers, fully equipped, -should venture to explore this fine cavern in its present -dangerous state.</p> - -<p>No chapters in <i>Les Abîmes</i> are more absorbing -than those describing the exploration of underground -waters. By means of collapsible boats, M. Martel explored -the concealed streams that tumble into the canyon of the -Ardèche. In 1890-91, M. Mazauric, with enormous toil and -considerable danger, traced out the labyrinthine ramifications -of the Bonheur at Bramabiau (Gard). The Tindoul<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -de la Vayssière (Aveyron), with its yawning abyss and -powerful subterranean torrent, and the Causse de Gramat -(Padirac), both entailed the descent of a deep chasm and -the navigation of large streams. At Padirac the exploring -party made their way in four boats along a river, -with frequent portages caused by dykes of stalagmite, -and discovered some of the most exquisite and romantic -stalactite scenery in the vaults through which the river -flows.</p> - -<p>As a sport, cave exploring ranks high. The exertion -it entails is exceedingly severe. The innumerable obstacles -and difficult problems to be faced make incessant demands -on our inventiveness, adaptability, and presence of mind. -The exposure, the hardships, the dangers that must be -encountered, form an admirable discipline. Those who -consider these any detraction from the merits of the sport, -must condemn, not one sport, but a whole class. Running -risks, we must remember, is always foolhardy, but to -nullify danger by means of science and skill is an aim -worthy of the noblest kinds of sport. It will, of course, be -objected that the lack of exhilarating conditions, and of -the stimulus of fresh air, deprives the sport of the usual -benefits of outdoor games. But the air at the bottom of -a cave 100 or more feet deep is usually as pure and -sweet, and not seldom as dry, owing to its free circulation, -as that on the hills. Then the darkness and the sense of -imprisonment, you say, are not conducive to healthy enjoyment. -But a cave explorer, enthralled by the manifold -interest and excitement of the pastime, will never admit -this. The variety of entertainment it affords constitutes a -peculiar charm.</p> - -<p>Only to judge by the number of climbers that have -taken up cave work as a pastime, there must obviously -be a natural relation between this sport and rock climbing. -Certainly, there are many methods common to the two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -sports, and the expert cragsman has an immense advantage -over others when he takes to cave exploring. But -the methods and appliances of the mountaineer are -restricted by artificial regulations. There are many -things that must not be done, even to enable a climber -to ascend an otherwise inaccessible peak or to avoid -serious peril. In cave work, on the other hand, the -difficulties and dangers are multiplied so formidably by -the singular conditions, of which darkness is but one, -that such prohibitions would be absurd. When one may -be called upon to climb a wall of mud, or a sheet of -slippery stalagmite, or to traverse water-swept rocks with -an unfathomed pool or swallet underneath, every safeguard -must needs be utilised. Any mechanical means of -accomplishing, facilitating, or expediting a passage is -legitimate in cave work; ropes, pulleys, ladders of rope -and wood, windlass, rafts, boats, crowbar, pick, shovel—all -these, and an enormous variety of other things, have their -place in the cave explorer's equipment.</p> - -<p>One might write a volume on the equipment of cave -explorers. Hardly any other sport requires so formidable -a variety. I must limit myself to a few words. The -explorer's dress should be a boiler suit, made all in one -piece from neck to heel, and with no pockets or buttons -to catch in the jagged Limestone, plenty of both being -provided inside. He must renounce any hankering after -waterproof garments, the proper precaution against the -effects of wet being to wear thick woollen underclothing. -His boots should be nailed after the manner of those worn -by rock climbers. Candles are the best illuminant, much -better than any lamp—acetylene, electric, or other. But -a supply of magnesium wire should be carried, with waterproofed -matches in water-tight boxes; and a powerful -limelight, burning ether instead of hydrogen, for the sake -of portability, is a useful auxiliary. Boats have been used<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -in some of the caves in the Peak, in Wookey Hole, and -in the cavern of Marble Arch, explored by M. Martel, -in Ireland. Plenty of rope—not of the Alpine Club -material, but hempen—is necessary, and a few rope -ladders often come in handy. The only rule of the -game that I should like to insist upon is, that no -damage should be done to the beautiful features of a -cave. It is a rule observed by every cave explorer worthy -of the name. The temptation to acquire specimens must -be resisted.</p> - -<p>The first thing that the cave explorer, eager for -discovery, has to learn, is not to lose himself. In many -cases no special precautions are necessary, but if there -are numerous bifurcations, specific measures must be -adopted. Often it is sufficient to station a hurricane lamp -or a good-sized candle at the cross roads; a surer method, -but one that is rather troublesome, is to unreel a thread -as we advance. Such a cavern as Goatchurch, in -Burrington Combe, Somerset, is a perplexing maze, -where one loses one's bearings completely two minutes -after looking at the compass. The mass of the hill is -shivered into innumerable fragments, of giant size. Passages -striking off along the fractures often lead one back -imperceptibly to the point of divergence. At the Eastwater -Cavern, in the same district, after I had already -gone four times through the enormous aggregation of -shattered rocks at the top, where a human body is like a -beetle in a heap of macadam, I tried in vain to make my -way out without using the life-line. Although there is -but 100 feet of it, one takes half an hour to get through. -The original explorers spent a much longer time in -discovering a practicable route. For my own part, I was -lost in a few moments, and compelled to return. The -imprudence of two men in the Bagshawe Cavern, in -Derbyshire, who went too far in advance in their anxiety<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -to be discoverers, led to an uncomfortable experience both -for them and for their rescuers. This very extensive -cavern has a number of ramifications. The two men who -were following reached a distant and unexplored part of -the cave, only to find that they had missed their comrades, -the sand and clay on the cave floor being still perfectly -smooth and untrodden. They failed to discover the -wanderers in the neighbouring passages, and lost their -own way for a time before they got back, through the -winding tunnels, low-roofed fissures, and deep canals, -crawling, scrambling, and wading breast-deep through -icy water, to the place where they had parted. They -hoped the truants had found their way back, but there -was no sign of them, and preparations had to be -made for a second journey. After a fatiguing quest, -that lasted several hours, they found the missing -adventurers in a remote part of the cavern, nursing -their last shred of candle and waiting to be rescued. -The experiences of some youthful explorers in Wookey -Hole, who found themselves on dangerous ground -and all their matches gone, are described on another -page.</p> - -<p>There is a romance about cave exploring that is almost -unrivalled. The conditions of the sport are so weird and -exciting, so strangely different from everything we are -accustomed to. To be so near to, and yet so far from, the -scenes of our everyday life; to be launched on a voyage -of discovery on an English river, or to be the first to gaze -on some miracle of fantastic crystallisation only a few -miles away from a large town—these are among the -attractions of the sport, at least in its present stage. -There is nothing in this country to compare with the -prodigious caves of Kentucky or the terrific subterranean -defiles of Adelsberg. One might as well look -for the magnificence of the Alps among our English<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -mountains. Yet the caves and gulfs of Derbyshire and -Yorkshire have a grandeur of structure and diversity -of character, and the Somerset caves a brilliance of -crystalline deposits, that are fully as admirable and -impressive.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a name="Cont5" id="Cont5">EXPLORING WOOKEY HOLE</a></h2> - - -<p style="margin-left: 26%; margin-bottom: 1em;">"Where Albion's western hills slope to the sea,<br /> - There is a cave, and o'er its dismal mouth,<br /> - Whence come to quick, mysterious ears hoarse sounds<br /> - Of giant revelry, the ivy grew<br /> - And shut the old sepulchral darkness in;<br /> - And by its side a well, whence ever full<br /> - And ever overflowing, silent, deep,<br /> - And cold as death, the waters creep<br /> - Adown the broken rocks in search of day.<br /> - Above it frowns a fretted, stony brow,<br /> - And only from the setting sun e'er came<br /> - Within that place the joyfulness of light."</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 32%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><span class="smcap">W. W. Smith</span>, <i>Angels and Men</i>: a Poem.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Hardly</span> anywhere else in Britain is the mind borne -down with such a sense of incalculable antiquity as at -Wookey Hole. Nowhere, certainly, is there anything like -such a continuous record from ages inconceivably remote. -To touch first of all upon periods that are historical and -measurable, we have the name Wookey, which appears -to be the one bestowed by the ancient Britons; for it is a -recognisable corruption—especially as the people of the -district sound it, "Ookey"—of the Celtic Ogo, a cavern, -the same word, Ogof, as the modern Welsh still apply -to several caves in the Principality. Clemens Alexandrinus, -in the second century <span class="smcap">A.D.</span>, has a reference to the cavern, -and there are periodical allusions in Latin and English -writers from that time to the present. In the Middle -Ages its fame as one of the wonders of England was great. -William of Worcester has a quaint description; he says, -"Its entrance is narrow, and the ymage of a man stands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -beside it called the Porter, of whom leave to enter the -Hall of Wokey is to be obtained." What became of this -janitor is now unknown, unless he be represented by the -recumbent monolith still to be seen outside the portal. -References to the antiquities of Wookey Hole occur in -Leland's <i>Itinerary</i> and in Camden's <i>Britannia</i>, and -there is incorporated in Percy's <i>Reliques</i> a ballad, by -an eighteenth-century virtuoso, Dr. Harrington of Bath, -entitled "The Witch of Wokey," recounting an old legend -of the neighbourhood.</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 28%; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">"In aunciente dayes, tradition showes,<br /> - A base and wicked elfe arose<br /> - The Witch of Wokey hight."</p> - -<p>So it begins, and goes on to relate, in the sham antique -style of the day, how a malevolent old woman was for her -misdeeds changed to stone by a "lerned clerk of Glaston." -The Witch, a black, aquiline profile in stone and -stalagmite, is with her culinary utensils the chief attraction -to sightseers in the first great chamber, or, as it is sometimes -called, the Witch's Kitchen.</p> - - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus8" id="Illus8"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image10.jpg" width="500" height="303" alt="PROFILE OF THE "WITCH OF WOOKEY," WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">PROFILE OF THE "WITCH OF WOOKEY," WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus9" id="Illus9"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image11.jpg" width="500" height="298" alt="" /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">AMONG THE POOLS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>It is impressive enough to stand beside the very -modern-looking paper-mill, where the infant Axe, still -dazzled by its sudden entry into the sunlight, is harnessed -to assist in the manufacture of such workaday commodities -as Bank-note paper, and to see before one things -that carry the memory back all those stages; yet it is but -the last few pages of the voluminous history that we are -considering now. Professor Boyd Dawkins, who won his -spurs as a palæontologist by his researches at Wookey -Hole, discovered in the neighbouring Hyæna Den, which -is really a branch of the old cavern, human and animal -remains whose antiquity, compared with the periods just -reviewed, is as the age of Stonehenge compared with that -of a man. In the less known passages of the Hole itself,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -such relics have constantly been found in the course of -our investigations. Potsherds, celts, bone implements, the -carbonised embers from ancient hearths, all sorts of refuse -lying in odd corners, have continually brought us, as it -were, face to face with the time when man was little more -than the king of beasts. Whosoever would read in the -deeper chapters of this vast chronicle must be referred -to the fascinating pages of <i>Cave Hunting</i>; there will be -only an occasional glance at the human history in this -record of a different class of exploration. Palæontological -research has not been our object. Several of my companions -have made some valuable discoveries in this line, -and are intent on making more; but my own original -motive, and that of several others, was the sport, as much -as the scientific results, to be enjoyed in endeavouring to -work out the great problem of the waters that have made -themselves a road through the underworld of Mendip, and -found an escape from bondage at Wookey Hole. This -cavern has been known so long and so familiarly, that it -must have seemed as if there were nothing more to be -found out about it. It will, surely, be a surprise to many -to learn what important additions have recently been -made to the extent of its known and accessible passages, -and what progress there has been in explaining the secrets -of its water system. We are, in all probability, on the -brink of yet more startling revelations.</p> - -<p>Drayton complained, in "Polyolbion," that the renown -of the Devil's Hole in the Peak of Derbyshire, then as in -the present day, had robbed the Somersetshire cave of -some of its glory.</p> - -<p style="margin-left: 21%; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">"Yet Ochy's dreadful Hole still held herself disgrac'd<br /> - With th' wonders of this Isle that she should not be plac'd:<br /> - But that which vex'd her most, was that the Peakish Cave<br /> - Before her darksome self such dignity should have."</p> - -<p>Many things here bring to mind the Derbyshire cavern,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -which several of our party had explored pretty thoroughly -before we did any serious work in Somerset—the approach -along the deep wooded ravine cut through the Dolomitic -Conglomerate, the river pouring out from vast reservoirs -within the earth, the legendary associations, and the -mystery shrouding the stream's subterranean course. -From the drainage area about Priddy, 700 feet above, -on the top of Mendip, these waters find their way down -through a multitude of channels. Most of these passages -are quite unknown, but the two most important, of which -a good deal will be said presently,—the Eastwater Swallet -and Swildon's Hole,—have been explored to a considerable -depth. In the latter we have got to a depth of 300 feet, -but natural obstacles and other difficulties have prevented -us from following the stream-course farther. Mr. Balch -has traced the Eastwater Swallet, which he opened in 1902, -to the depth of 500 feet below the point of absorption—almost, -that is to say, down to the level of Wookey Hole; -but an enormous thickness of rock still remains unexplored -between the farthest points attained, from below upwards -and from above downwards. Most likely, when we get -farther, if we succeed in passing the present obstacles, we -shall soon find ourselves entering the canals and water -caverns that lie on the same level as the great natural -reservoirs of Wookey Hole; in other words, we are -approaching the plane of saturation. Exploration in the -Eastwater Swallet is still being carried on, though perforce -very slowly; and concurrently therewith, efforts are being -made, not without success, to trace the passages in the -lower cavern farther and farther back.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 445px;"><a name="Illus10" id="Illus10"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image12.jpg" width="445" height="597" alt="MASS OF STALAGMITE, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">MASS OF STALAGMITE, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus11" id="Illus11"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image13.jpg" width="500" height="298" alt="IN THE FIRST CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">IN THE FIRST CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The summer tourist, conducted through the three -principal chambers of Wookey Hole by a guide armed -with a can of benzoline, for making stalagmites into -torches, comes out having a very imperfect knowledge -of the geography of the cavern, and a totally inadequate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -idea of its beauties. I well remember how little I was -impressed by my first visit, under these conditions, many -years ago. The weak illumination seemed to reveal only -the proportions of some rather large cellars, pervaded by -oily pools, into which the contents of the can were poured -and set on fire, producing an unearthly glare through the -darkness and the waters; and a number of dingy and unconvincing -natural effigies, black with the accumulation -of soot. Our exploring party in March 1903 saw these -things under an illumination such as had never been -kindled there before, and I for one was quite unprepared -for the revelation of brilliance and spaciousness and beauty -that we were to witness.</p> - -<p>"Wokey Hole," says Bishop Percy, "has given birth -to as many wild, fanciful stories as the Sybil's (sic) Cave -in Italy. Through a very narrow entrance it opens into -a large vault, the roof whereof, either on account of its -height or the thickness of the gloom, cannot be discovered -by the light of torches. It goes winding a great way -underground, is crost by a stream of very cold water, -and is all horrid with broken pieces of rock: many of -these are evident petrifactions, which, on account of their -singular forms, have given rise to the fables alluded to in -this poem," the story, that is, of the blear-eyed hag who -was turned into stone. This quaint description is true -in every particular. The first cavern, or the "Witch's -Kitchen," has a weird similitude to Gothic architecture. -Arch springs from arch up to the lofty summit, and the -walls and vaulting are full of canopied recesses, with wild -foliations of glistening calcite wreathed from niche to -niche.</p> - -<p>Below us, as we enter, a broad deep pool stretches -away into darkness. Could we follow the gently moving -current in a boat, we should enter another great vault, -whose existence the ordinary visitor never suspects.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -There, in a small passage beyond the water, Mr. Balch -discovered human remains. Whilst we peered into the -gloom, the limelight was burning up, and now it flashed -across the cavern to where the black scowling head of the -Witch overshadows terraces, basins, and wild imageries of -spectral stalagmite.</p> - - -<p style="margin-left: 25%; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"> "A glow! a gleam!<br /> - A broader beam<br /> -Startles those realms of endless night,<br /> -While bats whirl round on slanting wing,<br /> -Astonished at this awful thing.<br /> -The rocky roof's reflected rays<br /> -Are caught up in the waterways,<br /> -And every jewelled stalactite<br /> -Is bathed in that stupendous light,<br /> -One moment only; then the caves<br /> -Are plunged again in Stygian waves;<br /> -The fairy dream has passed away<br /> -And night resumes her ancient sway."</p> - -<p>The Vicar of Whiteparish, near Salisbury, wrote these -expressive lines after seeing Wookey Hole lighted up -with magnesium. Our beam of light was less transitory, -and gave us ample leisure to contemplate the glories -of this magnificent chamber. Its walls for the most part -are coloured a rich red, which absorbs light readily and -makes photography a slow business. The first exposure -took half an hour. Against the warm red, the pearly -streaks of stalactite and stalagmite shine in exquisite -relief. There is a superb mass of stalactite near the -Witch; to say truth, the eye is confounded by the wild -grouping of fantastic piles of dripstone around that -uncouth head; the colours of the rocks and the flashing -crystallisations are reflected in the pellucid water, and -confused again with our glimpses of the river-bed, smitten -by the moving shaft of light. On the nearer side of the -cave, where a narrow arch leads into an incrusted grotto, -a gentle stream has deposited a fairy-like series of fonts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -and stoups, ending in a pure white sheet of dripstone, -over which the water murmurs. The surface of all these -fabrications is diapered over with a network of delicate -pearly ridges; so that here you see a mass, as it were, of -polished brain coral, and there madrepores and alcyonaria, -where the deposits have continued their growth under -water. Some of these efflorescences are like petrified -filaments of water weed. The foul scurf and soot that -covers the Witch's cooking apparatus and other accessories -would, doubtless, disappear under a fresh deposit of -pristine white, would the guides but cease for a twelvemonth -to drench them in benzoline, for the delectation -of such as love conundrums in stone. Still, these things -are but a small part of the scenery, when all is lighted up -as we were able to light it. Our work done, a Bengal fire -was set off, and the glimpses it gave us along the waterway -to the inaccessible chamber beyond added vastness -and mystery to the scene.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus12" id="Illus12"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image14.jpg" width="500" height="370" alt="STALACTITE TERRACE, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE TERRACE, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus13" id="Illus13"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image15.jpg" width="365" height="601" alt="GREAT RIVER CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">GREAT RIVER CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The next chamber is a loftier vault, and the arching -is more decidedly Gothic in its suggestiveness. Two low -arches at either side form the portals, far above which a -series of pointed arches spring to a height of 70 feet, -their summits converging in a polygonal cleft, like the -lantern of some cathedral dome. Then we make our way -across the sandbanks, between the pools, into the largest -chamber of all, with a roof of enormous span, whose -breadth dwarfs its height, arching over the sleeping river -and the broad slopes of sand, whereon grotesque Limestone -monoliths take the likeness of prehistoric monsters sleeping -by the waterside. Through the clear water we can -discern a submerged arch communicating with more -distant caverns. There is a tradition, coming down from -the mediæval historians, that unfathomable lakes lie -behind the barrier. This is probably true in so far as it -points to the existence of enormous reservoirs of water<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -beyond the accessible parts of Wookey Hole, the theory -being confirmed by the behaviour of the silt at flood time. -Were the hatches belonging to the paper-mill opened, and -the water lowered a few feet, an attempt might be made -to solve these problems. Mr. Balch did, in fact, at a time -when the water was partially lowered, make his way into -two unexplored chambers, fed by tunnels submerged a foot -or so below the surface.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 360px;"><a name="Illus14" id="Illus14"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image16.jpg" width="360" height="596" alt="SECOND GREAT CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">SECOND GREAT CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 422px;"><a name="Illus15" id="Illus15"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image17.jpg" width="422" height="600" alt="ENTRANCE OF THIRD CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE OF THIRD CHAMBER, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Dawkes & Partridge, Wells.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The older and the newer caves and passages of Wookey -Hole lie at five levels, one above the other like five -storeys, the topmost of all representing the oldest channel -of the subterranean Axe, which has in the course of -ages forsaken first one and then the other, boring fresh -passages in the Conglomerate. Of these five storeys, one -alone, the nethermost, is known to the uninitiated visitor. -Portions of the other four had been explored from time to -time by Mr. Balch, who in 1903 made such discoveries of -unknown continuations as fill us with hopes of penetrating -deeply into the mysterious region beyond. Climbing into -the Upper Series from a spot near the threshold of the -Witch's Kitchen, we made our way eastward over dry rocks, -and came speedily to the junction with another passage -from nearer the cave mouth. Only a thin leaf of rock -separates the two, for it is characteristic of all these upper -passages that they run almost parallel to each other whilst -rising to other levels. Altogether, we doubled back on -our original direction three or four times, creeping through -holes in the walls partitioning the corridors, and ascending -to the top of several lofty bridges, formed by fragments -that have fallen from roof and walls and wedged themselves -securely. The construction of these bridges is often -marvellous to see. In one case a number of rocks form -an irregular arch, at the top of which a keystone wedges -the whole cluster together. Obviously they must have -fallen and come together practically at the same instant.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -This was what happened hard by with two great boulders -that fell down the rift and caught each other in mid-air. -Another impressive natural structure is known to explorers -of Wookey Hole as the Spur and the Wedge. The huge -horizontal peak of Limestone projecting into the chasm -brings to mind a famous passage in Mr. Rider Haggard's -<i>She</i>. This spot was the scene of a droll adventure that -befell one of my companions years ago. With several -other boys, he wandered into these passages, when -suddenly the one candle they had with them went out. -A boy had been commissioned to bring a supply of matches, -but it was ascertained that he had only one left, which on -being struck promptly went out. In this emergency, the -lads could do nothing but sit still until help arrived. They -had no food, and in trying to feel the time, they broke the -hands of the only watch. They computed that they had -been in durance three days when the rescue party reached -the spot, but the protracted and hungry period of waiting -turned out to be only eight hours. Their resting-place -was the flat back of the pinnacle, with a 60-foot drop on -one side and jagged rocks on the other.</p> - -<p>In two places in these galleries there are fine displays -of stalagmite on the wall, in the form of corrugated sheets, -the ridges of which, stained red with ferrous deposits, hang -straight down like a series of organ pipes. The walls -glisten here and there with minute crystals. But the -most striking sight is where the Dolomitic Conglomerate, -of which the walls are composed, appears in clean-cut -sections. One of these, which has been successfully photographed, -shows the differently coloured pebbles, chiefly -Mountain Limestone with a few of Old Red Sandstone, -embedded in the matrix, and surrounded with distinct -layers of cement, all as brilliantly defined as the concentric -rings of an agate. Hard by is a corner where Mr. Balch -discovered the bones of a man; they were mineralised,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -but it was impossible to tell their period, or even whether -they represented an interment, or were merely the remains -of some wanderer from his tribe who had perished in this -forlorn spot.</p> - -<p>Sleeping bats hung from many a coign, and would not -be awakened even when lifted down. Big cave spiders -crawled over the walls in the parts adjoining the open air, -where the breeze found its way in, although we could not -see through the narrowing crevices. Here and there the -cocoons of the spiders hung from the roof in white, woolly -balls. At the farthest point reached was a settlement -of jackdaws, with a number of untidy-looking nests, -and there we could hear a thrush singing in the trees -outside; for we were close to the main cliff, and the river -was flowing out beneath our feet, under a great thickness -of rock.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus16" id="Illus16"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image18.jpg" width="365" height="600" alt="STALACTITE GROTTO: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE GROTTO: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE CAVE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"><a name="Illus17" id="Illus17"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image19.jpg" width="450" height="599" alt="STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Claude Blee.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>By the natural falling in of the roof, the first great -chamber of Wookey has broken through into the galleries -above, and certain passages of the Upper Series now open -high up in the vault of the Witch's Kitchen. One of -these openings has been known for years; another, which -we reconnoitred carefully in March 1903, has now had its -barrier of cave earth cut through, with the result that a -group of stalactite chambers of wonderful beauty has been -disclosed, with untold possibilities of further advance. -Boxing Day 1903 was spent in an exploration of these -new chambers. Climbing on my shoulders, Mr. Balch got -hand-hold in a chink of the Limestone, and pulled himself -up 10 feet. Here a stalagmite peg held the rope ladder -whilst we clambered after, entering a cross gallery that -gives access by another short scramble to the loveliest of -the new grottoes. When the discovery was made, Mr. -Balch and his assistants had to keep watch and ward day -and night, until a door had been fitted up, and every hole -and crevice securely blocked; for the entire village was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -quickly on the scene, and irretrievable damage might have -been committed.</p> - -<p>The grotto is irregular in shape, and the incrustations -are disposed without order or system. From every nook -and corner in the superimpending rocks bundles of -stalactite spears are thrust; bosses and pillars spring from -the floor, and sometimes meet the descending shafts. Of -all these frail pillars, the finest, rising on the very edge of -the rift we had ascended, seems to support the whole -ponderous roof, like the fragile column left by a dexterous -architect, to cheat the eye, in some cathedral vestibule. -Certain of these hanging shafts are shaped like the barbed -head of a spear, a slanting stalactite having intercepted -and coalesced with the dripping calcite from an inch or two -away. A creamy, brownish yellow, with a golden lustre -like that of amber, is the prevailing tint; but, here and -there, plaques of dazzling white shine out against the -burning magnesium.</p> - -<p>Crawling in and out among the stalagmite pedestals, -grievously afraid of injuring the diaphanous fabric, we -emerged in a very low chamber of great area, right across -which a grille of translucent rods, each a foot high and -ranged in regular line, fills the narrow space between roof -and floor. This extraordinary and strangely beautiful -railing is some 30 feet long, and only in one spot is it -possible, by dint of careful wriggling, to pass between the -rods into the farther parts of the chamber. Mr. Balch -entreated me not to attempt this. When he tried it, a -fortnight ago, he had indeed got through to the series of -caves beyond, but, in returning, a projection had caught -him at the lowest spot, where the chamber is only nine -inches high, and he had struggled hard for twenty minutes -before he could move an inch. Two of us, notwithstanding -this advice, ventured through. After draining off a -pool of water that was held back by a thin rim of dripstone,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -we traversed the low chamber and a short tunnel -beyond, climbed a vertical cleft, and entered another low -chamber of immense length and breadth, whose various -extensions we explored until the accumulated deposits of -boulders and cave earth stopped our advance for the time -being. In returning through the tunnel and the low -chamber with the grille, we tried successfully to dive -under the archway and wriggle into the opening head -foremost, in spite of two opposing stumps of stalagmite. -By these tactics we escaped the worst of the squeeze.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 435px;"><a name="Illus18" id="Illus18"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image20.jpg" width="435" height="599" alt="STALACTITE PILLARS, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE PILLARS, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Claude Blee.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"><a name="Illus19" id="Illus19"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image21.jpg" width="504" height="303" alt="NEW STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">NEW STALACTITE GROTTO, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Whilst engaged in this excursion, we had heard the -sound of hammering somewhere away in the heart of the -rock. It was our three friends attempting to break into -a promising gallery, which ought to cross the vestibule of -the main cavern and connect the two groups of upper -caves. We were not long in joining them; and now with -pick, hammer, and crowbar we attacked the barrier in -force. The chief obstacle was a great flat rock standing -on end across the unexplored opening, and propped up -by a heap of boulders, which we gradually smashed up -or removed to one side. Still the big fellow would not -budge, and we had to sap his foundations by degrees. -Yet this huge rock was but a fragment that had fallen -from the edge of a vast and threatening leaf of rock, which -now hung over our heads like a monstrous guillotine. -The upper caves are waterless, and it soon became desirable -to send one of our number to fetch us a drink. -Presently we heard a plaintive cry from the distance: -his candle had gone out, and he had forgotten the matches. -Going to the rescue, I found him groping about on a shelf -of rock, 30 feet from the floor, hard by the Spur and -Wedge; he had lost his bearings altogether. On his -return, we made another onslaught upon our rocky -adversary, the five of us sitting on his shoulder and pushing -against the wall, whilst our leader waxed grimly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -facetious as to what would happen to us if the shock -brought down the guillotine. Slowly and painfully we -tilted the mass of rock over, but only a few inches, leaving -just room enough for a thin man to crawl behind. -Squirming eagerly into the opening, I looked under, and -was disappointed to see that, if wide, it was still heaped -right to the crown of the arch by the rubbish flung there -long ago by the river. Nevertheless, Mr. Balch was not -dissatisfied. Though parts of these ancient waterways -are choked with débris, it is unlikely, nay impossible, that -the main channels should not remain open. Our day's -work had taken us on another stage in our slow journey. -The labour of removing the new obstacle will be considerable, -but the result is sure.</p> - -<p>In 1904 we had the pleasure of escorting that veteran -speleologist, Monsieur E. A. Martel, through the old and -the new caves at Wookey Hole. About the same time -efforts were made anew to force a way into unexplored -territory, with not uninteresting results. Many hours -were spent one day by three of us in a hole that we had -discovered just within the doorway of the cavern, a thing -that had most unaccountably escaped observation hitherto, -though right under our noses. The opening pointed in -the direction of the lower cave mouth, where the Axe -comes out; but it certainly did not look very promising. -Crawling in, we found ourselves in a steeply descending -passage, almost completely choked by stones and cave -earth. But at the end of the first portion it was noticed -that the floor dropped suddenly, indicating a chamber or -gallery below. An afternoon was spent in the laborious -task of shifting rocks, small stones, and earth, and passing -up the fragments, great and small, from hand to hand, -until they could be placed in safe positions near the mouth -of the hole. Eventually, an ancient channel through the -solid rock was disclosed, and at the end of 60 feet or so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -a broad low chamber appeared, floored with rocks and -earth, and roofed in with solid rock at a height of 12 -or 14 inches. Pushing on, the leader speedily found he -was jammed between floor and ceiling, and could go no -farther without more engineering; but an elder wand was -procured, a candle tied to the end of it, and this rough-and-ready -torch being pushed forward, it was possible to -see some 35 feet ahead into the low chamber, in the -depths of which a row of spiky stalactites stretched across -like an alabaster grating.</p> - -<p>To explore this chamber thoroughly, it will be necessary -to hollow out a passage in the soft floor. In all -likelihood, it crosses the present river-course at a level -only a few feet higher. Quantities of pottery, bones, -teeth, and fragments of charcoal were found in digging -out the obstacles. It seems most probable that the hole -was stopped up by human agency in prehistoric ages; -perhaps it was a place of sepulture. The obstacles were -carefully wedged together, and their removal caused much -difficulty. It is not pleasant to lie on one's back in a -hole, whose roof is only a few inches above one's face, and -have a block of Limestone rolled from end to end of one's -frame, without allowance for projections in either. In all -several tons of material were shifted and carried out of -the way. Much of the pottery had designs of a primitive -character worked on the surface; the more elaborate was -Romano-British. Considerable sections of amphoræ and -other vessels have since been pieced together.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"><a name="Illus20" id="Illus20"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image22.jpg" width="504" height="302" alt="THE GRILLE: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE GRILLE: NEW CHAMBERS, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus21" id="Illus21"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image23.jpg" width="500" height="299" alt="THE SOURCE OF THE AXE, WOOKEY HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE SOURCE OF THE AXE, WOOKEY HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Next day I made a curious find at a point farther in. -Where the path from the entrance rises over a big -accumulation of rocks, just before it reaches the first great -chamber, a hole in the floor had been noticed. It had not -been explored, but was waiting for someone capable of -standing an exceptionally hard squeeze. The depth -being uncertain, I had a rope tied on, and after a brief<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -struggle managed to get through the first hole, into a -crooked passage of no great length, which brought me -down to a small bell chamber. This had simply been -produced by the piling up of huge quantities of rocks and -stones on the floor of the original cavern, the whole -structure having since become thoroughly cemented and -solidified by the growth of stalagmite. There were many -teeth lying about, but the most interesting object was a -wooden bowl, slightly flattened out, and resembling the -top of a man's skull in shape and size. It felt soft, like -a piece of cork, but was perfectly sound. What its age -would be one could not tell within a century or two. It -is now in the possession of Mr. Troup of Wells.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont6" id="Cont6">STRENUOUS DAYS IN THE EASTWATER<br /> -SWALLET</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">From</span> two to three miles north of Wookey Hole, on the -top of the Mendip tableland, is a broad, shallow valley, -surrounded on every side by higher ground. It is a grey, -desolate tract, with few trees dotted over its surface, but a -thick belt of wood on the south, the dark green of which -in summer, and the black stems in winter, make the -grey landscape seem the more arid, gaunt, and desolate. -The ruined engine house of a deserted lead mine does not -add to the attractiveness of the scenery. But that is soon -lost to sight in the vastness of the rolling tableland, which -swells up in the distance to 1000 feet above the sea on -Pen Hill to the east, and again to the same height at -Priddy Nine Barrows on North Hill, the general brown -tints of the heather and bracken showing that the Old Red -Sandstone comes to the surface on these and the other -saliences of the plateau. Within this shallow basin the -rock is Limestone, and the causes of the existence of a -valley without any visible outlet for its drainage are at -once manifest. In many places the surface of the ground -is scored and pitted by innumerable depressions of diverse -shapes and sizes; roundish basins, steep funnels, craggy -troughs with streams running in and disappearing, and -mere dimples, grass-lined and perfectly dry. Through -these swallets, or swallow holes, the whole of the drainage -finds a vent, and all the material excavated by the forces -of nature in the process of hollowing out this valley, has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -been carried off in the same way. The work is still going -on. At Eastwater a little stream, flowing down a long -ravine, suddenly comes against a Limestone cliff, and -begins to burrow. Less than a mile away, another -stream, big enough to be called a brook, pours into a cleft -in the ground and is seen no more. This second swallow -is known as Swildon's Hole, Swildon being a corruption -of Swithin. Years ago, in the course of a lawsuit, it was -proved that the waters about the village of Priddy, which -stands on the edge of this upland valley, find their way -into the Axe, uniting their streams somewhere in the -heart of the hill between this point and Wookey Hole. -When there were storms on the hilltop, or the upland -waters were fouled artificially, the Axe came out turbid. -That the area drained by the underground Axe is a large -one is proved by the size of the river, which must be -formed by the junction of a good many streams of the -volume of Eastwater and the Swildon brook. Probably -that area extends as far east as Hillgrove, where a series -of swallets in a woodland ravine are now being enlarged -by Mr. Balch, with a view to an exploration of the underlying -caverns.</p> - -<p>In 1901 Mr. Balch's party made a descent into Swildon's -Hole, and got to a depth of 300 feet below the point of -absorption, which is at the same level as the Eastwater -Swallet and that at Hillgrove—that is, 780 feet above -the sea. Difficulties having been put in the way of a more -complete exploration by the owner of the field in which -the swallet is situated, he turned his attention to the -neighbouring stream of Eastwater, which, unfortunately, -runs away through holes impenetrable to man, and therefore -had not promised so easy a route into the unknown. -Undeterred by the obvious difficulties, Mr. Balch set to -work early in 1902, and, as he describes, made his way at -last into the open passages underneath the swallet. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -the course of two or three visits he reached a point nearly -500 feet below the cave mouth, and distant about 2000 -feet in horizontal measurement.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus22" id="Illus22"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image24.jpg" width="500" height="300" alt="ENTRANCE TO GREAT CAVERN OF EASTWATER." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE TO GREAT CAVERN OF EASTWATER.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a name="Illus23" id="Illus23"></a> -<a href="images/image25b.jpg"><img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image25a.jpg" width="600" height="432" alt="SECTION OF EASTWATER CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">SECTION OF EASTWATER CAVERN.</p> -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">(Click on map to see a larger version. Not available on all devices.)</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>He invited a large party to descend with him on March -18th, 1903, for a more elaborate exploration. Besides -the leader, Mr. Balch, experienced cave explorers came -from Oxford, Derby, Holmfirth, Glastonbury, and Wells. -Driving up from Wells early in the morning, we donned -our overalls at the mouth of the swallet. Everything was -in readiness for the adventure, and at eleven o'clock or -thereabouts the first man descended the artificial hole, -20 feet deep, into the enormous accumulation of loose -rocks that extends for more than 100 feet into the head -of the cavern. The blocks forming the sides of this -shaft, and many of those beyond its foot, had been carefully -underpinned with timber. Everything bore witness -to the labour and perseverance spent in engineering an -entrance. The baggage having been let down by a rope, -we pushed on through the confusion of rocks by a maze of -passages resembling the intricacies of the well-known -Goatchurch Cavern, at Burrington, although the rocks, -instead of being huge rectangular masses, were shattered -into the most irregular forms and sizes, leaving holes -between scarce big enough for a human body to squeeze -through. The first explorers were two hours in finding a -way through this bewildering labyrinth. Some of our -men went head foremost, others crawled on their backs -with feet in front. The rocks were water-worn and -jagged, and often so rotten with the action of water laden -with carbonic acid, that a finger could be thrust in up to -the hilt, as into clay. We formed ourselves into a chain -to hand on the luggage; this was a trying business, for -we were taking down more than 500 feet of rope, besides -a pick, a shovel, a bucket, various steel pulleys, an -ample stock of candles, and provisions for three meals, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -humour which through these unaccommodating passages -was worse than coaxing one's own body along. Both -horizontal and vertical openings occurred here and there, -and had to be avoided carefully, one of the most important -of these being a flood-way formed by the -stream entering the swallet. It was curious to find a -withy stick making desperate efforts to put forth leaves -in the darkness, and succeeding in producing a long -white sprout.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the noise of falling water was heard, and the -leading men called for the rope ladder. The masses of -loose rock end abruptly. To the right a steep tunnel, -called the 380-foot way, carries a small stream down; to -the left is a large, irregular chamber; and beyond it, the -main passages of the cavern. The ladder being secured, -each man resigned himself to the inevitable drenching, and -descended into the rugged cave at the head of the 380-foot -way. A camera was got down so far, but most of -the apparatus was left at the parting of the ways. Our -road was now decidedly easier. The water-channel was -rugged, but the roof rose fairly high, and there were few -boulders. A large tunnel, cut in the solid rock, brought -down a tributary stream on the right; on the other side, -a horizontal tunnel was marked down for further investigation. -The real termination of the 380-foot way has not -been discovered. At present there is no passing beyond -a choke of stones and gravel that fills it nearly to the -roof; but Mr. Balch proposes to remove this.</p> - -<p>We returned to the horizontal tunnel. It led into -an extensive sloping chamber whose shape is peculiarly -characteristic of this cavern. Roof and floor, roughly -parallel, are inclined at an angle of fifty degrees. For a -long distance there was space to creep along under the -roof, then the space grew less, and at length the leading -men shouted that they could get no farther. Being rather<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -slighter in build than those who were in front, I made an -effort to pass them, and succeeded by clambering along at -a higher level. A hole between some choke-stones and a -stalactite gave me admittance to a continuation of this -extraordinary chamber. Then, dropping into a dry water-channel, -I wriggled downward and downward, following -the noise of some dislodged stones that rattled away to a -considerable depth. At last I found it impossible to get -any farther, though two more feet would have led me into -a sudden widening that looked rather promising. The -next man behind was unable to get within 50 feet of -this point.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"><a name="Illus24" id="Illus24"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image26.jpg" width="350" height="601" alt="THE DESCENT OF EASTWATER CAVERN, THE SECOND VERTICAL DROP." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE DESCENT OF EASTWATER CAVERN, THE SECOND<br /> -VERTICAL DROP.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>From Sketch by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus25" id="Illus25"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image27.jpg" width="365" height="600" alt="THE GREAT CANYON, EASTWATER CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE GREAT CANYON, EASTWATER CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>From Sketch by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>After an exceedingly painful journey back to the -mouth of the tunnel, we sat down to lunch, before -re-ascending the rope ladder, and carrying our baggage -through a series of awkward holes and pits, all deluged -with water, into the big chamber at the head of the main -passages. In this chamber, whose walls, floor, and roof -are formed of gigantic blocks seemingly on the point of -collapsing, is an opening in the roof, through which a -stream comes tumbling in. At the farthest corner therefrom -a large opening leads to the bottom of a chimney or -aven. Great quantities of clay on walls and roof show -that this cavern has frequently been filled with water -through the choking up of the lower exit. The stream -runs away into the rocky floor at the lower end of the -cave, and a few feet above it is a flood-way, a short, low -tunnel, through which we crawled. Then begins one of -the most interesting portions of the cavern. In one of -those broad, low-roofed fissures, inclined at the same angle -of fifty degrees as the general dip of the strata, and formed, -in fact, by the widening of a bedding-plane in the Limestone -strata, a deep, winding channel has been cut by the -stream we have just passed. It has been called, from its -likeness, the Canyon. For a considerable distance our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -path lies down the Canyon, and with our heavy burdens -we find the passage far from easy. As far as possible, we -keep near the top of the ravine, straddling across. Sometimes, -however, there is no help for it but to drop right to -the bottom. Before we reach its termination, we have to -climb out on the smooth, sloping floor of the main fissure, -and wriggle forwards lying on our sides or on our backs. -Foot-hold and hand-hold being singularly scarce hereabouts, -we shall find this one of the most troublesome places -in returning. On the right, we have a glimpse through a -hole here and there of another great low-roofed fissure -sloping at the same angle; then there are cross roads, -with a tunnel on the left admitting to a stalactite chamber, -and a passage on the right leading to the lower end of -the Canyon.</p> - -<p>We now reached the most constricted portion of the -main channel. It is a low, roundish tunnel, with an S -curve at the distant end. A good deal of our locomotion -might be likened to crawling through drain-pipes; we -were now coming to a sort of trap. The S bend has to -be taken with the body lying on its right side. Once in -it, the explorer cannot turn round, since the diameter -every way only just admits a human body, and the three -curves are close together. My candle went out half-way -through, and to unjam my arm and get it down for the -waterproof matches was a difficult and protracted operation. -Moving the luggage through was a very severe task, -the width of the hole at one spot being only nine and a -half inches.</p> - -<p>We issued into a good-sized passage. Immediately -on the left a twisting fissure went down to the head of the -first perpendicular drop; but, leaving this for a while, we -spent nearly an hour exploring the lofty chamber straight -ahead of us. It rises to an unknown height in a vertical -fissure, narrowing gradually. At the bottom is a deep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -cutting, which some of us passed by back and knee work, -at a height above the floor. On the left, that is the eastern, -wall are openings into a parallel tunnel with good stalactites. -At the far end both this tunnel and the passage -itself are blocked with clay and gravel.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> On our second -visit, a day or two later, I explored a tunnel in the other -wall 10 feet from the floor. It led into another of the -vast sloping fissures already described, which I was too -much exhausted to explore very far. These fissures, all -inclined at the same angle, and either parallel or else lying -in one plane, are most impressive features of the Eastwater -Cavern; their extent is evidently enormous, and it seems -as if only a few frail pillars of jammed stones served to -prevent the great mass of the hill from settling down and -crushing roof and floor together. On a more minute -survey it may turn out that these are all portions of one -huge fissure, merely partitioned off by different chokes.</p> - -<p>It was four in the afternoon when we entered the -twisting fissure leading to the first vertical descent, and -two of the party had now to return. Through an oversight -in not bringing a short rope for harnessing the pulley, -nearly two hours were spent in rigging up the tackle, -the situation being awkward for letting men down safely. -We were ensconced in a little chamber, the boulder floor -of which opened into the top of a narrow rift widening -downwards, where, about 60 feet beneath, the walls -funnelled into a yawning pit 60 feet deep. This pit had -been explored previously, and was found to be choked at -the bottom; it formed a safe and certain receptacle for -anything lost or dislodged by persons descending the cliff -above it. The configuration of our hole was such that -only one man at a time could get a steady pull on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -life-line, which ran over a pulley. A manilla rope was -therefore let down from the same belaying-pin, for a man -to climb up and down by, so far as he was able, the life-line -being used merely as a safeguard. One by one the -explorers dropped over into the abyss. The last three or -four had the best of it, since, with a hauling party below, -full use could be made of the pulley.</p> - -<p>We were now drawing nigh to the final tug of war. -A quarter of an hour of indescribable wriggling brought -us to a narrow and lofty rift, into which as many of the -party as it would accommodate wedged themselves, right -over the second vertical drop. Much the same tactics -were resorted to here, save that, instead of a fixed pulley, -each man in turn had a large steel pulley belted to him, -through which ran 200 feet of rope, one end fixed to a -wedged boulder beneath us, the other end in the hands -of the hauling party. A 90-foot manilla was, as before, -allowed to hang free, as a guide-rope, over the crags, and -enabled each man to do something for himself and assist -those above. Only four men essayed this last descent.</p> - -<p>The gigantic cavity into which we now dropped is one -of the most savage and impressive things it has ever been -my lot to see. At the top, over the heads of the hauling -party, it runs up into the rocky mass of the hill as a -vertical chimney, under the mouth of which lay what -appeared to be a deep black pit. We alighted, one by -one, on a sloping shelf that traversed the side of the cavity -at a considerable height. Creeping along this ledge, we -saw at the end of it a huge cavernous opening descending -into darkness, with a mighty rock wedged across it like a -bridge. The black, gaunt walls on each side of us were -craggy and rifted; their surfaces glistened with streaming -water. Our ledge ending abruptly, we dropped, hand -over hand, on the rope, to the edge of a large pothole, -into which a stream was rushing. At this point a tunnel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -goes off to the left, and, as it had not been explored, I was -asked by Mr. Balch to proceed down it. Two of us crept -and clambered and slid down a very dirty watercourse, -till, at a distance of perhaps 50 yards, we found ourselves -atop of a high clay bank, closely overhung by rocks, -with a stream rumbling along to the south-south-west. I -got within 10 feet of the water, but without a rope to get -us up again we would not venture farther. We had now -been in the cave nine and a half hours, and were too much -fatigued to undertake new work. It was ascertained, -beyond reasonable doubt, that a fine series of potholes -that exist in the continuation of the great cavity must -drain into the stream just discovered. Beyond those potholes, -to pass which involves much hard work, is another -cavity, and beyond that what?—at present no one can -tell. All we know is, that the water finds its way ultimately -into the vast reservoirs inside Wookey Hole; but -whether there are other vast cavities, or merely narrow -crevices and impassable clefts between, is a question that -will require labours almost Herculean to solve.</p> - -<p>In scrambling back along the ledge in the big cavity I -gave the final shove to a dangerous loose rock weighing -something like six hundredweight. It fell into the ravine -beneath, and hurtled onwards toward the chain of potholes, -making the whole grim place ring with a crash of -echoes. It took us two hours and a half to return to -the cave mouth, although we were unencumbered with -apparatus, for we had left the ropes and pulleys in place -for another descent. Getting seven men up the higher -of the two vertical pitches was a tough undertaking at the -end of an arduous day, and when we returned through -the famous S tunnel more than one explorer seemed -disposed to snatch a sleep on its procrustean bed. We -had been twelve hours underground when we revisited the -glimpses of the moon.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<p>It had been proposed to continue the exploration next -day, but no one was fit for such a repetition of exhausting -labours. The day following, a party of three was mustered -to recover the apparatus that had been left in the depths. -Two of us reached the head of the nethermost pitch, and -after hours of severe work got everything up to the mouth -of the swallet. Once more we drove back over Mendip -in the dark. All around us on the desolate plateau was -impenetrable gloom, but in the northern sky, and it seemed -but a few miles away, the lights of Bath and Bristol flared -across the heavens like two immense conflagrations. -Never does one feel the sublimity of the open, windy -earth, the starry sky, and the free sense of space, so -profoundly as after striving for a long day to break -through the barriers that shut us out from the regions of -mystery under the hills.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont7" id="Cont7">SWILDON'S HOLE</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">An</span> insignificant crevice, a hole scarcely wide enough to -tempt a dog or fox, alone gives admittance to what is -perhaps the wildest and most magnificent cavern in -Britain. Swildon's Hole, it has already been stated, lies -at the same level, 780 feet above the sea, as the Eastwater -Swallet and that of Hill Grove. It lies in a separate -trough, within the same basin as the Eastwater stream, -with whose waters it unites somewhere in the bowels of -the rocky hills, to flow out of Wookey Hole as the river -Axe, of which it may be considered as the principal -feeder. A few years ago the actual swallet was visible, -the brooklet running away into holes under a bank of -earth and rock crowned with foliage. More recently, in -order to make a small fish pond, the landowner has made -a dam above the swallet, which is entirely concealed by -this means, an entrance remaining, however, into the maze -of cavities and waterways through a narrow crevice at the -side. Mr. Balch was the first person to recognise the importance -of Swildon's Hole as a chief feeder of the Axe, -and in 1901 he made preparations to explore it. But -through some delay, three members of his party were the -first to enter the cave, without him—namely, Messrs. Troup -and H. and F. Hiley. A short while after, Mr. Balch was -able to carry out a more extended exploration. Then for -some time no one entered the swallet, which gradually -became choked with stones and litter brought down by -the stream. Very few had ever heard of the cave, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -hardly anyone realised that one of the most beautiful -pieces of underground scenery in Britain was lying there -unseen, and one of the most important of hydrological -problems remaining quite unsolved.</p> - -<p>The next visit took place about Christmas 1904. Mr. -Troup, who had been one of the first in the cave, took the -lead of our party. My other companions were Messrs. -Bamforth and E. E. Barnes, but we expected to be joined -some hours later by Mr. Balch and Mr. Slater.</p> - -<p>When the first explorers entered this cavern some -little while ago, they met with serious difficulties owing to -the presence of ancient chokes or dams that held back -pools of water, but they were assisted by the dryness of -the weather. We, on the contrary, made our descent after -a period of heavy rains, and the volume of water that -accompanied us down was twentyfold as great. We had -one advantage, however: the original discoverers were with -us to point the way. With luggage reduced to a minimum, -two ropes, plenty of illuminants, food, and two cameras, -we passed through the uninviting entrance, and attacked -methodically a close-packed mass of débris that had been -washed into a narrow gut since the former visit.</p> - -<p>Whilst we lay at work, the sound of falling water in -the depths below broke on our ears, a musical but -ominous salutation. The obstacle wasted two hours of -valuable time. Wriggling through at last, feet foremost, -our legs came out over the rift, a narrow chasm some -20 feet deep, with the head stream of the cavern -tumbling in over a choke-stone at one end. Our goods -were let down carefully into the hands of the first man, -who lodged them in a sheltered spot whilst we scrambled -hastily down through showers of spray. Now began -a painful advance into the depths. Along the tilted -bedding planes, down the perpendicular joints of the -Limestone, widened by the water into broad, low chambers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -and deep shafts and canyons, we forged ahead, hugging the -stream, which grew larger and angrier as tributaries came -swishing in from walls and roof. At one point the water -swept horizontally along a straight canal, but was stopped -at the end by a recent choke, and now tumbled through -a hole in the wall into a huge pothole. Through this lay -our road.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus26" id="Illus26"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image28.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="ENTRANCE OF SWILDON'S HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE OF SWILDON'S HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by M. Martel.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus27" id="Illus27"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image29.jpg" width="365" height="598" alt="WATERFALL, SWILDON'S HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">WATERFALL, SWILDON'S HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The water poured down a staircase of similar basins, -where to keep clear of the stream was impossible. So far -we had kept tolerably dry, but as we clung to this watery -ladder I pricked up my ears at the remark, "Will you -have your back or your stomach in it?" Crouching on -all fours, with back pressed against the low roof, and looking -between my legs, I watched the performances of my -comrades, as each in turn went through the final archway. -Not one escaped a severe wetting. But I was going to -be more wily—at least, I thought so. With hands and -knees in the rushing stream, I squirmed hastily but -cautiously through. I seemed to be getting on famously, -and gave a spurt. That moment the rocks ended; they -were undercut. I found myself sliding down a waterfall -10 feet high, and floundering in a big pool at the bottom. -Drenched we were; but what better preparation could we -have for the troubles ahead? This part of the cavern -shows traces of enormous changes in the course of the -stream, which has planed down great masses of stalagmite, -the growth of ages, when this section of the tunnels was -dry or all but deserted by the streams, which found -a way down by the horizontal canal or some higher -channel. Between this first water-chute and the second -lies the most nerve-trying part of the journey to the -farthest point hitherto attained. It is a succession of lofty -rifts, giving into each other at right angles, the water -sweeping from one to the next through curving fissures -and sudden falls. For a while we kept above the canyons<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -on a water-worn shelf, all that remained of a low, flattish -chamber that sufficed for the small streams of older times. -This giving out, we scrambled along the cliffs of the -canyons, which seemed in the gloom without top or -bottom, bestraddling the rift, or with feet on one side and -back to the other pushing on from hold to hold. The -Limestone grips would have been amply sufficient for this -mode of progression had they not been drenched and -slippery. Below us the waters raced and bellowed. At -the junctions of the canyons they sounded on all sides at -once; the invisible hollows all round seemed to be alive -with angry voices, mad to be at us. What if a thunderstorm -burst over Mendip now? Such thoughts would -occur, although we knew we could climb into safety on -the upper shelves of the canyon; for with a water-chute -above and another below, a little flood would make us -fast prisoners.</p> - -<p>At the Well, the stream tumbles suddenly into a deep -round pit, in which it is churned to foam before being -driven out with accelerated speed along a rugged gorge -to the second staircase of potholes. Shreds of magnesium -ribbon dropped into the Well lit up such a turmoil of waters -as one might see in some gigantic turbine going at full -speed. Two of us now went ahead to report on the condition -of the next stage. The gorge was too wide for -climbing, but we found a footing on the rocks in the bed, -then squirmed through a narrow fissure, and began to -descend the potholes. These were deep basins, with high -walls on the upper side where the stream poured in, and -the other side broken down by the force of the torrent. -Below them lay the second water-chute, a big fall pitching -into a hole underneath a low arch, and sliding out into a -turbulent pool. It was a sort of culvert, with very little -head-room above the water. Had we not come through -so many tribulations already, and had we not known of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -the glories that awaited us in the great stalactite chamber -beyond this last trial, we should certainly have been turned -back by this obstacle. After some little hesitation we -resolved to attempt it, and went back to the head of the -Well for our companions. One of the cameras had already -been left behind; it was decided to leave the other here. -The leader went down the water-chute on his back; the -rest adopted all the other attitudes possible short of a -complete header. But it made little difference; all got a -most effectual drenching.</p> - -<p>Running the gauntlet beneath another tributary, which -came swishing in just over our heads, we pushed on into -a high and ample chamber, where in times gone by a -volume of water had accumulated in a sort of gigantic -cistern. The rocky roof was flat and smooth, its cracks -and fissures fringed with meandering lacework of stalactite. -In front, the rocky mole that once held up the -reservoir was cloven into a series of Limestone seracs, -between which the stream found its way down into the -remoter cavities. Masses of clay, some 15 feet thick, -deposited by the ancient waters, still flanked this rugged -portal into the unknown. Bones of sheep, cattle, horses, -and lesser mammals lay about in profusion, enough to -reconstruct whole skeletons; with them were the relics of -animals now extinct on Mendip, deer and other creatures. -Higher up sherds of Samian pottery had been found, -brought down by the stream from the rubbish heaps of -long ago. What struck the imagination as still more -wonderful was that in this sunless spot, 300 feet below the -surface, there were creatures that lived. Empty snail -shells were abundant, but yet more plentiful were tiny -snails that were actually crawling over the clay, feeding, -no doubt, on water-borne vegetable matter. Gossamer-like -webs stretched across many chinks in the Limestone, but -the microscopic spiders we could not see. What flies did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -they live on? Surely not the caddis, whose corpses lay -about in plenty on every shoal.</p> - -<p>From this chamber the stream quickly descends into -the great Water Rift, one of the most wonderful things in -the whole cavern. It is but a few feet wide, but its height -is enormous. The walls go up like mountain cliffs, but are -lost in gloom instead of mist. Here tremendous changes -had taken place since the former exploration. At that -time the rift was blocked up in one place by a vast -barrage of rock and stalagmite, that came down to the -stream and forbade human progress save by one strait -and difficult way. At a height above the water a hole -ascended seven feet into the barrier, its orifice all but closed -by a fringe of stalactites. Contriving to enter, the explorers -crept up this pipe, and down a corresponding one -on the other side, coming out on a cliff face overhanging -the continuation of the Water Rift, to attain the bottom -of which was an abstruse gymnastic problem. A little -farther on they reached the utmost limit of their journey, -where the stream beats violently against the termination -of the rift, is hurled sideways, and finds an outlet through -a low crevice, whence it tumbles in a 40-foot cataract -into an unknown pool. Our main object to-day had been -to descend this 40-foot pitch; that was the reason why -we had encumbered ourselves with two long ropes. But -now all was different. In the short interval that had -elapsed since the former visit, the strength of the ungovernable -torrent had swept away the whole of this vast -structure, the work of thousands of ages—for the Pyramids -are recent erections compared with these products of -unimaginably slow crystallisation. Hardly a vestige -remained; and now the current dashed unimpeded from -end to end of the Water Rift, and the incessant thunder -of the cataract deafened ears already attuned to the noise -of the higher falls and canyons. Probably the removal of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -stones and dams by the former party, in making their -way down, had contributed largely to this extraordinary -event.</p> - -<p>Nothing could be done in the face of such a volume of -water. We turned, accordingly, out of the main passage -into a lofty gallery or transept that branches off to the -west, the general direction of the cavern being due south. -To say it branches off is slightly incorrect, for it is really -the course of a tributary brook, and quite possibly may -have been in remote times the channel of the main stream. -At all events its shape and magnitude indicate that it was -once a very important section of the cavern. Scrambling -cautiously along the sides of the toppling fragments of the -mole, we crossed a deep gap and entered the gallery. At -the portal a great hollow corbel of stalactite stood out from -the wall, like an enormous stoup, its huge rims curved over -like the petals of a flower. It stood there in solitary -grandeur, but it was a token of transcendent glories -beyond. A few more steps, and we saw that we were on -the threshold of a fane more beautiful than any made with -hands. The rocks to right and left were sheeted with -crystalline enamel, its surface powdered thickly with a -minute splash deposit, so frail that it gave one a twinge to -crush the lovely efflorescence as we moved. One could -not go a step without destroying hundreds of these delicate -spicules, the work of untold ages of water action. More -great corbels stood out from the walls as we advanced; -they were richly moulded with concentric rings of stalagmite, -and these again were carved and chased with -wonderful reliefs. From the corbels sprang huge pillars -right to the roof, pillars 40 feet in height; and from their -capitals shining curtains hung down in ample folds, heavy -as Parian marble, and as lovely in hue. One would have -called them white, had we not seen, hanging from a cleft -high up in the lofty walls, a mass of curtains as white as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -arragonite, the whitest thing there is. So dazzling was -their immaculate purity that the rich creamy surface of -the other incrustations showed dusky in comparison. We -were veteran cave explorers, yet it seemed to us that all -the caves we had ever seen in Britain could no more vie -with this than parish churches with cathedrals. At -each turn there was a new and more enthralling vista: -more pillars, ampler curtains, piers and arches of Oriental -magnificence, fluted and moulded into wildest fantasies. -It struck one with a curious wonder to think that all these -splendours had lain here unbeheld by living eye, untouched -by a gleam of light, until one casual year in the twentieth -century.</p> - -<p>But the photographer was exercised by other feelings. -He was here, but where was his camera? It had seemed -a Herculean labour to bring that much-enduring instrument -down to the 300-foot level, but he declared that -the task was not superhuman, and, furthermore, he was -determined to do it. He could not do it alone, however; -that was obvious. The expedition, therefore, came down -out of the stalactite gallery. Two went through the water-chute, -two remained just outside it, to assist in the last -and most dangerous stage of the transportation. We -waited a long time; in fact, we had leisure enough to -explore an interesting side gallery whilst the others made -their way to and from the head of the Well. At last their -welcome shout was heard. Standing in the water, with -light held low under the arch, we caught sight of a hand, -and then of a wading and much-crumpled-up man, lugging -the camera, which he kept out of the foaming water with -admirable skill. We grabbed it, and put the precious -instrument in a place of safety; ten minutes later the -flashlight was at work, taking our breath away with its -gorgeous revelations. The photographer had his troubles -even here, though not such as to be compared with those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -of the water caverns we had recently traversed, where at -this moment two of our party, following us down, were -engaged in photographing the canyons and the falls, under -difficulties that few cameras have ever been confronted -with. Here there was no marble pavement suitable to the -splendours of the walls; nothing for the camera to stand -on but an inch or two of slippery ledge, with a depth of -mud in the middle that none of us cared to fathom. The -only place that could be found at one spot for the flashlight -was the top of my unfortunate head, which I -generously put at the photographer's disposal. On it was -laid a piece of stone, on which the gun-cotton was spread -and sprinkled with the powder, which, when it went off, -made me shut both eyes for fear of the shower of sparks, -and so I missed the glorious blaze of light that illumined -the cavern.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus28" id="Illus28"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image30.jpg" width="500" height="301" alt="ENTRANCE OF STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE OF STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 372px;"><a name="Illus29" id="Illus29"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image31.jpg" width="372" height="599" alt="STALACTITE CURTAINS, SWILDON'S HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE CURTAINS, SWILDON'S HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>These stately columns, soaring vaults, and sweeping -marble draperies were strangely out of proportion to the -narrowness of the place. But now the sinuous aisle -broadened out, and the style of the architecture was -changed entirely. We were at the junction chamber -where, in the remote past, two big streams came down -from the yawning passages to the left and right, and met -here, probably as the main stream of the cavern. The -roof is a spacious dome, hung with resplendent candelabra. -But the unique feature of the place, the thing that impresses -itself on the memory as one of the most dazzling -creations of the wonder-working calcite, is the stalagmite -bridge. Bridge, I say, but it is more than a bridge, for -its complicated arches support a beautiful piazza, with a -huge array of dripstone terraces, crystal basins, massive -pedestals, and obelisks of stalagmite, which all but fills -the chamber and extends some distance up the alcoves -behind. Standing on one of the great hemispheres of -dripstone, one could put one's head among the pendulous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -shafts above, and see how each was marvellously twisted, -moulded, and fantastically embossed and gemmed with -flashing crystals. The splash formation covered everything -beneath the roof, save portions of the polished floor, -with millions of tiny spicules. We had to move about -cautiously, not only for fear of doing damage, but to avoid -gaping pitfalls in the bridge, the surface of which was -smooth as ice.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"><a name="Illus30" id="Illus30"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image32.jpg" width="370" height="602" alt="ENTRANCE OF STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE CHAMBER, SWILDON'S HOLE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Whilst we were at work photographing a distant shout -was heard, and soon the two men who had followed us -down arrived at the big chamber. But our party was -again reduced to its original four by the departure of two -other members, who were to go back by the aquatic route -in order to pick up certain articles that had been deposited -on the way down. We ourselves hoped to get to the -surface by another and a drier course. At the previous -exploration two men had missed the rest of the party, -and found their way, after divers adventures, through the -ramifications of the cavern, to what they described as a -great stalactite chamber, which was presumably our -gallery. When they reached it, however, no one was -there, nor any trace of human presence; either the -explorers had finished their work and departed, or the -pair had missed their way altogether. It was believed -that they had come down to this very spot by the gallery -joining this one on the north, and we purposed following -that passage out. But this, as we presently discovered, -was all wrong.</p> - -<p>Two of us now went off on an exploring trip into the -great passage running west. At once we encountered a -series of huge obstructions. This passage was of the usual -rift pattern, and, save for holes and crevices between, was -wholly blocked up by large masses of tumbled rocks. -One of us climbed to the top of the Cyclopean pile, whilst -I attempted to make my way along at the middle height,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -but eventually found it easier to crawl through the culverts -and water-gaps, regardless of mud and wet. Even among -the piled-up rocks there were charming little nooks -adorned with rich incrustations. When the rocks ended -the open tunnel began to ascend rapidly; then, after a -while, we came to another tunnel joining it on the north. -This, though smaller, was the more important passage; -the other shortly came to an end in a lofty grotto, bountifully -tapestried with curtains and tassels of stalactite. We -climbed the northern passage, through several brilliant -displays of incrustation, and reached a level approximately -70 feet below the surface, by aneroid; there we could get -no farther. But, unknown to ourselves, we had brought -back important information.</p> - -<p>We had noticed mysterious bits of string at two points -in this series. When we reported the discovery to the -two men left behind, they at once saw its significance. -The two men whose route down to the stalactite chamber -had caused so much perplexity had used a ball of string -to mark their way out—these were the relics. Our casual -trip had, perhaps, saved us from a night of blind wandering -in the unknown branches of the great tunnel on the north. -All being in readiness for our departure, we now proceeded -to take up this providential thread. It was not an easy -task. Often not an inch of string remained undecayed -for many hundreds of feet together, and often we nosed -the walls and floor, eagerly but in vain, for droppings -of candle grease left by our predecessors. The way was -dry, that was a relief, after six or seven hours in wet -clothes; but it was a tighter squeeze than the other, and -the sharpness of the turns was often aggravated by a -portcullis of crystals on our backs, and a <i>cheval de frise</i> -of stalagmite spear-heads against our stomachs. All the -while we wondered whether we should really find the -exit, or whether we should have to return and undertake<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -the canyons after all. Mr. Balch compared our task of -finding the desired exit to an attempt to ascend from the -mouth of a river to some unknown point upon one of its -tributaries, with nothing to indicate which way to take. -This puts the position clearly enough, I think. There -was no string to be found in the higher parts. At last -the man in front disappeared feet foremost through the -ugliest hole we had yet seen, out of which the noise of -waters sounded ominously. A cheering cry came back to -us; he had found the rift, where we had descended seven -hours ago into the route through the canyons. A few -more yards of determined wriggling, and the candle left -by the other two men hove in sight. We found they had -got out two hours ago. The stars were shining from a clear -sky, and a keen frost was on the fields, but the excitement -and the success of our adventure were stimulant enough -to keep out the cold.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont8" id="Cont8">THE GREAT CAVERN AT CHEDDAR</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> ultimate goal of our researches at Cheddar has been -the discovery of the underground river-course. Not many -yards below the entrance to Gough's, or the Great Cavern, -a large body of water wells up at the foot of a cliff, -spreading out into a beautiful mere, half encircled by -crags; flows on thence through the village, performing a -great deal of industrial work on its way; and, finally, -proceeds a mile or two farther as the Cheddar Water, to -join its brother, the Axe, which has a similar origin. But -less is known about the darksome course of the Cheddar -Water than about the stream flowing out of Wookey Hole. -With its tributaries, it has doubtless been the principal -agent in the formation, not only of the caves, but also of -the famous Cheddar gorge, which bears every evidence of -having been produced by the gradual destruction of a -series of caverns. Yet this important stream has actually -not been met with hitherto at any single point of its -course underground, and we have anything but complete -information as to its sources on the uplands of Mendip. -The owners of the Great Cavern, the Messrs. Gough -Brothers, tell me that they intend to blast away about -10 feet of rock immediately overlying the exit of the river. -When the stream is very full, water often bursts forth here -from cracks and joints several feet above the normal level, -and they imagine that there must be a chamber of some -height just within. This, however, in my opinion, is not -a necessary inference, since every cavity and crevice behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -the outlet would at such times be heavily charged with -water, under pressure, and the large cavities might be a -long way back. It is curious that the water in a low -tunnel recently discovered in Cox's Cavern, which lies -some distance from Gough's, and at a lower level, rises -and falls in unison with the movements of the water-level -of the river outside, although that always remains 10 feet -higher. Cox's Cavern is occasionally flooded, yet the -water never rises to a point within 10 feet of the river -level. Obviously the subterranean connection must be of -a complicated and roundabout form.</p> - -<p>At the time of my first serious attempt to explore the -caves of Cheddar, when our party contained Dr. Norman -Sheldon, Mr. J. O. Morland, and Mr. Harry Bamforth, two -of whom have not since been able to join us in Somerset, -I had not the advantage of knowing Mr. H. E. Balch, and -we were utterly unaware of the great work he had been -doing in the cave region adjoining Wells. On the other -hand, we received invaluable assistance from the brothers -Gough, who are not only proprietors of show caves, but -take a sincere interest in underground exploration. -Their father, who died in 1902, was the discoverer of -the caverns that bear his name, and was actively at -work pushing his way farther and farther into the rocky -bosom of the hill up to the year of his death, at a good -old age.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus31" id="Illus31"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image33.jpg" width="500" height="311" alt="STALAGMITE PILLARS IN GOUGH'S GREAT CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALAGMITE PILLARS IN GOUGH'S GREAT CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Gough, Cheddar.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 465px;"><a name="Illus32" id="Illus32"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image34.jpg" width="465" height="602" alt="THE PILLARS OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE PILLARS OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Gough, Cheddar.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The Great Cavern was discovered in 1898. The parts -open to visitors extend in a generally easterly direction -for some 600 yards, and consist of natural chambers and -passages, connected here and there by artificial tunnels. -We began work early in the morning, carrying into the -cavern a large quantity of ropes, ladders of wood and rope, -and plenty of illuminants, including a 2000-candle-power -limelight, which with its lens or condenser is one of the -most valuable aids in subterranean work. Many openings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -are seen overhead and in the walls of the cavern as the -visitor advances, some of which end abruptly, whilst others -lead into small grottos and galleries. One of the most -conspicuous chimneys, or perpendicular caves, has at its -base a peculiar staircase of stalagmitic basins, formed by -the deposits of a calcareous spring that is now dried up. -These basins are known as the "Fonts." Our conductors -had been in the habit of climbing about 50 feet up this -lofty chasm, over the crust of stalagmite, and a wire rope -had been fixed to assist visitors in ascending to a broad, -deep ledge. Above this point the rocks were much -steeper. No one had ever succeeded in seeing the top, -and at first we thought it would be impossible to ascend -any higher without some sort of apparatus. We sent for -a ladder, and meanwhile Dr. Sheldon and I tried to -clamber over the jutting arch of rock that formed the first -obstacle—a cave-pitch in a gully or chimney we should -call it in climbing parlance. To our surprise, we succeeded -in reaching the continuous channel or gutter above it, -which ascended at a high angle, with sheer walls to right -and left, and the other side of the huge shaft overhanging -it. The holds were shallow and slippery, and with one -hand grasping a candle we found the ordinary difficulties -of a rock-climb multiplied enormously. Half-way up my -candle went out, but my companion was now well ahead, -and I groped my way after him with confidence. When -a shout from below announced that the ladder had been -hoisted up to the platform above the "Fonts" we were -within a few yards of the top. At a height of 120 feet -(by the aneroid) above this platform and of 170 feet -above the floor of the cavern we found the shaft completely -blocked up with débris and clay. We were in a -subterranean pot, or swallet, of large dimensions, formed -in remote ages by a big stream, which had worked through -its Limestone bed, and continued its path at a deeper level.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -Whether this was the main stream that now flows in an -unknown course hundreds of feet below, or only a tributary, -it is at present impossible to tell. Mr. Bamforth's limelight -was now projected up the chasm, revealing grand -masses of superincumbent rock on the farther side, whilst -the view downwards, past our friends into the dark bottom -of the pit, was very curious. Roping ourselves together -for the descent, we kept near each other for fear of a slip, -and took the utmost precautions not to dislodge any stones -on the heads of those underneath. The limelight was -a great advantage, although many dark reaches had to be -carefully inspected with a taper before we could secure -foothold. When we got to the critical bit at the bottom -we found the ladder placed ready for us.</p> - -<p>Not far from the entrance to the "Fonts" is the mouth -of a low passage on the other side, with a hole at the far -end of it, that our guides thought must communicate -with the underground river which, they conjecture, has its -channel not far below this spot. We crawled into this -burrow and fixed ourselves in the confined space round -the black pit, which we found, by throwing in stones, had -water in it. With a rope round my waist I climbed down -the fissure, whose sides were of sharply corrugated rock -though they looked like wet clay. About 30 feet down the -hole grew so narrow that I could not turn round; I could -just reach the water with my foot, but found that it was -quite a small pool. Another "well," nearer the cave -mouth, was explored after our further operations had been -carried out. It was situated at the extremity of another -burrow, but was much larger in circumference. Steadied -by the rope, I climbed to the bottom and found a large -pool of great depth about 30 feet below the edge. No -current was perceptible, and its connection with running -water is hardly probable. Some years later, a perfect -skeleton of a man was exhumed from the clay beneath<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -the stalagmite in this burrow; accompanying it were -numerous flint flakes. Some peculiarities indicate that -the find was that of a man of early Neolithic age. It is -shown by the Gough Brothers at the entrance of their -cave.</p> - -<p>While some of the party were photographing the -"show place," a lofty dome-shaped cavern with its sheet -of stalagmite poured over the cliff like a petrified waterfall, -two of us retraced our steps from "St. Paul's," as this -beautiful sight is nicknamed, to the branch leading to the -other principal shows. "Solomon's Temple" is a wonderful -grotto, walled, roofed, and floored with gleaming white -and ivory calcite, and set at the top of another great fall -of stalagmite which has flowed on and on in a gentle -stream and covered the floor of a lofty cavern with dimpling -waves of crystal. Nor are these all its attractions, -for on turning round the spectator sees on the opposite -cliff a broad and voluminous sheet of stalagmite, rippling -down, spouting and foaming over the rocks like a waterfall, -but still as marble and white as frozen snow. We -had seen all these things before, however, and were anxious -to move on to new ground again.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus33" id="Illus33"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image35.jpg" width="500" height="603" alt="ORGAN PIPES, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ORGAN PIPES, GOUGH'S CAVES, CHEDDAR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Gough, Cheddar.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus34" id="Illus34"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image36.jpg" width="500" height="492" alt="A STALAGMITE FALL, GOUGH'S CAVE, CHEDDAR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">A STALAGMITE FALL, GOUGH'S CAVE, CHEDDAR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by M. Martel.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>In the fork between the main passage and this big -cavern is a large irregular opening, with disorderly blocks -of Limestone heaped up on its floor. We picked our way -across these, and at a height of 40 feet reached the edge -of an abrupt rock some four yards high. We dropped -over on to an earthy floor, and going a little farther found -ourselves in a domical chamber with three low exits. -First of all exploring that on our left, we had a look at a -slanting shaft filled with a "ruckle" of big shattered -blocks wedged insecurely, above which are two small -chambers incrusted with stalagmite, but with no apparent -exit. We climbed down again, and tried the third opening. -It led through a series of caves and narrow clefts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -into a larger chamber, all maintaining the same easterly -direction, and there we found two possible ways onward. -The first of these brought us in a few moments to the -brink of a steep cliff, which seemed to be one wall of a -considerable cavern. We preferred to wait for the limelight -before venturing to let a man down into this unknown -abyss, and meanwhile to examine the other passage. A -few minutes' crawling brought us to a great pit, which -sounded very deep when we threw in some fragments of -rock. Apparently it was the chasm that had been -described to us as 300 feet deep by one of our guides -who had descended part of the way. We approached the -edge with respect, and as a preliminary step let down a -rope ladder into the upper part, which is strangely twisted. -At a depth of 20 feet I found a possible landing-place; -the second man joined me, and by dint of careful -manœuvring the third got down to the same spot. With -an 80-foot rope tied on, I now explored the next -section of the chasm, and was delighted to find that there -was just enough rope to reach a slope of big rocks at the -bottom. A little more scrambling brought me into a -vast chamber, the floor of which was piled up with -enormous blocks, while the lowest part seemed to offer -two possible routes onwards. One of these proved to be -a mere hollow, but the other was evidently the channel of -a stream, and apparently led onwards into further caves. -But the roof was extremely low, and it was quite impossible -to wriggle through. One of my companions, who had now -joined me, also failed to squeeze through the opening, and -we decided to leave it until the hole could be enlarged -with pick and shovel. The alleged 300 feet was found by -aneroid to be exactly 100 feet. In a corner of this lofty -cavern was a steep fissure which seemed to be well worth -exploring. The bottom half of it was completely walled -in by an enormous flake of Limestone that had come down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -from the roof, and looked as if a touch would send it -tumbling on the heaps of rock at the bottom of the cave. -We scrambled up the fissure at the back of this, and -reached a promising gallery; but, to our disgust, this was -entirely blocked up with clay and mud at the top, and it -was impossible to proceed. Gaining the summit of the -huge Limestone flake, we lit up the cave with magnesium -wire, and were deeply impressed by its height and the -grandeur of the shattered crags bristling on walls, roof, -and floor. Everything was black, save one long, dripping -cascade of stalagmite on the wall over against us; its -unsullied whiteness shone weirdly out of the gloom as the -fierce light fell on it. Just at that moment voices were -heard, and from a rent in the rocky wall in front the intolerable -beam of the searchlight came right in our faces. -The remainder of the party had followed us up, and -reached the spot where we had first looked over into the -deep chasm. Revealed in all its extent by this penetrating -light, the cave reminded us strongly of the enormous -chamber that we had explored a few months earlier in the -lowest part of the Blue John Mine in Derbyshire. On the -way back one of the acetylene lamps fell down the pit by -which we had entered, and was completely smashed. With -no other mishap, we made our way through the tortuous -passages and amongst the chaos of tumbled rock masses -back to the cavern under "Solomon's Temple."</p> - -<p>Two of us explored the openings above "St. Paul's" a -few days later. A 30-foot ladder was placed against the -corner of the stalagmite fall, and a yard or two of scrambling -took us to the top. On the left was an ascending -vault, with openings to right and left. Taking the latter -to begin with, we found it gradually trend downhill and -dwindle away into a series of holes scarcely big enough -to let a human body pass. Squeezing through with a -good deal of trouble, I reached a flattish cave with a floor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -of rock and stalagmite all cracked and fissured. The -whole of this part seemed to have been shivered by some -large movement of the rocky strata. One of the fissures -gave entrance to a passage underneath the floor; but this -speedily narrowed, and when it was impossible to get -farther I found myself right underneath my companion, -who was holding my rope and paying it out as I advanced -from his original position in the outer passage. No other -exit being discoverable on this side, we crossed to the -passage on the right, and after a few yards of crawling -under a depressed roof we found ourselves on the largest -expanse of stalagmite either of us had ever met with. It -had flowed down from fissures high up on our left and -spread over a wide, rocky slope; it had then contracted -and poured over a cliff immediately on our right. We -still kept the rope taut, and moved about cautiously, for -the crystalline floor was extremely slippery, and the -cliff immediately beneath us would have made the slightest -accident serious. A broad flat roof of rock overhung the -floor of stalagmite closely, and was covered with thin pipes -and reeds of stalactite. We soon ascertained that we had -returned by a different route to the crown of the petrified -cascade in "St. Paul's," although a craggy partition separated -us from our route up the ladder. We explored the -edges of this huge surface of stalagmite, which we could -not measure, having no better light to guide us than a few -tapers, but which could not be much less than 100 feet wide. -Where the deposits came down through crevices at the top -they had settled in jewelled and diapered masses of the -most fantastic patterns. Our situation was, however, too -precarious for lingering in this strange spot, and without -another man to back one up it was impossible to explore -the hole at the top. We gave up our quest reluctantly -and returned towards our ladder, incrusted from head to -foot with the thick, plastic clay. A convenient knob of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -stalagmite enabled us to give the rope a hitch whilst we -scrambled down to the top of our ladder.</p> - -<p>One other passage from the main cavern was explored, -with a curious cluster of vertical cavities near its extremity. -The end of the passage was coated in every direction with -tinted deposits, among which we noticed beautiful -specimens of the branching stalactites that were called -<i>anemolites</i> by the explorers of the Blue John caverns, who -thought they had acquired their abnormal shapes through -the irregularity of evaporation caused by air currents. I -climbed 30 or 40 feet up one of the openings in the -roof, whilst Dr. Sheldon explored another. At the top -we found no exits big enough to afford a man passage. -A wider cavity in the middle of the roof looked more -promising. A ladder was adjusted, but fell short; but my -companion, with considerable risk of a dangerous fall, -clambered up to the rocky slope and over the piles of -jagged blocks that well-nigh filled it. This too failed to -afford us a passage, and the daring climber had great -difficulty in coming down, being forced to thread the rope -and let himself down on it to the ladder. During the -operation a flake of rock came hurtling down and hit the -ladder, but luckily did nothing worse than smash a rung. -These cavities in the roof were extremely interesting, and -no doubt are connected together and have a common -origin in some neighbouring fissure or waterway.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont9" id="Cont9">FIVE CAVERNS AT CHEDDAR</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Cheddar gorge, which is the deepest and narrowest -defile, and on its south side presents the loftiest face of -absolutely vertical rock in England, is not dissimilar, -though far superior in height and grandeur, to the Winnats -pass in Derbyshire. The huge chasm runs east-north-east -across the dip of the Limestone beds, which are tilted up -towards the saddle of Mendip; one of its sides, consequently, -is formed mainly of shelving rock, and the other -is almost continuously precipitous. If, as may be assumed -with confidence, the original cause of the ravine was -a stream or streams flowing through a chain of caverns, -one would naturally expect to find openings on the abrupt -side through which the underground waters were successively -tapped, and followed the trend of the strata to a -lower level. This view is confirmed by observation. -Except at the jaws of the defile, where both sides are -equally high and precipitous, there are no caves on the -northern side, but on the south openings both large and -small are frequent, some narrow and lofty—"slitters," they -are called locally—the others low and wide, according -as they originated in a vertical joint or a bedding plane. -They occur at various levels, some on inaccessible shelves -high up in the cliffs, others along the base. But the larger -number of these openings have in the lapse of time become -silted up with clay and débris, so that the entrance is either -completely masked or it is impossible to penetrate far -without toilsome work with pick and shovel.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span></p> - -<p>After exploring the Great Cavern our party of four -devoted some time to an examination of these openings, so -far as could be done without excavating. There are three -important caverns in close proximity to the Great Cavern, -or Gough's. The best known is Cox's, a small but -exceedingly beautiful stalactite cavern (see frontispiece). -No one interested in caves would think of visiting Cheddar -without seeing the Great Cavern, nor would any such -person dream of missing Cox's. Each is the complement -of the other as a piece of underground scenery. The -spacious vaults and vast stalagmite falls of the one fill one -with a sense of power and majesty; the other is a gem of -fantastic architecture, embellished with the most lawless -and fairy-like designs of the subterranean artificer, and -unique in one respect—the wealth and diversity of the -mineral deposits that have dyed its multiform incrustations -with luminous tints. No sane man, however, would -attempt to describe Cox's Cavern in detail, and a -photograph can give only colourless glimpses of its -kaleidoscopic beauties. The cavern seems, at first sight, -to be a solitary freak of nature, having no connection with -the general system of caves and streams. But since the -visit just referred to, several new passages have been -opened, among them the interesting water-tunnel with its -ebb and flow corresponding to the movements of the -Cheddar Water outside, which, as already described, flows -at a higher level. Of three other good-sized fissures or -ancient channels radiating from the same large chamber, -two after a while dwindle away almost to nothing, but the -third has indications of a channel striking downwards, -which it might be worth while to clear of rubbish. All -these passages were choked with clay until quite -recently.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus35" id="Illus35"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image37.jpg" width="500" height="328" alt="IN COX'S CAVERN AT CHEDDAR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">IN COX'S CAVERN AT CHEDDAR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 374px;"><a name="Illus36" id="Illus36"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image38.jpg" width="374" height="598" alt="GREAT RIFT CAVERN, CHEDDAR GORGE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">GREAT RIFT CAVERN, CHEDDAR GORGE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The next cave also is of minor interest to the speleologist, -although it contains many curious sights. It is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -called "Gough's Old Cavern," and its entrance is close -to the mouth of the Great Cavern. It is an ascending -cleft, apparently not linked at present with the other caves, -although it was once probably a sloping aven draining -into the big series of caverns that have been gradually cut -back by the falling in of the defile. Whoever likes such -things may find here plenty of those freaks and alleged -similitudes that puzzle and delight the ordinary sightseer. -On a stalagmite excrescence nicknamed the "Ribs of -Beef" we had the luck to see a far more interesting -phenomenon. The calcite mass was clustered over with a -number of motionless black objects, which we found to be -roosting bats, hanging head downwards by their claws. -They were not disturbed in the least by our presence, and -one that was lifted off gently just showed his teeth and -claws, and clung on again as fast as ever when replaced -on the rock to resume his patient sleep. A photograph -of this curious sight was obtained by means of the flashlight. -At the head of the cave are several incrusted -grottoes, where the process of deposition is still going on, -roof and walls streaming with moisture. This part is not -unlike the show places in the Bagshawe Cavern in the -Peak of Derbyshire.</p> - -<p>In many respects the Roman Cave is much more -interesting. Its mouth is situated about 150 feet up the -cliffs, almost immediately over the cave just described. -Quantities of Roman pottery, coins, bones, and other -remains, have been discovered there, showing it to be one -of the places that sheltered fugitives after the evacuation -of Britain by the Roman legions. The entrance is a broad -anticlinal arch, and the main passage, high-roofed and -ascending gradually, runs east for perhaps a furlong. -Then the floor, which has been covered with earth and -stones, becomes rugged and rock-strewn, and suddenly we -creep through a lowly portal into a high and gloomy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -chamber, the shadowy corners of whose roof our lights are -too feeble to explore. To all appearances this was the end -of the cavern; but we had been told that the passage -takes a turn here and goes on nearly a quarter of a mile -farther. We scanned every part of the walls as far up as -we could see, but no accessible opening disclosed itself. -In a recess on one side a number of fallen rocks were -piled up and wedged between the converging walls. To -examine the cavity from a vantage spot, we climbed with -a good deal of difficulty to the top of these, and there, to -our astonishment, a wide passage sloped up at right angles -to the one we had entered by. A curious slit in the wall -opened into a perpendicular fissure that was situated right -in the roof of the latter, and through the hole we caught a -glimpse of our friends following us up. Three men now -pushed on up the new passage and entered a chamber -whose sole exit was a small and uninviting hole. We -crawled and scraped through, and on over sharp stones -till at last we could get no farther. We had evidently -doubled back over the main cavern, and that we could not -be far from the open air was shown by the presence of a -bewildered bat, who flew to and fro in the confined space -and hit us in the face several times. And in the extreme -recess of this narrow branch a steady draught of air blew -in through a crevice and nearly put the lights out. Through -an oversight we found ourselves at this point reduced to -two tapers and a bit, and to economise we kept only one -alight at a time, so as to have enough for the return -journey. All went well, however, and the sole difficulty -we met with was in getting down over the wedged blocks -in the big chamber, a climb that proved extremely -awkward when taken the reverse way. In many parts of -this cavern we noticed prodigious quantities of moths on -the walls, as well as many huge spiders. But a more -interesting thing was the vegetation naturalised in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -caves, examples of which we found in other Mendip -caverns as well. It will be advisable to have them -examined by a botanical specialist. All I can say about -them now is that they consist of extremely slender -branching tendrils, some white and translucent, others -brownish, thin as cotton.</p> - -<p>It was late in the afternoon when we entered the -Roman Cavern; it was dark now, and the stars were out. -Returning in advance of the others, I sat down just within -the majestic gateway of the cavern, a flattened arch about -100 feet wide resting on enormous rocky jambs, and looked -out across the deep wooded abyss where Cheddar lay, -its lights reflected here and there by the dark waters of -the mere, towards the craggy heights of Mendip opposite, -just sinking down towards Sedgemoor. The Great Bear -was shining brightly right in front—it almost spanned -the breadth of the cave mouth; and the solemnity of the -place and the hour could not but bring to mind the miserable -fugitives who sat in this forlorn asylum, hemmed in -by foes, and looked out on the same giant constellation -thrice five hundred years ago. The place is admirably -adapted for defence. A rear attack was of course impossible, -whilst a frontal attack by way of the cliffs would -be easily repelled; and a tolerable water-supply was to be -found inside the cavern. The huge natural glacis of the fortress -is covered to-day with a dense tangle of ivy and other -climbers, through which we made our way heedfully, for a -slip would have been easy in the dark, and a terrible fall -the consequence.</p> - -<p>Next morning we strolled up the defile and looked at -the mouths of several caves that are now choked up. Two -furlongs above its entrance the ravine makes a double -curve like a gigantic figure three. The two crescents of -beetling Limestone, with their jutting horns, that appear to -the astonished beholder underneath like towering pyramids<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -and slim aiguilles, rise to a vertical height of 430 feet, -and, being absolutely unassailable, they fill a crag climber's -mind with admiration tempered by regret. What enhances -their grandeur, while it softens the savage aspect of the -sheer and ledgeless precipice, is the bountiful vegetation -clinging wherever it can find a hold, dark shrouds of ivy -and darker masses of yew standing out against the grey -rock in beautiful relief. Would the indomitable scramblers -who haunt Lakeland at Easter, we asked ourselves, have -forced a way up these tremendous "chimneys" if the -Cheddar cliffs had been pitched somewhere in the latitude -of Wastdale? We went so far as to reconnoitre one -alluring fissure, 200 feet or more in length, but the gap -between its base and the first feasible lodgment was insuperable. -Not far away a long talus of scree marks the foot -of an easy though rather sensational way to the cliff top. -Passing it by, we stopped at the mouth of a vertical fissure -that opens on to the roadway. It expands slightly inside, -and the roof soars higher and higher; then the floor breaks -away, and the two men who descended the next 80 feet -had to be steadied by the rope. The walls were wet and -soft, being incrusted with a sticky calcareous substance. -At the bottom of the precipitous slope the magnesium -ribbon revealed the enormously lofty walls of a narrow -chamber, whose farther extent was blocked up by an -accumulation of rocks and débris.</p> - -<p>Returning to the open air, we ascended to the cliff top, -and, skirting each promontory and rounding the edge of -every bay, proceeded towards the mouth of the defile on -the lookout for openings. Not far from the highest point -we had noticed from the road a series of dark cavities. -One man scrambled along a ledge to the uppermost of -these, and found that it was merely a shallow niche, and -another, on a ledge some 50 feet lower, proved to be -only 20 feet deep. He made a determined effort to reach<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -another fissure on the same level as the last but sundered -from it by a wide space of cliff which was covered with -dense brambles. Holding on to the prickly stems, and -fighting his way through, he got near enough to see into -the fissure, but was quite unable to enter it for a closer -examination. An opening in the cliffs at a lower point, -but still some 200 feet above the road, led a long way into -the recesses of the Limestone strata, making two wide -curves to the right, but maintaining a generally easterly -direction. The passages were very low, narrow, and -awkwardly shaped, involving a great deal of unpleasant -crawling; and when we reached the stalagmite grotto at -the end we found that it had been pillaged of every bit of -calcite that could be removed. This cavern, the "Long -Hole," must have been the channel of a stream that once -flowed from somewhere on the other side of the gorge, -through the mass of rock that has now been swept away by -the forces of disintegration. Though several hundred feet -long, it is but the tail end of the cavern that once existed.</p> - -<p>The remainder of our time was devoted to two of the -Burrington caverns, on the opposite side of the Mendip -Hills, and to a fruitless search for a large chasm or swallet -hole into which the drainage from the now abandoned lead -mines on the top of Mendip used to fall and ultimately find -its way to Cheddar, where it poisoned the trout stream. A -score or more of years ago I saw these mines, still in -working order; but now the dried-up pools and the wilderness -of refuse, with fragments of ruined buildings, look as -old almost as the remains of the Roman mines. Of the -important opening that we sought there is now no trace; -it may have been filled up intentionally and the stream -allowed to revert to its old channel, whence it had been -turned artificially. Hard by, in the Long Wood near -Charterhouse, and elsewhere, there are smaller swallets that -we were already acquainted with; and there are others at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -Priddy, the waters of which find an exit farther to the -east.</p> - -<p>The ground we were on is well known to readers of -Walter Raymond's romances, and we were much interested -when it was pointed out that the lonely house facing us -was the actual Ubley Farm that figures in <i>Two Men o' -Mendip</i>.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont10" id="Cont10">THE BURRINGTON CAVERNS</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Burrington Combe</span> is a smaller Limestone defile on the -north side of Mendip—that is to say, the opposite side -to that of Cheddar. It is smaller, and because of its -proximity to Cheddar it has to suffer disadvantageous -comparisons. Anywhere else the grandeur of Burrington -Combe, the magnificence of its crags, with dark, heather-clad -Black Down lowering behind them, and the beauty -of the copses that lurk in its corners and clamber up its -precipices, would excite the admiration of guide-books -and attract crowds of tourists. Like the Cheddar defile, -Burrington Combe was doubtless formed by the gradual -destruction of a series of caverns, and there remains of -that series a number of caves or openings of blocked-up -caves on either side of the ravine. Of these the most -important and the only one well known to speleologists -is Goatchurch Cavern, which was explored by Professor -Boyd Dawkins in 1864. The next in importance is -Aveline's Hole, discovered in 1796, but not explored till -1820, when about fifty human skeletons were found lying -side by side with their weapons, a stalagmitic crust sealing -bones and implements to the floor. This cavern has since -had its mouth silted up by drainage from the road, so that -troublesome excavation will have to be undertaken before -it can be entered again. It would well repay a thorough -exploration, for it is reported that a natural pit, covered -by a slab, has never yet been descended, and leads probably -into important cavities. Foxe's Hole is interesting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -for its curious bosses of tufaceous stalactite. A nearly -vertical cave, Plumley's Den, has been stopped up with a -plug of timber and stones at the depth of 80 feet, in -consequence of a fatal accident to a man who tried to -descend it in 1875. At a level probably a few feet below -that of the caves whose destruction was the origin of the -Combe, a good road with a grassy margin now ascends -towards the top of Mendip, where it joins the old Roman -road that runs from "Severn Sea" to Old Sarum, along -the crown of the ridge.</p> - -<p>Our waggonette when we left the Bath Arms at -Cheddar was piled up with ropes, cameras, gas cylinders, -condensers for the searchlight, and an incredible amount -of needful and superfluous things, for we were quite -unable to say what would be wanted. Climbing to the -miniature mountain pass across Mendip at Shipham was -hard work for the horse, and we walked up the hill. Dr. -Sheldon and Mr. Bamforth were my companions. Our -clothes, still richly daubed with the clay and mire of the -Cheddar caverns, made our appearance both business-like -and picturesque. The north side of the Mendips is very -different from the bleak and craggy slopes on the south. -From the broad bare top of the hills down to the valley -stretches, almost continuously, a deep mass of trees that -looks in the distance like a wall of dusky verdure. We -drove between orchards where great bushes of mistletoe -grew on nearly every tree, till we were within a few -hundred yards of Burrington village; then, turning -towards Mendip, we drove through more orchards, till -suddenly the rocky entrance of the Combe appeared and -we heard the clink of pick and crowbar in the Limestone -quarry not far from Plumley's Den. Half-way up the -gorge makes a sudden bend towards the east, a little -below which point a shallower ravine comes in on the -other side. About 120 feet above the bed of this dry ravine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -is the entrance to Goatchurch Cavern. We coaxed the -horse over the stony turf and up the ravine till the roughness -of the ground and the thickness of the bramble -bushes stopped him. At this point we were met by the -lord of the manor, Mr. James Gibson of Langford, who -is the owner of the Burrington caves. His men assisted -us to get our apparatus up to the cave mouth, and afterwards -convoyed us and the luggage throughout the less -difficult parts of the cavern.</p> - -<p>A few years ago the entrance to Goatchurch Cavern -was an insignificant hole, through which adventurous boys -used to crawl as far as the first considerable chamber, -where Professor Boyd Dawkins found a few remains of -extinct animals. Owing to the depredations which were -made by neighbouring villagers in search of specimens of -calcite, Mr. Gibson recently had the entrance enlarged -and closed with a padlocked gate, the public being -admitted only on certain days of the week or by -appointment. It is a pity this step was not taken before -many of the finer stalactites had been carried away. In -this long chamber, the floor of which is covered with -sheets and bosses of dripstone, we entered some of the -funnel-shaped openings in the roof by means of a ladder, -but soon perceived that no discoveries were to be made -that way. At the end of the chamber a precipitous hole -goes down to the left, and fixed ropes are used for getting -into the lower galleries. We found ourselves at once -entering on a maze of passages, where the presence of our -guides saved valuable time. So intricate and bewildering -are these ramifications that Mr. Balch tells me that he discovered -a passage some years ago that led him eventually -to a much deeper part of the cavern than had ever been -reached before, but every attempt to rediscover the passage -since has failed. In spite of our efforts to examine -every branch of the various passages, we also missed this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -important link. It would seem that the solid mass of -the hill has been shivered here into vast, roughly cubical -fragments, between which lie the irregular passages and -narrow chambers of the cavern. Many tempting galleries -lead the explorer on and on till they dwindle to a mere -rabbit hole, or till he finds himself wedged in the cleft -between two enormous surfaces of rock. Disorderly -accumulations of boulders and splinters cover the floor; -there is hardly a level spot anywhere, and it is desirable -to explore every yard carefully with a taper or a lantern -to avoid the consequences of a rash step. We crawled -on hands and knees and wormed along through insignificant -holes, making our way into spots that had -probably not been inspected before; but we always came -back to the main channel, where our guides were waiting, -having made no noteworthy find.</p> - -<p>Assembling again in a more roomy chamber, about -140 feet below the entrance, we all proceeded along a tunnel -that showed evident traces of the action of a stream to -another chamber, where the sound of running water came -up from a grim-looking chasm. Only two of us went -beyond this point. The rest secured the rope, whilst we -climbed down the steep hole into a large cavern through -which the stream runs from the swallet hole in the ravine -outside on its way to Rickford Rising, where it issues in -considerable volume. The stream has a somewhat puzzling -course after leaving the cavern, for it runs underground -athwart Burrington Combe and through the solid hill -opposite, Burrington Ham. This stream, as Professor -Boyd Dawkins pointed out, was doubtless the originating -cause of Goatchurch Cavern, running in at the present -mouth, which is now dry. The ravine outside has since -been hollowed out to a further depth of 120 feet, and the -stream finds its way in at a lower level. The Professor -also describes a very pretty experiment. Having taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -the temperature of the stream before it enters the cave, -he tested it again after it had run some distance underground, -finding that it was here several degrees cooler. -It is obvious that a colder stream must have joined it at -some unknown point midway.</p> - -<p>The nethermost series of chambers and passages are -not very different from those above, their shape rugged -and irregular, and their floor heaped up with fragments of -all sizes. We reached no lower point than that attained -by previous explorers—that is, 220 feet below the entrance, -as measured by aneroid. Squeezing with difficulty -through the deepest fissure, I found myself in a small cave, -whence, turning round, I only perceived one exit. It -looked and felt so small that I despaired of pushing -through and turned to go back, when it suddenly occurred -to me that this was the hole I had come in by, and -there was no other way out. Such little incidents often -happen in cave work, but most often in such a complicated -network of tunnels and fissures as the Goatchurch Cavern, -where we were quite convinced that an important passage -ran due east until the compass assured us that the direction -was west. Clambering up a steep bank of stiff clay -out of the lowest cave, we reached a vaulted grotto with -a cascade of stalagmite flowing down one side. On the -edge of this a sloping passage disclosed itself, lined with -stalagmite, and we ascended it in the expectation of -finding something new. It brought us by an easy scramble -back to the upper cave, whence we had descended on the -rope; and with little more deviation from the main -passages we made our way back to the cave mouth, where -a well-earned lunch was waiting.</p> - -<p>But little time was wasted in examining the silted-up -entrance to Aveline's Hole and another cave mouth, and -the next halt was made at Plumley's Den. Tying two -Alpine ropes together, a pair of us descended this ancient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -pothole as far as the artificial pile of débris that blocks -it up. One man was hit rather severely by a dislodged -stone—a serious danger in caves of this sort—and in -returning he dropped and smashed his acetylene lamp. -The hole is effectually plugged, a tree and a quantity of -stone having been flung in after Plumley's fatal mishap; -and until Mr. Gibson carries out his proposal to remove -the stones that block it, the 200 feet which are said, -on doubtful authority, to lie beyond can never be explored. -Mr. Gibson also proposes to bore a new -entrance from the Combe into the lower series of caves -at Goatchurch. Above Plumley's Den a magnificent rib -of Limestone, like those at Matlock, springs nearly to the -hilltop; and over the way a picturesque pile of crag -comes out to meet it, and is known as the "Rock of Ages," -from the tradition that Toplady, the divine, taking -shelter under it from a storm, composed his famous hymn -there.</p> - -<p>Still piloted by our kind host, we walked across -Burrington Ham and saw the brook which we had heard -babbling amid the silence of Goatchurch Cavern flowing -out, a strong body of water, at Rickford Rising, after a -subterranean course of about two miles from its sources -high up on Black Down.</p> - -<p>Rickford Rising is in the Secondary beds, but a short -mile up the beautiful Combe at whose outlet it lies, a -Limestone ridge comes down to the road. Hard by the -extremity is a hole in the rocky ground, now almost -entirely choked with stones, but not so many years ago -an open pit. It is known as the "Squire's Well." Here, -in times of continuous rain, a body of water issues forth, -often flooding the road. It seems to be connected with -the water-channels that feed Rickford Rising, to which -it acts as a safety valve. To open it would not be a very -serious affair, and might discover something interesting.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - -<p>At the back of Mendip Lodge, on the hill immediately -west of Burrington Combe, the hilltop is cut up by -innumerable ravines ending in swallets, the water of -which comes to light again in a large stream in the Yeo -valley near Upper Langford, about a mile away. Several -of these swallets look as if they would repay the trouble -of a little excavation; and the size of the stream at the -point of issue indicates the existence of large cavities in -the line of its subterranean course.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont11" id="Cont11">THE CORAL CAVE AT COMPTON BISHOP</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">A cave</span> just discovered near Compton Bishop, on the -skirts of Mendip, furnishes valuable evidence in corroboration -of the theory that the Limestone caverns of this -region were formed at a period enormously anterior to -that generally accepted. It is situated a little way up the -slope of Wavering Down, only a short distance above -the upper limit of the red marl laid down in the Triassic -age, unconformably on the denuded edges of the Carboniferous -Limestone.</p> - -<p>We had been engaged in some exploring work in the -Cheddar caves, the results of which were of a negative -kind, but none the less important, as modifying the lines -of costly excavation. Accompanied by the Messrs. Gough, -the proprietors of the great cave at Cheddar, we proceeded -late in the day to Axbridge, where Mr. Balch -joined the party. Our goal was a certain cavern, explored -about a century ago, and described by the antiquary -Phelps, but now little known. This purpose was, however, -not carried out that day, for in making inquiries about -the cave as we passed through the village of Cross, we -got wind of a cavern that had never yet been explored, -and was therefore treasure-trove to such ardent cave -workers. Two years ago, in blasting for stone to line a -drinking-place for cattle, a farmer had blown a hole into -the top of a subterranean cavity. Two 30-rung ladders -were lashed together, so we learned, and a bold countryman, -secured by a cart-rope, descended into the mysterious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -hollow, alighting on a slope of shifting stones and earth, -whence he could see a second chasm, black as Tophet -and of unknown profundity, yawning beneath him. No -one would venture on this further descent; a rock was -rolled against the opening to prevent sheep or incautious -persons from tumbling in, and there for the time being -was an end of the matter.</p> - -<p>Our first task was to withdraw this formidable plug. -It was a sound, unfissured block of Mountain Limestone, -weighing perhaps half a ton. We thought that six men -with a rope ought to move it easily; but we could not -make it budge. A spade and a crowbar were fetched, with -which we laboured diligently for an hour; but the only -effect was to drop the stone deeper into the hole. A sledgehammer -was now obtained from the nearest smithy, and -one after another we attacked the foe with might and -main. At length it yielded. Pieces flaked off, and at last -it split; the fragments tumbled into the chasm, and the -rock, diminished to half its former size, was rolled away. -The job had taken two hours and a half, and it was now -dark.</p> - -<p>Mr. Balch and I cast lots for the honour of the first -descent: it fell to me. An Alpine Club rope was tied on -as life-line, whilst a 70-foot cotton rope was to be used for -lowering and lifting. Slung in a bight of the latter, I was -carefully let down over the cliff-like face below the -entrance. The cavity formed part of a huge choked -swallet, which extended up into the hill above the point -where we had been working, and ran away obliquely -underneath, so that I was coming down from a hole perforating -one corner of the roof. Over against the hole was -the steep slope of earth and scree already mentioned, steep -almost as a wall, and the scree so loose that it seemed to -be in a state of suspended animation. As soon as one -came into contact with the treacherous stuff, an avalanche<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -of stones was launched, and I sought in vain for a spot where -it would be safe to unrope and await the next man. The -cliff down which I had been lowered was undercut by a -wide archway, through which I looked into a black, forbidding -pit gaping at the bottom. With nowhere to rest, -and with the risk of falling stones, it was obviously wiser -to finish the descent before another man started.</p> - -<p>Tying the loose rope round me (for it was necessary to -swing out under the arch), I was let down slowly, and -began to slip over a smooth, greasy rock-face into the -unknown cavity. At 60 feet from the ground I alighted -at the top of a slope of stones, and was able to remove -the ropes and scramble to the bottom. Lighting some -magnesium wire, I found myself in a bell-shaped chamber -about 65 feet high, opening above by the precipitous -archway into the upper cavity, and on the other side into -an ascending vault running north-west. All around were -the indelible marks of water action in the remote past. -On the upper side the rocks were carved and pitted as by -the swirling of a violent torrent. But there was now no sign -of running water, only the drip, drip from the moist roof; -and the outlet of the ancient stream at the bottom of the -cavern was blocked up by a deep accumulation of débris. -Among the countless fragments strewn all over the floor -I found a large stone covered with a mass of dog-tooth -crystals, clear as diamonds and large as walnuts. But at -the very bottom of the place was something even more -lovely, myriads upon myriads of exquisite spicules of -carbonate, some little more than specks of red, orange, and -amber, but thousands like wee tendrils of coral three-eighths -of an inch in length. They were the growth, through age -after age, of a splash deposit from the roof or from the -stream that had disappeared. Such a formation is not rare -in water caverns; but in such beauty of shape and hue it is -rare indeed, for these tender little crystal flowers took all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -manner of forms, blossoming ofttimes into wreaths and -clusters like a miniature coral. One of the most exquisite -and most puzzling features was that the dots and spicules -were often arranged in set patterns, symmetrical and even -geometrical, in tiny circles, squares, and triangles, by the -rhythmic action of the waters that had left this beautiful -record of their passage. We named the cave the Coral -Cavern.</p> - -<p>As the descent had not been direct, and there might be -difficulty in recovering the ropes if once let go, it seemed -most prudent that no one should follow me down for the -present. Climbing the slopes of rocks and scree that led -up through a lofty vault to the north-west, I reached a -height of considerably more than 100 feet above the floor -of the Coral Cavern, the present floor of which is 90 feet -below the point of entrance. The open way then came to -an end abruptly, in a tiny grotto, at a distance of 240 feet -from that point. But hard by there were funnel-like -cavities penetrating the roof, and hinting at the proximity -of a Secondary swallet hole on the hillside close overhead. -Evidently, when the cave was in working order, in -times of indefinable remoteness, a big stream had run down -this steep vaulted passage, and united with the main -stream at the bottom, both then pursuing their way into -the fissures of the rock, and ultimately finding an exit into -the open air at some point now buried under Triassic -deposits. Enormous slabs of Limestone, smooth, and -fitting close over each other like boiler-plates, formed the -sloping floor of this tunnel on one side. These too were a -conspicuous testimony to powerful water action.</p> - -<p>At present the red marl of the Trias comes nearly up -to the artificial entrance of the cavity. It is obvious that -when the cave was occupied by a stream, its waters must -have found a vent some distance below the upper limit of -the marl; whence it necessarily follows that the marl has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -been laid down here since that period. Much evidence -has been gathered in the course of our cave work in the -Mendips to show that many of the caverns are older -than the vast accumulations of Dolomitic Conglomerate -and other deposits of Triassic age, but nowhere is the -proof put so clearly and concisely as by the new cave -at Compton Bishop.</p> - -<p>My stay underground was cut short by the fear that the -others would grow impatient. I was hauled up without -mishap, save that at one point the cotton rope stuck fast -in a cleft, and I had to pull myself up hand over hand on -the life-line. Two men then went down, with the result -we had dreaded—the rope could not be got back to the -last man without extreme difficulty. Only after tying on -stone after stone, and making many a cast in vain, did -we ultimately restore communication. He came up; the -guardian block was pushed back into its place; and at a -late hour we struck down the hillside home.</p> - -<p>A day or two later we set out once more to find -Phelps's Cavern. It opens on the very crest of the ridge -leading up to Crook Hill, or, as it is more commonly known -to-day, Crook's Peak, a sharp Limestone spur, running -south-east from the western extremity of Wavering -Down. At the foot of the hill, near the road, we came -across a small cave, called the Fox's Hole, which we -searched thoroughly for any continuation upwards or -downwards, but in vain. After a great deal of jamming -and squeezing, we got in to a distance of 50 feet, where -a low chamber has holes between wall and floor that had -acted as a water-sink to some ancient system of cavities. -But the floor was heaped with stones, and in spite of our -efforts to clear these out, we did not discover a single hole -big enough to enter. This small cave is, doubtless, but the -tail end of the cavern that once existed here; and, indeed, -the large cavern at the hilltop must be little more than a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -fragment of what it was. Crook's Peak seems to be the -mere skeleton of a hill. To account for the presence of -such a cavern at the summit, one must postulate a large -drainage area in days gone by, and a general configuration -entirely opposite to the present. The higher part of the -hill is but a Limestone shell enclosing these ancient, and -now waterless, caverns.</p> - -<p>The big cavern is known as Denny's Hole. Descending -the sloping side of an open pit, we found ourselves -under an arch of mighty span, the crown of which was -formed by the rock-wall on the other side. Under this -arch the floor sloped precipitously into the jaws of the -cavern; then the roof came close down, and the farther -passages wound onwards as low tunnels, descending -steeply into the entrails of the hill. It is easy enough to -get to a considerable depth and distance in the largest of -these, but the journey is not specially interesting, for the -place has been looted by adventurous rustics, and serious -exploration is at present brought to a standstill by the -enormous quantities of loose stones filling every cavity -in the floor. Coming back to the cave mouth, we were -struck by the grandeur of the vestibule, which has every -appearance of being the remains of a great subterranean -chamber, the pit-like entrance, through which we look up -to the sky and the sunshine, being the remnant of a cave-tunnel, -once perhaps of very considerable length.</p> - -<p>Phelps had alluded to another chamber, of some -beauty, to be attained, at the expense of divers wrenches -and abrasions, by a certain tortuous passage leading out -of the vestibule. After diligent search we found a hole -in the floor at one corner, but it seemed to be only a foot -or two deep. Kicking about for some time, with body -half in and half out of the hole, I managed to shift some -loose stones, and felt space below. But the space proved, -on experiment, at least as excellent a place of torment as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -Phelps's description had been able to do justice to. The -passage doubled back upon itself at once, and twisted -here and there like a corkscrew. Only by obstinate -wriggling were we able to worm a way down to the low -cavity at the bottom. Two blind passages started therefrom, -and in one wall was a long, horizontal slit, with some -big place beyond, as we judged from the sound of the -stones we threw in. In various cautious attitudes we -inserted ourselves into the slit. The drop inside, though -fearful to anticipate, was a matter of only a few feet.</p> - -<p>The cave we found ourselves in was a sort of double -chamber, with vestiges of a partition across the middle; -the whole was some 40 feet in length. At one end was -a pool of water, stagnant at present, or nearly so. Close -by, a low fissure sloped downwards to a vertical hole or -pot that sounded deep; but we could not get near it for -the spikes of stalactite that guarded it on all sides. This -chamber, which we thought must communicate with the -series reached by the main passage from the vestibule, -seems to have been hardly ever visited. We heard a story -of a lady's pet dog that had been lost here for a week, and -was not found, although a tempting reward was offered, -until a farmer, who told us the story, explored the corkscrew -tunnel leading to this cave. He found the poor -beast shivering on the edge of the slit we had come in by, -afraid to jump. Even the farmer, who thought he knew -all the ramifications of this perplexing cavern, did not -seem to have reached this chamber, the natural ornaments -of which showed no trace of specimen-hunting.</p> - -<p>Returning to daylight, we examined a cave vent in -the ground hard by, where a vapour was steaming up -into the chilly air. The penetrable portion was just big -enough to accommodate the six feet two of our tallest -man. With some time left on our hands, we decided now -to walk on to Loxton, the next village, where another cave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -was situated on a Limestone hilltop. There were only two -miles to walk, so we did not think it worth while to doff -our cave panoply. Great was the speculation that our -unexampled appearance excited in the people we met. -We could not be tramps—in fact, we hardly looked -respectable enough; and yet our rucksacks, ropes, and -cameras gave us an air of distinction that was puzzling in -the extreme. Faces crowded to the windows at every -house we passed, and at Loxton we had to run the -gauntlet of satiric observation. As we asked our way to -the quarry at Loxton, the general conclusion was that we -were in quest of a job there.</p> - -<p>This cave must have been a very interesting one long -ago, but now it is like those at Compton Bishop, only a -remnant; and besides what has been destroyed by natural -denudation, a great deal has been damaged by the gradual -approaches of a Limestone quarry on the side of the hill. -This has exposed the outlets of several passages. A -labyrinth of low galleries remains, with a few larger -hollows here and there; but of whatever beauty they once -possessed they have long been denuded by the devastating -village boy, who has found the intricacies of Loxton -Cavern a perfect paradise. It does not follow that the -cave would necessarily not pay for a thorough exploration. -If some of the lower reaches were carefully examined, -entrances would very likely be found into still nether -caverns, of which these dry channels were at one time the -feeders. But the work would be peculiarly difficult on -account of the smallness of the open spaces, and the -result uncertain. Yet the Limestone of the Mendips is -so thick—the thickest in England—and the parts that -have been explored are so honeycombed with cavities and -passages, that every gateway into this strange underworld -promises more or less reward. It is somewhere in the -neighbourhood of Loxton and Banwell that the famous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -"Gulf" was discovered in the days of the old lead miners. -In driving an extensive level through a hill, at a point -80 fathoms below the summit, they came upon a gigantic -rift. A man was let down on a long rope—so tradition -reports—and when he had descended to the full extent -of it he was unable to see either walls or bottom of -the tremendous abyss. We are probably on the track of -this monster cavity, an exploration of which will entail -labour and fortitude. That and the exploration of the -swallet at Hillgrove, when it is opened, are the two -most fascinating problems awaiting us in the immediate -future.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont12" id="Cont12">LAMB'S LAIR</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">A few</span> years ago the Great Western opened what they -called the Wrington Vale Light Railway up the valley -of the Yeo, which borders Mendip on the north. A few -miles beyond its present terminus lie the two Harptrees, -in the heart of a sequestered countryside of great pastoral -beauty. Here, where nowadays all the pursuits are agricultural, -a great deal of mining was carried on in years -gone by, the relics of which are still visible in the surface -workings, grown over with grass. In the upland ravines -of Lamb's Bottom, near the top of the Mendip plateau, -these are very numerous, and seem to be the work of both -lead miners and searchers for black oxide of manganese. -Early in the eighteenth century a cavern of prodigious -size and beauty was discovered in this locality; but, by -one of those curious accidents which are by no means -infrequent in the history of caves, it was lost, and its site -remained unknown for a hundred and twenty years. Its -fame, however, was cherished by the country folk, and the -tradition of its fabulous wonders induced a lord of the -manor, a quarter of a century ago, to offer a heavy monetary -reward, which led to its rediscovery in the year 1880. -This new exploration made some noise at the time, and -a fair number of people ventured on a descent. The -difficulties were smoothed down considerably. Ladders -were fixed in the shaft, which was strengthened by timber -supports, and in difficult parts of the lower galleries; solid -beds of arragonite were cut through, and a heavy structure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -of timber, carrying a windlass, was built out on the -verge of an abyss, to make accessible the floor of the -Great Chamber. Lamb's Lair is even alluded to, though -incorrectly, in the fourth edition of Murray's Guide—that -for 1882—and, for a while, great was the renown of its -unparalleled beauties. Then, as usually happens with -cave scenery when there is any difficulty or any peril -involved, the novelty and the popularity of Lamb's Lair -waned; and now for a long period the cave has been -derelict, the timber erections have become rotten and -dangerous, and the only visit during many years previous -to the one I am about to describe nearly resulted in a -catastrophe.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus37" id="Illus37"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image39.jpg" width="500" height="302" alt="ENTRANCE TO LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE TO LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a name="Illus38" id="Illus38"></a> -<a href="images/image40b.jpg"><img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image40a.jpg" width="600" height="511" alt="PLAN AND SECTION OF THE GREAT CAVERN OF LAMB'S LAIR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">PLAN AND SECTION OF THE GREAT CAVERN OF LAMB'S LAIR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">(Click on map to see a larger version. Not available on all devices.)</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Our party of four had been engaged in some arduous -work near Wells, and a descent into Lamb's Lair meant -a long drive across Mendip, nearly to East Harptree. We -were dropped by our waggonette, with a great pile of -apparatus, at a gate into a field. The field was part of -the Lamb's Bottom ravine, and we had some difficulty in -locating the entrance to our cavern among the innumerable -workings and natural depressions that cut up the surface. -At length we caught sight of the end of a ladder sticking -out from a hole that was buried in brushwood, and -straightway we found ourselves on the brink of the 60-foot -shaft. The uppermost ladder was broken six feet -from the top, and so was the second; neither was fit to be -trusted. We supported the broken part of the top ladder -with a forked branch, and I took up my station on a ledge -15 feet down, to steady the things as they were lowered. -Each man was roped for the descent, for the crazy ladders, -the decayed woodwork, and the loose stones in the shaft -all threatened disaster. At last all our paraphernalia was -safe at the bottom, and now a muddy progress began -through a narrow, dripping cleft into a low tunnel, that -brought us, after many windings, to the top of a fourth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -ladder. This one was not so high, but it was quite as -shaky as the others, and a member of the party got a -nasty blow on the shoulder from a beam connected with -it, that gave way whilst we were passing the luggage from -hand to hand.</p> - -<p>Descending still through an irregular passage, we -suddenly entered a roomy vault with stalactites on the -roof. Here the glories of Lamb's Lair begin. In a few -moments we shall be at the threshold of the incomparable -Beehive Chamber, and thence, to a point far beyond what -we can attain to-day, the poetry and witchery of cave -scenery are at their finest. Stumbling over the irregularities -of the crystal floor, we see dimly, by the light of -our candles, great luminous arcs bending over our heads; -and then, catching sight of a regularly shaped hemisphere -rising out of the darkness and dwarfing the cave with its -enormous proportions, we realise that this is the Beehive -Chamber. When the limelight is brought in, and its -fierce beams play upon the wild arcades and groining of -this fantastic vault, we are astounded by the wealth and -brilliance and extraordinary variety of the incrustations: -not a rib, not a corner of bare rock remains visible; every -inch of floor and walls and roof has been thickly coated -with the calcareous enamel. The Beehive itself, 12 feet -high and enormous in girth, is not more astonishing -for its size than for the regularity of its shape. It is -probably the largest boss of stalagmite in England. The -sides are streaked with white and yellow bands, which -enhance the weird symmetry and polish of its appearance; -and, on the summit, wide enough for a man to walk -about, we noticed that a number of stalactites, fallen from -the vault above, had become embedded in its mass, and -were slowly being crusted over with the ceaseless deposits. -All over the chamber there is a continuous patter of water-drops, -carrying on the work of the ages, and laying film<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -after film of lustre on the imageries of this hidden shrine, -which man has visited so rarely. To right and left of -the Beehive the uneven floor descends into deep recesses—which -we see as we draw nigh to be rocky porches -adorned with the most magnificent incrustations—leading -into two passages. These two porches, the arch by which -we have entered, and the wild vaulting that rises to an apex -over our heads amid a profusion of glistening stalactites, -are the dominant features of this piece of fairy architecture. -But who can count or describe the gleaming -volutes and scrolls that wind over the walls in brilliant -confusion, the clustered corbels whence random ribs spring -towards the roof, the lace-like fringe of delicate stalactites -that hangs from every ridge, or the gnome-like fingers and -ghoulish faces, staring and pointing downwards, that one -seems to discern amid the disordered sculpture of roof -and walls?</p> - -<p>A broken bottle of paraffin and some pieces of cotton-waste, -evidently the relics of the last party who had -used them to light up the Beehive Chamber years ago, -were lying in a corner just as they were left. In one of -the galleries I noticed the marks of fingers and the impress -of the clothes of a man who had crawled along the clay -floor—as fresh as if he had been there an hour ago. -This changelessness of everything fills one with a certain -awe; but what impresses one as still more wonderful is -that all this consummate beauty and grandeur should lie -concealed and unknown in the midst of modern England, -only a few miles away from important cities, but unvisited -by a soul for long periods of years, while the country -people seem hardly aware of the cave's existence. Were -the cave easily accessible, one can hardly question that -crowds of sightseers would be attracted, and much of the -charm would be dispelled, even if its treasures were not -ransacked. For the present these are perfectly safe.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"><a name="Illus39" id="Illus39"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image41.jpg" width="370" height="600" alt="THE "BEEHIVE" CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE "BEEHIVE" CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 365px;"><a name="Illus40" id="Illus40"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image42.jpg" width="365" height="600" alt="STALACTITE WALL, LAMB'S LAIR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITE WALL, LAMB'S LAIR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<p>From the Beehive Chamber a passage winds downward -under one of the glorious porches already described, -and on and on between walls of calcspar and arragonite, -toward the chief wonder of Lamb's Lair, the Great -Chamber. The original passage was low and difficult, -and early explorers cut a deeper way through solid beds -of arragonite, whose miraculous whiteness glistens on -every side as we advance. So enormous is the thickness -of this compact and fine-grained variety of the calcium -carbonate, with its delicate lines of crystallisation showing -transparently where it is shattered, that fully three and -a half feet are shown in section, a wall of snowy brilliance; -and one cannot judge how much more is hidden. The -tunnel widens into an arch of reddish rock, covered with -sparry reliefs; then suddenly we find ourselves stepping -on a plank, and out of the darkness ahead starts up the -gaunt shape of a windlass. We have reached the spot -where the gallery breaks into the upper part of the Great -Chamber; under our feet is a black void, and further -progress is forbidden. The gallery ends on a sloping -bevel, 10 feet wide, that dips steeply into the chasm. -On this bevel, which overhangs by many feet the receding -wall of the Great Chamber, a timber platform was erected -a quarter of a century ago. It is a sort of cantilever, with -the windlass resting on the long arms. We moved here -with utmost caution, hardly venturing to place a foot -on the time-worn structure without holding on to the -rocks at the side. On the last occasion that the cavern -was visited, some years ago, a fatal accident was averted -almost by a miracle. The rope broke while Mr. Balch -was descending; he fell about 60 feet, on to the broken -rocks beneath, checking his fall by catching at a tangle -of line that was hanging near. His hands were cut to -the bone, and he lay at the bottom stunned for a quarter -of an hour, and has hardly ceased to feel the effects of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -shaking. Naturally, he now felt little inclination to -venture another descent, especially as he told us -that the rickety state of the platform has filled him -with grave doubts as to its safety if weight were put -on it.</p> - -<p>At present, beyond the stark shape of the windlass, -darkness reigned. We flung blocks of arragonite out into -the void. There was an interval of silence, then a crash -on the hard floor, and the missile burst into fragments. -When the ray of our 2000-candle-power searchlight -flashed across the abyss, we found ourselves looking -into a chamber whose weird majesty held us spellbound. -Its height is 110 feet, and the walls curve gradually -over in an irregular dome. Hardly a square foot of -this mighty wall-space is blank. Stripes and reticulations -and pendulous lacework run all over it in enchanting -disorder. Here a snow-white flood of calcite -drops from an unseen cleft, there a cascade of many -colours ripples down from roof to floor. There are -great sheets of opaline enamel, curtains drooping in -massy folds, silken fabrics wrinkled over the face of -the rock, all giving one the sense of motion suddenly -arrested, and of light and colour captured from the -rainbow and sleeping here in the darkness, waiting -year after year for our lamp to awaken it to life and -beauty.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px;"><a name="Illus41" id="Illus41"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image43.jpg" width="362" height="600" alt="ENTRANCE TO GREAT CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ENTRANCE TO GREAT CHAMBER, LAMB'S LAIR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 368px;"><a name="Illus42" id="Illus42"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image44.jpg" width="368" height="600" alt="LARGEST CHAMBER IN SOMERSET, LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">LARGEST CHAMBER IN SOMERSET, LAMB'S LAIR, HARPTREE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>From Sketch by H. E. Balch.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The cylinder of oxygen and the ether saturator were -pushed out as far as we dared, and the camera was set up -on the edge of the platform, to secure at least a glimpse -of this hall of wonders. We were told what lay beyond. -Another gallery, begemmed as richly as the one behind us, -leads on and on, until a high chamber is reached, into -which water pours over a sheet of snowy stalagmite, -60 feet high. We could not descend into the Great -Chamber, but we intended to light it up. A tinful of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -Bengal fire was put into an iron saucer, hanging from a -string by iron wires; and this with a light attached was -lowered through the hole in the platform, whereon we -lay extended at full length looking over into the gulf. -There was a fizz, and then the fierce radiance swept from -side to side of the huge vault, staining the sheets and -curtains and cascades of white a splendid crimson. The -walls sparkled blood-red as if set with rubies, and the -blue-black sheets of calcite marked by oxide of manganese -were empurpled by the glow. We fled before the pungent -clouds of smoke that rose into our gallery, back to the -Beehive Chamber, leaving that glorious hall once more to -solitude and silence.</p> - -<p>The only other part we explored was the winding -tunnel that begins under the second porch in the Beehive -Chamber. It goes far away down, and is knee-deep in mire -for a considerable distance. At last, when it seems as -if the Great Chamber itself cannot be far away, -the passage ends in a choke. We had been in the -cavern about five hours, when, after much hard work, -we got our apparatus back to the foot of the shaft. -Climbing ahead up the rickety ladders, the broken -rungs of which were caked with mud and clay, and -keeping hold of the life-line all the while, I found our -driver waiting for us at the top, for we were an hour -late. Several dangerous stones were shifted in pulling -up the luggage, and one man below not only received -a nasty blow, but narrowly escaped destruction by -another stone that he just succeeded in warding off -his face.</p> - -<p>We have since regretted that we did not test the -platform and windlass by a rough-and-ready method, -and then descend by a long Alpine rope. The sharp -ledges underneath might, however, have rendered this -dangerous. We had not seen everything, but we had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -seen enough to recompense us abundantly for the toil, -the slight risk, and the dirt. Murray says that Lamb's -Lair is the finest cave in Somerset; I would confidently -venture further, and say that for transcendent beauty it -has not its equal in England.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 367px;"><a name="Illus43" id="Illus43"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image45.jpg" width="367" height="600" alt="STALACTITES IN ENTRANCE GALLERY, LAMB'S LAIR." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">STALACTITES IN ENTRANCE GALLERY, LAMB'S LAIR.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by Bamforth, Holmfirth.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont13" id="Cont13">A CAVE IN THE QUANTOCKS</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> Bridgewater, where we had arrived one winter -morning at sunrise, after a melancholious journey in -unwarmed carriages across the flooded moors beyond -Glastonbury, not a person had heard tell of a cave in the -Quantocks. But the information we relied on, though a -century old, was definite enough to warrant the hire of a -trap to convey us and our apparatus to a certain lonely -cross-road, seven miles away, in a corner of the broad -parish of Bloomfield. Climbing steadily through Enmore, -we found the cross-road on a hilltop 800 feet above the -sea, hard by a homely tavern, where we got cider for ourselves -and feed for the horse. To our west was the -Beacon on Cotherstone Hill, and two miles farther the -Fire Signal Pits on Will's Neck (1261 feet), the highest of -the Quantock Hills. But of the red-deer country that lay -around us we saw little, and less as the day wore on, for -a cold sea-mist came rolling up from the Bristol Channel, -and would have given us trouble in finding our cave, had -not a guide appeared providentially. It was a tattered -and weather-beaten countryman, who emerged from the -tap-room and announced that he was the only person who -knew anything about the cave. He dilated in glowing terms -on its beauties—"It be very ornamental, sur, very ornamental." -Fox by name and fox by nature, so he described -himself—for he was both garrulous and egotistical—he -was fond of burrowing into holes. That he was a poacher -to boot, we had no reason to disbelieve after a few minutes'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -conversation. He led us by a veritable fox's path over -fields and hedges, through a mist-drenched spinney, down -to a dingle, where beetle-browed rocks overhung the -entrance to the cave. A rusty iron gate barred the -way, and was padlocked. Reynard proposed to make a -journey of several miles, at our expense, to procure the -key; but a broken link in the chain saved us time and -cider.</p> - -<p>There is not much Limestone on the Quantocks, and -caves are a rarity. At this spot an outlier of Carboniferous -Limestone lies in close contact with beds of Greywacke -Slate—a very unusual conjunction, which prepared us -for something new and strange in the way of crystallisations. -Descending a few yards beyond the entrance, the -main passage rises a little, and then drops gradually -towards a stagnant pool, beyond which it is impossible to -get. The length of this portion is only 140 feet, and the -direction from north-east to south-west. Certain narrow -passages, however, bore into the Limestone on the north, -and extend their ramifications much farther. Only one of -these seems to have been known before our visit. In the -main passage, near the pool, is seen the special wonder -of Holwell Cave, a brilliant display of arragonite crystals -all over the roof. Arragonite usually occurs in massive -deposits of satin spar, distinguished by a perfection of -whiteness when newly split, a whiteness that grows dingy -very soon if you try to keep specimens. Here it occurs -in quite another form—the coralloid, known as flos ferri; -thousands of filaments or spicules ramifying from centres, -and looking as soft as cobweb, though as brittle as blown -glass. This delicate product is often tinged with a pink -stain like that of fluor-spar. Andrew Crosse, the electrician, -who was carrying on his researches in the neighbourhood -when Holwell Cavern was found about 1800, thought that -the crystal might have been distorted by slow degrees into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -these fanciful shapes "through the invisible action of -electric energy," an agent to which most mysterious -natural processes have been attributed some time or -another; but the fibrous arragonite, scientists tell us, is -by no means abnormal. It all lies on the Greywacke part -of the roof; the adjoining Limestone has no arragonite, -but is incrusted with the usual sheets and bosses of -calcite, mutilated somewhat by visitors who have taken -away mementos.</p> - -<p>"Ain't it ornamental, sur?" said our conductor; but -his exclamations were still more enthusiastic when the -magnesium ribbon lit up the millions of arragonite crystals -that covered the roof with a glistering efflorescence. Then -the flashlight blazed out, as our camera got into action, -and the old man was speechless with amazement. He had -known the cave, boy and man, all his life, but never before -had he, or anyone else for that matter, gazed upon all its -beauties. Several photographs were secured—among them -the portrait of a sleeping bat clinging to the groining of -calcite—and then the cave grew too smoky for further -work. So we went off to explore.</p> - -<p>First we climbed into an opening high up in the north -wall. It seemed to run parallel with the main passage, -and soon we beheld daylight in front. Ere we reached -the open air, however, we came to a steep drop, and -found that the branch had simply brought us back to -the vestibule of the cavern. Another opening, near the -entrance, running due north, proved more interesting, -leading eventually to a bell chamber, floored, walled, and -roofed with polished carbonate. Someone had reached -this point twenty years ago, so dates and initials testified; -but there were virgin passages branching off to left and -right for us to investigate, as far as bodies of speleological -slimness were admissible.</p> - -<p>A squeeze through a crevice in the east wall led into a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -parallel tunnel, depressingly low and painfully narrow, -which seemed to run on indefinitely to the north. The -soft clay floor showed it was at times the path of a heavy -stream. Northward, it shrank to a mere drain-pipe; -southward it led by one joint and culvert to another, all -at right angles, into other straight channels, all going in -the same general direction. My companion stuck fast a -little way beyond the first tunnel; I pushed on like a -weevil into the maze of perforations, but met the same -fate at last, not giving in, however, until I had been held -as in a vice at one point for a good five minutes, with -boot jammed, candle out, and no room to get my hand -to the pocket where the waterproof matches were safely -stowed away.</p> - -<p>It was still possible to see a long way ahead, by candlelight -and magnesium; and we made out that north of the -known cave lies a whole network of dry waterways, the -principal channels running due north, roughly parallel to -the Limestone escarpment in which the cave mouth opens, -and all connected together by rectangular branches. One -channel brought us within view of daylight; but the -crevice was too small for anything but a rabbit, and we -had to return by the same arduous and abrading passages -we had come by. As old Fox would have said, the things -we saw were "very handsome," but we could not tempt -him to enter this uncomfortable region.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont14" id="Cont14">CAVE EXPLORING AT ABERGELE</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Travellers</span> on the North-Western to Holyhead or -Snowdonia are familiar with several cave mouths that -form a prominent feature in the Limestone cliffs above -Lord Dundonald's castle, near the station of Llandulas. -The most conspicuous is a vast antre near the cliff-top; -and legend has it that this opens into passages running -for great distances, and eventually descending beneath -the sea. (Welsh cave-myths are not less extravagant -than those of Derbyshire and Somerset, where stories -of dogs, geese, and other animals that have made long -pilgrimages underground and come into daylight again -divested of feathers or hair, are still piously cherished by -the credulous.) The name attached to this group of -caves, Tanyrogo—"under the cave"—is derived from the -Celtic ogo or ogof, a cavern, and is almost identical with -the original name of Wookey Hole in Somerset. A -party of explorers from Liverpool and Colwyn Bay have -recently carried out some researches in the Tanyrogo -caves, and in those at St. George, on the other side of -Abergele; and while verifying their disbelief in the -supposed extent of the subterranean galleries, have -ascertained many interesting facts as to the formation -and the geological history of both series.</p> - -<p>A grassy terrace runs along the cliff face to the gaping -portal of the Ogo, the biggest of the Tanyrogo caves, -which looks seaward and commands a magnificent view -over the coast and the Irish sea. The prehistoric men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -who doubtless lived here once showed not only good -taste in the choice of a site for their residence, but a -judicious eye for military possibilities; the place is all -but impregnable, save by starvation, the only access -being by this narrow ledge, which a handful of men -could defend against an army. Spanned by a noble -arch is a colossal vestibule, rock-floored and dry. But -this imposing entrance is a deception—there is nothing -beyond to compare with its shape and magnitude. We -swerved to the left, and at once found ourselves treading -a floor of wet clay, which began to ascend, and soon -steepened into a high bank leading up towards the roof. -Creeping under an arch, we found ourselves in a transverse -fissure that may have run as far as the legends pleased, -but grew too narrow in a few feet for any human being -to penetrate farther. A few rudimentary stalactites and -a crust of pure white calcite adorned one small grotto; -the rest was bare rock walls and rugged arches, springing -here and there high into the darkness, in fissures that -must reach very nearly to the summit of the cliff. A -branch passage dwindled away still more quickly, and -so did a minor opening that looks like a side door to -the main entrance.</p> - -<p>The rock structure of the cave arches is displayed in -very beautiful ways in this cavern, but the most interesting -feature is the remnant of an old cave floor. The -cavern was evidently formed in pre-Glacial times, and -the vast quantities of clay that plug it up almost entirely -now must have been carried in by the ice. After the -glaciers had receded, the normal agencies began their -work again; a stalagmite floor was formed by the drip -of water from the roof, depositing a layer of calcite; this -in the course of time was broken down again, and now -leaves a kind of high-water mark all round the walls -of the cavity.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus44" id="Illus44"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image46.jpg" width="500" height="405" alt="THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 485px;"><a name="Illus45" id="Illus45"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image47.jpg" width="485" height="598" alt="INSIDE THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">INSIDE THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>The line of the fissure creating the upward chasms -inside the cave can be traced in the external configuration -of the cliff; in sundry vertical openings in the face, and in -the clean-cut walls, where sheer masses have fallen away, -broken at the joints. Similar joints and fissures played a -part in the formation of a lower tier of caves, which we -explored next. The first was only a yard or two wide, -but very lofty, and its floor was composed of a level bed -of sand and clay. This gradually rose as we walked into -the darkness, until the cave ended more abruptly even -than the last. We noticed pebbles of Bunter sandstone -in the floor, and the next cave produced many more -examples of the same stone, which must have been -brought from a long distance, the nearest strata corresponding -to it being in Wirral. At the back of this -next cave a bank of cave earth and boulder clay was -piled right up to the roof, so steeply that it was not too -easy a climb to the summit. Arrived there, we found no -possible egress; but a horizontal tunnel, a sort of squint or -hagioscope probably more than forty feet long, gave us a -peep through the rocky cliff out to the sunlight. We set -out forthwith to discover the outside orifice of this curious -hole, and found it came out on a ledge in the face of -the cliff, hard by an open platform which had a very -queer look about it. On examination this proved to be -the floor of an old cave that had been destroyed by -the quarrymen. Half-embedded in thick clay were a -number of stalagmite pedestals, and a floor of stalagmite -underneath several feet in depth, surmounting a thick -bed of boulder clay stuck full of Bunter pebbles. It was -obvious that the quarrymen, coming across this mass of -useless material, had not troubled to attack the solid layer -of stalagmite above it. The remains of stalactites and -stalagmite curtains still adhered to the neighbouring -cliff.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> - -<p>The spot is well worth visiting, if only to see this -remarkable illustration of several consecutive chapters in -the history of a cavern. The destructive work of the -Limestone quarry, having been checked at this particular -point, exposes the whole thing as in a diagram; and the -actual evidences are there just as they were produced by -the forces acting in successive epochs—the mouth of the -original cave, formed perhaps in pre-Triassic times; the -masses of drift thrust in by the glaciers; and the new -cave floor, with its growth of stalagmites. Since the -caves lie at a height of several hundred feet above sea-level, -it is fairly certain that the moving glaciers exerted -an upward as well as a horizontal force, shoving the -plastic masses of clay and débris into the ascending -passages, and caulking up, no doubt, a good many -tributary galleries that are now unknown. The caves -look north, and the material pushed into them must -have come from seaward; there is, furthermore, no rock -in the adjoining districts that could have yielded this -kind of pebbles: so that it appears the stream of glaciers -which flowed across from Lancashire and Cheshire, impinging -against the contrary flow of ice from Snowdonia, -must be held responsible for the presence of these dense -deposits. All along the meadow-lands between the Limestone -hills and the sea a series of risings or big springs -are noticeable from the railway, forming large pools. -These are the outlets of the drainage that has been -absorbed by the Limestone strata, through which the -water has found its way until, meeting with an impermeable -layer of rock, or reaching the plane of saturation -at sea-level, it has been forced to the surface.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 478px;"><a name="Illus46" id="Illus46"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image48.jpg" width="478" height="600" alt="IN THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">IN THE OGO, NEAR ABERGELE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>The St. George's Caves are situated on and about a -wooded hill of Limestone near the village, which adjoins -the low-lying lands of Morfa Rhuddlan, the scene of a -murderous battle in the year 795. The Celt, with his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -strong historical imagination, such a factor in national -solidarity, still remembers, though confusedly perhaps, -some incidents of that calamitous fight. The old woman -who pointed out the situation of the caves drew our -attention to the ditch and rampart which run round -the hillcrest, where it is not protected by cliffs. There, -she said, the routed Welsh tribes had entrenched themselves -and fought desperately on until every man was -put to the sword. The wood on the hilltop is full of -graves, she told us, and weapons often come to light -there.</p> - -<p>A great master-joint or fissure runs across the hill -towards the battlefield, and in it lie the caves, or rather -the cave, for so far as we could make out they are all -parts of one stream-channel. At the top of a cliff that -is now being worked for lime is a small orifice, a mere -fox's hole, blocked up against Master Reynard or the -badgers that often find a home in these small caves. A -hundred feet beneath it is a larger opening, which is said -to give entrance into several good-sized chambers; but -that also has been carefully built up with fragments of -Limestone by the quarrymen. We were driven accordingly -to seek the outlet of the cave, and this we found by -following the smooth, straight escarpment, produced by -the fault, in a wood close to the mainroad. A large -stream once issued from the cave mouth, but has since -become engulfed in some internal swallet, and emerges -a few yards lower down, welling out from a funnel of -crystal water some 15 feet deep. The cave itself discharges -a stream only in flood-time. There, too, we -were stopped from penetrating far by the beds of clay -that gradually rose to the cave roof; but in this instance -the deposits had been made by the stream, and were not -the results of glacial action pushing upwards. In fact, -this is a cave with quite a modern history, one still in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -working order, and used as a waterway at the proper -times and seasons by the stream that made it. The -Tanyrogo Caves, on the other hand, have ceased for -untold ages to be actual water-channels, having been -deprived long ago by denudation above and behind -them of the greater part of their drainage area. And -since that remote epoch they have gone through the -series of vicissitudes so plainly recorded in their present -physiognomy.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 470px;"><a name="Illus47" id="Illus47"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image49.jpg" width="470" height="601" alt="A PRE-GLACIAL CAVE, LLANDULAS." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">A PRE-GLACIAL CAVE, LLANDULAS.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont15" id="Cont15">CAVE DISCOVERIES ON THE WELSH BORDER</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> other day, a Liverpool friend, who has a bungalow -in the Ceiriog Valley, close to Offa's Dyke, told me he -had found a cave there, which had never been explored, -but was reputed to go six miles underground, to the -neighbourhood of Oswestry. He invited me to come -down and explore it, and I readily agreed, on the -condition that he was to seize the opportunity to make -his début as a cave explorer. On the side of the valley -where the cave lies the hill falls steeply to the Ceiriog, -and the densely-wooded cliff of Limestone that bathes its -foot in the river is like a bit of Dovedale. Not so the -other side of the valley, where different strata crop out, -and the hills, with all their trees, rise more gently to the -brow overlooking Llangollen.</p> - -<p>The cave mouth is about 20 feet above the river, in -a cliff facing due north, in which the Limestone is tilted -at an angle of 45 degrees. It is recessed within a lofty -arch, but the entrance itself is low, compelling us to -creep for the first few yards. After two or three bends, -the roof as well as the floor rises, and the passage opens -into a chamber whose floor is heaped up to a height -of 10 feet with fallen débris, thickly plastered with -mud. At first the cave runs due south, but the main -axis of this chamber, which is lofty and measures about -20 feet by 20, runs east-south-east. The roof rises -about 20 feet higher than the central heap of débris.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -Water drips occasionally, but there are no stalactites. -At the far end the passage turns south-east, and, though -lofty, is narrow, the walls being parallel, and tilted at an -angle of 20 degrees from the perpendicular. Then a -second chamber widens out, 50 feet long by 6 feet -broad, as muddy as the former. Rising 10 feet, the -passage continues to the east-south-east, but the walls -converge for a time, forcing us to crawl, extended on our -sides. Then it opens out again, and we climb over more -heaps of débris littering the floor, and all bedaubed with -thick, tenacious clay.</p> - -<p>Now the passage becomes loftier but narrower, and -progress has to be made by keeping near the roof, the -walls sloping at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertical, -opening at one point into a small chamber with a false -floor of jammed rocks, then immediately closing again, -and so continuing for a distance of 60 feet. The -narrowness is so great that one goes ahead only by dint -of a continuous struggle against friction. Up to this, -my friend had kept close at my heels, followed by his -man. But here the only way visible was down a still -narrower rift bending off to the left, and the latter found -his own diameter greater than that of the cave. We left -him, and pushed obstinately forward, though we had not -seen a sign of any person's former presence for a long -distance. Nearer the cave mouth matches and candle-grease -and the marks of crawling had been plentiful, -local adventurers having got in nearly 100 feet.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus48" id="Illus48"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image50.jpg" width="500" height="398" alt="ON THE CEIRIOG." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">ON THE CEIRIOG.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 470px;"><a name="Illus49" id="Illus49"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image51.jpg" width="470" height="598" alt="UPPER CEIRIOG CAVE." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">UPPER CEIRIOG CAVE.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Already we had struck the water in two or three -places, but had not found it in the main passage. Now -we crossed a long pool or runnel of stagnant water, which -came in from under the rocks to the south-east, and -climbed into a tight little curving tunnel that led back -to it in a semi-circle. Beyond it, I found myself in a -rift chamber, with the water coming in from under the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -rocks at one end, and flowing out in like manner at the -other. There seemed to be no egress, till suddenly I -noticed that the niche in which I was sitting was the end -of a small horizontal hole or dry water-pipe, striking off -at right angles. But my companion had found the -tunnel too much for him. The sides bristled with points -of rock, and pressed in so close that one could only -wriggle through by fractions of an inch, stretched at full -length on the left side. Now he made a stout attempt -to get through underneath, in the water tunnel. I heard -the sound of wallowing, and then my friend's head and -shoulders came splashing in at the bottom of the cave, -his body dragging after through water and mud. But -again he stuck fast, and announced that he would give -the thing up.</p> - -<p>It was not wise to go on far alone, for fear of being -left by any accident without a light; but in order to make -a reconnaissance for future work I pushed through the -water-pipe, and to my delight found myself in another -horizontal tunnel running parallel to the main chamber. -Crawling ahead, first over a clay-lined floor, and then -over splinters of Limestone mixed with stalagmites, I -emerged presently into an open passage, 25 or 30 -feet high, with the stream peacefully reposing in -one long pool at the bottom. It appeared to go on -indefinitely, and I might have gone farther, but for the -present determined to leave off the exploration at this -point. The parallel tunnel seemed to be going straight -back towards the cave mouth, and it looked as though -it might form a short cut home. As a matter of fact, -this was a right branch striking off from the point where -our man had stuck fast. By crawling in his direction -and shouting, I made him hear, and at last saw his light -through a chink only three inches wide. Fallen blocks -of Limestone choked the tunnel at his end, where it leaves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -the main passage near the roof, and in its present state -this branch of the cave was practically invisible. We -shifted several big stones, however, and in a few minutes -my friend joined me, pleased enough to find a way out -that saved the discomforts of his recent journey. He had -had the misfortune to array himself in white flannels, and -now the state of his garments was so deplorable that he -straightway hid himself in the river, like the pseudo -Marquis of Carabas, until more presentable clothing -could be fetched.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus50" id="Illus50"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image52.jpg" width="500" height="393" alt="LOWER CEIRIOG CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">LOWER CEIRIOG CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>A veteran cave-hunter from Liverpool gladly joined -me in a second visit to the Ceiriog Cavern. Our host -could not be with us, but sent a village youth as his -substitute. This young man was very keen and plucky, -and, as things turned out, saved the situation, for my -speleological friend, to his intense chagrin, failed to get -through the narrow entrance to the parallel tunnel, and -the two of us had to finish the job by ourselves. Climbing -along the walls of the water-rift, we soon found it best -to wade straight through the stream bed, and finally, -when the space grew more and more restricted, to crawl -through the water. Toward the end of the rift a small -tunnel broke away to the left, and the water disturbed by -our advance flowed into it and away down a small swallet. -Wriggling through, heedless of a wetting, we came into a -small chamber with four exits, each of which we explored, -marking off each with a cross or arrow to prevent our -losing the route back. Every branch led eventually to -other points of divergence, and ultimately to small tunnels -or pipes, through which the water flows in rainy weather -into the head of the cavern. Having conscientiously -examined every one, without finding the mythical passage -to Oswestry, we returned to the tunnel of the swallet. -One of the bifurcations, it was interesting to discover, led -back unexpectedly into the water-rift. There were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -numberless chinks and fissures, and holes in the roof, -leading into this network of passages, all very interesting -as a concise example of the whole history of the formation -of a cave; but the farthest point reached was, by measurement, -only a little more than 500 feet from the entrance. -Only in places were there stalactites, and those small -ones. There were stalagmite curtains on the walls at -one or two spots, and patches of very white amorphous -tufa. Curious filaments of cave-weed, white and brown, -without a vestige of leaves, abounded throughout the -cavern. Not far above the cave mouth I came across -the exit of the water, a beautiful spring, pouring down -into the Ceiriog, a few yards away.</p> - -<p>On the top of the hill, in a disused Limestone quarry, -there were traditions of a cave opening that had been -covered by a landslip for some thirty years. A man was -set to work digging it out, and a small fissure was disclosed, -the old channel of a tributary leading into the -middle of a cave running north-north-east and south-south-west. -The total length was 172 feet. The water -apparently entered at the top of the left passage and -ran away into a low bedding cave to the right. The -floor is wet clay at present, but there are traces of large -stalagmites, including one handsome "beehive"; and the -roof is covered with beautiful white and amber stalactites. -Our further attempts to uncover openings into the Limestone -only brought us down to the solid rock, and we -found nothing to confirm the rumour that a cave exists -which carried a stream down to the Ceiriog, feet -below.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><a name="Cont16" id="Cont16">THE EXPLORATION OF STUMP CROSS CAVERN</a></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> explorers who have done so much work in Derbyshire -and Somersetshire have also carried out extended -explorations in some of the more remote caves of Yorkshire. -Recently a party carried out farther investigations -than any previous explorers in Stump Cross Cavern, on -the moors between Wharfedale and Nidderdale. This -cavern, which is named after the ancient boundary mark -of Knaresborough Forest, and is situated near the summit -of the moors, 1326 feet above sea-level, 4½ miles from -Pateley Bridge and 11½ from Skipton, was discovered in -1843 by miners searching for lead, as was the case with -several of the Derbyshire caverns. The Greenhow lead -mines are not far off, and the ground in many parts hereabouts -is riddled with old workings. No place could look -more unlikely for caves than the flat field on the top of -the hill, where a few steps lead down to a doorway into -the ground, close to the rough road to Grassington and -Appletreewick.</p> - -<p>The party of five, besides myself, Messrs. B. and F. -Wightman, J. W. Puttrell, J. Croft, and H. Bamforth (all -members of the Kyndwr Club), drove up from Bolton -Abbey Station by way of Burnsall, and through various -delays did not reach the cave mouth till nine o'clock on -Saturday evening. With our photographic and other -apparatus we descended at once to a level gallery 50 -feet or so below the surface, whence several passages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -branch off, and there we made a halt. To give a clear -general idea of the structure of this cavern is not easy. It -consists of a number of galleries running in different -directions at different levels, with a few intercommunications, -and many continuations that have gradually become -choked with clay and stalagmite and have for ages been -impassable. Descending the steep stairway in a northerly -direction one soon reaches the first of the natural passages, -which bears to the west. A gallery goes off to the right, -west-south-west, and bifurcates, but is uninteresting, the -earth and clay that show its proximity to the surface -rendering it very dirty. In the opposite direction, east-north-east, -the corridor where we had placed the luggage -and made our general rendezvous continues to a distance -of 120 feet, and then dwindles away into a low stalactite -grotto. Being so inaccessible and so little known, the -various chambers have never yet been christened, except -with the vague and general names of Upper Caverns and -Lower Caverns, which have little meaning owing to the -intricate conformation of the series. From our rendezvous -two important tunnels, called the Lower Caverns, go off in -a westerly direction from the bottom of a natural shaft -20 feet deep. These were left for the present whilst we -went into the Middle Caverns, which strike off to the north -from the same spot, and after many turns and twists -approach the surface in the ravine of Dry Gill, south-east -from the entrance to the caves. Many chambers and -passages open out from this series, the largest and most -beautiful being called, very inappropriately, the Top -Cavern. As it leads eventually to a charming piece of -cave scenery that we agreed to call the "Bowling Alley," -it might well be named after this.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus51" id="Illus51"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image53.jpg" width="500" height="387" alt="IN STUMP CROSS CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">IN STUMP CROSS CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 476px;"><a name="Illus52" id="Illus52"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image54.jpg" width="476" height="601" alt="THE PILLAR, STUMP CROSS CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE PILLAR, STUMP CROSS CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>I will now, as clearly as I can, follow the steps of the -party in their exploration of these Middle Caverns, and -proceed afterwards with them into the other series.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -Descending gradually, and passing many nooks and -corners where exquisite recesses are wreathed about by -the ivory-white incrustations on wall, roof, and floor, we -stayed to drink a ceremonious glass from the icy waters of -Jacob's Well, a crystal pool curtained in with masses of -stalactite, and then passed on to one of the chief show -places seen by the public, bearing the modest name of the -Chapel. Its great attraction is the series of massive pillars -of translucent white that seem to uphold the arching roof. -In few of the caverns that I have explored is there anything -to compare with the stateliness of this pure colonnade, -the cylindrical shafts of which are a good deal longer than -a man's height, and modelled fantastically by the irregular -deposit of the calc spar. One column in this part of the -cave measured three feet in circumference. A peculiar -beauty was the transparency of the material, a pure glassy -white through which the light of a candle shone clearly, -whilst a light inside converted the hanging folds and -clusters of stalactites into a beautiful species of lantern. -On the walls were folds and ridges of snowy stalagmite, -and from the roof hung stalactites of all shapes and sizes, -myriads of threadlike growths hanging in a lacy fringe. -Onwards the arcading and the array of pillars extended -into a roomy vault, the end of which struck upwards, as -already explained, south-eastwards, toward Dry Gill. -Though a perceptible draught comes through from the -open air, and the heaps of clay-coated blocks show that -a swallet is not far off above, no way can be forced through -without excavation. Augmented by the arrival of two or -three local friends, the party descended, after lunch, into -the Lower Caverns. Unlike the other passages, with their -continual windings and perplexing branches, these two -series of large vaults, narrow tunnels, and almost impracticable -crevices maintain a westerly direction throughout, -and the few branches strike off decisively to the right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -or to the left. Two of us, being delayed by some trifling -accident, missed the others at the bottom of the short -vertical descent, and, unaware that there were two series -of passages, crept on along the first that opened. This -had the appearance of an old stream-bed, the ground -being littered in places with blocks of Limestone, in others -clayey, and in some parts smoothed down by the rush of -a torrent. High in places, it often dwindled to a very low -passage, through which we crept and wriggled after the -manner of the serpent, ofttimes exerting no little strength -to push beneath the projections overhead. Here a shaft -of glassy stalagmite, uniting floor and roof, tried to bar -the way, and there it was impossible to advance without -scraping against the vitreous threads that hung like hairs -from the dripping rocks. We shouted to the others who we -thought were ahead of us, but got no reply, and after -twenty minutes of this painful progression began to think -of returning. Noticing a hollow in the right wall, I asked -my comrade to wait while I examined it. Inside was -a blind passage and the round orifice of a small tunnel, -into which I thrust my head and shoulders and then -crawled forward. It was not an inviting hole, being wet -and an exceedingly tight fit, and I was on the point of -returning when a voice was heard faintly in the distance. -Listening intently and creeping on again, I heard the -voice more distinctly, and shouted. The voice replied -from below. I quickly realised that we two had missed -the others, who were following a lower series of passages -somewhere beneath us. Unable to turn round, and too -far advanced to return up this slippery tunnel, I saw there -was nothing for it but to push on, head downwards. In a -yard or two, to my unspeakable relief, the hole grew big -enough to turn round in, just before I got to the end of it, -and saw Messrs. Croft and Puttrell, 12 feet below me, -holding out their hands and inviting me to drop. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -leap was a little sensational, but I had my turn of enjoyment -in witnessing the grace with which my comrade -from above, who was now courteously invited to follow -me through the water-pipe, took the jump on to the clay -floor of the lower tunnel.</p> - -<p>We returned later to the other westerly passage, at the -top of the water-pipe. Examining every opening carefully, -we noticed many similar communications between -the two series, evidently proving that the upper was a very -ancient stream course that had been tapped successively -until the lower tunnel superseded it as a waterway. -Pushing ahead, we soon realised that we had arrived -at the richest part of the whole cavern, though also the -most inaccessible. The roof came down bristling with -spikes and shafts of the purest calcite; the floor was one -mass of crystallisation, ridged all over with the rippling -lines that form as the crust grows under water. This -exquisite scene was continued for hundreds of feet, -various and indescribable as a dream, whilst our march -onward over the sharp crystals of the floor and through -the portcullis that closed every chamber was as painful as -a nightmare. Loveliest of all was a long tunnel that once -held many pools of water, half-encrusted over with a film -of carbonate. Only one of these lucid mirrors remained, -but the dried-up basins were as beautiful now as ever, with -the bottom and sides covered by a coraline growth delicate -in colour as in form. At the end was a small dome-like -chamber, where we extended ourselves for a hard-earned -rest before facing the toils and tribulations of the journey -back.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus53" id="Illus53"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image55.jpg" width="500" height="407" alt="THE CHAPEL: STUMP CROSS CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">THE CHAPEL: STUMP CROSS CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>We thought this expedition to the lower series had -exhausted the principal beauties of Stump Cross Cavern, -but we were wrong. On our way to rejoin the other men -in the Middle Cavern we were much impressed by two -large curtains of stalactite, one of them folded and wrinkled,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -and the other hanging straight down without a curve, but -both striped with deep bands of crimson, orange, and -golden yellow when a piece of magnesium was burnt -behind them. These were equal in extent and brilliance -to anything I have ever seen, even in Cox's Cavern at -Cheddar. A round tunnel, ribbed and groined with -glistening dripstone, and a broad low arch set with pillars -and string-like stalactites stretched from top to bottom, -led into the long, wide chamber that we dubbed the -"Bowling Alley," on account of the stumps and pedestals -of stalagmite that stud the floor between the pillars. -Beyond it a short passage leads into a grotto to the right, -and a very difficult one continues some distance to the -left.</p> - -<p>It was now past three in the morning. Tired and -battered to the point of exhaustion, but delighted with an -exploration that far exceeded in interest all we had looked -for, we returned to the cave mouth. An unpleasant-looking -bull which had with great suspicion watched us make -our nocturnal entry into the regions below had, greatly to -our relief, got tired of waiting, and the coast was clear. -Out of the everlasting silence and the shadows, lit so -rarely by the glare of the magnesium and the beams of -the limelight, we returned again, with the surprise that -never fails, to the light of the heavens. Dusk was on the -far-extending moors and hills, daylight was creeping on -over the sky, a pair of larks saluted us with a hilarious -song. Our driver was soon awake at the little inn, two -furlongs away, and in the freshness of the morning we -crawled down the break-neck road to Appletreewick, -Bolton Woods and the Wharfe growing in light before us; -and then at an exhilarating pace rolled up the dale to the -Red Lion at Burnsall.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a name="Cont17" id="Cont17">SWALLET-HUNTING IN DERBYSHIRE</a></h2> - - - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">"GIANT'S HOLE" AND "MANIFOLD"</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Between</span> Sparrowpit and the head of the Winnats the -old road from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Castleton skirts what -is, geologically, one of the most important localities in -Derbyshire. It runs along the side of a shallow upland -valley, about 1200 feet above tide-level and two miles long, -which is bounded on two sides by the curve of Rushup -Edge and on the other two by Elden Hill, Windy Knoll, -and other Limestone acclivities. One of the great faults -of the Pennine chain traverses this valley longitudinally, -the Yoredale strata having been thrown down to the level -of the Limestone, so that the middle of the valley is the -boundary between the Yoredale rocks, shale grits, and -milestone grit on the north, and the Limestone plateau of -Mid-Derbyshire on the south. The valley is completely -encircled by higher ground; there is no egress for streams -on the surface. Accordingly other modes of drainage are -to be looked for, and they will be discovered in a numerous -series of swallets situated along the line of the fault, the -water that runs over the impervious shales perforating the -Limestone as soon as it comes in contact with it. This -shallow valley, in fact, is the gathering ground for the -waters that pour into the abyss of the Speedwell Cavern, -traverse Peak Cavern, and make their way to the open air -at Russet Well and other springs at Castleton. That -such is the case has long been proved by observations of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -the temperature and colour of the waters, and by tracing -chaff and other things thrown into the upland streams. -But there exist hardly enough data to establish the theory -of the French speleologist, M. Martel, that Peak's Hole -Water comes from Perryfoot, and the water of Russet Well -from Coalpit Mine, near Sparrowpit. All that is definitely -known is that these waters run through the massive Limestone -for distances varying from two to three miles and -reappear in Castleton, 600 feet beneath. Whether they -unite into one or two large streams, which form considerable -chambers and caverns in the inaccessible region -beyond the farthest known parts of Speedwell and Peak -Caverns, is an interesting question, that tempts one to -answer boldly in the affirmative, since the action of underground -streams in Somerset and Yorkshire seems to -justify the assumption, if we take into account the extent -of the vertical joints eaten away by the water in its -descent of 600 feet, and the effects of periodical floods. In -Somerset, in a situation exactly similar, two caves of 600 -feet fall and 2000 feet horizontal measurement have -recently been discovered by opening similar swallet-holes. -Is there any hope of finding such hypothetical cavern or -caverns here by exploring, and if necessary opening -artificially, any of the swallets between Perryfoot and -Giant's Hole? The investigations recently carried out by -a friend and myself do not make us hopeful that if there -are such caverns they will ever be made accessible.</p> - -<p>We began our work at Giant's Hole, which opens in -the bottom of a little gorge between Peak's Hill and -Middle Hill. The brooklet that runs in at the cave mouth -was very low, and we passed almost dryshod over the -rough stones that cover the stream-bed for some 60 -feet. Giant's Hole has an arched entrance about seven -feet high, and the first part of the cave retains the same -form. Then the walls contract, and the cave takes the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -shape of a deep and narrow canyon, cut through solid rock, -with the stream coursing along at the bottom over little -falls and waterslides and through pools that are not easy -to pass without a wetting. One hundred and fifty feet -from the entrance to the cave is a lofty rift, near the top -of which an upper gallery turns west, the general direction -of the main passage being southerly. Passing this, we -followed the stream downhill for another fifty or sixty -yards, and were then brought to a standstill by a partial -choke. At this point a quantity of stones and gravel -comes within two feet of the roof, and the water is -dammed back in a pool a foot deep, so that there is barely -a foot of clear space between water and roof.</p> - -<p>Returning to the steep climb to the upper gallery, we -scaled the wet and slippery rocks, and found ourselves -on a shelf over the canyon. The shelf gave ingress to -the gallery, which rose gently in a westerly direction, -with frequent twists and turns, and then turned north. -In 150 feet it divided. We scrambled on; but all the -branches evidently approached the surface of the ground, -becoming earthy, and we soon found it impossible to get -any farther. This upper level, which for our purposes -was of less interest than the lower, is incrusted with -deposits throughout its length of 80 or 90 yards. -There are stalagmite curtains and sheets of tufa on the -walls, the older rocks on the floor are cemented together -with a crust of polished stalagmite, and some of the -boulders are covered with shining enamel. We found it -best to use an Alpine rope in getting back to the lower -level, the ledges underneath not being easy to find by -candlelight. Outside the sun was shining brightly, and -the light that streamed in at the cave mouth, through the -ferns and flowers and grasses that encircled it, was stained -a fairy-like green.</p> - -<p>Continuing our way through the gorge between the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -sharp Limestone knoll of Peak's Hill and the bulkier -Middle Hill, we followed a stream that comes down from -Rushup Edge, perforates the Limestone base of Peak's Hill, -and comes out on the other side at a small cave. In -three furlongs this stream is swallowed under a cliff some -20 feet high, the ingress at present being through a -series of holes, where the water makes an intermittent -roaring, almost like the throb of a hydraulic ram, as if a -siphon were momentarily discharging. Older rifts are -seen in the same line of cliffs, and can be penetrated for -30 feet, but are now deserted by the water save at flood-time. -Farther on is a deep depression in the hillside, big -enough to engulf a house. It is supposed locally to have -been produced by the falling in of a cave roof, but it is -more probably an independent swallet, one of a series, -nearly all funnel-shaped and long out of working order, -that lie along a higher level in the Limestone than those -that occupy the line of demarcation from the shales. The -biggest of them is Bull Pit, which we come to later. Next -to the last pair of large openings into which streams are -running, and which may be called the Peak's Hill Swallets, -since their waters rise out of Peak's Hill, we come to a -large irregular series of trough-shaped hollows converging -on another swallet at this same geological border-line. -The openings here are all little ones. But the next swallet -has a cave above it, into which we entered. It does not -go far, but it has two ascending branches that can be -traced to two small depressions in the Limestone where -tiny affluents have percolated and cut for themselves little -tunnels in the rock. The next swallet beyond this has but a -small opening, although the hollow cut out by its rivulets -through the shales is hundreds of square yards in area. An -abrupt cliff walls in the hollow on the Limestone side, only -a few paces from which are naked patches of Yoredale -rocks, clearly defining the boundary of the two series.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> - -<p>We now came to one of the most interesting openings -that we have met with. It lies about 200 yards north -of Bull Pit. As often happens, immediately above the -swallet, in the Limestone, is a deep chasm almost perforating -the escarpment. At the base of the escarpment -is a rounded archway with a turbulent stream running in. -After securing a photograph we enter, and make our way -down stream easily for a little distance; then the cave -twists and narrows, and at a distance of 40 feet or so we -are disappointed to find the channel too confined for us -to force our way farther. Outside we had observed that -the basin-shaped area had been flooded not long ago, and -inside the vegetable débris that was plastered over the -walls and roof showed that the swallet must have been -completely choked during the recent wet weather. But -the peculiarity of this swallet was that the solid mass of -rock through which the stream had carved its way was -not ordinary Limestone, but beautifully veined and -crystalline like marble, and its surface smooth and -polished. It had very much the same appearance as the -marmorised Limestone found in the neighbourhood of -intrusive lavas, such as those near Tideswell. By the -action of the water it had been sculptured into fantastic -shapes; in one place a corner had been cut through and a -small pillar left, joined to the rock at top and bottom. -We scrambled with some difficulty into the chasm behind -the swallet. At the bottom, on the same side as the -existing swallet, was the broad and lofty arch of a cave, -which went only a few yards in, otherwise it would have -broken through the escarpment. Right above the keystone -of the arch was a weathered group of stalactites -hanging from a ledge, and under them the broken -stalagmite floor of a tiny grotto. It is a rare thing to -find such deposits in the open air, and doubtless it -indicates that the chasm was formed by the destruction<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -of a larger cave. A thick deposit of earthy mud covered -the floor, and at one side a big hole penetrated this to a -depth of six feet, the work of a stream that had perhaps -not run for ages. This deposit, though dry, was so soft -that I nearly sank through into the hole. We found four -birds' nests in this cave mouth, with eggs and young in -them, and were disappointed not to come across the egg -of a cuckoo that flew out the moment before we entered. -In the wiry grass not far away from the top of the cavity -we discovered a lark's nest with two eggs in it.</p> - -<p>Bull Pit lies in the wood just above this opening, nearer -the road. It is a great open abyss, walled on three sides -by crags of Limestone nearly a hundred feet high, and with -trees growing all round the edges. This, no doubt, is a -very ancient swallet that has not been in operation for -ages—belongs, perhaps, to the same period as Elden -Hole, which opens 200 or 300 feet higher, a mile -away, on Elden Hill. A little way on, near Perryfoot, -we come in sight of another very ancient cavity, on the -side of Gautries Hill. It is a gaping pit about 70 feet deep, -with a noble arch inside, spanning the entrance to a broad -cave. At present the cave mouth is silted up with sand -and clay. All these rocky openings are the lurking-places -of beautiful ferns and mosses; the feathery fronds of the -Limestone polypody, the late primroses, various saxifrages, -and the delicate foliage of herb robert making a brave -show. The wilder birds take refuge there. A crow flew -out of the hole on Gautries Hill, and one day on -approaching Elden Hole I was startled by a dense cloud -of jackdaws, more than a hundred, suddenly rushing -out. Farther down, from 50 to 100 feet lower, a host of -starlings had built their nests on the walls of the chasm. -Disturbed, they came flying up in twos and threes, beating -the air in painful efforts to wing their way straight up and -out of the hole.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> - -<p>At Perryfoot a stream is engulfed which M. Martel -considers to be the source of Peak's Hole Water, and to -be identical with the stream that flows through the inmost -passages of Peak Cavern. It now runs into a cleft that is -too small to be explored. But at a comparatively recent -date it was swallowed in a number of large fissures in -a crescent-shaped wall of Limestone 100 yards away. -Most of these openings are impracticable, but at the -extreme east I had already reconnoitred a promising cleft -which we now proceeded to examine thoroughly. This -complicated swallet, with the passages behind it, is known -locally as "Manifold." Going east for 35 feet, the fissure -divides, one passage striking up towards the surface and -the other turning south. We soon had to crawl, the -passage being very low, narrow, and lined with objectionable -stones. After 30 feet more we came to a wider place, -with a sort of chimney on one side. Here was the sole -mark of humanity that we found in this cave, a stake that -had apparently been used to climb into the chimney. -Nothing was gained by climbing it, so we squeezed our -way along the main passage. Now the tunnel grew into -a high but narrow canyon where we could stand upright, -then it dwindled to a tunnel again, generally descending, -but occasionally rising in what was once a siphon. We -passed one or two branches, at the most important of -which the principal tunnel curved to the left and descended -a little more steeply over some small ledges and basins -brimming with water. We began to feel sanguine about -the wished-for cavern, but presently the diameter of the -tunnel grew so small that we could not advance another -yard. My companion was some distance behind with his -candle out, and I would not make a move until he had -got it relighted, the consequences of both candles going -out at once being unpleasant and possibly dangerous. -For a long way we could not turn round, and had to crawl<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -feet foremost. Just after repassing the junction my -companion shouted that we were going wrong. He did -not recognise the passage. I remained at the junction -whilst he went farther and ascertained that it was the -right channel after all. Then I examined the branch. It -ascended 20 feet and then divided, the left branch, which -was earthy, plainly striking up to the surface, the right -branch going back towards the swallet. Undoubtedly -there must be quite a labyrinth of dry water channels -to correspond with the numerous series of openings in the -cliff, but the one we explored seemed to be the largest and -most practicable. Very tired and hot, not to mention the -dirt, we made our way back to the exit, glad to feel that -our day's work was done.</p> - -<p>The one thing that had impressed us most during our -explorations was that all these swallets and water channels -are cut through solid rock. Only when the rocks are -shattered or disintegrated, as in the cases alluded to in -Somerset, would there be any possibility of enlarging a -swallet artificially. And though we had penetrated to a -distance of 400 feet at Manifold we had not found the -passages growing more roomy nor enlarged by the accession -of tributaries. So far, the prospect of opening up -the large fissures and chambers that must surely exist -deeper in the rock seems unfavourable, unless the main -channel of Giant's Hole can be unblocked.</p> - -<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">E. A. B.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a name="Cont18" id="Cont18">EXPLORING NEW CAVES IN DERBYSHIRE</a></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> new and exciting game of cave-exploring has been -pursued so strenuously during the last four years that one -would almost think the possibilities of fresh discoveries -had been exhausted. When a little while ago, therefore, -rumours came in of a big cavern in Lathkill Dale, so big -that people were said to have been lost in its recesses, -they were received not a little incredulously. But after -the usual allowances had been made for exaggeration and -myth, and the alleged casualties reduced to the misfortunes -of a sheep-dog who spent fourteen days in the cavern, -probably rock-bound on a ledge, it still appeared that -there was something worth exploring. Accordingly two -friends, Messrs. W. H. and G. D. Williams, who were -residing near Matlock, kindly undertook to find the cave -or caves, and see what was to be done; and a native of -Middleton was commissioned to make further inquiries. -First, a letter arrived with the disappointing intelligence -that there was no cave on the Lathkill, nothing but old -mine workings: but hard on its heels came a wire to say -that a cave had been located and was being explored -tentatively. Then further messages arrived with mention -of another opening, but which was the reputed great -cavern was a question to be settled only by a regular -exploration.</p> - -<p>A day was fixed for the campaign, and my section of -the party drove up early in the morning from Bakewell -Station on the Midland. Our friends were waiting at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -head of Ricklow Dale, a mile below the little village of -Thornyash, and we proceeded without delay down that -streamless canyon, first over smooth greensward between -the grim Limestone walls, then hopping from point to -point of huge, close-packed fragments, until we reached -the uppermost cave mouth. It has a very imposing -entrance, solid piers supporting a massive lintel, about 20 -feet wide. It opens in the west cliff of Ricklow Dale, at -a height of 690 feet above sea-level, and is evidently the -source at times of a large stream. Ricklow Dale is really -the upper part of Lathkill Dale, above the junction with -Cales Dale, and the head streams of the Lathkill originally -flowed down it from the neighbourhood of Monyash. -But at a later period, seemingly, the stream betook itself -to an underground course, until it emerged into the open -from this cave. At the present time the cave is swept by -water only when the deeper cavities of the rock overflow. -This happened, for instance, a few weeks ago, when the -cave discharged a considerable stream, and was for the -time being quite impenetrable to man. As the Messrs. -Williams had been into this cavern a day or two before, -we left it for the present, in order to try some unexplored -openings farther down the dale.</p> - -<p>On the same side of the dale they had detected the -entrance to something, whether cave or mine they knew -not, covered in by stones and earth. With pick and -crowbar an entrance was soon exposed, not much larger -than a badger's hole, and we crept through. At once it -became evident that the hole was not a natural one; it -was no "self-cave," as the country people say, but an -ordinary level or a sough draining a lead mine. A pool -of water filled the tunnel from side to side, stretching away -into the distance; and as we preferred, if wading were -necessary, to postpone it as long as we could, we left this -alone for the present, and went on with our quest at two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -other spots in the entrance to Cales Dale. Needless to -say, we had missed no opportunity of cross-examining -the inhabitants of the district, but the results had been -absurdly inaccurate and conflicting. Already a crowd of -rustic onlookers had gathered round, but the only individual -among them who knew anything about the region -inside was the afore-mentioned sheep-dog, who could tell -us nothing. He, too, was the only one who showed any -inclination to join our underground party. In the upper -Cales Dale Cavern, as we named it, he actually went ahead -of us, and put our candles in jeopardy with the spirited -wagging of his tail.</p> - -<p>This cave is doubtless a very ancient channel of the -Cales Dale Water, which now runs through hidden -crevices till it meets the Lathkill; the span of its antiquity -may be gauged by the fact that Cales Dale has been cut -200 feet deeper, and the cave left high and dry, since it -was a regular stream-course. I say dry in a comparative -sense, for we quickly found ourselves confronted by a -short passage of extreme dampness. The main channel -runs west for 150 feet, and then divides, both branches -dwindling rapidly to mere water-pipes. But near the -entrance a branch strikes off to the right. Although the -roof came down on our backs as we crawled, we managed -to keep just above the surface of a shallow pool that lay -in the middle: but a second pool was almost entirely -mopped up by our journey to and fro. The passage ended -in a chamber where two can stand upright. Every bit of -this little nook is covered with a creamy-white and brownish -coating of amorphous carbonate. It is like a small empty -shrine, with heavy curtains flowing over its walls, their -folds and ridges flecked with innumerable scaly projections, -like some delicate frilling. The rest of the cave is devoid -of charm, though there are interesting masses of white tufa -on the walls, as soft as putty.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - -<p>At the bottom of the dale, almost exactly under and -parallel to this upper cave, is a larger one, which we called -the Lower Cales Dale Cavern. It is entirely concealed by -bushes and nettles, and we had to remove a mass of blocks -and detritus before we laid bare the two entrances. Even -then, room could not be made for the broad-shouldered -member of the party to get in. At the end of 15 feet of -very tight wriggling there was more head room. We -were in a straight tunnel, arched as evenly as a culvert, -the floor covered with the gravelly deposits of a stream. -Evidently it is a channel still used frequently by the -Cales Dale Water. It ran due west for 300 feet, with room -in most places for us to crawl on hands and knees: then it -bent one point to the north. Here the stream had thrown -up a low dam, behind which it had bored a series of holes -on the south side, through which most of it gets away. -Soon a wall of rock, shaped like the steps of a weir, confronted -us, at the top of which we found ourselves in a -wide, irregular chamber, the height of whose roof varied -from 6 feet to 18 feet. We called it the Pot Hole Cavern, -because of the number of water-worn cavities in the roof. -The biggest of these cavities appearing to give entrance to -an upper gallery, I climbed into it with the aid of a -comrade's shoulder. It contained a pretty grotto, lined -with incrustations, but led to nothing. Deep horizontal -fissures yawned on every side of the Pot Hole Chamber, -and vertical joints split the interposing strata. All the -exits, however, came to an end speedily except two, one -extending a point east of south, the other a point east of -north. I explored the northern branch before my friends -arrived. It had several short ramifications, in some of -which there were trails of rabbits, and other evidences of a -communication with the surface, such as pieces of sodden -wood and deposits of soil; but it gave ingress for barely -50 feet. The other branch seemed more important, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -as we were tired out and hungry, we left it until we had -returned to the dale for rest and lunch, a waste of time, -unfortunately, for it ran only for 100 feet farther.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus54" id="Illus54"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image56.jpg" width="500" height="366" alt="RICKLOW CAVE IN FLOOD." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">RICKLOW CAVE IN FLOOD.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by G. D. Williams.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>We crept over a pavement of fractured blocks, into a -broad, low passage that seemed to have been hewn by -giants out of the solid Limestone. All around were the -marks of a powerful, swirling current, that had split and -torn the rocks asunder, and bored its way through their -joints; yet not a grain of sand or a speck of mud was -visible on their cleaned and polished surface. Fissures -and passages twisted away at the side, but returned in -a few yards to the main corridor. In the roof were -discernible the clean-cut hollows whence slabs of Limestone -had fallen that still cumbered the floor. The large -chamber that we reached finally was bestrewn and heaped -up with such masses, and all the ways of egress save one -were entirely blocked up. This very soon came to an -abrupt termination in a bell-shaped cavity, floored with -a crust of stalagmite. But there were narrow fissures, -a few inches only in width, running away in many -directions; a strong draught made the candles gutter; -and the occasional presence of great volumes of water -was made evident by the damage done to some of the -incrustations. There was no sign or sound of flowing -water now; the silence was as profound and impressive -as the darkness. Yet this rock-strewn chamber was once -the birthplace of a river. Hither, from countless fissures, -the streamlets gathered together and poured through the -hidden places of the hill, now in a rippling brook, and now -in a torrent, crashing and rending. At present the Cales -Dale stream finds its way to the Lathkill river by still -more secret channels. But at no infrequent times, even -yet, the torrent thunders over the waterfall in the Pot -Hole Cavern, the swallet is inundated, and a flood -pours on through the long tunnel, and so into the open<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -stream-course in the dale, now dried up and covered with -vegetation. Proofs of this were legible all around us.</p> - -<p>Returning up the dale, we closed the mouth of the -artificial level, and went back to the Ricklow Cavern. -Although the portal is so majestic, the passage becomes -anything but commodious at the end of a few paces. -Once more we had to crawl over hard, water-worn rock, -deeply fissured and thrown out of the horizontal; our -galled knees and elbows could scarcely be induced to go -at all, and the pace was miserably slow. Then the roof -came down so close in a horizontal fissure of huge extent, -that there was nothing for it but to wriggle. My friends -had ascertained that 280 feet of this work leads into a -lofty chamber. It is one of those long, vertical fissures, -not wide but enormously high, that are common in the -Castleton caves. There were indications of galleries overhead, -but we were too much exhausted to attempt climbing -without a ladder. Only one exit was practicable, -which led in 20 feet into just such another hollow, but -still wider and uglier of aspect. Filling the cavity to a -height of 30 feet was a mountain of shattered rocks, flung -together pell-mell and wedged loosely. When we climbed -it, the light of our candles showed that the structure was -hollow, and hardly more durable in appearance than a -house of cards. Some of the rocks were held by points -and corners, swinging on their long axes; a touch sent -others clattering down, as we crept with the utmost -caution up the adjoining wall. It was as if the interior -of the hill had been rent apart by an earthquake, and the -headlong stream of rocks caught suddenly and held by -the closing in of the fracture. We clambered to the -summit of this hollow mass of ruin, and lit some -magnesium wire. The formless walls went up into a -dark void above us, their ledges fringed with glistening -spikes and tendrils of transparent stalactite, revealed by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -the glare. There had been visitors here before. Scratched -on the walls, but partially coated over by a crystalline -enamel, were the initials "H. B.—R. A.," and the date -1817; other scrawls were indecipherable. No doubt -this was the cave whose legendary renown had reached -our ears. Getting down our shattered staircase was a -more formidable job than the ascent. One stone, as -big as a table, rocked like a see-saw when we set -foot on it.</p> - -<p>Stalactites were not numerous in these caves, which -are not only very humid, but continually swept by water. -Animal remains were plentiful, all recent, bones being -carried in by beasts of prey and deposited by floods. -As this process must have been going on for ages, the -two Cales Dale caverns would probably yield good results -to palæontological research.</p> - -<p>A comic incident cheered my fatigued comrades when -we regained the open air. In the morning I had brought -my family up from Bakewell Station for a day in the -country, a work of supererogation that now placed me in -a curious predicament. The waggonette had gone off to -pick them up for the early train, and, to my distress, -I found the driver had relieved us of all the luggage, -including the rücksack which held my clothes, not to -mention boots, pipe, and railway ticket. The alternative -stared me in the face of proceeding to town in slimy -overalls or in attire of dangerous slightness. But the -broad-shouldered friend came to the rescue with his -cave jacket, a garment that fell about me like a baggy -greatcoat, hiding the worst deformities, and with battered -hobnailers at one extremity, and a cap that had more stiff -clay than cloth in it at the other, I made the best of my -way home under the cover of darkness.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><a name="Cont19" id="Cont19">A VISIT TO MITCHELSTOWN CAVE</a></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Mitchelstown</span> Cave, the largest ever discovered in -the British Isles, is not situated at the town of that -name, in county Cork, but 10 miles away, in Tipperary, -on the road to Cahir. Its entrance is in a small Limestone -hill in the broad vale of the Blackwater, midway between -the Knockmealdown Mountains and the Sandstone ridges -and tables of the Galtees. The cave was laid open in the -course of quarrying operations in 1833, from which time -to the present the work of exploration has gone on progressively, -if at long intervals, and may, perhaps, continue -until the extent of the passages known is considerably -enlarged. It seems now to be entirely forgotten that the -spot has been famous from time immemorial for a wonderful -stalactite cavern. In October 1777, Arthur Young -was taken into a cave, known as Skeheenarinky, after -the townland, but the old Irish name of which was -Oonakareaglisha. "The opening," he says, "is a cleft -of rock in a Limestone hill, so narrow as to be difficult -to get into it. I descended by a ladder of about twenty -steps, and then found myself in a vault of 100 feet -long and 50 or 60 high: a small hole, on the left, -leads from this a winding course of, I believe, not less -than half an Irish mile." He goes on to describe the -beautiful scenery of the cave, which, he says, is much -superior to the Peak Cavern in Derbyshire, "and Lord -Kingsborough, who has viewed the Grot d'Aucel in -Burgundy, says that it is not to be compared with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -it."<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> The odd thing is that the very existence of this cavern -seems to have been forgotten since the discovery of its -much finer neighbour. Yet the trees and brushwood -guarding its mouth are in full view of the well-frequented -entrance to the other cave; and Dr. Lyster Jameson, who -was with Monsieur Martel on his visit in 1895, told me -some years ago that an opening had been pointed out -to him into a lower series of caves, which I have little -hesitation in identifying with Young's cavern and the -cave mouth I allude to.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus55" id="Illus55"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image57.jpg" width="500" height="364" alt="A GREAT PILLAR: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">A GREAT PILLAR: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="Illus56" id="Illus56"> -<img style="margin-top: 1.5em;" src="images/image58.jpg" width="500" height="362" alt="A FAIRY LANTERN: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN." /> -</a></div> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">A FAIRY LANTERN: MITCHELSTOWN CAVERN.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Photo by E. A. Baker.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>Dr. C. A. Hill and I visited the spot in August 1905, -intending to go through all the accessible parts of the -huge series now known collectively as Mitchelstown Cave, -and also to examine the series referred to by Dr. Jameson, -who had been unable to undertake their exploration. -Our impression was that little or nothing was known of -the latter series, and it was not until after our return -from Ireland that we were startled and puzzled by turning -up an account in <i>The Postchaise Companion</i> (1805 -ed., pp. 301, 302) of a cave in this place already known -and celebrated thirty years before the discovery of the -Mitchelstown Cave. The explanation probably is that -the guides find one cave a more profitable investment -than two. To show the second (or rather the first, since -the other is the usurper) would involve twice as much -labour, but would hardly bring in twice the income. -Since 1833, then, the original cavern has been suppressed, -so successfully that even the omniscient Baddeley never -suspected that there are two series, although he had read -Young's description and confused it with the other. Dr. -Hill let me down a few feet into the old cave-mouth, -just such a narrow slit as Young depicts; but we found -that the rock was cut away immediately beneath, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -without more hauling power, the only way to get down -was to use a long ladder, and this we could not obtain. -The guide told us that the hole led into nothing of any -interest, and that the entrance had been used as a -receptacle for deceased dogs and other excreta. This -effectually took away any wish to pursue our researches -in that direction for the present. Still, the old cave -ought not to be lost sight of; and we propose, if no one -else undertakes the work, to explore the lower series on -some future visit to Ireland. The unscientific explorers -of a hundred years ago may have left discoveries to -future workers as important as those which remained for -so many years after the early explorations in the -neighbouring great cave.</p> - -<p>What was done in the latter during the first year after -the discovery may be read in an article by Dr. Apjohn -in the <i>Dublin Penny Journal</i> for December 27, 1834, an -article reproduced from the <i>Dublin Geological Journal</i>, vol. i. -Dr. Apjohn carried out a most elaborate and painstaking -survey to points considerably beyond the second great -cavity, now known as the "House of Lords," but failed -to reach "O'Leary's Cave," the key of the farther -ramifications, or to explore the tunnels connected with -"The River." His plan, worked out to scale, and showing -the differences of level with great minuteness, remained -the only map of the cave until M. Martel's survey in 1895. -Meanwhile various adventurers had got to more distant -points, particularly to the long chain of caverns running -east to Brogden's, at the end of which M. Martel's chart -stops. The French explorer does not seem to have broken -any fresh ground; but his plan, which appeared in <i>The -Irish Naturalist</i> for April 1896, with an account of his -visit, was a brilliant achievement, especially when the short -time at his disposal is considered, six hours for the whole -of the cavern. Parts of this chart were only hastily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -sketched in, either from a rapid survey or from information -supplied by the guide, as M. Martel explained to me -in a conversation some time ago, and errors of detail -were, under these conditions, unavoidable. For instance, -"O'Leary's Cave" is much larger than appears on the -plan, and the "Chimney" is not situated at the far end -of a passage, but actually opens in the floor of "O'Leary's -Cave." The caves running east, again—O'Callaghan's -and Brogden's—are not such a simple series of straight -passages as they seem on the chart; our guide had considerable -difficulty in threading his way among the various -bifurcations. As will transpire later, there is a mystery -connected with the name of "Cust's Cave," the real Cust's -being in a totally different part of the series, and a different -chamber altogether in shape. Unfortunately we did not -go prepared to carry out any survey, believing that all -this had been done; so that we can at the most point -out some places where the existing plans are at fault. -We were also unfortunate in not being prepared to take -a large number of photographs, the accounts we had -read not leading us to anticipate the actual grandeur -and extent of the scenery. M. Martel compares the -Mitchelstown Cave with such famous continental caverns -as those of Adelsberg, Padirac, Dargilan, and Han-sur-Lesse, -and it comes off but poorly in such a comparison. -I have seen his lantern slides of these caves, and after exploring -all the most beautiful caves discovered as yet in -England, I venture to say there is not one English cave that -would not come off badly if set beside any of these. Compared, -however, with other British caverns, that of Mitchelstown -can hold its own easily; though individual chambers -may be surpassed, there is nothing like the same extent -of brilliant subterranean scenery anywhere else in these -islands.</p> - -<p>The tourist portion of the cavern, a fraction of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -whole, but yet a considerable extent of underground -passages, is deservedly much frequented. The spacious -vault, nicknamed the "House of Commons," vies in -dimensions and dignity with those in the Peak of -Derbyshire, but it is far surpassed by the "House of -Lords." Seventeen massy columns of pure white -stalactite, surmounting enormous cones of terraced -stalagmite, tower from floor to roof of this impressive -dome, some 140 feet in span and 70 feet high. The -grandeur of its height is lost somewhat through the -mountain of fallen blocks that rises from the entrance -almost to the apex of the roof. Behind this vast accumulation -a sort of ambulatory runs round under -the walls, opening here and there into side chapels -and irregular cavities, all bountifully adorned with the -fairy-like work of the Limestone carbonate. The so-called -"Tower of Babel" is a majestic pillar rising from -the summit of a pyramidal mass of stalagmite, 40 feet -in circumference, that being also the measure of its -total height. A crowd of other Limestone freaks, some -aptly and some incongruously nicknamed, and many -extremely beautiful, are found in this chamber.</p> - -<p>The cavities and passages that lie to the north-east -of the first great chamber are not often visited. They -start from "Sadlier's Cave," which is not large but -bewilderingly picturesque, and contains a superb pillar, -"Lot's Wife," almost of the prodigious size of the -"Tower." The "Kingston Gallery" is a straight rift, -nearly 300 feet long, but only two or three feet wide, -with sheets of snowy white sweeping down the walls, -and breaking into whole garlands of scrolls and pennons -and curtains, which in places have been thrown right -across the gallery, dividing it into lofty cells. Manholes, -actually, had to be cut through these diaphanous -partitions to create a passage. From the cave at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -the end, a lower passage, the Sand Cave, comes back in -a parallel direction to the point of junction, and from -the quantities of fine sand on its bed, was evidently -an important stream-course after the Kingston Gallery -was drained of its waters. It has one unique feature, -the succession of parallel rifts, called the "Closets," which -are connected together by rents in their dividing walls. -Some of these are extremely narrow, and by candlelight -it is impossible to see any limit to their height, depth, -or length. Similar widenings of the master joints and -degradation of the Limestone separating them, are a -special feature of the Mitchelstown Cave, and the key -to its ground-plan, with its maze of right-angles.</p> - -<p>The great eastern vault, the Garret, which is only -19 feet below the level of the entrance, does not fall, -as stated by M. Martel, towards a series of choked -swallets, that originally carried the waters farther down, -but rises towards inlets from the surface. Its fretted -roof has fallen in at the upper end. A little to the south -is a nameless series of charming vestibules, grottoes, and -tunnels, meandering towards the insignificant lakelet -called the "River." Here we spent the whole of -our first day. It is possible, we learned, to reach the -easternmost series of caverns by this route, which also -takes one into the square cavity designated as "Cust's -Cave" on M. Martel's chart. We chose the other way, -that is, through the passage from the "House of Lords" -to the "Cathedral."</p> - -<p>In the tangle of contrary passages into which this -leads we lost ourselves several times, in the absence of -the guide, and only recovered the thread by careful -observation with the compass. Eventually we found the -way into "O'Leary's Cave," which struck us as one of -the most impressive chambers in the whole cavern. It -is not only much larger than is shown on the plan, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -different in shape. Apparently it is the most recent of -all in formation, although this may be only an appearance -caused by the falling in of the roof. Unlike the other -parts, where every bit of débris is sealed down by a -glistening layer of stalagmite, this great cavity is heaped -high with loose fragments, as free from incrustation as if -the ceiling had collapsed yesterday. So wild and vast is -the configuration of "O'Leary's Cave" that, standing on the -lower side and looking across a depression in the middle to -the ascending ground opposite, one fancied oneself, in the -dim candlelight, gazing across a valley to a range of hills -in the distance. We spent some time vainly searching for -the horizontal tunnel supposed to end at the "Chimney," -and before the guide joined us were lucky enough to hit -upon a string of chambers that seem never to have been -entered before. These run, so far as we could make out -without actual measurement, right over the O'Callaghan -series. In fact there were openings in the floor which we -might have explored but for the aggressive and tenacious -clay bedaubing everything, apparently leading down to -these nether passages. Brilliant draperies swept down -to the bold masses of stalagmite below the walls, and -long crystalline wands hung from the roof in thousands, -so that we could not move without committing havoc in -this pendulous forest.</p> - -<p>Conducted by the guide, we now descended the -"Chimney" into the tortuous passages leading to the -"Scotchman's Cave," which lies under O'Leary's. It is -a small but very beautiful chamber, giving one the idea -that it has been hollowed out in a mountain of Parian -marble. Now we struck into the long series running east -through "O'Callaghan's Cave" to the farthest point yet -reached. This was one of the principal channels by -which the ancient waters descended, from openings now -unknown and inaccessible, to the labyrinth of forsaken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -waterways we had left behind. Our guide, who astonished -us by the rapidity with which he got over difficult ground, -was unable to make very speedy progress here. The -ramifications are extremely hard to unravel, and he had -only been in this part twice before, in 1895 with -M. Martel, and twenty-five years earlier, as a boy, with -his father. Eventually, after many wanderings, we reached -"Brogden's Cave," where hitherto all direct progress had -stopped. On the south side (not on the north, as shown -in the chart) is the "Chapel," which M. Martel rightly -described as the most beautiful thing in the whole cavern. -It is an arched recess, canopied with stalagmite of the -purest and most delicate lustre.</p> - -<p>Whilst my companion rested, I joined the guide, who -was hunting for the passage to a cave where his father -had taken him thirty-five years ago. We discovered the -opening at last, and after wriggling and squirming round -innumerable twists and corners, we dropped over a low -cliff, beyond which a short wriggle brought us into a -long and lofty cave, magnificently walled and pillared -with snowy calcite. Floor, walls, and roof were a spotless -white, wrought into intricate reliefs and embroideries by -the flow of the freakish stalagmite. The guide stated -that this was "Cust's Cave," and the one beyond, where -our progress stopped, he called the "Demon's Cave." -M. Martel's chart shows a "Cust's Cave" of a totally -different shape and size, near the "River"; and, as there -is no mention extant of any cave beyond Brogden's, I -take it that this, the real Cust's, was unknown to him. -Unfortunately I had followed the guide without bringing -the plan or a compass, unaware that we were going so far -from the known parts of the cavern; and now, to my -disgust, the guide was unable to find the way out. Twice -he descended into a hole at our end of the cave, and -emerged with the intelligence, "It's not there, sir." We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -ransacked every opening in wall and floor, but failed to -hit on any exit whatever. The guide grew alarmed, and -rushed off to the farther end of the cave, wondering if we -had completely lost our sense of direction. He tried -whistling; but the hundreds of feet of rock between us -and our companion were well able to guard their ancient -silence. Tired with these exertions, he next proposed -that we should put out the lights and rest for a while. -Whether his idea was to husband the only provisions we -had, I could not say; but at any rate the situation did -look serious, since rescuers might have taken days to -discover our position in this remote corridor, of whose -very existence, probably, our guide was the only man -in Ireland that knew anything. But where there is a -way in, there is a way out, as I very well knew from -several similar experiences; and after a pretty bad half-hour, -we did manage to recover the trail, and got back -to our friend, who had been completely mystified by our -disappearance, and was almost as relieved as we by -our return. After many hours of fatiguing work, we -were glad to follow our guide back through the labyrinthine -passages, by the most direct route to the open -air.</p> - -<p>Our chief regret was that we had relied too much on -the completeness of previous surveys, and had not taken -materials for correcting the map. We had secured many -photographs of the earlier chambers, but had not taken -the camera into the innermost cavities, where photography -would be most profitable. M. Martel's dictum can still -be endorsed that there is a great field for research in the -Mitchelstown Cavern.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 2em;"><a name="Cont20" id="Cont20">INDEX</a></h2> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 75px;"> -<img style="margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="images/image2.jpg" width="75" height="18" alt="line" /> -</div> - -<div style="width: 70%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> -Abergele, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Abîmes, Les</i>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Adelsberg, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Albanets of Couvin (Belgium), <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Alfred (King), <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Alps, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Anemolites, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Angels and Men</i> (quotation), <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Antiquity of caverns, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Apjohn (Dr.), <a href="#Page_161">161</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Arragonite, <a href="#Page_119">119</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Arthur (King), <a href="#Page_2">2</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Attrition, effect of, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Avalon, Isle of, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Aveline's Hole, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Aven de Vigne Close (Ardèche), <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Avignon, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Axbridge, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Axe, the river, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Badger Hole, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bagshawe Cavern, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Balch (Mr.), <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bamforth (Mr. H.), <a href="#Page_71">71</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Banwell Cave, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Barnes (Mr.), <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bath, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bats, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_125">125</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bear, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Beehive, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Beehive Chamber, Lamb's Lair, <a href="#Page_117">117</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Betsy Camel's Hole, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bishop's Lot Swallet, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bishop's Palace at Wells, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bison, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Blackdown, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Blackwater, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Blue John Mine, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bonheur (Gard), <a href="#Page_39">39</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bos, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Boule (M.), <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bouvier (M.), <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bowling Alley, <a href="#Page_139">139</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bramabiau (Gard), <a href="#Page_39">39</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bristol, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bristol Channel, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Brogden's Cave, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Brue, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Buckland (Dean), <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bull Pit, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Bunter Sandstone, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Burrington, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Buxton, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Cadbury, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Calamine, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cales Dale, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Camden's <i>Britannia</i>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Camelot, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Canyon, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_81">81</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Carbonic acid (action of), <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Carboniferous or Mountain Limestone, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cascades, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Castle of Comfort, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Castleton, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Causse de Gramat (Padirac), <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cave-earth, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Cave Hunting</i>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cave Man of Cheddar, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_86">86</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ceiriog Valley, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cevennes, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Chapel-en-le-Frith, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Charterhouse, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cheddar, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cheddar Water, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Chokes, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_63">63</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Clemens Alexandrinus, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Clevedon, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Coalpit Mine, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Compton Bishop, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Compton Martin, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Copper, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Coral Cave, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Corridors, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cotherstone Hill, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cows hounded over cliff, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span>Cox's Cavern, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cox's Hole, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Croft (Mr. J.), <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Crook's Peak, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Croscombe, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cross, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Crosse (Andrew), <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Cust's Cave, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Dangers of exploration, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dargilan, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dawkins (Prof. Boyd), <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.<br /> -<br /> -De Launey (M.), <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Deer, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Demon's Cave, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Denny's Hole, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Denudation, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Derbyshire, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Devil's Hole, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Devil's Punchbowl, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dinder Wood, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dolomitic Conglomerate, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dovedale, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Doveholes, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Downside Monastery, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Drayton, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Dulcote, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -East Harptree, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Eastwater, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ebbor, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Elden Hill, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Elden Hole, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>.<br /> -<br /> -English Channel, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Enmore, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Eocene, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Exeter, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Exploration (dangers of), <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Extinct animals, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Fairy Slats, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Fauna of caves, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Fissures, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_87">87</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_94">94</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Flatholm, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Fluor-spar, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Fontaine de Vaucluse, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Foreland, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Foxe's Hole (Burrington), <a href="#Page_99">99</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Fox's Hole (Compton Bishop), <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Frome, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Frost (action of), <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Galtees, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gaping Ghyll, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gautries Hill, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Geological Survey, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Giant's Hole, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gibson (Mr. James), <a href="#Page_101">101</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Glacial drift, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Glastonbury, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Goatchurch Cavern, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, <a href="#Page_99">99</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Golden Cap, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gough (Messrs.), <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Grassington, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gravel, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Great Cavern of Cheddar, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Great Chamber of Lamb's Lair, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Green How, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Grotten und Höhlen von Adelsberg, Die</i>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gurney Slade, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Gypsum, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Han-sur-Lesse, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Harptree, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Harrington (Dr.) of Bath, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Helln Pot, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hiley (Mr.), <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hill (Dr.), <a href="#Page_160">160</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hillgrove, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_114">114</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Holwell, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>, <a href="#Page_124">124</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hope, Dale of, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Horse, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hyæna, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hyæna Den, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Hydrology, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Ingleborough Cave, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Inscriptions, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Irish Elk, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Irlande et Cavernes Anglaises</i>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Jackdaws, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Jacob's Well, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Jameson (Dr.), <a href="#Page_160">160</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Joints, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Katavothra, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Kent's Cavern, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Kentucky, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Keuper, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Knockmealdown Mountains, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Kyndwr Club, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Labyrinths, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Laibach, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lake village, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lamb's Lair, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lathkill Dale, <a href="#Page_152">152</a>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lathkill River, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lead, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Leland, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lewsdon, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span>Lias, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lion, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Llangollen, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Long Hole, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Long Kin Hole, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Long Wood, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Lower Limestone Shales, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Loxton, <a href="#Page_112">112</a>, <a href="#Page_113">113</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Mammoth, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Manifold, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Marble Arch, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Marshall (Mr.), <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Martel (Mons.), <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_165">165</a>, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Master-joint, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Matlock, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Mazauric (M.), <a href="#Page_39">39</a>.<br /> -<br /> -McMurtrie (Mr. J.), <a href="#Page_122">122</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Mendip plateau, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Middle Hill, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Mitchelstown Cave, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Monyash, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Morfa Rhuddlan, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Morland (Mr. J. O.), <a href="#Page_83">83</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Murray's Guide, <a href="#Page_116">116</a>, <a href="#Page_122">122</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Natural wells, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Neolithic barrows, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Niagara (Gough's Caves), <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Nidderdale, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -North Hill, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -O'Callaghan's Cave, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Offa's Dyke, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ogo, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ogof, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Old Red Sandstone, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>.<br /> -<br /> -O'Leary's Cave, <a href="#Page_161">161</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ookey, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Oonakareaglisha, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Outfit, <a href="#Page_41">41</a>, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Padirac, <a href="#Page_162">162</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Parrett, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Peace of Wedmore, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Peak, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Peak's Hill, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Peak's Hole, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Peak's Hole (source of water of), <a href="#Page_150">150</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pen Hill, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Percolating water, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Percy's <i>Reliques</i>, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Perryfoot, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Phelps, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Phosphorites, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pilsdon, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pleistocene gravel, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pliocene, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Plumley's Den, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>, <a href="#Page_103">103</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Polyolbion</i>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pot, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pothole Cavern, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Potholes, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Pottery, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Priddy, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Primitive man, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Puttrell (Mr. J. W.), <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Quantocks, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Quercy, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Radstock, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Radstock Coalfield, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rain (action of), <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rakes, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ravine formation, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ravines, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Raymond, Walter, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Red Deer, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Reindeer, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Reliquiæ Diluvianæ</i>, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Revolving stones (action of), <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rhaetic, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rhinoceros, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rickford, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ricklow Cavern, <a href="#Page_157">157</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Ricklow Dale, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Risings (extent of flow), <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.<br /> -<br /> -"Rock of Ages," 104.<br /> -<br /> -Rock shelter, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Roman Cave of Cheddar, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Roman mines, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Romano-British pottery, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rookham, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rowberrow Farm, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Rushup Edge, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_147">147</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Russet Well, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -"S" bends, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>, <a href="#Page_68">68</a>.<br /> -<br /> -St. Andrew's Well, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -St. Dunstan's Well, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.<br /> -<br /> -St. George's Cave, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>.<br /> -<br /> -"St. Paul's," 86, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>.<br /> -<br /> -St. Swithin's Hole, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>.<br /> -<br /> -"Salle à Manger," 38.<br /> -<br /> -Sand (action of), <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sand Pit Hole, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Schmidl (Dr. Adolph), <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Scotchman's Cave, <a href="#Page_165">165</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Secondary Rocks, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sedgemoor, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Severn, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Shakeholes, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sheldon (Dr.), <a href="#Page_83">83</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sheldon (Mr., of Wells), <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span>Shipham, <a href="#Page_100">100</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Silt, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Siphons, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Skeheenarinky, <a href="#Page_159">159</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Slater (Mr.), <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Smith (W. W.), <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Snowdonia, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Société de Spéléologie, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -"Solomon's Temple," 86, <a href="#Page_88">88</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Somerville (A. F.), <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sorgue, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Sparrowpit, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>, <a href="#Page_145">145</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Speedwell Mine, <a href="#Page_38">38</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Speleology, <a href="#Page_32">32</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Spiders, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Springs, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Spur and Wedge, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Squire's Well, <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Stalactites, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>, <a href="#Page_80">80</a>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>, <a href="#Page_118">118</a>, <a href="#Page_140">140</a>, <a href="#Page_142">142</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Stalagmite bridges, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Steepholm, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Stoke Lane, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Stratton-on-the-Fosse, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Stump Cross Cavern, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Subterranean streams, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Subterranean waterfalls, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Swallets, swallow-holes, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_84">84</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_148">148</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Swildon's Hole, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Tanyrogo, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Tennyson, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Thornyash, <a href="#Page_153">153</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Tideswell, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Tindoul de la Vayssière (Aveyron), <a href="#Page_40">40</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Tone, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Torquay, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Tower Rock, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Traps, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Trias, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_27">27</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>, <a href="#Page_109">109</a>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, <a href="#Page_130">130</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Troup (Mr.), <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<i>Two Men o' Mendip</i>, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Ubley Farm, <a href="#Page_98">98</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Undermining, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Upper Langford, <a href="#Page_105">105</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Van den Broeck, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Vaucluse, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Wastdale, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wavering Down, <a href="#Page_106">106</a>, <a href="#Page_110">110</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wedmore, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Well (in Swildon's Hole), <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_77">77</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wells, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wells Museum, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>.<br /> -<br /> -West Riding, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Weston-super-Mare, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wharfedale, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wightman (Mr. F.), <a href="#Page_138">138</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wild Boar, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wild Goat, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wild Horse, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Willcox (Mr.), <a href="#Page_30">30</a>.<br /> -<br /> -William of Worcester, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Williams, (W. H. and G. D.), <a href="#Page_152">152</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wills Neck, <a href="#Page_123">123</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wind (action of), <a href="#Page_6">6</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Winnats, <a href="#Page_91">91</a>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wirral, <a href="#Page_129">129</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Witch of Wookey, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wolf, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wookey, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wookey Hole, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a>, <a href="#Page_36">36</a>, <a href="#Page_37">37</a>, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>,<br /> - <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Woolly Rhinoceros, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Wrington Vale, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Yoredales, <a href="#Page_144">144</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Yorkshire, <a href="#Page_1">1</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_29">29</a>, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>.<br /> -<br /> -Young's Cavern, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>.<br /> -</div> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 8em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Printed by</i> <span class="smcap">J. Baker & Son</span>, <i>Clifton</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="footnotes"><p class="ph2" style="margin-top: 3.5em;">FOOTNOTES:</p> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;"><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Only a few years since, three cows were driven over the cliff by several -unruly dogs, and of course were instantly killed. Thus was the tragedy of -long ago re-enacted.</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;"><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> In 1894 the initials "T. W." were carved by Mr. Willcox of Wells on the -great stalagmite bank in the end chamber of Lamb's Lair. I added "1894," -that in years to come some measure may be obtained of the rate at which this -bank is being formed. I make a rule of never making an inscription, but in -this case I thought that the end justified the means.</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;"><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Recently, October 1906, Mr. Balch dug through an obstruction here -and entered a vast fissure chamber, which he climbed to a height of 150 feet: -it has a remarkable shaft as its outlet.</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;"><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Mr. James McMurtrie, then manager of Earl Waldegrave's estates, was -responsible for the exploration of this cavern after its rediscovery in 1880. -He had it surveyed and plans made; he had the windlass erected, but went -down himself before it was fixed. Very great credit is due to him for this -valuable work, which it is hoped will not be rendered less valuable by -allowing the artificial shaft as well as the windlass to be permanently -destroyed through neglect and decay. The plan and section contained here -were the result of independent measurements, which fully confirmed the -results of his previous survey.</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 1em;"><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Arthur Young's <i>Tour in Ireland</i>; ed. by A. W. Hutton. 2 vols. -Bell, 1892. See pages 464-465, vol. i.</p> - -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - - -<div class="transnote"> - -<p class="ph2" style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1em;">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:</p> - -<p>Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's -original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact. -The Index has been created in one column instead of two for ease of -reading.</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Netherworld of Mendip, by -Ernest A. Baker and Herbert E. 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