and forming clusters very similar to the bunches of muscles, that I have seen attached to the chalk rocks near Brighton. They all appeared to be nearly torpid, and with the exception of two or three that I took from the walls, gave us no annoyance; though while the light of our candles shone upon them, some made a noise, not unlike the faint chirping of a cricket. The smell caused by such a multitude of these animals was very unpleasant. It would be a curious speculation to calculate how many bushels there were of them; for I imagine that, like Ali Baba's money, they could not be counted in a less compendious manner.

Returning to "the first Hoppers," we proceeded along the main passage to "the second Hoppers," which are very little more than a third of a mile from the mouth of the Cavern. Here we turned off into what is called " the Haunted Chamber." After walking a considerable distance in this chamber (which is two miles in length, and is, in many parts, of nearly equal dimensions with the main passage), we came to a part where there are a great many large pillars of Stalactite. One of them, which does not quite touch the ground, is called "the great Bell;" for when struck with a large stone it gives a hollow reverberating sound, just like the tolling of the large bell of a church. The sound echoing along these large vaults, causes a peculiarly melancholy feeling, aided not a little by the knowledge that one is so far under ground,

with several hundred feet of solid rock over one's head.

A little further on is a curious mass of stalactite much resembling an old fashioned high-backed chair. In honour of one of the proprietors of the cavern, this has been called " Mr. Wilkins's armchair." Close to it is a very pretty little stream which drops into a natural basin of stalactite. I found a draught of this beautifully clear water very refreshing, as the Cave was remarkably warm, and my walk had made me thirsty.

Leaving "the Arm Chair," we proceeded to the termination of the upper branch of "the Haunted Chamber." This is about one mile from " the Second Hoppers." Here the rock is cleft by a very narrow, but exceedingly lofty fissure, into which only one person can enter at a time. The path, winding through this, descended rapidly for some distance, and brought us to the entrance of the second or lower branch of "the Haunted Chamber," which runs back nearly below the floor of the Upper Branch. The effect produced by the light on the lofty roof of this narrow passage, while I felt myself as it were pushing my way into the bowels of the earth, was very extraordinary. At one place the passage suddenly expands, and the roof rises in the form of a dome to the height of sixty or seventy feet. Below this dome is an immense rock which occupies a great part of the open space, and appears at one time to have nearly

filled it. This rock has been named "Lucifer's Judgment Seat;" and verily Lucifer could not have chosen a more imposing or grand situation.

Just at the entrance of the lower branch of the Haunted Chamber is a considerable spring, which spouts out from a ledge near the lofty roof, and falls into a very large and deep cavity. There is most probably another large branch or passage excavated by this water; but it has never yet been explored. Any one wishing to examine this place, must be lowered by a rope for at least twenty feet, after which he might follow the course of the water. But no one has as yet attempted to descend, either into this opening, or indeed into any similar one, of which there are several in different parts of the cave. It is to these falling springs that Mr. Miller principally attributes the purity of the air throughout the cavern.

We now went on to the end of the lower branch of the Haunted Chamber, which is two miles from "the Second Hoppers." Here we were obliged to turn and retrace our steps, as this chamber is much lower than the rest of the cave, and has no communication with it, except by the same way that .we came. At the extreme end, my pocket thermometer stood at 63° of Fahrenheit, whereas at the mouth of the cave it was only 5. From this great change we all felt the heat rather oppressive. It is this difference of temperature that causes the air to rush into the narrows with such violence;

but Mr. Miller informed me, that during the hot summer months, it rushes with equal violence in the contrary direction. There are several branches that strike out from both halves of the Haunted Chamber. One in the lower half which I entered for a few steps, contained great quantities of most beautiful Glauber salt. Some of the pieces weighed near a pound, were of a brilliant white colour, and in a very perfect state of crystallization. Many barrels of this had been carried out and sold.

I did not enter any of the other smaller branches, but returned to "the Second Hoppers," beyond which place the floor of the cavern has only been worked for a short distance. The earth, that is mixed with the fragments of broken rock, contains the saltpetre, and used to be carried in a small cart, drawn by oxen, to both the Hoppers, where it was washed. Just beyond "the Second Hoppers" is a small dripping spring and a curious mass of stalactite, that served as a feeding trough for the oxen, which were constantly kept there. On some pieces of their dung which were near this place, a curious and beautiful cryptogamous plant had grown. I brought some specimens of this with me to England, and, through a friend, presented them to the Linnean Society. This plant turns out, I believe, to be a new species.

At a little distance from the spring is a large mass of ashes, near which some human bones were found. I saw the skull at a tavern about six miles

from the cave. It is of most astonishing thickness being at least double that of an ordinary skull.

Beyond the place where a path was made for the oxen, the floor of the cavern is covered with large fragments of rock confusedly piled on one another, which makes walking rather difficult, and very fatiguing. I persuaded Mr. Miller to walk on about thirty steps in front of me, and his friend to remain at the same distance behind, and thus by putting out my own candle, I enjoyed the best possible view of this grand subterraneous cavity. It is impossible to describe the effect produced by the distant light, which showed the vast irregular floor and fine vaulted roof. I could almost fancy that I was about to visit the infernal regions. Nothing demonstrated the size and loftiness of the cave, more than the apparent diminutiveness of my companions; and the fine effect was heightened by the motion of the lights, and the consequent varying of the shadows, which were thrown by the huge masses of rock piled against the sides. Owing to the very undulating and irregular surface of the floor, the person in front occasionally disappeared, and I could only see the light he carried gleaming and shifting about on the roof and sides. Then again it would appear and mount up, as if about to pierce through the roof.

I think that every one who visits this cavern, would do well to adopt the same plan of seeing it,