On his shoulders, because there was here no boat to carry us
over.
From thence we only went a few steps farther, when we came to a very
small piece of water which extended itself lengthways, and led us to
the end of the cavern.
The path along the edge of this water was wet and slippery, and
sometimes so very narrow, that one can hardly set one foot before
the other.
Notwithstanding, I wandered with pleasure on this subterranean
shore, and was regaling myself with the interesting contemplation of
all these various wonderful objects, in this land of darkness and
shadow of death, when, all at once, something like music at a
distance sounded in mine ears.
I instantly stopped, full of astonishment, and eagerly asked my
guide what this might mean? He answered, "Only have patience, and
you shall soon see."
But as we advanced, the sounds of harmony seemed to die away; the
noise became weaker and weaker; and at length it seemed to sink into
a gentle hissing or hum, like distant drops of falling rain.
And how great was my amazement when, ere long, I actually saw and
felt a violent shower of rain falling from the rock, as from a thick
cloud, whose drops, which now fell on our candles, had caused that
same melancholy sound which I had heard at a distance.
This was what is here called a mizzling rain, which fell from the
ceiling or roof of the cavern, through the veins of the rock.
We did not dare to approach too near with our candles, as they might
easily have been extinguished by the falling drops; and so we
perhaps have been forced to seek our way back in vain.
We continued our march therefore along the side of the water, and
often saw on the sides large apertures in the rock, which seemed to
be new or subordinate caverns, all which we passed without looking
into. At length my guide prepared me for one of the finest sights
we had yet seen, which we should now soon behold.
And we had hardly gone on a few paces, when we entered what might
easily have been taken for a majestic temple, with lofty arches,
supported by beautiful pillars, formed by the plastic hand of some
ingenious artist.
This subterranean temple, in the structure of which no human hand
had borne a part, appeared to me at that moment to surpass all the
most stupendous buildings in the world, in point of regularity,
magnificence, and beauty.
Full of admiration and reverence, here, even in the inmost recesses
of nature, I saw the majesty of the Creator displayed; and before I
quitted this temple, here, in this solemn silence and holy gloom, I
thought it would be a becoming act of true religion to adore, as I
cordially did, the God of nature.
