The wonders of the world : $b a complete museum, descriptive and pictorial, of the wonderful phenomena and results of nature, science and artAbbott, John Loraine
Science
The wonders of the world : $b a complete museum, descriptive and pictorial, of the wonderful phenomena and results of nature, science and art
Abbott, John Loraine
Curiosities and wonders
thin coating which resembled a pale stone-color varnish, and reflected
the light of the candle with great splendor; and the third, a rough
efflorescence, the shoot of which resembled a rose flower.
Some more recent visitors have thus stated the result of their
observations and inquiries relative to Elden Hole. They describe the
mouth of this chasm as opening horizontally, in a direction from north
to south; its shape being nearly that of an irregular ellipse, about
ninety feet in length, and twenty-seven in breadth at the widest part.
The northern end is fringed with small trees; and moss and underwood
grow out of the crevices on each side, to the depth of forty or fifty
feet. As the fissure recedes from the surface, it gradually contracts;
and at the depth of about seventy feet inclines considerably to the
west, so as to prevent its course from being further traced.
Notwithstanding the obstacles of the bushes and projecting masses of
stone, it was sounded, and its depth found not to exceed two hundred and
two feet, an estimate which corresponds with the assertion of three
miners, who had descended in search of the bodies of individuals who
were missing, and were supposed to have been robbed, murdered, and
thrown into this frightful abyss.
PEAK CAVERN.
Peak cavern, also called the Devil’s Hole, is one of those magnificent,
sublime, and extraordinary productions of nature, which constantly
excite the wonder and admiration of their beholders. It has accordingly
been considered one of the principal wonders of Derbyshire, and has been
celebrated by several poets. It lies in the vicinity of Castleton, and
is approached by a path at the side of a clear rivulet, leading to the
fissure, or separation of the rock, at the extremity of which the cavern
is situated. It would be difficult to imagine a scene more august than
that which presents itself to the visitor at its entrance: on each side,
the huge gray rocks rise almost perpendicularly, to the hight of nearly
three hundred feet, or about seven times the hight of a modern house,
and meeting each other at right or cross angles, form a deep gloomy
recess. In front, it is overhung by a vast canopy of rock, assuming the
appearance of a depressed arch, and extending, in width, one hundred and
twenty feet, in hight forty-two, and in receding depth about ninety.
After penetrating about ninety feet into the cavern, the roof becomes
lower, and a gentle descent leads, by a detached rock, to the interior
entrance of this tremendous hollow. Here the light of day, having
gradually diminished, wholly disappears; and the visitor is provided
with a torch to illumine his further progress.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account