[Illustration: GUDARIGBY CAVERNS. A. Entrance to the great cavern. B. Entrance to the lesser cavern. C. The “Grand Hall” of the Cavern; lofty and most spacious. D. Second Cavern, not extensive, but there are several small caverns above it. E. Termination of the great cavern.] The entrance is probably about eighteen or twenty feet broad, and thirty or forty feet high, abounding in large stalactites, incrusting and pending from all parts of the interior, as well as separate masses like columns, supporting the roof. Having made a fire and lighted our torches, we entered the cavern to the right, [A in the diagram,] and ascending over some loose earth, entered a narrow vestibule, capable of admitting only one person at a time; it was encrusted above, and on all sides, by stalactites of various forms which presented a glittering appearance, as the light from the torches fell upon them. A number of a small species of bat, disturbed by our presence in their dark retreat, flew about, and we captured many of them: several of their skeletons pending from the rocks, indicated that it afforded them a mausoleum, as well as a retreat during life. As we proceeded, the cavern became more lofty and expansive; but although able, from the elevation, to walk erect, we were obliged to take care of occasional projections from the rocks on each side. As the light from the torches fell upon the white glittering fantastic forms of the stalactites which hung from the roofs and covered the sides, the effect was highly pleasing. We came at last to a descent of fine loose earth, in which some wombats had been burrowing, and much care was necessary to avoid falling into the gaping entrances. The descent having been effected, we found ourselves in the most lofty, beautiful, and spacious part of this extensive cavern; we termed it the “grand hall:” immense masses of stalactites, (to which fancied resemblance of forms had occasioned the names of the altar, organ-pipes, &c., to be given,) had a beautiful appearance: enormous pending stalactites adorned the lofty roof, and the whole scene had by torchlight an inconceivably grand and splendid effect. At several places the ground upon which we walked gave a hollow sound when struck, and masses of decomposed limestone were abundantly mingled with a fine black earth. Proceeding some distance further, we arrived at the termination.[84]