that many of these enormous maffes, which seem to overburden the globe, are only vaults that protect the moit beautiful fabrics, in the construction of which Nature feems to have excelled even herfelf? There, in filence, fhe is at work. Uncontrouled by man, fhe makes light of the greatest difficulties; and even, though under the influence of fecond caufes, art is aftonished at her fortuitous, and yet regular combinations; at the boldness and majefty that appear even in her most carelefs performances; but, above all, at the fimplicity of the means the employs. The vulgar are in raptures, and think they understand her operations; the philofopher admires, but laments his own ignorance. . Those fubterraneous caverns, called Grottoes, have been often defcribed, but the difficulty of approaching them has generally damped the curiofity of travellers, who have been content with viewing thofe of eafieft accefs. Yet it is to be remarked, that those which are most worthy of being feen, are precifely those which are with most difficulty and danger approached; as if Nature meant to defend her treafures, and to protect them from the idle vifits of the multitude. Some years ago, Monf. Lonjon, of the town of Ganges, an enthufiaftic admirer of the curiofities of nature, after having scrutinised all the grottoes in his neighbourhood, was tempted to examine that of the Fairies, (baume de las doumaifelles, in the language of the country.) This grotto is fituated three quarters of a league from Ganges, near St Bauzile, in a wood at the top of a very steep mountain called Roc de Taurach, where it is much celebrated. It is faid, that, in the time of the religious wars, a devoted family fheltered themselves in this place from perfecution and death; that they conti✦nued here for many years, living on herbs, roots, and fuch animals as came within their reach; that they were fometimes feen, towards evening, pale, emaciated, and naked, the terror of the neighbouring thepherds. As the people are prone to the marvellous, they were confidered as forcerers or fairies, and it was thought impious to doubt that they were fupernatural beings. Afterwards, when mifery had extinguished their race, the belief of their exiftence continued, and no body ventured near the fpot they had inha bited. The bones that are still found, fhew that they must have lived here for a long time; and fome utenfils, formed in a very rude manner, give fome idea of their arts and their ge nius. M. Lonjon, excited by the accounts of the inhabitants, and even by their fears, could not refift the defire of vifiting this grotto; but finding infur mountable difficulties to his first attempt, he abandoned it, with the refolution of returning provided with eve ry thing neceffary for enfuring fuccefs. Several years afterwards, I acci dentally met M Lonjon at Montpelhier. A correspondence of pursuits made the difcourfe turn upon grottoes, many of which I had feen. The Grotto of the Fairies was mentioned, and the defcription of it, which feemed to me a romance, instantly determined me to vifit it. M Lonjon talk ed to me of the dangers; I replied, by fixing the day. We haftily vided ourfelves with fome neceffary implements, which we thought would be more than fufficient. M. Brunet, a young gentleman of Montpellier, who applies his mind to the fciences at an age when others think of nothing but pleasure, confented to accompany me, along with a domestic and two peafants. We had a ladder of ropes 50 feet long, with cords, torches, and fome provifions, and with thefe, and a fufficient portion of curiofity, we fet out on our fubter ranean expedition on Wednesday the 7th of June 1780. At first we had nothing but fatigues We were forced to clamber up the mountain mountain for three quarters of an hour; we had to contend with the heat of the fun reverberated from the rocks, with roads never traverfed but by goats, with loofe ftones, with the weight of our hammers, torches, ropes, and provifions, and, what was worft, with thirft, as we had neglected to bring water, expecting to meet with it at the grotto: but we supplied the want with fome cherries. About the middle of the mountain we ftopped at the Mas de la Cofte; (mas means a small house): here we increased our caravan by the addition of a man and of a ladder. On the top of the mountain we found a little wood of green oaks, which affords a grateful fhade, and defends the opening of the cavern. This is in the fhape of a funnel, twenty feet in diameter at the mouth, and thirty feet deep. This opening is most delightfully overshadowed with trees, plants, and wild vines with their grapes, as if these meant to make the curious adventurer regret the beauties of nature which he is about to leave for dark and gloomy receffes. The aspect of this cavern must neceffarily be very frightful, for M. Brunet's dog, an animal exceedingly attached to his mafter, preferred waiting for eight hours at the mouth of the grotto, making hideous yellings, and the moft moving and pitiable cries, till M. Brunet returned. We defcended by a rope, tied round a rock, to the place where a wooden ladder had been firmly fixed. When we had overcome this difficulty, we found ourselves at the entrance of the first cavern, which inclines a little, and is covered with capillary plants: on the right is another cave, that does not reach far. bottom; this is not in general the fhape of fuch stalactites as reft on the ground. In this first cavern, which is divided into two by these columns, we kindled a fire, took breakfast, and renounced for a long time the light of day. There is a paffage from this into the fecond cavern, but it is fo narrow that you must go fideways before you can get in. Here we again made ufe of our wooden ladder to defcend twenty feet farther. This fecond cavern is immense: here, you fee, as it were, a curtain ftudded with diamonds, the height of which you cannot meafure, touching the ground, and gracefully folded, as if its drapery had been adjusted by the moft fkilful artift: there, are petrified cafcades, white like froth; others yel low, which feem about to fall upon you in accumulated waves; the first look terrifies, the second stupifies and aftonishes you, but all is filence and reft. It looks as if fome fuperior power had arrested the whole with a touch of his magic wand, as in those imaginary palaces through which, du ring the times of the fairies, the astonifhed traveller, loft in admiration, walked along without meeting a fingle animated being. Many columns, fome truncated, others in the shape of an obelisk; the roof loaded with feftoons or horrid with fharp points; fome tranfparent like glafs, others white as alabafter; cryftals, diamonds, porce laine, forming a rich and fanciful affemblage, all contribute to recall to mind the fictions that delighted our infancy. Proceeding to the left, we paffed a third cavern, pretty large and very long: its form is that of a winding gallery, along which we walked a confiderable way. At laft we entered un der an arch fo low, that we had to ftoop much; it was called the Oven, on account of its low and round fhapes it has two exits; the congelations here are white and granulated like small Bb 2 In front are four magnificent columns, like palm-trees, ranged in a line, and forming a gallery of ftalac tite thirty feet high. They do not reach the roof, which is smooth, and they are larger at the top than at the hot. hot. It is impoffible to conceive the nefs, would inftantly decide the fate fanciful appearance which Nature af- of the hardieft adventurer. fumes in this oven. On the right we. However, the refolution is taken, left a fecond oven, and entered a ca- The cavern before us, by the feeble wern where nothing was to be feen light of our torches, promifes to inbut rocks, overturned, broken, heap- demnify us for our labour. Pillars of ed or fufpended, indicating violent prodigious height, an immenfe excaconvulfions in the bowels of the earth: vation, an arch of which, even at the every thing wore a dreadful aspect, place where we ftood, it was impofand we hurried through, left one of fible to afcertain the elevation, preci thefe enormous maffes which feemed pices of which we could not fathom ready to fall should crush us in pieces. the depth, all tend to infpire us with A little afterwards we found ourselves fear, and to ftimulate our curiofity. standing on them, having a view of A peafant of Ganges, called Peter, others that produced funilar effects. as alert as intrepid, is the first to It was a valt amphitheatre, where we venture: M. Brunet follows him; we grew familiar with fear; and where loft fight, at the diftance of three fa optics, and the rules of geometry, were thoms, of the perfon defcending, the perpetually fet at nought. time he took up feemed enormous, the rock ceased abruptly at twenty feet, and the ladder without fupport fwung in the air and turned round upon itself, The dead filence, the feeble light, which diminished the obfcurity without difpelling it, the fear occafioned by this profound folitude, the alarming noise of pieces of broken stalactite falling from the roof and bounding from rock to rock, contributed to give our at tempt an air of enchantment. It is poffible, that on fuch occafions the mind may exaggerate its own fenfa, tions, but I defcribe thofe felt at the time, and which we have fince fe, veral times avowed. Thefe first caverns were known to the country people, but, as they were not the principal object of our inveftigation, we came at daft to a place at which M. Lonjon had formerly fprung a mine. The paffage is narrow, and cannot be entered but by creeping. This hole leads to a fpace large enough to hold only about a dozen of people. Behind three fmall columns we dif. -covered a refervoir filled with muddy water; a prodigious number of bats were our companions in this little Space; upon the rocks we found many cryftallizations in the form of plants: they were white and fhining, and made a fine contrast with the dark ground on which they were laid. A paffage, oppofite to that by which we had entered, led to a place fo large that the eye could not eltimate the fize of it. Into this there was no road but by a rock of 50 feet. To this we apply our ladder of ropes, fixing it to a sta lactite; each encourages the other, looks down and instantly recoils; a horrible precipice appears on every fide; a ftone is thrown in, which takes a confiderable time to defcend; it is at last heard ftriking and bounding from rock to rock for fome time before it ceafes. A falfe ftep, or giddi I was the third to defcend: I was tired with looking and liftening. The ladder was already affected with the defcent of the two persons that preceded me; the steps were too distant from each other, and made of cords; the weight of the ladder made them ftill more diftant; I was obliged to take fome time in holding by my hand, that I might find the steps and detach the ladder from the rock, without be ing able to fupport myfelf with the other hand on account of the distance: all these circumstances exhaufted my strength, fo that having defcended a bout a third of the ladder, my left arm became unable to fupport me, and I remained I remained fufpended with one foot a ftep and the other in the air, embracing the ladder, without having the power either of defcending or getting up again. I continued for a quarter of an hour in this moft cruel perplexity, viewing below me a disadful precipice with a narrow and flippery rock at the foot of the ladder, on which I would be obliged to come down perpendicularly, commiferating at once my own condition and that of my companions, whom this accident moft cruelly alarmed. I heard them talk of my fituation below me, and judged of my pofition by their difcourfe. At the end of a quarter of an hour, however, exerting all my ftrength, and preffed by neceflity, I fid down feveral steps, and my two companions preparing to fupport me, I allowed myself to fall into their arms, bedewed with sweat and overpowered with fatigue; but throwing myself on a wet rock, which appeared to me the most luxurious fopha, I foon recover ed my spirits. My domeftic, whom my fuccefs had not encouraged, and who had been ia great fear for me, remained above with a fon of M. Lonjon's; he had accompanied me through all the caverns, and tho' he had a great deal of courage, he was afraid of trufting to that ill-formed ladder which every moment became worse. We now furveyed an immense space, enriched and covered with ftalactites and ftalagmites of every shape, and of a dazzling whitenefs. But we were ftill 50 feet from the bottom; the precipitous rocks below, which were fo fimooth as to afford no fupport for the foot, nor any thing on which the hand could lay hold, feemed to threaten inftant death to the rafh person who fhould attempt to defcend. After, therefore, having fcrutinifed every place in vain for a road, we found, that with out iron hooks, and hammers, and affiftants, it was impoffible to proceed, and we were therefore reluctantly obliged to re-afcend the fatal ladder. This I accomplished by the help of a rope held at top by my fervant, and the afliftance of the intrepid Peter, who humbled us all by his boldnefs and addrefs. Upon our return to Montpellier the relation of this enterprise enflamed the courage of our young naturalifts, and froze the hearts of the petits maitres. Many folicited the favour of accompanying us on our next expedition, and more than we could possibly admit. On Saturday, therefore, the 15th of July, Meff, Lonjon, father and fon, M. Brunet, and feveral others, agreed to accompany me, with the fum refolution of penetrating to the bottom of the grotto, whatever might happen. Every precaution was taken which prudence could fuggeft, the ladder was repaired, and men were employed for two days in making fupports for the feet, and placing pegs of iron for fixing the ropes. We departed early, lightly cloathed, furnished with a thermometer, pencils, and hammers: at once painters, mafons, naturalifts, and mecha nics, we infpired one another mutually with chearfulnefs and courage. We followed without difficulty the road I have already defcribed, till we ar rived in the cavern at the frightful precipice which had stopped us before. Having overcome this difficulty, and feveral others of great danger, two of our companions refufed to follow us, when we were just about to arrive at the end of our labours, We came at laft then to a folid bottom on which we could walk, if not with eafe, at least with fafety: when every step presented a new fubject for admiration. An altar, white like the finest poreelaine, three feet high, perfectly oval, and furrounded with regular steps, was the first object that struck us. The table of this altar is most beautifully enamelled with a fort of foliage, imbricated like the leaves of an artichoke. Further Further are four twisted columns of a yellowish colour, but in feveral places tranfparent, notwithstanding their fize, for four men could not embrace them. It was impoffible to measure their height, but they seemed to touch the roof. This place is fo large that our eyes could not estimate either its elevation or depth. We perceived cavities into which the industry of man could not penetrate. While feated on this altar, we were furrounded with a number of stupendous objects which affected us with mute admiration. Among others there was an obelifk, high as a fteeple, pointed and perfectly round, of a reddish colour, carved its whole height, and in the most exact proportions; huge maffes like churches, fometimes in the form of cascades, and fometimes in that of clouds; pillars broken in all directions, and covered with ramifications of enamel, formed the most varied and phantastic combinations. A fcull was the only object that disturbed our enchantment; we were at a lofs to conceive how the unhappy being that owned it could have penetrated to fuch a depth, confidering the pains that our descent nad coft us; but at last we concluded that the water, which every Winter inundates this grotto, must have brought hither the head, and we re-affumed our gaiety. One of the finest objects in this grotto is a coloffal statue, placed on a pedestal, which represents a woman holding two children. This piece would be worthy the poffeffion of the greatest Sovereign of Europe, if it could be procured in the form which we very diftinctly and without any illufion viewed it in. It is adorned with fringes, curtains, and canopies, inlaid with enamel and cryftal, with laces and ribbands fo delicately wrought, that one must be convinced that no human being had ever penetrated these regions, before he can believe that it is not the workmanship of the moft fkilful artist. This grotto is round; it may be compared to a stately church furround ed with chapels of different heights: the centre is a dome too high to be measured, but we supposed, from the height we had defcended, that it was about 50 toifes. The bottom is wet, in fome of the caverns the ground is black, and among others there is one that perfectly resembles a riding-house, with a pillar in the middle. It is impoffible to describe every thing we faw in this place, and in the little chambers adjoining, during 'ten hours which we employed in defcending and obferving. Many parts were fo beautiful, fo regular, and fo happily formed, that they were entitled to all our praife. Enthufiafm admires every thing, but indeed there were many pieces which it is impoffible to defcribe that perfectly charmed us. The cal careous fpar which is found in this grotto is of the finest kind, and would produce most valuable alabaster. We wished to carry away every thing, and have even to reproach ourselves with deftroying many of these objects of our admiration. In this place we dined, and it was illuminated as well as fo vaft a place could well be; for the light of the greatest torch feemed only equal to that of an ordinary taper. After dinner we made the proces• verbal of our descent, and of the means we had employed to effect it: we put it into a fealed bottle, which was pla ced where it could not be broken; a tin box contained our names, and to the deepest part of the grotto we affixed a piece of lead with our names infcribed. Thefe little effufions of felf-love would not appear furprising, if the reader could have any idea of the patience, the courage, and circumfpection which it was neceffary for us to exert in this laborious and hazardous enterprize. Our torches, which were nearly finifhed warned us to depart, which we did with regret. Let not our reluc tance |
