work," and they would have had likewise to carry their
muskets, provisions and cooking utensils.

"As we have not much time to lose, I propose that we go back to the
boat, and try and find another landing-place further along the coast,"
said Tom.

His plan was agreed to; and launching the boat, they again took to their
oars. After rounding a rocky point, which formed the eastern side of
the bay, they pulled along for some distance in the hopes of finding
another landing-place, from whence they could make their way into the
interior. As there was no surf, and the sea was perfectly smooth, they
kept close in with the land. In many places high cliffs rose
precipitously out of the water. As they pulled along at the foot of one
of these cliffs, Tom shouted out--

"Holloa! there's a big cavern directly ahead of us; the water seems to
run right up into it, and I should not be surprised if we could get up
some distance in the boat."

They stopped rowing, to survey the mouth of the cavern. It appeared to
be upwards of thirty feet in height and almost of the same width.
Everybody, of course, was eager to explore the cavern; and rowing
gently, that no risk might be run of knocking the bows of the boat
against a rock, they made their way into the cavern. By just keeping
the oars moving, the boat glided on. Ahead, all was darkness, so that
it was impossible to ascertain how far the cave penetrated into the
land. As soon as their eyes got accustomed to the subdued light which
existed at a distance of thirty or forty feet from the entrance, the
beauties of the grotto began to dawn on their sight. Glittering
stalactites, of a thousand fantastic forms, hung down from the high and
vaulted roof, while at either side appeared columns and arches like
those of some ancient temple, tinted with numberless delicate hues, the
extreme points of the stalactites glittering like bright gems as they
were reached by the reflected rays of the sun, which penetrated far down
into the depths beneath, illuminating every object below its glassy
surface. So beautifully clear was the water, that when the party in the
boat looked over the sides, they could see right down to the bottom of
the cavern, which appeared to consist of masses of rock, forming caves
and hollows, covered with the richest marine vegetation. Here were
corals of various tints, blue and yellow, red and white: amid them the
ocean fan expanded its vast leaves; from the lowest d