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Page 258:-
that had been made by the roots of some old ashes; to get across
the dry and broad bed of rocks to a rich bed of sandy soil, in
order to support their aged parents, for ever doomed to dwell on
the steep side of a barren and rugged cliff.
Returning back a little way from Ginglepot, in order to find a
passage out of this dreary glen, we proceeded about an hundred
and twenty yards higher, when we came to Weathercoat cave, or
cove [1], the most surprising natural curiosity of the kind in
the island of Great Britain. It is a stupendous subterranean
cataract, in a huge cave, the top of which is on the same level
with the adjoining lands. On our approach to its brink, our ears
and eyes were equally astonished with the sublime and terrible.
The margin was surrounded with trees and shrubs, the foliage of
which was of various shapes and colours, which had an excellent
effect both in guarding and ornamenting the steep and rugged
precipices on every side.- Where the eye could penetrate through
the leaves and branches, there was room for the imagination to
conceive this cavern more dreadful and horrible, if possible,
than it was in reality. This cave is of a lozenge form, and
divided into two by a rugged and grotesque arch of limestone
rock: the whole length, from south to north, is about sixty
yards, and the breadth about half its length. At the south end is
the entrance down into the little cave; on the right of which is
a subterranean passage under the rocks, and a petrifying well. A
stranger cannot but take notice of a natural seat and table in a
corner of this grotesque room, well suited for a poet or
philosopher: here he may be secluded from the bustle of the
world, though not from noise; the uniform roaring, however, of
the cascade, will exclude from the ear every other sound, and his
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[1]
The word cave is pronounced by the country people cove, or coave.
This hint may be of service to a stranger in his enquiries.- This
cave is not above 100 yards from the turnpike-road from Lancaster
to Richmond: it is on the left hand side of the twenty-second
milestone from Lancaster, from whence the cascade may be
distinctly heard. The delicate and timid may neither be afraid of
their persons or clothes, if they have no mind to descend: they
may stand safe on the margin of either Hurtlepot, Ginglepot, or
Weathercoat-cave. They will there see enough to astonish them,
and imagination will supply the rest.
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