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[extra]ordinary dry season. As the direction of this hole was not
exactly perpendicular, but somewhat sloping, it is very probable
we were not quite at the bottom. A subterranean rivulet descends
into this terrible hiatus, which caused such a dreadful gloom,
from the spray it raised up, as to make us shrink back with
horror when we could get a peep into the vast abyss. We were
informed, that not long since some animals - an ox and a calf, at
different times, had the misfortune to tumble into this dreary
pit, being tempted by the untasted herbage to venture too far on
its slippery margin. Only a low mound of earth surrounds its
brim; for a stone wall would answer no other purpose, than to
afford the curious traveller materials to throw in for his
amusement. Any advantage arising from the skins and carcases of
these animals, was not a sufficient inducement to tempt a
neighbouring adventurous youth to be let down by ropes to the
bottom of this frightful chasm.- The waters run from its bottom
above a mile under ground, and then appear again in the open air
below the little village of Selside.- After having excited the
several passions of curiosity, dread, and horror, from the
negative knowledge we got of the capacity and depth of this huge
pot, we went a little higher up the mountain, and came to another
hiatus, called Long-churn. We descended down till we came to a
subterranean brook. We first ascended the cavern down which the
stream ran, proceeding in a western direction for (at least as we
imagined) a quarter of a mile, till we came to a crevice which
admitted us into our native regions. We measured the distance
between the two extremities above ground, and found it two
hundred and forty-one yards; but it must be nearly double that
distance along the passage below, on account of all the turnings
and windings. The petrifactions here were the most numerous of
any we had yet seen, few people coming either to break them off
or deface them. When we were almost arrived at the western
extremity, we came to a fine round bason of pellucid water, from
three to twelve feet deep, known by the name of Dr. Bannister's
Hand-bason. A lofty, spacious, and elegant
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