Order of Battle, but very well qualified to maintain a War among Woods and Rivulets, where much Mischief may be done by unexpected Onfets, and Safety be obtained by quick Retreats. They can wafte a Colony by fudden Inroads, furprize the ftraggling Planters, frighten the Inhabitants into Towns, hinder the Cultivation of Lands, and ftarve those whom they are not able to conquer,

A DE

A

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

GROTTO of ANTIPAROS.

ANTIPAROS is one of the fmalleft Iflands of

the Levant; has but a fingle Village on it, and very few Inhabitants: It is one continued Mass of Stone, but covered two or three Feet deep, and very rich in Vegetables. In this Ifland is the famous Grotto, known from the earliest Times, and celebrated down to these. I heard fo much of it that I was determined to go down; but I confefs that I often repented my Curiofity, and often gave myself for loft. I am apt to fufpect no Body will follow my Example, and that my Account will be the laft that ever will be given from perfonal Observation.

We were led about four Miles from the Town to the Place: The Opening into it is by a vaft Cavern formed into a Kind of natural Arch at the Entrance; this opens in the folid Rock, and its Roof and Sides are rough and craggy. There are fome Pillars the Work of Nature, not of Art, which divide this Entrance into two Parts; on the largeft of these there is the Remains of an Infcription; it is very ancient, and confifts only of fome proper Names. The Greeks, who at present inhabit the Island, have. a Tradition that they are the Names of the Con

spirators

fpirators against Alexander the Great, who retired hither as to a Place of the greatest Security that could be found; but there is nothing to countenance this Suppofition.

The Defcent into the Cavern is by a floping Walk that begins between two Pillars on the right Hand. 'Tis but a gentle Declivity at firft; but afterwards it becomes much more steep. We were now at the farther Part of the Cavern, and our Guides lighted their Torches, and pointed to an Opening that led to the Receffes of the Grotto. They were in no Humour to go down before us. I was obliged to walk in first with a Flambeau in my Hand, and a Fellow with another just behind me; after him followed three more; and there were still two others behind, who were to keep at a little Diftance, to be ready in cafe of Accidents.

We had not walked far along this narrow Alley, which was too low to admit our ftanding upright, when I faw before me a strong iron Staple driven into the Rock; the Guides, if I may fo call the People who went behind, not before us, had told me of this, and one of them had now the Courage to come forward, and fasten a Rope he had brought for that Purpose to the Staple. I had fome Difficulty to perfuade him to make the first Descent into a frightful Abyss, which was now immediatly before us; I was the Second that defcended; we flid down by means of the Rope, and I found myself on a level Floor with Walls of rough Rock all about me, and a vast arched Roof above. There had been nothing particular in the Sound of my Guide's Voice from below; but that of those who answered me from above, was echoed to us in Thunder. When we were all landed, a Gratuity, which I gave the bold Fellow who defcended firft, encouraged him to precede us again; he turned to the Right, and led us, after a few Paces, to the Brink

of

of another Precipice. This was lefs fteep, but much deeper than the former. Our Guide placed himself on his Breech, and with his Torch held up in both Hands, flid down with a frightful Rapidity: We followed him, and I hoped we were now at the Bottom. Alas! what an Imagination! We had Leisure here to breathe again, and there was fomething in the perfect Stillness of the Place that appeared awful, and yet pleasing: It was a frightful Confideration to think how far we were out of the Reach of Day; but our Torches and Flambeaus burnt well, and all about us was fufficiently enlightened: The Air was not at all clofe or difagreeable as if confined, but warm and pleasant; and fo, perfectly out of the Reach of all Interruption, we had Opportunities of examining very favourably all

about us.

The Rocks at the Sides of the Cavern in which we now ftood, were in general of a Kind of Porphyry, with a great Deal of Purple in it; a Stone very frequent in these Islands, and which would certainly be very beautiful if cut: The rough and prominent Edges in feveral Parts of thefe, were at once terrible and beautiful. The Roof was out of the Reach of the Eye, at least the Light of the Flambeaux did not reach it with Strength fufficient to give us any distinct View of it. The Floor or Pavement was of a Stone quite different from the Sides, a rough and foft grey Flag-ftone, like thofe of fome Parts of Yorkshire, which they ufe in Building; and in this there were lodged a vaft Number of petrified Shells, cornua ammonis, & conchae anominae, which tood up above the Level, and made it very difagreeable to the Feet.

From this Place our Conductor led us to the Brink of another Precipice, not deep, but horribly fteep; he in a Moment flung himself down this, and then turned a Ladder, which hung down on

one

one Side, and thrufting it up within the Reach of our Feet, held the Bottom fteady while we defcended by it: I cannot remember any Thing equal to the Terror I conceived at letting myself down with my Breast to the Rock, and hanging by my Hands above, to get my Feet to the top Round of this Ladder. From hence I defcended with less Pain: But it was a terrible Profpect, from the left Hand to fee Precipices and opening Caverns ready to fwallow any one up, who fhould have the leaft Slip with, the Foot. From the Plain on which we found ourfelves after this last Descent, we were conducted along narrow and low Paffages, and sometimes thro' broader, but all the Way upon the Defcent to a confiderable Distance.

Here I was in Hopes we were at the End of our Expedition; but no fuch Matter: Our Guide, who had been once before down, crept with trembling Feet before us, and warned us of a Precipice more terrible than any of the former: This was no way to be defcended but by Means of a Ladder, that was brought on Purpose by our Guides, and unfortunately it was not quite fo long as it should have been. We had great Difficulty to let the Fellow down by a Rope, and when he had fixed the Ladder, we had the fame Difficulty as before to get to the first Round. From the Bottom of this Cavern, which was not Rock like the rest, but Earth, and fomewhat moift, proceeded to another Declivity too deep for our Ladder; but not so steep as to have abfolute Neceffity for it. We were reduced to fix our Cord once again here, and one by one to flide down the Rock on our Backs, with a firm Hold to the Rope. The Ridge of the Rock on which we made our Way in this Defcent terminated on the right Hand very abruptly, and we could distinguish Water in the Depth below.

When