File:Travels and adventures in southern Africa (1827) (14781894091).jpg

Identifier: travelsadventure00thom (find matches)
Title: Travels and adventures in southern Africa
Year: 1827 (1820s)
Authors: Thompson, George
Subjects:
Publisher: (London H. Colburn)
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ry brilliant and enchanting effect. Thisapartment was called Van-Zyls-Hall, after the name of its first discoverer. From Van-Zyls-Hall, a long range of apartments open up, one beyondanother, which the boors and other visitors have distinguished by suchnames as suited their fancy. The first of these is called the Registry, fromthe circumstance of the wall being inscribed with the names of many visitors.It is about forty feet in diameter, and in height apparently about thirtyfeet. This served as the vestibule for a noble apartment, about one hundredand forty feet in length and breadth, and fifty feet in height, ornamentedalso, though not so splendidly as the first, by many gorgeous stalactites.A sort of gallery leads out of this, about fifteen feet in breadth, and twentyin height at the entrance, but narrowing as it penetrates inward, till, at thedistance of about sixty feet, it is terminated by another abrupt descent. No one had hitherto explored the cavern beyond this spot, and as the
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DESCRIPTION OF THE CANGO CAVERNS. 157 ladder at the entrance could not conveniently be brought forward, I con-ti-ived to scramble down the precipice which was only about fourteen feetin depth. Three of the slaves followed me, but so confusedly that all theirtorches were extinguished in coming down. Mine, fortunately, was not,and re-hgliting theirs, I proceeded to explore the recesses of this farthestgrotto. Finding the atmosphere here very oppressive, and being somewhatapprehensive of foul air, I directed the slaves to keep at a good distancebehind me, in order that their lights might remain in reserve in the eventof mine being extinguished. Proceeding in this manner I fully examinedthis chamber, and found it to be about five hundred feet in length, by fiftybroad, and varying in height from twenty to forty feet. At the extremity Iwas stopped by a wall or rock, in the middle of which, about fifteen feet high,their appeared another opening. Fancying that this might be a continuationof t

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