I rather think my idea of a cavern is taken from the one
in the Forty Thieves, or in Gil Blas,--a vast, hollow womb, roofed and
curtained with obscurity. This reality is very mean.
Leaving the cavern, we went to the guide's cottage, situated high above
the village, where he showed us specimens of ornaments and toys
manufactured by himself from Derbyshire spar and other materials. There
was very pretty mosaic work, flowers of spar, and leaves of malachite,
and miniature copies of Cleopatra's Needle, and other Egyptian monuments,
and vases of graceful pattern, brooches, too, and many other things. The
most valuable spar is called Blue John, and is only to be found in one
spot, where, also, the supply is said to be growing scant. We bought a
number of articles, and then came homeward, still with our guide, who
showed us, on the way, the Romantic Rocks. These are some crags which
have been rent away and stand insulated from the hillside, affording a
pathway between it and then; while the places can yet be seen where the
sundered rocks would fit into the craggy hill if there were but a Titan
strong enough to adjust them again. It is a very picturesque spot, and
the price for seeing it is twopence; though in our case it was included
in the four shillings which we had paid for seeing the cavern. The
representative men of England are the showmen and the policemen; both
very good people in their way.
Returning to the hotel, J----- and his mother went through the village to
the river, near the railway, where J----- set himself to fishing, and
caught three minnows.
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