CHAPTER V. The Bay-house-The Bachelor's Cave-The Animal-flower Cave-The Carpet Room-The Animal Flower-The Back Cave Shark Catching. "Lucus à non lucendo" may not be inaptly quoted in reference to my friend's temporary dwelling on Champaign Ground, for the "Bay-house" in question has neither bay, beach, nor bathing! Its proximity to the sea, may, probably, give it some pretext for usurping a title, which I should suppose essentially belongs to the cottage or house situated in a bay, and dedicated to the purpose of a residence for those whose object is to lave themselves in the briny waters of the ocean. Faulty as may be its nomenclature, for want of a better, the said Bay-house, or Moorland cottage, as Seagrave terms it, from its marshy site, stands on an elevated, flat, and iron-bound coast, on which the waves of the vasty deep, impelled by the trade winds, dash themselves in hoarse and tumultuous roar, against the precipitous rocks, or rush into caverns, from whence, through apertures in the ground above, the water during rough weather, issues in a column, and forms a natural jet-d'eau or "spout," as it is here termed. There are two or three of these spouts on the coast: the caverns are, I believe, numerous, but I only visited two-the Bachelor's, and the Animal-flower Cave. The former is about half-a-mile from the house, and is considered to be attached to it as a bathing-place, the uneven surface of the cavern affording holes of water, in which one can bathe in tolerably fair weather, the water being supplied and deposited in them, by the continued heavy surge striking against the face of rock under the mouth of the cave, (which looks out on the roaring sea beyond), and sending up the spray in dense showers; these falling into the cavern, thus furnish and replenish the bath; while the superabundant water that must result from this constant supply, runs off by the same embouchure through which it has entered. On first descending into the Bachelor's cave, which is gained by a rude staircase. of unhewn and piled stones leading from an entrance hole above ground, the stranger is awe-struck by the manner in which his bath is supplied, shrinks at the idea of bathing in such a place, and reluctantly and slowly undresses for that purpose. The sea is foaming and boiling outside the opening, and as the long swells roll in towards the land, and bound against the rocks, with deafening roar and terrific impetus,-up is dashed the shower of spray, so thick as wholly to shut out the view, and at the same time, so translucent, that a glare is shed on every thing within the cavern. The Animal-flower Cave is an object of curiosity to many strangers who have leisure and inclination for a ramble over the island; and is more particularly attractive to the naturalist, on account of the singular species of zoophyte to be found there. Its approach is generally considered dangerous; and a lady, if she has been into the cave, deems herself to have accomplished no ordinary or inconsiderable feat the danger is, however, more apparent than real, except at times when the sea is very high, it then becomes impracticable to visit this cave. On arriving at the brink of the cliff, * which when the sea is calm, may be about forty feet above its level,-one peeps over the rugged precipice; and to make use of Quashy's' expression, feels "funny." The water is beneath, and although comparatively calm, there it is—deep, dark, and seemingly unfathomable; its heaving billows slowly rising upon the flat ledge of rock that forms a basement to the cliff, and as they sink down again, streaming off from the wave-worn basement, in cataracts of foam; another look-a desire to proceed, and a consequent screwing of courage to the sticking-place, and Quashy's undefinable + feeling passing away, one ventures to descend slowly the narrow and rudely hewn steps that lead diagonally across the precipice, holding on by the hands like "grim death," for Quashy, with a broad grin, has told you, by way of consolation, and to support you in your hour of trial, that "if you miss your foot, and let go your hans, if you no fall and mash yourself * A general term for a Negro. + I suppose this feeling to be allied to that of the mighty king "Nor mulligrubs nor devils blue are here ; Printer's Devil. all to fritters on de sharp rocks, or you no drown, one or toder-Jack Shark will be sure to hold you!" So here we are safe and sound under the porch" but this is not the cave?" 'Kigh! massa, no-but you can get up dere and see de pot and de round of beef in 'em. Cha! Cha! Cha! 'ant him too like. I wish 'em were piece of beef for true-I guess him woudn't top dere too long-Cha! Cha! Cha!" The subject of Quashy's attempt at wit, and of his laughter, was a large circular hole in a rock under the archway or porch, through which one passes on his way to the cave,bearing the most perfect resemblance to the interior of a cauldron, with a piece of beef in it; a stone lying at the bottom of the hole being the very counterpart of the meat. The adventurous visitor has yet further to go ere he gain the cave, he must walk along the rugged face of the cliff, and on turning an angle of the same called the horse, he descends a few steps, and enters the cave. Stranger, I have said that the peril in getting into the cave is imaginary, and so it is; it is the sea beneath that unnerves you, and not so much the difficulty of the way; once having been |