te marble, some of them ten feet long, and as thick as one's middle
at the root; and among these there hung a thousand festoons of leaves
and flowers of the same substance, but so very glittering that there was
no bearing to look at them. All the sides of the arch are planted with
the representations of trees of the same white crystal, rising in rows
one above the other. From these trees were also hung festoons, tied, as
it were, from one to another, in vast quantities; and in some places
among them are seen rivers of marble flowing in a thousand meanders. All
these things have been produced, during a long series of years, by the
dropping of water, but really look like petrified trees and brooks. Our
guides had tied torches two or three to a pillar, and kept continually
beating them to make them burn bright: imagine, then, what a glare of
splendour and beauty must be the effect of this illumination among such
rocks and columns of marble. All around the lower part of the sides of
the arch are a thousand white masses of crystal, in the shape of oak
trees, which are in many places large enough for a bedchamber. One of
these chambers has a fine white curtain, whiter than satin, of the same
marble, stretching all over the front of it. In this we cut our names
and the date of the year."

[Sidenote: TERRIFIED FRENCHMAN.] I shall not dwell upon our return,
though it was, if possible, more laborious and difficult than the
descent. Just as I had got upon the first ladder and my white light was
extinguished, there arose the most shrill and piercing shriek I ever
remember to have heard, followed by loud exclamations of "Sauvez moi!
sauvez moi! je suis perdu!" It immediately occurred to me that some
unfortunate creature had fallen into the abyss; and, lowering my torch,
I beheld a figure convulsively grasping the rock with one hand and the
ladder with the other; while a Greek, who stood underneath, was
endeavouring to force him onwards. There he hung, in perfect safety,
though unable to assist himself; trembling like an aspen leaf, pale as
death, and crying like a child. After we had drawn him up, he sat down
for some time, to recover his scattered senses; and, positively, I could
hardly refrain from laughing as he made his piteous complaint. It seems,
without reflecting that the man did not understand a word of French, he
had charged the Greek, who followed him, not to get upon the ladder
until he was off. Just, however, as his hand