the "Gaol Room," the "Devil's Chamber," the
"Circular Room," the "Dining Room," and the "Ball Room." The height of the
entire excavation is twenty feet, its breadth thirty, and its length, from
the ball room to the cottage, one hundred and twenty. Several parts of the
cave are lighted by windows hewn in the face of the rock, and these give
the cave a picturesque appearance as viewed frown the beach below. In
addition to these labours, Peter took possession of a huge table-rock,
which stands some distance from the cliffs opposite to the grotto. By dint
of extraordinary exertions he excavated a passage from the land side of
this rock through its substance to the surface, and by placing scaling
ladders against its face, made provision for ascent and descent at high
water. The three-quarters of an acre of surface he colonised with rabbits,
and built a shanty for himself and companions, where they dwelt for some
time thinning the wild fowl with their deadly shots, and raising many an
echo with their shouts of revelry.

To describe the strange scene presented by the grotto itself, the
farm-buildings on the face of the cliff, the huge table-rock and flagstaff,
the many quaint blocks, pillars and wild escarpments, and the numerous
domestic animals, such as mastiffs, pigs, ravens, and goats, all
congregated together in a small bay, and literally separated from the world
by the barren waste land above, and the huge cliffs and restless sea below,
would be beyond the scope of "N. & Q.," though it is worth a note in
passing, that for the tourist a visit to Marsden would be highly
remunerative.

Peter Allan endured many hardships in his cave at Marsden. He was accused
of smuggling, and annoyed by the excise. He and his family were once shut
in for six weeks by the snow, during the whole of which time it was
impossible for any human being to approach them. Yet in spite of many
hardships, Peter reared in the grotto a family of eight children, three
daughters and five sons, all of whom are living and prospering in the
world. The grotto is still kept by his widow, his {648} eldest son William,
and one daughter, assisting Mrs. Allan in the management The son William is
an experienced blaster, and occupies himself in excavations and
improvements; the daughter, a brunette, is a first-rate shot, and a girl of
extraordinary spirit and gaiety. She is the Grace Darling of the
neighbourhood, and both her and her mother have saved many lives by t