THE ROAD TO BAT'S CA"VE.
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fishing-boats were gaily bounding, and throwing the shadow of their simple sails and slender masts far before them. The mouth of English Harbour, which is 113 fathoms across, was formerly defended in times of warfare by an immense iron chain. That, however, is now no more; but the staples by which it was secured still remain in the massive rocks, to prove the truth of this assertion. It is now protected by two forts placed on each side of the opening: Fort Charlotte, mounted with four guns, 18 and 24 pounders ; Fort Berkley, mounting twenty-four guns. At the latter fort is a magazine. After leaving the Ridge, we turned down a slight declivity, by the victualling offices, on our way to Bat's Cave, and the Savannah. Our road lay through groves of loblolly, manchineel, and acacia, which, twining their long arms together, formed various natural colonnades ; while the ground was strewed with their matted leaves, in all stages of decay. Having alighted, we walked .through the interwoven path, carefully avoiding as we went the different varieties of cactus, which spring up on all sides, and guarding our faces from the long sharp thorns of the acacia, and the boughs of the poisonous manchineel. The ground, rugged and broken, was plentifully sprinkled with disrupted portions of spar, which glittered in the sunbeams like so many gems, and put me in mind of Sinbad's walk in the " Valley of Diamonds." Immense ground-lizards were trailing their long bodies about, in search of their daily food, so amply provided for them by the great Benefactor of all ; while others were basking upon these dazzling fossils, to imbibe the heat of the meridian sun. After taking many devious routes among the impending bushes, in order to discover the wished-for cavern, I was well pleased to hear the cheerful voice of our pioneer shouting forth " Come this way ; I've found the right path." Scrambbling, as best we could, over a huge bed of prickly pear, (one of the cactus family,) we gained an opening in the copse, and stood before the mouth of the cave. Two large