Fingal's Cave

“ We had not gone very far when a beautiful grotto, perfect as an architectural structure, arrested our attention. M. Letourneur and Andre, who have visited the Hebrides, pronounced it to be a Fingal's cave in miniature; a Gothic chapel that might form a fit vestibule for the cathedral cave of Staffa. The basaltic rocks had cooled down into the same regular concentric prisms; there was the same dark canopied roof with its interstices filled up with its yellow lutings; the same precision of outline in the prismatic angles, sharp as though chiseled by a sculptor's hand ”

“ From their generally inaccessible position sea-caves have very rarely been occupied by man, and the history of their formation is so obvious that it requires no further notice. Among them the famous Fingal’s Cave, off the north coast of Ireland, and that of Staffa, on the opposite shore of Scotland, hollowed out of columnar basalt, are perhaps the most remarkable in Europe. ”

“ One exception, indeed, may well claim to be singled out as unmatched by any other work of nature or art, though belonging to an older system than the primeval period of the archæologist. Amid scenery unsurpassed in the interest of its historic associations, or its venerable relics of medieval skill, stands the wondrous natural cave which popular tradition has associated with the favourite name of Fingal. ”

“ The great face of the rock is the most wonderful production of nature we ever beheld. It reminded us of the west front of York or Lincoln cathedral—a resemblance, perhaps, fanciful in all but the feelings they both excite—especially when the English minster is seen by moonlight. The highest point of Staffa at this view is about one hundred feet; in its centre is the great cave, called Fingal's Cave, stretching up into the interior of the rock a distance of more than 200 feet. ”

“ It has been adopted, by a considerable number of eminent men, as a far stronger prima facie case than that commonly stated by the text-books in favor of marine erosion. If not well founded, it still suggests difficulties which have escaped observation, and may also correct the inaccurate terms in which Fingal's Cave has been described, and the imperfect representations which have gone far to perpetuate the hasty conclusion of Sir Joseph Banks. ”

“ At times of storm the compressed air, as it rushes out, produces a sound as of thunder. When the sea is very smooth visitors may be rowed directly into the cave, but the more usual landing-place is near the Clam-shell Cave, where the columns have been worn down until they form a kind of terrace running all the way to Fingal's Cave. ”

“ It is of the same columnar basaltic formation as the Giant's Causeway in the north of Ireland, and was produced by the same outpouring of lava that formed the Irish Causeway. We climbed along the irregular floor of perfectly formed polygonal columns, which fit each other with absolute exactness, though no two are alike. We stopped for a moment to sit down in Fingal's Wishing Chair, and then pushed on to see the most impressive of all these natural wonders—Fingal's Cave—which penetrates the volcanic columns for a distance of two hundred and twenty-seven feet. ”

“ It is my humble task to point out a fact, as a contribution to that mass of accumulating information on which a consolidated fabric may at some future time be erected. Yet the idle spectator or enthusiastic lover of Nature who shall hereafter view this interesting spot, may, when he contemplates these grand revolutions, learn to wonder less at the efforts of that power which has hollowed the cave of Fingal, and submerged in the depths of the ocean those columns which seemed destined for eternity. ”

“ It can only be represented by a first-rate drawing. One may compare the surface of the Island to a roof—this roof is supported by grand pillars of basalt standing together as thick as honeycombs. The finest thing is Fingal's cave—it is entirely a hollowing out of Basalt Pillars. ”

“ On either side are lofty columns, mostly perpendicular, and remarkably regular, varying from two to four feet in diameter. The height of this wonderful cavern is sixty-six feet near the entrance, but it decreases to twenty-two feet at the further end; it is two hundred and twenty-seven feet long, and forty-two wide. At one side is a causeway formed of the remains of broken columns, upon which people can walk to the very end. We next pulled into what is called the Boat Cave, where columns are even more regular than in Fingal’s Cave, but it is much smaller. ”

“ German works exhibit a structure supposed to have been exposed for millions of years to waves capable of hollowing out two hundred and twenty-eight feet of basalt, and open at both ends, which Fingal's Cave is not, compared with which "wall of bricks without mortar would be solidity itself." ”

“ He wanted to fight Bennandonner, another giant, so he built the great causeway from Scotland to Ireland. It is written that Fingal won. In tradition he is the hero of both Ireland and Scotland.
Fingals Cave is the most famous of the many natural caverns on the Isle of Staffa, one of the western islands of Scotland. This island is three-quarters of a mile long, and about one-third of a mile wide. No one lives there; but every weekday during the summer a steamer takes tourists over to see the famous cave. ”

“ Nature, true to her principles, has economized force; in the second, she has economized time. The celebrated cave of Fingal belongs to the class of excavations of a geological epoch, and it was to the exploration of this marvellous cavern that the following day was to be devoted. ”

“ One day, when hunting, the little band came upon a flint pit. To the Cave People the old gravel bed meant nothing, but Tall and Big Foot became greatly excited, and they grabbed the flakes that had become chipped from the flint cores and dashed them violently against a great stone lying near. Faint sparks flew. Then Tall covered the rocks with the feathers of a dead fowl and struck among them with the flint flake. Soon the feathers were ignited by the sparks. And Strong Arm and Quack Quack marveled at the Fire Beast which the strange rock had been able to summon. ”

“ Thirty-six flints in all have been recovered in the different strata of the cave beds. A few of those are simply unworked flints; but twenty-three of them betray traces of human workmanship and use; and include knives and oval and lanceolate blades, closely analogous to implements found in the Cavern of Aurignac, in the Pyrenees, and in that of Le Moustier, in the Dordogne. Others, though mere flint-flakes, bear decided marks of use as scraping tools. Another implement is a round pebble of siliceous sandstone, weighing 1 lb. ”

“ He stood on the hill like an oak; his voice was like the streams of the hill. Why reigneth alone, he cries, the son of the mighty Corval? Fingal is not strong to save: he is no support for the people. I am strong as a storm in the ocean; as a whirlwind on the hill. Yield, son of Corval; Fingal, yield to me. Oscur stood forth to meet him; my son would meet the foe. But Fingal came in his strength, and smiled at the vaunter's boast. They threw their arms round each other; they struggled on the plain. The earth is ploughed with their heels. ”

“ We have already briefly touched upon the Cave-deposits. In the Kirkdale Cave no remains or other traces of man’s presence seem to have been discovered. But in Kent’s Hole, an unequal deposit of loam and clay, along with broken bones much gnawed, and the teeth of both extinct and living Mammals, implements evidently fashioned by the human hand were found in the following order: in the upper part of the clay, artificially-shaped flints; on the clay rested a layer of stalagmite, in which streaks of burnt charcoal occurred, and charred bones of existing species of animals. ”

“ And though the progress of modern discovery has done much to lower the wonder, by rendering it merely one of thousands of the same class—for even among the cliffs of the hill in which the cavern is perforated, there is scarcely a spring that has not its border of coral-like petrifactions, and its moss and grass and nettle-stalks of marble—the Dropping-Cave may well be regarded as a curiosity still. It is hollowed, a few feet over the beach, in the face of one of the low precipices which skirt the entrance of the bay. ”

“ We cleared out the space marked 1863 in the plan, and discovered a flint implement at the point marked d, in Fig. 83. My friend the late Mr. Wickham Flower has also worked the cave, more particularly at the right-hand side of the entrance chamber.
The ashes and implements were found in positions, near the mouth of the cave, where man himself may have placed them (see Figs. 83, 88) , with the exception of the flint implement at d, and an ash of bone imbedded in the earthy matrix between the canine tooth and a coprolite of the hyæna, and cemented to a fragment of dolomitic conglomerate. ”

“ Another was a small stone vessel, unmistakably showing human manufacture.
The sight of these did not, at first, interest the boys, but when the Professor stated that the cave was undoubtedly of very ancient origin, George could not resist the inevitable question, "How can that be determined?"
"In the study of paleontology an effort has been made to classify the different periods of man's life on the planet, so that we have the stone age, which is the earliest, the bronze age, and the age of iron."
"How far back in the history of the world has evidence been found of the existence of man?" ”

“ In fine weather, when from Rame Head to Looe Island the sea lies calm and glistening under a summer sky, this smoke-blackened cave is an uninviting hovel; and in the winter, especially when there is a gale from the south-east, the women must be almost blown out of the hollow or frozen to death. On such occasions they are forced to leave the cave, and then they go to a disused pigsty near by. ”

“ Harry laughed, as he looked at George. "To hear you talk people might think you had caves on the brain."
"Well the caves are the only thing that we have had in the way of sport. And then the treasures!"
"I know that; but I shall not be disappointed if there isn't a cave within five hundred miles."
p. 142
"Nor I; but John is very anxious, for some reason, to find some particular cave. I'll bet anything that skull we found on the southeast peak of Wonder Island has something to do with it, judging by the way he is caring for the skull, and spending hours in examining it." ”

“ Dull through the leafless trees he heard the voice of the north. Sorrow revived in his soul: he began and lamented the dead.
How hast thou fallen like an oak, with all thy branches round thee! Where is Fingal the King? where is Oscur my son? where are all my race? Alas! in the earth they lie. I feel their tombs with my hands. I hear the river below murmuring hoarsely over the stones. What dost thou, O river, to me? Thou bringest back the memory of the past. The race of Fingal stood on thy banks, like a wood in a fertile soil. Keen were their spears of steel. ”

“ The skull is emblematic of death."
"Will you tell us why you tried to avoid Clifford, and were startled at the sight of the skulls?" asked John.
"If, as you say, you have found the copper box, I have no further reason to remain silent. I found one of the skulls,—the others I could not find, one of which I knew must be in the treasure cave. If I had known you found the one in the cave I should not have tried to get away, as I hoped, finally, to find the cave. Since coming here I learned that you had found the third island ”

“ While the work of getting out the planking for the boat was going on, and the plowing had now been resumed, since the new yoke of oxen were fitted to do the work, the boys were not forgetful of the usual weekly outing. They had several quite important things right at home which needed looking into, if they wanted to solve some of the things on the island. First, the cave, which they had twice attempted to explore; the search for their lost boat, which had the strange rope and oars; and the mystery of the flag and pole. ”

“ It is sufficiently ascertained, that some particular caverns, rich in bones, as Kirkdale Cave in Yorkshire, Kent's Hole at Torquay, &c., have not been filled by inrushing of water, nor by the voluntary retirement of wild animals for shelter or for quiet death, but heaped with bones by ravenous beasts, who used the cavern as a den, and dragged into it the carcases of other more peaceful quadrupeds then living in the vicinity. ”

“ Even he, should he be so disposed, has it in his power to come at night, and by fastening the entrance of the cavern on the outside, bury me alive!"
So Flint reasoned, and so reasoning, made up his mind to leave the cavern.
Flint had barely passed beyond the entrance of the cave, when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He crouched under the bushes in order to watch and listen.
He saw a party of six men approaching, all fully armed excepting one, who seemed to be a guide to the rest. ”

“ That was an exciting period, and I can picture it all even now: the great cave, with its vast arch protruding right over the barrier, so that we were toiling in the shadow of the huge vault, filled by day with an ever-deepening golden mellow gloom—a gloom deepening into blackness in the far depths; the trickling water, fresh from its mysterious source in the great amphitheatre; our splashed and stained figures, toiling together now in the pit we had dug; and the friendly scuffle which took place when, the sand being well cleared out, Tom stooped, but only to be arrested by my hand. ”