Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1 by George Grey
page 39 of 388 (10%)
page 39 of 388 (10%)
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far up, and partly returns, in the form of spray, by the opening through
which it was at first impelled. By assuming a proper position with regard to the sun a most beautiful rainbow is seen in this spray as it is dashed high into the air, and the whole is well worthy of a visit. Having collected some shells and geological specimens we again embarked for the cave. On reaching the spot we distinctly observed, from the shore, the mouths of two caves full of bones. As the Guanches were in the habit of embalming their dead I entertained hopes of obtaining from them a mummy, of which there are several preserved in the Canary Islands. Upon landing however I found that they were utterly inaccessible, being situated in a perpendicular rock about 150 feet above the level of high water mark, and a considerable distance beneath the summit of the cliff. I had indulged a hope of being able to swing into one of the caves by means of a rope suspended from the top, but, owing to a large rock which projects from above quite over their mouths, this would be very difficult. Several bones had been blown out of the apertures, which I collected and found them to have belonged to man, but otherwise displaying nothing remarkable. I can scarcely entertain a doubt but these caves really were the burying-places of the ancient Guanches, yet how they were approached I cannot conceive; probably there might have been an entrance to them from the interior of the country. I searched but my time was short and I could find no traces of such. An interesting question here remains to be solved and I trust some future traveller may be induced to attempt it. There is only one other supposition I could frame on this subject, and to this I am led from the fact of the bones lying so immediately in the |
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