The Three Admirals | Page 8

the boat."
They stopped rowing, to survey the mouth of the cavern. It appeared to
be upwards of thirty feet in height and almost of the same width.

Everybody, of course, was eager to explore the cavern; and rowing
gently, that no risk might be run of knocking the bows of the boat
against a rock, they made their way into the cavern. By just keeping the
oars moving, the boat glided on. Ahead, all was darkness, so that it was
impossible to ascertain how far the cave penetrated into the land. As
soon as their eyes got accustomed to the subdued light which existed at
a distance of thirty or forty feet from the entrance, the beauties of the
grotto began to dawn on their sight. Glittering stalactites, of a thousand
fantastic forms, hung down from the high and vaulted roof, while at
either side appeared columns and arches like those of some ancient
temple, tinted with numberless delicate hues, the extreme points of the
stalactites glittering like bright gems as they were reached by the
reflected rays of the sun, which penetrated far down into the depths
beneath, illuminating every object below its glassy surface. So
beautifully clear was the water, that when the party in the boat looked
over the sides, they could see right down to the bottom of the cavern,
which appeared to consist of masses of rock, forming caves and
hollows, covered with the richest marine vegetation. Here were corals
of various tints, blue and yellow, red and white: amid them the ocean
fan expanded its vast leaves; from the lowest depths sprang up the
sea-green stems of the fucus, twining round columns which sank far
down, and afforded them support. Here feathery tufts of green
vegetables floated upwards in the clear water, while others of various
strange shapes and hues formed recesses and arches, twisted and
knotted in a variety of ways. Fish, of varied forms and brilliant colours,
darted in and out among the openings, some rising close up to the boat,
as if curious to ascertain the character of the visitors to their submarine
palace.
"I wish the doctor were here to tell us their names," exclaimed Tom.
"Look there, at those odd creatures. What can they be?" The fish at
which he pointed were flat, of an oval form, and of a rich silvery colour,
delicately striped downwards with azure bands. They swam in a
perpendicular position, aided by two long and slender fins, one curving
upwards from the back, of a considerable length, and the other curving
downwards from the opposite side. There were many others differing in
form, but all of the most beautiful colours, darting and gliding in and

out, but, being apparently of a less curious or more timid disposition
than those which had excited Tom's astonishment, did not venture near
the boat. There were cray-fish, too, of large size, and enormous crabs,
and star-fish, and sea-urchins, and bivalves of various sorts clinging to
the rocks, with open mouths, to catch any unwary creatures coming
within their reach.
After enjoying the scene for some time, by giving a few strokes with
their oars the midshipmen allowed the boat to proceed further up the
cavern. Most of the party were hanging over the water with their noses
just above the surface, some with their hands trying to catch any of the
fish which might venture near, when a cry from Tim made them spring
up.
"Shure, he'll be afther catching some of us, if we don't look out,"
exclaimed the Irishman, and at that moment they saw rising out of the
far depths of the cavern an enormous shark, his eyes glaring like two
glowing coals, as with open jaws he came nearer and nearer the boat.
"He'll be after swallowing the whole of us," cried Tim. "Back water!
back water!" To the Irishman the shark probably appeared much larger
than it really was.
"He won't do us any harm; but just keep the oars out of the water," said
Tom, who was, of course, obeyed, and the shark glided alongside the
boat, which he kept eyeing with suspicious glances.
"Would you be afther wishing to have one of us?" asked Desmond.
"Then I hope you'll be mistaken; unless, Billy, you wish to be kind to
the baste, and let him have your arm as a treat."
"Thank you," said Billy; "I'd rather not. It wouldn't give him much
trouble to bite it off, though."
"We must not be disappointed in our expectation of exploring the
cavern by a brute like that," exclaimed Tom. "Hand me the boat-hook."
Standing up, he struck the point with all his might against the nose of
the monster, which at that instant sank with a suddenness which made

Tom lose his balance, and had