The wonderfully architectural appearance of the pillars, arches and
pinnacles, surrounding and surmounting this noble entrance, struck me
with admiration, resembling parts of a fine gothic cathedral, and
inducing me to propose for it the name Cape Minster.
A perfect cloud of little swallows darted from the cavernous entrance
on our approach, divided into flocks, soared, wheeled, flew right and
left, and finally returned in a body as swiftly as they came, to the
sides of the long dark tunnel, which were festooned with their nests.
We detached a number of these as we passed, taking care to leave those
containing eggs or young. The best were at a considerable height, but
the broken and shelving rocks afforded, in some places, footing for
such daring and active climbers as Fritz and Jack, and they quickly
obtained as many as we could possibly require.
Our progress was much assisted by the tide, which, like a current, bore
us onward along the nave of this natural cathedral; aisles, transepts,
screens and side-chapels appearing between the columns and arches which
in the `dim religious light' were revealed to our wondering eyes.
On emerging into the dazzling sunshine, we found ourselves floating in
the calm expanse of Pearl Bay; but it was some minutes before we could
look around on the bright and lovely scene.
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