The ocean / By P. H. Gosse.

  • Gosse, Philip Henry, 1810-1888.
Date:
[pref. 1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ocean / By P. H. Gosse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    lactites in fantastic forms, bearing some resemblance to the gothic arches and carved ornaments of some old church. After having examined the curiosities of the place, the party sat down to drink cava, while an old chief communicated some interesting parti- culars in the history of the grotto. In former times there lived a governor of one of the neighbouring islands, who exercised his autho- rity with the most grinding tyranny and injustice. A conspiracy against his life was formed by a sub- ordinate chief, which was discovered, and he him- self condemned to death with his familv. One of his daughters, however, a beautiful girl, was re- served for a more hateful destiny, that of becoming the wife of the cruel tyrant. It happened that an- other young chief, who had long loved this maiden, had, a little while before, accidentally discovered the submarine cavern, when diving in pursuit of turtle. He had kept his discovery a profound se- cret, reserving it as a safe retreat for himself, in case he should be unsuccessful in a plan of revolt, which he also had in view. No sooner, however, were the tyrant’s decisions known, than he hastened to the damsel, and acquainting her with her danger, besought her to escape with him. The emergency was great; little solicitation sufficed to obtain her consent; the woods concealed her until evening, when her lover brought his canoe to a lonely part of the beach, in which she embarked with him. As he paddled her across the rippling waves, he made known to her his discovery of the grotto, in which he proposed to conceal her, until they