Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-09
FROM BERMUDA. NO. Nv.
A Boating Excursion-A Wonderful FIX
cnvated Gallery and Bath Room Some
HIAtnrlcnl EnctI.


Belmont, Warwick T., Bermuda March Il
We paid our respects to the patron saint
of the day, to-day, by Drowning the
Shamrock" early in the morning and cele-
brated the day by q boat excursion; our
thoughts turning homeward in comparison
of the probable state of the atmosphere
there with the soft breeze and golden sun
light playing about us as we moved over
the blue waters. The boatman has found
Il flag for us and the stars and stripes
float over the stern, to our great delight,
our Canadian friends most kindly consent
ing to sail under the Yankee flag.
We are convinced that boating is the
most satisfactory way of enjoying our
privileges. A boatman can be called from
Hamilton by telephone, who will take I'VE
of us and sometimes six into his boat, and
keep us moving along as many hours as
we wish for two shillings an hour; this
makes the individual charge very moder-
ate when one considers the great pleasure
and novelty for inland bred people, offered
by such expeditions
/ wish / could transfer to words in some
small degree even, the experience we have
when we rowed out across the harbor to
Spanish Point. day or SO ago. This point
and Ireland Point opposite make the two
ends of the crescent in which lies the
Great Sound and Hamilton Harbor with
their numerous islands and reefs. ireland
Point is covered with fortitications and
the dock yard, but Spanish Point is just
as the winds and waves of centuries have
left it; bristling with ragged rocks and
storm-worn reefs against which the waves
are stil beating In angry violence.
The work of corrosion on the porous
canal formation produces many beautiful
results and those seen at Spanish Point
are very remarkable Cavcrns and grot-
toes into which a boat may be pushed
through arched entrances, and out of
which one may look through other open
ings cut through the solid rock by the
fretting waves are numerous; arches
standing on pillars of stones around
whose base the restless waters are forever
beating may be seen.
How long have they stood thus. how
long may they continue to Withstand the
constant wear of the elements? Working
along over the dangerous point we are
soon where the pulse of the ocean is felt
and our little boat rises and falls to its
measure. Still our boatman pushes on
ward through the crested waves almost
without effort, 1t seems, so quietly and
easily does he manage the craft. Lofty
cliffs of rock now rise above us, showing
arched openings and cavernous recesses
in their rifted faces over which Is drawn
veil of mingled tones of gray and green;
another form of Natures lavish use OF
decoration, for all these grays and greens
are living plants, MOSES and lichens,
thriving on this rocky bed, moistened by
| the soft sea-foam and beaten by every
wind that blows.
In the face of this cliff we notice several
openings, which seem artificial, and the
boatman says there Is a gallery behind
them and a ballroom and a bathroom
which we may visit If we can get out OF
the boat on to the ledge which is the en-
tering platform from the sea. Although
| the tide is high our boat is fully three feet
below the ledge and losses like a cookie
shell on the great waves, but we cannot
lose this sight and scramble up as best
we may. The gallery which has been
| tunnelled out of the rock has a stairway
| also cut in the rock, leading up into the
| gardens of the admiraPs residence, and
was constructed some 30 years ago by q
former officer of the admiralty, the Ear
of Dundonald. Natural caverns were
utilized in this novel construction and II
would seem probable, that at first the
object in view was to have easy access
/ to the yaulted grotto to be used as a ball
ROOM Then, having secured this and
having fashioned the winding stairs lead.
Ing down into the water out of the side OF
the cavern and scraped and cleaned the en-.
closing walls and vaulted roof and rocky
floor till all was white and smooth so thai
the bather could step easily and safely
into the shining green waterfall this hay
ing been accomplished so successfully, the
thought of further excavations might have
come and tho lofty arched chamber at the
other end of the gallery called the ball
room have been the result This, of course
Is mere speculation on my part and of ne
value, but this, l may safely say, thai
there are few such bath rooms in the
world, where the living water pulses
without ripple, to the beat of the. great
waves without, and like a mirror reveals
the slightest reflection from above as wei
as the soft white stone below on which Il
rests.
Reluctantly we turn and remember thai
we now have the problem Of getting bach