To the west and north-west of the village of Matlock, are three
apertures in the rock, respectively named the Cumberland, Smedley, and
Rutland caverns. The former of these is well deserving of a short
notice.
The entrance is partly artificial, to afford a greater facility to the
visitor, who has to descend fifty-four steps. The cavern now opens on
him in solitary grandeur. Huge masses of stone are piled on each other
with a tremendous kind of carelessness, evidently produced by some
violent concussion, though at an unknown period. He is conducted to a
long and wide passage, the roof of which has all the regularity of a
finished ceiling, and is bespangled by spars of various descriptions.
From above, from beneath, and from the sides, the rays of the lights are
reflected in every direction. In an adjacent compartment, rocks are
heaped on rocks in terrible array, and assume a threatening aspect. Next
is an apartment decorated with what, in the language of the country, is
called the snow-fossil, a petrifaction which, both in figure and color,
resembles snow, as it is drifted by the winter storm into the cavities
of a rock. Near the extremity of the cavern are to be seen fishes
petrified and fixed in the several strata which form the surrounding
recess. One of these has its back jutting out of the side of the earth,
as if it had been petrified in the act of swimming. In another branch of
the cavern a well has been found of a considerable depth.