Pirates had often come to the island; but for these gentry this cavern was too far from the sea.

I cannot even imagine beasts of prey to have been there; for the whole country round about is desert and uninhabited, so that they could have found nothing to prey upon.

In fact, I turned over in my mind every probability, and can only say that it appeared to me a most remarkable circumstance to find in this desert place, so far from any living thing, a number of bones, which, moreover, looked as fresh as if the poor animals to whom they once belonged had been eaten but a short time ago.

Unfortunately I could obtain no satisfactory information on this point.
It is difficult to imagine any thing more laborious than to wander about in this cavern.

As the road had shewed itself at the entrance of the cavern, so it continued throughout its whole extent.