Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Ihaveasmallbicyclelamp,anditisaperpetualjoytometocarryitintotheseweirdsolitudes,andtoseethewonderfulsilverandblackeffectwhenIthrowitslightuponthestalactiteswhichdrapetheloftyroofs.Shutoffthelamp,andyouareintheblackestdarkness.Turniton,anditisascenefromtheArabianNights.
Butthereisoneofthesestrangeopeningsintheearthwhichhasaspecialinterest,foritisthehandiwork,notofnature,butofman.IhadneverheardofBlueJohnwhenIcametotheseparts.Itisthenamegiventoapeculiarmineralofabeautifulpurpleshade,whichisonlyfoundatoneortwoplacesintheworld.ItissorarethatanordinaryvaseofBlueJohnwouldbevaluedatagreatprice.TheRomans,withthatextraordinaryinstinctoftheirs,discoveredthatitwastobefoundinthisvalley,andsankahorizontalshaftdeepintothemountainside.TheopeningoftheirminehasbeencalledBlueJohnGap,aclean-cutarchintherock,themouthallovergrownwithbushes.ItisagoodlypassagewhichtheRomanminershavecut,anditintersectssomeofthegreatwater-worncaves,sothatifyouenterBlueJohnGapyouwoulddowelltomarkyourstepsandtohaveagoodstoreofcandles,oryoumaynevermakeyourwaybacktothedaylightagain.Ihavenotyetgonedeeplyintoit,butthisverydayIstoodatthemouthofthearchedtunnel,andpeeringdownintotheblackrecessesbeyond,IvowedthatwhenmyhealthreturnedIwoulddevotesomeholidaytoexploringthosemysteriousdepthsandfindingoutformyselfhowfartheRomanhadpenetratedintotheDerbyshirehills.
