The New York herald., 1878-11-22
Progress Of the Explorations
at Luray Cavern.
CROUCHING, CREEPING, CLIMBING.
Strange Formations Their Growth
and Influences.
STALACTITE MUSIC.

nave just maue a Seconu anu very prolonetu Ga
animation Of the great cave. during which explored
Aarge not yet regularly thrown open to visitors
Indeed, am assured by my guide, Mr.. Andrew Camp
bell Of the proprietors, that have pushed our
inspection further than he had any idea could
go. Re-entering the cavern at ten o'clock in the
morning. We groped, climbed, walked, crawled and
squirmed for seven long hours without halt. AS
the number of visitors unusually large we had to
strike of through the corridors and get away from
them to avoid being followed and delayed in our
work. that for tho greater part Of the time only
two Of scrambled along into all kinds OF places far
beyond the sound Of voices or the dim
ghmmering Of the lights. I had prepared
myself for this second exploration by putting an
old suit of clothes and pair Of common overalls and
aworsted cap. Itwas important that should be in
dependent Of the mud. which lies thickly unfre
qnented and lowying parts of the cavern because
perence proved that in order to reach some OF the
most beautiful chambers, it was necessary to creep
through some very small holes and between rows OF
stalagmites and stalactites that ornamented the
frances but looked like mighty teeth set in the open
mouth of amonster dragon. one squeezed down
fiat pointed crystal pressed into the stomach in
most painfully inconvenient manner and if the head
was lifted in an unwary moment spike Of crystal
punched violently to start general illunlina
ton with stars that not. but the less
mcnts fairly bristled with spikes Like the hide of
hedgehog turned outside in.
Then the crevices crawled through. sometimes
head foremost, sometimes advancing by the rear,
often rolling two three times in order to make
The correct turns to suit the snuositcs of the
Really people never can tell what gymnastic per-
formances they are capable of until they put to
the test. For my part l have looked back with
constituent at the apertures I squeezed myself
through in this in the pursuit OF knowledge My
companion, much slighter individual than myself.
got along little better Besides, he had been there
before aud was not embarrassed was by carrying
instruments. for had provided myself with ther-
mometer and aneroid barometer for making some
observations for temperature and pressure. These,
however proved of little Importance. the pressure in
the cave corresponding with that in the open air and
the temperature being only about four degrees
higher inside than outside. However, to tho last
observation, am not satisfied that this can be
gartled as permanent difference of temperature be-
cause on the day Of observation the temperature
outside had risen very suddenly to about fifty nine
degrees at ten o'clock A. NJ. and i'll the cave it was
degrees. The night before bitter cold
probably about thirty four degrees while in the
felt II comfortably warm. without overcoat.
DIVERSIFIED INTERIOR.
In my last letter referred in general terms to the
describe each principal chamber In detail would
be amurderous attempt the readers patience; yet
there are many pictures to draw that sys-
TEN must DO adopted in presenting them.
Letters previously published in the HERALD. as
well as the sketch map also presented, give Q very
good idea of the combination OF caverns that form
this great "hoe." Let say that the chief feature
of most of the chambers is the salactitc formations
on the roofs and slopns walls Take 100 feet
square OF thick grass of which is desirable de-
scribe the form. length and peculiar curving and
twisting of each particular blade and then estimate
the work to be done in giving detailed description
Of that grass patch. SO with this enormous crop of
staactites in the Luray They bear general
semblance to each other. yet not two OF them are
alike in detail. The most commonplace will bear
, microscopic inspection, because that roughncss
which appears it like patch is in real
ity formed of the most exquisite arrange
ment OF minute crystallizations SO delicate
rs to confound the observer with wonder.
Yet presume thousands of people coming to see
these beautiful vaults in the of years would
cast careless glance at that rough and rusty looking
pendant the color Of wlic is something like that of
the skin of potato. Turning to another of
these wonderful structures the great bubous form
be suspended by a delicate transparent hollow
stem, not more than half inch in diameter and so
thing to the ground in thousand tiny fragments;
the work of . century. pcrhvs. destroyed in q
moment. There others, again. whose surfaces are
covered by hundreds of minute and curousy twisted
little pipings. like roots sweet potato only more
irregularly placed and strangely interviewer. How
these are formed have been puzzling
myself TO discover, but have failed 10
arrive at entirely satisfactory hypothesis
Take this little stem or rootlike form growing out
ward and upward from the stalactitc. Below above
and beside it hundreds of other little pipes
some OF which curled like the tendrls OF vine
and others uniting to form loops and strange knots
Here see abrous locking little conduit actually
bridging the space between two stalactites and be-
longing to both. What process of deposit Of carbon
ate of lime have formed such perfect yet deli
cate hollow thread The mystery appears to me to
be solved not by of observing the process
but by the general results produced in the complete
stalactite The swelling out OF its end sometimes
. form resembling bunch of small potatoes indi-
Gates that these elobulc shaped deposits were not
formed in the open air. but in clay or some
earthly substance approxmating to IL that originally
filled the space or fssare forming tho chamber
This work of excavation by water would naturally 90
on from below therefore the clay the would
stick there unt its bottom surface gradually dropped
away. Then imitation through the roof would be in
clcdScu W tlc VI auuai UP VI tlc buspenuIu
clay. capillary action in the order would be
Induced, and the water drawn down to the dried clay
a sponge would gradually pass into this clay
IL and deposit in the excavation the lime in
solution. This process would in nme establish in
The clay form head Of water equal to few inches
By whiclra very slight pressure would be developed
on the sides sufficient to lateral leakage. AS
all tho water would be dcpostng carbonate of lime
or, In other words. forming receptacle Of cal
careous matter for itself. these tiny thread
like tubes would be formed Of the substance
NO sooner would the shell DO cast in the clay mould
than tho direction OF the water would again
to DO downward and perhaps below the bottom
face OF the clay. The latter would there dry.
and by tho action of tho air pass away in PARTICLES
leaving tho curious stalactitc and it's lateral tubes