Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-11-18
AN ICE CAVE.



corah. Ia.
Hidden deep among the hills in north
eastern Iowa there exists one of the
wonder works of nature The ice cave
at DEBORAH, in Winnesheik county, Ia,
while it presents no particular feature
of beauty, is one of the two or three ice
caves in the world. Nature has dealt
bountifully with the little town of De-
corah. 1t nestles in one of the most
beautiful and picturesque valleys in the
state of Iowa-'The Land of the Beau
tiful View" To the north of the town
half mile extends for mile east and
west what is called the Palisade. This
is PERCEPTIONS formation, worn by
the action of water, ages and ages ago.
The cliff is two hundred and fifty
feet high, and at its base winds in and
out among the treess, the beautiful
Iowa river. A steep ascent of nearly
two hundred feet and the visitor comes
to the mouth of the ice cave. 1t must
be visited in the summer, however, as
it is at that time that its most remarka-
BILE feature is disclosed in all its glory.
Take the very hottest day in July or
August and after having clambered up
In excellent condition to appreciate this
natural ice-box. There is a ledge ex-
tending out perhaps forty feet from the
entrance, and as this is reached one can
feel the icy draught caused by the air
currents passing in and out Of the cave
The people of DEBORAH have placed a
large frame at the entrance to the cave
In order to prevent it being closed by
the rocks which are continually falling
from the cliff above.
Entering the cave the air grows colder
and colder. There are two compart-
ments to the cave. The first extends
In and downward nearly seventy-five
feet, when q sharper slope of fifteen
feet Is reached, and if the Thermometer
registers one hundred degrees in the
shade outside you may be sure to find
here q natural toboggan slide. This is
the first indication of ice, and some
visitors are allowed to take the lead at
this point owing to the astonishing sur
prise awaiting them. A step or two on
this incline and the visitor is precipi-
tated clear to the bottom, the slope be-
ing glazed with a coating of ice about
three inches thick. The slide brings
up down rather-to the cave proper.
There is a cavern forty feet in length,
ranging from eight to ten feet wide, and
30 high in places that the top can not be
seen. 1t is formed by a rift in the rock,
and while there is an opening above
somewhere it eludes all search, and 90
far as is now known has never been
found. Beneath, above and at the sides
- ~
and in some instances eight inches
thick. The ice is as transparent as g
pane of glass, and in the rock beneath
the ice the remains of snails, fish and
cells may be seen. If you chip off the
Ice and break off piece of the rock il
will remain damp and cool for an hour
after having left the cave. A few min.
utes is as long as one dare remain in
this natural refrigerator owing to the
high temperature of the blood at this
time Of the year.
The hotter and dryer the atmosphere
the thicker the ice will be in the cave
and on the other hand when it 10 colo
enough to nip your ears while walking
half block, inside the cave it is warn
and damp, and the drip, drip of the
water as 1t continually falls from the
rocks above reminds one of spring
or the dropping of rain after an Apri
shower from the caves of a summer
cottage.
The cave is renowned in the legends
of the Chickasaw and Winnesheik In
dams. Less than sixty years ago, ole
DEBORAH, chief of all the Winnesheiks
used it for preserving dressed game
such as dear and antelope. DEBORAH il
town of four thousand inhabitant.
| about one hundred and twenty-fiv.
miles northwest of Dubuque.-Gold
thwaite' geographical Magazine.