The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1898-11-26
AN AMERICAN "sLuR oRorro..

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1dlnnewasks.
Many OF tho beautiful phenomena
seen at the celebrated blue 1rotto OF
the island Of Capri are reproduced ON
small scale in q cavern at Lake MIN
newaska, New York, says Science.
This lake 10 situated on the Shaw
ansunlk range Of mountains. at an .ele-
walton OF about 100 feet; It lies in a
basin, excavated In glacial times. abou:
half a mile long and less than quar-
ter in width and of depth reaching
is a white quartzite known as Shaw
angunk grit, which rests upon shale,
but no outcrop OF the latter is visible
at the lake. The quartzite is compact
to granular and contains In places
pebbles Of white quartz; it is very free
from feldspathic admixture, SO that 1t
yields to the water very little soluble
matter. Bare cliffs rising to the height
OF $50 feet bound the east side of the
lake. while the western banks are we'll
wooded. The cliffs are vertical and
fringed at their base by the usual
talus, which, however. Is made up OF
blocks Of unusual size. The cavern
is formed by several huge rocks over
hanging the water, SO as to form a
comparatively dark hole, and the space
between the under side of the sloptng
two feet to not more than two inches.
The cavern faces the southwest; It is
very irregular in shape, and at one
point the roof and walls reverberate
in response to a deep bass note. The
water just at the entrance of the cav
ern is thir!y-three feet deep and two
or three feet away forty feet; it is
very transparent at considerable
depths. AS the rocks overhanging SO
elP - P~efc
can only be seen by swimmer and it
was while swimming along the shore
that I discovered the American blue
grotto three years ago. AS one ap-
Proaches the mouth Of the cavern the
blush color OF the water is notice.
able. but the beautiful effects are best
seen by entering the opening and look
ing outward toward the light. The
water varies i'll cclcr from Nile green
through turquoise blue and sky blue
to deep indigo blue and in all these
shades exhibits the silvery appearance
when agitated characteristic OF the
Grotto Of Capri. A body Immersed in
the water has beautiful silvery sheen.
similar to the reflection of moonlight.
The water has these colors at all
hours, but they are strongest when the
sun is in the zenith; late in the after
noon the slanting rays OF the sun enter
eAS opS41lA5 anu liS5uI Up INC Ct-SS1As
greatly diminishing the optical effects-
The water retains the characteristic
color tbut without the sivery sheen)
on cloudy days. and even during rain,
but especially strong when hescy white
clouds bar direct sunlight. The rela-
ton between the different llues, green
and blue, to the aspect OF the sky,
whether clear or overcast, is not evil
dent Another pleasing phenomenon
must be mentioned. Just below the
water line, where the rocky sides are
Tapped by the waves, the white quartz
lite exhibits a brilliant sislzin- green
hue; this bright color is limited to a
space about three Or four inches below
the level OF the lake and to certain
walls OF the cavern. The bare arm
Immersed in the water partakes OF tho
green color when the light is reflected
at one angle and of the si!very blue
color at another angle. The interior size
OF the cavern is not easily given, but
the face OF the overhanging rocks
measures about forty feet, ana it is
that SO small cavern can
produce such a variety OF fine effects.