The Lamar register., 1898-11-16
AN AMeRlcAN BLUE oRorro,- :
A Beantifai Cavern Located ns.,a. Ial.
Minaewa.kI.

Min1ewaskrl
Many OF the beautiful phenomsna
seen at the celebrated blue grot,o of
the island Of Capri are reproduced on
small scale in a cavern al Lake Min
newaska, New York. SAYS Science
lais lake Is situated on the shaw
angunk range OF mountains. at an ele-
walton OF about I,7oO feet; IL lies In a
basin, e1oaSa,ed in glacial times, about
haif a mile long and less than quar-
ter In width and OF depth reaching
seventy feet. The rock on all sides
is white quartzite known as shaw
angunk grit. which rests upon shale,
nut no outcrop OF the latter Is visible
at the lake The quartzlte Is compact
10 granular and contains in places
pebbles OF white quartz. Il Is very free
from feldspathic admixture, so that It
Yields 10 the water very little soluble
matter. Bare cliffs rising 10 the height
OF 40 fee, bound the east side OF the
lake. while the western banks are well
wooded. The cliffs are vertical ana
frinscd at their base by the usual
talus. which. however. Is made up OF
blocks OF unusual size The cavern
IL formed by several huge rocks over
hanging the water, 50 as to form q
comparatively dark hole. and the space
between the under side OF the slopinE
rocks and the water varies from about
two feet to not more than two inches.
The cavern faces the southwest: II is
very irregular In shape. and at one
point the roof and walls reyerberate
In response 20 deep bass note. The
water just a; the entrance OF the cav
eTn Is thirty-tkrec feet deep and two
or thTes seei away forty feet: Il Is
very transparent at considerable
depths, As ,hs rocks oyerhanEing so
close TO the water the optical effects
can oaly Be seen by swimmer and II
was while swimming along the shore
that ! discovered the American blue
Ero,to three ysAu ago, As one APP
proaehes the mouth OF the cavern the
blush color Of the water is notice
able. bat the beautiful Effects are best
seen BY entering the opening and look
ing outwart toward the light The
water varies 10 color from Nile green
through tgrquOiae blue and sky blue
TO deep ludiso blue and in all these
shades exhibits the sllyery appearance
when agitated characteristic OF the
Ero,io Of CAPRI. A body Immersed in
;he water has beautiful sIiyery sheen.
similar 10 the reelection OF moonlight.
The water has these eolors at all
hours, but they are strongest when the
sun "a in the seaith; late in the after
noon the slanting rays Of the sun enter
the opening and light up the cavern.
greatly diminishing the optical effects
The water retains the characteristic
coior lbut without the siivsry sheen)
on eioady days. and even during rain.
but especially strong when feecy white
clouds bar direct sunlight The rela-
lion between the different hues. green
and blue. 10 the aspect OF the sky,
whether clear or overcast. Is not evil
deut. Another pleasing phenomenon
must 6e mentioned. Just below the
waier line. where the rocky sides are
Iapped By the waves. the white quartz
its exhibits a brilliant siskln- 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 the
green color when the light Is reflected
AZ one aagie and Of the silyery blue
color al another angle The interior size
OF the cavern Is not easily given, but
the face OF the oyerhangiRg rocks
measures about forty feet and it IS
surprising tha, so small a cavern can
produce such a variety OF fine effects,