Year: 1878

In exploring such extensive cavern rs this one ut
Iuray there is scarcely turn in q corridor or
Shelving of the lofty galleries that does not reveal
Some novelty worth examining each time the first Is
fraversed the second is viewed. To me the cave
exhibits stranger beauties in of its sections the


familiar it becomes. and if could avoid see


ing the ugly slopes of mud that here and there


mark where the surface soil has been washed into the
cavern by heavy rains no disagreeable memory of
the place would survive the impressions produced by
wandering among the imposing and beautiful objects
to be every side where the mud
has not overwhelmed them Being anxious
to closely examine the galleries that overhang very
large chamber at height of about sixty feet from
the floor. Mr.. Campbell procured one OF his largest
ladders and set it against mmence staactite that
had dropped from the roof but still reared its butt
fifty feet from the muddy level of the lower cave.
Climbing up this substantial footway into the dark
of the vault and using the stalactie as step
ping stone to the gallery, reached kind of mar
row platform studded with short, round and snow
white stalagmites. As the platform narrowed in
places to ridge, each side of which deep gulf
yawned threateningy the stumpy stalagnltes served
IN excellent purpose for the climbers, afording US
pretty secure and hand holds when progress woud
be impossible without both in abundance Cinging to
these crep. along the slippery way to part where
the ridge was lost in sloping wall or rock. covered
with dark brown, corrugated deposit. damp to the
touch and with a surface smooth glass. Along
fhis the advance slow and guarded as slip
might furnish another example of the influence of
terrestrial gravity unsupported bodies. don't
care to contemplate what condition the body
might reach the bottom but am the individual
owning it would be rendered permanently obivious
10 all things mundane Finally, however the gallery
platform reached, md we found ourselves in a
Region where Dame Nature had prepared for Us new
Berries of surprises in carbonate of lime. Before
rs . forest of staaagnitss apparently barred the
WY Lily white festoonings hung from the
roof like decorated curtains suspended to
drip and dry invisible clothes
line. Brown blankea like foldings of stone, appar
entity growing out OF black bars of shadow. extended
Icross the lofty vault. while inrumerabie smaller
pendants of every shade from black to color,


filed the spaces between them and threw their little
Lines of shadow into the increasing gloom beyond.
Our rejecting candle holders gave very fair illurni
nation for fifty feet around, but beyond that limit
objects became indstinct and merged in murty dark
nsss Here and there tall. white stalagmite would
look like ghostly form silently gazing at the in
truders in this hall OF silence. But our business
there a search after the picturesque but
Jnspection of practical character We delayed
hut little time in contemplating scene that would
tax the pencil of Dore to give faint idea of its
solemn grandeur.


THE GALLERY STRUCTURES.


The floor of this gallery apartment is double basin
shaped-that is to say. is formed of two depressons.
with intervening ridge OF earth washed from the
upper surface but whose own surface is now partly
covered with thick crust thicky studded with small
staagmites. many of which are milk white The
smaller depression is altogether in earth and lies next
TO the corner where the soil came down through a
hidden opening with torrents Of rain water crept
foward this opening as far as could go and found
the unvarying earth slope to the very roof. The
original Hoor of the gallery atths place is completely
covered and obhterated with its incrustatons The
roof almost bare Of large sagites but the spaces
hey occupied thereare very distinctly markedly
peculiar bare patches from which embryo growths
dropping their limo impregnated waters and help
ing to harden the earth crust below. descended to
Rhs lowest level OF the depression and into gully cut
In the earth mass by the of water direct from the
opening. There found the filing in section. and ex
Abting the character OF brecc mixture OF small
surrounded of different kinds and earth washed
from the surface stratum. This. il permitted 20
main undisturbed by water washtngs. would harden
In time into q conglomerate rock, frequent in cave
formations. and classed among the mechanically
formed rocks As a breccis may be formed Of stones
held in matrix OF sand, Of carbonate Of lime.
1t is interesting to observe in this cave Q com





cemenang in a solid mass particles Of many kinds
of rock. the sand and lime forming natural mortar
h which the foreign and native pieces of rock inn
bedded. But the crust is in many parts, only few
Inches thick, and there abundant signs that the
nuantity of earth at one time accumulated by wash
Ing In the has considerably decreased and that
unless another supply is brought by the agency
from the surface what remains wfl in little time
be swept downvards to the lowest levels Of the sys
tem Of that evidently underiie this particular
chamber In places the softer earth has been washed
from under the nard surface shell and the latter de-
pends on its self-sustaining rigidity for the main
tenance Of ts present position Who're. however
the underwriting has been extensive the weight
OF the unsupported crust has broken it off, and has
given freer scope 70 the action OF tho water. Feel
1ng cartain that in such OF earth somo
remains cf animals Or plants must exist, exam
3ned The exposed section With some l found
not the slightest vegetable ira ia any Of the Jumps
of earth broken up. although i looSed for them with
. microscope. This would indicate that the earth
from below the line of yege sson, that IL had
kin 80 long in tis TO permit ~ the entire
rompoeiton of organic matter delicate and perish
able grasses fine stems. found however the
bones Of hats in groups. but without any arrange
nent corresponding with their original relation.
These little hDre-lke remains invariably
accompanied by the maggots that were developed by
the decomposition Of the bats bodies. The maggoss
white and very rigid. but undcr the micro.
scope THAR forms were perfect to the short legs
and ringcd bodies. 1t must be remembered that these
were found at depth Of about eighteen inches
below the level Of the under part of an
earthen crust that mnst have taken very many years
20 harden and, also that the deposit Ia which they
were embedded may have been accommodating for


enturcs On the slope Of the larger depression. also
Formed of earth encrusted the SURFACE. and stud
ded with staaenites stands one Of the latter which
is really the most beautiful object Of its kind
saw II il about four feet in height and at the base
tsenty-four inches Ia diameter gradually de
creAsing toward the top TO about fifteen inches.
Several shorter stand around it on the
same general base Its top is fat and smooth and
1-l-.. - a.