Year: 1878

rose leaves, and the white surfaces little below


their edges become tinted with pale pias, shici a.
the base is reached becomes blackish Blue. Arosnd
the base, and forming IT, raost cxlr.ordtaary
kinds OF deposit that look like opaque soap bubbles
estng close together surfscc OF water that hac
been suddenly fixed while heaying In ebuilition The
bubbles hattened their tops. and ~ they grow
from the central column they become rounder and
darker in hue until they assume. At distance Of
three four feet from the pedestal the appearance
of white and black balls aud beads set . surface Of
white china and polished perfectly. Some pieces
resemble in color ard shape the bovine kidney others
groups OF small potatoes and othars yet brown
grapes just forming III clusters. Further away from
the main stalagmite is formation 50 closely re-
sembling brown moss that must look closely at
it to be convinced that it is not vegetation.
Altogether the group cannot be surpassed in beauty
Similar bead egg and grape like formations occur in
other parts OF this apartment. but OF them
SO perfect as those describe


ARE THEY FORMED :?


watched these marvels Of natures handiwork long
ard earnestly striving to discover the process of
their formation There large stalactites
head, they having been buried long ago beneath the
earth which stood, when the roof of the chamber
partly denuded Of its pendant ornaments. As
stopped over this stalagmite. which found to rest
foundation Of earth crust large drop of water
struck its fat top surface and atomized by the
impact after falling ifty feet. The
almost imperceptibie spray scattered the
whole of the strangely encrusted. Each
minute particle OF that drop of water carried with it
of carbonate Of lime solution build up the
fairy structure before The mystery solved The
curious ornamentations the work Of this spray
and grew within the circumference of its influence.
The orice overhead delivered the drop through
a to m
quantity that the finest instruments could not accom-
plish In the perfectly still atmosphere of the cave
the drop fell every time exactly the spot scat
terng in little gobules of spray the atoms Of lime to
the same points. This process went on until on the
place where each atom Of lime fell regularly in
dependent form gradually built up, SO that one
may assume with absolute certainty that by counting
III such possbe) these forms they spread
under the eye the subdivision Of that single
drop of water that falls from the roof
by impact with the top of the stalagmite might be
correctly ascerained. The larger forms receive the
greater quantity Of lime in their portions of spray
and the smaller lesser quantities in proportion
to their size and position. The latter condition is
important one because it is evident from the nature
of the chemical agency in operation that while the
tiny globule of spray containing lime in solution by
the influence Of carbonc acid gas is in motion from
the salagmite its destination, it loses proportion
of the carbonic acid gas by evaporation, and must
necessarily be changed in condition during its flight
For this assume and believe correctly, that
the small formations on the outer circumference Of
the area over which the spray falls are as long
in process of growth as the larger
near the centre Of spray fall. and that
the little beads lying between built up by the


finer particles of spray which lose proportionately in
a short flight with the larger particles in the long
fight from where the parent drop strikes and be-
comes atonized. had satisfied myself
that this process in operation than proceeded to
verify the opinion by close inspection OF all similar
formations within the chamber. In every
case the conditions bore out my deduction. and
found the Drop the surface of impact the spray and
the peculiar formation above described. At one
point however and almost without the circle of pos
sible spray fall noticed to me- very curious deve-
opment the surface Of the beadke forms attached
to stalactite that hung from projection on the
cave WALL In moving my light saw number
of extremely delicate spicui@ projecting up
ward from the bead head. These fine that
only by peculiar placing of the light could they be
with the naked eye. Under the microscope they
appeared TO be delicate transparent needleke crys-
tazations about quarter of an inch in length and
thickened at the attachment to the bead On the
point Of each . minute globule Of water. held.
possibly in . translucent crystal she'll Between the
point and the attachment three smaller gobules
If transxed by the tiny crystal shaft, the whole
forming remarkable evidence of the delicacy Of the
process. Whether these spculm projected under the
influence of electrical action developed by chemical
activity cannot say. but that they in way
connected with the development of the forms covering
of these walls certain. The subject is such
interesting that it will induce to visit this part
OF the again for the purpose of making closer
examination of these beautiful deposits and nvestigs
ting the phenomena of their growth.


SHOW Roons


Behind a fine screen Of stalactites and under the
wall Of the lower chamber under the gallery is
entrance leading to "The Bridal Chamber" The i'm
maculate purity of the crystal walls and floor of this
beautiful grotto suggested its but sorry to
say muddy footprints of visitors have for the
present made it yellow and dingy. The walls
remain white snow and the little crystal
basins filed with Transparent water still adorn
the place. In such chamber Cupid could not swing


cat not to say, his bow, for the satsclites hang
ing from Low roof would spoil his aim and shield
his victim. sentimental young lady visitor re-
marked the other day that she nothing about the
place to warrant the word bridal being tackled to
distinguish this apartment from any other quite
handsome Truly. 1t would be pretty rough quarters
for bride of any complexion. but a show room in
this Luray Cave it is very attractive Perhaps at
distant day it win be the established temple in vr
ginia where the momentous question will DO popped
and the unbreakable bonds tied Such arrangement
would be admirable in several ways-in one at
least the girl would always 'cave in hard pressed.
The list Of for chambers being nearly exhausted.
the proprietors economzing them carefully.
That accounts for the fact that several beautiful cham
bers on the galleries are unnamed. Being somewhat
out Of the way. suppose. they wen nameess;
but If any deserves to be distinguished from the
rest it "a that which forms deep in the large
gallery chamber in which the fine formations
found described The foot Of the explorer has not
Jet suIlied the purity Of tina. exquisite crystal floor.
There broken stalactites stdagmites lying
about. The chamber is gem in its way and IL not
likely 10 be visited by the public for considerable