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,,cave ,,regions ,,of ,,the ,,ozarks    
,,and ,,black ,,hills  by  ,,luella     
,,agnes ,,owen4  ,membre titulaire de la
 ,socit de ,splologie1 and ,fellow of   
the ,american ,geographical ,society4   
,illustration3 ,entrance ,to ,marble    
,cave4 ,page #be4      ,cincinnati4 ,the
 ,editor ,publishing ,co4  #ahih4       
,the illustrations for this volume are  
from photographs by the following       
artists3  ,the ,views of ,marble ,cave1 
by ,stone  ,de ,groff1 ,warrensburg1    
,missouri4  ,the ,tower of ,babel1 ,the 
,chimes1 ,the ,knife ,blade1 ,the       
,needle1 ,the ,bridal ,veil1 by         
,meddaugh1 of ,leadville1 ,so4 ,dakota4 

,top of ,glacier1 by ,l4,w4 ,marble1    
,wind ,cave1 ,so4 ,dakota4  ,white ,onyx
 ,masses1 ,fairies' ,palace1 by ,j4,w4  
,pike1 ,hot ,springs1 ,so4 ,dakota4     
,the ,wilderness ,pinery1 by ,d4 ,benton
 ,miller1 ,alton1 ,missouri4            
,approaching ,deadwood1 by ,h4,r4 ,locke
  ,co41 ,deadwood1 ,so4 ,dakota4        
,copyrighted ,the ,editor ,publishing   
,company4 #ahih4     ,,to ,,my ,,mother 
,,this ,,book ,,is ,,affectionately     
,,dedicated4     ,,contents4            
,,chapter4                              
,,page4     ,i ,a ,general ,view        
#a    ,,ii ,marble ,cave                
#be   ,,iii ,marble ,cave ,continued    
#dc    ,,iv ,fairy ,cave and ,powell    
,cave       #eh     ,v ,other ,stone    
,county ,caves         #gc    ,,vi      
,oregon ,county ,caves              #hb 
,,vii ,the ,grand ,gulf                 
#ie  ,,viii ,the ,black ,hills and ,bad 
,lands   #ajc    ,,ix ,wind ,cave       
#aac     ,x ,wind ,cave ,continued      
#abg    ,,xi                            

#ada   ,,xii          ,concluded        
#aea  ,,xiii ,the ,onyx ,caves          
#afb   ,,xiv ,crystal ,cave             
#age    ,,xv            ,concluded      
#ahc   ,,xvi ,conclusion                
#baa     ,cave ,regions of  ,,the       
,,ozarks ,,and ,,black ,,hills4         
,,chapter ,i4  ,a ,,general ,,view4     
,o'er mountains bright with snow and    
light1     ,we crystal hunters speed    
along1     ,while grots1 and caves1 and 
icy waves1     ,each instant echo to our
 song2     ,and when we meet with stores
 of gems     ,we grudge not kings their 
diadems4                                
--,thomas ,moore4   ,the southern half  
of the ,state of ,missouri1 and the     
,black ,hills of ,south ,dakota1 offer  
exceptionally delightful regions for the
 study of caves1 or ,speleology as it   
has been named1 and the sister sciences 
of geology and geography at the same    
time4 ,in fact it is impossible to study
 either without giving attention to the 
other two1 and therefore1 instead of    

being separate sciences1 they are the   
three branches of a great scientific    
trinity4  ,the regions here referred to 
enjoy the advantage1 and at the same    
time suffer the disadvantage1 of being  
comparatively little known to the ever  
restless tide of tourists who naturally 
hail with pleasure the announcement that
 some easily accessible1 and thoroughly 
charming spot1 has escaped their        
attention altogether1 with a marvelous  
store of attractions which are both     
extremely old and wholly new4  ,each of 
these regions has a peculiar geological 
history not repeated in any other       
portions of the earth's surface3 each is
 blessed with its own peculiar style of 
beautiful scenery3 and each vies with   
the other and all the world besides for 
the supremacy of its truly wonderful    
caves4 ,yet it should be well understood
 that the claims are not based on an    
unworthy spirit of rivalry1 nor any     
desire to deny the greatness and beauty 
of already famous members of the ,cave  

family4 ,it is simply an announcement   
that the family is much larger than has 
been generally supposed1 and the more   
recently presented members worthy of the
 full measure of distinguished honors4  
,the geological authorities of both     
states have for many years mentioned the
 beauty and importance of these regions1
 and urged their claims to public       
attention1 but have been prevented1 by  
the pressure of other duties1 from      
giving to the caves such careful study  
and full reports as they deserve1 as it 
would have been a pleasure to give1 and 
as has been possible in states of less  
extent where the general work of the    
department is more advanced1 and the    
volume of tourist travel created an     
early demand for scientific explanation4
  ,without any great difficulty we can  
understand the process of cave          
excavation by the action of percolating 
acidulated water on the limestone1 and  
its subsequent removal as the volume of 
surface drainage diverted to the new    

channel gradually increased4 ,but it is 
not so easy to offer a reason for the   
varied forms with which the caves are   
afterwards decorated4 ,why is it the    
charmed waters do not leave the evidence
 of their slow passage only in plain    
surfaces of varying widths1 and the     
stalactites and stalagmites whose       
formation we can readily account for8   
,and why do not the deposits take the   
same forms in all caves with only such  
variations as would naturally result    
from differences in topography8 ,the law
 is written1 but in unfamiliar          
characters that render our reading slow 
and uncertain4 ,yet it is conspicuously 
noticeable that those caves showing the 
most delicately fragile and wonderfully 
varied forms of decoration are those    
traversed by the most sweeping and      
changeable1 or even reversible1 currents
 of air2 which might lead to the        
conclusion that the moisture is sprayed 
or converted into a light1 misty vapor1 
and then deposited in exactly the same  

manner as the beautiful frost-work at   
,niagara3 the direction and force of the
 current determining the location of the
 frail deposits4  ,since the largest and
 most important caves occur in          
limestone1 a little special attention to
 the cause of their occurrence there may
 serve to show that although speleology 
has only recently received its name and 
been elevated to the rank of a separate 
and independent science1 it is one of   
the earth's ancient institutions4  ,our 
geologists1 who have unearthed many     
secrets not dreamed of even in          
,humboldt's good phylosopy1 have settled
 the question of how the different kinds
 of caves were formed1 according to the 
character of rocks they are in1 or their
 location and depth1 and the natural    
agencies to whose action they show signs
 of having been subjected4  ,dr4 ,h4,c4 
,hovey1 in his ,celebrated ,american    
,caverns1 says3 ,in visiting caves of   
large extent1 one is at first inclined  
to regard the long halls1 huge rifts1   

deep pits and lofty domes1 as evidences 
of great convulsions of nature1 whereby 
the earth has been violently rent       
asunder4 ,but1 while mechanical forces  
have had their share in the work1 as has
 been shown1 the main agent in every    
case has been the comparatively gentle1 
invisible gas known as carbonic acid4   
,this is generated by the decay of      
animal and vegetable substances1 and is 
to a considerable degree soluble in     
water4 ,under ordinary circumstances one
 measure of water will absorb one       
measure of carbonic acid2 and the eye   
will detect no difference in its        
appearance4 ,under pressure the power of
 absorption is rapidly increased1 until 
the water thus surcharged has an acid   
taste1 and effervesces on flowing from  
the earth1 as in ,saratoga water4       
,rain-water1 falling amid leaves and    
grass1 and sinking into the soil1       
absorbs large quantities of carbonic    
acid4 ,on reaching the underlying       
limestone1 the latter is instantly      

attacked by the acidulated water in     
which it is dissolved and carried away4 
,it is agreed among geologists1 amazing 
as the statement may seem1 that the     
immense caverns of ,virginia1 ,kentucky 
and ,indiana1 including ,mammoth ,cave  
itself 7the largest of all71 were eaten 
out of the solid mass of limestone by   
the slow1 patient1 but irresistible     
action of acidulated water4  ,professor 
,n4,s4 ,shaler says3 ,the existence of  
deep caverns is a sign that the region  
has long been above the sea4  ,through  
the kindness of ,professor ,c4,j4       
,norwood1 ,chief ,inspector and ,curator
 of the ,geological ,department of      
,kentucky1 it is possible to quote the  
first official report made on the caves 
of that state and published in #ahef1 in
 ,volume ,i41 ,kentucky ,geological     
,survey ,reports4 ,dr4 ,norwood says3   
,referring to the ',subcarboniferous    
,limestone' 7now known as the ,st4      
,louis group of the ,mississippian      
series71 ,dr4 ,owen says3 ',the southern

 belt of this formation is wonderfully  
cavernous1 especially in its upper beds1
 which being more argillaceous1 and     
impregnated with earths and alkalies1   
are disposed to produce salts1 which    
oozing through the pores of the stone   
effloresce on its surface1 and thus tend
 to disintegrate and scale off1         
independent of the solvent effects of   
the carbonated water4 ,beneath          
overhanging ledges of limestone1        
quantities of fine earthy rubbish can be
 seen1 weathered off from such causes4  
,in these ,i have detected sulphate of  
lime1 sulphate of magnesia1 nitrate of  
lime1 and occasionally sulphate of soda4
 ,the tendency which some calcareous    
rocks have to produce nitrate of lime   
is1 probably1 one of the greatest causes
 of disintegration4'  ,most extensive   
subterranean areas thus have been       
excavated or undermined in ,edmonson1   
,hart1 ,grayson1 ,butler1 ,logan1 ,todd1
 ,christian and ,trig4 ,in the vicinity 
of ,green ,river1 in the first of these 

counties1 the known avenues of the      
,mammoth ,cave amount to two hundred and
 twenty-three1 the united length of the 
whole being estimated1 by those best    
acquainted with the ,cave1 at one       
hundred and fifty miles2 say that the   
average width and height of these       
passages amount to seven yards each way1
 which is perhaps near the truth2 this  
would give upwards of twelve million    
cubic yards of cavernous space which has
 been excavated through the agency of   
calcareous waters and atmospheric       
vicissitudes4  ,page #afi3 ,on the south
 side of ,green ,river the platform of  
limestone forming the descent into      
,mammoth ,cave is two hundred and       
thirty-two feet above ,green ,river4    
,the entrance to the cave1 being        
thirty-eight feet lower than this bed of
 limestone1 is one hundred and          
ninety-four feet above ,green ,river4   
,in the above two hundred and thirty-two
 feet there are several heavy masses of 
sandstone1 viz43 at one hundred and     

twenty-five1 one hundred and forty-five1
 one hundred and fifty1 one hundred and 
sixty and two hundred and fifteen feet1 
but it is probable that most of these   
have tumbled from higher positions in   
the hill1 as no alterations of sandstone
 have been observed at these levels in  
the cave4 ,from an elevation of from two
 hundred and forty to two hundred and   
fifty feet1 the prevalent rock is       
sandstone without pebbles1 which can be 
seen extending up to three hundred and  
twelve feet to the foundation of the    
,cave ,hotel4 ,the united thickness of  
the limestone beds on this part of      
,green ,river1 is about two hundred and 
thirty feet1 capped with eighty feet of 
sandstone4 ,about midway of the section 
on this part of ,green ,river1 are      
limestones of an obscure oolitic        
structure1 but no true oolite was       
observed4 ,many of these limestones are 
of such composition as to be acted on   
freely by the elements of the           
atmosphere1 which1 in the form of nitric

 acid1 combine with the earthy and      
alkaline bases of calcareous rock1 and  
give rise to the formation of nitrates  
with the liberation of carbonic acid2   
hence the disintegrated rubbish of the  
caves yields nitrate of potash after    
being treated with the ley of ashes and 
subsequent evaporation of the saline    
lixivium4 ,the wonderfully cavernous    
character of the subcarboniferous       
limestones of the ,green ,river valley1 
and1 indeed1 of these particular members
 of the subcarboniferous group          
throughout a great part of its range in 
,kentucky and ,indiana1 is due in a     
great measure to this cause1 together   
with the solvent and eroding effects of 
water charged with carbonic acid4 ,the  
'rock-houses' frequently encountered    
both in this formation and in the       
limestones of ,silurian date1 are       
produced by similar causes2 the more    
easily disintegrated beds gradually     
crumbling away1 while the more durable  
remain in overhanging ledges4 ,by the   

oxidation of other elements1 sulphates  
of oxide of iron and alkalies result1   
which1 by double decomposition1 with    
carbonate of lime1 give rise to the     
formation of gypsums which appears in   
the form of rosettes1 festoons and      
various other imitative forms on the    
walls and ceilings of the caves4        
,crystallizations of sulphate of soda   
and sulphate of magnesia are not        
uncommon1 both in some of the caves and 
in sheltered situations under shelving  
rocks4  ,the explanations thus given of 
the excavation and subsequent refilling 
and decoration of the limestone caves of
 ,kentucky and ,indiana apply equally   
well to those of other states2 but it is
 to be remembered that at the time of   
,dr4 ,owen's report1 onyx1 the most     
beautiful and valuable of dripstones1   
had not yet been discovered in the      
,united ,states2 while now especially   
fine deposits are known in ,california1 
,utah1 ,missouri1 ,south ,dakota and    
,arkansas2 the ,missouri supply being   

exceptionally valuable on account of the
 marvelous delicacy and beauty of its   
coloring2 nor can it soon be exhausted1 
as deposits have been found in eight    
counties and further exploration will no
 doubt discover more4  ,concerning the  
,subcarboniferous1 or ,mississippian    
,series in ,part ,i41 ,vol4 ,,iv41      
,missouri ,geological ,survey1 ,dr4     
,c4,r4 ,keyes says3 ,in the great       
interior basin of the ,mississippi the  
basal series is exposed more or less    
continuously over broad areas1 extending
 from northern ,iowa to ,alabama1 and   
from ,ohio to ,mexico4  ,while this     
broadly extended series of limestone is 
honey-combed in many places and all     
directions by wonderful caverns1 those  
of the ,ozark regions in ,missouri1     
although comparatively little known1 are
 well worth knowing1 and are possibly   
the most ancient limestone caves in the 
world4 ,of the region in which they     
occur1 ,dr4 ,keyes1 in the volume last  
quoted1 says3 ,the chief typographical  

feature of the state has long been known
 in the ,ozark uplift1 a broad plateau  
with gentle quaquaversal slopes rising  
to a height of more than one thousand   
five hundred feet above mean tide1 and  
extending almost entirely across the    
southern part of the district4 ,on all  
sides the borders of this highland area 
are deeply grooved by numberless streams
 flowing in narrow gorges4 ,against its 
nucleus of very ancient granites and    
porphyries the ,ozark series of         
magnesian limestone was laid down4 ,then
 the area occupied by these rocks was   
elevated1 and around its margins were   
deposited successively the other members
 of the ,paleozoic4 ,the ,ozark region  
was thus the first land to appear within
 the borders of the present state of    
,missouri4 ,he further says3 ,although  
it has long been known that the         
,magnesian ,limestones are older than   
the ,trenton1 and that they lie         
immediately upon and against the ,archan
 crystallines unconformably1 their exact

 geological age has always remained     
unsettled4 ,there seems to be but little
 doubt1 however1 that part of the series
 is equivalent to the ,calciferous of   
other regions4 ,it is also pretty well  
determined that certain of the lower    
beds1 all below the ',saccharoidal'     
,sandstone perhaps1 are representatives 
of the ,upper ,cambrian or ,potsdam4    
,these conclusions appear well grounded 
both upon stratigraphical and faunal    
evidence4 ,the rocks of the ,ozark      
region have not as yet received the     
necessary detailed study to enable the  
several lines of demarkation to be drawn
 with certainty4 ,this investigation is 
now being carried on as rapidly as      
possible1 and promises very satisfactory
 and interesting results in the near    
future4  ,the early geological reports  
represent the ,magnesian ,limestone     
series as made up of seven members4     
,following ,swallow1 these may be       
briefly described in the present        
connection4 ,beginning at the top1 they 

are3  ,first ,magnesian ,limestone4     
,first1 or ,saccharoidal ,sandstone4    
,second ,magnesian ,limestone4 ,second  
,sandstone4 ,third ,magnesian           
,limestone4 ,third ,sandstone4 ,fourth  
,limestone4  ,the ,fourth ,magnesian    
,limestone1 or lowest number of the     
,ozark series recognized1 has its       
typical exposures along the ,niangua and
 ,osage rivers in ,morgan and ,camden   
counties4  ,professor ,swallow1 in his  
,missouri ,geological ,survey ,reports  
,i4 and ,,ii41 #ahec and #ahed1 says3   
,caves1 natural bridges and subterranean
 streams occur in the valley of the     
,osage and its tributaries4 ,the same   
authority of forty years ago also       
mentions that ,some of the grandest     
scenery in the ,state is produced by the
 high castellated and mural bluffs of   
this 7,third ,magnesian ,limestone7     
,formation1 on the ,niangua and the     
,osage4 ,another reference to the       
scenery on these rivers describes it as 
,wild and grand1 beautiful and unique2  

with gaudy-colored bluffs4 ,in the      
section on building materials he        
remarks3 ,one of the most desirable of  
the ,missouri marbles is in the ,third  
,magnesian ,limestone on the ,niangua4  
,it is fine-grained1 crystalline1       
silico-magnesian limestone of a light   
drab1 slightly tinged with              
peach-blossom1 and beautifully clouded  
with the same hue or flesh color4 ,it is
 twenty feet thick and crops out in the 
bluffs4 ,this marble is rarely surpassed
 in the qualities which fit it for      
ornamental architecture4  ,the ,ozarks  
in the extreme southern portion of the  
state are even less known to the world1 
but the scenery is grand1 the climate   
delightful1 and the caves worthy of a   
visit for themselves alone4 ,the ,state 
of ,missouri being one third larger than
 ,england1 and of equal size to         
,switzerland1 ,holland1 ,belgium and    
,denmark combined1 it is not surprising 
that interesting discoveries are still  
to be expected4  ,the climate is so     

varied on account of the range in       
latitude and altitude1 and the natural  
resources are so great1 the claim has   
been made that if the ,state were       
surrounded by an impassable wall1 its   
citizens need not be deprived of any    
article necessary to a refined and      
luxurious mode of living3 and according 
to ,mr4 ,henry ,gannett in ,the         
,building of a ,nation1 the population  
in #ahij was #gc4db per cent4 native    
whites of native parents1 the colored a 
little less than #f per cent41 and      
nearly two-thirds of the balance1 native
 born of parents1 one or both of whom   
were foreign4  ,although the ,ozark     
region has not yet received sufficient  
attention to dull its charm for the     
explorer1 the fact has been established 
that its earliest sedimentary rocks are 
of the ,cambrian ,age and still occupy  
mainly the position in which they were  
originally deposited4 ,therefore we need
 not be surprised to discover that some1
 at least1 of the excavations are       

proportionately ancient2 and that the   
,natural ,bridges are the last remaining
 positive evidence of their former      
existence and final collapse4 ,that the 
,natural ,bridges of ,missouri mark the 
destruction of more ancient caves than  
the one preserved to geological history 
by ,virginia's grand attraction1 seems  
quite evident4 ,the greater age of the  
rocks indicates the possibility of      
earlier excavation while their          
undisturbed position suggests that      
destruction resulted1 not from violent  
earth movement1 but from the slow action
 of agencies requiring long periods of  
time4  ,before proceeding to a          
discussion of the caves visited         
personally for the gratification of     
private interest1 it is desirable to    
know what attention has been given to   
the subject1 incidentally1 in the course
 of regular official duty on the        
,missouri ,geological ,survey4   ,,caves
 ,,described ,,in ,,the ,,state         
,,reports4  ,although many unknown caves

 must yet be discovered in the          
imperfectly explored portions of the    
vast ,ozark forests1 these finds are    
already so numerous as to seldom attract
 attention according to their just      
desserts4  ,one of the comparatively    
recent of these discoveries is ,crystal 
,cave1 at ,joplin1 described on page    
#eff1 ,vol4 ,,vii41 ,missouri           
,geological ,survey ,report #ahid4a ,it 
was opened in the lower workings of a   
shaft of the ,empire ,zinc ,company1 and
 ,the entire surface of the cave1 top1  
sides and bottom1 is lined with calcite 
crystals1 so closely packed together as 
to form a continuous sheet and most of  
them of great size1 and well formed     
faces4 ,scalenohedra as much as two feet
 long are sometimes seen1 and others a  
foot or more in length are common4      
,planes or crystal ghosts1 sometimes    
with pyrite crystals1 marking stages of 
growth in the calcite crystals1 are     
often distinguishable4 ,the entire      
absence of anything like stalactites is 

noticeable1 and together with the       
presence of the crystals1 show that the 
cave was completely filled with water   
during their growth4 ,in the same       
volume1 all those counties in the       
extreme southwest corner of the state1  
whose geological age has not heretofore 
been considered positively determined1  
are mapped as ,lower ,carboniferous1 and
 ,lower ,silurian1 with the ,coal       
,measures covering portions of ,barton  
and ,jasper and appearing in a few      
small1 scattered spots in ,dade1 ,polk1 
,green and ,christian counties1 and some
 scanty lines of ,devonian fringing the 
edges of the ,silurian in ,barton and   
,mc,donald4  ,other ,state reports make 
mention of many caves and fine springs1 
and also several natural bridges worthy 
of special notice4 ,in ,mr4 ,g4,c4      
,broadhead's report for #ahgc-ahgd1 he  
gives a short but interesting chapter on
 caves and water supplies1 in which he  
says that ,caves occur in the ,third    
,magnesian ,limestone1 ,saccharoidal    

,sandstone1 ,trenton1 ,lithographic1    
,encrinital and ,st4 ,louis ,limestone4 
,in ,eastern and ,northeast ,missouri   
there have not been found many large    
caves in the ,encrinital ,limestone1 but
 the lower beds of this formation in    
,southwest ,missouri often enclose very 
large caverns2 among the latter may be  
included the caves of ,green ,county    
with some in ,christian and ,mc,donald4 
,those in ,mc,donald ,i have not seen1  
but they are reported to be very        
extensive and probably are situated in  
the ,encrinital ,limestone4  ,under the 
head of ,special ,descriptions he says3 
,on ,sac ,river1 in the north part of   
,green ,county1 we find a cave with two 
entrances1 one at the foot of a hill1   
opening toward ,sac ,river1 forty-five  
feet high and eighty feet wide4 ,the    
other entrance is from the hill-top1 one
 hundred and fifty feet back from the   
face of the bluff4 ,these two passages  
unite4 ,the exact dimensions of the cave
 are not known1 but there are several   

beautiful and large rooms lined with    
stalactites and stalagmites which often 
assume both beautiful and grotesque     
life-like forms4 ,the cave has been     
explored for several hundred yards1     
showing the formations to be thick      
silicious beds of the ,lower            
,carboniferous formations4  ,knox cave1 
in ,green ,county1 is said to be of     
large dimensions4 ,i have not seen it1  
but some of its stalactites are quite   
handsome4  ,wilson's ,creek sinks       
beneath the ,limestone and appears again
 below4  ,there are several caves near  
,ozark1 ,christian ,county1 which issue 
from the same formation as those in     
,green ,county4 ,on a branch of ,finly  
,creek a stream disappears in a sink1   
appearing again three-quarters of a mile
 southeast through an opening sixty feet
 high by ninety-eight feet wide4 ,up    
stream the cave continues this size for 
a hundred yards and then decreases in   
size1 and for the next quarter of a mile
 further it is generally ten by fourteen

 feet wide4 ,a very clear1 cool stream  
passes out1 in which by careful search  
crawfish without eyes can be found4     
,there is another cave a few miles south
 of ,ozark1 and another ten miles       
southeast occurs in the ,magnesian      
,limestone4  ,in ,boone ,county there   
are several caves in the ,encrinital    
,limestone4 ,conner's1 the largest1 is  
said to have been explored for a        
distance of eight miles4  ,in ,pike and 
,lincoln there are several small caves  
occurring in the upper beds of ,trenton 
,limestone1 which are often very        
cavernous4 ,on ,sulphur ,fork of        
,cuivre1 there is a cave and ,natural   
,bridge1 to which parties for pleasure  
often resort4 ,the bridge is tubular    
with twenty feet between the walls1 and 
is one hundred feet long4  ,at ,j4,p4   
,fisher's on ,spencer ,creek1 ,ralls    
,county1 there is a cave having an      
entrance of ninety feet wide by twenty  
feet high4 ,the ,lower ,trenton beds    
occupy the floor1 with the upper        

cavernous beds above4 ,on the bluff1 at 
a distance of one hundred and fifty     
yards back1 there is a sink-hole which  
communicates with the cave4 ,within the 
cave is a cool1 clear spring of water1  
and ,mr4 ,f4 said he could keep meat    
fresh there for six weeks during        
midsummer4  ,the ,third ,magnesian      
,limestone which occupies such a large  
portion of ,southwest ,missouri1 often  
contains very large caves4 ,one of them1
 known as ,friede's cave1 is six or     
eight miles ,northwest of ,rolla1 on    
,cave ,spring ,creek4  ,it is said to   
have been explored for several miles1   
but ,i only passed in a few hundred     
yards4 ,the stalactites here are very   
beautiful1 assuming the structure of    
satin spar4 ,a very clear stream of     
water issues out4 ,west of the          
,gasconade1 on ,clifty ,creek1 is a     
remarkable ,natural ,bridge which ,i    
have elsewhere described in ,geological 
,survey of ,missouri1 #ahee-ga1 page    
#af4  ,mr4 ,meek speaks of a large and  

interesting cave on ,tavern ,creek1 in  
,miller ,county4 ,dr4 ,shumard estimates
 a cave on ,bryant's ,fork1 in ,ozark   
,county1 to be a mile and a half long4  
,this description of ,dr4 ,shumard's is 
in the ,geological ,survey of ,missouri1
 #ahee-ga1 page #aif1 where he says3    
,the entrance is thirty-five feet wide  
and thirty feet high1 and is situated at
 the foot of a perpendicular cliff1 and 
far above the water-level of ,bryant4   
,just within the entrance it expands to 
sixty or seventy feet1 with a height of 
about fifty feet2 and this part of the  
cave has been used by the citizens of   
the county as a place for holding       
camp-meeting4 ,i estimated its length at
 not far short of one mile and a half4  
,the main passage is in general quite   
spacious1 the roof elevated1 and the    
floor tolerably level1 but often wet and
 miry4 ,for some distance beyond the    
entrance there is not much to attract   
attention2 but as we proceed1 at the far
 extremity the chambers are quite as    

picturesque as the most noted of the    
well-known ,mammoth ,cave4 ,the         
ceilings1 sides and floor are adorned   
with a multitude of stalactites and     
stalagmites arranged in fanciful        
combinations1 and assuming a variety of 
fantastic and beautiful forms4  ,many of
 these caves contain niter1 which occurs
 as a mineral and not as evidence of    
former animal occupation1 it being found
 in the form of effervescenses on the   
walls4 ,dr4 ,shumard mentions several of
 this character in ,pulaski ,county1 the
 most noted being ,niter ,cave1 in the  
,third ,magnesian ,limestone1 with a    
wide entrance thirty feet above the     
level of the ,gasconade4 ,on page #bja1 
he also gives a charming description of 
one of the immense springs that are     
numerous in this region and that ,i have
 never seen elsewhere4 ,he says3  ,ozark
 ,county is bountifully supplied with   
springs of the finest water1 and some of
 them of remarkably large size4 ,the    
largest one is situated near the ,north 

,fork1 in ,t4 #bd1 ,r4 #aa ,w41 ,sec4   
#cb1 and is known under the name of the 
,double ,spring4 ,it issues from near   
the base of a bluff of ,sandstone and   
,magnesian ,limestone1 a few feet above 
the level of the ,north ,fork4 ,this    
spring discharges an immense volume of  
water1 which is divided by a huge mass  
of ,sandstone into two streams1 with    
swift currents flowing in opposite      
directions to join the ,north ,fork     
about one hundred and fifty yards       
distant from the spring4 ,i estimated   
the width of these streams at not less  
than fifty yards4 ,they are separated   
from the ,north ,fork by a pretty wooded
 island one hundred yards long4 ,the    
upper stream affords a good mill-site4  
,i am informed that the quantity of     
water discharged by this magnificent    
spring is not materially diminished     
during the dryest seasons of the year4  
,the temperature of the water measured  
at the edge of the spring1 was found to 
be #ef2 the temperature of the air at   

the same time1 #ei4 ,other springs of   
considerable magnitude occur in various 
portions of the county1 giving rise to  
beautiful and limpid streams4  ,the     
descriptions of the ,natural ,bridge and
 ,friede's cave1 near ,rolla1 previously
 referred to as being on page #af of the
 same volume1 are as follows3  ,on      
,clifty ,creek found the chert bed of   
,sec4 #ba-e occurring about sixty feet  
from the top of the ,third ,magnesian   
,limestone1 with a road passing over its
 upper surface1 presenting it very      
favorably for observation4 ,it seemed   
here to be broken by vertical cracks    
into large rhomboidal blocks4 ,further  
up this creek in a wild and secluded    
spot1 observed a ,natural ,bridge with  
six feet of this chert bed at its base1 
and ,silicious ,magnesian ,limestone    
above4 ,the span of this bridge is about
 thirty feet1 an elevation of opening   
about fifteen feet above the water1 the 
thickness of the rock above is about    
twelve feet1 and width on top about     

fifteen feet4 ,two small streams come   
together1 one from the west and another 
from the south-west4 ,a point of the    
bluff on the south-west fork spans the  
northern fork1 and terminates about     
sixty feet beyond in a sharp point2 a   
few large masses of rock lie near the   
termination of the promontory1 and fifty
 feet beyond1 the bluffs of the opposite
 hills rise abruptly from the bottoms4  
,the bluffs1 both above and below1 are  
very precipitous1 the middle and lower  
beds of the ,third ,magnesian ,limestone
 forming perpendicular escarpments1     
frequently studded with cedar1 some     
occurring on top of the bridge4 ,a      
perfectly clear stream of water courses 
through this valley4 ,the bottoms near  
are overspread with a dense growth of   
trees and vines1 among which latter ,i  
noticed the ,muscadine grape4 ,the      
valley at this part being shut in by its
 perpendicular cliffs with not a path to
 guide the traveler through the dense   
thickets1 is wildly picturesque and     

romantic in its loneliness4  ,of the    
cave he says3 ,this cave is a quarter of
 a mile east of ,cave ,spring ,creek1   
and has a wide and elevated entrance2   
passing into it a hundred yards or more1
 the passage narrows1 and in order to go
 further a stream of water has          
frequently to be waded through2 this    
passage has been followed by some       
persons several miles without finding   
any object of interest2 but a few       
hundred yards from the entrance1 by     
diverging to the right1 we enter a large
 chamber1 studded with stalactites and  
stalagmites1 many uniting and forming   
solid columns of support4 ,many of these
 are very beautiful1 and often as white 
as alabaster4 ,there are other large    
rooms1 but they possess no peculiar     
interest4 ,found large deposits of earth
 on the floor having a saline taste4    
,of the extensive pine forests in ,ozark
 ,county1 he says3 ,the size and quality
 of the timber will compare favorably   
with that of the celebrated pineries of 

,wisconsin and ,minnesota4  ,in several 
other counties the pine is equally good1
 and other valuable timber everywhere   
abundant1 although in a school geography
 published in #ahch1 the following      
descriptions of this region occur3  ,the
 lowlands of the ,mississippi are       
bounded by the region of the ,ozark     
,mountains4 ,with the exception of the  
alluvial tracts on the borders of the   
streams1 it is extremely hilly and      
broken4 ,the mountains rise from eight  
hundred to eighteen hundred feet above  
the streams1 with rounded summits and   
often perpendicular cliffs1 and have a  
rocky surface1 which admits only a      
scanty growth of timber4 99 99          
,missouri is generally a region of      
prairies and table lands1 much of which1
 as already described1 is almost        
destitute of timber and water4 ,it is   
crossed by the ,ozark ,mountains1 which 
form a rugged tract of considerable     
extent4 ,earthquakes are not infrequent 
in some parts of this state4 ,the soil  

is not generally productive4  ,a        
comparison of these curious views with  
the latest official reports is highly   
amusing1 as well as suggestive that     
early impressions are liable to require 
modification4  ,in addition to the      
wonderful springs of pure water1 there  
are numerous fine mineral springs1 among
 which are a number of ,epsom salt      
springs4 ,at ,jacksonville1 in ,randolph
 ,county1 there is a large mineral      
spring from which it is said an         
over-heated horse may drink all he will 
without injury4 ,epsom-salts1 or        
,epsomite1 frequently occurs1 as does   
the ,niter1 in a crystalline form of the
 pure mineral1 as an efflorescence on   
rocks in many of the caves and in other 
sheltered positions4  ,illustration3    
,the ,surveyed ,portions of ,marble     
,cave ,stone ,county ,missouri          
,surveyed and ,plotted by ,fred ,prince4
 #ahid  ,scale of #ajj feet             
,,footnotes3  #a ,lead and ,zinc4 ,prof4
 ,c4,r4 ,keyes4     ,,chapter ,,ii4     

,,marble ,,cave4   ,marble ,cave1 which 
is the finest yet explored in ,missouri1
 is southeast of the center of ,stone   
,county1 a short distance north of the  
picturesque ,white ,river4 ,the nearest 
station is ,marionville on the ,st4     
,louis and ,san ,francisco railroad1 and
 the drive of forty miles is delightful1
 but can be divided1 into two of twenty 
each by a stop at ,galena4 ,the road1   
for the most part1 is naturally         
macadamized and is through a most       
charming country whose roughness and    
beauty increase together as the journey 
advances4 ,at first it winds along      
fertile valleys between wooded hills1   
crossing many times a shallow stream of 
water so clear as to afford no          
concealment for an occasional           
water-moccasin1 whose bite is said to be
 not poisonous if inflicted under water1
 and which must be true because the     
horses showed not the least uneasiness4 
,the second week in ,may found the      
vegetation in its summer beauty2        

strawberries were ripe1 and the weather 
without a fault4  ,galena is pleasantly 
situated on the hills overlooking the   
,james ,river1 and is entirely invisible
 from the road by which it is approached
 until a slight curve in the line of    
ascent ends the first half of the       
journey with surprising suddenness4 ,in 
the immediate vicinity there are several
 small caves which are worthy of        
attention and will be described later   
on4  ,to properly picture the twenty    
miles of changing and charming views    
between ,galena and ,marble ,cave would 
require the light and skillful touch of 
a special artist gifted with a tangible 
perception of atmospheric values4       
,gradually the road forsakes the pretty 
valleys with their fields and streams1  
to take the summit of the hills and then
 be known as the ,ridge ,road1 which    
affords a wide range of vision not      
previously enjoyed1 presenting scenes   
not to be found reproduced elsewhere    
with any degree of exactness4 ,looking  

into the depth of the forest as it      
slopes away on either side1 the         
impression is of a magnificent park1    
undefaced by what are called            
improvements4 ,this effect is produced  
by the scarcity1 or entire absence of   
underbrush1 and a beautiful surface     
covering of grasses or flowering plants 
of all kinds and colors1 varied here and
 there with masses of ferns of unusual  
size and delicate beauty4 ,the most     
unexpected and lavish feature of the    
rich display is the many miles of       
fragrant honeysuckle that grows only    
eighteen inches high in the forest      
shade1 but if transplanted to a sunny   
spot develops into the familiar vine4   
,the most beautiful portion of all this 
is called ,the ,wilderness1 and seems   
designed for a ,national ,park4 ,such a 
park reserve1 even if very small1 could 
not fail to be a lasting pleasure1 since
 it would be more accessible to large   
centers of population than other        
reserves1 and its most delightful       

seasons are spring and autumn when the  
,yellowstone is under snow4             
,illustration3 ,a ,mill-,site ,near     
,marble ,cave4  ,the distant view       
obtained through open spaces is an      
undulating forest in all directions1    
being apparently both trackless and     
endless4 ,the great variety of greens   
observed in the foliage blends in the   
distance into one dark shade1 then      
changes to dark blue1 which gradually   
fades out to a hazy uncertainty where it
 is lost at the sky-line4  ,as long ago 
as #ahec1 the variety and abundance of  
the natural growth of fruits throughout 
the ,ozarks was observed by ,professor  
,swallow1 who then advised the planting 
of vines4  ,beyond the ,wilderness is   
the ,marble ,cave property and the      
entrance to the ,cave is through a large
 sink-hole in the top of ,roark         
,mountain4 ,this hole is said to be     
about two hundred feet long1 one hundred
 feet wide and thirty-five feet deep4   
,it is shaped like a great oblong bowl  

with sloping sides1 divided irregularly 
near the middle1 and having the bottom  
broken out in a jagged way that is very 
handsome and gives an ample support to  
the growth of ferns1 wild roses1 and    
other vegetation with which it is       
abundantly decorated4 ,about half of the
 descent into the basin is accomplished 
by scrambling down the roughly broken   
rocks1 and the balance by a broad wooden
 stairway ending at a narrow platform   
that supports the locked gate4  ,for    
kind and valuable assistance rendered to
 insure the success and pleasure of the 
visit to the wonderful cave1 which they 
regard with affection and pride1 very   
cordial thanks are due to ,capt4 ,t4,s4 
,powell1 former manager1 his son1 ,mr4  
,will ,powell1 the first guide1 and ,mr4
 ,fred ,prince1 who has made the only   
official survey and map4 ,it may be     
stated here that the survey and map are 
far from complete1 and many known       
passages have never yet been entered4   
,being the first visiting party of the  

season1 certain disadvantages were      
encountered in a great accumulation of  
wet clay and rubbish1 washed in by the  
rains since the previous summer2 but the
 gate was opened with considerable      
effort1 and slowly and cautiously we    
descended the slippery1 clay-banked     
stairs to the immense mound of debris   
forty-five feet below the gate1 to      
behold1 at last1 the grandeur of the    
,auditorium4  ,the magnificence of that 
one chamber should give to ,marble ,cave
 a world-wide fame even if there were   
nothing more beyond4 ,the blue-gray     
limestone walls have a greater charm    
than those of an open caon1 owing to the
 fact that they sweep away from any     
given point in long1 true curves to form
 an elliptical chamber three hundred and
 fifty feet long by one hundred and     
twenty-five feet wide1 with the vault   
above showing absolute perfection of    
arch1 and measuring1 by the survey1 from
 its lowest to its highest point1 one   
hundred and ninety-five feet4 ,these    

measurements are said to be indisputably
 correct1 and if so1 the ,auditorium of 
,marble ,cave is the largest            
unsupported1 perfect arch in the world2 
it being one hundred feet longer than   
the famous ,mormon ,tabernacle at ,salt 
,lake ,city4 ,in addition to the        
artistic superiority of architectural   
form1 its acoustic properties having    
been tested1 it is found to be truly an 
auditorium4 ,the curving walls and pure 
atmosphere combine to aid the voice1 and
 carry its softest tones with marvelous 
distinctness to every portion of the    
immense inclosed space4 ,as a concert   
hall its capacity has been tested by    
musicians who are said to have been     
enthusiastic over the success of their  
experiments4 ,several years ago a piano 
was lowered into the cave for use on a  
special occasion1 and still occupies a  
position on the dancing platform1 where 
it will probably remain indefinitely    
under the scant protection of a small   
canvas tent4  ,the chief ornament of the

 ,auditorium is the ,white ,throne1 a   
stalagmitic mass that when viewed from  
the stairway appears to rest solidly    
against the most distant wall1 and looks
 so small an object in that vast space  
as to render a realization of its actual
 measurement impossible4 ,the height of 
the ,throne is sixty-five feet and the  
girth two hundred4 ,it is a mass of     
dripstone resting on a limestone base   
reserved from the ancient excavation to 
receive it1 and on careful inspection   
the perpendicular lines1 observed on the
 front1 are found to be a set of rather 
large organ pipes4 ,a fresh fracture    
shows the ,throne to be a most beautiful
 white and gold onyx4 ,the outer surface
 has now received a thin coating of     
yellow clay which was1 of course1       
regretted1 but later observations on    
onyx building reveals the pleasing fact 
that if the crystal-bearing waters      
continue to drip1 the yellow clay will  
supply the coloring matter for a golden 
band of crystal4  ,the ,throne is hollow

 and has a natural opening in one side  
by which it may be entered1 but the     
space within is too limited to invite a 
lengthy stay4 ,that portion of the      
outside which is nearest the wall is    
formed with sufficient irregularity of  
outline to admit of an ascent to the    
top1 and the view obtained is well worth
 the difficult scramble up and the      
apprehensive slide down4 ,being raised  
so high above all objects that divide   
attention or in some degree obstruct the
 view1 permits a freedom of outlook that
 sensibly increases the appreciation of 
the vastness of the enclosed chamber and
 its enclosing walls4 ,efforts to       
establish the age of the deposit by     
observations on the yearly growth1 would
 afford little satisfaction1 for the    
obvious reason that conditions governing
 the growth are dependent1 in a measure1
 on each season's vegetation4 ,deposit  
began1 of course1 after the erosion of  
the chamber ceased1 and therefore       
represents only a fraction of the age of

 the cave itself4 ,about thirty feet    
west of the ,white ,throne and against  
the wall1 stands the next onyx          
attraction in the form of a beautiful   
fluted column nearly twenty feet high1  
tapering up from a base three feet in   
diameter1 and known as the ,spring ,room
 ,sentinel1 because the ,spring of      
,youth is just behind it although not   
directly connected with the ,auditorium2
 it being the first chamber on the left 
in ,total ,depravity ,passage1 a wet and
 dangerous way of which next to nothing 
is known1 but the entrance to which is a
 fine arch a few feet west of the       
,sentinel4 ,the ,spring of ,youth is    
reached by climbing through a           
window-like opening1 and is very small1 
very wet1 very cold1 and very beautiful4
 ,it is not more than ten feet high nor 
six in its greatest length and breadth1 
but every inch of its irregular surface 
is composed of dripstone of a bright    
yellowish-red and colorless crystal2 and
 down the glittering walls trickles     

clear and almost ice-cold water1 to the 
onyx floor where it is caught and held  
in a marvelous fluted bowl of its own   
manufacture4 ,this is said to be the gem
 of the whole cave and seems to have    
been placed where it is for the         
consolation of those who are unable to  
enjoy the peculiar grandeur of the      
,auditorium1 and leave it as some       
actually are said to do1 with a sense of
 disappointment1 because it is not the  
gleaming white hall of marble which some
 writers for reputable journals have    
allowed their imaginations to create4   
,in winter the ,spring of ,youth ,room  
takes on a complete coating of ice1 with
 icicles of all sizes hanging from the  
ceiling and projections4 ,the effect is 
described as being wonderfully          
beautiful4  ,further down ,total        
,depravity ,passage we were not urged to
 go1 because at that season of the year 
it is wet and difficult1 without any    
sufficient promise of a brilliant       
compensation for the achievement of such

 a journey4 ,but the ,spring of ,youth  
,room1 or as it is generally called1 the
 ,spring ,room1 is more than ample      
justification for the existence of the  
passage1 and would still be if that     
passage were several miles in length and
 the attraction located at the most     
distant limit4  ,illustration3 ,wall in 
,spring ,room4 ,page #cb4  ,the various 
passages in ,marble ,cave are by no     
means alike or even similar2 some having
 been opened by the action of water     
assisted only by acid carried in        
solution2 while others are the          
unmistakable crevices of earthquake     
origin1 afterwards enlarged1 or perhaps 
only remodeled1 as we might say1 by the 
water's untiring energy in changing the 
position of rock masses without         
obliterating evidences of original      
design4  ,a glance at the map shows the 
sudden breaking off of the various      
passages represented2 the end1 however1 
is not of the passages themselves1 but  
only of the exploration or the survey of

 them1 and there is a possibility that  
future developments will lead to the    
discovery of more caves than are yet    
known4 ,however that may be1 the        
glimpses already had into the beyond are
 said to be alluring4  ,to the north of 
the ,auditorium1 which was until        
recently called the ,grand              
,amphitheater1 there opens out a kind of
 alcove extension known as the ,mother  
,hubbard ,room1 and spreading out from  
this is the corridor1 a room about one  
hundred and twenty-five feet long and   
seventy-five feet in width1 with a low1 
narrow passage1 or crawl1 leading from  
the northeast into the ,grotto1 a       
dome-shaped room formerly called the    
,battery1 on account of the great number
 of bats that used to congregate in it4 
,it is about forty feet in diameter and 
fifty feet in height4 ,on one side of   
this room is a narrow squeeze opening   
into a passage several feet lower than  
the floor level of the ,grotto and      
leading to the ,spanish ,room1 which    

when discovered bore indications of     
having been occupied by a human being   
who had tried to escape by tunneling1 or
 by reaching a hole in the roof2 which  
is said to be impossible for him to have
 done without outside assistance4 ,as no
 bones have been found we may hope the  
assistance arrived in time4 ,when the   
discovery of the room was made1 a       
quantity of loose rock was piled before 
the entrance1 so if he ever escaped it  
was not by that way4  ,after crawling   
back to the ,corridor1 through the same 
small1 but dry passage of seventy feet  
length1 we saw a narrow ledge of fine   
crystals1 a deposit of ,epsom salts1 and
 a few bats that in the dim light looked
 white but are a light tan color with   
brown wings4 ,a good specimen hanging on
 a projecting ledge of the wall remained
 undisturbed by us and our lights1      
giving an opportunity for careful       
inspection so that we presently         
discovered it to be a mummy2 which      
naturally suggests that this portion of 

the cave1 being dry and opening out of  
the great temple-like ,auditorium as an 
alcove1 could be converted into an      
imposing crypt4  ,making our way across 
the room to its southwest extremity over
 a varied assortment of bowlders and    
down a drop of eight or ten feet1 we    
crawled into another tight-fitting dry  
passage lined with beautiful glittering 
onyx like clear ice banded with narrow  
lines of red1 of which broken fragments 
covered the narrow floor and made a     
dazzling1 but distressingly painful rug 
to crawl over4 ,this is the ,west       
,passage and leads to the ,grand        
,crevice1 of which only a small portion 
has been surveyed2 midway of the passage
 are the ,epsom ,rooms1 two in number1  
and well supplied with epsomite or      
native ,epsom salts2 this is sometimes  
called the ,windy ,passage1 on account  
of a rushing current of air met suddenly
 at the first bend and1 no doubt1 due to
 the meeting here of fresh air coming in
 from the outside with that chemically  

changed in the ,epsom ,rooms4  ,the cave
 contains a great many dangerous places1
 as we correctly surmised on the morning
 of our introduction2 when ,mr4         
,powell's blessing on the breakfast was 
lost in so fervent a prayer for the safe
 and successful accomplishment of our   
undertaking1 it seemed inconsiderate not
 to present the reassuring appearance of
 inexhaustible endurance4  ,in the      
,corridor can be seen one of the three  
old ,spanish ladders found in the cave  
when it was rediscovered2 but when and  
for what purpose the ,spaniards used the
 cave there seems to be no means of     
finding out4 ,it should be remembered   
that this part of the ,united ,states   
was occupied first by the ,spaniards and
 then by the ,french1 and is a portion  
of the ,louisiana ,purchase1 a tract of 
#hig1ica square miles1 or #gj1jjj square
 miles more than the original thirteen  
states4 ,the price asked and paid was   
#ab1jjj1jjj and the assumption of claims
 which citizens of this country had     

against the ,french ,government for     
about #c1gej1jjj more4 ,the ,french     
offered to make the sale on account of  
being thoroughly discouraged with       
constant troubles arising with the      
,indians1 whom they had decided it would
 be impossible to persuade or compel to 
recognize any laws other than those     
established by each tribe for itself1 or
 accepted by friendly treaty with the   
council and disregarded by individuals  
on both sides3--and the ,united ,states 
accepted the offer1 not for any expected
 value in the land1 but for the         
unrestricted navigation of the          
,mississippi ,river4 ,therefore         
,missouri was never under ,british rule 
and never changed hands by force of     
arms4  ,but to return to the ,spanish   
ladder1 it is a tall pine tree notched  
on the sides for steps1 and the stump of
 a branch left or a peg inserted at     
considerable intervals1 for hand        
supports to assist in raising the weight
 of the body4  ,returning to the        

,auditorium1 we entered a passage behind
 the ,great ,white ,throne and started  
on what might well be called the ,water 
,route1 for no dry spot is touched on   
the round trip2 but if one goes prepared
 for such a journey it is well worth the
 effort and the mud4 ,if the visitor is 
a man1 the suit worn should be one he is
 ready to part with1 or overalls2 ladies
 receive the same advice even to the    
overalls1 as some of the most beautiful 
portions of the cave1 which we failed to
 see1 can be visited only in that       
objectionable costume4 ,to visit any    
cave comfortably a short dress is       
necessary and if any thing like a       
thorough knowledge of the ramifications 
is desired1 the unavoidable climbing    
will soon prove the superior claims of a
 divided skirt2 but if it is properly   
made1 only the wearer need be conscious 
of the divide4 ,rubber boots and        
water-proof protection for the head and 
shoulders complete a costume that is not
 exactly an artistic creation1 unless   

our ideas of art have been gathered in  
the school of ,socrates1 but it is      
suited to the requirements of the       
occasion and makes the explorations far 
more easy and profitable than they      
otherwise could be4  ,the passage back  
of the ,white ,throne is called the     
,serpentine ,passage1 and most of it is 
sufficiently high for traveling in an   
erect position2 yet there are several   
places that require crawling4 ,the first
 stopping point is the ,gulf of ,doom   
,room1 or as it is also known1 the      
,register ,room1 because here visitors  
usually write their names in the        
peculiar dark red clay1 which is moist  
but firm and cuts with a polish4 ,this  
room is twenty-five feet high and fifty 
feet wide1 and looks off into the ,gulf 
of ,doom1 which seems rightly named when
 a rock is thrown into it and you note  
the lapse of time before any sound      
returns2 and when the awful ,gulf is    
made visible by lights thrown in1 one   
involuntarily seeks a firmer footing and

 clings to a projecting rock4 ,the      
height of the ,gulf is ninety-five feet 
and the distant sound of falling water  
is not reassuring4 ,the walls are not   
smoothly worn away1 but have the rough  
and weird appearance of having been torn
 by a torrent in a narrow mountain      
gorge1 and are stained with the dark    
clay4  ,retracing our steps a short     
distance1 if that style of locomotion   
could be called steps1 we turned into   
,dor's ,gallery1 and surely that artist 
was in his usual working mood when he   
conceived this awful method of          
connecting the upper regions with the   
lower4 ,great bowlders have fallen down 
without helping to fill the black holes 
that received them1 and into this real  
,inferno we proceeded to descend by     
narrow1 ladder-like stairs provided with
 a light hand rail1 and trembling       
slightly with the responsibility they   
assumed4 ,if any one's courage trembled 
too1 no notice was taken of it1 and a   
record of exploring experiences does not

 necessarily include a confession of any
 doubts4  ,on all the ladders in this   
,gallery was a fine white fungus growth 
in the form of a thick1 heavy mold1 that
 the lightest touch destroyed4 ,in caves
 where some care is taken to protect    
this mold1 it attains a growth of six or
 more feet and assumes the forms of     
sea-weed4  ,once down the first and     
longest flight of stairs1 without any   
signs of a ,dor dragon raising its huge 
body by heavy claws to a resting place  
among the rocks1 awe divides more evenly
 with admiration2 and being already well
 besmeared with mud1 we climbed over the
 clay-covered bowlders and crawled      
through narrow holes with perfect       
satisfaction1 enjoying each novel scene 
to the utmost4  ,off from the ,dor      
,gallery is a small chamber containing  
the ,fountain of ,youth1 that must be   
seen1 but the way1 like that of the     
transgressor1 is hard4 ,arrived at the  
entrance we hesitated a moment1 for     
although getting in looked possible1 the

 way out again seemed not so simple2 but
 finally trusting to ,providence1       
through the direct agency of our careful
 guardians1 of course1 we sat down on   
the edge of the large slippery bowlder  
on which we stood1 and reaching out     
caught a projection of the wall on one  
side and a bowlder crag on the other1   
swung off and dropped into the soft mud 
below4 ,this chamber proved to be a     
little gem2 small but high1 and         
beautifully adorned with calcite        
crystal4 ,down a wall of red onyx on one
 side clear water flows into a basin in 
the irregular1 rocky floor1 just behind 
the bowlder we had used for a hand-rest 
at the entrance2 the perfectly          
transparent water in the basin appears  
to be only a few inches deep1 but       
measures three feet1 and is several     
degrees colder than the air1 which in   
this portion of the cave is warm4 ,the  
other wall of this room is an almost    
perpendicular bank of the soft dark red 
clay1 in which small selenite crystals  

are sprouting like plants in a garden4  
,suddenly we heard a heavy1 rolling     
noise like distant thunder1 and asking  
if it were possible to hear a thunder   
storm so far below the surface1 were    
told it was the protest of angry bats   
against a further advance on the        
quarters to which they have retreated   
from the main body of the cave1 and     
their orders were obeyed3 so of what may
 be in that direction1 we gained no     
positive knowledge besides bats1 and the
 fact that1 small as they are1 their    
great numbers make them dangerous when  
angry4 ,returning to the gallery and    
continuing the journey down over        
slippery rock and slender ladders we    
came at length to the bottom of the     
,gulf of ,doom1 into which we had looked
 from the room now high above us2 and we
 needed no stimulating help to the      
imagination to pronounce it a fit       
termination to an artist's troubled     
dream4  ,illustration3 ,the ,waterfall4 
,page #da4  ,then climbing over an      

assortment of bowlders of all sizes1    
going up a little1 and swinging or      
sliding down1 we came to a point in the 
narrow passage where the floor is a flat
 slab1 like a large paving stone1 tilted
 up at a steep angle against one wall   
and not reaching the other by about     
fifteen inches1 with darkness of unknown
 depth below3 about three feet above    
this opening the wall projects in a     
narrow1 shelving ledge1 and everything  
is covered with a thin coating of       
slippery wet clay4 ,the only way to     
cross that uninviting bridge is to brace
 the feet against the slab1 and leaning 
on the ledge1 slowly work across4 ,a    
little more rough work and the descent  
of the two short ladders1 brought us1 at
 last1 under the beautiful ,waterfall1  
where we stood as in a heavy shower of  
rain at the lowest point yet reached in 
the cave1 which according to the survey 
of ,mr4 ,prince is four hundred feet    
below the surface4 ,the falling water   
has ornamented the walls1 which in this 

portion of the cave expose over two     
hundred feet of ,magnesian ,limestone1  
with unique forms of dripstone2 and the 
steeply sloping floor has received the  
over-charge of calcium carbonate until  
it has become a shining mass of onyx1   
retaining pools of cold1 transparent    
water in the depressions4 ,in the lowest
 corner there is only mud1 and above it 
rises1 to a height of at least fifteen  
feet a bank of miry1 yellow clay1 at the
 top of which a hole in the wall is the 
only known entrance to ,blondy's        
,throne4  ,illustration3 ,longitudinal  
and ,cross-,sections of ,passages in    
,marble ,cave1 ,stone ,co41 ,missouri4  
,plotted by ,fred ,prince1 #ahid4       
,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,marble ,,cave       
,,continued4   ,on account of the long  
crawl through mud and cold water1 it was
 at first suggested and then strongly   
advised1 that we should not undertake to
 make the trip to ,blondy's ,throne3 and
 yearning to see what is considered the 
cave's chief beauty was not easy to     

overcome1 but after careful attention to
 the deep mire of the approach the      
advice seemed good1 especially as ,mr4  
,powell kindly promised to write a      
description of its trials and treasures2
 which he promptly did1 thereby making  
it possible for us to continue the      
journey now without a disappointing     
interruption1 so we will proceed to wade
 that mud bank with him in his own way4 
,he says3 ,as ,mecca is to the          
,mohammedan1 so is ,blondy's ,throne    
,room to the pilgrim who invades the    
chaos and penetrates the mysteries of   
,marble ,cave4 ,when the subject is     
mentioned to the guide1 he shrugs his   
shoulders and assumes an imploring look1
 and begins at once to mention the      
difficulties of getting there4 ,but if  
you insist upon it he will go4 ,the     
passage by which this room has to be    
reached1 if passage it may be called1   
must be entered from the ,waterfall     
,room1 and a steep ascent must be made  
until an elevation of fifty feet is     

reached above the bottom of that room4  
,this ascent has been called ,hughse's  
,slide1 as a man of that name once lost 
his footing at the top and slid on the  
wet and very slippery clay all the way  
to the bottom1 leaving a very sleek     
trail4 ,the ascent is difficult1 as the 
soft clay is deep and wet and the sides 
are reeking and covered also with soft  
yielding clay4 ,when the top of the     
slide is once reached1 a low passage six
 feet wide and two feet high is         
discovered1 and stooping low1 or        
actually lying flat down1 you enter4    
,the top of the passage is of smooth    
rock and the bottom is of wet clay with 
an occasional variation of sharp gravel4
 ,the air is good1 and as a lizard1 you 
start forward4 ,in places the passage   
widens to ten or twelve feet and again  
narrows to six feet4  ,in about one     
hundred feet you encounter a small pond 
of water filling the whole width of the 
passage and extending twenty to thirty  
feet1 but the guide tells you it is only

 one foot deep1 and calls attention to  
the fact that the water does not come   
within a foot of the roof of the passage
 and you can easily keep your chin above
 it1 and with this assurance through you
 go4  ,within the next one hundred feet 
you encounter and pass in the same      
manner three more ponds of varying      
sizes4 ,the guide calls your attention  
to the fact that you are not alone1 and 
looking about you by the dim light of   
your candle you see numbers of small    
eyeless salamanders1 from four inches to
 one foot long4 ,they are peaceable and 
harmless1 appear to have no teeth and   
are easily caught1 if you so desire4    
,another hundred feet and the ,rest     
,room1 or ,egyptian ,temple is reached1 
and rising to your feet you may rest4   
,the room is small1 but contains        
beautifully fluted walls1 resembling    
basaltic columns2 and natural marks of  
erosion that resemble hieroglyphic      
inscriptions4 ,from the other side of   
this room the passage goes on with the  

same characteristics1 but as you enter  
to go forward a sound strikes the ear1  
and you pause to listen4 ,it is a       
confusion of sounds1 a babel of voices2 
and sounds like a distant conversation  
carried on by a large number of people4 
,so striking is this resemblance that   
you instantly ask the guide if there are
 people in the room ahead1 and hardly   
believe him when he says1 ',no4'  ,you  
hear voices of men1 voices of boys1     
babies1 girls and ladies1 and           
occasionally loud laughter2 but forward 
is the word and on you go1 encouraged by
 the assurance of the guide that you are
 now over half way through the passage  
and that the sounds came from ,blondy's 
,throne ,room4 ,suddenly the passage    
divides into two much alike1 and taking 
the right hand one1 you make your slow  
advance until at last1 with clothes     
soaked and covered with clay mud1 and   
your strength about gone1 you begin to  
feel desperate and tell the guide that  
you will go no further1 when you see him

 rise to his feet1 and he says3 ',here  
we are4' ,you step over a steep bank of 
clay and emerge into a large room4 ,it  
is almost square in shape2 about eighty 
feet long and sixty feet wide1 and about
 fifty feet high1 with white1 smooth    
walls and a pure white ceiling1 and     
sloping gradually downward on the left  
ends in a small1 clear lake of water4   
,this lake has a beautiful beach of     
white pebbles1 and though shallow on the
 edge seems quite deep at the center2 in
 fact it is believed to have there a    
concealed opening that gives exit to its
 waters4 ,on the opposite side from you1
 a stream of clear water pours into the 
lake1 and in doing so it gives off the  
sounds that in the passage you mistook  
for human voices2 and this noble stream 
has been named ,mystic ,river4 ,it      
enters the lake from under a beautiful  
natural arch1 about thirty feet across  
at the bottom1 and six feet above the   
water at the center4 ,the bed of the    
stream is eroded from strata of         

sandstone that is extremely hard1       
containing corundum1 and so perfect is  
its continuity that it conveys sound    
distinctly for a distance far beyond the
 reach of the human voice1 when tapped  
upon with a hammer4 ,the top of the arch
 is studded with lovely stalactites1    
clear as glass1 that extend to the outer
 edge of the arch and form massive and  
beautiful groups there4 ,above the arch 
is a large opening4 ,in truth the side  
of the room is out1 and a great dark    
space appears like a curtain of black4  
,a natural path leads up over one side  
of the arch1 and following the lead of  
the guide you go up above and learn that
 a room on the higher level extends off 
in that direction and gets larger and   
higher4 ,the walls are stalagmitic      
columns in cream color and decked in    
places with blood-red spots or blotches 
of ,titanic size4 ,the ceiling you      
cannot see4 ,it is too high for the     
lights you have to reach4 ,on the left  
you are suddenly confronted by a        

stalagmitic formation so large and so   
grand that all others are dwarfed into  
insignificance4 ,you think of the dome  
of the ,capitol at ,washington4 ,you are
 standing at the sloping base but cannot
 see the top4 ,just here the guide      
announces in an awestruck voice         
',blondy's ,throne4' ,and who is        
,blondy8 ,only a fair-haired1 blue-eyed1
 intrepid and daring fifteen-year-old   
boy1 named ,charles ,smallwood1 who     
assisted the writer in exploring the    
cave in the early days of #ahhc1 and    
going on in advance1 reported back that 
he had found another and a greater      
throne than the ,great ,white ,throne in
 the ,auditorium4  ,illustration3       
,blondy's ,throne4 ,page #dg4  ,well1   
here we are at ,blondy's ,throne at     
last1 and surveying the base1 we find   
that it is actually only half in the    
room we are in2 the other half forms the
 side of another room4 ,in a word1 the  
,great ,throne divides the room into two
 parts and makes two rooms of it instead

 of one4 ,yet the one half of the base  
has a measurement1 by tape line1 of one 
hundred and fifty feet4 ,the guide now  
makes preparations to ascend the        
,throne4 ,a chain has been fastened up  
towards the top1 and by taking hold of  
this the climb can be made up the       
sloping sides of the ,throne4 ,we pass  
on and up over the clearest and most    
ice-like formation1 resembling the great
 icebergs seen at sea4 ,reaching an     
elevation of sixty feet an opening into 
the dome is found1 and stooping1 you    
enter4 ,it is a room about twenty feet  
across1 with a white ice-like floor1 a  
roof or ceiling ten feet above1 and from
 it hang thousands of brilliant         
stalactites and from the floor          
stalagmites rise up to meet them4 ,they 
are in all sizes1 from an inch to two   
feet across4 ,the sides are of the same 
material joined and cemented lightly    
together4 ,strike any of them and clear 
musical notes are given off2 a musician 
has found two full octaves4 ,water is   

dripping in many places1 and in the     
center of the floor is a tank full of   
clear water4 ,it is four feet wide1     
twelve feet long and of unknown depth4  
,on the opposite side of the room from  
which you enter there is a hole or      
opening in the wall4 ,it is large enough
 to go through but it goes into the     
great dark room on the other side of the
 ,throne4 ,an abyss confronts you1 a    
sheer precipice which descends for many 
feet1 perhaps hundreds4 ,no man knows4  
,this outer room of ,blondy's ,throne   
has been named the ,chamber of the      
,fairies4 ,leaving it and continuing the
 ascent1 the top of the ,throne is soon 
reached and is about twenty feet across2
 and from several points still higher1  
rise stalagmitic spires4  ,the actual   
height of ,blondy's ,throne is not      
known1 but is probably about one hundred
 feet4 ,again look upwards for the      
ceiling from the dizzy height on top of 
the ,throne2 you cannot see it4 ,burn   
magnesium ribbon and look up1 and you   

see a white ceiling spangled with groups
 of stalactites4 ,it is surely one      
hundred feet away4 ,then look off into  
the unknown room which is called the    
,great ,beyond4 ,no human being has ever
 explored or even entered it1 but fire  
balls thrown in reveal the fact that it 
is of great extent2 and part of the     
bottom water and part land4 ,no way of  
getting into it has ever yet been found1
 so its mysteries1 lessons and          
revelations are still safe from human   
intrusion4 ,how far it goes1 where it   
stops1 and what it leads to1 are facts  
for some future explorer to discover4   
,bats and white salamanders are found in
 ,blondy's ,throne ,room1 and some      
larger animals have been heard to jump  
into the water and escape on the        
approach of man1 but their species is   
not known4  ,the arched passage of      
,mystic ,river has been followed up for 
a journey of an hour1 but further than  
that its extent is unknown4 ,it was     
hoped that a way would be thus found    

into the ,great ,beyond1 but it did not 
prove successful4 ,a well equipped party
 could find there a chance for some     
grand discoveries1 and it would be one  
of the notable pleasures of the life of 
the writer to be one of such a party4   
,the exit from ,blondy's ,throne ,room  
is always made with deep regret that the
 waning lights and meager supplies will 
not allow a longer stay4 ,the long      
crawl1 the mud and the water are all    
forgotten1 and notwithstanding the      
terror of the trip one feels well       
repaid4  ,we thank ,mr4 ,powell for a   
charming journey without its discomfort 
and danger1 and resume our travels at   
the ,waterfall4  ,from the foot of the  
,waterfall we returned again to the     
,auditorium1 in time to enjoy a sight   
such as we supposed could exist only in 
a brilliant imagination2 and the return 
at that hour was not a lucky accident of
 fate1 but the result of careful        
attention to a prearranged design that  
we should not fail to witness a         

marvelous display never surpassed by    
lavish ,nature4 ,the day outside was one
 of cloudless summer sunshine4          
,illustration3 ,blondy's ,throne ,room4 
,page #ej4  ,illustration3 ,foot of     
,waterfall4 ,page #ej4  ,our eyes having
 grown accustomed to the dim light of   
candles in passages where absolute      
darkness1 unrelieved by the stars of    
midnight1 always reigns1 the great      
,auditorium appeared before us softly   
flooded with daylight diffused from a   
broad white beam slanting down in long  
straight lines from the entrance as from
 a rift in heavy clouds2 only this rift 
displayed around its edges a brilliant  
border of vegetation that the rough     
rocks cherish with tender care4  ,as we 
stood lost in almost speechless         
admiration1 and without the slightest   
warning of treasure yet in store1 the   
white beam was stabbed by a narrow1     
gleaming shaft of yellow sunlight4 ,the 
glorious1 radiant beauty of the picture 
presented is utterly indescribable1 but 

it was of short duration1 and in a few  
seconds the golden blade was withdrawn  
as suddenly as it had appeared4  ,if the
 genius of ,elkins had been granted the 
privilege we enjoyed1 the artist-world  
of ,europe that graciously yielded the  
highest honor to his ,sunbeam on ,mount 
,shasta1 would have knelt in rapturous  
humility4 ,speaking of his great work1  
as we stood before it only a few months 
before his death1 ,mr4 ,elkins said     
quietly3 ,it is no great achievement2 ,i
 simply painted it exactly as it looked4
 ,anyone could do the same4 ,but no one 
ever has4  ,the white beam was more     
enduring and by its aid we were able to 
view the expanse of the great           
,auditorium far better than could have  
been done in the momentary glare of any 
brilliant artificial light4 ,every part 
of the cloud-gray walls shows a         
stratification as regularly horizontal  
as if the laying of each course had been
 done with the assistance of line and   
level2 while in every direction are now 

seen hundreds of stalactites that had   
not been noticed before1 and although   
they look small1 the average length1    
taken with the surveying instruments1 is
 fourteen feet4 ,the ,hill beneath the  
entrance is an accumulation of debris1  
drifted in from the outside1 and rising 
to a height of more than one hundred and
 twenty-five feet2 while the great      
circumference of its supporting base1   
revealed by the banishment of shadows1  
suggests the possibility of tragic      
history of which the only evidence lies 
buried there and may or may not ever be 
discovered2 but let us step lightly1    
since our feet may press the covering   
that shields a final sleep2 and also let
 a grieving sister in her old age take  
comfort in the knowledge that here1 as  
in few other spots1 nature provides a   
certain and gentle burial for the       
unfortunate1 and for a few seconds each 
day lights the dim chamber with a       
heavenly glory--perhaps in appeal to the
 sons of one country to harbor no such  

feelings as deprived ,abel of life and  
for all time and eternity tarnished the 
honor of ,cain4  ,illustration3         
,entrance to ,cave--,interior ,view4    
,page #eb4  ,the chilliness presently   
recalled us from further indulgence in  
that great scene1 to ordinary affairs2  
and consulting the reliable thermometer1
 it was found to register #db1 while in 
some of the lower passages the          
temperature is #eh2 but the variation is
 not in accordance with the accepted    
theory of one degree to the one hundred 
feet descent4  ,a return to the         
beautiful ,spring of ,youth ,room was   
now a necessity1 but we were careful to 
allow no drop of water falling from     
clay-stained hands to reach the purity  
of that lovely bowl1 and then being     
happy and hungry1 we retired to the     
piano's protecting tent for refreshment4
  ,the atmosphere in ,marble ,cave has  
the peculiar bracing and invigorating   
quality common to the majority of caves1
 that seems almost to defy fatigue and  

encourage exertion that under ordinary  
conditions would be impossible4  ,after 
the exertion necessary in the warmer    
portions of the cave1 the temperature of
 #db proved rather low for comfort and  
finally was admitted to be a sufficient 
reason for either leaving the cave or   
sending out for the wraps4 ,slowly and  
reluctantly the party walked up the long
 winding path to the summit of the ,hill
 where the stairway finds support1      
stopping many times to admire again the 
perfect curves and fine color-tones of  
that wonderful high arch--within a      
mountain yet softly radiant with the    
light of day4  ,still lingering         
regretfully among the fern-decked rocks 
before quite finishing the ascent to the
 actual outside world1 the mercury lost 
little time in registering eighty       
degrees4  ,since no official1 or even   
approximately correct map of ,marble    
,cave has yet been published1 and the   
desirability of maps is particularly    
urged by ,monsieur ,e4,a4 ,martel1 a    

special effort was made to secure one1  
which was accompanied by the following  
remarks from ,mr4 ,prince in regard to  
its incompleteness3  ,there are several 
passages and rooms which do not appear  
on the map1 though some of them are well
 known1 but have not been surveyed and  
platted4  ,much further exploration is  
possible in this great cavern4 ,lost    
,river ,caon ends abruptly in a bank of 
red clay1 the volume of water being     
undiminished4 ,the water from the ,great
 ,fall flows by a small serpentine into 
a passage which has never been followed 
up2 its entrance being several hundred  
feet higher than the nearest water      
level4  ,unfortunately the quantity of  
water in the cave at the time of the    
visit just described was so unusually   
great as to render the ,lost ,river     
,caon trip impossible4  ,during the     
previous season the cave and its        
surroundings were visited by a prominent
 naturalist who appears to have been    
delightfully liberal in the diffusion of

 scientific knowledge and the           
explanations of methods of pursuing     
investigations4 ,his practical          
instruction in snake catching is        
particularly interesting as it was never
 before introduced into this state1     
where the copperhead and rattler are    
known to have survived among the        
fittest4 ,seeing a snake hole and       
desiring information as to the family   
record of the proprietor1 he inserted a 
finger1 and while waiting for results   
explained that there is no better way to
 secure a specimen1 as the enraged      
reptile will fasten its fangs into the  
intruding member and then can be easily 
withdrawn4 ,it is a pleasure to state   
that even snakes recognize the claims of
 friendship1 and no injury was          
experienced4#b  ,in the vicinity of     
,marble ,cave there are several choice  
varieties of onyx and marble1 among them
 a rare and beautiful onyx in black and 
yellow4 ,the coloring1 tinting and      
banding of onyx seem generally to be    

regarded as one of the unexplainable    
mysteries of nature1 but is in reality  
an extremely simple process that can be 
easily studied in any active cave4      
,when the percolating acidulated water  
passes slowly through a pure limestone  
it is filtered of impurities and        
deposits a crystal1 either pure white or
 transparent2 if it comes in contact    
with metallic bodies of any kind1 it    
carries away more or less in solution to
 act as coloring matter2 the beautiful  
pale green onyx in several ,missouri    
counties taking its tint from the       
copper2 in ,south ,dakota1 manganese in 
various combinations produces black and 
many shades of brown2 in both states an 
excessive flow of water often carries a 
quantity of red or yellow clay which    
temporarily destroys the beauty of      
exposed surfaces1 but in after years    
becomes a fine band of brilliant color4 
,small wind caves are numerous in the   
,ozarks and being cold are frequently   
utilized for the preservation of        

domestic supplies4 ,the entrance to one 
in the neighborhood of ,marble ,cave is 
high up on the hill-side south of ,mr4  
,powell's house and being visible from  
the porch was too tempting to be        
ignored1 and the walk up to it for a    
better view was rewarded with a most    
charming bit of scenery as well4 ,all   
the quiet valley1 divided by a rushing  
little stream1 lay before us in the     
shadow of early evening1 while to the   
north and east the hills were brilliant 
in summer sunshine1 with one small open 
glade gleaming vividly among the darker 
shades of forest green4  ,the cave was a
 very small room at the bottom of a     
steep1 rocky1 sloping passage1 and      
contained no standing water1 although   
there had been a heavy rainfall the     
night before and the opening is so      
situated as to especially favor the     
inflow1 which naturally indicates a     
greater cave beneath a hidden passage4  
,here1 as in most of the caves of the   
region1 is found a small lizard3 it is  

totally blind but its ancestors         
evidently were not1 as is shown by      
conspicuous protuberances where the eyes
 should be1 but over which the skin is  
drawn without a wrinkle or seam to      
indicate a former opening4 ,these       
harmless creatures are not scaly1 but   
are clothed in a soft1 shining1         
well-fitted skin1 and the largest seen  
were little more than six inches long4  
,those who love perfect ,nature in a    
most smiling mood should hasten to visit
 ,marble ,cave while yet no railroad    
quite touches the county4  ,,footnotes3 
#b ,the naturalist referred to is the   
late ,prof4 ,e4,d4 ,cope4     ,,chapter 
,,iv4  ,,fairy ,,cave ,,and ,,powell    
,,cave4   ,fairy ,cave enjoys the       
reputation of being the most beautiful  
yet discovered in that cavernous region1
 and consequently a visit to it was     
contemplated with considerable          
eagerness1 although the mode of entrance
 had been described with sufficient     
accuracy to prevent any misconception of

 the difficulties to be overcome or the 
personal risk involved4 ,to go from our 
temporary abiding place it was necessary
 to pass ,marble ,cave1 and when we had 
gone that far ,mr4 ,powell left us to   
follow the road1 while he1 on his mule1 
took a short cut across the hills and   
valleys1 to try to find men not too much
 occupied with their own affairs on a   
fine ,monday morning1 in corn plowing   
time1 to join our expedition4 ,as       
neither our small companion1 ,merle1 nor
 ourselves1 had any knowledge of the    
locality of our destination1 we were    
carefully instructed to follow the main 
road to the ,wilderness ,ridge1 and     
keeping to that1 pass the ,indian ,creek
 road and all others that are plain1 but
 turn down the second dim road and      
follow it until stopped by a new fence  
where we would be met and conducted4 ,so
 long as points to be passed held out1  
these directions gave us no trouble     
whatever1 even the first dim road       
offering no obstacle to the pleasure of 

our progress2 but the second dim road   
proved so elusive we traveled many miles
 in search of it1 finally bringing up   
against a place ,merle was familiar with
 and knew to be a long way off the track
 of our intentions4 ,as there was       
nothing to be done but return we        
naturally accepted the situation and did
 that2 presently finding ,mr4 ,powell   
and the ,messrs4 ,irwin1 on whose land  
the cave is1 patiently waiting for us in
 what was really not a road at all1 but 
rather1 in this region of fossils1 the  
badly preserved impression of one long  
since extinct4  ,the new fence was      
opened at two places that we might drive
 through and be saved the exertion of   
walking a considerable distance1 then   
the horses were left in the shade while 
we scrambled down the steep hill-side   
covered with sharp-edged1 broken rock1  
about mid-way down which is the mouth of
 the cave1 yawning like a narrow1 open  
well4 ,above this a stout windlass has  
been arranged on two forked logs4  ,a   

few feet below the surface the cave     
spreads out jug-shaped1 so that in      
descending nothing is touched until the 
floor is reached1 one hundred feet      
beneath the surface2 consequently the   
only danger to be apprehended is a fall4
  ,each of the three men present kindly 
offered to go down and make the         
exploration with me1 but that would have
 left only two at the windlass1 and for 
a man's weight1 safety requires four4   
,should an accident occur1 assistance   
would be necessary1 and some time lost  
in finding it2 so1 to the undisguised   
satisfaction of one and equally evident 
relief of the others1 it was reluctantly
 decided that the trip must be given up1
 and therefore we are indebted to the   
kindness of ,captain ,powell#c for the  
following description of ,fairy ,cave3  
,the ,cave referred to is situated in   
,section #bd1 ,township #bc1 ,range     
#bc1 in ,stone ,county1 ,missouri1 and  
is on the homestead of one of      three
 brothers named ,irwin4       ,it was   

accidentally discovered in the year     
#ahie and up to the time      of this   
writing 7,june #ahif7 only six persons  
have ever entered it4      ,it is in a  
point or spur of the ,ozark ,mountains  
which runs to the      east from the    
great ,wilderness ,ridge1 and is three  
miles distant      from the ,marble     
,cave4 ,having been one of the first to 
enter the      ,cave1 being called by   
the owner as a sort of cave expert1 ,i  
will      attempt to describe both the  
adventure and the cave just as they     
were4 ,the measurements are simply      
estimated1 though by long      practice 
,i have become expert in that line also1
 but the longest      measurement here  
was correctly taken by the rope used4   
,having been invited by the ,irwin      
brothers to come and examine and        
explore a new cave they had found but   
had only entered and not      explored1 
accompanied by my eldest son1 ,w4,t4    
,powell1 ,i reached the      place one  
warm ,saturday morning4 ,we found about 

twelve or fourteen      men waiting for 
our coming2 some discussing the matter  
of whether      we would enter when we  
did come1 and others who had volunteered
 to      work the windlass1 which had   
been erected over the opening1 by       
means of which1 with a one hundred foot 
rope1 entrance was to be      made4 ,the
 opening was like a small well1 and     
situated under the      edge of an      
overhanging cliff of marble1 and on the 
southeast slope      of the mountain1   
about one hundred and fifty feet above  
the bottom      of a narrow valley1 and 
about the same distance below the top of
      the mountain1 which here is three 
hundred feet high4 ,in order to      rig
 a windlass the edge of the cliff had to
 be broken away4 ,the      well-like    
opening descended for about ten feet    
through strata of      flat-laying rocks
 that formed a roof2 then all appeared  
to be      vacancy and a stone cast in  
gave back a distant sound4       ,having
 first tested the air and proved it good

 by dropping in      blazing excelsior  
saturated with turpentine1 a stout oak  
stick was      attached to the end of   
the rope1 my son sprang astride and was 
lowered to the bottom1 just one hundred 
feet4 ,he reported back ',all           
right4' ,on the return of the rope ,i   
took my position on the stick      and  
was soon dangling in mid air4 ,the      
sensation was strange and               
exhilarating4 ,looking up ,i could only 
see the small opening ,i came           
through1 and a straggling stream of     
light poured down that1 but on      all 
sides profound darkness reigned supreme4
 ,a spark-like light my      son lit1   
reminded me of the lost ,pleiad4 ,about 
twenty-five or      thirty feet from the
 top ,i caught sight of a scene that    
made me      call on the men at the     
windlass to stop4       ,this caused    
them to think something was going wrong 
and one called      out to know what was
 the matter3 ,i heard him say ',he is   
weakening4'      ,i assured them        

everything was right only ,i wanted to  
take a view2      so they stopped4 ,off 
at a distance of perhaps twenty-five    
feet was      an opening about ten feet 
or more wide and twelve feet high4 ,the 
light from the opening struck it fairly1
 owing to the position of      the sun  
at the time4 ,through this opening ,i   
saw into another room1      large and   
magnificent4 ,it brought to mind the    
,white ,city4 ,it was      snowy white1 
and thickly studded with stalactites and
 stalagmites      of immense size and in
 great numbers2 some looking like spires
 of      numerous churches1 and many    
connected as with a lattice-work about  
the bottom4 ,for a short time ,i gazed  
on that lovely scene1 and      examined 
the chances to reach it1 but a great    
gulf intervened that      we had no     
means of spanning1 and ,i called to the 
men to lower me      down4 ,approaching 
the bottom one of the walls trended in  
towards me      and ,i stepped upon     
solid ground close to the wall1 which   

half way      up seemed fifty feet away4
 ,the opening above now looked like a   
small pale moon1 and the next man who   
came dangling down to join us           
looked no bigger than a toy soldier4    
,gradually our eyes became              
accustomed to the twilight1 and by the  
time our party was increased      to six
 men1 ,i could see quite distinctly4    
,the room runs directly into the        
mountain and is about ninety feet       
high1 and where we landed it proved to  
be twenty feet wide4 ,it      extended  
in both directions1 but much the        
farthest towards the      right hand4   
,the outer room is encrusted in fine    
white water      formations4 ,it forms a
 ,gothic ceiling from which hang pendant
 at      all places brilliant and       
sparkling stalactites2 some being of    
immense size and length1 from ten to    
twenty-five feet4 ,others are      not  
so large but are brilliant4 ,we created 
a flood of artificial      light with   
dozens of candles and lamps2 and then   

and not until      then1 could we see   
the slope and contour of the roof4 ,a   
few bats      were flitting about1      
disturbed for the first time4 ,to the   
left1 a      vast white pillar extended 
from floor to roof4 ,it was pure white  
and about five feet in diameter all the 
way up4 ,it was fluted1      fretted1   
draped and spangled4 ,i never in my life
 saw anything more      chaste and      
lovely4 ,i thought of the countless ages
 it must have      taken to form that   
monument3 of the streams of clear water 
that had      fallen and left their     
calcite deposits1 while it grew year    
after      year1 age after age1 century 
after century1 in this profound         
darkness1 disturbed by no noises save   
the rhythmic sound of the      falling  
drops and the dull flitting of the bats1
 who alone were the      living         
witnesses of its construction4 ,to the  
rear of this great      pillar the room 
is divided into three galleries1 one    
above another4      ,with great         

difficulty and much danger we climbed   
into each of      these4 ,the floors    
were all like the pillar of pure white  
onyx1 and      extended back a distance 
of thirty or more feet4 ,the floor of   
one      formed the roof of another4    
,they were brilliant with hanging       
pendants and the side walls were all    
veneered with the same white      and   
crystalline formation4 ,to entirely     
describe them is impossible4      ,a day
 in each would still leave the observer 
short of words in      which to tell of 
the wonders4       ,turning towards the 
right hand from the entrance we advance 
two      hundred feet up an incline of  
dry clay1 the room widening gradually   
until its width is forty feet1 when we  
reach the top of an      elevation      
thirty feet above the starting point1   
where a sudden      steep descent brings
 us to a halt4 ,a stone cast down       
strikes water      and the sound of a   
splash comes back to us4 ,with caution  
we seek      our way down the hill and  

stand on the edge of a small lake or    
pond4 ,suddenly my son1 who is in the   
lead1 rushes back saying3      ',look   
out6 ,i put my hand on a snake4' ,some  
of us1 being armed with      hickory    
canes that had been thrown down1        
concentrated our lights      and        
advanced4 ,sure enough1 there is a snake
 a yard long coiled up      on a section
 of rotten wood4 ,it proves to be a     
copperhead1 the most      quarrelsome   
and vicious snake in this country2 but  
his nature is      changed so that he   
makes no effort to fight and is killed  
with a      blow1 and is sent to be     
hoisted up that we may examine him in   
daylight4 ,no others were found1 and    
probably he had fallen in at      the   
opening1 and spent a long1 weary time in
 expiation of his      upper-earth      
crimes4       ,examining the lake we    
find it to be about forty feet wide and 
the      same long1 and it fills the    
room from wall to wall4 ,we cannot pass 
it so must either stop or wade through4 

,we decide to wade1 and on              
measuring the water find it only two or 
three feet deep1 with a      soft clay  
bottom1 and in many places islands of   
stalagmite rise      above the surface4 
,on the sides of the lake there are     
formations in the shape of      sofas   
and lounges1 and they appear to be      
cushioned1 but the      cushions are    
found to be hard1 solid rock4 ,as the   
lights advance      across the lake new 
wonders are revealed4 ,curtains and     
draperies      hanging from the top     
almost touch the water and entirely cut 
off      the view beyond4 ,passing under
 a curtain at one of the highest        
places1 we emerge from the lake1 and    
once more on dry land1 advance      up a
 slope4 ,here the water formations have 
taken human shapes of      all sizes and
 several colors now appear and help to  
present a chaos      of beauty4         
,two hundred feet more and the chamber  
ends in a vast waterfall1      but the  
water has turned to stone4 ,above the   

waterfall is an      opening1 but it is 
twenty-five feet up a smooth wall and we
 have no      ladder4 ,the journey was  
at an end4 ,tired1 wet and muddy1 we    
started      on our return trip2        
recrossed the dark lake1 and retraced   
our steps      to the place under the   
opening without realizing that we had   
spent      six hours under ground4      
,while the other members of the party1  
and      the specimens1 were being      
raised to the surface1 the writer sought
      to learn the flora and fauna of   
this new region4 ,the flora is          
blank4 ,even the white mold so common in
 many caves is absent2 and      no      
fungus grows on the poles1 bark and     
rotten wood that have at      some past 
time been cast in4       ,in animal life
 the range is greater4 ,i have mentioned
 the      ever-present bats1 and dozens 
of them were seen4 ,there were also     
small1 white eyeless salamanders1 small1
 yellow1 speckled      salamanders1 with
 signs of eyes but no sight2 also a jet 

black      salamander1 which like the   
rest1 was blind4 ,the bats were of two  
species--the common brown bat and the   
larger light grey or yellow             
species4 ,but this was not the time of  
the year to see many bats in      caves4
 ,in the summer season most of them go  
out and remain until      cool weather1 
and then return to the caves with their 
young2 so ,i      was rather surprised  
to see as many as we did4       ,down   
comes the rope for the last time1 and   
taking my place1 ,i soon      feel      
myself spinning around and slowly       
rising4 ,as ,i again pass the      magic
 city ,i saw going down1 a stronger wish
 than ever takes      possession of me  
to go there1 and ,i look for any chance 
to solve      the problem of how such a 
journey can be made4 ',thou art so near 
and yet so far4'       ,suddenly ,i find
 myself emerging from the ground into a 
very hot      world1 with the evening   
sun blazing so that the air feels like  
the      scorching heat of an oven2 and 

my late companions are scattered        
about under the trees1 no doubt wishing 
themselves back in the cool      regions
 below the hot cliffs4       ,my final  
conclusions in regard to ,fairy ,cave   
were that it was      about six hundred 
feet long by from fifteen to forty feet 
wide and      from eighty to ninety feet
 high3 that in the upper story there are
      rooms that ,i could not reach1    
that will amply pay the scientist       
and explorer to investigate in the      
future3 that probably we reached        
all the accessible parts in the level we
 traveled3 that the      temperature was
 fifty-six or very near that degree3    
that small as      it is1 it contains   
the finest formations and grandest      
scenery ,i      have ever seen in a     
cave3 and ,i have examined over one     
hundred of      various sizes4 ,i       
believe that for interior beauty its    
equal is not      to be found in        
,america1 and ,i sincerely believe that 
the verdict of      future exploration  

will establish the truth of the         
assertion1 but      as equally good     
judges differ on such matters1 time will
 be      required for a true and just   
decision4 ,there are yet many promising 
caves to be explored in this region1 and
 if my strength holds out a      few    
years ,i hope to see them all4          
,t4 ,s4 ,powell4   ,,powell ,,cave4  ,as
 a measure of consolation for the       
disappointment of not seeing the beauty 
of ,fairy ,cave1 ,mr4 ,irwin suggested  
that only a quarter of a mile further on
 was another1 recently discovered and   
worthy of a visit1 although small4  ,in 
that region of steep hills and          
sharp-edged rocks1 a great amount of    
travel can be added to the experience of
 a tender-foot in a short distance4 ,the
 quarter of a mile seemed to stretch out
 in some mysterious way as we worked on 
it1 but the variety and abundance of    
attractions are more than ample         
compensation4  ,the view was fine1      
including as it did the deep ravine and 

grassy1 wooded slopes rising three      
hundred feet above1 with here and there 
a handsome ledge of marble exposed like 
the nearly buried ruin of a forgotten   
temple of some past age4 ,scattered     
about in great profusion among the      
broken rock on the surface of these     
hill-sides we observed a water deposit  
of iron ore4 ,it is a brown hematite and
 in some cases shows the structure of   
the bits of wood it has replaced4 ,since
 this region has from the earliest time 
produced a generous growth of           
vegetation1 the decay of which has      
yielded a never-failing supply of acids 
to assist in carving the caves and then 
in their decoration1 the presence of the
 ore is not difficult to account for4   
,the whole ,ozark uplift being rich in  
iron1 the acidulated drainage waters    
coming into contact dissolved and took  
it in solution1 to re-deposit where and 
when conditions should be favorable4    
,these conditions were found in the     
basin among the hills and along its     

outlet4  ,in the ,popular ,science      
,monthly of ,january #ahig1 a short     
article by ,j4,t4 ,donald1 entitled ,a  
,curious ,canadian ,iron ,mine1         
describes the same thing going on at the
 present time in ,lac a la ,tortue1 a   
small body of water in the center of a  
tract of swamp land1 which produces the 
vegetation necessary to supply the acid 
required for a base of operation4  ,of  
the manner of deposition he says3 ,the  
solution of iron in vegetable acid 7in  
which the iron is in what the chemist   
calls the form of a protosalt7 is       
oxidized by the action of the air on the
 surface of the lake into a persalt1    
which is insoluble1 and appears on the  
surface in patches that display the     
peculiar iridescence characteristic of  
petroleum floating on water4 ,indeed1   
not infrequently these films of peroxide
 of iron are incorrectly attributed to  
petroleum4 ,these films become heavy by 
addition of new particles2 they sink    
through the water1 and in this manner1  

in time1 a large amount of iron ore is  
deposited on the lake bottom4 ,it must  
not be supposed that the ore is         
deposited as a fine mud or sediment4 ,on
 the contrary1 in this lake ore1 as it  
is called1 we have an excellent         
illustration of what is called          
concretionary action--that is1 the      
tendency of matter when in a fine state 
of division to aggregate its particles  
into masses about some central nucleus1 
which may be a fragment of sunken wood1 
a grain of sand1 or indeed a pre-formed 
small mass of itself4  ,it is claimed   
for this water ore1 which is gathered   
like oysters1 that mixed with bog ore   
and magnetic iron1 and smelted with     
charcoal1 the result as obtained is     
strong1 durable and high priced4  ,the  
curiously elastic quarter of a mile     
finally yielded to persistent toil1 and 
the cave was reached4 ,the entrance is  
sufficiently broad to give a good first 
impression1 and is under a heavy ledge  
of limestone which breaks the slope of  

the hill and is artistically decorated  
with a choice collection of foliage1    
among which is a coral honeysuckle2 the 
fragrant variety grows everywhere4      
,under the ledge is a narrow vestibule1 
out of the north end of which is a      
passage about twenty-four inches in     
width1 between perpendicular walls1 and 
as steeply inclined as the average      
dwelling-house stairway but without any 
assisting depressions to serve as steps4
 ,mr4 ,irwin cut a grape vine1 and      
making one end secure at the entrance1  
provided a hand rail1 by the aid of     
which ,i was able to easily descend the 
stepless way and afterwards remount4    
,the first chamber entered is the       
principal portion of the cave1 and by   
actual measurement is forty-nine feet in
 length by forty-eight in greatest width
 and the height estimated at fifty feet4
 ,on account of irregularities it       
appears smaller but higher4 ,on opposite
 sides of the chamber1 at elevation     
about midway between the floor and      

ceiling are two open galleries4 ,the    
floor is extremely irregular with its   
accumulation of fallen masses of rock1  
and the action of water has given to    
portions of the walls the appearance of 
pillars supporting the arches of the    
roof4 ,the whole aspect is that of a    
small ,gothic chapel4 ,off to the       
northwest is another room measuring     
thirty feet in each direction1 and out  
of this are several openings1 too small 
to squeeze through1 which indicate the  
possible existence of other chambers    
beyond1 but they may be only drain      
pipes4  ,the cave contains no drip      
formations1 notwithstanding which it is 
one of the most charming1 and when      
invited to name it ,i called it ,powell 
,cave1 in honor of the most ardent      
admirer of caves in that county1 and to 
whom ,i am much indebted for valued     
assistance4  ,,footnotes3  #c ,editor of
 the county news-paper4     ,,chapter   
,v4  ,,other ,,stone ,,county ,,caves4  
,,gentry ,,cave4  ,the cave nearest to  

,galena1 and the first visited by us1 is
 ,gentry ,cave1 situated a mile and a   
half from town4 ,we started in the mail 
coach1 but that vehicle met with a      
misfortune by no means unusual in that  
region1 the total wreck of a wheel4     
,having only that morning arrived from  
the rich agricultural portion of the    
,state where no surface rock can be     
found1 we were pleased enough with the  
prospect of a walk in such charming     
spring weather1 and set out with a      
cheerful certainty that the rough place 
in the road would soon be passed4 ,but  
the school of experience is always open 
for the reception of new-comers and we  
were admitted to full duty without      
question4  ,the topography was nearly as
 broken1 in its way1 as the natural     
piking spread over it1 and very         
beautiful with the dense forests lighted
 by the slanting yellow rays of the     
afternoon sun4 ,the way leads up to the 
ridge road which is at length abandoned 
for no road at all1 and descending      

through the forest1 more than half the  
distance down to the ,james ,river      
flowing at the base of the hill1 we come
 suddenly in view of the cave entrance1 
which is probably one of the most       
magnificent pieces of natural           
architecture ever seen4  ,rounding a    
corner by a narrow path1 we step onto a 
covered portico ninety-seven feet long1 
with an average width of ten feet4 ,the 
floor is smooth and level1 as also is   
the ceiling1 which is nine feet above1  
supported by handsomely carved pillars  
and rising in a gray cliff projecting   
from the slope of the hill above1 out to
 the brink of the more abrupt descent to
 the water's edge ninety feet below4    
,between the pillars are three large    
door-ways into the cave4 ,the comparison
 suggested is an ,egyptian temple1 and  
the idea is continued within1 where     
there are no chambers as in other caves2
 but instead1 the entire interior is a  
labyrinth of passages winding about in  
every direction among an uncounted      

number of low massive pillars1 some     
supporting a low ceiling and others     
connected by high arches1 the highest   
point being estimated at sixty feet1 but
 appearing to be more1 because the      
enclosed space rising to a dome is so   
narrow that the point of view is        
necessarily directly underneath4  ,all  
exposed surfaces of pillars and walls   
inside the cave are of clay or a soft   
porous rock having the same appearance1 
and are covered with curious little     
raised markings like the indescribable  
designs of mixed nothing generally known
 as ,persian patterns4 ,this is1 of     
course1 easily explained2 the clay being
 the residuum from disintegrated        
limestone1 the markings described are   
the harder portions of the rock         
remaining after particles of clay had   
been carried out by flowing water while 
the disintegrating process was yet      
incomplete4  ,the ,drinking ,fountain is
 considered the great attraction of the 
cave1 and appears to have been fashioned

 to suggest a model for the handsome    
soda fountains belonging to a later     
period4 ,the water bowl is a large      
depression worn in the top of a rock    
which seems to have been built into the 
wall4 ,in front it is five feet high and
 nine feet across1 with artistic corners
 approximately alike1 and at the back   
ornamental carving extends upward       
towards the ceiling with an opening     
through the wall at the center4 ,this   
opening is divided by a short column    
down which water trickles to supply the 
bowl4 ,the ceiling here is about        
thirty-five feet high and most of the   
exposed surface is a blue-gray          
limestone4 ,only one portion of ,gentry 
,cave has received a deposit of         
dripstone and even that is of limited   
extent1 and located at the end of a     
narrow slippery passage between high1   
slippery walls4  ,the fine entrance is  
of grey limestone in undisturbed        
horizontal strata1 and this is so       
plainly marked in the roof-supporting   

pillars as to give them the appearance  
of having been prepared by skillful     
hands1 in several blocks1 and afterwards
 arranged in place without the aid of   
mortar4 ,unfortunately1 all efforts to  
photograph this wonderful portico have  
failed to give satisfaction--its        
position above the river being such as  
to afford no point for the proper       
placing of the camera2 but a second     
visit made for the purpose of trying was
 far from being a loss1 and part of the 
reward consisted of finding among the   
sheltered rocks1 scarcely three feet    
above the floor1 two humming birds'     
nests with their treasure of small eggs1
 and our little companion who discovered
 them was pleased to leave them         
untouched4   ,,sugar ,,tree ,,hollow    
,,cave4  ,the name of this cave is due  
to the fact that the approach is through
 a hollow well wooded with sugar maple  
trees4 ,it is two miles from ,galena and
 the drive a beautiful one1 as much of  
the way is through the forest without a 

road1 but with a charming little        
rushing1 crooked stream of clear1 cold  
water3 and in places the green slopes   
give way to mural bluffs of grey        
limestone in undisturbed strata4  ,the  
entrance to the cave is through a hole  
about two feet high by three in width1  
into which we went feet first and       
wiggled slowly down an incline covered  
with broken rock1 for a distance of     
fifteen feet1 where a standing depth is 
reached4 ,a flat1 straight1 level       
ceiling extends over the whole cave     
without any perceptible variation1 and  
this is bordered around its entire      
length and breadth with a heavy cornice 
of dripstone1 made very ornamental by   
the forms it assumes1 and the multitude 
of depending stalactites that fall as a 
fringe around the walls4 ,the line of   
contact between the cornice and ceiling 
is as clear and strong as if both had   
been finished separately before the     
cornice was put in place by skillful    
hands4  ,dripstone covers the walls1    

which vary in height from one foot to   
twenty feet1 according to the           
irregularities of the floor1 just as the
 width of this one-room cave varies with
 the curves of the walls1 which are     
sweeping and graceful1 the average being
 twenty-nine feet1 but is much greater  
at the entrance where the entire slope  
extends out beyond the body of the cave4
 ,the length1 from north to south1      
measures two hundred and thirty-three   
feet exclusive of an inaccessible       
extension4  ,the south end of the cave  
rises by a steep slope to within a foot 
of the ceiling with which it is         
connected by short but heavy columns of 
dripstone1 and another line of pillars  
of graduated height meets this at right 
angles near the middle and ends in an   
immense stalagmite that stands at the   
foot of the slope like a grand newel    
post4  ,there is no standing water in   
the cave1 but everything is wet with    
drip1 and consequently the formation of 
onyx is actively progressing and the    

south slope already mentioned shows a   
curious succession of changes in cave   
affairs4 ,by the slow action of         
acidulated waters1 the grey limestone   
deteriorated into a yellowish clay-bank1
 and now its particles are being        
re-united into solid rock by the deposit
 of calcium carbonate from the drip4  ,a
 careful test of the temperature of the 
atmosphere showed it to be fifty-eight  
degrees4   ,,pine ,,run ,,cave4  ,this  
also is a small cave easily visited from
 ,galena1 being less than two miles     
distant on the ,marionville road4 ,the  
entrance faces the road and is on the   
same level1 consequently it is one of   
the easiest to visit4 ,just within is   
seen an opening in the ceiling1 which we
 are told is one of the two ways to an  
upper chamber whose chief attraction is 
a dripstone piano1 and the means of     
ascending is at hand in the form of a   
,spanish ladder2 but an attempt of that 
sort might even cause the new woman to  
hesitate1 and who hesitates is lost4    

,the ascent was not made4 ,we advanced  
on a level with the road for a distance 
of perhaps twenty feet1 when the        
direction of the cave changed with a    
right angular turn and we were in a     
straight gallery about two hundred and  
fifty feet long and fifteen feet in     
width1 the height gradually decreasing  
to about three feet towards the upper   
end1 where it widened out into a low but
 broad chamber4 ,the floor of this      
chamber is most beautiful4 ,it is       
composed of a series of connected       
calcite bowls whose beautifully fluted  
rims are of regular and uniform height1 
and all are equally filled with clear1  
still water4 ,a great number of these   
basins are said to have been destroyed  
by an ax in the hands of a poor witless 
creature for the gratification of a     
burst of temper1 and a magnificent      
stalagmitic column1 too heavy for one   
man to lift1 lay detached and broken1 in
 proof that his body did not share the  
feebleness of his mind4  ,beyond these  

basins is a low passage through which is
 found the second entrance to the upper 
chamber1 but the basins must be crossed 
in order to reach it1 and this is not an
 easy undertaking even when their water 
supply is low1 but in the early summer  
they are almost full4  ,there are said  
to be more than one hundred caves in    
,stone ,county1 one of which is supposed
 to be fully as large as ,marble ,cave1 
if not larger1 and is located in the    
southern part of the county but has not 
been explored4  ,mill ,cave is in the   
northeast of the county1 and at the     
entrance is a saw mill which receives   
its working power from the cave stream4 
,inside the cave there is a lake4       
,hermit's ,cave is a few miles from     
,galena1 and is so named on account of  
having been used as a dwelling by its   
former owner1 who kept a coffin in which
 he intended to place himself before the
 final summons1 but was overtaken by    
death in the forest and it was never    
used4 ,he wrote sermons on the rocks in 

his cave and one of these was afterwards
 removed4  ,wolf's ,den is also near    
,galena1 and has been utilized as a     
sheep fold4  ,wild ,man's ,cave is near 
,galena1 and on account of the stories  
with which people have been frightened1 
can only be visited by permission and   
with a guard stationed at the entrance4 
,reynard's ,cave is four miles west of  
,galena on the farm of ,dr4 ,fox1 but is
 so nearly filled up with dripstone that
 only crawling room remains4 ,the       
doctor's place is a fine locality for   
the collection of fossils4  ,at a       
distance of twelve miles from ,galena   
there is said to be a fine natural      
bridge1 well worth a visit and          
sufficiently near ,mill ,cave for both  
to be seen on the same trip4  ,in ,bread
 ,tray ,mountain there is supposed to be
 a cave through which a torrent rushes  
at times1 that being the only way in    
which to explain the strange thundering1
 roaring noise always heard after a     
storm1 and never at other times4        

,besides being a wonderful cave region1 
and rich in the great abundance and     
variety of native fruits and fine       
timber1 ,stone ,county has a vast amount
 of mineral wealth1 the heaviest        
deposits being zinc1 lead and iron1 with
 some indications of silver1 gold and   
copper1 which have been found but not in
 paying quantity4 ,already since the    
summer of #ahif several exceptionally   
pure bodies of zinc have been           
discovered1 the white ore of one        
recently opened deposit giving highly   
gratifying indications as to extent4    
,prospecting may be said to have only   
commenced in this very far from         
over-crowded region4     ,,chapter ,,vi4
  ,,oregon ,,county ,,caves4   ,,greer  
,,spring4  ,oregon ,county is also at   
the extreme southern limit of the ,state
 of ,missouri and was visited1 not      
because its caves are supposed to be    
either finer or more numerous than those
 of all the other ,ozark counties1 but  
on account of remarkable attractions    

associated with them that are not known 
to be equaled1 or even subject to       
rivalry1 by any similar works of nature 
in any portion of the world4  ,the most 
convenient railway point is ,thayer2 the
 station hotel affords comfortable      
accommodations for headquarters1 and the
 last days of ,september proved a       
charming time4 ,the foliage was in full 
summer glory1 refreshed by a gentle and 
copious rain1 and the insinuating tick  
had already retired from active business
 until the following season4  ,the      
carriage having been ordered on         
condition of its being a clear day1 we  
left ,thayer at eight o'clock on a      
perfect morning to visit ,greer ,spring1
 and were soon in the depth of the      
beautiful ,ozark forest1 from which we  
did not once emerge until ,alton1 the   
county seat1 was reached1 the distance  
traveled being sixteen miles4 ,here we  
stopped for dinner at the small hotel   
kept by one of the old-time early       
settlers who came to the region before  

the war4 ,the dinner was a surprise1 and
 received the highest commendation      
possible to a dinner1 the hearty        
appreciation of a boy4 ,a young nephew1 
,arthur ,j4 ,owen1 having been invited  
to act as escort on the trip1 found all 
the varied experience in cave hunting   
fully equal to the pictured joys of     
anticipation4 ,after a large bell       
suspended somewhere outside had notified
 the business public that dinner was    
ready to be served1 we were invited to  
the dining-room1 where on a long table  
was the abundance of vegetables afforded
 by the season and soil of an almost    
tropical state1 and cooked as the       
white-capped chef of the great hotel1   
where the warm weeks were spent1 had not
 learned the secret of2 and the         
delicately fried chicken was not of that
 curious variety1 commonly encountered  
by travelers1 in which the development  
of legs robs the centiped of his only   
claim to distinction4 ,as the dishes    
cooled they were removed and fresh      

supplies brought in4  ,our driver       
received directions about the road and  
we started on another drive of seven    
miles4 ,these directions were to follow 
the main road to the forks1 and then    
keep to the ,van ,buren road and any one
 could tell us where ,captain ,greer    
lives4  ,the road was1 as before1       
through the park-like forest1 and as    
before1 lay chiefly along the ridge1 so 
that where clearings had been made for  
farms there were fine views over the    
distant country1 which everywhere was   
forest-covered hills1 of a rich green   
near at hand but changing with the      
growth of distance1 first to dark1 and  
then to lighter blue4  ,in these forests
 were fine young cattle and horses1 and 
uncounted numbers of razorbacks1 or as  
they are otherwise called1              
wind-splitters4 ,for the benefit of     
those who may not be familiar with the  
names1 it might be well to explain that 
they are the natural heirs of the native
 wild hog of ,missouri and ,arkansas4   

,the nephew was greatly amused at seeing
 many of them with wooden yokes on their
 long necks1 to prevent an easy entrance
 into fields and gardens by squeezing   
through the spaces between fence rails4 
,these animals are such swift runners it
 is said they can safely cross the      
railroad between trucks of the fast     
express4 ,their snouts are so long and  
thin1 it is also claimed that two can   
drink from a jug at the same time2 never
 having seen it done1 however1 this is  
not vouched for1 but merely repeated as 
hearsay4  ,illustration3 ,wilderness    
,pinery1 ,oregon ,co4 ,page #hd4  ,after
 a time we stopped to inquire the way of
 an old man dipping water from a pond by
 the roadside4 ,he told us he was       
dipping water to wash the wheat he was  
sowing in the field just over the fence1
 and that we reach the forks1 then to   
keep the ,van ,buren road1 pass two     
houses on the left1 a white one on the  
right1 another on the left and then     
inquire the way--anyone could tell us1  

and ,captain ,greer would show us to the
 ,spring1 for he is a mighty            
accommodating man4  ,on we went to the  
forks where in the point of the ,y stood
 a large tree with a ,van ,buren        
sign-board on one side1 and in the      
direction it pointed1 we turned1        
although rather reluctantly1 for it     
looked little used and rocky1 while the 
other was in good condition2 but we     
followed the sign-board and had no      
misgivings until it began to be realized
 that a great deal of time was being    
passed but no houses4 ,the morning had  
been very chilly1 but now the atmosphere
 was just at that balmy point between   
warm and cool that makes mere living an 
unqualified luxury2 and added to this we
 soon found ourselves in a deep caon no 
less beautiful than the justly          
celebrated ,north ,cheyenne ,caon near  
,colorado ,springs4  ,there was now no  
doubt that we were on the wrong road1   
but such magnificence was unexpected and
 not to be turned from with             

indifference4  ,for some distance the   
road makes a gradual and rather perilous
 looking descent along the steep and    
broken slope on the shady side of the   
ancient river's great retaining-wall1   
while that opposite is glorified by the 
brilliant glow of the afternoon sun1    
which adds an equal charm to the rich1  
luxuriant foliage below and the tall    
stately pines that adorn1 without       
concealing1 the grey rock they proudly  
cling to1 or that rises in a protecting 
rampart three hundred feet higher than  
the caon bed1 with banners of the       
long-needled pine waving above to       
proclaim the perfection of ,nature's    
undisturbed freedom4  ,the road         
descending crosses the thread of water  
still flowing among the great rounded   
bowlders left by the former torrent1 and
 our view is changed to one of dense1   
but by no means melancholy1 shadows1    
with a crown of golden sunlight2 and    
presently the course of the caon turns  
to the east1 and it is all filled with  

the yellow rays and we notice the bright
 red hawthorn berries1 and masses of    
hydrangea still showing remnants of     
their late profusion of bloom4 ,we      
,missourians have a great love of fine  
scenery and generally take long journeys
 into other states in order to gratify  
the taste1 while quite unconscious of   
the wonderful beauty and grandeur of the
 ,ozarks4  ,where the caon begins to    
broaden into a small sheltered valley as
 it approaches ,eleven ,points ,river1  
we turned and retraced our way to the   
forks1 and a short distance beyond to a 
house where we might again inquire4 ,a  
woman came to the open door as we       
stopped and in answer to a question     
said3 ,you ought to have asked me when  
you passed here a while ago4  ,apologies
 for the seeming neglect were offered   
and accepted1 then she explained that   
both roads went to ,van ,buren but not  
to ,greer ,spring1 where in due time we 
at length arrived4  ,the house being in 
one corner of a forty and the spring in 

that diagonally opposite1 there was a   
walk of nearly that distance before     
coming to an old road inclining steeply 
down into what looked to be a narrow    
caon4 ,about midway of this sloping     
road1 the space confined between        
perpendicular walls1 rising to heights  
above on one side and descending to the 
stream on the other1 widens suddenly and
 a picturesque old mill comes into view1
 it having been wholly screened from the
 approach by the rich growth of shrubs  
and trees4 ,chief in abundance among    
this luxury of leaf was the             
hydrangea1--a favorite shrub largely    
imported into this country from ,japan  
before it was discovered as a native4   
,the mill site seems to have been       
selected for its beauty although we were
 told that at this point the stream is  
seventy-two feet wide1 and two and one  
half feet deep1 but could be raised     
thirty feet with perfect safety by a    
dam1 for which the rock is already on   
the ground and much of it broken ready  

for use4 ,the flow is said to be two    
hundred and eighty yards per minute1    
with no appreciable variation1 and never
 freezes4 ,the high walls of the ,greer 
,spring gorge will1 of course1 far more 
than double the value it would otherwise
 possess1 when it becomes desirable to  
control and turn to practical account   
the power now going so cheerily to      
waste1 but the artistic loss will be    
proportionately severe4  ,the old mill  
was the scene of great activity in      
former times1 but was closed on account 
of an unfortunate accident and for years
 has had no other duty than simply to   
serve as a portion of the landscape4    
,just beyond1 the caon makes a curving  
bend1 the road dwindles to a narrow path
 and we behold the most beautiful scene 
imaginable4  ,the caon has come to an   
end and is shut in by a graceful curve  
of the high1 perpendicular grey walls   
that are crowned with trees and shrubs1 
and decked below with a thick carpet of 
bright green moss4 ,in this basin1 which

 is nearly one hundred feet across1     
,greer ,spring plunges up from beneath  
through an opening nine feet in         
diameter1 in the midst of a pool of     
water six feet deep1 and having an      
unvarying temperature of forty-nine     
degrees throughout the year4 ,this water
 is so perfectly clear that not the     
least pebble is obscured from view1 and 
the color scheme is most marvelous4     
,illustration3 ,greer ,spring4 ,page    
#hh4  ,where the great spring forces its
 way to the surface1 the water is a     
deep1 brilliant blue with white caps1   
and its falling weight keeps clear of   
moss a large spot of fine1 pure1 white  
sandstone1 while all the balance appears
 a vivid green from the moss that       
thrives beneath the moving water2 and   
surrounding these are the handsome1     
foliage-decked grey walls4 ,the edges of
 the basin are thickly strewn with      
fallen rocks deeply covered with moss1  
in which small ferns are growing1 and on
 these gay stepping stones we crossed to

 the head-wall of the caon to find      
ourselves at the open mouth of a cave   
from which flows a clear1 shallow stream
 to join the waters of the ,spring in   
that wonderful basin4 ,the entrance to  
the cave is an arch about fifteen feet  
wide and twelve feet high1 with the     
clear1 shallow stream spreading over the
 clean rock floor from side to side4    
,here now was presented a difficulty4   
,truly the cave was not quite dry4 ,the 
water was about ten inches deep1 and my 
boots in ,thayer4 ,contrary to advice1  
however1 my nephew had brought his1 and 
with a boy's kindness loaned them while 
he made the trip with bare feet and     
rolled up trousers4  ,a short distance  
within1 the cave widens and the floor of
 the extension being somewhat higher1 is
 dry1 but the roof drops so low over it 
that the water-course is an easier route
 of travel2 and this soon widens into a 
lake above which the ceiling rises in a 
broad dome less than twenty feet in     
height1 and hung with heavy masses of   

dripstone draperies of varying length1  
from five to seven feet2 and all the    
ceilings are fringed at various heights 
with stalactites of every size and age1 
some being a clear1 colorless onyx1     
while others proclaim their great age in
 the fact that they have so deteriorated
 that the onyx texture is either partly 
or completely lost1 and what was once a 
pure drip crystal has returned to a     
common1 porous1 dull-colored limestone  
so soft that portions can be rubbed to  
powder in the hand4  ,picking the way   
carefully as the depth of the lovely    
lake increased1 we followed the sound of
 falling water and peered into the dark 
distance in a vain effort to see it1 yet
 expecting to reach that special object 
of interest by keeping to the shallower 
parts of the lake4 ,these expectations  
were shattered suddenly when the boots  
filled with water1 and that called to   
mind the fact that twenty-three miles   
and a chilly night lay between us and   
dry clothing2 so we returned to the     

outside world and rested on the rocks   
where ,captain ,greer and our young     
driver waited for us4 ,the cave has     
never been fully explored1 and probably 
we penetrated farther than others have  
ever done1 as the owner knew nothing of 
the falling water we so distinctly heard
 and were surely very near4  ,the view  
from the rocks is wonderfully beautiful 
and includes both the entrance to the   
cave1 with its flowing stream1 and the  
receiving basin with its bounding       
stream4 ,but it was growing late in the 
afternoon1 and there was another cave   
whose entrance was in the perpendicular 
wall above the end of the path by which 
we had come4 ,this entrance could be    
reached by a dilapidated ladder2        
assisted by a forked pole and supplied  
with candles and matches1 my nephew and 
,i achieved the ascent with not much    
trouble4 ,here we found what is1 no     
doubt1 one of the oldest caves known4   
,the original cavity is nearly filled up
 with masses of onyx--colorless crystal 

and white striped with pale shades of   
grey4 ,the cave is perfectly dry and    
freshly broken surfaces in some places  
show signs of deterioration1 so how can 
we venture even a guess as to the time  
it has required to first excavate the   
cave and then fill it with masses of    
rock deposited by the slow drip process1
 and later1 for that crystalline rock in
 a now dry atmosphere to present a      
perceptible weakening8 ,we went as far  
as passages could be crawled into1 which
 was no great distance1 and at once     
started on our uncertain descent of the 
ladder2 but this was not a matter of so 
much concern as the upward trip1 for the
 success of which some doubts were      
entertained2 for going down is always   
naturally a less certain matter1 as one 
can fall if more desirable means are    
unsuccessful1 and ,i have unexpectedly  
reached many coveted points in this     
simple manner4  ,taking a last look at  
,greer ,spring with its cave river1 grey
 walls1 gay with foliage1 and all the   

harmony of color and form combined in   
the narrow caon that was once the main  
body of a great cave1 ,i recalled views 
on the ,hudson ,river and in the        
mountains of ,maryland1 ,virginia and   
,pennsylvania1 and others out in the    
,rocky ,mountains in ,colorado and the  
,wausatch in ,utah1 but amid all their  
wonderful grandeur and famous beauty1   
could remember no spot superior to this 
masterpiece of the ,ozarks4  ,the       
proprietor of the ,spring and a thousand
 acres of land adjacent1 took personal  
possession on the day of ,lincoln's     
first election1 to establish a home4    
,the sun having failed to consider our  
wishes was now about to disappear in a  
gleaming flood of gold1 so the return to
 ,thayer that night was out of the      
question4 ,our host and his wife        
observed that fact and cordially invited
 us to remain for the night and as much 
longer as we would like to1 but being   
unwilling to impose on kindness to such 
an extent1 we returned to the hotel in  

,alton1 and now urgently advise that    
those who ever have an opportunity to   
enjoy a moonlight drive through the     
,ozark forests should not let it pass   
unimproved4   ,,other ,,caves ,,near    
,,by4  ,about twelve miles from ,alton  
there are three other caves worthy of   
attention4 ,two of these are known only 
as ,the ,saltpetre ,caves1 and the third
 as ,the ,bat ,cave4  ,not many persons 
care to visit the ,bat ,cave1 for       
although its inhabitants are small1 they
 have evidently decided to profit by the
 experience of the ,red ,man and take no
 risks through hospitality4 ,their      
warnings can be heard like distant      
thunder for some distance outside the   
cave1 and any unheeding intruder is set 
upon in fury by such vast numbers of the
 little creatures that his only safety  
is in hasty retreat4  ,during the war   
the two ,saltpetre ,caves were worked to
 a considerable extent1 and also served 
as safe retreats for the residents of   
the region1 as well as the visiting     

,jonny1 when the vicinity became        
oppressively blue4  ,both of these caves
 are especially notable on account of   
the fine stalactites with which they are
 abundantly supplied2 most of them being
 snow white and from fourteen to twenty 
feet in length4  ,unfortunately1 most of
 the caves in this region have been     
deprived of great quantities of their   
beautiful adornments by visitors who are
 allowed to choose the best and remove  
it in such quantities as may suit their 
convenience and pleasure4 ,those who own
 the caves1 and those who visit them1   
would do well to remember that if all   
the natural adornment should be allowed 
to remain in its original position1 it  
would continue to afford pleasure to    
many persons for an indefinite time2 but
 if broken1 removed1 and scattered the  
pleasure to a few will be comparatively 
little and that short-lived4 ,the gift  
of beauty should always be honored and  
protected for the public good4  ,we were
 not so fortunate as to discover fossils

 of any kind in this locality1 although 
the search was by no means thorough2 but
 even if it had been the result might   
have been the same1 since that county   
and others adjoining have been mapped as
 ,cambrian4 ,the greater part of the    
exposed rock is a fine sandstone almost 
as white as gypsum on a fresh fracture1 
and much of it is ripple-marked so as to
 show a beautifully fluted surface of   
remarkable regularity4 ,these ripple    
flutings are sometimes more than an inch
 in width1 and often less1 but the      
variations never appear on the same     
level1 the smallest being seen on the   
hill-tops and the larger outcropping on 
the downward slopes4     ,,chapter      
,,vii4  ,,the ,,grand ,,gulf4   ,oregon 
,county1 ,missouri1 is also fortunate in
 having within its limits the ,grand    
,gulf1 which has been declared by       
competent judges to be one of the       
wonders of the world2 and it offers a   
combination of attractions that         
certainly entitles it to an important   

place among a limited few of ,america's 
choicest scenes4  ,the ,gulf is nearly  
nine miles northwest of ,thayer1        
,missouri1 and about equally distant    
from ,mammoth ,spring in ,arkansas1 just
 a little south of the ,missouri state  
line4 ,the drive is a pleasant one1 as  
the road winds among the forest-clad    
hills and passes occasional fields of   
cotton and corn2 but having been        
macadamized in very ancient times by the
 original and all-powerful general      
government of that early period is      
somewhat rough1 yet threatens no danger 
greater than the destruction of wheels4 
,the only approach to the ,gulf is over 
the hill-tops2 and the entrance in past 
times1 while it was still a cave1 must  
have been a sink-hole in the roof of the
 largest chamber4 ,this chamber is now  
the upper end of the ,grand ,gulf1 and  
into it we descended by a rugged path1  
sufficiently difficult to maintain      
expectations of grandeur that are not   
doomed to disappointment4 ,the          

precipitous walls1 two hundred feet in  
height1 bear a faithful record of the   
energy of circling floods2 but instead  
of frowning1 as some good people        
persistently accuse all noble heights of
 doing1 they seem to look with conscious
 pride towards the windings of the great
 rough chasm1 where every available spot
 has been seized on as a homestead for  
some form of vegetation4 ,all the great1
 dark rock masses that interfere with   
easy progress along the lowest depth1   
were surrounded by a feathery setting of
 blooming white agaratum2 and each turn 
in the winding course reveals new charms
 of rock and verdure with their varying 
lights and shadows until the crowning   
glory is reached at the ,natural        
,bridge1 about twelve hundred feet from 
the upper end of the caon4 ,this bridge 
is magnificent4 ,it was impossible to   
secure photographs because the abrupt   
curve by which it is approached gave no 
point of view for a small camera2 and it
 was equally impossible to reach        

desirable points for taking             
measurements1 but the open arch is not  
less than twenty feet wide and          
considerably more than that in height4  
,from the floor or bed of the ,gulf to  
the road that crosses the bridge is more
 than two hundred feet4 ,the passage    
under the bridge makes a curve1 the     
shortest side of which measures exactly 
two hundred and nineteen feet1 and as   
the width varies from twenty to forty   
feet1 the other side is longer4 ,most of
 the floor is flat and level as also is 
the ceiling1 the greatest irregularities
 being along the wall of greater length 
which shows at what points the rushing  
water has spent its force4 ,no water    
flows through here now except in times  
of heavy rainfall4 ,the other end of the
 bridge has a somewhat smaller span but 
is very handsome1 and the outward views 
from both are exceedingly fine4 ,after  
traversing about four hundred feet more 
of the beautiful1 high-walled ,gulf1 we 
stood before the grand entrance to the  

cave1 which is strikingly similar to the
 first arch of the bridge4 ,the only    
picture ,i was able to get was taken    
from the slope of the ,bridge-crown1 one
 hundred feet below the road1 and merely
 gives a suggestion of the magnificence 
waiting peacefully for the crowds of    
eager and enthusiastic sight-seers who  
will in the near future rush to this    
charming region in the ,land of the ,big
 ,red ,apple4  ,my companions were the  
same as mentioned in the preceding      
chapter1 a nephew1 ,james ,arther ,owen1
 and an obliging1 tall young man of     
twenty1 who acted as guide and driver4  
,relieving ourselves of all superfluous 
burdens just within the cave entrance1  
we lighted candles and sat down to wait 
for our eyes to adjust themselves to the
 changed condition1 from brilliant      
sunlight to absolute darkness1 broken   
only by the feeble strength of three    
candles4 ,it was noticeable that in the 
moist atmosphere of the ,missouri caves1
 three candles were not more than equal 

to one in the dry caves of ,south       
,dakota4  ,very soon we were able to    
continue the inspection of our          
surroundings1 and the large passage we  
were in would more properly be called a 
long chamber1 of irregular width but    
averaging about thirty feet4 ,this ends 
abruptly nearly five hundred feet from  
the entrance1 but a small passage       
scarcely more than six feet high runs   
off at right angles1 and into this we   
turn4 ,it is not quite so nearly dry as 
the outer chamber1 and at a distance of 
less than one hundred feet we suddenly  
come to the end of dry land at an elbow 
of the silently flowing river whose     
channel we had almost stepped into4 ,the
 ceiling dipped so we were not able to  
stand straight1 and the guide said he   
had never gone farther2 but to his      
surprise here was a light boat which ,i 
am ready to admit he displayed no       
eagerness to appropriate to his own use1
 and swimming about it1 close to shore1 
were numerous small1 eyeless fish1 pure 

white and perfectly fearless2 the first 
,i had ever seen1 and little beauties4  
,by burning magnesium ribbon we saw that
 the passage before us was a low arch   
and occupied from wall to wall by water1
 the direction of the flow being into   
another of somewhat greater size at     
right angles to that by which we had    
come1 and at the mouth of this lay the  
boat4 ,the distance we could see in     
either direction was of tantalizing     
shortness1 and the boat was provided    
with no means of guidance or control1   
save an abundance of slender twine which
 secured it to a log of drift from the  
outside2 so ,i decided to leave my      
companions in charge of the main coil of
 twine while ,i went on an excursion    
alone1 there being not much evident     
cause for apprehension as no living cow 
could ever have made the trip to this   
favored spot4  ,although the water      
looked perfectly placid1 the boat       
drifted with surprising speed1 so that  
the two scared faces peering after me   

were soon lost sight of4 ,the channel   
was nowhere more than six feet wide1    
consequently as the boat inclined to    
drive against either wall ,i was able   
with care to keep it off the rocks with 
my hands1 and in the same way guide it  
around the sharp turns in safety4 ,after
 several of these turns there appeared  
the mouth of a passage so much smaller  
that the roof was only twelve inches    
above the sides of the boat and ,i could
 touch both walls at the same time4 ,by 
running the boat across this it was held
 in place by the current1 and ,i could  
sit at ease and enjoy the position1     
which even the least imaginative person 
can readily conceive to have been a     
novel one4  ,the small eyeless fish had 
been noticeable in the water everywhere 
but now came swimming about the boat in 
an astonishing multitude1 and as        
unconscious of any possible danger as   
bees in a flower garden4 ,having no     
eyes1 they were naturally undisturbed by
 the light1 so the candle could be held 

close to the water for a satisfactory   
examination of the happy creatures4     
,they bore a striking resemblance to    
minnows1 although a few were larger1 and
 it is claimed that four or five inches 
are sizes not unusual1 but they happened
 not to be on exhibition4 ,even dipping 
a hand into the water in their midst    
occasioned no alarm1 and they might have
 been caught by dozens4  ,the guide now 
loudly called that he had fears of the  
twine being cut on the sharp edges of   
rock1 and that cutting off all          
possibility of the boat's return1 which 
being sufficiently reasonable1          
explorations were indefinitely          
suspended1 and a landing soon made4 ,the
 camera and flash-light were then       
prepared for taking a view1 and a point 
of light being needed to work by the    
nephew was asked to sit in the boat with
 his candle1 to which he readily        
consented2 but judging from the         
developed picture it may be doubted if  
his pleasure at the time was extremely  

keen4  ,on leaving the cave the guide   
said it would not be necessary to return
 to the upper end of the ,gulf in order 
to reach the surface1 as the ascent     
could be made in another place2 and     
leading the way to the left of the      
entrance he started up the nearly       
perpendicular wall1 more than two       
hundred feet high1 by a sort of blind   
trail that would have caused a mountain 
sheep to sigh for wings1 but it was very
 beautiful4  ,we walked over to the     
wagon road on the high ridge above the  
middle of the bridge and going down the 
forest-clad slopes to the perpendicular 
wall in which is the smaller of the     
great arches1 admired from this fair    
point of view the marvelous grandeur of 
one of the greatest natural wonders4    
,the weather being perfect after a rain 
the day before1 there was no need of    
haste to get indoors1 so we lingered    
into the afternoon and then drove to the
 ,mammoth ,spring1 in ,arkansas1 a short
 distance south of the ,missouri state  

line1 where the ,cave ,river1 just      
visited1 comes to the surface in a      
bounding spring of great force4 ,the    
distance being little less than nine    
miles4  ,the basin filled by the ,spring
 might be called a lake1 as its size of 
two hundred by three hundred feet gives 
it that appearance1 and the color is a  
remarkable deep blue4 ,the volume of    
water is so nearly uniform that the     
height seldom varies more than two or   
three inches1 but three years ago a     
storm of unusual violence carried out   
most of the native fish1 and in         
restocking from ,government supplies1   
the clear1 cold water suggested an      
experiment with mountain trout which are
 found to be doing well4  ,where        
,mammoth ,spring flows out its power is 
utilized by a flour mill on one bank and
 a cotton mill on the other1 and the    
water flowing on forms ,spring ,river1  
well known for the charm of its         
beautiful scenery4  ,this ,spring is    
described by ,dr4 ,david ,dale ,owen in 

his ,first ,report of a ,geological     
,reconnoissance of the northern counties
 of ,arkansas1 #aheg and #aheh1 pp4     
#fj-fa4     ,,chapter ,,viii4  ,,the    
,,black ,,hills ,,and ,,bad ,,lands4    
,in order to thoroughly appreciate and  
enjoy the wonderful caves of ,south     
,dakota1 which are found within the     
limits of the ,black ,hills1 it is      
necessary to have some knowledge of the 
geological character and history of that
 peculiar region4  ,prof4 ,j4,e4 ,todd1 
,state ,geologist1 in his ,preliminary  
,report on the ,geology of ,south       
,dakota1 gives an interesting           
,historical ,sketch of ,explorations in 
his state1 beginning with the expedition
 of ,captains ,lewis and ,clark to the  
upper ,missouri regions in #ahjd-f to   
explore that portion of the recent      
,louisiana ,purchase for the government 
and notify the ,indians of the transfer2
 and including all other important      
expeditions since that time down to his 
own official tour of the ,black ,hills  

and ,bad ,lands in #ahid4 ,his own      
descriptions are so concise and graphic 
as to invite quotation4 ,of the ,hills  
he says3  ,the ,black ,hills have an    
area of five-thousand square miles of a 
rudely elliptical form with its major   
axis1 approximately1 north-northwest4   
,most of this area lies within our      
state4 ,the true limit of the ,hills is 
quite distinctly marked by a sharp ridge
 of sandstone1 three hundred to six     
hundred feet in relative height1 which  
becomes broader and more plateau-like   
towards the north and south ends4 ,this 
ridge is separated from the higher mass 
of hills within by a valley one to three
 miles in breadth1 which is known as the
 ,red ,valley1 from its brick-red soil1 
or the 'race course1' which name was    
given it by the ,indians because of its 
open and smooth character1 affording    
easy and rapid passage around the       
,hills4 ,the junction of the outer base 
of the ,hills with the surrounding table
 lands has an altitude of three         

thousand1 five hundred to four thousand 
feet4 ,within this ,red ,valley one     
gradually ascends the outer slope of the
 ,hills and soon enters1 at an altitude 
of four thousand five hundred or five   
thousand feet1 the woody portion of the 
region4 ,this outer slope varies greatly
 in width and is underlaid by older     
sedimentary rocks1 cut in almost every  
direction by narrow deep caons4 ,this   
feature covers nearly the whole of the  
western half of the ,hills proper1 where
 erosion has been less active on account
 of its distance from the main channels 
of drainage4 ,usually1 from the broken  
interior edge of this slope or          
sedimentary plateau one descends a bluff
 or escarpment1 and enters the central  
area of slates1 granite1 and quartzites1
 which is carved into high ridges and   
sharp peaks cut by many narrow and deep 
valleys and ravines and generally       
thickly timbered with the common pine of
 the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,toward the     
south1 about ,harney ,peak1 the surface 

is peculiarly rugged and difficult to   
traverse4 ,toward the north1 also1 about
 ,terry and ,custer peaks1 a smaller    
rugged surface appears2 but in the      
central area between and extending west 
of the ,harney range is a region which  
is characterized by open and level parks
 much lower than the surrounding peaks  
and ridges4  ,the ,archan rocks which   
form the core of the ,hills mark the    
center of the various uplifts which have
 attended their formation and controlled
 their history4 ,the coarse granite of  
,harney ,peak indicating that1 as the   
central point of the earliest upheaval1 
and the three porphyries known as       
rhyolite1 trachyte1 and phonolite1      
showing the uplifts of later periods to 
have had their centers a little more to 
the north1 but the entire area is said  
to be only about sixty miles long and   
twenty-five miles in width4 ,it is      
exceptionally rough and mountainous1 and
 consequently has great charms for the  
lover of fine scenery4 ,erosion has only

 partially denuded the peaks of the     
sedimentary rocks through which they    
were thrust up1 or by which they were   
overlaid during the earlier part of     
several subsequent periods of           
submersion4 ,the ,hills1 in these remote
 times1 led but a doubtful and          
precarious existence1 being now an      
isolated island rising out of a shallow 
sea1 and then1 owing to a general       
subsidence1 submerged in the ocean to so
 great a depth that even ,harney ,peak  
is supposed to have almost1 if not      
entirely1 disappeared4 ,this up and down
 motion continued at intervals until the
 ,fox ,hills epoch of the ,cretaceous   
,age1 at the close of which the sea     
retired forever from that portion of the
 country4 ,in the next epoch fresh water
 work began and extensive marshes were  
formed1 with an abundant growth of      
vegetation and reptiles4 ,there was also
 much volcanic violence which resulted  
in the fine scenery in the north end of 
the ,black ,hills1 and probably opened  

the fissures to form ,wind ,cave1 the   
,onyx ,caves in the southern hills and  
,crystal ,cave near the eastern edge    
toward the north4 ,this was near the    
close of the ,cretaceous ,age4 ,but here
 is a point on which the best           
authorities who have studied the        
porphyry peaks1 have failed to agree2   
,prof4 ,n4,h4 ,winchell believing that  
the intrusion occurred1 probably1 during
 the ,jura ,trias1 but as ,cretaceous   
beds1 of more recent date1 are found to 
have been distorted by the outflow1 it  
seems that ,professors ,todd1 ,newton   
and ,carpenter hold the stronger        
position and that the later time is     
correct4  ,no record of the next        
geological stage1 which was the ,eocene1
 or earlier part of the ,tertiary ,age1 
has been found in the ,hills1 because   
they were at that time dry land with    
gently flowing1 shallow streams1 and    
consequently no strata were laid down2  
but they are supposed1 through later    
evidences1 to have had a tropical       

climate and vegetation1 enjoyed by large
 animals of strange new forms4 ,the     
volume of fresh water afterwards became 
so great that immense lakes spread over 
large portions of the west1 one of which
 occupied most of the region around the 
,black ,hills at the beginning of the   
,miocene1 and animal life was more      
abundant than ever before and of higher 
orders1 many species being the same as  
are now in existence4 ,the weather      
became more and more inclement and as   
the storms increased the erosion of the 
,hills also increased1 and the rivers   
changed to torrents with deep channels4 
,earthquakes are supposed to have       
occurred and also volcanic eruptions4   
,the ,black ,hills were now rising      
steadily1 and as the slope of the       
streams increased1 the channels cut     
deeper1 and the fissures now known as   
caves had long been filled with water4  
,the most important of the numerous     
animals of the ,tertiary ,age yet       
discovered in the ,hills and surrounding

 region1 are the ,titanotherium or      
,brontotherium1 similar to our          
,hippopotamus1 the ,oreodon1 and a small
 horse having three toes on each foot4  
,a little later in the same ,age the    
horses were similar to those of the     
present time and of equal size1 which   
proves that the wild horses of the ,west
 were not descended from the few lost by
 the ,spanish ,invaders4 ,at this time  
the first lions1 camels1 mastodons1 and 
mammoths also appeared4 ,the remains of 
these animals are so abundant in places 
as to indicate that they perished in    
herds that were overwhelmed suddenly by 
great floods1 and many1 no doubt1       
huddled together and perished with cold2
 for with the beginning of the present  
age the ,hills had reached their highest
 elevation1 the inclement weather       
increased1 and the tropical climate     
suddenly changed to one extremely cold4 
,it was the beginning of the ,glacial   
,period or ,ice ,age1 when a large      
portion of the ,united ,states is       

supposed to have been covered by a sheet
 of ice4 ,the ice is believed to have   
entered ,south ,dakota from the         
northeast and its drift across the state
 limited by a line so closely following 
the present course of the ,missouri     
,river that many of us would be inclined
 to consider it the western bluff4      
,beyond this line the ice failed to push
 its way1 but the ,hills were subject to
 heavy rain storms that filled the      
streams and carried large quantities of 
bowlders and other eroded material1 both
 coarse and fine1 down into the valleys 
and over the lower hills1 where much of 
the moderately coarse can now be seen   
exposed on the surface1 and fine        
specimens collected without the use of a
 hammer4 ,the brilliantly colored1      
striped and mottled agates1 and the     
bright1 delicate tints of the quartz    
crystal1 are particularly attractive to 
the majority of visitors4 ,the beauty of
 these gaily colored rocks is quite     
extensively utilized by the inhabitants 

of the southern and southeastern hills  
to supply the place of growing plants   
which are generally denied by the       
inconvenience of the water supply4 ,the 
quartzite of the ,hills is well         
crystallized and heavy4 ,i have one     
beautiful specimen of the dark ,indian  
red variety through which passes a      
narrow line of pale blue1 and the yellow
 quartzite or jasper sometimes shows    
dendrite markings4 ,very great          
quantities of agates and jasper1 mostly 
in small pieces1 but unlimited variety1 
are to be seen in portions of the ,bad  
,lands1 south of the fork of the        
,cheyenne ,river1 with an almost equal  
abundance of baculites and numerous     
other fossils4  ,the wide expanse of    
deep ravines and sharp1 barren ridges in
 the ,bad ,lands is a unique departure  
from the usual phases of natural scenery
 that inspire interest and wonder1 but  
no great admiration1 until one soon     
learns that the law of compensation has 
been strictly observed4 ,the beauty of  

vegetation denied those desolate buttes 
and ridges is atoned for by a marvelous 
abundance of most wonderful crystals of 
aragonite1 calcite1 barite and satin    
spar2 each to itself1 or two or more    
combined in beautiful geodes or else    
arranged in great flat slabs            
crystallized on both sides of a thin    
sheet of lime4 ,these slabs are composed
 of crystals of uniform size and of a   
pale green tint4 ,but the geodes show   
some striking combinations of both      
crystals and colors with an exterior    
formed like box work1 composed of a very
 heavy dark material said to be a       
mixture of barium1 calcium and iron4    
,the interior may be a bright green or  
lemon yellow1 or perhaps the two in     
combination1 while others yet may be    
either of these varieties with the      
addition of flat crystals of almost     
transparent satin spar4 ,these crystals 
also occur in masses of the same        
box-like formation rising just so much  
above the surface of the barren ridge   

they occupy as to give it the appearance
 of a prairie dog town4 ,one hill-top   
over which an abundance of detached     
crystals1 of the palest water-green     
tint1 has been spread1 gave the         
impression of being covered with crushed
 ice4 ,this transformation from a richly
 tropical to a marvelously barren       
region1 was accomplished during the time
 when storms reigned over the ,hills and
 ice ruled the country to the north and 
east4  ,the long slender barite crystals
 of a bright golden brown color are     
especially beautiful but are generally  
seen in the specimen stores1 as the     
deposit is confined to limited areas and
 the few persons familiar with the      
locations are not over anxious to       
introduce the general public4  ,the     
fossil remains previously referred to   
are of course only a few of the most    
important1 but it is remarked as a      
curious and notable fact that among the 
fossils of the lower orders of life in  
the ,bad ,lands1 the heads have not been

 preserved4 ,on account of scarcity of  
water it is necessary for parties to    
carry a supply even when they expect to 
be in the vicinity of the ,cheyenne     
,river and probably ford the ,south     
fork1 as these waters carry in solution 
a quantity of alkali that renders them  
unfit for drinking1 although the effects
 would not be fatal but simply the      
extreme reverse of pleasant4  ,no caves 
have been discovered in the ,bad ,lands1
 unless that name be applied to some of 
the geodes which are really grottoes1   
they being of sufficient size for a man 
to stand in4 ,the ,black ,hills1        
however1 contain some of the most       
remarkable caves ever yet discovered1 of
 which those of greatest importance are 
,wind ,cave and the three ,onyx ,caves  
near ,hot ,springs1 in the southeastern 
part of the ,hills1 and ,crystal ,cave  
near ,piedmont1 in the northeast4 ,all  
of these occur in the ,carboniferous    
,limestone which forms an outer belt    
around the central mass or core of the  

,hills and no doubt1 as previously      
suggested1 owes its fissures to         
earthquakes which preceded or           
accompanied the porphyry intrusions by  
which in some localities its strata have
 been thrown into a vertical position4  
,,chapter ,,ix4  ,,wind ,,cave4   ,wind 
,cave was discovered in #ahha by a      
hunter named ,thomas ,bingham1 who being
 weary of a fruitless chase sat down to 
rest1 and was soon startled by the sound
 of rushing wind on a calm day2 and at  
the same time by a singular hair-raising
 sensation1 as his hat was lifted from  
his head and thrown high in the air4 ,he
 is said to have afterwards declared    
that although frightened nearly out of  
his wits1 he determined to find the     
cause of his alarm1 and on turning      
slightly discovered a hole about eight  
by twelve inches in size through which a
 roaring wind was issuing from the      
earth4 ,as his hair maintained the      
aggressive attitude taken1 the recovered
 hat could not be returned to its usual 

place1 so an hour was spent in laying it
 across the opening and watching its    
instant projection into upper space2    
after which he set out to tell of the   
wonderful discovery4 ,the announcement1 
however1 was not received seriously and 
he was assured of the impossibility of  
the wind blowing through a hill of solid
 rock1 and his brother explained to him 
that he had been too self-indulgent and 
consequently imagined the whole affair4 
,a protest of total abstinence failed to
 inspire confidence1 but the brother    
promised to go the next day to see for  
himself1 and did4 ,the hat was again    
placed over the opening as before1 but  
instead of taking the expected lofty    
flight1 it was drawn in and has never   
since been seen3 the current had        
reversed4 ,soon after this the hole was 
enlarged to eighteen by thirty inches   
and the cave entered by quite a number  
of venturesome persons assisted by a    
long rope and ample personal courage4   
,no other improvements were made1 and   

only a short distance was explored1     
until ,mr4 ,j4,d4 ,mc,donald settled on 
the property in #ahij2 since which time 
he and his sons have explored           
ninety-seven miles of passage and done  
such extensive work in opening up small 
passages and placing ladders1 that it is
 now possible for visitors to travel    
long distances with surprising ease and 
comfort4 ,the measure of distances in   
the cave is not by the usual guess-work 
method which has established the        
short-measure reputation for cave miles1
 but is done with a fair degree of      
accuracy by means of the twine used to  
mark the trail in exploring new         
passages4 ,a careful measurement of the 
twine has shown it to run nine balls to 
the mile with a close average of        
regularity1 so it is the custom to add  
another mile to the cave record as often
 as a ninth ball becomes exhausted4     
,wind ,cave is twelve miles north of    
,hot ,springs by a good road which      
offers somewhat meager attractions to   

the artist1 but is more liberal towards 
the geologist1 and especially so in fine
 exposures of the gypsum bearing ,red   
,beds of the ,triassic4 ,limited patches
 of it are also exposed in each of the  
caves1 generally carrying small         
quantities of selenite1 which is        
crystallized gypsum1 or in other words1 
crystallized sulphate of lime4 ,this    
brilliant red color is so prominent in  
portions of the ,hills1 and attracts so 
much wondering attention in other well  
known regions of the ,west1 that it     
would seem an unpardonable neglect of   
opportunity should we fail to again     
quote ,prof4 ,todd for an explanation of
 the cause of the vivid coloring4       
,commencing he says3 ,newton remarks    
concerning this3#d ',a large percentage 
of peroxide of iron in the red beds1 to 
which they owe their bright red color1  
bears an interesting relation to the    
absence of fossils4 ,the material of    
which sediments are formed is derived1  
by the various processes of denudation1 

from the rocks of older land surfaces4  
,whatever iron they contain is dissolved
 from the land and transported in a     
condition of protoxide and some proto   
salt1 such as the carbonate1 and the    
process is facilitated by the presence  
of carbonic acid in the water4 ,now iron
 occurs in these older rocks as         
protoxide and peroxide1 the former of   
which is soluble and the latter         
insoluble in water4 ,the peroxide1      
however1 by the action of organic       
matter1 such as is held in solution in  
boggy waters1 may be deprived of a      
portion of its oxygen and converted into
 protoxide and thus be rendered soluble4
 ,if the iron-bearing water is confined 
first in a shallow basin and exposed    
long to the action of the atmosphere the
 protoxide of iron absorbs the oxygen   
and is precipitated as an insoluble red 
peroxide of iron4 ,if1 however1 plant or
 animal life be present in sufficient   
quantities1 this oxidation is prevented4
 ,in case but little foreign material1  

clay or sand1 has been brought by the   
waters1 the deposit will be an iron ore4
 ,in case large quantities of foreign   
material are deposited from the waters  
at the same time1 there will be         
produced1 in the absence of life1 a     
brown or red clay or sandstone1 and in  
its presence a white or light colored   
formation containing the iron as a      
carbonate4 ,we reason therefore from the
 condition in which the iron is found in
 the red beds1 that there could have    
been little or no life1 animal or       
vegetable1 in the water from which it   
was deposited4 ,the conclusion is       
strengthened by the fact of the large   
quantities of gypsum which are usually  
derived from the evaporation of saline  
waters4 ,the degree of saline           
concentration which the precipitation of
 gypsum indicates1 would be highly      
inimical to life4 ,the presence of      
gypsum helps to account for the absence 
of life1 and the absence of life        
accounts for the brilliant color4 ,the  

three prominent characteristics of the  
formation 7that is the red beds7 are    
therefore quite in harmony with each    
other4' 7,geol4 ,blk4 ,hills1 p4 #ach47 
,continuing the subject1 ,professor     
,todd says3 ,accepting this explanation 
of the striking red color1 the question 
remains as to how these circumstances1  
favorable for its formation1 were       
produced4  ,this red color is quite     
common in the whole ,rocky ,mountain    
region1 not only on the eastern slope of
 the mountains1 but to the various      
detached members of the system4 ,we     
must1 therefore1 look for some extensive
 condition4 ,if we seek some case in the
 present1 parallel to the one already   
indicated1 we perhaps can find none     
better than one on the eastern shore of 
the ,caspian ,sea1 where1 because of dry
 climate and the shallow waters1 the    
deposition of gypsum and salt is now    
going on4 ,in the gulf known as the     
,kara ,boghaz1 which is separated from  
the ,caspian by a narrow strait1 the    

evaporation is so rapid as to produce an
 almost constant flow from the sea into 
it4 ,this strait and this gulf give the 
impression to an unlearned observer that
 there must be a mysterious subterranean
 outlet4 ,the water flows in1 carrying  
with it the salt and other soluble      
minerals4 ,it then evaporates1 leaving  
the salt and minerals behind4  ,this    
explanation is calculated to afford     
particular pleasure to the many visitors
 to the ,garden of the ,gods1 in        
,colorado1 who seldom receive           
satisfactory answers to their questions 
as to the reasons why4 ,in that much    
visited spot1 however1 the great mass of
 the deposit has been removed by erosion
 and the curiously shaped remnants are  
only such portions as were exceptionally
 hard and consequently withstood the    
action of the submerging waters4        
,having made a considerable stop on the 
way to ,wind ,cave1 we will now hurry   
on1 but with good horses and a fine day 
the drive is one of great pleasure4 ,the

 road gradually rises to higher ground  
and soon reaches a point six hundred    
feet more elevated than ,hot ,springs1  
with a charming view of hill and valley 
distances1 and the way then continues   
over the hill-tops4 ,at one point by the
 roadside a circle of tent-stones still 
marks the spot occupied by ,sitting     
,bull for a week or more after the      
,custer massacre1 while he camped here  
and in the security of his commanding   
position watched the movements of the   
government troops who were in search of 
him4  ,hot ,springs and ,buffalo ,gap   
are both included in the wide-spread    
view4 ,beside the road and scattered    
about in all directions are fine        
specimens of agates and quartz crystal  
which seem most beautiful and most      
abundant on the hills in the immediate  
vicinity of the cave1 the crystals being
 either rose pink1 pale green1 yellow1  
white or colorless4  ,arriving at the   
cave1 the entrance is not visible1 but  
between the ravine in which it is       

located and the road1 there is the cave 
office and small hotel1 on the ravine   
side of which an outer stairway leads   
down to the cave entrance1 over which   
has been built a log cabin4  ,on account
 of the precautions taken for the       
protection of visitors1 accidents are so
 rare that it might almost be said that 
none occur4 ,every person is required to
 register before entering the cave and  
all returning parties are carefully     
counted1 although they are usually      
unaware of the fact4 ,they are always   
accompanied by two guides and others are
 added if the party is large4 ,no one   
is1 on any account1 permitted to wander 
in advance of the head guide or linger  
behind the one in the rear4  ,within the
 cabin the immediate entrance to the    
cave is securely closed1 and in order   
that the door may not be forced from its
 fastenings by the roaring wind which   
shakes it threateningly1 it opens in1   
instead of out4 ,this wind suggested the
 name ,wind ,cave1 and will probably be 

utilized1 at no very distant time1 to   
generate electricity for lighting the   
cavern4  ,the wind is strongest at the  
surface1 and a guide goes down first to 
place lights in sheltered nooks where   
the force has begun to diminish1 about  
fifty feet below the entrance2 and here 
we light our candles which1 if guarded  
somewhat1 are not extinguished unless   
the current is unusually severe4 ,the   
balance of the descent of one hundred   
and fifty-five feet from the surface to 
the first chamber is easily             
accomplished4  ,this would be the least 
interesting room in the cave if it were 
not the ,bride's ,chamber1 on account of
 having once been the scene of a        
marriage ceremony4 ,but no others are in
 need of assistance of such romantic    
nature1 as all are curiously and        
handsomely decorated1 with such a       
charming variety of deposits1           
artistically massed1 combined or        
contrasted1 that every step brings fresh
 pleasure1 and monotony is nowhere4     

,passing from this room by a long1      
narrow passage1 in the walls of which   
are observed many beautiful little      
pockets of crystals1 attention is       
presently called to ,lincoln's          
,fireplace1 a perfectly natural specimen
 of the old-fashioned design broadly    
open in the chimney2 doubtless just such
 an one as ,mr4 ,lincoln's good mother  
hung the crane in and set the ,dutch    
oven before4 ,a little beyond and on the
 opposite side of the crevice is        
,prairie-dog town1 not a very extensive 
town1 to be sure1 but so true a copy    
that one unfamiliar with the small      
animal and his style of architecture    
would afterwards easily recognize both4 
,at one time his dogship was carried    
away by a too eager collector1 but a    
letter to the suspected visitor brought 
him home by the next freight4  ,the     
,dutch ,clock occupies a position on a  
shelf near by1 and all southern visitors
 greet the ,alligator as a familiar     
friend1 as all of us joyfully meet any  

acquaintance from home4  ,a long narrow 
passage1 formerly a tight crawl1 but    
later opened up by heavy blasting1 must 
be traversed before we come to the ,snow
 ,ball ,room1 beautiful with round spots
 of untinted carbonate of lime1 as if   
fresh soft snow had been thrown by the  
handful over walls and ceilings1 with   
the additional ornamentation of calcite 
crystals4 ,in the crevice beyond rises  
the ,church ,steeple1 diminishing       
regularly1 though roughly1 in size1 to a
 height of sixty feet1 but not degraded 
with the little squirming stairway      
usually seen in ,church spires4  ,the   
next room is the ,post ,office1 in which
 we are for the first time introduced to
 the greatest peculiarity and most      
abundant formation known to the cave4   
,being a newly discovered addition to   
geology it has no scientific name and   
therefore is simply called box work1    
because it resembles boxes of many      
shapes and sizes4 ,the formation of the 
box work is generally regarded as an    

unexplained and unexplainable mystery1  
but a careful study of various portions 
of the cave shows it in all stages of   
development and suggests a reasonable   
theory as to the cause of its origin and
 variety of development4 ,the volcanic  
disturbances which have already been    
discussed as having been responsible for
 the various uplifts and depressions of 
the ,black ,hills region1 and also for  
opening the fissures which gave the cave
 a beginning1 must have supplied the    
conditions that were necessary to the   
formation of box work4 ,and these       
preliminary conditions were merely      
cracks in the rock4 ,by the violence of 
earth movement the limestone has been   
crushed1 probably when the land was     
undergoing depression1 prior to the     
upheaval which opened the great parallel
 fissures4 ,the varying hardness of the 
rock1 as well as proximity to the       
surface1 would readily account for the  
difference in size of the fractures1    
which is from one-half inch to twelve   

inches2 the largest being the most      
distant from the surface4 ,that this    
crushing was done before the salt waters
 retired from the region1 which was     
towards the close of the ,cretaceous    
,age1 is sufficiently evident in the    
fact that portions of the ,red ,beds    
show similar fractures with the cracks  
filled with gypsum1 and gypsum1 as we   
have already seen1 is a salt water      
deposit4  ,after the crushing was done  
the cracks in the ,carboniferous        
,limestone were filled with water       
heavily charged with calcium carbonate1 
taken in solution from the rock1 first  
from pulverized particles1 and          
afterwards by percolation and contact   
with exposed surfaces4 ,this calcium    
carbonate was slowly deposited in       
crystalline form1 so that in time the   
cracks were filled and the crushed rock 
firmly cemented with calcite seams4 ,but
 in the meantime the removal of the     
calcium carbonate had started           
disintegration of the more exposed      

portions of the rock1 which steadily    
continuing1 finally reduced the porous  
body between the crystal seams to a soft
 clay which was gradually dissolved and 
carried out through small imperfections 
in the thin crystal sheets1 leaving the 
empty box work as we find it4 ,but where
 blasting has exposed fresh surfaces1   
much of the solid limestone carries the 
box-like sheets of crystal4  ,the       
thinnest box work is seen in the upper  
levels1 from which the waters retired   
soonest1 and the heaviest and most      
beautiful is in the ,blue ,grotto1 on   
the eighth level where the water        
remained longest and its diminished     
volume became most heavily charged4 ,in 
many places1 however1 there is another  
heavy variety known as pop-corn box     
work1 which seems to be an impure lime  
carbonate not so finely crystallized as 
the other1 but at the time of my visit  
no explanation had been given of the    
manner of its deposit2 and my own theory
 that it was not formed under water had 

nothing to sustain it until1 a few weeks
 later1 while visiting ,crystal ,cave1  
the work was found in active progress on
 surfaces occupying every position1 and 
the agent was dripping water4 ,in all   
cases the original box work has been in 
thin sheets of calcite1 and the heavy   
varieties are due to later deposits of  
calcite and aragonite crystals or1 pop  
corn4  ,the colors are white1 yellow1   
blue and chocolate brown2 the last named
 predominating to a great extent in that
 portion of the cave most easily        
traveled by visitors1 and forming the   
ceiling and a part of one wall in the   
,post ,office1 where1 as has been said  
before1 it first appears4 ,the effect is
 not dreary as might be imagined1 and   
parties are generally photographed here 
because one side of the room is white   
and greatly assists the flash4 ,this is 
a smooth1 perpendicular wall marking the
 line of the fissure and showing the    
strata of the rock in horizontal        
position whitened with a thin coating of

 carbonate of lime4 ,all visitors are   
cordially invited to please themselves  
in leaving cards1 letters or papers in  
this chamber1 which is reserved for that
 purpose1 and to refrain from leaving   
them in other portions of the cave or   
defacing the walls with names4  ,roe's  
,misery is a long1 narrow passage into  
which1 during the early times before its
 size had been increased by blasting1 a 
large man named ,roe crawled to his     
sorrow4 ,being larger than the hole he  
stuck fast1 and neither his own efforts 
nor those of the guides could relieve   
the situation until a rope was sent for1
 and having been brought1 was securely  
fastened to his feet1 when a long pull  
and a strong one finally opened the     
passage4 ,it is told that he claimed to 
have reviewed all the objectionable acts
 of his life1 by which his friends      
understood that he occupied the         
motionless position not less than three 
weeks4  ,red ,hall is very nearly       
described by its name and is quite a    

showy room1 with the bright red walls   
contrasting sharply with their limited  
ornamentation of pure white carbonate of
 lime and pearly crystals of calcite4   
,off to one side of ,red ,hall is a     
beautiful little chamber called ,old    
,maids' ,grotto1 probably on account of 
its trim appearance and ideal location4 
,it is so entirely concealed from the   
view of those passing on the public     
highway1 that its existence is not even 
suspected1 until special attention is   
called to its cosiness1 and then it is  
necessary to mount an accumulation of   
great water-rounded rocks in order to   
obtain convincing evidence of its actual
 reality4 ,it is a long1 narrow room1   
shut in by a straight wall sufficiently 
high for rigid seclusion1 or protection1
 without preventing a glimpse of passing
 events4  ,a break in the description is
 made here for the purpose of inserting 
a description1 written at the author's  
request1 by ,mr4 ,e4,l4 ,mc,donald4 ,he 
was generally our special guide4 ,he has

 chosen to describe the route taken by  
the majority of visitors and therefore  
the balance of my observations within   
those limits are omitted4  ,all who are 
familiar with those passages and        
chambers will observe while reading the 
next chapter that no imaginary          
attractions are added to the existing   
facts1 but many interesting minor points
 are missing4  ,only such changes are   
made as were agreed to as the condition 
on which he would attempt a piece of    
work so at variance with his usual      
occupations4  ,,footnotes3  #d ,u4,s4   
,geological ,survey4 ,geology of the    
,black ,hills4 ,henry ,newton1 p4 #ach4 
,,chapter ,x4  ,,wind ,,cave            
,,continued4   ,,the ,,fair ,,grounds   
,,route4  ,at #i3cj in the morning the  
train bringing health-seekers and       
tourists arrives at ,hot ,springs1 a    
beautiful little city nestled in the    
southernmost foot-hills of the          
world-reputed ,black ,hills of ,south   
,dakota4 ,the choice of a hotel is soon 

made1 and when located1 the new-comers  
observe the other guests and acquaint   
themselves with the attractions of the  
resort4 ,probably during the day they   
are approached by the solicitor of the  
wonderful ,wind ,cave1 who explains that
 the best way to reach the cave is by   
means of the coach and four seen at the 
hotel in the morning1 and arrangements  
are made for the following day4 ,the    
next morning1 seated in the tally-ho    
coach with strangers who are soon       
acquaintances1 you start on a beautiful 
twelve-mile drive to one of nature's    
most interesting sights4  ,immediately  
after leaving town you begin to admire  
the scenery and enjoy the cool1         
refreshing breezes1 wafted from the     
mountains to the north1 down the slopes 
to the arid plains4  ,after climbing a  
gently sloping 'hog-back' for about     
eight miles1 you are at the top of the  
divide and one thousand feet higher than
 ,hot ,springs1 which may be seen on the
 left4 ,looking ahead you can see       

,harney ,peak1 the highest mountain in  
the ,black ,hills district2 and on the  
right you see ,buffalo ,gap1 through    
which the creek runs that heads at      
,min-ne-pa-juta ,springs4 ,the ,indians 
used to drive buffalo through this gap1 
hence its name4 ,a small but thriving   
little town to the eastward takes its   
name from this ,buffalo ,gap4 ,from here
 you begin to go down a gentle and      
winding incline to the cave1 which is   
reached all too soon4  ,at the office   
you register and procure tickets1 and   
then have from one-half to              
three-quarters of an hour in which to   
eat lunch or dine at the hotel4 ,then   
all congregate in the office1 from      
whence the start is made1 after every   
one has put on a cave cap1 not a suit1  
as such is entirely unnecessary4 ,the   
guide leads the way to the entrance of  
the cave which is separated from the    
office by some little distance1 and is  
located in the bed of a long since dry  
run1 which in former times has bared the

 carboniferous strata1 and within this  
kind of rock the cave is found4  ,as the
 author has asked me for an article     
descriptive of the cave1 ,i will only   
attempt to say something of our medium  
length route to the ,fair ,grounds1 or  
in other words1 the ,fair ,grounds'     
,route4 ,a collective description of the
 whole cave would take months--even     
years--to complete4 ,besides1 the above 
route is the one most used by visitors  
at the present time4  ,on entering the  
,cave ,house 7a log structure7 you will 
in all probability ask from whence comes
 the murmur of a waterfall4 ,the guide  
answers that it is the rushing current  
of air at the mouth of the cave1        
sometimes in and sometimes out4 ,prof4  
,j4,e4 ,todd1 in bulletin ,no4 #a1 ,s4  
,dakota ,geological ,survey1 p4 #dh1    
says3 ',this phenomenon is found to     
correspond with the varying pressure of 
the barometer1 and with its single      
opening and capacious chambers is easily
 accounted for4'  ,the rushing air is   

sometimes strong enough to require a    
man's weight to open the entrance door4 
,five days and nights is the longest    
time the wind has been known to move in 
one direction without ceasing4 ,this is 
one of nature's greatest atmospherical  
phenomena4  ,some one says1 ',tickets1  
please6' and into the hole we go1 single
 file down a lighted passageway to where
 we can light our candles4 ,after       
descending about one hundred and        
fifty-five feet we come into the ,bridal
 ,chamber 7named by some of the earlier 
explorers before the present management 
took hold of the property71 which is    
eight or ten feet in length by twenty   
feet in breadth4 ,passing along some    
distance1 the ,snow-ball ,room is       
entered4 ,it carries this name on       
account of little rosettes of carbonate 
of lime sticking to the irregular       
ceiling4 ,this room is pretty narrow and
 some fifty feet in length4  ,the ,post 
,office is next and soon reached4 ,the  
ceiling is covered with the box work    

formation somewhat resembling ,post     
,office boxes4 ,you will no doubt wonder
 why it carries such a common name4     
,just because after searching in what   
books on geology and other sciences we  
could get1 we could not find it         
described nor any formation resembling  
it2 hence its common name1 as we have   
named the pop-corn work1 frost work     
etc41 from their appearance4  ,the      
dimensions of the ,post ,office are some
 eighty feet in length by twenty feet in
 width1 with an average ceiling height  
of probably twelve feet4 ,red ,hall is  
the room next in order1 and has on      
either side a red bank of sandy1        
micaceous clay4  ,just to the left is a 
very pretty little grotto of box work4  
,this room is very odd in make-up4 ,the 
floor is very rough and dips about      
fifteen feet in its length of sixty     
feet1 and includes a short flight of    
stairs4 ,the lowest end of the room is  
prettily decorated1 and some pleasing   
blends of color attract the eye4 ,to the

 left is the ,old ,maids' ,grotto1 a    
pretty little nook that would please any
 maid old or young4  ,after passing     
through the ,white ,room we turn to the 
left along the crevice1 and after       
traveling some little distance reach    
,the ,grand ,opera1 a very narrow room  
but some forty feet in length4 ,chopin's
 ,nocturne is a small grotto in the     
right hand wall named by the famous     
violinist1 ,edouard ,remenji4  ,the     
,devil's ,lookout is reached by a few   
steps4 ,it is a crevice about ten feet  
wide at the base and sixty-five feet in 
height4 ,this place is remarkable for   
its columns of rock just over head4 ,the
 pathway leads to ,milton's ,study1 some
 fifty feet distant4 ,turning into the  
crevice again1 some twenty feet are     
traveled when attention is called to    
,seal ,rocks4 ,sampson's ,palace is the 
next room in order3 here we see some    
stalagmitic water formation on the left 
wall and the ceiling is one of the most 
beautiful yet seen on the trip4  ,we    

pass along to ,swiss ,scenery1 a very   
prettily decorated room fifty feet in   
length by fifteen in height4 ,the box   
work is very pretty1 shading from yellow
 to dark brown4 ,the general appearance 
of the room would suggest its name1 it  
being rougher than any other in the     
immediate vicinity4 ,passing under an   
arch we enter the ,queen's              
,drawing-room4 ,here the box work has   
been developed beyond any on our pathway
 thus far4 ,from the ceiling it hangs   
like draperies and on the left wall is  
about twenty-four inches in depth4 ,on  
the whole this room is elegant enough   
for the most exacting queen4 ,we step   
from this room into the ,m4,e4 ,church4 
,rev4 ,mr4 ,hancher1 ,president of the  
,black ,hills ,methodist ,college1 was  
,i believe the first to hold song and   
prayer service in this room2 the pulpit 
is on the left as you pass through4 ,the
 guides always ask if any wish to sing  
or worship1 as any one has a perfect    
right in a dedicated ,chapel4  ,the     

,giant's ,causeway is only a few steps  
beyond4 ,this bit of scenery has some   
resemblance to the famed basalt         
attraction on the coast of ,ireland4 ,we
 'duck' our heads under the ,arch of    
,politeness and rise to a standing      
position in ,lena's ,arbor1 a very      
irregular shaped room admired by a great
 many of our visitors4  ,we enter       
,capitol ,hall at the side1 about midway
 between the ends4 ,it is the largest   
room yet visited1 being some two hundred
 feet from end to end1 with a very high 
ceiling4 ,here we notice the walls and  
ceiling are bare of box work and other  
formation1 and are clean and white4 ,the
 decorative appearance exceeds any room 
yet visited4 ,after getting into line   
again we go down a flight of stairs to  
,odd ,fellows' ,hall1 a chamber that on 
examination suggests its name4 ,in the  
ceiling is situated the ',all seeing    
eye1' one of the emblems of that august 
body1 and at a little distance the      
',three links2' also in the ceiling1 and

 just under the latter is situated a    
rock very much resembling a goat4       
,attention is called to the first       
appearance of pop-corn work1 a very     
peculiar formation resembling pop-corn  
after it has broken open1 and in this   
part of the cave it is quite plentiful4 
,we now descend another flight of stairs
 into ,turtle ,pass1 where a large      
turtle rests beside the path1 and just  
beyond is the ,confederate ,cross-roads1
 where the fissure is crossed by another
 forming a cross with perfect right     
angles4 ,the right hand passage is used 
for specimens only2 straight ahead leads
 to the ,garden of ,eden1 the end of our
 shortest route2 we take the left hand  
path and journey through ,summer        
,avenue1 some seventy feet in length1   
and reach the ,scenes of ,wiclow1 a     
large and high room1 beautifully        
decorated with box work and pop-corn4   
,the ceiling and the left wall from     
floor to ceiling are fine box work4 ,on 
the right you see dark space1 as a very 

large portion of this room is unused1   
but we pass the ,piper's ,pig4 ,list6   
,the guide is pounding on the ,salvation
 ,army ,drum1 a large projecting rock   
that on being struck with the closed    
hand gives a sound very much like a bass
 drum4  ,after walking across a short   
plank we enter ,kimball's ,music ,hall1 
a very beautiful room settled between   
two crevices and lined with box work4   
,viewing the ceiling from the fissure on
 the right it is seen to be smooth and  
fringed with pop-corn4 ,in some places  
the boxes are closed1 resembling        
finished honey-comb4 ,over head box work
 can be seen as high as the light       
penetrates4 ,on the whole1 ,i think this
 is the finest crevice in the explored  
cave4  ,looking straight ahead you      
wonder how the party can travel over    
such a road as presents itself to view1 
but the guide turns into an arch in the 
right hand wall and enters ,whitney     
,avenue4 ,after walking across the      
bridge over shadowy depths1 our pathway 

lies for some fifty feet in one of the  
most interesting ovens in the cave1 at  
the end of which we enter ,monte        
,cristo's ,palace by going down a flight
 of stairs4 ,this room has the greatest 
depth beneath the surface of any of the 
,fair ,grounds' ,route1 which is four   
hundred and fifty feet4 ,in this room is
 noticed a decided change in the box    
work1 which is much heavier than any    
seen1 or that will be seen on this      
route1 and the color is light blue4  ,i 
guess ,i will give the party a talk     
while we rest under ,monte ,cristo's    
,diamonds1 a very sparkling cluster1    
about six inches in diameter1 of silica 
crystals4  ,after studying the cave1 it 
appears that it did not form in the same
 manner as most others2 on account of   
the absence of sink holes1 the regular  
arrangement of the chambers1 the regular
 dip of the rock to the south-east from 
five to ten degrees1 and the regularity 
of the long vertical fissures running   
north-west south-east4 ,in fact1 the    

whole cave is made up of these fissures 
and it seems that the water has entered 
narrow crevices opened by some eruptive 
force4  ,you see small holes eaten in   
the ceilings and walls in every         
direction1 which indicates that the     
water came from a higher level1 and     
being under great pressure1 wanted      
passage out4 ,it seems the cave was a   
reservoir for a long time1 then after   
the water stopped flowing in it slowly  
receded1 and in settling the overcharged
 waters covered the rocks and specimens 
with a calcareous coating1 very thin in 
the upper portions of the cave and      
getting thicker the deeper you go1      
giving evidence as you see1 of slowly   
settling4 ,had the waters rushed out    
they would in all probability have left 
the rocks uncoated as in all other      
caves1 with one exception1 the ,crystal 
,cave1 some seventy-five miles to the   
north of ,wind ,cave4  ,as we have some 
more caves to see we must journey on4   
,taking one last look at ,monte         

,cristo's ,diamonds we pass into        
,milliner's ,avenue1 a very pretty      
avenue indeed with nearly as many colors
 as a milliner's show-window would      
present4 ,about mid-way of this avenue  
we cross the bridge over ,castle        
,garden1 a room in the eighth tier      
beneath the surface4 ,from this avenue  
we step into the ,assembly ,room4 ,here 
the formations are covered with a gypsum
 crystal that sparkles with wonderful   
brilliancy4 ,on the right is a passage  
leading to the ,masonic ,temple1 a room 
that any body of ,masons would be proud 
of could they hold lodge meetings in it4
 ,the passage on the left is the        
terminus of the ,pearly ,gates' ,route1 
the longest developed route in the cave4
 ,after moving along some distance we   
see the ,bad ,lands1 and then come into 
the ,tennis ,court4 ,this room has the  
net in the ceiling and ,i suppose the   
party can furnish the raquet 7racket74  
,on the right hand side of this room    
there is tier upon tier of box work2    

looking to the left1 you shudder at the 
almost bottomless pit just beside the   
pathway4 ,here we take a rest           
preparatory to climbing up to the       
,marble ,quarry1 a task of two flights  
of stairs4 ,this is a very large room   
and has the most uneven floor1 ceiling  
and walls of any that our visitors see1 
and is barren of specimens excepting in 
the first part over the stairs where    
there is some box work of very pretty   
structure and color4 ,some distance up  
the path we see on one side the ,ghost  
of ',she1' and on the other the ,devil's
 ,punch ,bowl1 a large rock with a      
basin-shaped hole about thirty-six      
inches across and sixteen inches deep1  
but lo6 the bottom has been broken out3 
which is very appropriate as ,south     
,dakota is at present a prohibition     
state4 ,a winding path is followed until
 attention is called to the ,sheep's    
,head above an arch over the passage1   
and the ceiling here is of flint1 the   
ledge of which is four inches thick4    

,passing under the arch we enter        
,johnstone's ,camp ,ground1 so named    
because ,paul ,alexander ,johnstone     
camped in this room while accomplishing 
the third of his greatest mind-reading  
feats1 during which he remained in the  
cave seventy-two hours4 ,he was locked  
in his room at the ,evans ,hotel while a
 committee secreted the head of a gold  
pin in the cave4 ,on their return1 after
 being blindfolded1 he led them to the  
livery stable1 and securing a team drove
 to the cave and found the pin in the   
,standing ,rock ,chamber1 beyond the    
,pearly ,gates1 and then drove back to  
the city still blindfolded4  ,down one  
short flight of stairs and we are in the
 ,waiting ,room1 so called on account of
 persons waiting here while the rest of 
their party finished the trip by        
climbing up the ,alpine ,way4 ,this     
difficult climb was made until the route
 was developed via the ,marble ,quarry4 
,a steep pathway and one flight of      
stairs now bring us to the ,ticket      

,office1 and another short stairway     
leads into the room above1 which is the 
,fair ,grounds4 ,we enter the right     
wing1 which measures two hundred and six
 links in length and forty-nine in width
 at the narrowest place4 ,we are now in 
the third level and no box work is seen1
 but the ceiling 7which is low7 shows   
many interesting fossils4 ,the central  
dome is some fifty feet in height1 and  
passing to the right the guide seats the
 party in such a position that the frost
 work on the wall can be seen to        
advantage4 ,this is the largest part of 
the ,fair ,grounds and measures six     
hundred and forty-five links long1      
exclusive of the right wing1 and has a  
width of fifty-three links1 which with a
 number of wings added1 makes it one of 
the largest under-ground rooms within   
,american caverns4  ,a great many       
visitors look at their cuff-buttons when
 told we have twenty-five hundred rooms 
included in ninety-seven miles of       
passageways4 ,of course they do not     

understand how we get the mileage4 ,in  
going to the ,fair ,grounds we travel   
about three miles4 ,in each fissure     
there are eight levels1 which makes     
twenty-four miles of cave from the      
entrance to the ,fair ,grounds4  ,of the
 formations in the cave1 the different  
kinds are on different levels1 the      
stalactites and stalagmites nearest the 
surface on the second1 the frost work on
 the third4 ,this formation is in most  
instances as colorless as snow4 ,the    
mode of its formation is not thoroughly 
understood1 but is found in such        
positions as suggest its being formed by
 vapors overcharged as spoken of about  
the water4 ,it is almost always on an   
over-hanging rock1 over or near some    
fissure leading to a deeper portion of  
the cave4 ,box work in this level is    
scattering and fragile3 in the fourth it
 is the prevailing formation3 in the    
fifth it is heavier and a little darker2
 in the sixth it varies in style and    
color1 and pop-corn appears1 a queer    

formation resembling pop-corn ready to  
eat4 ,it is not so purely white here as 
in the lower levels1 seventh and eighth4
 ,in the seventh the box work is heavier
 than any seen on the ,fair ,grounds'   
,route and the color is nearly blue1    
having a faded appearance4 ,in this tier
 is also found a good deal of mineral   
wool1 which must not be mistaken for    
asbestos4 ,it sometimes attains a length
 of eighteen inches and at one place    
where it seems to come out of a hole two
 inches in diameter1 and drops down like
 a grey beard1 we have named it ,noah's 
,beard4  ,in the eighth tier we find    
very beautiful formations of carbonate  
of lime1 and the box work is decidedly  
blue1 the boxes larger1 and their       
partitions one half inch thick4  ,we    
have been deeper than the eighth tier   
but in narrow crevices barely admitting 
a man of average stature4 ,in these the 
calcareous coating is much thicker than 
in any higher portions of the cave1 but 
very little sign of box work is seen4   

,sometimes we make a comparison between 
the cave and a sponge4 ,take for        
instance a sponge as large as an apple  
barrel and there would be holes in it as
 big as a man's thumb and closed hand4  
,now take a sponge1 four miles square   
and five hundred feet deep with holes in
 proportion to the little sponge1 and   
you have an illustration of ,the        
,wonderful ,wind ,cave1 of ,custer      
,county1 ,south ,dakota4     ,,chapter  
,,xi4  ,,wind ,,cave ,,continued4       
,,pearly ,,gates ,,and ,,blue ,,grotto  
,,route4  ,a very much longer1 more     
beautiful1 and also more difficult      
journey than the one just described may 
be taken by those in whom the desire to 
see is greater than the fear of fatigue1
 or possibly1 some little danger4 ,with 
this object in view the ,fair ,grounds' 
,route is followed through ,monte       
,cristo's ,palace and into ,milliner's  
,avenue4 ,here we leave it by dropping  
off the bridge into a rough hole1 which 
proves to be a passage descending into  

,castle ,garden directly beneath the    
,avenue1 and a room of considerable     
size1 plentifully supplied with         
bowlders4 ,although interesting to      
visit1 it has no points of such special 
merit as would seem to require a        
detailed account1 the main importance   
attaching to it being the fact that it  
is the first portion of the eighth level
 visited4 ,a little beyond1 however1 is 
something quite new4 ,the floor is      
covered with a light yellow crust of    
calcite crystal1 sufficiently strong to 
bear the weight of a limited number of  
guests without much fracture4 ,it       
generally gives a hollow sound when     
struck1 which is easily accounted for as
 there are small holes noticed by which 
steam evidently made its escape1 and    
through these cavities can be seen but  
they are shallow4 ,one place shows the  
crust broken up and with the edges of   
the pieces overlapped1 like ice broken  
by a sudden rise of back-water1 and in  
this position they have been firmly     

cemented4  ,this is where the slowly    
receding waters of the cave lingered in 
shallow pools above the small crevices  
long after the main portions had become 
dry4 ,that the crust was formed on top  
of the water1 instead of beneath its    
surface1 has been proved by the only    
body of water now standing in the cave4 
,this is called ,silent ,lake1 and being
 situated on another route will be      
described in its proper place1 but when 
discovered no water was visible nor its 
presence even suspected until the crust 
gave way under the weight of an         
explorer4 ,the thin sheet of yellow     
calcite crystal thus broken was the same
 as that seen in great abundance in the 
now perfectly dry eighth level4 ,the    
gradually decreasing volume of water has
 left a smooth yellow coat on portions  
of the walls where irregularities or    
slopes were favorable1 and at least one 
such place is vividly remembered if once
 seen4 ,a steep incline of about fifteen
 feet leads to a small oval hole through

 the wall2 towards this we crawled with 
no great ease2 but getting to the hole  
was far easier than going through it    
into a tiny cubby not high enough to sit
 comfortably upright in1 and too small  
to permit an average sized human being  
to turn around4 ,close on the left it is
 shut in by another wall pierced by two 
holes similar to that just passed1 and  
each revealing a miniature chamber      
scarcely more than three feet in either 
direction and eighteen inches high4     
,being directed to examine the ceiling  
of the first1 it was done with some     
difficulty and much satisfaction1 for   
there in the center was a most exquisite
 bit of art work1 a circular disk of    
drusy quartz about twelve inches in     
diameter and having the appearance of a 
flat rosette of fine black lace1 in open
 pattern with small diamonds thickly    
strung on every thread2 a brilliant1    
sparkling mass of gems4 ,after ,mr4     
,mc,donald had carefully removed a geode
 from the other little chamber1 he slid 

down into a fourth1 the last of the     
diminutive suite1 having sufficient     
height to allow a sitting posture with  
raised head1 and opened the small jewel 
case1 while ,i examined the place it    
came from4 ,here all was calcite crystal
 heavily massed in various forms1 and a 
harmony of blue and brown1 with half a  
dozen round1 unbroken1 perfect geodes   
hanging from the ceiling like oriole    
nests4 ,the geode taken proved on       
opening to be especially fine1 being    
filled with pearly white calcite        
crystals of both the dog-tooth and      
nail-head forms1 and was kindly         
presented to be added to the collection 
of cave specimens already purchased in  
town1 to which were also added handsome 
pieces of drusy quartz1 cave coral1 and 
tufa and mineral wool4  ,following the  
guide ,i now slipped down into the      
larger nook just vacated1 and saw with  
considerable chagrin that the next step 
was down a perpendicular wall more than 
ten feet in height1 facing a high1      

narrow fissure1 the floor of which was  
merely two shelves sloping to an open   
space along the middle1 almost two feet 
wide1 with the darkness of continuing   
crevice below4 ,further progress seemed 
absolutely impossible4 ,all things are1 
however1 possible to those who will1 and
 it had been willed to pay a visit to   
the grandest portion of ,wind ,cave4 ,in
 order to do so the descent must be made
 and was4 ,then some little distance    
must be traveled along the crevice1 but 
the angle of elevation taken by both    
sides of the bisected floor served as a 
sort of prohibitory tax together with   
the calcite paving1 since to maintain an
 upright position on such a surface     
would require long training of a certain
 professional character4 ,that          
difficulty1 too1 was overcome by placing
 a foot on either side of the open      
crevice2 the first consideration1 of    
course1 being safety and not grace4  ,we
 now came to the enjoyment of the reward
 of merit4 ,flooded with the brilliant  

white light of magnesium ribbon1 the    
crevice walls could be seen drawing     
together at a height of sixty-five feet1
 and both composed entirely of larger   
box work than any seen before and very  
heavily covered with calcite crystal1   
colored a bright electric blue and      
glowing with a pearly lustre4 ,this is  
the ,centennial ,gallery1 and leaving it
 with reluctance we passed on into the  
,blue ,grotto to find it finer still4   
,it is somewhat wider and higher1 while 
even the extremely rough1 uneven floor  
shows no spot bare of heavy box work of 
a yet deeper blue4  ,the wonderful      
beauty of this ,blue ,grotto necessarily
 stands beyond comparison because in all
 the known world there is nothing like  
it4 ,the forms of crystal are chiefly   
aragonite4  ,from here we pass to the   
,chamber de ,norcutt1 which would be    
considered a very handsome room if it   
had no superiors3 and the same can be   
said of ,union ,college1 in which1      
however1 is the ,fan ,rock to claim     

special notice2 an immense piece of     
fallen box work shaped like a lady's fan
 half opened4  ,an imposing vestibule   
leads into the extensive but rather     
dreary ,catacombs1 from which we crawled
 through a little hole into the         
,m4,w4,a4 ,hall1 emerging at the top of 
a steep but not high slope covered with 
the smooth yellow crust of calcite      
encountered at other places1 and in     
trying to make a dexterous turn so as to
 go down feet first1 the descent was    
accomplished with uncalculated          
suddenness and an unsought but liberal  
collection of bruises4 ,this1 however1  
was not a happening of the unexpected   
and could have no attention amid scenes 
of wonder and beauty1 and we were close 
to the ,geysers4 ,from a scientific     
point of view this is the most important
 portion of the cave1 for here is an    
indisputable proof that the water in the
 cave was hot and that it was subject to
 geyser action4 ,the surrounding region 
is covered with the crust already       

described1 and at the top of a gentle   
elevation is thrown up in the           
unmistakable form of geyser cones2 there
 being two near together on the surface 
described1 with a third visible through 
one of these on a slightly lower level1 
this one being a new discovery1 as it   
had escaped observation until we called 
attention to it4  ,these small cones    
show that after the degree of heat and  
the volume of water had become reduced  
to the merest fraction of their former  
greatness1 they continued their         
accustomed work here in the depth of the
 earth long after the once grand old    
geyser had ceased to show an outward    
sign of life4 ,when the water finally   
became so reduced even here that the    
steam could no longer force it through1 
or to these latest vents1 the last      
rising vapors fringed their edges with a
 beautiful snow-white border of         
crystallized carbonate of lime as fine  
and soft as a band of swan's down1 which
 it resembles4 ,in the pure1 still      

atmosphere of the eighth level1 almost  
five hundred feet beneath the entrance1 
this silent proof of ancient action will
 endure for the admiration and          
instruction of many generations yet to  
come4 ,few mortals will ever be honored 
with memorials so lasting or so         
convincing of vanished power4           
,proceeding on the journey the next     
chamber is the ,a4,o4,u4,w4 ,hall1 a    
large1 irregular room1 by the rise of   
which a return to the seventh level is  
accomplished2 and the next entered is   
the ,tabernacle1 not at all resembling  
the last1 although a similar description
 would be correct4  ,now is reached what
 many consider the cave's greatest      
charm1 ,the ,pearly ,gates4 ,and        
marvelously beautiful it certainly is4  
,approaching by a slightly lower level1 
we see a gateway opening between large  
rocks that light up with the soft lustre
 and varied tints of mammoth pearls4 ,a 
wonderful effect is produced by the     
white calcite crystal spread in unequal 

thickness over the dark surface of the  
encrusted rocks4 ,just without the gate 
is a short but not golden stairway      
leading to it1 and immediately within is
 the ,saint's ,rest1 a chamber of       
moderate size beautified by another     
great rock on which are combined the    
warm1 pearly glow of calcite and the    
cold glitter of frost by the later      
addition of lime carbonate              
vapor-crystals to the calcium carbonate 
aragonite4  ,next beyond is the chamber 
containing the ,standing ,rock behind   
which ,mr4 ,johnstone made his famous   
discovery of the concealed pin-head4 ,it
 is an immense great fallen rock on     
whose dark surface are scattered        
transparent flake-like crystals of satin
 spar1 resembling the congealed drops of
 a summer shower4 ,the mind-reader      
entered the chamber by the way we shall 
leave it4  ,returning to the spot from  
which the ,pearly ,gates were first     
viewed1 we stand facing the most        
beautiful of this imposing group of     

brilliant scenes1 ,the ,mermaid's       
,resort4 ,this is a small cove with wave
 marks in the white beach sand1 above   
which rises a projecting1 sheltering    
cliff as purely white as freshly fallen 
snow1 with a fine deposit of frost work 
in thick moss-like patterns two and     
three inches deep4  ,this crystalline   
mass1 so white and fragile1 has to      
perfection the appearance of hoar-frost 
about a steam-vent in extremely cold    
weather1 and was1 no doubt1 formed in a 
somewhat similar manner4 ,it is         
crystallized carbonate of lime1 and     
could have been deposited in such       
extremely delicate forms only by the    
heavily charged vapors rising from hot  
water4 ,no one needs to be told that hot
 water will take and hold in solution a 
much larger quantity of solid matter    
than is possible to cold water1 with all
 other conditions the same2 nor is it   
news that a portion of the solid        
substance is carried off in the rising  
steam4 ,now the geyser cones1 so        

recently visited on the next lower      
level1 prove both the heat of the water 
and its heavy charge of solids1 which   
gave it a far more intense heat than    
pure water could have equaled1 and this 
in turn drove the steam to greater      
distances than otherwise it would have  
reached4 ,when cooled to such a point as
 to be reduced to a light vapor1 its    
movement was checked by various walls1  
projections1 and ceiling as were in its 
upward path1 and these received the     
minute particles of burden1 while the   
somewhat brisk motion of the atmosphere1
 occasioned at these points by the      
mixing of that of higher temperature    
from below with the lower from above1 is
 responsible for the dainty and varied  
forms assumed by the fragile structure4 
,once more resuming the journey1 we     
admire the rugged charms of ,university 
,heights1 a somewhat larger and higher  
room than the next1 ,st4 ,dominic's     
,chamber1 but perhaps not more          
interesting than the ,council ,chamber1 

which besides other attractions is to   
some extent also a ,statuary ,hall4     
,from the ,council ,chamber the ,alpine 
,way leads up into the ,fair ,grounds   
directly above4 ,this ,alpine ,way is a 
sort of cork-screw twisting through the 
rocks1 not unlike a badly walled well1  
assisted at the lowest portion by a     
short and nearly perpendicular ladder4  
,next is the ,assembly ,room1 or ,crown 
,chamber1 as it is also called on       
account of a handsome crown             
conspicuously placed4 ,this room also   
contains a ,moose so perfectly carved   
that the skeptic who searches diligently
 for imperfections finally clamors for  
the whole company to celebrate his      
discovery of the artist's noble skill4  
,leaving this room we re-enter          
,milliner's ,avenue and soon cross the  
bridge from which1 a few hours ago1 we  
descended into the eighth level by way  
of ,castle ,garden2 and now the return  
to the surface is by the route followed 
before1 and we arrive there at last     

terribly weary1 but more than well      
pleased4     ,,chapter ,,xii4  ,,wind   
,,cave ,,concluded4   ,,garden ,,of     
,,eden1 ,,the ,,glacier1 ,,and ,,ice    
,,palace4  ,there is yet another long   
and charming line of travel open to     
those who have sufficiently steady heads
 and light feet to suffer no loss of    
confidence or depression of spirit when 
mounting the steep stairway whose limit 
seems lost in the dark distance above4  
,there being but the single entrance1 a 
repetition of the worn and ancient      
statement that all roads lead to ,rome1 
means that many journeys may be taken in
 ,wind ,cave1 but all must have the same
 beginning4  ,in the tourist season the 
guides have not time during the day to  
bring out specimens to supply the       
demand1 so on this account night trips  
are of frequent occurrence2 and on these
 occasions the number of persons in all 
that vast space seldom exceeds half a   
dozen1 but their voices and laughter1   
and the blows of their hammers1 can be  

heard at greater distances than would   
seem possible1 and give an agreeable    
sense of companionship2 yet the voice   
does not travel by any means so far as  
in other caves4  ,the evening we were to
 make the long trip just mentioned1 our 
guide being ready before any others had 
gone in1 we started the advance on the  
ninety-seven miles of enclosed1         
unoccupied space and had almost reached 
the level of the ,bridal ,chamber when  
he remembered a forgotten and necessary 
roll of magnesium ribbon1 for which it  
was needful to return to the office in  
the upper building4 ,i sat down on the  
lowest step of the great stairway to    
wait1 and for a very short time was     
entirely alone in the largest cavern in 
the world1 excepting the ,mammoth ,cave 
of ,kentucky4  ,the unexpected          
experience seemed suddenly to become one
 of the great events of a lifetime1 and 
was unmarred by the disturbing          
apprehensions of any possible danger4   
,the entire absence of sound was        

indescribably awe-inspiring as          
,strata overleaping strata from the     
center to the crust1     ,rose1         
,alp-high1 in molten silence1 as the    
dead rise from the dust2  but the       
feeling of complete isolation from the  
living world would not require an       
unlimited time to merit the one         
word--horrible4 ,even some peril with   
ample companionship would be more       
agreeable1 while it is a curious fact   
that the combination of companionship   
with silence is charming4 ,on the       
occasion of one visit to the cave it was
 painful to observe the actual suffering
 of a lover of quiet1 from the          
good-natured1 but heedless1 chatter of  
two of the party4  ,presently steps on  
the stairs broke the stillness1 a       
glimmer of light pierced the intense    
darkness that surrounded the circle of  
one candle1 and the upper world seemed  
not so far away4  ,the interrupted      
journey was resumed1 the route being    
that already described as far as the    

,confederate ,cross ,roads1 where1 this 
time1 we go straight on in the main     
fissure instead of turning into the     
cross-crevice1 as was done before4  ,we 
were overtaken by the specimen party and
 recognized the three laughing young    
girls only by their voices1 as in full  
suits of overalls and white duck caps1  
they looked like boys4 ,those who reside
 near the large caves have overcome     
their objection to this costume1 as it  
gives much greater freedom and ease of  
movement1 besides being a decided       
economy4 ,feminine garments are so      
easily destroyed1 but for artistic      
effect the substitute cannot            
conscientiously be recommended4  ,beyond
 the ,cross ,roads the first chamber is 
,breckinridge ,gallery1 a long1 rambling
 hall in which are combined the         
attractions already passed and those yet
 to come1 but having no striking feature
 predominating to give special character
 other than the grandeur of extreme     
roughness1 which is also the quality    

most observed on passing into the ,stone
 ,quarry1 where great accumulations of  
blocks seem waiting preparation for     
shipment4  ,the next open country is    
protected from public trespass by the   
,garden ,wall1 which appears to have    
been well built in the long ago by      
masons properly trained in their craft1 
and extends1 at a uniform height1 to the
 ,fallen ,flats1 where the floor is     
covered with slabs of enormous size that
 have fallen from the ceiling since     
water occupation ceased1 as is clearly  
shown by the sharp edges and surfaces   
entirely unworn4  ,the journey now      
becomes more interesting as the         
,cliff-,climbers' ,delight is reached1  
and we go steadily up the long nights of
 stairs until visions of ,st4 ,peter    
begin to rise and we wonder which way   
the key will turn4 ,near the top is a   
handsome growth of snow-white mold      
hanging in long draperies behind the    
ladder or spread like on asparagus fern 
flattened against the rock4  ,arrived at

 the top limits of the stairs the ascent
 is by no means finished1 but continues 
through three large chambers known as   
,five ,points1 the ,omaha ,bee          
,office--named by one of the staff of   
that well known journal--and the        
,w4,c4,t4,u4 ,hall1 dedicated to the    
service of the organization by one of   
its workers4  ,illustration3 ,top of    
,glacier4 ,page #aee4  ,at last the     
upward journey is ended at the ,silent  
,lake in the first1 or highest1 level4  
,this1 as has already been observed1 is 
the only body of water now standing in  
the cave1 and is not more than ten feet 
long by six in width and twelve inches  
deep4 ,the scanty volume is maintained  
by the very limited inflow of acidulated
 percolating water which reaches the    
small receiving basin charged with      
calcium carbonate2 and being cold1 the  
charge is being precipitated on the     
bottom instead of forming a crust over  
the surface as in former times when the 
controlling influence was a degree of   

heat sufficient to sustain solid matter 
without disturbing motion4  ,rising     
above the ,silent ,lake is the ,glacier1
 its moist surface suggesting that the  
lake is fed by a slight thaw1 while the 
perpendicular front at the water's edge 
gives the impression of a berg having   
recently broken off and floated away4   
,the ,glacier flows between two high    
walls of dark rock1 and the steep       
incline of perhaps seventy feet1 covered
 with a smooth deposit of calcite and   
shining with moisture1 has the          
appearance of ice and is as uninviting  
for a climb4 ,the top is connected with 
the roof above by a group of short1 and 
for this region1 heavy columns of       
dripstone1 the oldest formation of that 
character in the cave4  ,an occasional  
overflow of the lake passes out to one  
side1 then turns and goes under the     
,glacier where its first few feet of    
descent are called the ,pearl ,beds1    
where a variety of water-polished       
pebbles are being coated over and       

cemented together with calcite crystal4 
,from the ,glacier down to the lowest   
level of the cave by another route than 
that taken for the ascent1 there is     
abundant evidence that at one time this 
portion of the cave was subject to      
excessively violent activity1 and if    
studied with a view to the penetration  
of the principle of geyser action1      
offers many interesting and valuable    
suggestions that can be added to and    
expanded into definite theories in      
connection with the balance of the cave2
 all important requirements are clearly 
shown4  ,at a short distance from the   
,glacier is a small circular dome1      
called the ,picture ,gallery1 which     
evidently was shaped by water forced up 
from below4 ,the descent from here takes
 us into the ,st4 ,louis ,tunnel1 a long
 rough passage leading down into the    
great ,cathedral1 by the still          
descending irregularities of which we   
finally reach the ,garden of ,eden1 the 
objective point of a favorite tourist   

route1 but usually approached from the  
opposite direction4 ,it is a large      
chamber of very irregular shape1 with an
 extremely uneven ceiling1 dipping      
nearly to the floor and rising suddenly 
to distant heights1 while every portion 
of all the varied surfaces glitters with
 a mass of frost work in every form it  
is known to have assumed2 the banks of  
orange buds in different stages of      
expansion being exceptionally handsome4 
,a portion of this wonderful room       
especially admired is ,cupid's ,alcove1 
where the frost is tinged with a pinkish
 flush from the brilliant paint clay    
captured in minute particles by the     
vapors4 ,the whole room is a marvel of  
loveliness1 but unfortunately visitors  
have wrought such noticeable damage that
 wire screening must be placed before   
the general admittance of large parties 
can be resumed4  ,passing out and down  
to a lower level1 by way of ,jacob's    
,well1 we find the source of that       
magnificent abundance of frost work to  

be in the ,chamber of ,forbidden ,fruit1
 where a yellow calcite floor-crust     
indicates the surface level of water    
diminishing in volume by evaporation    
long after the upward flow had forever  
ceased1 and from which the rising vapor 
ascended to decorate the ,garden of     
,eden1 just described4 ,but since this  
water completely disappeared1 leaving in
 evidence only the record-bearing crust1
 a percolating drip has prepared        
indisputable proof of the remote        
distance of that time by depositing on  
the crust great clusters of luscious    
fruits1 chiefly cherries1 which appear  
to have been carelessly tossed down in  
heaps1 but are firmly fixed in place4   
,the onward journey continues up and    
down through ,beacon ,heights1 a large  
chamber which imitates ,rocky ,mountain 
scenery and terminates at the ,corkscrew
 ,path which1 as the name indicates1 is 
a spiral path winding down like a great 
stairway against the wall of an         
approximately circular chamber which is 

perhaps the highest in the cave1 and    
shows the most violent water-action4    
,the plunging torrent rushed on from    
here to tear out the heavy rock and form
 the next chamber1 known as ,dante's    
,inferno1 whence1 its force being       
divided1 it went more gently in various 
directions4 ,and by one of these        
passages we now re-enter the main route 
of travel once more1 and finally return 
to the face of the earth1 wondering if  
it will be possible to so describe those
 wonderful scenes as to represent with  
even a limited degree of fairness or    
justice the awe-inspiring grandeur of   
the entire trip1 or the perfection of   
fragile loveliness formed and preserved 
as by special miracles in the ,garden of
 ,eden4  ,one peculiarity of this great 
journey was that the box work1 so       
abundant in other portions of the cave1 
was here conspicuously absent4   ,,the  
,,crystal ,,palace4  ,another route in  
,wind ,cave is that to the ,crystal     
,palace which1 although the shortest1 is

 the one most seldom taken by visitors1 
because of a certain amount of          
difficulty and discomfort being         
unavoidable4 ,only a portion of the     
great stairway below the entrance is    
descended1 when we abandon it and climb 
into a hole in the side-wall of the     
narrow passage1 from which point to the 
end of the trip our feet prove to be    
merely encumbrances4  ,the space crawled
 into and through widens sufficiently in
 several places to form chambers of good
 size1 but the height of the ceiling is 
nowhere more than three feet and most of
 it only two or even less4 ,the rough   
rock floor is partly carpeted with      
patches of loose moist clay1 which is   
the means of our becoming as grimy as   
tramps1 and its source is readily       
accounted for by an examination of the  
ceiling4 ,this is easily made while     
resting one skinned elbow at the expense
 of the other4 ,the word abraded is     
inadequate where anything approaching   
real cave study is attempted4  ,the box 

work of the ceiling has almost entirely 
lost its crystallization1 and is as     
ready to crumble as the enclosed clay1  
which is still retained because it had  
not yet reached the necessary point of  
deterioration to be carried out before  
the great volume of water1 required for 
that service1 retired from this high    
level of the cave4  ,when finally       
reached1 the ,crystal ,palace proved    
worthy of the effort1 its decoration    
being entirely of dripstone and very    
beautiful1 although on too small a scale
 to be compared with similar work in    
many caves3 it is merely an attractive  
extra in ,wind ,cave1 and not one of the
 important attractions that give the    
,cave the rank that may have a few      
equals but no superiors4  ,the first    
room is scarcely more than twelve feet  
in either direction and not quite six   
feet high4 ,the glassy ceiling is       
thickly studded with small stalactites  
from two to eighteen inches in length1  
and mostly of the hollow pipe stem      

variety1 from which the surplus drip    
rests in white masses on the clean floor
 around a central bowl of good clear    
water4  ,down the middle of the wall    
directly opposite the entrance a rushing
 little white cascade has congealed1 and
 on either side just under the ceiling  
is a hollowed-out nook closely set with 
short stalactites and small columns1 all
 pure white4  ,near by but not connected
 is another room too well filled to     
permit an entrance1 but a portion of the
 wall having been carried out a         
satisfactory view is not denied4 ,here  
the floor rises to within three feet of 
the ceiling1 and the deposit is much    
heavier1 so that many fine columns rise 
from bases that spread and meet or      
overlap4 ,if the cave had no greater    
claim to notice than these small drip   
rooms1 it would still be worthy of a    
visit4  ,the effort to secure           
flash-light pictures could only be      
considered successful because there are 
none better to be had4  ,the atmosphere 

of ,wind ,cave is marvelously fresh and 
pure1 and possesses in a high degree the
 invigorating quality which in most     
caves renders unusual exertion not only 
possible1 but agreeable as well4 ,in all
 the chambers and passages there is     
little change in the quality of the air1
 and thorough tests with a standard     
thermometer showed the variations on the
 different levels1 from the highest to  
the lowest1 to be about #b2 but on      
different days the range was from #de to
 #eb4 ,this curious state of affairs    
some one else will have to explain4     
,the only forms of life ever found in   
,wind ,cave are a small fly and the     
mountain rat4  ,while visiting the cave1
 every one connected with it was most   
kind and obliging1 especially in showing
 those beautiful and difficult portions 
that few visitors are so fortunate as to
 see4 ,while this is very far from being
 a complete description even of the     
parts visited1 it will serve to show    
what a truly grand cavern is located at 

the south end of the ,black ,hills4     
,the elevation at ,hot ,springs is three
 thousand1 four hundred feet1 and that  
of the entrance to the cave is four     
thousand and forty feet4 ,a source of   
disappointment in connection with ,wind 
,cave is that its fine scenery cannot be
 effectively pictured4     ,,chapter    
,,xiii4  ,,the ,,onyx ,,caves4          
,northwest of ,hot ,springs there is a  
group of three onyx caves1 the distance 
to them being estimated at from seven to
 ten miles1 if the party does not get   
lost1 which is the usual fate of those  
who dispense with the service of a      
driver familiar with the country4 ,in   
going1 the longer way1 over the         
hill-tops1 claims a preference on       
account of distant views with a         
favorable light4 ,when the ,onyx ,cave  
,ranch is reached its scenery is found  
to be charming1 with an ideal log house 
overlooking the caon1 and itself        
overlooked by the rising slope of the   
wooded hill4 ,the entrance to the cave  

is in the opposite wall of the caon1 and
 is covered by a small cabin1 at the    
door of which the view demands a pause  
for admiration2 then the party          
disappears down a narrow1 rough1 sloping
 passage of sufficient height for       
comfort to none but know the value of   
comparative degrees4 ,it soon appeared1 
however1 that personal comfort would    
travel only a short distance4 ,the mud  
increased with every step1 and in its   
midst was a small hole through which it 
was necessary to pass to the next lower 
level4 ,this hole being so small and its
 walls slanting1 the only way to        
accomplish the first half of the descent
 was to sit down in the mud and slide1  
stopping half way to examine a fine     
ledge of beautiful striped onyx1 white  
and a brownish pink1 the first outcrop  
in the cave1 but in the next level it is
 seen in rich abundance and variety2 the
 colors being red1 black and white1     
brown in several shades and pure white4 
,all are handsome and of commercial     

quality and hardness2 and just above    
them is a ledge of fine blue marble4    
,the next chamber is called the ,bad    
,lands1 on account of a certain         
resemblance to that desolate region4    
,the way into it is through the ,devil's
 ,corkscrew1 a most uninviting passage  
because it stands on end and is about   
twelve feet deep with circular1         
perpendicular walls discouragingly free 
of prominent irregularities2 but careful
 study reveals a few available crags and
 rough edges1 by which the descent is   
made4 ,fortunately the party decreased  
in size just within the entrance4       
,climbing up into a hole in the wall of 
this room1 with no little difficulty1   
the ,aerial ,lake is the reward of a    
breathless upward struggle1 and a       
satisfying one4 ,the ,lake is very      
small1 but under its clear surface can  
be seen numerous growing deposits of    
calcite1 while the roof of onyx gleams  
with a mass of small white stalactites4 
,returning again to the main route and  

traveling to the end of a short passage 
we beheld the entrance to ,red ,hall1 a 
piece of rope ladder dangling half way  
down a perpendicular wall1 the other    
half having no help whatever4 ,the way  
was clear so far as the length of the   
ladder1 and with trust in the future    
soon learned in cave work that distance 
was at once passed1 and sitting on the  
very narrow ledge to cogitate on the    
possibility of further progress1 ,mr4   
,sidey solved the problem by suggesting1
 rather doubtfully1 that the easiest way
 would be to drop off and allow him to  
interrupt the fall4 ,this method had    
twice proved the only means of advance  
in ,wind ,cave and can be termed rapid  
transit4 ,the walls of ,red ,hall are of
 stratified limestone variegated with   
patches of red rock1 and clay of the    
same gay hue4 ,it is the highest chamber
 in the cave and probably the largest4  
,a hole in the wall at the floor level1 
near the entrance to the passage beyond1
 gives a glimpse of the cave river      

flowing on a slightly lower level1 not  
over two feet below the floor we stand  
on4 ,the water is said to have a depth  
of fifteen feet1 and a rock thrown in   
gave back the sound of a splash into    
water not shallow4 ,entering the passage
 already referred to1 its dimensions    
decreased to a crawl and then to a      
squeeze1 so that most of its length was 
taken in a very humble position1 which  
permitted no regard to be paid to the   
ample mud or little pools of water that 
must be serenely dragged through as if  
carrying them away were an agreeable    
privilege4 ,even a muddy passage ends in
 time1 and at last we gained a standing 
point and after a short climb were in   
,fairies' ,palace1 a marvel of dainty   
beauty1 and worthy of the distasteful   
trip just taken4 ,we stood in a narrow  
passage that divided the small chamber  
like the central aisle of a cathedral1  
above which the white roof formed a     
,gothic arch from which depended        
countless little stalactites and        

draperies1 while on either side1 six    
feet above the passage1 was a floor of  
onyx supporting exquisite columns of    
which the highest are not more than     
three feet4 ,only a short distance from 
the ,fairies' ,palace is the almost     
equally beautiful ,ethereal ,hall1 and  
connecting the two ,i had the pleasure  
to discover a small arched passage more 
beautiful than either4  ,illustration3  
,fairies' ,palace4 ,page #afe4          
,although much of the cave was still not
 visited1 the long drive to town        
demanded a return to the surface1 but   
several stops were made on the way to   
admire masses of onyx and groups of     
curious forms in deposits of that fine  
stone4 ,one high1 crooked chimney above 
the ,corkscrew is especially fine and   
correspondingly difficult for a grown   
person weighted down with garments      
dripping mud and water2 but ,kimball    
,stone1 our boy friend1 scampered up    
like a squirrel4  ,two of the ,onyx     
,caves had not been seen at all and ,mr4

 ,sidey expressed special regret on     
account of the latest discovery as no   
woman had ever yet entered it2 but the  
sun was low in the west and the road had
 some dangerous points that must be     
passed before dark1 so the reeking skirt
 was removed and without waiting to dry 
by the great fire kindled for the       
purpose we hurried off1 promising to    
return if possible1 and carrying        
treasures in specimens1 besides an      
ancient lemon1 which may not be called a
 fossil1 since soft substances are said 
not to fossilize2 but however that may  
be1 this is a perfect lemon whose       
particles have been replaced with the   
lasting rock in the same way as the     
numerous ,cycad trunks in the same      
region have been preserved to prove to  
us conclusively that formerly the region
 flourished under tropical conditions1  
and supported an abundant animal life of
 tropical nature and habits4  ,soon     
after leaving the ranch1 we descended by
 a sort of goat-trail-road into a       

grandly beautiful caon1 along the bed of
 which the road continues until it flows
 out as the water did in ages gone4 ,by 
this time it had become quite dark1 and 
the chill of the northwest night formed 
a combination with saturated clothing   
that cannot be highly recommended as a  
pleasure2 but the natural chivalry which
 prompted our young escort to insist on 
lending his own coat1 and his evident   
disappointment that the sacrifice was   
not allowed1 afforded a pleasure that   
will continue4   ,,the ,,white ,,onyx   
,,cave4  ,a few days later it was       
convenient to return to the ,onyx ,cave 
ranch with the special object of        
entering the newest cave1 which could be
 done with the assistance of seventy    
feet of rope4 ,while necessary          
preparations were pending1 a walk up the
 caon was proposed4 ,at a distance of   
perhaps a quarter of a mile above ,onyx 
,cave evidence was seen of a very       
remarkable form of ancient life4 ,it is 
not the usual few bones but is a cast in

 the rock of the caon bed of an animal  
clothed in its flesh4 ,the appearance of
 the head1 neck1 body and wings is      
preserved1 but the tail and four limbs  
have been carried away by eroding waters
 which even now have not quite forsaken 
the caon4 ,the containing stratum is not
 seen in the caon wall1 and near the    
lower end of the caon a fine white      
sandstone crops out beneath4 ,we ask3   
,was the caon cut to its full depth     
while yet a ,cretaceous sea was         
depositing beach-sand1 and did the      
earliest horse1 with wings1 appear at   
the close of that period8 ,or1 did an   
animal with fore limbs developed1 retain
 its wings into ,miocene time and leave 
record of its life in an arm of the     
,tertiary lake8 ,the body is that of a  
horse with wings attached to the        
shoulders4 ,the head is unlike that of a
 modern horse1 being much shorter and   
more rounded1 but the parted lips give a
 glimpse of the teeth of a young horse4 
,if only the feet could be found1 ,i    

feel assured they would prove that the  
three-toed horse of ancient time1 so    
abundantly in evidence throughout this  
region1 was possessed of wings and in   
some way furnished the idea of ,pegasus4
  ,a few feet further down the caon are 
a pair of twisted wings that show the   
animal to have perished in company with 
its mate1 while trying to escape from a 
sudden flood that rushed down the caon  
like a moving wall4  ,after some uneasy 
discussion about the means of entering  
the new cave1 it was finally decided    
that the available rope was too short   
and not of sufficient strength4 ,this   
was1 of course1 a disappointment but not
 a surprise1 as a very peculiar quality 
in the rope used to enter caves of this 
kind had come to notice before4 ,the    
peculiarity is1 that a rope entirely    
above suspicion for the safety of a two 
hundred pound man1 at once weakens and  
must be condemned when threatened with  
one hundred pounds of woman's weight1   
yet there is an implied compliment      

hidden somewhere about this protective  
system that tends to reduce the sting of
 disappointment4  ,so it was agreed to  
spend the afternoon in the ,white ,onyx 
,cave1 which is generally spoken of     
simply as the ,upper ,cave because it   
occupies a higher level than the ,onyx  
,cave already described1 and is supposed
 to be an extension of the same although
 no connecting passage has been         
discovered4  ,the accompanying friend   
had not been costumed for caving1 but   
was persuaded to accept a full suit of  
overalls1 which needed the addition of a
 pick and pipe to make the picture      
perfect4 ,unfortunately a snap shot     
failed4  ,the entrance is in a          
perpendicular portion of the caon wall1 
but a narrow path that starts some      
distance away and appears in eminent    
danger of falling off1 makes most of the
 ascent comparatively easy2 and the     
balance is completed by a short ladder  
whose rounds dip toward the caon bed in 
a rather alarming manner1 but this only 

proves the folly of giving too much heed
 to appearances1 for it is strong and   
firmly fastened to the rocks4  ,just    
within the entrance there is height     
sufficient for standing1 but the roof   
descends suddenly and the walls come    
near together1 reducing the passage to a
 crawl1 and showing that in past times  
water poured in at this opening and not 
out as might be supposed4 ,the first    
chamber entered is the ,crystal         
,gallery1 but it is so nearly filled    
with great masses of pure white onyx no 
standing room remains4 ,drops of water  
on portions of the onyx ceiling here are
 the only moisture remaining in this    
cave4 ,when ,mac's#e head came in       
contact with the roof he called to the  
guide3 ,see here1 little boy1 you ought 
to sing out 'low bridge' at that sort o'
 places1 'cause when ,i'm busy hunting a
 spot to set my foot in1 ,i can't see   
what my head's coming to1 and ,i like to
 mined a lot o' this rock with it4      
,slowly1 and with no danger and less    

comfort1 we creep over1 under and       
between great massive beds of the fine  
white crystalline rock until at length  
we enter the ,ghost ,chamber where no   
onyx has been deposited1 but where      
numerous mountain rats have evidently   
been at home for many years1 if we may  
judge from the enormous quantity of pine
 needles with which they have carpeted  
the floor4 ,the walls show small box    
work crumbling to dust1 and ,ray climbed
 high into the chimney-like opening     
above our heads1 but reported that it   
ended suddenly and had no attractions to
 offer4  ,coming out1 the way was       
somewhat varied1 but more difficult1 as 
the passages through the onyx beds were 
more irregular and more nearly closed2  
,onyx ,hall being only a fair specimen  
of the marvelous results achieved here  
by the persistent regularity of an      
uninterrupted but slow drip1 continued  
through hundreds of years4              
,illustration3 ,white ,onyx ,masses4    
,page #agj4  ,illustration3 ,looking out

 of ,white ,onyx ,cave4 ,page #aga4  ,it
 is surprising that in all these heavy  
beds there is no line or tint1 or       
slightest trace of color anywhere1 while
 the other ,onyx ,cave1 so near as to   
suggest connection1 has a gorgeous      
variety of rich coloring4  ,the view    
looking out from the entrance of ,white 
,onyx ,cave is wonderfully fine1 and    
equally so whether the rain falls or the
 sun shines1 a timely shower giving us  
an opportunity to enjoy both4  ,before  
leaving the ranch1 a promise was made by
 ,mr4 ,sidey to write a short           
description of the other cave1 which he 
kindly did1 and it is here given4 ,he   
says3  ,in trailing a deer ,i came      
across a hole on top of a long divide4  
,on throwing a rock down the opening1 ,i
 could hear it rattling against the     
walls until the sounds gradually died   
away1 but there seemed to be no bottom  
to the hole1 and ,i resolved to come    
again prepared and make explorations4   
,after the snow had gone my             

twelve-year-old son1 ,ray1 and ,i1      
mounted on our trusty horses1 ,bonnie   
and ,dee1 equipped with ropes1 candles1 
hammers and a pocketful of matches1 set 
out to explore the new cave4 ,it was a  
beautiful1 bright spring morning1 and   
after an hour's hard climbing over      
fallen timber and rocks1 we reached the 
summit of the mountain4 ,a search of    
half an hour revealed the opening which 
was barely large enough to allow me to  
pass through4  ,fastening our ropes     
securely to a stout log rolled across   
the chasm1 we began to pay it out1 and  
although we did not feel it touch       
bottom1 ,i started down to explore1 the 
length of the rope at least4 ,as ,i     
descended ,i found the opening gradually
 widened out to eight or ten feet1 a    
sort of inverted funnel-shaped hole with
 irregular wall but smooth and affording
 little footing4 ,as ,i neared the      
bottom ,i saw the end of the rope was   
within four feet of it1 so ,i landed on 
terra firma and called to ,ray1 ',all   

right1 come down6'  ,lighting our       
candles we found ourselves standing on a
 mound of pure onyx1 and on looking     
around could see we were in an immense  
cavern1 whose walls sparkled and        
glittered as if studded with diamonds4  
,going down twenty feet we found a      
smooth-floored room that measured three 
hundred feet in length1 twenty five feet
 in width1 and thirty feet in height4   
,the walls were solid white onyx lined  
or banded with pink and golden stripes4 
,the ceiling was arched1 and draped in  
fantastic shapes1 and hung with         
stalactites innumerable4 ,the room was  
so large and the drapery and festooning 
so delicate and beautiful1 that we were 
filled with awe and could not speak for 
a time4  ,at last we started to further 
explore this wonderland4 ,on going to   
the farther end of the room we found a  
passage leading on4 ,this we followed   
for a hundred feet and found the whole  
cavern lined with onyx and crystals     
clear as glass4 ,after loading up with  

specimens we retraced our steps and on  
reaching the large room we had first    
entered we heard a roaring1 rumbling    
noise4 ,an awful noise truly1 which     
filled us with an unknown dread4  ,on   
approaching the entrance we saw a stream
 of water pouring down1 completely      
filling the hole4  ,for a moment we felt
 like rats caught in a trap1 our only   
way of egress occupied by a stream of   
water falling straight down seventy     
feet1 and then we wondered how long it  
would take to fill up the room4         
,suddenly the thought that there might  
be an outlet for the water gave us new  
hope1 so we went to see and sure enough 
we found a natural water-course down    
through an opening we had overlooked4   
,we gathered up courage once more1 and  
thought the best thing would be         
something to occupy our time4 ,so we set
 to work getting out more specimens and 
in a couple of hours the water stopped  
running and we were ourselves once more4
  ,ray grasped the rope1 which was      

soaking wet1 and went up the seventy    
feet1 hand over hand1 like a cat4 ,i1   
being heavier1 found it quite different 
from going down4 ,the rope played       
whip-cracker with me for some time and  
before reaching the top ,i was covered  
with bruises4 ,but daylight never       
appeared so beautiful before4  ,here we 
found the cause of so much water4 ,a    
cloud-burst had occurred on the ,divide 
and a large portion of it had poured    
down the passage way to the cave4  ,we  
found our horses patiently waiting for  
us and night closing in4 ,mounting we   
rode rapidly home1 resolved never to    
venture into this cave again without    
leaving some one at the entrance to give
 warning in case of danger4  ,john ,f4  
,sidey4  ,the first specimen taken out  
was given to us on our first visit to   
the ranch1 and is pure white with a     
stripe of brilliant golden yellow4      
,having been invited to give a name to  
this new find it seems quite proper     
after reading the description of the    

deluge and seeing the bright bands of   
color1 and considering the hopeful      
promise of future possibilities1 to call
 it ,the ,rainbow ,cave4  ,,footnotes3  
#e ,colored driver4     ,,chapter ,,xiv4
  ,,crystal ,,cave4   ,south ,dakota can
 boast of yet another cave in the ,black
 ,hills that was formed by volcanic     
disturbance of the rocks and afterwards 
decorated in a manner peculiar to       
itself4 ,this is ,crystal ,cave4 ,it is 
nine miles from ,piedmont in the eastern
 edge of the ,hills1 and easily visited 
from that point by way of the           
narrow-gauge road1 which winds along the
 natural curves of the beautiful ,elk   
,creek caon1 whose walls are said to    
expose a depth of almost a mile of      
geological strata1 although the exposure
 at any one point does not exceed three 
hundred feet4  ,the disappointment of   
not having seen this cave during the    
summer visit to the ,hills grew as the  
weeks passed1 and a request that the    
owner should send a description was     

answered with an assurance that it was  
impossible4 ,therefore1 on ,friday1     
,november #acth1 #ahif1 with a small    
nephew1 ,herbert ,a4 ,owen1 ,jr41 for   
company1 the trip was undertaken a      
second time to complete the unfinished  
mission4  ,the first glimpse of the     
,hills is at ,edgemont in the early     
morning1 but the train makes its way to 
the north through the heart of the      
uplift1 twisting about the curves of the
 hills and clinging to the sides of a   
beautiful caon whose high walls give way
 here and there to fine slopes densely  
covered with forests of pine and spruce4
 ,these look black in the distance and  
suggested the name of ,black ,hills to  
the ,indians1 who always have a reason  
for the names they give even to their   
children4  ,there are great tracts where
 fire has killed part or all of the     
timber but left much of it standing1    
while in other places nature has defied 
the power of fire and the hills are     
re-clothed with young trees4 ,a recent  

storm had further beautified the region 
with a few inches of snow1 but as the   
day advanced a chinook began to blow so 
that when ,deadwood was reached1 soon   
after noon1 only the northern exposures 
retained an appearance of winter4       
,deadwood is a most peculiar little city
 and very attractive in its peculiarity1
 being crowded snugly into a depression 
between a number of steep pine-wooded   
hills1 which gives an appearance        
suggestive of a bird's nest securely    
located among the forks of a branching  
tree1 and as is the case in a nest1     
business is chiefly transacted at the   
lowest depth of the enclosure4 ,as the  
busy center of a great gold-mining      
region1 the metropolis of the ,hills1   
and the outgrowth of an exciting        
historical past1 it claims and receives 
interesting attention4 ,and while the   
whole ,black ,hills region is still     
distinctly a man's country1 it is called
 woman's paradise1 and surely nowhere   
else are the daughters of ,eve received 

with a more gracious courtesy or        
surrounded by an equally unobtrusive    
protecting care4  ,illustration3        
,approaching ,deadwood4 ,page #agf4     
,the streets leading up to the          
residences lack very little of standing 
on end1 and the houses appear to have   
been hung in place by means of hooks and
 wire cord like pictures on a wall4 ,the
 smelter has no reception day but admits
 visitors as if their pleasure were a   
guarantee of profit4  ,the finest       
scenery in the ,hills is said to be that
 of the ,spearfish ,caon1 north of      
,deadwood1 and the finest of that at the
 ,falls1 but this may be doubtful as    
other points are very beautiful1        
especially where the ,burlington        
,missouri ,road requires a distance of  
seven miles to climb the caon wall4     
,piedmont being the nearest town to     
,crystal ,cave1 we took the early       
evening train on the ,elk ,horn ,road   
and soon were located1 and shocked to   
learn that the proprietor of the cave   

had started several days before to drive
 to ,wind ,cave for specimens4 ,the cave
 was closed and no one there4 ,the trip 
had been taken for the one purpose of   
exploring ,crystal ,cave1 and a letter  
sent in advance to announce our coming1 
but the train carrying it was an hour   
late so he drove off without the mail4  
,there seemed at first nothing to be    
done but take the next returning train1 
which1 under the circumstances1 was     
objectionable4 ,a night's rest and a    
telegram that had to be sent twelve     
miles by special messenger1 improved the
 situation4 ,the proprietor was         
unavoidably detained at ,wind ,cave1 but
 secured a reliable guide1 expressed me 
the cave keys1 and has since married the
 specimen he had gone in quest of4 ,may 
great happiness dwell at the cave many  
years6  ,the morning of the third day   
after our arrival found arrangements all
 complete1 and soon after the train left
 ,piedmont it entered ,elk ,creek ,caon1
 which is always beautiful1 but on that 

morning was exceptionally so on account 
of a sudden change in the weather having
 covered every visible portion of the   
passing landscape with heavy frost4 ,the
 trees on distant hills that ordinarily 
are black1 were1 for once1 all softly   
white1 and when the tall pines in the   
caon were shaken by a breeze1 they cast 
a shower of flakes like snow4  ,here the
 caon walls are in ,carboniferous       
,limestone with a pleasing variety of   
color in the strata1 and the            
erosion-carving not overdone1 the most  
notable piece being the ,knife-blade4   
,this1 at first view1 appears to be a   
high1 round tower1 but the train        
following the curve1 reveals the fact   
that it is not a tower1 but a thin1     
curved knife-blade4 ,the sun just for   
one instant shone through a rift in the 
clouds1 and added special charm to the  
scene4  ,illustration3 ,the             
,knife-,blade4 ,page #agh4  ,a short    
distance beyond is ,crystal ,cave       
station1 where the guide was waiting to 

take us in charge4 ,he is an intelligent
 young man who has served an enlistment 
term in the army1 is recently married1  
very obliging1 and proud of being       
trustworthy4  ,the scenery here is most 
beautiful as well as grand4 ,the caon   
makes a sharp turn toward the south1 and
 on the north opens out into another    
caon of even greater beauty and higher  
walls1 the perpendicular being three    
hundred feet in places4 ,crystal ,cave  
is in the hill embraced by the junction 
curve4 ,the natural entrance is more    
than two hundred feet above the caon bed
 and was naturally approached from      
above4 ,a short walk up the north caon1 
whose name has unfortunately slipped    
away1 was over ice and snow the chinook 
had failed to reach1 and brought us to a
 long stairway against the wall1 which  
affords a more direct approach than     
nature gave and is a fair test of       
physical perfection4  ,finally a resting
 place is reached where the grandeur of 
the view can be enjoyed2 and then a     

shorter stairway completes the ascent of
 the wall1 but not of the hill1 so there
 is still a considerable upward walk    
through the forest of tall pines all    
carpeted with brilliant mats of         
kinnikinic with its shining leaves1     
glowing in shades of green and red1     
trying to rival the bright scarlet      
berries4 ,the kinnikinic here resembles 
the wintergreen of the east1 while in   
the mountains in ,colorado it grows in  
the form of a shrub two to three feet in
 height1 but with no variation in the   
leaf or berry4  ,at last perserverance  
is rewarded with a view of the cave     
buildings and the summit of the hill    
rising yet higher beyond1 and tall1     
straight pines swaying in the rising    
wind over all4  ,one of the two houses  
was entered and preparations quickly    
made for entering the cave1 the         
artificial tunnel entrance being only a 
little distance further on4  ,the door  
was unlocked1 candle-sticks taken from a
 shelf within1 candles from the guide's 

supply lighted1 and we went forward at  
last1 into ,crystal ,cave4 ,at the end  
of the new tunnel1 a second door was    
passed through1 which is locked on the  
inside during the visiting season by the
 last guide to enter1 in order that no  
chance late arrival may enter alone and 
be lost4  ,the first room is a small one
 at the junction of the natural and     
artificial entrances1 from which we go  
upstairs to the ,resting ,room1 in the  
highest level of the cave1 and perfectly
 dry but otherwise of no special        
interest4 ,after a short rest here we   
went down stairs at the side opposite   
that on which we entered1 into a passage
 leading to the cave's first beauty1 the
 ,red ,room4 ,as the name indicates1 the
 walls are vividly colored and represent
 the uncertain line which separates the 
,carboniferous strata from the ,triassic
 rocks4 ,the color is handsomely brought
 out here in contrast with masses of    
calcite crystal1 so as to present by the
 combination a charmingly beautiful     

room1 from which we retired1 feet first1
 down a squeeze to the ,bridal ,chamber1
 where we found ourselves perched on an 
irregular narrow ledge1 high up on the  
wall1 and cherishing a private          
conviction that exploration had met a   
checkmate2 but the guide reached the    
floor and my nephew1 ,herbert1 scrambled
 down with as much ease as the chipmunk 
he had chased to the house top a while  
before2 so a little application settled 
the difficulty and re-united the party4 
,the room is an artistic study in red1  
and the only reason for its being called
 the ,bridal ,chamber is that the way   
out is decidedly more rough and         
difficult than that by which the        
entrance is effected2 this1 however1 is 
an observation not based on official    
information4  ,off to one side of this  
room is ,lost ,man's ,paradise1 also in 
red and crystal1 named in honor of the  
timely rescue of one who had faced the  
possibility of becoming a lost soul4    
,another ,fat ,man's ,misery1 on a lower

 level1 leads from the ,bridal ,chamber 
to the ,big ,dome1 a large room with a  
fine dome-shaped ceiling from which     
heavy masses of crystals have fallen to 
the floor2 and down a steep incline from
 here is ,reef ,rock1 an immense fallen 
rock with box work on the under side1   
which at one time served to ornament the
 ceiling2 and now this rock marks the   
beginning of ,poverty ,flat1 a broad1   
low passage of great extent1 that has   
been robbed of all its wonderful        
treasure of crystal and ends in a steep1
 rough declivity named ,bunker ,hill by 
the guides who dreaded to mount it when 
going out loaded with specimens4 ,at the
 foot of the ,hill is a bowlder of      
enormous size and with a pointed top1   
known as ,pyramid ,rock and giving the  
same name to the large room in which it 
stands4  ,every portion of ,crystal     
,cave has at one time been heavily      
crusted with calcite crystals1 mainly of
 the dog-tooth variety1 and any barren  
places are so either because the surface

 has been removed for specimens1 or     
thrown down by the violence of an       
earthquake4 ,but where the latter has   
been the cause of removal1 the crystals 
have in most cases been renewed1 which  
is amply evidenced by the fallen masses 
being crystallized on all sides2 and    
these as well as most of the walls1 are 
not covered thinly with one crust1 but  
layer has been added to layer until the 
thickness is four to ten inches and     
often more4 ,the ceilings that have been
 denuded by nature's forces during the  
same early period when water filled the 
cave were also renewed4  ,from the      
,pyramid ,room a narrow fissure forms a 
passage to the ,cactus ,chamber1 where  
there is a marvelous floor on which the 
crystals are in bunches like cacti1 and 
the beautiful ceiling is the finest and 
most irregular unbroken mass of crystal 
yet seen4  ,passing through a round hole
 known as the ,needle's ,eye1 we enter  
,statuary ,hall1 where the latest inrush
 of water has eroded the sharp points   

from the crystals1 leaving only smooth  
surfaces1 and at the same time done much
 curious carving1 the most conspicuous  
pieces of this work being a bear and the
 heads of an ,indian and his baby4  ,out
 from the ,hall are two important       
routes1 one down the steep incline of   
,beaver's ,slide to ,the ,catacombs1 and
 another1 which we followed first1 is   
through ,rocky ,run1 a rough and rocky  
pass1 to a large and handsomely         
crystallized chamber called the         
,i4,x4,l4 ,room1 on account of those    
three letters1 over twelve inches in    
height1 being distinctly and            
conspicuously worked in crystal on a    
magnificent piece of box work that would
 weigh nearly half a ton1 for which an  
offer of five hundred dollars is said to
 have been refused4  ,the next chamber  
beyond is ,tilotson ,hall1 very large   
and extremely rough1 and named in honor 
of a teacher from the ,normal ,school1  
who delivered an address here that gave 
much pleasure to both visitors and      

guides4  ,the way to farther advance is 
now more difficult and through a jagged 
crevice of threatening appearance1 but  
the trip is made in safety and with     
comparative ease1 and brings us into    
,notre ,dame1 one of the largest        
chambers in the cave and perhaps the    
finest1 although where so much is fine  
that may be uncertain4 ,the display of  
box work and crystal is sufficiently    
gorgeous to do honor to the famous old  
cathedral of ,france1 the ceiling       
especially being a masterpiece of the   
builder's and decorator's arts2 but the 
grandest portion1 which a visitor       
recently returned from foreign travel   
called ,the ,russian ,castle1 on account
 of the magnificence of the large box   
work and pearly crystal masses1 should  
rather be known as the great cathedral's
 crowning glory1 ,the ,altar4  ,another 
large room1 the handsome ,council       
,chamber1 is entered just as that ,altar
 of pearl is lost to view2 and from     
there an up-hill trip is taken through a

 narrow crevice to ,whale ,flat1 which  
is the natural history room1 with a     
large whale as the show specimen4       
,going out from here we enter another   
crevice which serves as a steep stairway
 descending to a lower level1 and       
measures from top to bottom one hundred 
and eighteen feet4 ,this is called ,rip 
,van ,winkle's ,stairway1 and although  
merely a high and crooked crack in the  
rock1 is very beautiful because heavily 
coated with crystal1 the effect being   
especially striking at the top where the
 crystal is partly worn away and leaves 
exposed patches of red rock4  ,at the   
foot of the ,stairway is the first room 
containing water1 and is called the     
,gypsy ,camp4 ,it is the most charming  
chamber yet visited1 with not the       
smallest spot of plain or common rock   
visible4 ,the ceiling1 walls1 floor1 and
 groups of fallen rocks1 are all        
unbroken masses of pearly calcite in    
crystals of varied sizes1 with here and 
there a patch coated over with pure     

white carbonate of lime1 or supporting a
 bunch of fragile egg-shell1 which is a 
thin1 hollow crust of lime carbonate1   
almost invariably having the pointed    
form of the dog-tooth spar4 ,and there  
are also beautiful mats and banks of    
dainty white carbonate flowers4 ,while  
waiting here for the guide to go in     
quest of the lunch we had carelessly    
left behind1 the time was utilized in   
measuring the room1 which is a small    
one4 ,the size of the cave and our      
limited time for seeing it1 prevented   
much-desired measurements from being    
taken in all parts of the cave4  ,this  
room was found to be forty-eight feet   
long1 the irregular width varied from   
fourteen to thirty feet and the height  
from four and one-half to ten feet4 ,the
 crystal water basin is especially      
beautiful and the water so clear that we
 stood looking into it with             
disappointment1 being thirsty and       
thinking it dry1 until the guide        
laughingly dipped and offered a cupful4 

,the basin is the segment of a circle   
rounding beneath a massive1 overhanging 
crystal ledge of wonderful beauty1 and  
is nine feet long by two in width4 ,this
 room and the ,stairway into it are     
alone worthy of a visit1 but there is   
much that is finer still4  ,out of      
,gypsy ,camp by way of ,gunny ,sack     
,crawl1 so named by the workmen who     
spread gunny sacks to relieve the       
torture of crawling over the beautiful  
floor of sharp crystals1 we enter the   
first chamber1 where active operation is
 still maintained and certain branches  
of the great decorative industry of the 
cave may be carefully studied4 ,this    
operative chamber1 which is unnamed1    
would no doubt be called a factory in   
the east1 but in its own locality would 
more likely be referred to as ,the      
,works4  ,the next chamber entered is   
,crystal ,flat1 whose floor is          
completely covered with immense crystal 
blocks1 and the wonderful crystal       
ceiling is exceedingly fine4 ,but time  

being limited we must pass on into the  
,lake ,room1 where is ,crystal ,lake1   
the largest body of water in the cave4  
,it is about thirty feet long by fifteen
 wide and its greatest depth is said to 
be ten feet4 ,the water is cold and     
clear1 and the gold fish introduced as  
an experiment three years ago are said  
to have grown rapidly but not yet turned
 white1 and are not known to have become
 blind4  ,illustration3 ,the ,bridal    
,veil4 ,page #ahg4  ,at some little     
distance from ,crystal ,lake1 and not   
within the same range of vision1        
although in the same room1 is ,dry      
,lake1 which to the surprise of the     
guide we found to be not dry1 but full  
of limpid water through which we could  
distinctly see the delicate clusters of 
crystals it is depositing4 ,they are of 
a pale honey yellow and are called      
,gum-drops on account of the resemblance
 to that variety of confection4  ,the   
name ,dry ,lake was given because in    
blasting out a passage a misdirected    

shot went through the bottom of the     
,lake1 which in consequence was soon    
drained2 but the heavily charged water  
has sealed up the unfortunate break1 and
 resumed its interrupted work4 ,the     
ceiling drops to a height of little more
 than three feet directly above the     
,lake margin1 and is a beautiful crystal
 mass1 which at a little distance down  
the sloping floor appears as the        
background for a fine piece of cave     
statuary called ,the ,bridal ,veil1 and 
formed of cream-tinted dripstone4 ,not a
 great deal of imagination is required  
to see a slender girlish figure         
completely enveloped in the flowing     
folds of a wedding veil that falls      
lightly about her feet4 ,the figure     
itself is three feet ten inches in      
height and stands on an almost flat     
circular base of the same material1 that
 measures nine inches in depth and two  
feet eight inches in diameter4 ,at times
 the water rises sufficiently to cover  
the base1 in proof of which it left a   

fringe-like border of small sharp       
crystals1 such as could be formed only  
beneath the water's surface4 ,most of   
this border has1 unfortunately1 been    
chiseled off for specimens1 but will be 
renewed in time if left undisturbed2 and
 that condition can easily be secured   
with a few feet of wire netting4  ,to   
one side of this room is a most daintily
 beautiful alcove so profusely decorated
 with fragile forms of dripstone that a 
passage through it without causing      
damage is extremely difficult4 ,this    
alcove is about twenty-five feet in     
either direction1 with a sloping floor  
almost covered with stalagmitic growths 
above the earlier deposit of sharp      
crystals1 and many of these rise in     
slender columns to the glass-like       
ceiling1 which varies in height from    
three to six feet and is thickly studded
 with small stalactites of both         
varieties--the pointed1 solid form1 and 
those of uniform size1 which are always 
hollow like a pipe stem4 ,the central   

ornament is the ,chimes1 a musical group
 of stalactites which is scarcely more  
beautiful than ,cleopatra's ,needle1 at 
a distance of a few feet to one side1 a 
transparent column four feet in height  
and having an average circumference of  
seventeen inches4  ,illustration3 ,the  
,chimes4 ,page #ahh4  ,illustration3    
,the ,needle4 ,page #ahh4               
,illustration3 ,tower of ,babel4 ,page  
#ahi4  ,the ,abode of the ,fairies is a 
similar1 though smaller room1 with ,the 
,tower of ,babel for a handsome         
show-piece4 ,while this portion of the  
cave is extremely attractive1 the       
measurements given show that in         
comparison with caves of other states   
the drip deposit here is too small to be
 reckoned an important feature in       
itself1 but in conjunction with the     
miles of calc-spar that give the cave a 
character distinctly its own1 it well   
repays all attention4  ,leaving ,lake   
,room we enter a newly opened1 long1 dry
 passage to ,slab ,room1 where a        

comparatively recent earthquake has     
shaken down the ornamental ceiling and  
spread it in great slabs over the floor2
 and having since remained perfectly dry
 it has the appearance of being the work
 of yesterday4 ,this room is remembered 
as the one in which a party of workers  
were lost1 and one of their number gave 
a severe nervous shock to the junior    
proprietor by suggesting that as he was 
acting as guide and unable to lead them 
out1 it was only right that he should be
 the first victim to satisfy their      
hunger4 ,a rescuing party with          
extinguished candles was listening      
behind a rock to the blood-curdling     
speech1 and came forward to restore     
cheerfulness4  ,a long1 irregular1      
frosty looking crevice called ,jack     
,frost ,streak1 conducts us from ,slab  
,room and ends at ,mold ,ladder1 on     
which we pause to admire a wonderful    
growth of snow-white cave vegetation1   
before ascending into ,santa ,claus'    
,pass1 the longest passage in the cave4 

,it is a rough crevice named from the   
fact of being discovered on ,christmas  
,eve1 and ends at the ,government ,room 
on the main tourist route where a ,u4,s4
 pack saddle and apparently portable    
bath tub are conspicuous4  ,next beyond 
is a very large room named ,new         
,zealand1 on account or its icy         
appearance and the undisputed possession
 of a seal4 ,this room in turn opens    
into ,mold ,chamber1 where an old board 
platform1 formerly used for the display 
of specimens1 has fostered the most     
marvelously beautiful growth of mold3 it
 hangs in ropes five and six feet long1 
with tasseled ends1 and in broad1 looped
 draperies2 but is most beautiful where 
it has taken possession of the rocks and
 spreads out on the flat surface like   
large open fans1 with deep1 soft feather
 borders4  ,having been in the cave     
eight hours1 we now followed the outward
 passage from ,mold ,chamber and soon   
reached an open trap door where the     
guide suggested to ,herbert that he     

would be afraid to go down alone and    
allow him to close the door2 but the    
child surprised him by quietly stepping 
down and then asking why he wished it1  
only to be told because we are coming   
too4 ,which we did and found ourselves  
in the main entrance passage1 and in due
 time returned to the outer world where 
a terrific wind was roaring through the 
tall pines and the early winter evening 
had already closed in dark4  ,the guide 
locked the cave1 walked with us to the  
house where he lighted a lamp and left  
us to prepare for the return to town2   
but the lamp1 belonging to a bachelor1  
was empty1 so we made our preparations  
in imitation of the blind4 ,on the      
guide's return he lighted a candle1 but 
suggested that twenty minutes were      
generally allowed for reaching the      
station4  ,the house was accordingly    
closed and as we walked down the long1  
curving slope to the stairway1 he told  
of a new and unknown bob-tailed wolf    
that has recently made its first        

appearance among the hills in           
considerable numbers and to the terror  
of stock4 ,it attacks and bites horses  
or cattle1 and after waiting for the    
fatal poison inflicted to take effect1  
falls to and eats the victim4  ,the     
uncovered platform which serves as a    
station being reached a few minutes     
before the train arrived1 ,i expressed  
an unwillingness to detain our guide    
longer on account of his having a walk  
of four and a half miles to his home2   
but he declined to consider the subject2
 saying he had been directed not to     
leave us until we were taken safely on  
the train1 which came sweeping round the
 curve on time and stopped for us4      
,,chapter ,,xv4  ,,crystal ,,cave       
,,concluded4   ,according to agreement  
the guide again met us at the station on
 the following morning1 for another day 
in the cave1 which we entered with no   
unnecessary loss of time1 and hurrying  
through the main entrance passage1      
,government ,room and ,statuary ,hall1  

went down ,beaver ,slide1 which1 on the 
previous day1 we had passed to enter    
,rocky ,run4 ,our descent into the      
crevice took us past those portions     
known as ,suspension ,bridge and        
,rebecca's ,well1 and over some very    
rough country to the most wonderful     
parts of the cave4 ,numerous passages   
open out in various directions2 one to  
rooms of frost work of great beauty2    
another to the ,ribbon ,room where the  
drip deposits on the walls are in       
ribbon-like stripes of red1 yellow1 and 
white1 while others yet are ways to the 
,catacombs4 ,and it is the ,catacombs we
 particularly wish to see1 as they most 
perfectly represent the individual      
character of the cave and have1 as yet1 
received no injury from either time or  
man2 but is a region as difficult to    
travel as the way of the transgressor1  
and many miles can be traversed with no 
prospect of coming to the end4 ,but     
where locomotion is so slow and painful1
 the owner of a pedometer would find    

that instrument a discouraging companion
 and soon learn better than to consult  
its record publicly4  ,the ,catacombs   
are a series of connected fissures and  
small crevices in which every inch of   
exposed surface is covered with clear1  
translucent1 almost transparent1 calcite
 crystals1 neither coated with lime nor 
stained with clay2 nor even is the      
pearly lustre dimmed with the slightest 
trace of dust4 ,the crystals are very   
sharp and of all sizes1 ranging from    
half an inch to three and a half inches 
in length1 the larger sizes being       
conspicuously abundant4 ,the entire     
region is an enormously large1 perfectly
 formed1 and undamaged geode4 ,in       
reality1 the whole cave is a great      
cluster of connected geodes1 and a      
similar work probably does not exist1   
but if it does1 has never been          
discovered4 ,the fissures from which it 
is formed were opened by volcanic       
violence and then enlarged1 and         
afterwards decorated by the varied power

 of water1 in action or repose4  ,when  
the storms toward the close of the      
,tertiary period suddenly overwhelmed   
with floods the dense growth of tropical
 vegetation and multitudinous animal    
life in the ,northwest1 the waters      
necessarily became heavily charged with 
the naturally resulting carbonic acid   
gas1 and this1 acting on the limestone  
rocks1 would decompose them1 leaving a  
residual clay and taking the chief      
portions of the mineral components in   
solution1 to be afterwards deposited    
according to circumstances and          
conditions2 and these are indicated by  
the various results found in ,wind      
,cave1 ,crystal ,cave1 the ,onyx ,caves 
and the ,bad ,lands4 ,the latter being  
previous to that time by no means bad1  
but richly luxuriant in tropical        
vegetation1 which gave shelter from the 
heat to great numbers of curious        
animals4  ,some approximate idea of the 
extreme age of these caves may be gained
 from the fact that bones of a          

three-toed horse have been discovered in
 a chamber of ,crystal ,cave that must  
be practically unchanged since the      
remains were carried in from the        
outside1 as otherwise they would have   
been buried beneath the fallen masses of
 crystal covered rock with which the    
entire floor is cumbered4 ,and yet this 
room is so remote from any present      
connection with the outer world that it 
is impossible for their introduction to 
have taken place in recent times4  ,in  
the beautiful ,catacombs progress is as 
slow as in a cactus thicket or a        
blackberry patch4 ,the crevices lack    
none of the usual crevice               
irregularities2 high places must be     
mounted or descended1 chasms crossed and
 narrow passages crawled through1 while 
extra caution must be exercised to avoid
 striking the head or making a misstep  
that might result in a fall4 ,the hands 
are in constant use and soon become so  
sensitive that holding a soft           
handkerchief gives infinite relief2 but 

the worst experience is the crawls where
 only the soles of the feet1 being      
temporarily turned up1 seem safe from   
the savage treatment of the sharp       
calcite dog-teeth4 ,the worst crawl     
encountered was a small one having a    
downward slope with a jump-off at the   
end which necessitated its being taken  
feet first4 ,fortunately it was short4  
,but in no place do the difficulties    
outweigh the pleasure of beholding      
scenes of such beauty1 or suggest regret
 for the time1 torn garments1 and       
personal exertion required for its      
enjoyment4  ,in many portions of the    
cave the surface layer of crystals has  
had the points worn away by the action  
of water1 later than that in which they 
were formed2 but in the ,catacombs and  
other extensive regions as well1 the    
finished work of crystallization is     
preserved in an absolutely perfect      
condition4 ,and everywhere the largest  
crystals are on the under side of a     
projection or the roof of a cavity4  ,as

 the day was passing far too rapidly and
 many points of special interest yet    
remained unseen1 we turned with         
reluctance from the beauty and relief   
from the hardships of exploration in the
 ,catacombs1 and made our way over a    
crevice into ,santa ,claus' ,pass1 which
 was traversed for a considerable       
distance and then abandoned for a low   
crawl terminating at the ,senate        
,chamber4 ,this is a large room         
extending to ,poverty ,flat1 and is     
brilliantly red and purely white1 most  
of the crystal presenting a smooth      
surface4 ,under the ,senate ,chamber    
there is said to be some fine box work  
which we had no time to visit4 ,the name
 of this chamber was given by a visiting
 party composed of members of both      
houses of ,congress4 ,a smaller room1   
which is really an extension of the     
,senate ,chamber1 has handsome walls of 
white and red box work on account of    
which the same distinguished party      
called it the ,senate ,post-office4     

,from here a difficult crawl1 through   
red rock1 well-worn by the action of    
water1 leads to the ,starr ,chamber1    
another large room in white and red1 and
 named by ,senator ,starr of ,south     
,dakota4  ,opening out from the last    
room is a curious1 dangerous looking1   
narrow1 crevice-chamber known as        
,suicide ,room on account of the        
threatening appearance of over-hanging  
rocks1 some of which have at times      
fallen in great masses of various sizes 
to form an irregular floor2 and a       
descent of this is necessary in order to
 reach a short and extremely rough      
crawl1 beautifully and painfully        
decorated with sharp crystals above and 
below and on the sides4 ,from this we   
emerge into ,rainy ,chamber1 an         
elliptical room not less than two       
hundred feet long by one hundred feet   
wide1 with a tent-like ceiling rising   
high in the center and sloping down to  
meet the floor1 which also slopes       
irregularly toward a deep central       

depression1 giving the room a greater   
height than any other visited4 ,the high
 points are generally seen in the narrow
 crevices1 while the rooms of generous  
length and breadth are usually low1 many
 of the largest having an average of    
five feet or even less4  ,although there
 is frequent intersection of crevices1  
and each chamber has passages leading   
out on every side1 the general direction
 of the cave is said to be              
northwest-southeast4  ,rainy ,chamber is
 named from the fact that during the    
early months of summer water falls      
constantly in the form of a light       
shower2 but it drips at all times1 and  
in consequence there is an opportunity  
to study the active process of formation
 of one of the deposits which is very   
abundant in ,wind ,cave and considered  
the most perplexing4 ,this is the       
pop-corn1 and the theories of its origin
 have been steadily rejected at ,wind   
,cave because of a doubt being          
entertained as to whether it has been   

deposited under water or by drippings4  
,here in ,rainy ,chamber it is fully    
explained4 ,near the center of the room 
the fallen masses are heavily           
crystallized1 much of the groundwork    
being fine box work and the crystals in 
perfect condition4 ,on these crystals   
the pop-corn is being formed1 and       
specimens can be seen in all stages of  
development1 from the beginning to an   
approximate degree of finish2 and       
whatever the position it occupies on the
 receiving surface1 either on top1      
underneath1 or on a side exposure1 it   
always maintains the same relative      
position as growing plants on the       
mundane sphere4 ,the water falling on   
the upper surface in scattering drops   
forms myriads of minute stalagmites2 on 
side positions the falling drop first   
strikes the point exposed to its line of
 descent and then spreads4 ,the scant   
moisture slowly makes its way down      
sloping sides and shelving edges1       
leaving on each small irregularity a    

tiny portion of its volume1 to deposit  
an infinitely small charge of solid     
substance1 and the balance finally hangs
 in moisture less than drops on the     
growing grains of the under surface4    
,pop-corn1 therefore1 is the globular   
aragonite of the stalagmitic variety4 ,a
 small specimen from ,rainy ,chamber1   
placed beside one of the same color from
 ,wind ,cave1 shows them to be          
absolutely alike4  ,rainy ,chamber is   
the room in which the bones of the      
three-toed horse1 already referred to1  
were found1 but their presence has not  
yet been explained2 therefore the case  
is open to conjecture and several       
theories may be advanced and their      
values considered4 ,the first question  
when such a discovery is made1 is       
whether the living animal was possibly a
 cave-dweller2 which1 as the horse was  
not1 is quickly disposed of and         
attention turned to the next1 the       
possibility of a carniverous animal     
having carried his prey into the dark   

recesses of the cave in order that the  
enjoyment of his dinner might be        
undisturbed4 ,this theory is equally    
unavailable by reason of the            
topographical features presented4 ,if   
the present natural entrance to the cave
 were the only way into this room from  
the outside1 the distance was too great 
and beset with many difficulties2       
besides which the final passage is too  
small to admit an animal of sufficient  
size to carry any considerable portion  
of even a very small horse4 ,but if at  
that period the room had direct         
communication with the outside through  
an opening since closed1 the shape of   
the walls indicate that it must have    
been a pot-hole in the roof1 and through
 this an animal could have entered by   
falling1 which the horse and others may 
have done4 ,but it seems most probable  
that the remains were carried in by the 
water through such a hole before it was 
closed at the beginning of the          
,quaternary period1 when the erosion of 

the ,hills was most active4  ,rainy     
,chamber also contains a large and      
beautiful assortment of the small       
polished and coated pebbles called cave 
pearls4  ,the guide being anxious that  
we should not fail to see the ,niagara  
,room1 we now turned toward a low1 broad
 opening in the wall1 a short distance  
to the right of the entrance1 where the 
rising floor and descending ceiling1    
failing to meet1 had overlapped2 so we  
made our way up a steep1 smooth bank1   
and then down on the other side over a  
broken1 rocky surface for a distance of 
about twenty feet1 when the roof at last
 joined the floor and two small         
water-worn holes at the point of        
junction revealed an untempting passage 
within4 ,the broader of these holes was 
three feet1 but too low to be considered
 an entrance2 the other was round but   
certainly not so large as our guide1 who
 was preparing to enter it with doubts  
of his ability to make the trip1 on     
account of having increased in size     

since his one entrance there1 on which  
occasion two smaller guides pulled him  
through the tightest places4 ,carefully 
comparing his size with that of the hole
 he sat beside1 there was no possibility
 of doubt that if the attempt were made 
he would stick fast1 and that would     
place our little party in dire straits4 
,consequently ,i insisted that it should
 not be1 but he was unwilling that      
,niagara should be missed when so near4 
,finally ,i positively refused to go    
unless he would consent to give us      
instructions and remain where he was    
while we went without him1 to which he  
at last yielded with extreme            
unwillingness4 ,he had frequently shown 
us the guide's marks1 and now earnestly 
cautioned me to advance only as they    
point1 and turn back if they should     
fail4  ,the small nephew went on a      
reconnoitering expedition to the end of 
the passage1 and reported that the      
jump-off there was higher than himself  
but he could get down4 ,i now crawled   

through the hole and found the passage  
to be a crawl or rather a sprawl1 from  
fifteen to eighteen inches high1 but    
having an ample width varying from three
 to six feet4 ,the smooth1 straight     
floor has a steep downward inclination  
and is thickly covered with dust4       
,having reached the widest portion1     
which is near the end1 ,herbert directed
 me to turn1 so as to come down the     
jump-off feet first1 where there was a  
little difficulty in landing1 as the    
perpendicular wall1 which proved to be  
almost five feet high1 offered only one 
projecting help1 and that within a few  
inches of the base2 but in obedience to 
his advice to reach one foot a little   
farther down and then drop1 ,i advanced 
the right one1 to be told not that1 but 
the other1 and was soon down where it   
was possible to observe with interest   
that the right foot had been swinging   
above an open fissure4 ,we stood in a   
wide crevice running at right angles to 
the obnoxious passage we had just quit1 

and immediately found a guide's mark on 
a large rock1 and others followed at    
intervals of a few feet over extremely  
rough country as the guides say4        
,everywhere the work of water was       
apparent1 not in the crystal deposits of
 still water as in other portions of the
 cave1 but the erosion due to its       
rushing through4 ,carefully following   
the marks1 they led into a cross-crevice
 that took us under ,rainy ,chamber1 and
 ends there by widening into a circular 
chamber of about fifty feet width in    
either direction1 and rising to a height
 of nearly fifty feet in a fine dome4   
,down the wall from near the top of the 
dome there appears to flow a beautiful  
waterfall showing a variety of colors in
 the straight lines1 as if from         
refraction4 ,the fall is1 of course1    
dripstone1 and ,i knew we had found     
,niagara1 although we had gone beyond   
the reach of the guide's voice almost at
 the start4 ,a huge rock directly under 
the dome has received the falling drip  

until it represents a mountain cataract4
 ,these deposits testify to the great   
age of the chamber they adorn1 as they  
were necessarily not commenced until all
 heavy flow ceased1 and in ,crystal     
,cave the accumulation of dripstone is  
so slow that it is said six years'      
observation can detect no increase      
whatever4  ,several small passages at   
the floor level gave exit to the great  
volume of water that evidently at one   
time entered this crevice1 from ,rainy  
,chamber1 by the route we followed1 and 
being checked in its course the lower   
end of the crevice became filled1 under 
pressure2 and the low position of the   
outlets gave this water a whirling      
motion that in time excavated the       
dome-shaped room4  ,no part of ,crystal 
,cave has ever been occupied by a river1
 but its fissures1 opened by the        
violence of earth movements accompanying
 nearby volcanic disturbances1 have been
 filled more than once by the inrush of 
waters which repeatedly submerged the   

whole ,black ,hills region4  ,following 
again the marks which guided us into    
,niagara ,room1 we soon came within     
hailing distance of a voice expressive  
of profound relief2 and as we crawled up
 the sloping passage1 over-heated and   
breathless with the exertion1 the guide 
assured us he was most truly thankful to
 see us again1 as he had never in his   
life experienced so severe a scare as   
since it had occurred to him that we had
 gone beyond the limits of communication
 without a single match4  ,he also said 
,i had been where no lady had ever gone 
before1 and took satisfaction in the    
fact that many men have refused to make 
the venture with a guide4  ,leaving this
 portion of the cave1 by returning as we
 came1 through ,suicide ,room1 ,starr   
,chamber1 and ,senate ,chamber1 we      
crawled along the rocks overhanging a   
narrow fissure1 to reach a ladder at the
 end1 by which we descended to another  
part of the ,catacombs4 ,here1 after    
traveling a long distance over uneven   

floors covered with sharp crystals1 as  
were all surfaces1 through large1 low   
rooms1 and narrow1 crooked passages1    
constantly assisting the difficult      
advance with our hands1 like monkeys1 we
 finally came to ,the ,grotto1 which is 
probably the most remarkable room in    
this very remarkable cave4 ,it is a     
large room1 with much of the irregular  
ceiling so low that even the small      
nephew struck his head severely while   
turning to warn me1 as he often did1 of 
threatening inequalities in the floor   
and light them with his own candle4 ,the
 crystals here are exceptionally fine1  
being very sharp and of unusual size1   
besides many of them being double--that 
is1 pointed at both ends4 ,through this 
beautiful ceiling there is a percolating
 drip adding stalactites to the         
crystal-points and piling stalagmites on
 the crystal masses below1 varying this 
with imitation cascades1 mats of small  
flowers1 and masses of pop-corn4 ,off to
 one side in a kind of recess there is a

 depression in the crystal floor filled 
with clear1 cold water4  ,a glance at   
the time now showed us to be in danger  
of failure to meet the train to town1   
and consequently1 tired as we were after
 nine hours of rough travel and much    
climbing1 it was necessary to make our  
way out with more speed than comfort1   
and we found the weather turning very   
cold4 ,the cave was carefully locked1   
preparations for the train hurriedly    
made1 the house closed1 and as we left  
it the train could be heard coming down 
the caon1 but we arrived at the station 
first1 though breathless1 and a few     
minutes later were in ,piedmont1 too    
tired to properly enjoy a hot venison   
supper4  ,as to the size of ,crystal    
,cave1 it is impossible to make any     
positive statement2 for as ,mr4         
,mc,bride1 the proprietor1 says1 no     
survey has yet been made4 ,other persons
 said that thirty-six miles is the      
greatest claim made for the combined    
length of all passages1 and sixteen     

miles the least1 so it may be wise to   
accept the lesser number until a survey 
proves it wrong4  ,the box work in      
,crystal ,cave is not of such great     
abundance as to demand special          
attention1 but is very beautiful1 and   
one variety deserves particular mention4
 ,these boxes have been formed in dark  
red sandstone1 and after being emptied  
of their original contents1 have been   
completely filled with colorless calcite
 crystals1 and over this is spread an   
outer surface of the same crystals      
tinted a brilliant flame color by red   
paint-clay having been taken in solution
 by the crystal forming waters4 ,a      
specimen of this was a temptation too   
great to be resisted even in the owner's
 absence4  ,some of the box work is of  
such size that a single box may have a  
capacity equal to that of a bushel      
measure1 but it is less beautiful than  
the smaller forms4  ,on the following   
morning we left ,piedmont1 and having a 
desire for greater personal knowledge of

 the ,hills1 took the same train which  
had taken us to the cave1 and traveled  
to its western terminus1 ,lead ,city4   
,the interesting scenery makes this a   
desirable trip for any one visiting the 
,hills1 but its beauty is chiefly massed
 at the ends1 the middle distance being 
over gradually rising ground1 which is  
without a counterpart of the rocky caon 
left behind or more than a suggestion of
 the high hills yet to come4 ,the       
special charm of this portion was the   
magnificent pine forest which covered it
 until three years ago1 when it was     
swept by a terrible fire1 from which the
 settlers escaped with only their lives2
 and even that would have been          
impossible if the railroad company had  
not kept refuge trains waiting for them 
just ahead of the flames4 ,the prominent
 geological feature here is the porphyry
 dikes1 which are becoming more numerous
 and more prominent1 and in many places 
resemble a conspicuous group near       
,harney ,peak1 called ,the ,needles4    

,these dykes are of special interest in 
connection with a study of the caves1   
since they are probably of simultaneous 
origin4  ,the same volcanic movements   
that caused the violent upheaval of the 
whole region1 and thrust up molten      
masses through the strata to form a     
central core to the ,hills1 must also   
have rent the nearby regions with       
fissures through which probably much gas
 escaped1 and having been further opened
 and then adorned1 now demand our       
attention as caves of unique and curious
 beauty4  ,the approach to ,lead is over
 the hill-tops with a magnificent       
distant view1 and the first glimpses of 
that young city famous for having as a  
center the ,homestake mine1 the largest 
gold mine in the world1 are charming4   
,it is situated far down in a valley    
among the high hills and spreads some   
distance up the surrounding slopes4     
,the works of the great mine are        
wonderful1 and visitors welcome to      
examine whatever they find interesting2 

any questions they wish to ask are      
graciously answered1 although every one 
is busy4 ,this is not a special favor to
 the exceptional few1 but the courtesy  
shown to all4 ,visitors are also welcome
 to descend into the mine1 but as an    
attendant is necessary on account of    
dangers to be avoided1 a permit must be 
obtained at the office4  ,several other 
caves have been discovered in the ,black
 ,hills1 the largest of which is the    
,davenport ,cave at ,sturgis4 ,very     
little exploration has yet been done in 
it1 but indications are said to be that 
it will take rank among the large ones4 
,at ,galena1 a new mining town of golden
 promise1 there is reported to be an    
,ice ,cave1 where ice forms at all      
seasons1 and during the warm weather is 
a source of comfort and pleasure to the 
miners4  ,in the evening1 as train time 
for continuing the homeward journey     
approached1 the snow storm which began  
gently early in the afternoon1 grew     
steadily more severe4 ,a carriage to the

 depot was not to be had1 as every      
vehicle in town had gone to the funeral 
of an old-timer in the ,hills and the   
return delayed by the storm4 ,the       
situation could not be regarded as a    
special pleasure1 but cave hunters learn
 to accept whatever is and be thankful  
for the general average4 ,at the last   
moment1 however1 a team was driven up   
and permission given us to make use of  
it4 ,it proved to be the private        
conveyance of the hotel proprietor1 and 
the young boy who accompanied us1 his   
son4  ,our train was on time1 and the   
ride through the ,hills to their        
southern limit1 in the falling snow1 was
 wonderfully beautiful2 but the storm   
continued for many days and was one of  
the most severe on record4  ,those      
persons who have been so unfortunate as 
to permit themselves to accept a ready  
made opinion of dangers and roughness to
 be met with in the more newly settled  
regions1 might find a tour of the ,hills
 doubly interesting by making a         

supplementary study of ,the ,living     
,age1 which cannot be so correctly      
viewed from a distance as is sometimes  
supposed1 since the specimens exhibited 
are not always a true average of the    
strata they are supposed to represent4  
,,chapter ,,xvi4  ,,conclusion4   ,after
 a visit to the marvelous caverns of the
 ,black ,hills1 much may be added to the
 pleasure already enjoyed1 through the  
explanatory activity of the ,yellowstone
 ,national ,park1 where even the        
wonderful combinations of beauty and    
grandeur are by no means the full       
measure of attraction and charm4 ,here  
is found evidence to verify theories    
concerning the caves1 and those theories
 in turn contribute in no small degree  
to a satisfactory understanding of the  
mysteries of geyser action4 ,for        
scientific study the two regions should 
be taken together1 since the natural    
conditions are practically the same1 and
 the chief difference lies in the stages
 of development2 the present of the     

,park explaining the recent past of the 
,hills1 while the present of the ,hills 
foretells the future of the ,park4 ,it  
seems that ,nature1 with a full         
appreciation of the limits and          
restrictions binding our powers to      
penetrate certain secrets of an         
intermittent force1 has in this great   
western country carefully prepared what 
might quite properly be termed a        
progressive course of study1 wherein    
each locality makes plain a special     
point that somewhere else appears       
obscure4  ,as has been said in the      
preceding chapters1 the two great caves 
in the ,black ,hills of ,south ,dakota  
cannot be accounted for by the same     
methods as are recognized as being      
responsible for the slow excavation of  
the best known caves of the ,united     
,states4 ,although there is every       
indication that both these caves have   
been subject to the action of enormous  
volumes of water1 there is equally      
positive evidence that neither was ever 

the scene of a flowing cave-river4 ,the 
lowest levels in both show the narrowest
 fissures and the heaviest deposits of  
crystal1 by which we infer that the     
water was held in confinement here1     
while all the higher passages or        
channels bear witness to the water's    
flow4 ,but many of these channels in    
,crystal ,cave1 or indeed we might say1 
most of them1 present an unmistakable   
record of the gauge of the water stage  
at different periods4 ,during the       
earlier time1 when the volume of water  
and consequent pressure were greatest1  
frictional motion must have been limited
 to the main channel connecting with the
 vent1 and the high gauge of water      
maintained a fairly uniform degree of   
heat near its surface4 ,in consequence  
of these conditions geyser action1      
probably1 was constant1 and chemical    
activity was such that great chambers   
were formed and then decorated1 as      
already described1 with wonderful masses
 of crystal4 ,as the water gauge receded

 to lower levels the higher chambers    
became storage basins for water and     
steam forced up by the pressure from    
below1 and the time required for these  
to fill and accumulate sufficient       
pressure to continue the ejectment1     
formed the periods between eruptions    
after the geyser became intermittent4   
,it was during this stage that the sharp
 crystals in many of the channels1 now  
called passages1 were worn down to      
smooth surfaces2 and later1 when water  
occupied only the lowest level1 and the 
great geyser had become reduced to      
merely a steam vent1 the channels       
immediately connecting with that level  
were in their turn subjected to the same
 smoothing process1 and then all action 
ceased4  ,as no two of the glorious     
geysers of the ,yellowstone ,park are   
alike1 neither do the two great caves of
 the ,hills indicate that they should be
 so4 ,the vent-tubing of each is quite  
unlike that of the other in all the     
essential governing points of length1   

size1 shape1 angle of inclination and   
power-conserving bends4 ,and the        
differences extend in an almost equally 
marked degree throughout the vast and   
complicated succession of storage       
chambers and their connecting channels4 
,the small vent of ,wind ,cave shows    
that the ejected jet was far from being 
equal to that of the ,crystal ,cave in  
volume2 but the nearly perpendicular    
long arm of its tube shows also that its
 jet attained a much greater height1    
even supposing that it should be        
necessary to make some allowance for a  
short elbow at the top4  ,dr4 ,hayden's 
geological party gave much attention to 
the ,yellowstone ,park while its wonders
 were new to the world1 and observations
 were made at various times during the  
period included between the years #ahfi 
and #ahgj4 ,the special study1 and full 
report of the geysers became the duty of
 ,dr4 ,a4,c4 ,peal1 whose descriptions  
and conclusions were published in ,u4,s4
 ,geological ,survey ,report1 #ahgh1    

,part ,,ii4 ,in the final pages of his  
report he quotes the leading authorities
 on geyser action1 and applies the      
principles of their theories1 according 
to his own judgment1 to the geysers of  
the park4 ,since copies of this report  
are not now easily obtained1 nor even   
always accessible to the increasing     
number of personages who visit the park1
 it may be well to quote from him some  
of the theories he discussed and the    
opinions he expressed4 ,on page #daf1   
beginning the chapter with the          
derivation of the word geyser from the  
,icelandic word geysa--to gush1 he      
continues3  ,we now come to the         
definition of a geyser4 ,it may be      
defined to be a periodically eruptive or
 intermittent hot spring1 from which the
 water is projected into the air in a   
fountain-like column4 ,the analogy      
between geysers and volcanoes has       
frequently been noticed and the former  
have often been described as volcanoes  
which erupt heated water instead of     

melted lava4 ,we have italicized the    
word hot in the definition just given1  
because springs containing a large      
amount of gas may simulate geysers4     
,the difference between geysers and     
ordinary hot springs is not readily     
explained1 nor even always recognized4  
,the difference between a quiet thermal 
spring and a geyser in active eruption  
is very marked1 but between the two     
there is every grade of action4 ,some   
geysers appear as quiet springs1 as for 
instance the ,grand ,geyser during its  
period of quiescence4 ,others might     
easily be mistaken for constantly       
boiling springs1 as in the case of the  
,giant ,geyser1 in which the water is   
constantly in active ebullition4 ,this  
is true also of the ,strockr of         
,iceland4 ,many of the springs1         
therefore1 that in the ,yellowstone     
,park have been classed as constantly   
boiling springs may be unsuspected      
geysers4 ,the ,excelsior ,geyser was not
 discovered to be a geyser until eight  

years after the setting aside of the    
park4 ,almost all constantly boiling    
springs have periods of increased       
activity1 and those which spurt a few   
feet into the air have been classed as  
pseudo-geysers4  ,it has been noticed   
that geysers occur where the intensity  
of volcanic action is decreasing4 ,in   
the neighborhood of active volcanoes1   
such as ,vesuvius1 the temperature      
appears to be too high1 and the vapor   
escapes as steam from what are called   
stufas4 ,when the rocks at the surface  
are more cooled the water comes forth in
 liquid form4  ,we will now pass to the 
various geyser theories that have been  
proposed by different writers4  ,dr4    
,peal then proceeds to give the theories
 of ,sir ,j4 ,herschell and ,sir ,george
 ,mc,kenzie1 but as they are accepted   
and extended by others1 we may pass on  
to ,bischof's1 of which ,dr4 ,peal says3
 ,very similar to ,mc,kenzie's theory is
 the one adopted by ,bischof in his     
,researches on the ,internal ,heat of   

the ,globe 7pages #bbg1 #bbh74 ,it is   
really the theory of ,krug ,von ,nidda1 
who examined the geyser in #ahcc4       
,bischof says3  ',he 7,krug ,von ,nidda7
 takes it for granted that these hot    
springs derive their temperature from   
the aqueous vapors rising from below4   
,when these vapors are able to rise     
freely in a continued column the water  
at the different depths must have a     
constant temperature equal to that at   
which water would boil under the        
pressure existing at the respective     
depths2 hence the constant ebullition of
 the permanent springs and their boiling
 heat4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the      
vapors be prevented by the complicated  
windings of its channels from rising to 
the surface2 if1 for example1 they be   
arrested in caverns1 the temperature in 
the upper layers of water must          
necessarily become reduced1 because a   
large quantity of it is lost by         
evaporation at the surface1 which cannot
 be replaced from below4 ,and any       

circulation of the layers of water at   
different temperatures1 by reason of    
their unequal specific gravities1 seems 
to be very much interrupted by the      
narrowness and sinuousity of the        
passage4 ,the intermitting springs of   
,iceland are probably caused by the     
existence of caverns1 in which the vapor
 is retained by the pressure of the     
column of water in the channel which    
leads to the surface4 ,here this vapor  
collects1 and presses the water in the  
cavern downward until its elastic force 
becomes sufficiently great to effect a  
passage through the column of water     
which confines it4 ,the violent escape  
of the vapor causes the thunder-like    
subterranean sound and the trembling of 
the earth which precedes each eruption4 
,the vapors do not appear at the surface
 until they have heated the water to    
their own temperature4  ',when so much  
vapor has escaped that the expansive    
force of that which remains has become  
less than the pressure of the confining 

column of water1 tranquility is         
restored1 and this lasts until such a   
quantity of vapor is again collected as 
to produce a fresh eruption4 ,the       
spouting of the spring is therefore     
repeated at intervals1 depending on the 
capacity of the cavern1 the height of   
the column of water1 and the heat       
generated below4' ,dr4 ,peal continues3 
,bishof says that the eruptions of the  
,geyser and ,strockr agree exactly with 
this explanation and he accounts for the
 two distinct classes of eruption       
observed in the ,geyser as follows3     
',the two distinct classes of eruption  
in the geyser which we have already     
mentioned seem to be attributable to two
 different cavities4 ,a small cavity    
fills quicker1 and1 therefore1 empties  
itself more frequently2 a larger one    
fills slower1 empties itself seldomer1  
but with greater violence4'  ,bunsen's  
theory is the next considered and is    
somewhat similar to ,bischof's but with 
notable differences4 ,after taking      

temperatures at different points in the 
,geyser tube his first conclusions are  
that3  7#a7 ,the temperature in the     
geyser tube increases as we descend4    
7#b7 ,at no point does the water in the 
tube attain the temperature of          
ebullition which it should have under   
the pressure to which it is subjected1  
but the temperature depends on the time 
that has elapsed since the last         
eruption4 ,as a great eruption comes    
near it approaches the boiling point4   
7#c7 ,at the depth of about forty-five  
feet the difference between the         
temperature of the water and the        
calculated boiling point for that       
pressure is the least4  ,the main point 
of his theory appears to be that an     
eruption takes place when the water in  
the tube reaches the boiling point1 and 
to account for it1 ,he supposes that the
 column in the central tube communicates
 by a long and sinuous channel with some
 space1 be it what it may1 which is     
subjected to the action of the direct   

source of subterranean heat4 ,the       
temperature gets raised above the       
boiling point1 due to the pressure1 and 
a sudden generation of steam is the     
result4 ,this steam rises in the column 
of water1 which1 being cooler1 causes it
 to condense4 ,gradually the heat of the
 water is raised until the water of the 
channel must boil1 and the steam        
therefore cannot condense1 but must     
accumulate and acquire a gradually      
increasing tension4 ,the condensation of
 the bubbles possesses a periodic       
character1 and to this is due the       
uplifting of the water in what ,bunsen  
calls conical water hills1 which are    
accompanied by the subterranean         
explosions4  ,prof4 ,comstock is quoted 
as thinking ,bunsen's theory has not yet
 been proved adequate to explain the    
more prominent features of geyser       
eruptions4 ,nor does it1 in his opinion1
 account for all the differences between
 geysers and hot springs1 and he        
proposes a structural hypothesis which  

combines ,bischof's and ,bunsen's       
theories4  ,this hypothesis is          
illustrated by a figure in which a      
reservoir partly filled with water is   
connected with the surface by a tube    
having a double curve1 and he explains  
that the water collecting in the        
depressed curve should confine the      
steam1 rising from the reservoir in the 
other curve until the pressure is       
sufficient to cause an eruption4 ,his   
theory of action being that the water in
 the reservoir remains in equilibrium at
 a certain level1 and the constant heat 
fills the space above with vapor1 which 
heats the water held in the downward    
bend of the tube1 and that also evolves 
vapor which fills the balance of the    
tube to the vent4 ,when the combined    
pressure of this vapor and water are    
overcome by the expansion of vapor      
accumulated above the reservoir1 they   
are forced out1 and followed by a       
portion of the water of the reservoir4  
,this theory is in the report of        

,captain ,jones on ,northwestern        
,wyoming4  ,the last theory cited by    
,dr4 ,peal is that of ,s4               
,baring-,gould1 ,who visited the        
,iceland geysers in #ahfc1 and thinks   
that a bent tube is sufficient to       
explain the action of the ,great        
,geyser4 ,he took an iron tube and bent 
it in an angle of #aaj1 keeping one arm 
half the length of the other4 ,he filled
 the tube with water and placed the     
short arm in the fire4 ,for a moment the
 surface of the liquid remained quiet1  
and then the pipe began to quiver2 a    
slight overflow took place1 without any 
sign of ebullition1 and then suddenly1  
with a throb1 the whole column was      
forced high into the air4 ,with a tube1 
the long arm of which measured two feet 
and the bore of which was three-eighths 
of an inch1 he sent a jet to the height 
of eighteen feet4 ,steam is generated in
 the short arm and presses down the     
water1 causing an overflow until the    
steam bubble turns the angle1 when it   

forces out the column in the long arm   
with incredible violence4  ,dr4 ,peal   
now goes on to say3  ,of the theories   
that we have just enumerated1 perhaps no
 one is adequate to explain all the     
phenomena of geyser action4 ,bunsen's   
theory comes nearest to it1 and in the  
simplest kinds of geysers is a          
sufficient explanation4 ,the variations 
and modifications in the geyser tubes   
and subterranean water passages must    
undoubtedly be important factors        
entering into any complete explanation  
of geyser action4 ,now1 of course1 we   
can see what the conditions are at the  
surface1 but in our experiments we can  
penetrate to a very inconsiderable      
distance4 ,we have1 therefore1 no data  
to present on these points1 and         
investigations of this branch of the    
subject will have to be carried on in an
 artificial manner2 that is artificial  
geysers will have to be constructed1 and
 various modifications made in the tubes
 until results are reached analogous to 

those seen in natural geysers4 ,if water
 in a glass tube be heated with rapidity
 from the bottom1 it will be expelled   
from the tube violently1 and if boiled  
in a kettle which has a lid and a spout1
 either the lid will be blown off or the
 water will be forced out through the   
spout4 ,the first case is an            
illustration1 in part at least1 of      
,bunsen's theory1 and the second        
exemplifies the theories which          
presuppose the existence of subterranean
 cavities with tubes at or near the     
surface4 ,according to the former we    
must suppose that the layer of rock1    
extending seventy-five to seventy-seven 
feet below the surface1 contains        
sufficient heat to account for geyseric 
phenomena2 or else that the geyser tube 
has some opening1 either at the bottom  
or on the sides1 by which steam and     
superheated water have access to it from
 a considerably greater depth where the 
temperature is very high4 ,at these     
depths caverns probably exist4 99 99 99 

99  ,that such cavities exist is more   
than probable4 ,on page #dje ,i have    
indicated my belief1 that all geysers   
are originally due to a violent outburst
 of steam and water1 and under such     
conditions1 irregular cavities and      
passages are more likely to be formed   
than regular tubes4 99 99  ,in view of  
what we have just written1 ,bunsen's    
conclusion 7,no4 #b7 would have to be   
modified somewhat4 ,his conclusion was  
that at no point in the tube did the    
water attain the temperature of         
ebullition which it should have under   
the pressure to which it is subjected4  
,as far as this relates to the straight 
tube in which his temperatures were     
taken1 it may be so2 but if he could    
have taken temperatures in the side     
conduit1 ,i have little doubt he would  
soon have reached a point where the     
temperature would not only be at the    
boiling point for that depth but even   
exceed it4 ,in the ,yellowstone ,park we
 obtained a number of surface           

temperatures which were above the       
boiling point4 ,in the ,great ,geyser of
 ,iceland1 the mass of water in the tube
 prevents this condition at the surface1
 and when it takes place opposite the   
aperture an eruption is caused4 ,in the 
main1 however1 ,i am inclined to accept 
,bunsen's theory1 especially as it seems
 to me to require subterranean cavities 
in which the water must be heated4      
,whether these are caverns1 enlargements
 of tubes1 or sinus channels1 appears to
 me to be of no consequence1 except as  
the interval or period of the geyser    
might be affected by the form of the    
reservoir holding the water4  ,dr4 ,peal
 has reached conclusions which present  
an imaginary picture of the interior    
structure of the great geysers of the   
,park1 that bears a striking resemblance
 to what the two caves of the ,black    
,hills prove to be the true conditions2 
although it is evident he had in mind   
caverns of no such vast extent1 nor of  
so complicated a system of cavities and 

tubes4 ,he overlooked an important      
feature1 however1 in not accepting      
,professor ,comstock's idea of the tube 
having a double curve4 ,the double curve
 is1 or was1 conspicuous in both the    
caves4 ,unfortunately1 its perfection in
 ,wind ,cave was necessarily partially  
sacrificed to make the passage          
traversable for visitors2 but in        
describing the enormous labor of opening
 up the cave1 ,mr4 ,mc,donald showed how
 an arching crawl had been worked down  
by blasting1 and the depression beyond  
filled to raise it to the desired level 
for securing the present easy passage at
 the bottom of the main tube1 which is  
the entrance passage4 ,this double curve
 in the tube is simply the rough        
original of the ,s trap of sanitary     
plumbing4 ,in both caves it is somewhat 
irregular and deformed1 but the familiar
 trap is easily recognized4 ,the        
destruction of one of the ,yellowstone  
geysers was1 no doubt1 due to the       
breaking of the ,s4 ,one of the many    

reasons for establishing military       
control over the ,park is said to have  
been the disastrous results following   
the introduction of a large quantity of 
soap into the geyser to cause a         
premature eruption4 ,the impatience of  
the party was rewarded by an eruption   
accompanied by explosions that shook the
 earth for a great distance1 and the    
geyser has not been seen in action      
since4  ,dr4 ,peal finds the theories   
advanced for the generation of steam    
unsatisfactory and insufficient1        
especially in the class of geysers      
having a long steam period4 ,he says3   
7page #dbc7  ,the ,castle ,geyser       
differs from ,old ,faithful and the ,bee
 ,hive mainly in the fact that it has a 
long steam period1 during which the     
steam pours out or is pushed from the   
geyser throat with great violence and a 
terrific noise4 ,there appear to be only
 two possible explanations of this      
difference1 viz41 either an accumulation
 of immense volumes of steam in the     

,castle1 or an instantaneous formation  
of steam throughout the length of the   
geyser tube4 ,the former1 to our mind1  
is untenable1 because it seems          
impossible that the water1 which is     
exhausted in fifteen minutes1 should    
exert enough power to keep down the     
immense amount of steam that escapes for
 more than an hour4 ,according to       
,bunsen's theory1 it can be readily     
explained4 ,the relief afforded by the  
first part of the eruptions allows the  
superheated water to rise rapidly1 and  
before it can reach the top or orifice  
of the tube it is all converted into    
steam from the top downward with        
inconceivable rapidity1 and must be     
forced out with the terrific violence   
which is noted in the case of the       
,castle4 ,on page #bjh we have expressed
 the opinion that it is the oldest      
geyser in the region1 and it seems to us
 that a greater length in the tube1 with
 a consequent greater supply of water1  
will account for the difference between 

the ,castle and ,old ,faithful1 the     
latter of which we consider one of the  
youngest geysers in the ,upper ,geyser  
,basin4  ,a study of the ,caves in      
connection with the active ,geysers     
indicates that the theory he suggests   
and then rejects1 is probably the true  
explanation of the difference between   
the two kinds of geysers4 ,it seems that
 the length of the tube must necessarily
 have more effect on the height of the  
jet than on the generation of steam2 as 
after an eruption the tube is hotter    
than at any other time and therefore the
 generation of steam in it should be    
less than usual1 unless the fresh inflow
 of water was cold4 ,then if the storage
 cavities are broad but low1 the steam  
cannot accumulate above the water2 but  
when the pressure becomes sufficient to 
force a passage through the tube1 the   
water and steam are expelled together   
until the pressure is exhausted4 ,but if
 the storage chambers are vertical      
fissures1 as ,wind ,cave illustrates1   

vast quantities of steam must accumulate
 above the water level in the main      
reservoirs before the pressure can      
become sufficient to expel the water in 
the tube1 after which steam alone       
continues to rush out until the pressure
 is so relieved that it can no longer   
force a passage through the water       
remaining in the trap1 when quiet is    
restored4 ,by the constant addition of  
fresh water from the surface1 by        
percolation or other usual ways of      
sinking1 the necessary conditions for   
the generation of steam are maintained  
with surprising regularity4  ,the       
differences in the shape and general    
arrangement of the cavities and tubes of
 the two caves1 indicate that their     
action as geysers was very unlike4 ,wind
 ,cave evidently sent a rather slender  
column to a great height1 nearly        
perpendicular1 and the water eruption   
was followed by a long steam period4    
,crystal ,cave ejected a much larger jet
 more frequently1 at a low angle of     

inclination1 the eruption was sooner    
over1 and was not followed by a steam   
period of any consequence4  ,thus it can
 be seen that the caves of the ,black   
,hills prove the theories in regard to  
geyser action in ,yellowstone ,park1 and
 those theories1 in turn1 prove the past
 history of the caves4 ,the study of    
geyser action also shows that the       
conical or dome shape of some of the    
cave chambers is not due to the whirl of
 incoming floods1 as in other regions1  
but to jets of water forced up from     
lower levels4  ,perhaps the finest      
geyser basin1 and possible cave1 ever in
 existence was destroyed when the ,grand
 ,caon of the ,yellowstone became a     
caon4 ,evidences of the former          
conditions in control of this gorgeously
 brilliant scene are neither wanting nor
 doubtful4 ,steam constantly issues from
 numerous small vents in the caon walls1
 and a field glass reveals miniature    
geysers in action down in the depth of  
the caon1 nearly half a mile below the  

top of the wall2 while the entire caon  
shows1 in both the color and character  
of its rocks1 that chemical agencies    
have wrought changes here that have not 
been effected in other exposures of     
similar nature4 ,it seems not improbable
 that the relation of ,yellowstone      
,river to the ,grand ,caon was the same 
as1 at the present time1 is that of the 
,firehole to the ,upper1 ,middle1 and   
,lower ,geyser ,basins3 and that an     
explosion of great force was followed by
 a general collapse instead of the usual
 eruption of one of the grandest        
geysers2 one result being the sudden    
precipitation of the river into a new1  
beautiful1 and totally unexpected       
channel4 ,after its great leap of two   
hundred and ninety-seven#f feet at the  
,lower ,fall1 the river flows in a      
brilliant1 narrow line of emerald green1
 broken by the white foam of frequent   
cascades1 between magnificent walls of  
yellow1 white1 pink1 and red of most    
vivid hues4  ,,footnotes3  #f           

,measurement by the ,hayden ,party4