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diff --git a/17354.txt b/17354.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b34fe8 --- /dev/null +++ b/17354.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5585 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black Hills, +by Luella Agnes Owen + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black Hills + + +Author: Luella Agnes Owen + + + +Release Date: December 19, 2005 [eBook #17354] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE REGIONS OF THE OZARKS AND +BLACK HILLS*** + + +E-text prepared by Stacy Brown Thellend and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 17354-h.htm or 17354-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/3/5/17354/17354-h/17354-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/3/5/17354/17354-h.zip) + + + + + +CAVE REGIONS OF THE OZARKS AND BLACK HILLS + +by + +LUELLA AGNES OWEN. + +Membre titulaire de la Societe de Speleologie, and +Fellow of the American Geographical Society. + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Entrance To Marble Cave. Page 25.] + + + + + +Cincinnati. +The Editor Publishing Co. + +1898. + + + + +The illustrations for this volume are from photographs by the following +artists: + +The Views of Marble Cave, by Stone & De Groff, Warrensburg, Missouri. + +The Tower of Babel, The Chimes, The Knife Blade, The Needle, The Bridal +Veil, by Meddaugh, of Leadville, So. Dakota. + +Top of Glacier, by L.W. Marble, Wind Cave, So. Dakota. + +White Onyx Masses, Fairies' Palace, by J.W. Pike, Hot Springs, So. +Dakota. + +The Wilderness Pinery, by D. Benton Miller, Alton, Missouri. + +Approaching Deadwood, by H.R. Locke & Co., Deadwood, So. Dakota. + +Copyrighted +The Editor Publishing Company. +1898. + + + + +TO +MY MOTHER +THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY +DEDICATED. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER. PAGE. + + I A General View 1 + + II Marble Cave 25 + + III Marble Cave Continued 43 + + IV Fairy Cave and Powell Cave 58 + + V Other Stone County Caves 73 + + VI Oregon County Caves 82 + + VII The Grand Gulf 95 + +VIII The Black Hills and Bad Lands 103 + + IX Wind Cave 113 + + X Wind Cave Continued 127 + + XI " " " 141 + + XII " " Concluded 151 + +XIII The Onyx Caves 162 + + XIV Crystal Cave 175 + + XV " " Concluded 183 + + XVI Conclusion 211 + + + + +Cave Regions of + +THE OZARKS AND BLACK HILLS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A GENERAL VIEW. + + "O'er mountains bright with snow and light, + We crystal hunters speed along, + While grots, and caves, and icy waves, + Each instant echo to our song; + And when we meet with stores of gems + We grudge not kings their diadems." + --_Thomas Moore._ + + +The southern half of the State of Missouri, and the Black Hills of South +Dakota, offer exceptionally delightful regions for the study of caves, +or Speleology as it has been named, and the sister sciences of geology +and geography at the same time. In fact it is impossible to study either +without giving attention to the other two, and therefore, instead of +being separate sciences, they are the three branches of a great +scientific trinity. + +The regions here referred to enjoy the advantage, and at the same time +suffer the disadvantage, of being comparatively little known to the ever +restless tide of tourists who naturally hail with pleasure the +announcement that some easily accessible, and thoroughly charming spot, +has escaped their attention altogether, with a marvelous store of +attractions which are both extremely old and wholly new. + +Each of these regions has a peculiar geological history not repeated in +any other portions of the earth's surface: each is blessed with its own +peculiar style of beautiful scenery: and each vies with the other and +all the world besides for the supremacy of its truly wonderful caves. +Yet it should be well understood that the claims are not based on an +unworthy spirit of rivalry, nor any desire to deny the greatness and +beauty of already famous members of the Cave family. It is simply an +announcement that the family is much larger than has been generally +supposed, and the more recently presented members worthy of the full +measure of distinguished honors. + +The geological authorities of both states have for many years mentioned +the beauty and importance of these regions, and urged their claims to +public attention, but have been prevented, by the pressure of other +duties, from giving to the caves such careful study and full reports as +they deserve, as it would have been a pleasure to give, and as has been +possible in states of less extent where the general work of the +department is more advanced, and the volume of tourist travel created an +early demand for scientific explanation. + +Without any great difficulty we can understand the process of cave +excavation by the action of percolating acidulated water on the +limestone, and its subsequent removal as the volume of surface drainage +diverted to the new channel gradually increased. But it is not so easy +to offer a reason for the varied forms with which the caves are +afterwards decorated. Why is it the charmed waters do not leave the +evidence of their slow passage only in plain surfaces of varying widths, +and the stalactites and stalagmites whose formation we can readily +account for? And why do not the deposits take the same forms in all +caves with only such variations as would naturally result from +differences in topography? The law is written, but in unfamiliar +characters that render our reading slow and uncertain. 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 changeable, or even reversible, currents of +air; which might lead to the conclusion that the moisture is sprayed or +converted into a light, misty vapor, and then deposited in exactly the +same manner as the beautiful frost-work at Niagara: the direction and +force of the current determining the location of the frail deposits. + +Since the largest and most important caves occur in limestone, 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 science, it is +one of the earth's ancient institutions. + +Our geologists, who have unearthed many secrets not dreamed of even in +Humboldt's "good phylosopy," have settled the question of how the +different kinds of caves were formed, according to the character of +rocks they are in, or their location and depth, and the natural agencies +to whose action they show signs of having been subjected. + +Dr. H.C. Hovey, in his "Celebrated American Caverns," says: "In visiting +caves of large extent, one is at first inclined to regard the long +halls, huge rifts, deep pits and lofty domes, as evidences of great +convulsions of nature, whereby the earth has been violently rent +asunder. But, while mechanical forces have had their share in the work, +as has been shown, the main agent in every case has been the +comparatively gentle, invisible gas known as carbonic acid. This is +generated by the decay of animal and vegetable substances, and is to a +considerable degree soluble in water. Under ordinary circumstances one +measure of water will absorb one measure of carbonic acid; and the eye +will detect no difference in its appearance. Under pressure the power of +absorption is rapidly increased, until the water thus surcharged has an +acid taste, and effervesces on flowing from the earth, as in Saratoga +water. + +"Rain-water, falling amid leaves and grass, and sinking into the soil, +absorbs large quantities of carbonic acid. On reaching the underlying +limestone, the latter is instantly attacked by the acidulated water in +which it is dissolved and carried away. + +"It is agreed among geologists, amazing as the statement may seem, that +the immense caverns of Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, including Mammoth +Cave itself (the largest of all), were eaten out of the solid mass of +limestone by the slow, patient, but irresistible action of acidulated +water." + +Professor N.S. Shaler says: "The existence of deep caverns is a sign +that the region has long been above the sea." + +Through the kindness of Professor C.J. Norwood, Chief Inspector and +Curator of the Geological Department of Kentucky, it is possible to +quote the first official report made on the caves of that state and +published in 1856, in Volume I., Kentucky Geological Survey Reports. +Dr. Norwood says: "Referring to the 'Subcarboniferous Limestone' (now +known as the St. Louis group of the Mississippian series), Dr. Owen +says: 'The southern belt of this formation is wonderfully cavernous, +especially in its upper beds, which being more argillaceous, and +impregnated with earths and alkalies, are disposed to produce salts, +which oozing through the pores of the stone effloresce on its surface, +and thus tend to disintegrate and scale off, independent of the solvent +effects of the carbonated water. Beneath overhanging ledges of +limestone, quantities of fine earthy rubbish can be seen, weathered off +from such causes. In these I have detected sulphate of lime, sulphate of +magnesia, nitrate of lime, and occasionally sulphate of soda. The +tendency which some calcareous rocks have to produce nitrate of lime is, +probably, one of the greatest causes of disintegration.'" + +"Most extensive subterranean areas thus have been excavated or +undermined in Edmonson, Hart, Grayson, Butler, Logan, Todd, Christian +and Trig. In the vicinity of Green River, in the first of these +counties, the known avenues of the Mammoth Cave amount to two hundred +and twenty-three, the united length of the whole being estimated, by +those best acquainted with the Cave, at one hundred and fifty miles; say +that the average width and height of these passages amount to seven +yards each way, which is perhaps near the truth; this would give upwards +of twelve million cubic yards of cavernous space which has been +excavated through the agency of calcareous waters and atmospheric +vicissitudes." + +Page 169: "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 River." + +"The entrance to the cave, being thirty-eight feet lower than this bed +of limestone, is one hundred and ninety-four feet above Green River. In +the above two hundred and thirty-two feet there are several heavy masses +of sandstone, viz.: at one hundred and twenty-five, one hundred and +forty-five, one hundred and fifty, one hundred and sixty and two hundred +and fifteen feet, but it is probable that most of these have tumbled +from higher positions in the hill, as no alterations of sandstone have +been observed at these levels in the cave. From an elevation of from two +hundred and forty to two hundred and fifty feet, the prevalent rock is +sandstone without pebbles, which can be seen extending up to three +hundred and twelve feet to the foundation of the Cave Hotel. The united +thickness of the limestone beds on this part of Green River, is about +two hundred and thirty feet, capped with eighty feet of sandstone. +About midway of the section on this part of Green River, are limestones +of an obscure oolitic structure, but no true oolite was observed. Many +of these limestones are of such composition as to be acted on freely by +the elements of the atmosphere, which, in the form of nitric acid, +combine with the earthy and alkaline bases of calcareous rock, and give +rise to the formation of nitrates with the liberation of carbonic acid; +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 lixivium. The wonderfully cavernous character of the +subcarboniferous limestones of the Green River valley, and, indeed, of +these particular members of the subcarboniferous group throughout a +great part of its range in Kentucky and Indiana, is due in a great +measure to this cause, together with the solvent and eroding effects of +water charged with carbonic acid. The 'rock-houses' frequently +encountered both in this formation and in the limestones of Silurian +date, are produced by similar causes; the more easily disintegrated beds +gradually crumbling away, while the more durable remain in overhanging +ledges. By the oxidation of other elements, sulphates of oxide of iron +and alkalies result, which, by double decomposition, with carbonate of +lime, give rise to the formation of gypsums which appears in the form of +rosettes, festoons and various other imitative forms on the walls and +ceilings of the caves. Crystallizations of sulphate of soda and sulphate +of magnesia are not uncommon, both in some of the caves and in sheltered +situations under shelving rocks." + +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 states; but it is to be remembered that +at the time of Dr. Owen's report, onyx, the most beautiful and valuable +of dripstones, had not yet been discovered in the United States; while +now especially fine deposits are known in California, Utah, Missouri, +South Dakota and Arkansas; the Missouri supply being exceptionally +valuable on account of the marvelous delicacy and beauty of its +coloring; nor can it soon be exhausted, as deposits have been found in +eight counties and further exploration will no doubt discover more. + +Concerning the Subcarboniferous, or Mississippian Series in Part I., +Vol. IV., Missouri Geological Survey, Dr. C.R. Keyes says: "In the great +interior basin of the Mississippi the basal series is exposed more or +less continuously over broad areas, extending from northern Iowa to +Alabama, and from Ohio to Mexico." + +While this broadly extended series of limestone is honey-combed in many +places and all directions by wonderful caverns, those of the Ozark +regions in Missouri, although comparatively little known, are well worth +knowing, and are possibly the most ancient limestone caves in the world. +Of the region in which they occur, Dr. Keyes, in the volume last quoted, +says: "The chief typographical feature of the state has long been known +in the Ozark uplift, a broad plateau with gentle quaquaversal slopes +rising to a height of more than one thousand five hundred feet above +mean tide, and extending almost entirely across the southern part of the +district. On all sides the borders of this highland area are deeply +grooved by numberless streams flowing in narrow gorges. Against its +nucleus of very ancient granites and porphyries the Ozark series of +magnesian limestone was laid down. Then the area occupied by these rocks +was elevated, and around its margins were deposited successively the +other members of the Paleozoic. The Ozark region was thus the first land +to appear within the borders of the present state of Missouri." He +further says: "Although it has long been known that the Magnesian +Limestones are older than the Trenton, and that they lie immediately +upon and against the Archaean crystallines unconformably, their exact +geological age has always remained unsettled. There seems to be but +little doubt, however, that part of the series is equivalent to the +Calciferous of other regions. It is also pretty well determined that +certain of the lower beds, all below the 'Saccharoidal' Sandstone +perhaps, are representatives of the Upper Cambrian or Potsdam. These +conclusions appear well grounded both upon stratigraphical and faunal +evidence. 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 certainty. This investigation is now being carried on as +rapidly as possible, and promises very satisfactory and interesting +results in the near future." + +"The early geological reports represent the Magnesian Limestone series +as made up of seven members. Following Swallow, these may be briefly +described in the present connection. Beginning at the top, they are: + +First Magnesian Limestone. +First, or Saccharoidal Sandstone. +Second Magnesian Limestone. +Second Sandstone. +Third Magnesian Limestone. +Third Sandstone. +Fourth Limestone." + +"The Fourth" Magnesian Limestone, or lowest number of the Ozark series +recognized, has its typical exposures along the Niangua and Osage rivers +in Morgan and Camden counties. + +Professor Swallow, in his Missouri Geological Survey Reports I. and II., +1853 and 1854, says: "Caves, natural bridges and subterranean streams +occur in the valley of the Osage and its tributaries." 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 (Third Magnesian Limestone) Formation, on the Niangua and +the Osage." Another reference to the scenery on these rivers describes +it as "Wild and grand, beautiful and unique;" with "gaudy-colored +bluffs." In the section on building materials he remarks: "One of the +most desirable of the Missouri marbles is in the Third Magnesian +Limestone on the Niangua. It is fine-grained, crystalline, +silico-magnesian limestone of a light drab, slightly tinged with +peach-blossom, and beautifully clouded with the same hue or flesh color. +It is twenty feet thick and crops out in the bluffs. This marble is +rarely surpassed in the qualities which fit it for ornamental +architecture." + +The Ozarks in the extreme southern portion of the state are even less +known to the world, but the scenery is grand, the climate delightful, +and the caves worthy of a visit for themselves alone. The State of +Missouri being one third larger than England, and of equal size to +Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and Denmark combined, it is not surprising +that interesting discoveries are still to be expected. + +The climate is so varied on account of the range in latitude and +altitude, and the natural resources are so great, the claim has been +made that if the State were surrounded by an impassable wall, its +citizens need not be deprived of any article necessary to a refined and +luxurious mode of living: and according to Mr. Henry Gannett in "The +Building of a Nation," the population in 1890 was 73.42 per cent. native +whites of native parents, the colored a little less than 6 per cent., +and nearly two-thirds of the balance, native born of parents, one or +both of whom were foreign. + +Although the Ozark region has not yet received sufficient attention to +dull its charm for the explorer, 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 deposited. Therefore +we need not be surprised to discover that some, at least, of the +excavations are proportionately ancient; and that the Natural Bridges +are the last remaining positive evidence of their former existence and +final collapse. That the Natural Bridges of Missouri mark the +destruction of more ancient caves than the one preserved to geological +history by Virginia's grand attraction, seems quite evident. The greater +age of the rocks indicates the possibility of earlier excavation while +their undisturbed position suggests that destruction resulted, not from +violent earth movement, but from the slow action of agencies requiring +long periods of time. + +Before proceeding to a discussion of the caves visited personally for +the gratification of private interest, it is desirable to know what +attention has been given to the subject, incidentally, in the course of +regular official duty on the Missouri Geological Survey. + + +CAVES DESCRIBED IN THE STATE REPORTS. + +Although many unknown caves must yet be discovered in the imperfectly +explored portions of the vast Ozark forests, these finds are already so +numerous as to seldom attract attention according to their just +desserts. + +One of the comparatively recent of these discoveries is Crystal Cave, at +Joplin, described on page 566, Vol. VII., Missouri Geological Survey +Report 1894.[1] It was opened in the lower workings of a shaft of the +Empire Zinc Company, and "The entire surface of the cave, top, sides and +bottom, is lined with calcite crystals, so closely packed together as +to form a continuous sheet and most of them of great size, and well +formed faces. Scalenohedra as much as two feet long are sometimes seen, +and others a foot or more in length are common. Planes or crystal +ghosts, sometimes with pyrite crystals, marking stages of growth in the +calcite crystals, are often distinguishable. The entire absence of +anything like stalactites is noticeable, and together with the presence +of the crystals, show that the cave was completely filled with water +during their growth." In the same volume, all those counties in the +extreme southwest corner of the state, whose geological age has not +heretofore been considered positively determined, are mapped as Lower +Carboniferous, and Lower Silurian, with the Coal Measures covering +portions of Barton and Jasper and appearing in a few small, scattered +spots in Dade, Polk, Green and Christian counties, and some scanty lines +of Devonian fringing the edges of the Silurian in Barton and McDonald. + +Other State reports make mention of many caves and fine springs, and +also several natural bridges worthy of special notice. In Mr. G.C. +Broadhead's report for 1873-1874, he gives a short but interesting +chapter on caves and water supplies, in which he says that "Caves occur +in the Third Magnesian Limestone, Saccharoidal Sandstone, Trenton, +Lithographic, Encrinital and St. Louis Limestone." + +"In Eastern and Northeast Missouri there have not been found many large +caves in the Encrinital Limestone, but the lower beds of this formation +in Southwest Missouri often enclose very large caverns; among the latter +may be included the caves of Green County with some in Christian and +McDonald. Those in McDonald I have not seen, but they are reported to be +very extensive and probably are situated in the Encrinital Limestone." + +Under the head of "Special Descriptions" he says: "On Sac River, in the +north part of Green County, we find a cave with two entrances, one at +the foot of a hill, opening toward Sac River, forty-five feet high and +eighty feet wide. The other entrance is from the hill-top, one hundred +and fifty feet back from the face of the bluff. These two passages +unite. The exact dimensions of the cave are not known, but there are +several beautiful and large rooms lined with stalactites and stalagmites +which often assume both beautiful and grotesque life-like forms. The +cave has been explored for several hundred yards, showing the formations +to be thick silicious beds of the Lower Carboniferous formations." + +"Knox cave, in Green County, is said to be of large dimensions. I have +not seen it, but some of its stalactites are quite handsome." + +"Wilson's Creek sinks beneath the Limestone and appears again below." + +"There are several caves near Ozark, Christian County, which issue from +the same formation as those in Green County. On a branch of Finly Creek +a stream disappears in a sink, appearing again three-quarters of a mile +southeast through an opening sixty feet high by ninety-eight feet wide. +Up stream the cave continues this size for a hundred yards and then +decreases in size, and for the next quarter of a mile further it is +generally ten by fourteen feet wide. A very clear, cool stream passes +out, in which by careful search crawfish without eyes can be found." + +"There is another cave a few miles south of Ozark, and another ten miles +southeast occurs in the Magnesian Limestone." + +"In Boone County there are several caves in the Encrinital Limestone. +Conner's, the largest, is said to have been explored for a distance of +eight miles." + +"In Pike and Lincoln there are several small caves occurring in the +upper beds of Trenton Limestone, which are often very cavernous. On +Sulphur Fork of Cuivre, there is a cave and Natural Bridge, to which +parties for pleasure often resort. The bridge is tubular with twenty +feet between the walls, and is one hundred feet long." + +"At J.P. Fisher's on Spencer Creek, Ralls County, there is a cave having +an entrance of ninety feet wide by twenty feet high. The Lower Trenton +beds occupy the floor, with the upper cavernous beds above. On the +bluff, at a distance of one hundred and fifty yards back, there is a +sink-hole which communicates with the cave. Within the cave is a cool, +clear spring of water, and Mr. F. said he could keep meat fresh there +for six weeks during midsummer." + +"The Third Magnesian Limestone which occupies such a large portion of +Southwest Missouri, often contains very large caves. One of them, known +as Friede's cave, is six or eight miles Northwest of Rolla, on Cave +Spring Creek." + +"It is said to have been explored for several miles, but I only passed +in a few hundred yards. The stalactites here are very beautiful, +assuming the structure of satin spar. A very clear stream of water +issues out. West of the Gasconade, on Clifty Creek, is a remarkable +Natural Bridge which I have elsewhere described in Geological Survey of +Missouri, 1855-71, page 16." + +"Mr. Meek speaks of a large and interesting cave on Tavern Creek, in +Miller County. Dr. Shumard estimates a cave on Bryant's Fork, in Ozark +County, to be a mile and a half long." + +This description of Dr. Shumard's is in the Geological Survey of +Missouri, 1855-71, page 196, where he says: + +"The entrance is thirty-five feet wide and thirty feet high, and is +situated at the foot of a perpendicular cliff, and far above the +water-level of Bryant. Just within the entrance it expands to sixty or +seventy feet, with a height of about fifty feet; and this part of the +cave has been used by the citizens of the county as a place for holding +camp-meeting. I estimated its length at not far short of one mile and a +half. The main passage is in general quite spacious, the roof elevated, +and the floor tolerably level, but often wet and miry. For some distance +beyond the entrance there is not much to attract attention; but as we +proceed, at the far extremity the chambers are quite as picturesque as +the most noted of the well-known Mammoth Cave. The ceilings, sides and +floor are adorned with a multitude of stalactites and stalagmites +arranged in fanciful combinations, and assuming a variety of fantastic +and beautiful forms." + +Many of these caves contain niter, which occurs as a mineral and not as +evidence of former animal occupation, it being found in the form of +effervescenses on the walls. Dr. Shumard mentions several of this +character in Pulaski County, the most noted being Niter Cave, in the +Third Magnesian Limestone, with a wide entrance thirty feet above the +level of the Gasconade. On page 201, he also gives a charming +description of one of the immense springs that are numerous in this +region and that I have never seen elsewhere. He says: + +"Ozark County is bountifully supplied with springs of the finest water, +and some of them of remarkably large size. The largest one is situated +near the North Fork, in T. 24, R. 11 W., Sec. 32, and is known under the +name of the Double Spring. It issues from near the base of a bluff of +Sandstone and Magnesian Limestone, a few feet above the level of the +North Fork. This spring discharges an immense volume of water, which is +divided by a huge mass of Sandstone into two streams, with swift +currents flowing in opposite directions to join the North Fork about one +hundred and fifty yards distant from the spring. I estimated the width +of these streams at not less than fifty yards. They are separated from +the North Fork by a pretty wooded island one hundred yards long. The +upper stream affords a good mill-site. I am informed that the quantity +of water discharged by this magnificent spring is not materially +diminished during the dryest seasons of the year. The temperature of the +water measured at the edge of the spring, was found to be 56 deg.; the +temperature of the air at the same time, 59 deg. Other springs of +considerable magnitude occur in various portions of the county, giving +rise to beautiful and limpid streams." + +The descriptions of the Natural Bridge and Friede's cave, near Rolla, +previously referred to as being on page 16 of the same volume, are as +follows: + +"On Clifty Creek found the chert bed of Sec. 21-5 occurring about sixty +feet from the top of the Third Magnesian Limestone, with a road passing +over its upper surface, presenting it very favorably for observation. It +seemed here to be broken by vertical cracks into large rhomboidal +blocks. Further up this creek in a wild and secluded spot, observed a +Natural Bridge with six feet of this chert bed at its base, and +Silicious Magnesian Limestone above. The span of this bridge is about +thirty feet, an elevation of opening about fifteen feet above the water, +the thickness of the rock above is about twelve feet, and width on top +about fifteen feet. Two small streams come together, one from the west +and another from the south-west. A point of the bluff on the south-west +fork spans the northern fork, and terminates about sixty feet beyond in +a sharp point; a few large masses of rock lie near the termination of +the promontory, and fifty feet beyond, the bluffs of the opposite hills +rise abruptly from the bottoms. The bluffs, both above and below, are +very precipitous, the middle and lower beds of the Third Magnesian +Limestone forming perpendicular escarpments, frequently studded with +cedar, some occurring on top of the bridge. A perfectly clear stream of +water courses through this valley. The bottoms near are overspread with +a dense growth of trees and vines, among which latter I noticed the +Muscadine grape. The valley at this part being shut in by its +perpendicular cliffs with not a path to guide the traveler through the +dense thickets, is wildly picturesque and romantic in its loneliness." + +Of the cave he says: "This cave is a quarter of a mile east of Cave +Spring Creek, and has a wide and elevated entrance; passing into it a +hundred yards or more, the passage narrows, and in order to go further a +stream of water has frequently to be waded through; this passage has +been followed by some persons several miles without finding any object +of interest; but a few hundred yards from the entrance, by diverging to +the right, we enter a large chamber, studded with stalactites and +stalagmites, many uniting and forming solid columns of support. Many of +these are very beautiful, and often as white as alabaster. There are +other large rooms, but they possess no peculiar interest. Found large +deposits of earth on the floor having a saline taste." + +Of the extensive pine forests in Ozark County, he says: "The size and +quality of the timber will compare favorably with that of the +celebrated pineries of Wisconsin and Minnesota." + +In several other counties the pine is equally good, and other valuable +timber everywhere abundant, although in a school geography published in +1838, the following descriptions of this region occur: + +"The lowlands of the Mississippi are bounded by the region of the Ozark +Mountains. With the exception of the alluvial tracts on the borders of +the streams, it is extremely hilly and broken. The mountains rise from +eight hundred to eighteen hundred feet above the streams, with rounded +summits and often perpendicular cliffs, and have a rocky surface, which +admits only a scanty growth of timber." * * + +"Missouri is generally a region of prairies and table lands, much of +which, as already described, is almost destitute of timber and water. It +is crossed by the Ozark Mountains, which form a rugged tract of +considerable extent. Earthquakes are not infrequent in some parts of +this state. The soil is not generally productive." + +A comparison of these curious views with the latest official reports is +highly amusing, as well as suggestive that early impressions are liable +to require modification. + +In addition to the wonderful springs of pure water, there are numerous +fine mineral springs, among which are a number of Epsom salt springs. +At Jacksonville, in Randolph County, there is a large mineral spring +from which it is said an over-heated horse may drink all he will without +injury. Epsom-salts, or Epsomite, frequently occurs, as does the Niter, +in a crystalline form of the pure mineral, as an efflorescence on rocks +in many of the caves and in other sheltered positions. + +[Illustration: The Surveyed Portions of Marble Cave Stone County +Missouri + +Surveyed and Plotted by Fred Prince. 1894 + +Scale of 100 feet] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Lead and Zinc. Prof. C.R. Keyes. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +MARBLE CAVE. + + +Marble Cave, which is the finest yet explored in Missouri, is southeast +of the center of Stone County, a short distance north of the picturesque +White River. The nearest station is Marionville on the St. Louis and San +Francisco railroad, and the drive of forty miles is delightful, but can +be divided, into two of twenty each by a stop at Galena. The road, for +the most part, is naturally macadamized and is through a most charming +country whose roughness and beauty increase together as the journey +advances. At first it winds along fertile valleys between wooded hills, +crossing many times a shallow stream of water so clear as to afford no +concealment for an occasional water-moccasin, whose bite is said to be +not poisonous if inflicted under water, and which must be true because +the horses showed not the least uneasiness. + +The second week in May found the vegetation in its summer beauty; +strawberries were ripe, and the weather without a fault. + +Galena is pleasantly situated on the hills overlooking the James River, +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 suddenness. In the immediate vicinity there are several +small caves which are worthy of attention and will be described later +on. + +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 values. Gradually the road forsakes the pretty valleys with +their fields and streams, to take the summit of the hills and then be +known as the "Ridge Road," which affords a wide range of vision not +previously enjoyed, presenting scenes not to be found reproduced +elsewhere with any degree of exactness. Looking into the depth of the +forest as it slopes away on either side, the impression is of a +magnificent park, undefaced by what are called improvements. This effect +is produced by the scarcity, or entire absence of underbrush, and a +beautiful surface covering of grasses or flowering plants of all kinds +and colors, varied here and there with masses of ferns of unusual size +and delicate beauty. 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 shade, but if transplanted to a sunny +spot develops into the familiar vine. The most beautiful portion of +all this is called The Wilderness, and seems designed for a National +Park. Such a park reserve, even if very small, could not fail to be a +lasting pleasure, since it would be more accessible to large centers of +population than other reserves, and its most delightful seasons are +spring and autumn when the Yellowstone is under snow. + +[Illustration: A Mill-Site Near Marble Cave.] + +The distant view obtained through open spaces is an undulating forest in +all directions, being apparently both trackless and endless. The great +variety of greens observed in the foliage blends in the distance into +one dark shade, then changes to dark blue, which gradually fades out to +a hazy uncertainty where it is lost at the sky-line. + +As long ago as 1853, the variety and abundance of the natural growth of +fruits throughout the Ozarks was observed by Professor Swallow, who then +advised the planting of vines. + +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 Mountain. This +hole is said to be about two hundred feet long, one hundred feet wide +and thirty-five feet deep. It is shaped like a great oblong bowl with +sloping sides, divided irregularly near the middle, and having the +bottom broken out in a jagged way that is very handsome and gives an +ample support to the growth of ferns, wild roses, and other vegetation +with which it is abundantly decorated. About half of the descent into +the basin is accomplished by scrambling down the roughly broken rocks, +and the balance by a broad wooden stairway ending at a narrow platform +that supports the locked gate. + +For kind and valuable assistance rendered to insure the success and +pleasure of the visit to the wonderful cave, which they regard with +affection and pride, very cordial thanks are due to Capt. T.S. Powell, +former manager, his son, Mr. Will Powell, the first guide, and Mr. Fred +Prince, who has made the only official survey and map. It may be stated +here that the survey and map are far from complete, and many known +passages have never yet been entered. + +Being the first visiting party of the season, certain disadvantages were +encountered in a great accumulation of wet clay and rubbish, washed in +by the rains since the previous summer; but the gate was opened with +considerable effort, and slowly and cautiously we descended the +slippery, clay-banked stairs to the immense mound of debris forty-five +feet below the gate, to behold, at last, the grandeur of the Auditorium. + +The magnificence of that one chamber should give to Marble Cave a +world-wide fame even if there were nothing more beyond. The blue-gray +limestone walls have a greater charm than those of an open canon, owing +to the fact that they sweep away from any given point in long, true +curves to form an elliptical chamber three hundred and fifty feet long +by one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, with the vault above showing +absolute perfection of arch, and measuring, by the survey, from its +lowest to its highest point, one hundred and ninety-five feet. These +measurements are said to be indisputably correct, and if so, the +Auditorium of Marble Cave is the largest unsupported, perfect arch in +the world; it being one hundred feet longer than the famous Mormon +Tabernacle at Salt Lake City. In addition to the artistic superiority of +architectural form, its acoustic properties having been tested, it is +found to be truly an auditorium. The curving walls and pure atmosphere +combine to aid the voice, and carry its softest tones with marvelous +distinctness to every portion of the immense inclosed space. As a +concert hall its capacity has been tested by musicians who are said to +have been enthusiastic over the success of their experiments. Several +years ago a piano was lowered into the cave for use on a special +occasion, and still occupies a position on the dancing platform, where +it will probably remain indefinitely under the scant protection of a +small canvas tent. + +The chief ornament of the Auditorium is the White Throne, a stalagmitic +mass that when viewed from the stairway appears to rest solidly against +the most distant wall, and looks so small an object in that vast space +as to render a realization of its actual measurement impossible. The +height of the Throne is sixty-five feet and the girth two hundred. It is +a mass of dripstone resting on a limestone base reserved from the +ancient excavation to receive it, and on careful inspection the +perpendicular lines, observed on the front, are found to be a set of +rather large organ pipes. A fresh fracture shows the Throne to be a most +beautiful white and gold onyx. The outer surface has now received a thin +coating of yellow clay which was, of course, regretted, but later +observations on onyx building reveals the pleasing fact that if the +crystal-bearing waters continue to drip, the yellow clay will supply the +coloring matter for a golden band of crystal. + +The Throne is hollow and has a natural opening in one side by which it +may be entered, but the space within is too limited to invite a lengthy +stay. That portion of the outside which is nearest the wall is formed +with sufficient irregularity of outline to admit of an ascent to the +top, and the view obtained is well worth the difficult scramble up and +the apprehensive slide down. Being raised so high above all objects that +divide attention or in some degree obstruct the view, permits a freedom +of outlook that sensibly increases the appreciation of the vastness of +the enclosed chamber and its enclosing walls. Efforts to establish the +age of the deposit by observations on the yearly growth, would afford +little satisfaction, for the obvious reason that conditions governing +the growth are dependent, in a measure, on each season's vegetation. +Deposit began, of course, after the erosion of the chamber ceased, and +therefore represents only a fraction of the age of the cave itself. +About thirty feet west of the White Throne and against the wall, stands +the next onyx attraction in the form of a beautiful fluted column nearly +twenty feet high, tapering up from a base three feet in diameter, and +known as the Spring Room Sentinel, because the Spring of Youth is just +behind it although not directly connected with the Auditorium; it being +the first chamber on the left in Total Depravity Passage, a wet and +dangerous way of which next to nothing is known, but the entrance to +which is a fine arch a few feet west of the Sentinel. The Spring of +Youth is reached by climbing through a window-like opening, and is very +small, very wet, very cold, and very beautiful. It is not more than ten +feet high nor six in its greatest length and breadth, but every inch of +its irregular surface is composed of dripstone of a bright yellowish-red +and colorless crystal; and down the glittering walls trickles clear and +almost ice-cold water, to the onyx floor where it is caught and held in +a marvelous fluted bowl of its own manufacture. 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 Auditorium, and leave it as some actually are said to do, with a +sense of disappointment, because it is not the gleaming white hall of +marble which some writers for reputable journals have allowed their +imaginations to create. + +In winter the Spring of Youth Room takes on a complete coating of ice, +with icicles of all sizes hanging from the ceiling and projections. The +effect is described as being wonderfully beautiful. + +Further down Total Depravity Passage we were not urged to go, because at +that season of the year it is wet and difficult, without any sufficient +promise of a brilliant compensation for the achievement of such a +journey. But the Spring of Youth Room, or as it is generally called, the +Spring Room, is more than ample justification for the existence of the +passage, and would still be if that passage were several miles in length +and the attraction located at the most distant limit. + +[Illustration: Wall in Spring Room. Page 32.] + +The various passages in Marble Cave are by no means alike or even +similar; some having been opened by the action of water assisted only by +acid carried in solution; while others are the unmistakable crevices of +earthquake origin, afterwards enlarged, or perhaps only remodeled, as we +might say, by the water's untiring energy in changing the position of +rock masses without obliterating evidences of original design. + +A glance at the map shows the sudden breaking off of the various +passages represented; the end, however, is not of the passages +themselves, but only of the exploration or the survey of them, and there +is a possibility that future developments will lead to the discovery of +more caves than are yet known. However that may be, the glimpses already +had into the beyond are said to be alluring. + +To the north of the Auditorium, which was until recently called the +Grand Amphitheater, there opens out a kind of alcove extension known as +the Mother Hubbard Room, and spreading out from this is the corridor, a +room about one hundred and twenty-five feet long and seventy-five feet +in width, with a low, narrow passage, or crawl, leading from the +northeast into the Grotto, a dome-shaped room formerly called the +Battery, on account of the great number of bats that used to congregate +in it. It is about forty feet in diameter and fifty feet in height. 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 Room, which when discovered bore indications of having been +occupied by a human being who had tried to escape by tunneling, or by +reaching a hole in the roof; which is said to be impossible for him to +have done without outside assistance. As no bones have been found we may +hope the assistance arrived in time. When the discovery of the room was +made, a quantity of loose rock was piled before the entrance, so if he +ever escaped it was not by that way. + +After crawling back to the Corridor, through the same small, but dry +passage of seventy feet length, we saw a narrow ledge of fine crystals, +a deposit of Epsom salts, and a few bats that in the dim light looked +white but are a light tan color with brown wings. A good specimen +hanging on a projecting ledge of the wall remained undisturbed by us and +our lights, giving an opportunity for careful inspection so that we +presently discovered it to be a mummy; which naturally suggests that +this portion of the cave, being dry and opening out of the great +temple-like Auditorium as an alcove, could be converted into an imposing +crypt. + +Making our way across the room to its southwest extremity over a varied +assortment of bowlders and down a drop of eight or ten feet, we crawled +into another tight-fitting dry passage lined with beautiful glittering +onyx like clear ice banded with narrow lines of red, of which broken +fragments covered the narrow floor and made a dazzling, but +distressingly painful rug to crawl over. This is the West Passage and +leads to the Grand Crevice, of which only a small portion has been +surveyed; midway of the passage are the Epsom Rooms, two in number, and +well supplied with epsomite or native Epsom salts; this is sometimes +called the Windy Passage, on account of a rushing current of air met +suddenly at the first bend and, no doubt, due to the meeting here of +fresh air coming in from the outside with that chemically changed in the +Epsom Rooms. + +The cave contains a great many dangerous places, as we correctly +surmised on the morning of our introduction; when Mr. Powell's blessing +on the breakfast was lost in so fervent a prayer for the safe and +successful accomplishment of our undertaking, it seemed inconsiderate +not to present the reassuring appearance of inexhaustible endurance. + +In the Corridor can be seen one of the three old Spanish ladders found +in the cave when it was rediscovered; but when and for what purpose the +Spaniards used the cave there seems to be no means of finding out. It +should be remembered that this part of the United States was occupied +first by the Spaniards and then by the French, and is a portion of the +Louisiana Purchase, a tract of 897,931 square miles, or 70,000 square +miles more than the original thirteen states. The price asked and paid +was $12,000,000 and the assumption of claims which citizens of this +country had against the French Government for about $3,750,000 more. The +French offered to make the sale on account of being thoroughly +discouraged with constant troubles arising with the Indians, whom they +had decided it would be impossible to persuade or compel to recognize +any laws other than those established by each tribe for itself, or +accepted by friendly treaty with the council and disregarded by +individuals on both sides:--and the United States accepted the offer, +not for any expected value in the land, but for the unrestricted +navigation of the Mississippi River. Therefore Missouri was never under +British rule and never changed hands by force of arms. + +But to return to the Spanish ladder, it is a tall pine tree notched on +the sides for steps, and the stump of a branch left or a peg inserted at +considerable intervals, for hand supports to assist in raising the +weight of the body. + +Returning to the Auditorium, we entered a passage behind the Great White +Throne and started on what might well be called the Water Route, for no +dry spot is touched on the round trip; but if one goes prepared for +such a journey it is well worth the effort and the mud. If the visitor +is a man, the suit worn should be one he is ready to part with, or +overalls; ladies receive the same advice even to the overalls, as some +of the most beautiful portions of the cave, which we failed to see, can +be visited only in that objectionable costume. To visit any cave +comfortably a short dress is necessary and if any thing like a thorough +knowledge of the ramifications is desired, the unavoidable climbing will +soon prove the superior claims of a divided skirt; but if it is properly +made, only the wearer need be conscious of the divide. Rubber boots and +water-proof protection for the head and shoulders complete a costume +that is not exactly an artistic creation, unless our ideas of art have +been gathered in the school of Socrates, but it is suited to the +requirements of the occasion and makes the explorations far more easy +and profitable than they otherwise could be. + +The passage back of the White Throne is called the Serpentine Passage, +and most of it is sufficiently high for traveling in an erect position; +yet there are several places that require crawling. The first stopping +point is the Gulf of Doom Room, or as it is also known, the Register +Room, because here visitors usually write their names in the peculiar +dark red clay, which is moist but firm and cuts with a polish. This +room is twenty-five feet high and fifty feet wide, and looks off into +the Gulf of Doom, which seems rightly named when a rock is thrown into +it and you note the lapse of time before any sound returns; and when the +awful Gulf is made visible by lights thrown in, one involuntarily seeks +a firmer footing and clings to a projecting rock. The height of the Gulf +is ninety-five feet and the distant sound of falling water is not +reassuring. The walls are not smoothly worn away, but have the rough and +weird appearance of having been torn by a torrent in a narrow mountain +gorge, and are stained with the dark clay. + +Retracing our steps a short distance, if that style of locomotion could +be called steps, we turned into Dore's Gallery, and surely that artist +was in his usual working mood when he conceived this awful method of +connecting the upper regions with the lower. Great bowlders have fallen +down without helping to fill the black holes that received them, and +into this real Inferno we proceeded to descend by narrow, ladder-like +stairs provided with a light hand rail, and trembling slightly with the +responsibility they assumed. If any one's courage trembled too, no +notice was taken of it, and a record of exploring experiences does not +necessarily include a confession of any doubts. + +On all the ladders in this Gallery was a fine white fungus growth in the +form of a thick, heavy mold, that the lightest touch destroyed. In caves +where some care is taken to protect this mold, it attains a growth of +six or more feet and assumes the forms of sea-weed. + +Once down the first and longest flight of stairs, without any signs of a +Dore dragon raising its huge body by heavy claws to a resting place +among the rocks, awe divides more evenly with admiration; and being +already well besmeared with mud, we climbed over the clay-covered +bowlders and crawled through narrow holes with perfect satisfaction, +enjoying each novel scene to the utmost. + +Off from the Dore Gallery is a small chamber containing the Fountain of +Youth, that must be seen, but the way, like that of the transgressor, is +hard. Arrived at the entrance we hesitated a moment, for although +getting in looked possible, the way out again seemed not so simple; but +finally trusting to Providence, through the direct agency of our careful +guardians, of course, we sat down on the edge of the large slippery +bowlder on which we stood, and reaching out caught a projection of the +wall on one side and a bowlder crag on the other, swung off and dropped +into the soft mud below. This chamber proved to be a little gem; small +but high, and beautifully adorned with calcite crystal. Down a wall of +red onyx on one side clear water flows into a basin in the irregular, +rocky floor, just behind the bowlder we had used for a hand-rest at the +entrance; the perfectly transparent water in the basin appears to be +only a few inches deep, but measures three feet, and is several degrees +colder than the air, which in this portion of the cave is warm. The +other wall of this room is an almost perpendicular bank of the soft dark +red clay, in which small selenite crystals are sprouting like plants in +a garden. + +Suddenly we heard a heavy, rolling noise like distant thunder, and +asking if it were possible to hear a thunder storm so far below the +surface, 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 cave, and their orders were obeyed: so of what may be in that +direction, we gained no positive knowledge besides bats, and the fact +that, small as they are, their great numbers make them dangerous when +angry. 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 Doom, into which we had looked from the room now high above us; +and we needed no stimulating help to the imagination to pronounce it a +fit termination to an artist's troubled dream. + +[Illustration: The Waterfall. Page 41.] + +Then climbing over an assortment of bowlders of all sizes, going up a +little, and swinging or sliding down, we came to a point in the narrow +passage where the floor is a flat slab, like a large paving stone, +tilted up at a steep angle against one wall and not reaching the other +by about fifteen inches, with darkness of unknown depth below: about +three feet above this opening the wall projects in a narrow, shelving +ledge, and everything is covered with a thin coating of slippery wet +clay. The only way to cross that uninviting bridge is to brace the feet +against the slab, and leaning on the ledge, slowly work across. A little +more rough work and the descent of the two short ladders, brought us, at +last, under the beautiful Waterfall, where we stood as in a heavy shower +of rain at the lowest point yet reached in the cave, which according to +the survey of Mr. Prince is four hundred feet below the surface. The +falling water has ornamented the walls, which in this portion of the +cave expose over two hundred feet of Magnesian Limestone, with unique +forms of dripstone; and the steeply sloping floor has received the +over-charge of calcium carbonate until it has become a shining mass of +onyx, retaining pools of cold, transparent water in the depressions. In +the lowest corner there is only mud, and above it rises, to a height of +at least fifteen feet a bank of miry, yellow clay, at the top of which a +hole in the wall is the only known entrance to Blondy's Throne. + +[Illustration: Longitudinal and Cross-Sections of Passages in Marble +Cave, Stone Co., Missouri. + +Plotted by Fred Prince, 1894.] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +MARBLE CAVE CONTINUED. + + +On account of the long "crawl" through mud and cold water, it was at +first suggested and then strongly advised, that we should not undertake +to make the trip to Blondy's Throne: and yearning to see what is +considered the cave's chief beauty was not easy to overcome, but after +careful attention to the deep mire of the approach the advice seemed +good, especially as Mr. Powell kindly promised to write a description of +its trials and treasures; which he promptly did, thereby making it +possible for us to continue the journey now without a disappointing +interruption, so we will proceed to wade that mud bank with him in his +own way. He says: "As Mecca is to the Mohammedan, so is Blondy's Throne +Room to the pilgrim who invades the chaos and penetrates the mysteries +of Marble Cave. When the subject is mentioned to the guide, he shrugs +his shoulders and assumes an imploring look, and begins at once to +mention the difficulties of getting there. But if you insist upon it he +will go. The passage by which this room has to be reached, if passage it +may be called, must be entered from the Waterfall Room, and a steep +ascent must be made until an elevation of fifty feet is reached above +the bottom of that room. This ascent has been called Hughse's Slide, 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 bottom, leaving a very sleek +trail. The ascent is difficult, as the soft clay is deep and wet and the +sides are reeking and covered also with soft yielding clay. When the top +of the slide is once reached, a low passage six feet wide and two feet +high is discovered, and stooping low, or actually lying flat down, you +enter. The top of the passage is of smooth rock and the bottom is of wet +clay with an occasional variation of sharp gravel. The air is good, and +as a lizard, you start forward. In places the passage widens to ten or +twelve feet and again narrows to six feet. + +"In about one hundred feet you encounter a small pond of water filling +the whole width of the passage and extending twenty to thirty feet, but +the guide tells you it is only one foot deep, 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 it, and with this +assurance through you go. + +"Within the next one hundred feet you encounter and pass in the same +manner three more ponds of varying sizes. The guide calls your +attention to the fact that you are not alone, and looking about you by +the dim light of your candle you see numbers of small eyeless +salamanders, from four inches to one foot long. They are peaceable and +harmless, appear to have no teeth and are easily caught, if you so +desire. + +"Another hundred feet and the Rest Room, or Egyptian Temple is reached, +and rising to your feet you may rest. The room is small, but contains +beautifully fluted walls, resembling basaltic columns; and natural marks +of erosion that resemble hieroglyphic inscriptions. From the other side +of this room the passage goes on with the same characteristics, but as +you enter to go forward a sound strikes the ear, and you pause to +listen. It is a confusion of sounds, a babel of voices; and sounds like +a distant conversation carried on by a large number of people. So +striking is this resemblance that you instantly ask the guide if there +are people in the room ahead, and hardly believe him when he says, 'No.' + +"You hear voices of men, voices of boys, babies, girls and ladies, and +occasionally loud laughter; but forward is the word and on you go, +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 Room. +Suddenly the passage divides into two much alike, and taking the right +hand one, you make your slow advance until at last, with clothes soaked +and covered with clay mud, and your strength about gone, you begin to +feel desperate and tell the guide that you will go no further, when you +see him rise to his feet, and he says: 'Here we are.' You step over a +steep bank of clay and emerge into a large room. It is almost square in +shape; about eighty feet long and sixty feet wide, and about fifty feet +high, with white, smooth walls and a pure white ceiling, and sloping +gradually downward on the left ends in a small, clear lake of water. +This lake has a beautiful beach of white pebbles, and though shallow on +the edge seems quite deep at the center; in fact it is believed to have +there a concealed opening that gives exit to its waters. On the opposite +side from you, a stream of clear water pours into the lake, and in doing +so it gives off the sounds that in the passage you mistook for human +voices; and this noble stream has been named Mystic River. It enters the +lake from under a beautiful natural arch, about thirty feet across at +the bottom, and six feet above the water at the center. The bed of the +stream is eroded from strata of sandstone that is extremely hard, +containing corundum, and so perfect is its continuity that it conveys +sound distinctly for a distance far beyond the reach of the human voice, +when tapped upon with a hammer. The top of the arch is studded with +lovely stalactites, clear as glass, that extend to the outer edge of the +arch and form massive and beautiful groups there. Above the arch is a +large opening. In truth the side of the room is out, and a great dark +space appears like a curtain of black. A natural path leads up over one +side of the arch, 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 higher. The walls are stalagmitic columns in cream +color and decked in places with blood-red spots or blotches of Titanic +size. The ceiling you cannot see. It is too high for the lights you have +to reach. On the left you are suddenly confronted by a stalagmitic +formation so large and so grand that all others are dwarfed into +insignificance. You think of the dome of the Capitol at Washington. You +are standing at the sloping base but cannot see the top. Just here the +guide announces in an awestruck voice 'Blondy's Throne.' And who is +Blondy? Only a fair-haired, blue-eyed, intrepid and daring +fifteen-year-old boy, named Charles Smallwood, who assisted the writer +in exploring the cave in the early days of 1883, and going on in +advance, reported back that he had found another and a greater throne +than the Great White Throne in the Auditorium. + +[Illustration: Blondy's Throne. Page 47.] + +"Well, here we are at Blondy's Throne at last, and surveying the base, +we find that it is actually only half in the room we are in; the other +half forms the side of another room. In a word, the Great Throne divides +the room into two parts and makes two rooms of it instead of one. Yet +the one half of the base has a measurement, by tape line, of one hundred +and fifty feet. The guide now makes preparations to ascend the Throne. A +chain has been fastened up towards the top, and by taking hold of this +the climb can be made up the sloping sides of the Throne. We pass on and +up over the clearest and most ice-like formation, resembling the great +icebergs seen at sea. Reaching an elevation of sixty feet an opening +into the dome is found, and stooping, you enter. It is a room about +twenty feet across, with a white ice-like floor, a roof or ceiling ten +feet above, and from it hang thousands of brilliant stalactites and from +the floor stalagmites rise up to meet them. They are in all sizes, from +an inch to two feet across. The sides are of the same material joined +and cemented lightly together. Strike any of them and clear musical +notes are given off; a musician has found two full octaves. Water is +dripping in many places, and in the center of the floor is a tank full +of clear water. It is four feet wide, twelve feet long and of unknown +depth. + +"On the opposite side of the room from which you enter there is a hole +or opening in the wall. It is large enough to go through but it goes +into the great dark room on the other side of the Throne. An abyss +confronts you, a sheer precipice which descends for many feet, perhaps +hundreds. No man knows. This outer room of Blondy's Throne has been +named the Chamber of the Fairies. Leaving it and continuing the ascent, +the top of the Throne is soon reached and is about twenty feet across; +and from several points still higher, rise stalagmitic spires. + +"The actual height of Blondy's Throne is not known, but is probably +about one hundred feet. Again look upwards for the ceiling from the +dizzy height on top of the Throne; you cannot see it. Burn magnesium +ribbon and look up, and you see a white ceiling spangled with groups of +stalactites. It is surely one hundred feet away. Then look off into the +unknown room which is called the Great Beyond. No human being has ever +explored or even entered it, but fire balls thrown in reveal the fact +that it is of great extent; and part of the bottom water and part land. +No way of getting into it has ever yet been found, so its mysteries, +lessons and revelations are still safe from human intrusion. How far it +goes, where it stops, and what it leads to, are facts for some future +explorer to discover. Bats and white salamanders are found in Blondy's +Throne Room, and some larger animals have been heard to jump into the +water and escape on the approach of man, but their species is not known. + +"The arched passage of Mystic River has been followed up for a journey +of an hour, but further than that its extent is unknown. It was hoped +that a way would be thus found into the Great Beyond, but it did not +prove successful. A well equipped party could find there a chance for +some grand discoveries, and it would be one of the notable pleasures of +the life of the writer to be one of such a party. + +"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 stay. The +long crawl, the mud and the water are all forgotten, and notwithstanding +the terror of the trip one feels well repaid." + +We thank Mr. Powell for a charming journey without its discomfort and +danger, and resume our travels at the Waterfall. + +From the foot of the Waterfall we returned again to the Auditorium, in +time to enjoy a sight such as we supposed could exist only in a +brilliant imagination; and the return at that hour was not a lucky +accident of fate, but the result of careful attention to a prearranged +design that we should not fail to witness a marvelous display never +surpassed by lavish Nature. The day outside was one of cloudless +summer sunshine. + +[Illustration: Blondy's Throne Room. Page 50.] + +[Illustration: Foot of Waterfall. Page 50.] + +Our eyes having grown accustomed to the dim light of candles in passages +where absolute darkness, unrelieved by the stars of midnight, always +reigns, 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 clouds; only this rift +displayed around its edges a brilliant border of vegetation that the +rough rocks cherish with tender care. + +As we stood lost in almost speechless admiration, and without the +slightest warning of treasure yet in store, the white beam was stabbed +by a narrow, gleaming shaft of yellow sunlight. The glorious, radiant +beauty of the picture presented is utterly indescribable, but it was of +short duration, and in a few seconds the golden blade was withdrawn as +suddenly as it had appeared. + +If the genius of Elkins had been granted the privilege we enjoyed, the +artist-world of Europe that graciously yielded the highest honor to his +"Sunbeam on Mount Shasta," would have knelt in rapturous humility. +Speaking of his great work, as we stood before it only a few months +before his death, Mr. Elkins said quietly: "It is no great achievement; +I simply painted it exactly as it looked. Anyone could do the same." +But no one ever has. + +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 light. 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 +level; while in every direction are now seen hundreds of stalactites +that had not been noticed before, and although they look small, the +average length, taken with the surveying instruments, is fourteen feet. +The Hill beneath the entrance is an accumulation of debris, drifted in +from the outside, and rising to a height of more than one hundred and +twenty-five feet; while the great circumference of its supporting base, +revealed by the banishment of shadows, suggests the possibility of +tragic history of which the only evidence lies buried there and may or +may not ever be discovered; but let us step lightly, since our feet may +press the covering that shields a final sleep; and also let a grieving +sister in her old age take comfort in the knowledge that here, as in few +other spots, nature provides a certain and gentle burial for the +unfortunate, 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 Cain. + +[Illustration: Entrance to Cave--Interior View. Page 52.] + +The chilliness presently recalled us from further indulgence in that +great scene, to ordinary affairs; and consulting the reliable +thermometer, it was found to register 42 deg., while in some of the lower +passages the temperature is 58 deg.; but the variation is not in accordance +with the accepted theory of one degree to the one hundred feet descent. + +A return to the beautiful Spring of Youth Room was now a necessity, but +we were careful to allow no drop of water falling from clay-stained +hands to reach the purity of that lovely bowl, and then being happy and +hungry, we retired to the piano's protecting tent for refreshment. + +The atmosphere in Marble Cave has the peculiar bracing and invigorating +quality common to the majority of caves, that seems almost to defy +fatigue and encourage exertion that under ordinary conditions would be +impossible. + +After the exertion necessary in the warmer portions of the cave, the +temperature of 42 deg. proved rather low for comfort and finally was +admitted to be a sufficient reason for either leaving the cave or +sending out for the wraps. Slowly and reluctantly the party walked up +the long winding path to the summit of the Hill where the stairway +finds support, 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 day. + +Still lingering regretfully among the fern-decked rocks before quite +finishing the ascent to the actual outside world, the mercury lost +little time in registering eighty degrees. + +Since no official, or even approximately correct map of Marble Cave has +yet been published, and the desirability of maps is particularly urged +by Monsieur E.A. Martel, a special effort was made to secure one, which +was accompanied by the following remarks from Mr. Prince in regard to +its incompleteness: + +"There are several passages and rooms which do not appear on the map, +though some of them are well known, but have not been surveyed and +platted. + +"Much further exploration is possible in this great cavern. Lost River +Canon ends abruptly in a bank of red clay, the volume of water being +undiminished. The water from the Great Fall flows by a small serpentine +into a passage which has never been followed up; its entrance being +several hundred feet higher than the nearest water level." + +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 +Canon trip impossible. + +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 investigations. His practical instruction in snake catching is +particularly interesting as it was never before introduced into this +state, where the copperhead and rattler are known to have survived among +the fittest. Seeing a snake hole and desiring information as to the +family record of the proprietor, he inserted a finger, and while waiting +for results explained that there is no better way to secure a specimen, +as the enraged reptile will fasten its fangs into the intruding member +and then can be easily withdrawn. It is a pleasure to state that even +snakes recognize the claims of friendship, and no injury was +experienced.[2] + +In the vicinity of Marble Cave there are several choice varieties of +onyx and marble, among them a rare and beautiful onyx in black and +yellow. The coloring, tinting and banding of onyx seem generally to be +regarded as one of the unexplainable mysteries of nature, but is in +reality an extremely simple process that can be easily studied in any +active cave. + +When the percolating acidulated water passes slowly through a pure +limestone it is filtered of impurities and deposits a crystal, either +pure white or transparent; if it comes in contact with metallic bodies +of any kind, it carries away more or less in solution to act as coloring +matter; the beautiful pale green onyx in several Missouri counties +taking its tint from the copper; in South Dakota, manganese in various +combinations produces black and many shades of brown; in both states an +excessive flow of water often carries a quantity of red or yellow clay +which temporarily destroys the beauty of exposed surfaces, but in after +years becomes a fine band of brilliant color. + +Small wind caves are numerous in the Ozarks and being cold are +frequently utilized for the preservation of domestic supplies. The +entrance to one in the neighborhood of Marble Cave is high up on the +hill-side south of Mr. Powell's house and being visible from the porch +was too tempting to be ignored, and the walk up to it for a better view +was rewarded with a most charming bit of scenery as well. All the quiet +valley, divided by a rushing little stream, lay before us in the shadow +of early evening, while to the north and east the hills were brilliant +in summer sunshine, with one small open glade gleaming vividly among +the darker shades of forest green. + +The cave was a very small room at the bottom of a steep, rocky, sloping +passage, and contained no standing water, although there had been a +heavy rainfall the night before and the opening is so situated as to +especially favor the inflow, which naturally indicates a greater cave +beneath a hidden passage. Here, as in most of the caves of the region, +is found a small lizard: it is totally blind but its ancestors evidently +were not, as is shown by conspicuous protuberances where the eyes should +be, but over which the skin is drawn without a wrinkle or seam to +indicate a former opening. These harmless creatures are not scaly, but +are clothed in a soft, shining, well-fitted skin, and the largest seen +were little more than six inches long. + +Those who love perfect Nature in a most smiling mood should hasten to +visit Marble Cave while yet no railroad quite touches the county. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] The naturalist referred to is the late Prof. E.D. Cope. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FAIRY CAVE AND POWELL CAVE. + + +Fairy Cave enjoys the reputation of being the most beautiful yet +discovered in that cavernous region, and consequently a visit to it was +contemplated with considerable eagerness, 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 involved. To go +from our temporary abiding place it was necessary to pass Marble Cave, +and when we had gone that far Mr. Powell left us to follow the road, +while he, on his mule, took a short cut across the hills and valleys, to +try to find men not too much occupied with their own affairs on a fine +Monday morning, in corn plowing time, to join our expedition. As neither +our small companion, Merle, nor ourselves, had any knowledge of the +locality of our destination, we were carefully instructed to follow the +main road to the Wilderness Ridge, and keeping to that, pass the Indian +Creek road and all others that are plain, but turn down the second dim +road and follow it until stopped by a new fence where we would be met +and conducted. So long as points to be passed held out, these directions +gave us no trouble whatever, even the first dim road offering no +obstacle to the pleasure of our progress; but the second dim road proved +so elusive we traveled many miles in search of it, finally bringing up +against a place Merle was familiar with and knew to be a long way off +the track of our intentions. As there was nothing to be done but return +we naturally accepted the situation and did that; presently finding Mr. +Powell and the Messrs. Irwin, on whose land the cave is, patiently +waiting for us in what was really not a road at all, but rather, in this +region of fossils, the badly preserved impression of one long since +extinct. + +The new fence was opened at two places that we might drive through and +be saved the exertion of walking a considerable distance, then the +horses were left in the shade while we scrambled down the steep +hill-side covered with sharp-edged, broken rock, about mid-way down +which is the mouth of the cave, yawning like a narrow, open well. Above +this a stout windlass has been arranged on two forked logs. + +A few feet below the surface the cave spreads out jug-shaped, so that in +descending nothing is touched until the floor is reached, one hundred +feet beneath the surface; consequently the only danger to be apprehended +is a fall. + +Each of the three men present kindly offered to go down and make the +exploration with me, but that would have left only two at the windlass, +and for a man's weight, safety requires four. Should an accident occur, +assistance would be necessary, and some time lost in finding it; so, to +the undisguised satisfaction of one and equally evident relief of the +others, it was reluctantly decided that the trip must be given up, and +therefore we are indebted to the kindness of Captain Powell[3] for the +following description of Fairy Cave: + + "The Cave referred to is situated in Section 24, Township 23, Range + 23, in Stone County, Missouri, and is on the homestead of one of + three brothers named Irwin. + + "It was accidentally discovered in the year 1895 and up to the time + of this writing (June 1896) only six persons have ever entered it. + It is in a point or spur of the Ozark Mountains which runs to the + east from the great Wilderness Ridge, and is three miles distant + from the Marble Cave. Having been one of the first to enter the + Cave, being called by the owner as a sort of cave expert, I will + attempt to describe both the adventure and the cave just as they + were. The measurements are simply estimated, though by long + practice I have become expert in that line also, but the longest + measurement here was correctly taken by the rope used. + + "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 + explored, accompanied by my eldest son, W.T. Powell, I reached the + place one warm Saturday morning. We found about twelve or fourteen + men waiting for our coming; some discussing the matter of whether + we would enter when we did come, and others who had volunteered to + work the windlass, which had been erected over the opening, by + means of which, with a one hundred foot rope, entrance was to be + made. The opening was like a small well, and situated under the + edge of an overhanging cliff of marble, and on the southeast slope + of the mountain, about one hundred and fifty feet above the bottom + of a narrow valley, and about the same distance below the top of + the mountain, which here is three hundred feet high. In order to + rig a windlass the edge of the cliff had to be broken away. The + well-like opening descended for about ten feet through strata of + flat-laying rocks that formed a roof; then all appeared to be + vacancy and a stone cast in gave back a distant sound. + + "Having first tested the air and proved it good by dropping in + blazing excelsior saturated with turpentine, a stout oak stick was + attached to the end of the rope, my son sprang astride and was + lowered to the bottom, just one hundred feet. He reported back 'All + right.' On the return of the rope I took my position on the stick + and was soon dangling in mid air. The sensation was strange and + exhilarating. Looking up I could only see the small opening I came + through, and a straggling stream of light poured down that, but on + all sides profound darkness reigned supreme. A spark-like light my + son lit, reminded me of the lost Pleiad. 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 stop. + + "This caused them to think something was going wrong and one called + out to know what was the matter: I heard him say 'He is weakening.' + I assured them everything was right only I wanted to take a view; + so they stopped. Off at a distance of perhaps twenty-five feet was + an opening about ten feet or more wide and twelve feet high. The + light from the opening struck it fairly, owing to the position of + the sun at the time. Through this opening I saw into another room, + large and magnificent. It brought to mind the White City. It was + snowy white, and thickly studded with stalactites and stalagmites + of immense size and in great numbers; some looking like spires of + numerous churches, and many connected as with a lattice-work about + the bottom. For a short time I gazed on that lovely scene, and + examined the chances to reach it, but a great gulf intervened that + we had no means of spanning, and I called to the men to lower me + down. Approaching the bottom one of the walls trended in towards me + and I stepped upon solid ground close to the wall, which half way + up seemed fifty feet away. The opening above now looked like a + small pale moon, and the next man who came dangling down to join us + looked no bigger than a toy soldier. Gradually our eyes became + accustomed to the twilight, and by the time our party was increased + to six men, I could see quite distinctly. + + "The room runs directly into the mountain and is about ninety feet + high, and where we landed it proved to be twenty feet wide. It + extended in both directions, but much the farthest towards the + right hand. The outer room is encrusted in fine white water + formations. It forms a Gothic ceiling from which hang pendant at + all places brilliant and sparkling stalactites; some being of + immense size and length, from ten to twenty-five feet. Others are + not so large but are brilliant. We created a flood of artificial + light with dozens of candles and lamps; and then and not until + then, could we see the slope and contour of the roof. A few bats + were flitting about, disturbed for the first time. To the left, a + vast white pillar extended from floor to roof. It was pure white + and about five feet in diameter all the way up. It was fluted, + fretted, draped and spangled. I never in my life saw anything more + chaste and lovely. I thought of the countless ages it must have + taken to form that monument: of the streams of clear water that had + fallen and left their calcite deposits, while it grew year after + year, age after age, century after century, in this profound + darkness, disturbed by no noises save the rhythmic sound of the + falling drops and the dull flitting of the bats, who alone were the + living witnesses of its construction. To the rear of this great + pillar the room is divided into three galleries, one above another. + With great difficulty and much danger we climbed into each of + these. The floors were all like the pillar of pure white onyx, and + extended back a distance of thirty or more feet. The floor of one + formed the roof of another. They were brilliant with hanging + pendants and the side walls were all veneered with the same white + and crystalline formation. To entirely describe them is impossible. + A day in each would still leave the observer short of words in + which to tell of the wonders. + + "Turning towards the right hand from the entrance we advance two + hundred feet up an incline of dry clay, the room widening gradually + until its width is forty feet, when we reach the top of an + elevation thirty feet above the starting point, where a sudden + steep descent brings us to a halt. A stone cast down strikes water + and the sound of a splash comes back to us. With caution we seek + our way down the hill and stand on the edge of a small lake or + pond. Suddenly my son, who is in the lead, rushes back saying: + 'Look out! I put my hand on a snake.' Some of us, being armed with + hickory canes that had been thrown down, concentrated our lights + and advanced. Sure enough, there is a snake a yard long coiled up + on a section of rotten wood. It proves to be a copperhead, the most + quarrelsome and vicious snake in this country; but his nature is + changed so that he makes no effort to fight and is killed with a + blow, and is sent to be hoisted up that we may examine him in + daylight. No others were found, and probably he had fallen in at + the opening, and spent a long, weary time in expiation of his + upper-earth crimes. + + "Examining the lake we find it to be about forty feet wide and the + same long, and it fills the room from wall to wall. We cannot pass + it so must either stop or wade through. We decide to wade, and on + measuring the water find it only two or three feet deep, with a + soft clay bottom, and in many places islands of stalagmite rise + above the surface. + + "On the sides of the lake there are formations in the shape of + sofas and lounges, and they appear to be cushioned, but the + cushions are found to be hard, solid rock. As the lights advance + across the lake new wonders are revealed. Curtains and draperies + hanging from the top almost touch the water and entirely cut off + the view beyond. Passing under a curtain at one of the highest + places, we emerge from the lake, and once more on dry land, advance + up a slope. Here the water formations have taken human shapes of + all sizes and several colors now appear and help to present a chaos + of beauty. + + "Two hundred feet more and the chamber ends in a vast waterfall, + but the water has turned to stone. Above the waterfall is an + opening, but it is twenty-five feet up a smooth wall and we have no + ladder. The journey was at an end. Tired, wet and muddy, we started + on our return trip; recrossed the dark lake, and retraced our steps + to the place under the opening without realizing that we had spent + six hours under ground. While the other members of the party, and + the specimens, were being raised to the surface, the writer sought + to learn the flora and fauna of this new region. The flora is + blank. Even the white mold so common in many caves is absent; and + no fungus grows on the poles, bark and rotten wood that have at + some past time been cast in. + + "In animal life the range is greater. I have mentioned the + ever-present bats, and dozens of them were seen. There were also + small, white eyeless salamanders, small, yellow, speckled + salamanders, with signs of eyes but no sight; also a jet black + salamander, which like the rest, was blind. The bats were of two + species--the common brown bat and the larger light grey or yellow + species. But this was not the time of the year to see many bats in + caves. In the summer season most of them go out and remain until + cool weather, and then return to the caves with their young; so I + was rather surprised to see as many as we did. + + "Down comes the rope for the last time, and taking my place, I soon + feel myself spinning around and slowly rising. As I again pass the + magic city I saw going down, a stronger wish than ever takes + possession of me to go there, and I look for any chance to solve + the problem of how such a journey can be made. 'Thou art so near + and yet so far.' + + "Suddenly I find myself emerging from the ground into a very hot + world, with the evening sun blazing so that the air feels like the + scorching heat of an oven; and my late companions are scattered + about under the trees, no doubt wishing themselves back in the cool + regions below the hot cliffs. + + "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 high: that in the upper story there are + rooms that I could not reach, that will amply pay the scientist + and explorer to investigate in the future: that probably we reached + all the accessible parts in the level we traveled: that the + temperature was fifty-six or very near that degree: that small as + it is, it contains the finest formations and grandest scenery I + have ever seen in a cave: and I have examined over one hundred of + various sizes. I believe that for interior beauty its equal is not + to be found in America, and I sincerely believe that the verdict of + future exploration will establish the truth of the assertion, but + as equally good judges differ on such matters, time will be + required for a true and just decision. There are yet many promising + caves to be explored in this region, and if my strength holds out a + few years I hope to see them all. + + "T. S. Powell." + + +POWELL CAVE. + +As a measure of consolation for the disappointment of not seeing the +beauty of Fairy Cave, Mr. Irwin suggested that only a quarter of a mile +further on was another, recently discovered and worthy of a visit, +although small. + +In that region of steep hills and sharp-edged rocks, a great amount of +travel can be added to the experience of a tender-foot in a short +distance. The quarter of a mile seemed to stretch out in some mysterious +way as we worked on it, but the variety and abundance of attractions are +more than ample compensation. + +The view was fine, including as it did the deep ravine and grassy, +wooded slopes rising three hundred feet above, with here and there a +handsome ledge of marble exposed like the nearly buried ruin of a +forgotten temple of some past age. Scattered about in great profusion +among the broken rock on the surface of these hill-sides we observed a +water deposit of iron ore. It is a brown hematite and in some cases +shows the structure of the bits of wood it has replaced. Since this +region has from the earliest time produced a generous growth of +vegetation, the decay of which has yielded a never-failing supply of +acids to assist in carving the caves and then in their decoration, the +presence of the ore is not difficult to account for. The whole Ozark +uplift being rich in iron, the acidulated drainage waters coming into +contact dissolved and took it in solution, to re-deposit where and when +conditions should be favorable. These conditions were found in the basin +among the hills and along its outlet. + +In the Popular Science Monthly of January 1897, a short article by J.T. +Donald, entitled "A Curious Canadian Iron Mine," describes the same +thing going on at the present time in Lac a la Tortue, a small body of +water in the center of a tract of swamp land, which produces the +vegetation necessary to supply the acid required for a base of +operation. + +Of the manner of deposition he says: "The solution of iron in vegetable +acid (in which the iron is in what the chemist calls the form of a +protosalt) is oxidized by the action of the air on the surface of the +lake into a persalt, which is insoluble, and appears on the surface in +patches that display the peculiar iridescence characteristic of +petroleum floating on water. Indeed, not infrequently these films of +peroxide of iron are incorrectly attributed to petroleum. These films +become heavy by addition of new particles; they sink through the water, +and in this manner, in time, a large amount of iron ore is deposited on +the lake bottom. It must not be supposed that the ore is deposited as a +fine mud or sediment. On the contrary, in this lake ore, as it is +called, we have an excellent illustration of what is called +concretionary action--that is, the tendency of matter when in a fine +state of division to aggregate its particles into masses about some +central nucleus, which may be a fragment of sunken wood, a grain of +sand, or indeed a pre-formed small mass of itself." + +It is claimed for this water ore, which is gathered like oysters, that +mixed with bog ore and magnetic iron, and smelted with charcoal, the +result as obtained is strong, durable and high priced. + +The curiously elastic quarter of a mile finally yielded to persistent +toil, and the cave was reached. The entrance is sufficiently broad to +give a good first impression, and is under a heavy ledge of limestone +which breaks the slope of the hill and is artistically decorated with a +choice collection of foliage, among which is a coral honeysuckle; the +fragrant variety grows everywhere. Under the ledge is a narrow +vestibule, out of the north end of which is a passage about twenty-four +inches in width, between perpendicular walls, and as steeply inclined as +the average dwelling-house stairway but without any assisting +depressions to serve as steps. Mr. Irwin cut a grape vine, and making +one end secure at the entrance, provided a hand rail, by the aid of +which I was able to easily descend the stepless way and afterwards +remount. + +The first chamber entered is the principal portion of the cave, and by +actual measurement is forty-nine feet in length by forty-eight in +greatest width and the height estimated at fifty feet. On account of +irregularities it appears smaller but higher. On opposite sides of the +chamber, at elevation about midway between the floor and ceiling are two +open galleries. The floor is extremely irregular with its accumulation +of fallen masses of rock, and the action of water has given to portions +of the walls the appearance of pillars supporting the arches of the +roof. The whole aspect is that of a small Gothic chapel. Off to the +northwest is another room measuring thirty feet in each direction, and +out of this are several openings, too small to squeeze through, which +indicate the possible existence of other chambers beyond, but they may +be only drain pipes. + +The cave contains no drip formations, notwithstanding which it is one of +the most charming, and when invited to name it I called it Powell Cave, +in honor of the most ardent admirer of caves in that county, and to whom +I am much indebted for valued assistance. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] Editor of the county news-paper. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OTHER STONE COUNTY CAVES. + + +GENTRY CAVE. + +The cave nearest to Galena, and the first visited by us, is Gentry Cave, +situated a mile and a half from town. We started in the mail coach, but +that vehicle met with a misfortune by no means unusual in that region, +the total wreck of a wheel. Having only that morning arrived from the +rich agricultural portion of the State where no surface rock can be +found, we were pleased enough with the prospect of a walk in such +charming spring weather, and set out with a cheerful certainty that the +rough place in the road would soon be passed. But the school of +experience is always open for the reception of new-comers and we were +admitted to full duty without question. + +The topography was nearly as broken, in its way, as the natural "piking" +spread over it, and very beautiful with the dense forests lighted by the +slanting yellow rays of the afternoon sun. The way leads up to the +"ridge road" which is at length abandoned for no road at all, and +descending through the forest, more than half the distance down to the +James River flowing at the base of the hill, we come suddenly in view of +the cave entrance, which is probably one of the most magnificent pieces +of natural architecture ever seen. + +Rounding a corner by a narrow path, we step onto a covered portico +ninety-seven feet long, with an average width of ten feet. The floor is +smooth and level, as also is the ceiling, which is nine feet above, +supported by handsomely carved pillars and rising in a gray cliff +projecting from the slope of the hill above, out to the brink of the +more abrupt descent to the water's edge ninety feet below. Between the +pillars are three large door-ways into the cave. The comparison +suggested is an Egyptian temple, and the idea is continued within, where +there are no chambers as in other caves; but instead, the entire +interior is a labyrinth of passages winding about in every direction +among an uncounted number of low massive pillars, some supporting a low +ceiling and others connected by high arches, the highest point being +estimated at sixty feet, but appearing to be more, because the enclosed +space rising to a dome is so narrow that the point of view is +necessarily directly underneath. + +All exposed surfaces of pillars and walls inside the cave are of clay or +a soft porous rock having the same appearance, and are covered with +curious little raised markings like the indescribable designs of mixed +nothing generally known as "Persian patterns." This is, of course, +easily explained; the clay being the residuum from disintegrated +limestone, 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 incomplete. + +The Drinking Fountain is considered the great attraction of the cave, +and appears to have been fashioned to suggest a model for the handsome +soda fountains belonging to a later period. The water bowl is a large +depression worn in the top of a rock which seems to have been built into +the wall. In front it is five feet high and nine feet across, with +artistic corners approximately alike, and at the back ornamental carving +extends upward towards the ceiling with an opening through the wall at +the center. This opening is divided by a short column down which water +trickles to supply the bowl. The ceiling here is about thirty-five feet +high and most of the exposed surface is a blue-gray limestone. Only one +portion of Gentry Cave has received a deposit of dripstone and even that +is of limited extent, and located at the end of a narrow slippery +passage between high, slippery walls. + +The fine entrance is of grey limestone in undisturbed horizontal strata, +and this is so plainly marked in the roof-supporting pillars as to give +them the appearance of having been prepared by skillful hands, in +several blocks, and afterwards arranged in place without the aid of +mortar. Unfortunately, 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 camera; but a +second visit made for the purpose of trying was far from being a loss, +and part of the reward consisted of finding among the sheltered rocks, +scarcely three feet above the floor, two humming birds' nests with their +treasure of small eggs, and our little companion who discovered them was +pleased to leave them untouched. + + +SUGAR TREE HOLLOW CAVE. + +The name of this cave is due to the fact that the approach is through a +"hollow" well wooded with sugar maple trees. It is two miles from Galena +and the drive a beautiful one, as much of the way is through the forest +without a road, but with a charming little rushing, crooked stream of +clear, cold water: and in places the green slopes give way to mural +bluffs of grey limestone in undisturbed strata. + +The entrance to the cave is through a hole about two feet high by three +in width, into which we went feet first and wiggled slowly down an +incline covered with broken rock, for a distance of fifteen feet, where +a standing depth is reached. A flat, straight, level ceiling extends +over the whole cave without any perceptible variation, and this is +bordered around its entire length and breadth with a heavy cornice of +dripstone, made very ornamental by the forms it assumes, and the +multitude of depending stalactites that fall as a fringe around the +walls. 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 hands. + +Dripstone covers the walls, which vary in height from one foot to twenty +feet, according to the irregularities of the floor, just as the width of +this one-room cave varies with the curves of the walls, which are +sweeping and graceful, the average being twenty-nine feet, but is much +greater at the entrance where the entire slope extends out beyond the +body of the cave. The length, from north to south, measures two hundred +and thirty-three feet exclusive of an inaccessible extension. + +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 +dripstone, 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 post. + +There is no standing water in the cave, but everything is wet with drip, +and consequently the formation of onyx is actively progressing and the +south slope already mentioned shows a curious succession of changes in +cave affairs. By the slow action of acidulated waters, the grey +limestone deteriorated into a yellowish clay-bank, and now its particles +are being re-united into solid rock by the deposit of calcium carbonate +from the drip. + +A careful test of the temperature of the atmosphere showed it to be +fifty-eight degrees. + + +PINE RUN CAVE. + +This also is a small cave easily visited from Galena, being less than +two miles distant on the Marionville road. The entrance faces the road +and is on the same level, consequently it is one of the easiest to +visit. Just within is seen an opening in the ceiling, which we are told +is one of the two ways to an upper chamber whose chief attraction is a +dripstone piano, and the means of ascending is at hand in the form of a +Spanish ladder; but an attempt of that sort might even cause the new +woman to hesitate, and who hesitates is lost. The ascent was not made. +We advanced on a level with the road for a distance of perhaps twenty +feet, 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 width, the height gradually decreasing to about +three feet towards the upper end, where it widened out into a low but +broad chamber. The floor of this chamber is most beautiful. It is +composed of a series of connected calcite bowls whose beautifully fluted +rims are of regular and uniform height, and all are equally filled with +clear, still water. 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 temper, and a magnificent stalagmitic +column, too heavy for one man to lift, lay detached and broken, in proof +that his body did not share the feebleness of his mind. + +Beyond these basins is a low passage through which is found the second +entrance to the upper chamber, but the basins must be crossed in order +to reach it, and this is not an easy undertaking even when their water +supply is low, but in the early summer they are almost full. + +There are said to be more than one hundred caves in Stone County, one of +which is supposed to be fully as large as Marble Cave, if not larger, +and is located in the southern part of the county but has not been +explored. + +Mill Cave is in the northeast of the county, and at the entrance is a +saw mill which receives its working power from the cave stream. Inside +the cave there is a lake. + +Hermit's Cave is a few miles from Galena, and is so named on account of +having been used as a dwelling by its former owner, who kept a coffin in +which he intended to place himself before the final summons, but was +overtaken by death in the forest and it was never used. He wrote sermons +on the rocks in his cave and one of these was afterwards removed. + +Wolf's Den is also near Galena, and has been utilized as a sheep fold. + +Wild Man's Cave is near Galena, and on account of the stories with which +people have been frightened, can only be visited by permission and with +a guard stationed at the entrance. + +Reynard's Cave is four miles west of Galena on the farm of Dr. Fox, but +is so nearly filled up with dripstone that only crawling room remains. +The doctor's place is a fine locality for the collection of fossils. + +At a distance of twelve miles from Galena there is said to be a fine +natural bridge, well worth a visit and sufficiently near Mill Cave for +both to be seen on the same trip. + +In Bread Tray Mountain there is supposed to be a cave through which a +torrent rushes at times, that being the only way in which to explain the +strange thundering, roaring noise always heard after a storm, and never +at other times. + +Besides being a wonderful cave region, and rich in the great abundance +and variety of native fruits and fine timber, Stone County has a vast +amount of mineral wealth, the heaviest deposits being zinc, lead and +iron, with some indications of silver, gold and copper, which have been +found but not in paying quantity. Already since the summer of 1896 +several exceptionally pure bodies of zinc have been discovered, the +white ore of one recently opened deposit giving highly gratifying +indications as to extent. Prospecting may be said to have only commenced +in this very far from over-crowded region. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OREGON COUNTY CAVES. + + +GREER SPRING. + +Oregon County is also at the extreme southern limit of the State of +Missouri and was visited, not because its caves are supposed to be +either finer or more numerous than those of all the other Ozark +counties, but on account of remarkable attractions associated with them +that are not known to be equaled, or even subject to rivalry, by any +similar works of nature in any portion of the world. + +The most convenient railway point is Thayer; the station hotel affords +comfortable accommodations for headquarters, and the last days of +September proved a charming time. The foliage was in full summer glory, +refreshed by a gentle and copious rain, and the insinuating tick had +already retired from active business until the following season. + +The carriage having been ordered on condition of its being a clear day, +we left Thayer at eight o'clock on a perfect morning to visit Greer +Spring, and were soon in the depth of the beautiful Ozark forest, from +which we did not once emerge until Alton, the county seat, was reached, +the distance traveled being sixteen miles. 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 war. The dinner was a surprise, and received the +highest commendation possible to a dinner, the hearty appreciation of a +boy. A young nephew, Arthur J. Owen, having been invited to act as +escort on the trip, found all the varied experience in cave hunting +fully equal to the pictured joys of anticipation. After a large bell +suspended somewhere outside had notified the business public that dinner +was ready to be served, we were invited to the dining-room, where on a +long table was the abundance of vegetables afforded by the season and +soil of an almost tropical state, and cooked as the white-capped chef of +the great hotel, where the warm weeks were spent, had not learned the +secret of; and the delicately fried chicken was not of that curious +variety, commonly encountered by travelers, in which the development of +legs robs the centiped of his only claim to distinction. As the dishes +cooled they were removed and fresh supplies brought in. + +Our driver received directions about the road and we started on another +drive of seven miles. These directions were "to follow the main road to +the forks, and then keep to the Van Buren road and any one could tell +us where Captain Greer lives." + +The road was, as before, through the park-like forest, and as before, +lay chiefly along the ridge, so that where clearings had been made for +farms there were fine views over the distant country, which everywhere +was forest-covered hills, of a rich green near at hand but changing with +the growth of distance, first to dark, and then to lighter blue. + +In these forests were fine young cattle and horses, and uncounted +numbers of "razorbacks," or as they are otherwise called, +"wind-splitters." For the benefit of those who may not be familiar with +the names, it might be well to explain that they are the natural heirs +of the native wild hog of Missouri and Arkansas. The nephew was greatly +amused at seeing many of them with wooden yokes on their long necks, to +prevent an easy entrance into fields and gardens by squeezing through +the spaces between fence rails. These animals are such swift runners it +is said they can safely cross the railroad between trucks of the fast +express. Their snouts are so long and thin, it is also claimed that two +can drink from a jug at the same time; never having seen it done, +however, this is not vouched for, but merely repeated as hearsay. + +[Illustration: Wilderness Pinery, Oregon Co. Page 84.] + +After a time we stopped to inquire the way of an old man dipping water +from a pond by the roadside. He told us he was dipping water to wash +the wheat he was sowing in the field just over the fence, and that we +reach the forks, then to keep the Van Buren road, pass two houses on the +left, a white one on the right, another on the left and then inquire the +way--anyone could tell us, and Captain Greer would show us to the +Spring, "for he is a mighty accommodating man." + +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 side, and in the direction it +pointed, we turned, although rather reluctantly, for it looked little +used and rocky, while the other was in good condition; 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 houses. The morning had +been very chilly, but now the atmosphere was just at that balmy point +between warm and cool that makes mere living an unqualified luxury; and +added to this we soon found ourselves in a deep canon no less beautiful +than the justly celebrated North Cheyenne Canon near Colorado Springs. + +There was now no doubt that we were on the wrong road, but such +magnificence was unexpected and not to be turned from with indifference. + +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-wall, while that opposite is glorified +by the brilliant glow of the afternoon sun, which adds an equal charm to +the rich, luxuriant foliage below and the tall stately pines that adorn, +without concealing, the grey rock they proudly cling to, or that rises +in a protecting rampart three hundred feet higher than the canon bed, +with banners of the long-needled pine waving above to proclaim the +perfection of Nature's undisturbed freedom. + +The road descending crosses the thread of water still flowing among the +great rounded bowlders left by the former torrent, and our view is +changed to one of dense, but by no means melancholy, shadows, with a +crown of golden sunlight; and presently the course of the canon turns to +the east, and it is all filled with the yellow rays and we notice the +bright red hawthorn berries, and masses of hydrangea still showing +remnants of their late profusion of bloom. We Missourians have a great +love of fine scenery and generally take long journeys into other states +in order to gratify the taste, while quite unconscious of the wonderful +beauty and grandeur of the Ozarks. + +Where the canon begins to broaden into a small sheltered valley as it +approaches Eleven Points River, we turned and retraced our way to the +forks, and a short distance beyond to a house where we might again +inquire. A woman came to the open door as we stopped and in answer to a +question said: "You ought to have asked me when you passed here a while +ago." + +Apologies for the seeming neglect were offered and accepted, then she +explained that both roads went to Van Buren but not to Greer Spring, +where in due time we at length arrived. + +The house being in one corner of a "forty" and the spring in that +diagonally opposite, there was a walk of nearly that distance before +coming to an old road inclining steeply down into what looked to be a +narrow canon. About midway of this sloping road, the space confined +between perpendicular walls, rising to heights above on one side and +descending to the stream on the other, widens suddenly and a picturesque +old mill comes into view, it having been wholly screened from the +approach by the rich growth of shrubs and trees. Chief in abundance +among this luxury of leaf was the hydrangea,--a favorite shrub largely +imported into this country from Japan before it was discovered as a +native. 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 +wide, and two and one half feet deep, but could be raised thirty feet +with perfect safety by a dam, for which the rock is already on the +ground and much of it broken ready for use. The flow is said to be two +hundred and eighty yards per minute, with no appreciable variation, and +never freezes. The high walls of the Greer Spring gorge will, of course, +far more than double the value it would otherwise possess, when it +becomes desirable to control and turn to practical account the power now +going so cheerily to waste, but the artistic loss will be +proportionately severe. + +The old mill was the scene of great activity in former times, 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 landscape. + +Just beyond, the canon makes a curving bend, the road dwindles to a +narrow path and we behold the most beautiful scene imaginable. + +The canon has come to an end and is shut in by a graceful curve of the +high, perpendicular grey walls that are crowned with trees and shrubs, +and decked below with a thick carpet of bright green moss. In this +basin, which is nearly one hundred feet across, Greer Spring plunges up +from beneath through an opening nine feet in diameter, in the midst of a +pool of water six feet deep, and having an unvarying temperature of +forty-nine degrees throughout the year. This water is so perfectly clear +that not the least pebble is obscured from view, and the color scheme is +most marvelous. + +[Illustration: Greer Spring. Page 88.] + +Where the great spring forces its way to the surface, the water is a +deep, brilliant blue with white caps, and its falling weight keeps clear +of moss a large spot of fine, pure, white sandstone, while all the +balance appears a vivid green from the moss that thrives beneath the +moving water; and surrounding these are the handsome, foliage-decked +grey walls. The edges of the basin are thickly strewn with fallen rocks +deeply covered with moss, in which small ferns are growing, and on these +gay stepping stones we crossed to the head-wall of the canon to find +ourselves at the open mouth of a cave from which flows a clear, shallow +stream to join the waters of the Spring in that wonderful basin. The +entrance to the cave is an arch about fifteen feet wide and twelve feet +high, with the clear, shallow stream spreading over the clean rock floor +from side to side. Here now was presented a difficulty. Truly the cave +was _not_ quite dry. The water was about ten inches deep, and my boots +in Thayer. Contrary to advice, however, my nephew had brought his, and +with a boy's kindness loaned them while he made the trip with bare feet +and rolled up trousers. + +A short distance within, the cave widens and the floor of the extension +being somewhat higher, is dry, but the roof drops so low over it that +the water-course is an easier route of travel; and this soon widens +into a lake above which the ceiling rises in a broad dome less than +twenty feet in height, and hung with heavy masses of dripstone draperies +of varying length, from five to seven feet; and all the ceilings are +fringed at various heights with stalactites of every size and age, some +being a clear, colorless onyx, while others proclaim their great age in +the fact that they have so deteriorated that the onyx texture is either +partly or completely lost, and what was once a pure drip crystal has +returned to a common, porous, dull-colored limestone so soft that +portions can be rubbed to powder in the hand. + +Picking the way carefully as the depth of the lovely lake increased, we +followed the sound of falling water and peered into the dark distance in +a vain effort to see it, yet expecting to reach that special object of +interest by keeping to the shallower parts of the lake. These +expectations were shattered suddenly when the boots filled with water, +and that called to mind the fact that twenty-three miles and a chilly +night lay between us and dry clothing; so we returned to the outside +world and rested on the rocks where Captain Greer and our young driver +waited for us. The cave has never been fully explored, and probably we +penetrated farther than others have ever done, as the owner knew +nothing of the falling water we so distinctly heard and were surely very +near. + +The view from the rocks is wonderfully beautiful and includes both the +entrance to the cave, with its flowing stream, and the receiving basin +with its bounding stream. But it was growing late in the afternoon, and +there was another cave whose entrance was in the perpendicular wall +above the end of the path by which we had come. This entrance could be +reached by a dilapidated ladder; assisted by a forked pole and supplied +with candles and matches, my nephew and I achieved the ascent with not +much trouble. Here we found what is, no doubt, one of the oldest caves +known. + +The original cavity is nearly filled up with masses of onyx--colorless +crystal and white striped with pale shades of grey. The cave is +perfectly dry and freshly broken surfaces in some places show signs of +deterioration, 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 process, and later, for that crystalline rock +in a now dry atmosphere to present a perceptible weakening? We went as +far as passages could be crawled into, which was no great distance, and +at once started on our uncertain descent of the ladder; but this was not +a matter of so much concern as the upward trip, for the success of +which some doubts were entertained; for going down is always naturally a +less certain matter, as one can fall if more desirable means are +unsuccessful, and I have unexpectedly reached many coveted points in +this simple manner. + +Taking a last look at Greer Spring with its cave river, grey walls, gay +with foliage, and all the harmony of color and form combined in the +narrow canon that was once the main body of a great cave, I recalled +views on the Hudson River and in the mountains of Maryland, Virginia and +Pennsylvania, and others out in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and the +Wausatch in Utah, but amid all their wonderful grandeur and famous +beauty, could remember no spot superior to this masterpiece of the +Ozarks. + +The proprietor of the Spring and a thousand acres of land adjacent, took +personal possession on the day of Lincoln's first election, to establish +a home. + +The sun having failed to consider our wishes was now about to disappear +in a gleaming flood of gold, so the return to Thayer that night was out +of the question. 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 +to, but being unwilling to impose on kindness to such an extent, we +returned to the hotel in Alton, 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 unimproved. + + +OTHER CAVES NEAR BY. + +About twelve miles from Alton there are three other caves worthy of +attention. Two of these are known only as The Saltpetre Caves, and the +third as The Bat Cave. + +Not many persons care to visit the Bat Cave, for although its +inhabitants are small, they have evidently decided to profit by the +experience of the Red Man and take no risks through hospitality. Their +warnings can be heard like distant thunder for some distance outside the +cave, and any unheeding intruder is set upon in fury by such vast +numbers of the little creatures that his only safety is in hasty +retreat. + +During the war the two Saltpetre Caves were worked to a considerable +extent, and also served as safe retreats for the residents of the +region, as well as the visiting "Jonny," when the vicinity became +oppressively "blue." + +Both of these caves are especially notable on account of the fine +stalactites with which they are abundantly supplied; most of them being +snow white and from fourteen to twenty feet in length. + +Unfortunately, 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 pleasure. Those who own the caves, and those who +visit them, would do well to remember that if all the natural adornment +should be allowed to remain in its original position, it would continue +to afford pleasure to many persons for an indefinite time; but if +broken, removed, and scattered the pleasure to a few will be +comparatively little and that short-lived. The gift of beauty should +always be honored and protected for the public good. + +We were not so fortunate as to discover fossils of any kind in this +locality, although the search was by no means thorough; but even if it +had been the result might have been the same, since that county and +others adjoining have been mapped as Cambrian. The greater part of the +exposed rock is a fine sandstone almost as white as gypsum on a fresh +fracture, and much of it is ripple-marked so as to show a beautifully +fluted surface of remarkable regularity. These ripple flutings are +sometimes more than an inch in width, and often less, but the variations +never appear on the same level, the smallest being seen on the hill-tops +and the larger outcropping on the downward slopes. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE GRAND GULF. + + +Oregon County, Missouri, is also fortunate in having within its limits +the Grand Gulf, which has been declared by competent judges to be one of +the wonders of the world; and it offers a combination of attractions +that certainly entitles it to an important place among a limited few of +America's choicest scenes. + +The Gulf is nearly nine miles northwest of Thayer, Missouri, and about +equally distant from Mammoth Spring in Arkansas, just a little south of +the Missouri state line. The drive is a pleasant one, as the road winds +among the forest-clad hills and passes occasional fields of cotton and +corn; but having been macadamized in very ancient times by the original +and all-powerful general government of that early period is somewhat +rough, yet threatens no danger greater than the destruction of wheels. + +The only approach to the Gulf is over the hill-tops; and the entrance in +past times, while it was still a cave, must have been a sink-hole in the +roof of the largest chamber. This chamber is now the upper end of the +Grand Gulf, and into it we descended by a rugged path, sufficiently +difficult to maintain expectations of grandeur that are not doomed to +disappointment. The precipitous walls, two hundred feet in height, bear +a faithful record of the energy of circling floods; but instead of +frowning, as some good people persistently accuse all noble heights of +doing, they seem to look with conscious pride towards the windings of +the great rough chasm, where every available spot has been seized on as +a homestead for some form of vegetation. All the great, dark rock masses +that interfere with easy progress along the lowest depth, were +surrounded by a feathery setting of blooming white agaratum; 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 Bridge, about twelve hundred feet from the upper end of the +canon. This bridge is magnificent. It was impossible to secure +photographs because the abrupt curve by which it is approached gave no +point of view for a small camera; and it was equally impossible to reach +desirable points for taking measurements, but the open arch is not less +than twenty feet wide and considerably more than that in height. From +the floor or bed of the Gulf to the road that crosses the bridge is more +than two hundred feet. The passage under the bridge makes a curve, the +shortest side of which measures exactly two hundred and nineteen feet, +and as the width varies from twenty to forty feet, the other side is +longer. Most of the floor is flat and level as also is the ceiling, the +greatest irregularities being along the wall of greater length which +shows at what points the rushing water has spent its force. No water +flows through here now except in times of heavy rainfall. The other end +of the bridge has a somewhat smaller span but is very handsome, and the +outward views from both are exceedingly fine. After traversing about +four hundred feet more of the beautiful, high-walled Gulf, we stood +before the grand entrance to the cave, which is strikingly similar to +the first arch of the bridge. The only picture I was able to get was +taken from the slope of the Bridge-crown, one hundred feet below the +road, 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 Apple." + +My companions were the same as mentioned in the preceding chapter, a +nephew, James Arther Owen, and an obliging, tall young man of twenty, +who acted as guide and driver. + +Relieving ourselves of all superfluous burdens just within the cave +entrance, we lighted candles and sat down to wait for our eyes to +adjust themselves to the changed condition, from brilliant sunlight to +absolute darkness, broken only by the feeble strength of three candles. +It was noticeable that in the moist atmosphere of the Missouri caves, +three candles were not more than equal to one in the dry caves of South +Dakota. + +Very soon we were able to continue the inspection of our surroundings, +and the large passage we were in would more properly be called a long +chamber, of irregular width but averaging about thirty feet. This ends +abruptly nearly five hundred feet from the entrance, but a small passage +scarcely more than six feet high runs off at right angles, and into this +we turn. It is not quite so nearly dry as the outer chamber, 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 into. The ceiling dipped so we were not able to stand +straight, and the guide said he had never gone farther; but to his +surprise here was a light boat which I am ready to admit he displayed no +eagerness to appropriate to his own use, and swimming about it, close to +shore, were numerous small, eyeless fish, pure white and perfectly +fearless; the first I had ever seen, and little beauties. + +By burning magnesium ribbon we saw that the passage before us was a low +arch and occupied from wall to wall by water, the direction of the flow +being into another of somewhat greater size at right angles to that by +which we had come, and at the mouth of this lay the boat. The distance +we could see in either direction was of tantalizing shortness, and the +boat was provided with no means of guidance or control, save an +abundance of slender twine which secured it to a log of drift from the +outside; so I decided to leave my companions in charge of the main coil +of twine while I went on an excursion alone, there being not much +evident cause for apprehension as no living cow could ever have made the +trip to this favored spot. + +Although the water looked perfectly placid, the boat drifted with +surprising speed, so that the two scared faces peering after me were +soon lost sight of. The channel was nowhere more than six feet wide, +consequently as the boat inclined to drive against either wall I was +able with care to keep it off the rocks with my hands, and in the same +way guide it around the sharp turns in safety. 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 time. By running the boat across this it +was held in place by the current, and I could sit at ease and enjoy the +position, which even the least imaginative person can readily conceive +to have been a novel one. + +The small eyeless fish had been noticeable in the water everywhere but +now came swimming about the boat in an astonishing multitude, and as +unconscious of any possible danger as bees in a flower garden. Having no +eyes, they were naturally undisturbed by the light, so the candle could +be held close to the water for a satisfactory examination of the happy +creatures. + +They bore a striking resemblance to minnows, although a few were larger, +and it is claimed that four or five inches are sizes not unusual, but +they happened not to be on exhibition. Even dipping a hand into the +water in their midst occasioned no alarm, and they might have been +caught by dozens. + +The guide now loudly called that he had fears of the twine being cut on +the sharp edges of rock, and that cutting off all possibility of the +boat's return, which being sufficiently reasonable, explorations were +indefinitely suspended, and a landing soon made. The camera and +flash-light were then prepared for taking a view, and a point of light +being needed to work by the nephew was asked to sit in the boat with his +candle, to which he readily consented; but judging from the developed +picture it may be doubted if his pleasure at the time was extremely +keen. + +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 surface, as the +ascent could be made in another place; and leading the way to the left +of the entrance he started up the nearly perpendicular wall, more than +two hundred feet high, by a sort of "blind trail" that would have caused +a mountain sheep to sigh for wings, but it was very beautiful. + +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 arches, admired from this fair +point of view the marvelous grandeur of one of the greatest natural +wonders. + +The weather being perfect after a rain the day before, there was no need +of haste to get indoors, so we lingered into the afternoon and then +drove to the Mammoth Spring, in Arkansas, a short distance south of the +Missouri state line, where the Cave River, just visited, comes to the +surface in a bounding spring of great force. The distance being little +less than nine miles. + +The basin filled by the Spring might be called a lake, as its size of +two hundred by three hundred feet gives it that appearance, and the +color is a remarkable deep blue. The volume of water is so nearly +uniform that the height seldom varies more than two or three inches, +but three years ago a storm of unusual violence carried out most of the +native fish, and in restocking from Government supplies, the clear, cold +water suggested an experiment with mountain trout which are found to be +doing well. + +Where Mammoth Spring flows out its power is utilized by a flour mill on +one bank and a cotton mill on the other, and the water flowing on forms +Spring River, well known for the charm of its beautiful scenery. + +This Spring is described by Dr. David Dale Owen in his First Report of a +Geological Reconnoissance of the northern counties of Arkansas, 1857 and +1858, pp. 60-61. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BLACK HILLS AND BAD LANDS. + + +In order to thoroughly appreciate and enjoy the wonderful caves of South +Dakota, which are found within the limits of the Black Hills, it is +necessary to have some knowledge of the geological character and history +of that peculiar region. + +Prof. J.E. Todd, State Geologist, in his "Preliminary Report on the +Geology of South Dakota," gives an interesting "Historical Sketch of +Explorations" in his state, beginning with the expedition of Captains +Lewis and Clark to the upper Missouri regions in 1804-6 to explore that +portion of the recent Louisiana Purchase for the government and notify +the Indians of the transfer; and including all other important +expeditions since that time down to his own official tour of the Black +Hills and Bad Lands in 1894. His own descriptions are so concise and +graphic as to invite quotation. Of the Hills he says: + +"The Black Hills have an area of five-thousand square miles of a rudely +elliptical form with its major axis, approximately, north-northwest. +Most of this area lies within our state. The true limit of the Hills is +quite distinctly marked by a sharp ridge of sandstone, three hundred to +six hundred feet in relative height, which becomes broader and more +plateau-like towards the north and south ends. This ridge is separated +from the higher mass of hills within by a valley one to three miles in +breadth, which is known as the Red Valley, from its brick-red soil, or +the 'race course,' which name was given it by the Indians because of its +open and smooth character, affording easy and rapid passage around the +Hills. The junction of the outer base of the Hills with the surrounding +table lands has an altitude of three thousand, five hundred to four +thousand feet. Within this Red Valley one gradually ascends the outer +slope of the Hills and soon enters, at an altitude of four thousand five +hundred or five thousand feet, the woody portion of the region. This +outer slope varies greatly in width and is underlaid by older +sedimentary rocks, cut in almost every direction by narrow deep canons. +This feature covers nearly the whole of the western half of the Hills +proper, where erosion has been less active on account of its distance +from the main channels of drainage. Usually, from the broken interior +edge of this slope or sedimentary plateau one descends a bluff or +escarpment, and enters the central area of slates, granite, and +quartzites, 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 Mountains. Toward the south, about Harney +Peak, the surface is peculiarly rugged and difficult to traverse. Toward +the north, also, about Terry and Custer peaks, a smaller rugged surface +appears; 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 ridges." + +The Archaean rocks which form the core of the Hills mark the center of +the various uplifts which have attended their formation and controlled +their history. The coarse granite of Harney Peak indicating that, as the +central point of the earliest upheaval, and the three porphyries known +as rhyolite, trachyte, and phonolite, showing the uplifts of later +periods to have had their centers a little more to the north, but the +entire area is said to be only about sixty miles long and twenty-five +miles in width. It is exceptionally rough and mountainous, and +consequently has great charms for the lover of fine scenery. Erosion has +only partially denuded the peaks of the sedimentary rocks through which +they were thrust up, or by which they were overlaid during the earlier +part of several subsequent periods of submersion. The Hills, in these +remote times, led but a doubtful and precarious existence, being now an +isolated island rising out of a shallow sea, and then, owing to a +general subsidence, submerged in the ocean to so great a depth that even +Harney Peak is supposed to have almost, if not entirely, disappeared. +This up and down motion continued at intervals until the Fox Hills epoch +of the Cretaceous Age, at the close of which the sea retired forever +from that portion of the country. In the next epoch fresh water work +began and extensive marshes were formed, with an abundant growth of +vegetation and reptiles. There was also much volcanic violence which +resulted in the fine scenery in the north end of the Black Hills, and +probably opened the fissures to form Wind Cave, the Onyx Caves in the +southern hills and Crystal Cave near the eastern edge toward the north. +This was near the close of the Cretaceous Age. But here is a point on +which the best authorities who have studied the porphyry peaks, have +failed to agree; Prof. N.H. Winchell believing that the intrusion +occurred, probably, during the Jura Trias, but as Cretaceous beds, of +more recent date, are found to have been distorted by the outflow, it +seems that Professors Todd, Newton and Carpenter hold the stronger +position and that the later time is correct. + +No record of the next geological stage, which was the Eocene, or earlier +part of the Tertiary Age, has been found in the Hills, because they were +at that time dry land with gently flowing, shallow streams, and +consequently no strata were laid down; but they are supposed, through +later evidences, to have had a tropical climate and vegetation, enjoyed +by large animals of strange new forms. The volume of fresh water +afterwards became so great that immense lakes spread over large portions +of the west, one of which occupied most of the region around the Black +Hills at the beginning of the Miocene, and animal life was more abundant +than ever before and of higher orders, many species being the same as +are now in existence. The weather became more and more inclement and as +the storms increased the erosion of the Hills also increased, and the +rivers changed to torrents with deep channels. Earthquakes are supposed +to have occurred and also volcanic eruptions. + +The Black Hills were now rising steadily, and as the slope of the +streams increased, the channels cut deeper, and the fissures now known +as caves had long been filled with water. + +The most important of the numerous animals of the Tertiary Age yet +discovered in the Hills and surrounding region, are the Titanotherium or +Brontotherium, similar to our Hippopotamus, the Oreodon, and a small +horse having three toes on each foot. A little later in the same Age +the horses were similar to those of the present time and of equal size, +which proves that the wild horses of the West were not descended from +the few lost by the Spanish Invaders. At this time the first lions, +camels, mastodons, and mammoths also appeared. The remains of these +animals are so abundant in places as to indicate that they perished in +herds that were overwhelmed suddenly by great floods, and many, no +doubt, huddled together and perished with cold; for with the beginning +of the present age the Hills had reached their highest elevation, the +inclement weather increased, and the tropical climate suddenly changed +to one extremely cold. It was the beginning of the Glacial Period or Ice +Age, when a large portion of the United States is supposed to have been +covered by a sheet of ice. 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 bluff. Beyond +this line the ice failed to push its way, but the Hills were subject to +heavy rain storms that filled the streams and carried large quantities +of bowlders and other eroded material, both coarse and fine, down into +the valleys and over the lower hills, where much of the moderately +coarse can now be seen exposed on the surface, and fine specimens +collected without the use of a hammer. The brilliantly colored, striped +and mottled agates, and the bright, delicate tints of the quartz +crystal, are particularly attractive to the majority of visitors. 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 supply. The quartzite of the Hills is well crystallized and heavy. +I have one beautiful specimen of the dark Indian red variety through +which passes a narrow line of pale blue, and the yellow quartzite or +jasper sometimes shows dendrite markings. Very great quantities of +agates and jasper, mostly in small pieces, but unlimited variety, are to +be seen in portions of the Bad Lands, south of the fork of the Cheyenne +River, with an almost equal abundance of baculites and numerous other +fossils. + +The wide expanse of deep ravines and sharp, barren ridges in the Bad +Lands is a unique departure from the usual phases of natural scenery +that inspire interest and wonder, but no great admiration, until one +soon learns that the law of compensation has been strictly observed. The +beauty of vegetation denied those desolate buttes and ridges is atoned +for by a marvelous abundance of most wonderful crystals of aragonite, +calcite, barite and satin spar; each to itself, or two or more combined +in beautiful geodes or else arranged in great flat slabs crystallized on +both sides of a thin sheet of lime. These slabs are composed of crystals +of uniform size and of a pale green tint. But the geodes show some +striking combinations of both crystals and colors with an exterior +formed like box work, composed of a very heavy dark material said to be +a mixture of barium, calcium and iron. The interior may be a bright +green or lemon yellow, or perhaps the two in combination, while others +yet may be either of these varieties with the addition of flat crystals +of almost transparent satin spar. 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 +town. One hill-top over which an abundance of detached crystals, of the +palest water-green tint, has been spread, gave the impression of being +covered with crushed ice. This transformation from a richly tropical to +a marvelously barren region, was accomplished during the time when +storms reigned over the Hills and ice ruled the country to the north and +east. + +The long slender barite crystals of a bright golden brown color are +especially beautiful but are generally seen in the specimen stores, as +the deposit is confined to limited areas and the few persons familiar +with the locations are not over anxious to introduce the general public. + +The fossil remains previously referred to are of course only a few of +the most important, but it is remarked as a curious and notable fact +that among the fossils of the lower orders of life in the Bad Lands, the +heads have not been preserved. 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 fork, as +these waters carry in solution a quantity of alkali that renders them +unfit for drinking, although the effects would not be fatal but simply +the extreme reverse of pleasant. + +No caves have been discovered in the Bad Lands, unless that name be +applied to some of the geodes which are really grottoes, they being of +sufficient size for a man to stand in. The Black Hills, however, contain +some of the most remarkable caves ever yet discovered, of which those of +greatest importance are Wind Cave and the three Onyx Caves near Hot +Springs, in the southeastern part of the Hills, and Crystal Cave near +Piedmont, in the northeast. All of these occur in the Carboniferous +Limestone which forms an outer belt around the central mass or core of +the Hills and no doubt, as previously suggested, 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 +position. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WIND CAVE. + + +Wind Cave was discovered in 1881 by a hunter named Thomas Bingham, who +being weary of a fruitless chase sat down to rest, and was soon startled +by the sound of rushing wind on a calm day; and at the same time by a +singular hair-raising sensation, as his hat was lifted from his head and +thrown high in the air. He is said to have afterwards declared that +although frightened nearly out of his wits, he determined to find the +cause of his alarm, and on turning slightly discovered a hole about +eight by twelve inches in size through which a roaring wind was issuing +from the earth. As his hair maintained the aggressive attitude taken, +the recovered hat could not be returned to its usual place, so an hour +was spent in laying it across the opening and watching its instant +projection into upper space; after which he set out to tell of the +wonderful discovery. The announcement, however, was not received +seriously and he was assured of the impossibility of the wind blowing +through a hill of solid rock, and his brother explained to him that he +had been too self-indulgent and consequently imagined the whole affair. +A protest of total abstinence failed to inspire confidence, but the +brother promised to go the next day to see for himself, and did. The hat +was again placed over the opening as before, but instead of taking the +expected lofty flight, it was drawn in and has never since been seen: +the current had reversed. 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 courage. +No other improvements were made, and only a short distance was explored, +until Mr. J.D. McDonald settled on the property in 1890; 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 +ladders, that it is now possible for visitors to travel long distances +with surprising ease and comfort. The measure of distances in the cave +is not by the usual guess-work method which has established the +short-measure reputation for cave miles, but is done with a fair degree +of accuracy by means of the twine used to mark the trail in exploring +new passages. A careful measurement of the twine has shown it to run +nine balls to the mile with a close average of regularity, so it is the +custom to add another mile to the cave record as often as a ninth ball +becomes exhausted. + +Wind Cave is twelve miles north of Hot Springs by a good road which +offers somewhat meager attractions to the artist, but is more liberal +towards the geologist, and especially so in fine exposures of the gypsum +bearing Red Beds of the Triassic. Limited patches of it are also exposed +in each of the caves, generally carrying small quantities of selenite, +which is crystallized gypsum, or in other words, crystallized sulphate +of lime. This brilliant red color is so prominent in portions of the +Hills, and attracts so much wondering attention in other well known +regions of the West, that it would seem an unpardonable neglect of +opportunity should we fail to again quote Prof. Todd for an explanation +of the cause of the vivid coloring. Commencing he says: "Newton remarks +concerning this:[4] 'A large percentage of peroxide of iron in the red +beds, to which they owe their bright red color, bears an interesting +relation to the absence of fossils. The material of which sediments are +formed is derived, by the various processes of denudation, from the +rocks of older land surfaces. Whatever iron they contain is dissolved +from the land and transported in a condition of protoxide and some proto +salt, such as the carbonate, and the process is facilitated by the +presence of carbonic acid in the water. Now iron occurs in these older +rocks as protoxide and peroxide, the former of which is soluble and the +latter insoluble in water. The peroxide, however, by the action of +organic matter, such as is held in solution in boggy waters, may be +deprived of a portion of its oxygen and converted into protoxide and +thus be rendered soluble. 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 iron. If, however, plant or animal life be present in +sufficient quantities, this oxidation is prevented. In case but little +foreign material, clay or sand, has been brought by the waters, the +deposit will be an iron ore. In case large quantities of foreign +material are deposited from the waters at the same time, there will be +produced, in the absence of life, a brown or red clay or sandstone, and +in its presence a white or light colored formation containing the iron +as a carbonate. We reason therefore from the condition in which the iron +is found in the red beds, that there could have been little or no life, +animal or vegetable, in the water from which it was deposited. The +conclusion is strengthened by the fact of the large quantities of gypsum +which are usually derived from the evaporation of saline waters. The +degree of saline concentration which the precipitation of gypsum +indicates, would be highly inimical to life. The presence of gypsum +helps to account for the absence of life, and the absence of life +accounts for the brilliant color. The three prominent characteristics of +the formation (that is the red beds) are therefore quite in harmony with +each other.'" (Geol. Blk. Hills, p. 138.) + +Continuing the subject, Professor Todd says: "Accepting this explanation +of the striking red color, the question remains as to how these +circumstances, favorable for its formation, were produced. + +"This red color is quite common in the whole Rocky Mountain region, not +only on the eastern slope of the mountains, but to the various detached +members of the system. We must, therefore, look for some extensive +condition. If we seek some case in the present, parallel to the one +already indicated, we perhaps can find none better than one on the +eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, where, because of dry climate and the +shallow waters, the deposition of gypsum and salt is now going on. In +the gulf known as the Kara Boghaz, which is separated from the Caspian +by a narrow strait, the evaporation is so rapid as to produce an almost +constant flow from the sea into it. This strait and this gulf give the +impression to an unlearned observer that there must be a mysterious +subterranean outlet. The water flows in, carrying with it the salt and +other soluble minerals. It then evaporates, leaving the salt and +minerals behind." + +This explanation is calculated to afford particular pleasure to the many +visitors to the Garden of the Gods, in Colorado, who seldom receive +satisfactory answers to their questions as to the reasons "why." In that +much visited spot, however, 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 waters. + +Having made a considerable stop on the way to Wind Cave, we will now +hurry on, but with good horses and a fine day the drive is one of great +pleasure. The road gradually rises to higher ground and soon reaches a +point six hundred feet more elevated than Hot Springs, with a charming +view of hill and valley distances, and the way then continues over the +hill-tops. 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 massacre, while he camped here and in the security of his +commanding position watched the movements of the government troops who +were in search of him. + +Hot Springs and Buffalo Gap are both included in the wide-spread view. +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 cave, the crystals being +either rose pink, pale green, yellow, white or colorless. + +Arriving at the cave, the entrance is not visible, but between the +ravine in which it is located and the road, there is the cave office and +small hotel, on the ravine side of which an outer stairway leads down to +the cave entrance, over which has been built a log cabin. + +On account of the precautions taken for the protection of visitors, +accidents are so rare that it might almost be said that none occur. +Every person is required to register before entering the cave and all +returning parties are carefully counted, although they are usually +unaware of the fact. They are always accompanied by two guides and +others are added if the party is large. No one is, on any account, +permitted to wander in advance of the head guide or linger behind the +one in the rear. + +Within the cabin the immediate entrance to the cave is securely closed, +and in order that the door may not be forced from its fastenings by the +roaring wind which shakes it threateningly, it opens in, instead of out. +This wind suggested the name Wind Cave, and will probably be utilized, +at no very distant time, to generate electricity for lighting the +cavern. + +The wind is strongest at the surface, and a guide goes down first to +place lights in sheltered nooks where the force has begun to diminish, +about fifty feet below the entrance; and here we light our candles +which, if guarded somewhat, are not extinguished unless the current is +unusually severe. The balance of the descent of one hundred and +fifty-five feet from the surface to the first chamber is easily +accomplished. + +This would be the least interesting room in the cave if it were not the +Bride's Chamber, on account of having once been the scene of a marriage +ceremony. But no others are in need of assistance of such romantic +nature, as all are curiously and handsomely decorated, with such a +charming variety of deposits, artistically massed, combined or +contrasted, that every step brings fresh pleasure, and monotony is +nowhere. + +Passing from this room by a long, narrow passage, in the walls of which +are observed many beautiful little pockets of crystals, attention is +presently called to Lincoln's Fireplace, a perfectly natural specimen of +the old-fashioned design broadly open in the chimney; doubtless just +such an one as Mr. Lincoln's good mother hung the crane in and set the +Dutch oven before. A little beyond and on the opposite side of the +crevice is Prairie-dog town, not a very extensive town, to be sure, but +so true a copy that one unfamiliar with the small animal and his style +of architecture would afterwards easily recognize both. At one time his +dogship was carried away by a too eager collector, but a letter to the +suspected visitor brought him home by the next freight. + +The Dutch Clock occupies a position on a shelf near by, and all southern +visitors greet the Alligator as a familiar friend, as all of us joyfully +meet any acquaintance from home. + +A long narrow passage, formerly a "tight crawl," but later opened up by +heavy blasting, must be traversed before we come to the Snow Ball Room, +beautiful with round spots of untinted carbonate of lime, as if fresh +soft snow had been thrown by the handful over walls and ceilings, with +the additional ornamentation of calcite crystals. In the crevice beyond +rises the Church Steeple, diminishing regularly, though roughly, in +size, to a height of sixty feet, but not degraded with the little +squirming stairway usually seen in Church spires. + +The next room is the Post Office, in which we are for the first time +introduced to the greatest peculiarity and most abundant formation known +to the cave. Being a newly discovered addition to geology it has no +scientific name and therefore is simply called box work, because it +resembles boxes of many shapes and sizes. The formation of the box work +is generally regarded as an unexplained and unexplainable mystery, 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 development. The volcanic disturbances which have +already been discussed as having been responsible for the various +uplifts and depressions of the Black Hills region, and also for opening +the fissures which gave the cave a beginning, must have supplied the +conditions that were necessary to the formation of box work. And these +preliminary conditions were merely cracks in the rock. By the violence +of earth movement the limestone has been crushed, probably when the land +was undergoing depression, prior to the upheaval which opened the great +parallel fissures. The varying hardness of the rock, as well as +proximity to the surface, would readily account for the difference in +size of the fractures, which is from one-half inch to twelve inches; the +largest being the most distant from the surface. That this crushing was +done before the salt waters retired from the region, which was towards +the close of the Cretaceous Age, is sufficiently evident in the fact +that portions of the Red Beds show similar fractures with the cracks +filled with gypsum, and gypsum, as we have already seen, is a salt +water deposit. + +After the crushing was done the cracks in the Carboniferous Limestone +were filled with water heavily charged with calcium carbonate, taken in +solution from the rock, first from pulverized particles, and afterwards +by percolation and contact with exposed surfaces. This calcium carbonate +was slowly deposited in crystalline form, so that in time the cracks +were filled and the crushed rock firmly cemented with calcite seams. But +in the meantime the removal of the calcium carbonate had started +disintegration of the more exposed portions of the rock, which steadily +continuing, 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 sheets, leaving the empty box work as +we find it. But where blasting has exposed fresh surfaces, much of the +solid limestone carries the box-like sheets of crystal. + +The thinnest box work is seen in the upper levels, from which the waters +retired soonest, and the heaviest and most beautiful is in the Blue +Grotto, on the eighth level where the water remained longest and its +diminished volume became most heavily charged. In many places, however, +there is another heavy variety known as pop-corn box work, which seems +to be an impure lime carbonate not so finely crystallized as the other, +but at the time of my visit no explanation had been given of the manner +of its deposit; and my own theory that it was not formed under water had +nothing to sustain it until, a few weeks later, while visiting Crystal +Cave, the work was found in active progress on surfaces occupying every +position, and the agent was dripping water. In all cases the original +box work has been in thin sheets of calcite, and the heavy varieties are +due to later deposits of calcite and aragonite crystals or, pop corn. + +The colors are white, yellow, blue and chocolate brown; the last named +predominating to a great extent in that portion of the cave most easily +traveled by visitors, and forming the ceiling and a part of one wall in +the Post Office, where, as has been said before, it first appears. The +effect is not dreary as might be imagined, and parties are generally +photographed here because one side of the room is white and greatly +assists the flash. This is a smooth, 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 lime. All visitors are +cordially invited to please themselves in leaving cards, letters or +papers in this chamber, which is reserved for that purpose, and to +refrain from leaving them in other portions of the cave or defacing the +walls with names. + +Roe's Misery is a long, narrow passage into which, during the early +times before its size had been increased by blasting, a large man named +Roe crawled to his sorrow. Being larger than the hole he stuck fast, and +neither his own efforts nor those of the guides could relieve the +situation until a rope was sent for, and having been brought, was +securely fastened to his feet, when a long pull and a strong one finally +opened the passage. It is told that he claimed to have reviewed all the +objectionable acts of his life, by which his friends understood that he +occupied the motionless position not less than three weeks. + +Red Hall is very nearly described by its name and is quite a showy room, +with the bright red walls contrasting sharply with their limited +ornamentation of pure white carbonate of lime and pearly crystals of +calcite. + +Off to one side of Red Hall is a beautiful little chamber called Old +Maids' Grotto, probably on account of its trim appearance and ideal +location. It is so entirely concealed from the view of those passing on +the public highway, that its existence is not even suspected, until +special attention is called to its cosiness, and then it is necessary to +mount an accumulation of great water-rounded rocks in order to obtain +convincing evidence of its actual reality. It is a long, narrow room, +shut in by a straight wall sufficiently high for rigid seclusion, or +protection, without preventing a glimpse of passing events. + +A break in the description is made here for the purpose of inserting a +description, written at the author's request, by Mr. E.L. McDonald. He +was generally our special guide. He has chosen to describe the route +taken by the majority of visitors and therefore the balance of my +observations within those limits are omitted. + +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 facts, but many interesting minor points are missing. + +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 +occupations. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] U.S. Geological Survey. Geology of the Black Hills. Henry Newton, p. +138. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +WIND CAVE CONTINUED. + + +THE FAIR GROUNDS ROUTE. + +"At 9:30 in the morning the train bringing health-seekers and tourists +arrives at Hot Springs, a beautiful little city nestled in the +southernmost foot-hills of the world-reputed Black Hills of South +Dakota. The choice of a hotel is soon made, and when located, the +new-comers observe the other guests and acquaint themselves with the +attractions of the resort. Probably during the day they are approached +by the solicitor of the wonderful Wind Cave, who explains that the best +way to reach the cave is by means of the coach and four seen at the +hotel in the morning, and arrangements are made for the following day. +The next morning, seated in the tally-ho coach with strangers who are +soon acquaintances, you start on a beautiful twelve-mile drive to one of +nature's most interesting sights. + +"Immediately after leaving town you begin to admire the scenery and +enjoy the cool, refreshing breezes, wafted from the mountains to the +north, down the slopes to the arid plains. + +"After climbing a gently sloping 'hog-back' for about eight miles, you +are at the top of the divide and one thousand feet higher than Hot +Springs, which may be seen on the left. Looking ahead you can see Harney +Peak, the highest mountain in the Black Hills district; and on the right +you see Buffalo Gap, through which the creek runs that heads at +Min-ne-pa-juta Springs. The Indians used to drive buffalo through this +gap, hence its name. A small but thriving little town to the eastward +takes its name from this Buffalo Gap. From here you begin to go down a +gentle and winding incline to the cave, which is reached all too soon. + +"At the office you register and procure tickets, and then have from +one-half to three-quarters of an hour in which to eat lunch or dine at +the hotel. Then all congregate in the office, from whence the start is +made, after every one has put on a cave cap, _not a suit, as such is +entirely unnecessary_. The guide leads the way to the entrance of the +cave which is separated from the office by some little distance, and is +located in the bed of a long since dry run, which in former times has +bared the carboniferous strata, and within this kind of rock the cave is +found. + +"As the author has asked me for an article descriptive of the cave, I +will only attempt to say something of our medium length route to the +Fair Grounds, or in other words, the Fair Grounds' Route. A collective +description of the whole cave would take months--even years--to +complete. Besides, the above route is the one most used by visitors at +the present time. + +"On entering the Cave House (a log structure) you will in all +probability ask from whence comes the murmur of a waterfall. The guide +answers that it is the rushing current of air at the mouth of the cave, +sometimes in and sometimes out. Prof. J.E. Todd, in bulletin No. 1, S. +Dakota Geological Survey, p. 48, says: 'This phenomenon is found to +correspond with the varying pressure of the barometer, and with its +single opening and capacious chambers is easily accounted for.' + +"The rushing air is sometimes strong enough to require a man's weight to +open the entrance door. Five days and nights is the longest time the +wind has been known to move in one direction without ceasing. This is +one of nature's greatest atmospherical phenomena. + +"Some one says, 'Tickets, please!' and into the hole we go, single file +down a lighted passageway to where we can light our candles. After +descending about one hundred and fifty-five feet we come into the Bridal +Chamber (named by some of the earlier explorers before the present +management took hold of the property), which is eight or ten feet in +length by twenty feet in breadth. Passing along some distance, the +Snow-ball Room is entered. It carries this name on account of little +rosettes of carbonate of lime sticking to the irregular ceiling. This +room is pretty narrow and some fifty feet in length. + +"The Post Office is next and soon reached. The ceiling is covered with +the box work formation somewhat resembling Post Office boxes. You will +no doubt wonder why it carries such a common name. + +"Just because after searching in what books on geology and other +sciences we could get, we could not find it described nor any formation +resembling it; hence its common name, as we have named the pop-corn +work, frost work etc., from their appearance. + +"The dimensions of the Post Office are some eighty feet in length by +twenty feet in width, with an average ceiling height of probably twelve +feet. Red Hall is the room next in order, and has on either side a red +bank of sandy, micaceous clay. + +"Just to the left is a very pretty little grotto of box work. This room +is very odd in make-up. The floor is very rough and dips about fifteen +feet in its length of sixty feet, and includes a short flight of stairs. +The lowest end of the room is prettily decorated, and some pleasing +blends of color attract the eye. To the left is the Old Maids' Grotto, a +pretty little nook that would please any maid old or young. + +"After passing through the White Room we turn to the left along the +crevice, and after traveling some little distance reach The Grand Opera, +a very narrow room but some forty feet in length. Chopin's Nocturne is a +small grotto in the right hand wall named by the famous violinist, +Edouard Remenji. + +"The Devil's Lookout is reached by a few steps. It is a crevice about +ten feet wide at the base and sixty-five feet in height. This place is +remarkable for its columns of rock just over head. The pathway leads to +Milton's Study, some fifty feet distant. Turning into the crevice again, +some twenty feet are traveled when attention is called to Seal Rocks. +Sampson's Palace is the next room in order: here we see some stalagmitic +water formation on the left wall and the ceiling is one of the most +beautiful yet seen on the trip. + +"We pass along to Swiss Scenery, a very prettily decorated room fifty +feet in length by fifteen in height. The box work is very pretty, +shading from yellow to dark brown. The general appearance of the room +would suggest its name, it being rougher than any other in the immediate +vicinity. Passing under an arch we enter the Queen's Drawing-room. Here +the box work has been developed beyond any on our pathway thus far. From +the ceiling it hangs like draperies and on the left wall is about +twenty-four inches in depth. On the whole this room is elegant enough +for the most exacting queen. We step from this room into the M.E. +Church. Rev. Mr. Hancher, President of the Black Hills Methodist +College, was I believe the first to hold song and prayer service in this +room; the pulpit is on the left as you pass through. The guides always +ask if any wish to sing or worship, as any one has a perfect right in a +dedicated Chapel. + +"The Giant's Causeway is only a few steps beyond. This bit of scenery +has some resemblance to the famed basalt attraction on the coast of +Ireland. We 'duck' our heads under the Arch of Politeness and rise to a +standing position in Lena's Arbor, a very irregular shaped room admired +by a great many of our visitors. + +"We enter Capitol Hall at the side, about midway between the ends. It is +the largest room yet visited, being some two hundred feet from end to +end, with a very high ceiling. Here we notice the walls and ceiling are +bare of box work and other formation, and are clean and white. The +decorative appearance exceeds any room yet visited. After getting into +line again we go down a flight of stairs to Odd Fellows' Hall, a chamber +that on examination suggests its name. In the ceiling is situated the +'All seeing eye,' one of the emblems of that august body, and at a +little distance the 'Three links;' also in the ceiling, and just under +the latter is situated a rock very much resembling a goat. Attention is +called to the first appearance of pop-corn work, a very peculiar +formation resembling pop-corn after it has broken open, and in this part +of the cave it is quite plentiful. + +"We now descend another flight of stairs into Turtle Pass, where a large +turtle rests beside the path, and just beyond is the Confederate +Cross-roads, where the fissure is crossed by another forming a cross +with perfect right angles. The right hand passage is used for specimens +only; straight ahead leads to the Garden of Eden, the end of our +shortest route; we take the left hand path and journey through Summer +Avenue, some seventy feet in length, and reach the Scenes of Wiclow, a +large and high room, beautifully decorated with box work and pop-corn. +The ceiling and the left wall from floor to ceiling are fine box work. +On the right you see dark space, as a very large portion of this room is +unused, but we pass the Piper's Pig. List! The guide is pounding on the +Salvation Army Drum, a large projecting rock that on being struck with +the closed hand gives a sound very much like a bass drum. + +"After walking across a short plank we enter Kimball's Music Hall, a +very beautiful room settled between two crevices and lined with box +work. Viewing the ceiling from the fissure on the right it is seen to +be smooth and fringed with pop-corn. In some places the boxes are +closed, resembling finished honey-comb. Over head box work can be seen +as high as the light penetrates. On the whole, I think this is the +finest crevice in the explored cave. + +"Looking straight ahead you wonder how the party can travel over such a +road as presents itself to view, but the guide turns into an arch in the +right hand wall and enters Whitney Avenue. After walking across the +bridge over shadowy depths, our pathway lies for some fifty feet in one +of the most interesting ovens in the cave, at the end of which we enter +Monte Cristo's Palace by going down a flight of stairs. This room has +the greatest depth beneath the surface of any of the Fair Grounds' +Route, which is four hundred and fifty feet. In this room is noticed a +decided change in the box work, which is much heavier than any seen, or +that will be seen on this route, and the color is light blue. + +"I guess I will give the party a talk while we rest under Monte Cristo's +Diamonds, a very sparkling cluster, about six inches in diameter, of +silica crystals. + +"After studying the cave, it appears that it did not form in the same +manner as most others; on account of the absence of sink holes, the +regular arrangement of the chambers, the regular dip of the rock to the +south-east from five to ten degrees, and the regularity of the long +vertical fissures running north-west south-east. In fact, the whole cave +is made up of these fissures and it seems that the water has entered +narrow crevices opened by some eruptive force. + +"You see small holes eaten in the ceilings and walls in every direction, +which indicates that the water came from a higher level, and being under +great pressure, wanted passage out. It seems the cave was a reservoir +for a long time, then after the water stopped flowing in it slowly +receded, and in settling the overcharged waters covered the rocks and +specimens with a calcareous coating, very thin in the upper portions of +the cave and getting thicker the deeper you go, giving evidence as you +see, of slowly settling. Had the waters rushed out they would in all +probability have left the rocks uncoated as in all other caves, with one +exception, the Crystal Cave, some seventy-five miles to the north of +Wind Cave. + +"As we have some more caves to see we must journey on. + +"Taking one last look at Monte Cristo's Diamonds we pass into Milliner's +Avenue, a very pretty avenue indeed with nearly as many colors as a +milliner's show-window would present. About mid-way of this avenue we +cross the bridge over Castle Garden, a room in the eighth tier beneath +the surface. From this avenue we step into the Assembly Room. Here the +formations are covered with a gypsum crystal that sparkles with +wonderful brilliancy. On the right is a passage leading to the Masonic +Temple, a room that any body of Masons would be proud of could they hold +lodge meetings in it. The passage on the left is the terminus of the +Pearly Gates' Route, the longest developed route in the cave. After +moving along some distance we see the Bad Lands, and then come into the +Tennis Court. This room has the net in the ceiling and I suppose the +party can furnish the raquet (racket). On the right hand side of this +room there is tier upon tier of box work; looking to the left, you +shudder at the almost bottomless pit just beside the pathway. Here we +take a rest preparatory to climbing up to the Marble Quarry, a task of +two flights of stairs. This is a very large room and has the most uneven +floor, ceiling and walls of any that our visitors see, and is barren of +specimens excepting in the first part over the stairs where there is +some box work of very pretty structure and color. Some distance up the +path we see on one side the Ghost of 'She,' and on the other the Devil's +Punch Bowl, a large rock with a basin-shaped hole about thirty-six +inches across and sixteen inches deep, but lo! the bottom has been +broken out: which is very appropriate as South Dakota is at present a +prohibition state. A winding path is followed until attention is called +to the Sheep's Head above an arch over the passage, and the ceiling here +is of flint, the ledge of which is four inches thick. + +"Passing under the arch we enter Johnstone's Camp Ground, so named +because Paul Alexander Johnstone camped in this room while accomplishing +the third of his greatest mind-reading feats, during which he remained +in the cave seventy-two hours. He was locked in his room at the Evans +Hotel while a committee secreted the head of a gold pin in the cave. On +their return, after being blindfolded, he led them to the livery stable, +and securing a team drove to the cave and found the pin in the Standing +Rock Chamber, beyond the Pearly Gates, and then drove back to the city +still blindfolded. + +"Down one short flight of stairs and we are in the Waiting Room, so +called on account of persons waiting here while the rest of their party +finished the trip by climbing up the Alpine Way. This difficult climb +was made until the route was developed via the Marble Quarry. A steep +pathway and one flight of stairs now bring us to the Ticket Office, and +another short stairway leads into the room above, which is the Fair +Grounds. We enter the right wing, which measures two hundred and six +links in length and forty-nine in width at the narrowest place. We are +now in the third level and no box work is seen, but the ceiling (which +is low) shows many interesting fossils. The central dome is some fifty +feet in height, 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 +advantage. This is the largest part of the Fair Grounds and measures six +hundred and forty-five links long, exclusive of the right wing, and has +a width of fifty-three links, which with a number of wings added, makes +it one of the largest under-ground rooms within American caverns. + +"A great many visitors look at their cuff-buttons when told we have +twenty-five hundred rooms included in ninety-seven miles of passageways. +Of course they do not understand how we get the mileage. In going to the +Fair Grounds we travel about three miles. In each fissure there are +eight levels, which makes twenty-four miles of cave from the entrance to +the Fair Grounds. + +"Of the formations in the cave, the different kinds are on different +levels, the stalactites and stalagmites nearest the surface on the +second, the frost work on the third. This formation is in most instances +as colorless as snow. The mode of its formation is not thoroughly +understood, but is found in such positions as suggest its being formed +by vapors overcharged as spoken of about the water. It is almost always +on an over-hanging rock, over or near some fissure leading to a deeper +portion of the cave. Box work in this level is scattering and fragile: +in the fourth it is the prevailing formation: in the fifth it is heavier +and a little darker; in the sixth it varies in style and color, and +pop-corn appears, a queer formation resembling pop-corn ready to eat. It +is not so purely white here as in the lower levels, seventh and eighth. +In the seventh the box work is heavier than any seen on the Fair +Grounds' Route and the color is nearly blue, having a faded appearance. +In this tier is also found a good deal of mineral wool, which must not +be mistaken for asbestos. It sometimes attains a length of eighteen +inches and at one place where it seems to come out of a hole two inches +in diameter, and drops down like a grey beard, we have named it Noah's +Beard. + +"In the eighth tier we find very beautiful formations of carbonate of +lime, and the box work is decidedly blue, the boxes larger, and their +partitions one half inch thick. + +"We have been deeper than the eighth tier but in narrow crevices barely +admitting a man of average stature. In these the calcareous coating is +much thicker than in any higher portions of the cave, but very little +sign of box work is seen. + +"Sometimes we make a comparison between the cave and a sponge. 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 hand. Now take a sponge, four +miles square and five hundred feet deep with holes in proportion to the +little sponge, and you have an illustration of The Wonderful Wind Cave, +of Custer County, South Dakota." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +WIND CAVE CONTINUED. + + +PEARLY GATES AND BLUE GROTTO ROUTE. + +A very much longer, more beautiful, 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 fatigue, or possibly, some little danger. +With this object in view the Fair Grounds' Route is followed through +Monte Cristo's Palace and into Milliner's Avenue. Here we leave it by +dropping off the bridge into a rough hole, which proves to be a passage +descending into Castle Garden directly beneath the Avenue, and a room of +considerable size, plentifully supplied with bowlders. Although +interesting to visit, it has no points of such special merit as would +seem to require a detailed account, the main importance attaching to it +being the fact that it is the first portion of the eighth level visited. +A little beyond, however, is something quite new. The floor is covered +with a light yellow crust of calcite crystal, sufficiently strong to +bear the weight of a limited number of guests without much fracture. It +generally gives a hollow sound when struck, which is easily accounted +for as there are small holes noticed by which steam evidently made its +escape, and through these cavities can be seen but they are shallow. One +place shows the crust broken up and with the edges of the pieces +overlapped, like ice broken by a sudden rise of back-water, and in this +position they have been firmly cemented. + +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 +dry. That the crust was formed on top of the water, instead of beneath +its surface, has been proved by the only body of water now standing in +the cave. This is called Silent Lake, and being situated on another +route will be described in its proper place, but when discovered no +water was visible nor its presence even suspected until the crust gave +way under the weight of an explorer. The thin sheet of yellow calcite +crystal thus broken was the same as that seen in great abundance in the +now perfectly dry eighth level. The gradually decreasing volume of water +has left a smooth yellow coat on portions of the walls where +irregularities or slopes were favorable, and at least one such place is +vividly remembered if once seen. A steep incline of about fifteen feet +leads to a small oval hole through the wall; towards this we crawled +with no great ease; but getting to the hole was far easier than going +through it into a tiny cubby not high enough to sit comfortably upright +in, and too small to permit an average sized human being to turn around. +Close on the left it is shut in by another wall pierced by two holes +similar to that just passed, and each revealing a miniature chamber +scarcely more than three feet in either direction and eighteen inches +high. Being directed to examine the ceiling of the first, it was done +with some difficulty and much satisfaction, for there in the center was +a most exquisite bit of art work, a circular disk of "drusy" quartz +about twelve inches in diameter and having the appearance of a flat +rosette of fine black lace, in open pattern with small diamonds thickly +strung on every thread; a brilliant, sparkling mass of gems. After Mr. +McDonald had carefully removed a geode from the other little chamber, he +slid down into a fourth, the last of the diminutive suite, having +sufficient height to allow a sitting posture with raised head, and +opened the small jewel case, while I examined the place it came from. +Here all was calcite crystal heavily massed in various forms, and a +harmony of blue and brown, with half a dozen round, unbroken, perfect +geodes hanging from the ceiling like oriole nests. The geode taken +proved on opening to be especially fine, being filled with pearly white +calcite crystals of both the dog-tooth and nail-head forms, and was +kindly presented to be added to the collection of cave specimens already +purchased in town, to which were also added handsome pieces of "drusy" +quartz, cave coral, and tufa and mineral wool. + +Following the guide I now slipped down into the larger nook just +vacated, and saw with considerable chagrin that the next step was down a +perpendicular wall more than ten feet in height, facing a high, narrow +fissure, the floor of which was merely two shelves sloping to an open +space along the middle, almost two feet wide, with the darkness of +continuing crevice below. Further progress seemed absolutely impossible. +All things are, however, possible to those who will, and it had been +willed to pay a visit to the grandest portion of Wind Cave. In order to +do so the descent must be made and was. Then some little distance must +be traveled along the crevice, but the angle of elevation taken by both +sides of the bisected floor served as a sort of prohibitory tax together +with the calcite paving, since to maintain an upright position on such a +surface would require long training of a certain professional character. +That difficulty, too, was overcome by placing a foot on either side of +the open crevice; the first consideration, of course, being safety and +not grace. + +We now came to the enjoyment of the reward of merit. Flooded with the +brilliant white light of magnesium ribbon, the crevice walls could be +seen drawing together at a height of sixty-five feet, and both composed +entirely of larger box work than any seen before and very heavily +covered with calcite crystal, colored a bright electric blue and glowing +with a pearly lustre. This is the Centennial Gallery, and leaving it +with reluctance we passed on into the Blue Grotto to find it finer +still. It is somewhat wider and higher, while even the extremely rough, +uneven floor shows no spot bare of heavy box work of a yet deeper blue. + +The wonderful beauty of this Blue Grotto necessarily stands beyond +comparison because in all the known world there is nothing like it. The +forms of crystal are chiefly aragonite. + +From here we pass to the "Chamber de Norcutt," which would be considered +a very handsome room if it had no superiors: and the same can be said of +Union College, in which, however, is the Fan Rock to claim special +notice; an immense piece of fallen box work shaped like a lady's fan +half opened. + +An imposing vestibule leads into the extensive but rather dreary +Catacombs, from which we crawled through a little hole into the M.W.A. +Hall, emerging at the top of a steep but not high slope covered with the +smooth yellow crust of calcite encountered at other places, and in +trying to make a dexterous turn so as to go down feet first, the +descent was accomplished with uncalculated suddenness and an unsought +but liberal collection of bruises. This, however, was not a happening of +the unexpected and could have no attention amid scenes of wonder and +beauty, and we were close to the Geysers. From a scientific point of +view this is the most important portion of the cave, for here is an +indisputable proof that the water in the cave was hot and that it was +subject to geyser action. The surrounding region is covered with the +crust already described, and at the top of a gentle elevation is thrown +up in the unmistakable form of geyser cones; there being two near +together on the surface described, with a third visible through one of +these on a slightly lower level, this one being a new discovery, as it +had escaped observation until we called attention to it. + +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 +greatness, 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 life. When the water finally became so reduced even here that +the steam could no longer force it through, or to these latest vents, +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 down, which it resembles. In the pure, still atmosphere of the +eighth level, almost five hundred feet beneath the entrance, this silent +proof of ancient action will endure for the admiration and instruction +of many generations yet to come. Few mortals will ever be honored with +memorials so lasting or so convincing of vanished power. + +Proceeding on the journey the next chamber is the A.O.U.W. Hall, a +large, irregular room, by the rise of which a return to the seventh +level is accomplished; and the next entered is the Tabernacle, not at +all resembling the last, although a similar description would be +correct. + +Now is reached what many consider the cave's greatest charm, The Pearly +Gates. And marvelously beautiful it certainly is. + +Approaching by a slightly lower level, we see a gateway opening between +large rocks that light up with the soft lustre and varied tints of +mammoth pearls. A wonderful effect is produced by the white calcite +crystal spread in unequal thickness over the dark surface of the +encrusted rocks. Just without the gate is a short but not golden +stairway leading to it, and immediately within is the Saint's Rest, a +chamber of moderate size beautified by another great rock on which are +combined the warm, pearly glow of calcite and the cold glitter of frost +by the later addition of lime carbonate vapor-crystals to the calcium +carbonate aragonite. + +Next beyond is the chamber containing the Standing Rock behind which Mr. +Johnstone made his famous discovery of the concealed pin-head. It is an +immense great fallen rock on whose dark surface are scattered +transparent flake-like crystals of satin spar, resembling the congealed +drops of a summer shower. The mind-reader entered the chamber by the way +we shall leave it. + +Returning to the spot from which the Pearly Gates were first viewed, we +stand facing the most beautiful of this imposing group of brilliant +scenes, The Mermaid's Resort. This is a small cove with wave marks in +the white beach sand, above which rises a projecting, sheltering cliff +as purely white as freshly fallen snow, with a fine deposit of frost +work in thick moss-like patterns two and three inches deep. + +This crystalline mass, so white and fragile, has to perfection the +appearance of hoar-frost about a steam-vent in extremely cold weather, +and was, no doubt, formed in a somewhat similar manner. It is +crystallized carbonate of lime, and could have been deposited in such +extremely delicate forms only by the heavily charged vapors rising from +hot water. 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 +water, with all other conditions the same; nor is it news that a portion +of the solid substance is carried off in the rising steam. Now the +geyser cones, so recently visited on the next lower level, prove both +the heat of the water and its heavy charge of solids, which gave it a +far more intense heat than pure water could have equaled, and this in +turn drove the steam to greater distances than otherwise it would have +reached. When cooled to such a point as to be reduced to a light vapor, +its movement was checked by various walls, projections, and ceiling as +were in its upward path, and these received the minute particles of +burden, while the somewhat brisk motion of the atmosphere, occasioned at +these points by the mixing of that of higher temperature from below with +the lower from above, is responsible for the dainty and varied forms +assumed by the fragile structure. + +Once more resuming the journey, we admire the rugged charms of +University Heights, a somewhat larger and higher room than the next, St. +Dominic's Chamber, but perhaps not more interesting than the Council +Chamber, which besides other attractions is to some extent also a +Statuary Hall. From the Council Chamber the Alpine Way leads up into the +Fair Grounds directly above. This Alpine Way is a sort of cork-screw +twisting through the rocks, not unlike a badly walled well, assisted at +the lowest portion by a short and nearly perpendicular ladder. Next is +the Assembly Room, or Crown Chamber, as it is also called on account of +a handsome crown conspicuously placed. 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 skill. + +Leaving this room we re-enter Milliner's Avenue and soon cross the +bridge from which, a few hours ago, we descended into the eighth level +by way of Castle Garden; and now the return to the surface is by the +route followed before, and we arrive there at last terribly weary, but +more than well pleased. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +WIND CAVE CONCLUDED. + + +GARDEN OF EDEN, THE GLACIER, AND ICE PALACE. + +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 above. + +There being but the single entrance, a repetition of the worn and +ancient statement that all roads lead to Rome, means that many journeys +may be taken in Wind Cave, but all must have the same beginning. + +In the tourist season the guides have not time during the day to bring +out specimens to supply the demand, so on this account night trips are +of frequent occurrence; and on these occasions the number of persons in +all that vast space seldom exceeds half a dozen, but their voices and +laughter, and the blows of their hammers, can be heard at greater +distances than would seem possible, and give an agreeable sense of +companionship; yet the voice does not travel by any means so far as in +other caves. + +The evening we were to make the long trip just mentioned, our guide +being ready before any others had gone in, we started the advance on the +ninety-seven miles of enclosed, unoccupied space and had almost reached +the level of the Bridal Chamber when he remembered a forgotten and +necessary roll of magnesium ribbon, for which it was needful to return +to the office in the upper building. I sat down on the lowest step of +the great stairway to wait, and for a very short time was entirely alone +in the largest cavern in the world, excepting the Mammoth Cave of +Kentucky. + +The unexpected experience seemed suddenly to become one of the great +events of a lifetime, and was unmarred by the disturbing apprehensions +of any possible danger. The entire absence of sound was indescribably +awe-inspiring as + + "Strata overleaping strata from the center to the crust, + Rose, Alp-high, in molten silence, as the dead rise from the dust;" + +but the feeling of complete isolation from the living world would not +require an unlimited time to merit the one word--horrible. Even some +peril with ample companionship would be more agreeable, while it is a +curious fact that the combination of companionship with silence is +charming. On the occasion of one visit to the cave it was painful to +observe the actual suffering of a lover of quiet, from the +good-natured, but heedless, chatter of two of the party. + +Presently steps on the stairs broke the stillness, a glimmer of light +pierced the intense darkness that surrounded the circle of one candle, +and the upper world seemed not so far away. + +The interrupted journey was resumed, the route being that already +described as far as the Confederate Cross Roads, where, this time, we go +straight on in the main fissure instead of turning into the +cross-crevice, as was done before. + +We were overtaken by the specimen party and recognized the three +laughing young girls only by their voices, as in full suits of overalls +and white duck caps, they looked like boys. Those who reside near the +large caves have overcome their objection to this costume, as it gives +much greater freedom and ease of movement, besides being a decided +economy. Feminine garments are so easily destroyed, but for artistic +effect the substitute cannot conscientiously be recommended. + +Beyond the Cross Roads the first chamber is Breckinridge Gallery, a +long, rambling hall in which are combined the attractions already passed +and those yet to come, but having no striking feature predominating to +give special character other than the grandeur of extreme roughness, +which is also the quality most observed on passing into the Stone +Quarry, where great accumulations of blocks seem waiting preparation for +shipment. + +The next "open country" is protected from public trespass by the Garden +Wall, which appears to have been well built in the long ago by masons +properly trained in their craft, and extends, at a uniform height, to +the Fallen Flats, where the floor is covered with slabs of enormous size +that have fallen from the ceiling since water occupation ceased, as is +clearly shown by the sharp edges and surfaces entirely unworn. + +The journey now becomes more interesting as the Cliff-Climbers' Delight +is reached, and we go steadily up the long nights of stairs until +visions of St. Peter begin to rise and we wonder which way the key will +turn. 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 rock. + +Arrived at the top limits of the stairs the ascent is by no means +finished, but continues through three large chambers known as Five +Points, the Omaha Bee Office--named by one of the staff of that well +known journal--and the W.C.T.U. Hall, dedicated to the service of the +organization by one of its workers. + +[Illustration: Top of Glacier. Page 155.] + +At last the upward journey is ended at the Silent Lake in the first, or +highest, level. This, as has already been observed, is the only body of +water now standing in the cave, and is not more than ten feet long by +six in width and twelve inches deep. The scanty volume is maintained by +the very limited inflow of acidulated percolating water which reaches +the small receiving basin charged with calcium carbonate; and being +cold, 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 motion. + +Rising above the Silent Lake is the Glacier, its moist surface +suggesting that the lake is fed by a slight thaw, while the +perpendicular front at the water's edge gives the impression of a berg +having recently broken off and floated away. + +The Glacier flows between two high walls of dark rock, and the steep +incline of perhaps seventy feet, covered with a smooth deposit of +calcite and shining with moisture, has the appearance of ice and is as +uninviting for a climb. The top is connected with the roof above by a +group of short, and for this region, heavy columns of dripstone, the +oldest formation of that character in the cave. + +An occasional overflow of the lake passes out to one side, then turns +and goes under the Glacier where its first few feet of descent are +called the Pearl Beds, where a variety of water-polished pebbles are +being coated over and cemented together with calcite crystal. + +From the Glacier down to the lowest level of the cave by another route +than that taken for the ascent, there is abundant evidence that at one +time this portion of the cave was subject to excessively violent +activity, and if studied with a view to the penetration of the principle +of geyser action, offers many interesting and valuable suggestions that +can be added to and expanded into definite theories in connection with +the balance of the cave; all important requirements are clearly shown. + +At a short distance from the Glacier is a small circular dome, called +the Picture Gallery, which evidently was shaped by water forced up from +below. The descent from here takes us into the St. Louis Tunnel, a long +rough passage leading down into the great Cathedral, by the still +descending irregularities of which we finally reach the Garden of Eden, +the objective point of a favorite tourist route, but usually approached +from the opposite direction. It is a large chamber of very irregular +shape, with an extremely uneven ceiling, dipping nearly to the floor and +rising suddenly to distant heights, while every portion of all the +varied surfaces glitters with a mass of frost work in every form it is +known to have assumed; the banks of orange buds in different stages of +expansion being exceptionally handsome. A portion of this wonderful room +especially admired is Cupid's Alcove, where the frost is tinged with a +pinkish flush from the brilliant paint clay captured in minute particles +by the vapors. The whole room is a marvel of loveliness, but +unfortunately visitors have wrought such noticeable damage that wire +screening must be placed before the general admittance of large parties +can be resumed. + +Passing out and down to a lower level, by way of Jacob's Well, we find +the source of that magnificent abundance of frost work to be in the +Chamber of Forbidden Fruit, where a yellow calcite floor-crust indicates +the surface level of water diminishing in volume by evaporation long +after the upward flow had forever ceased, and from which the rising +vapor ascended to decorate the Garden of Eden, just described. But since +this water completely disappeared, leaving in evidence only the +record-bearing crust, a percolating drip has prepared indisputable proof +of the remote distance of that time by depositing on the crust great +clusters of luscious fruits, chiefly cherries, which appear to have been +carelessly tossed down in heaps, but are firmly fixed in place. + +The onward journey continues up and down through Beacon Heights, a large +chamber which imitates Rocky Mountain scenery and terminates at the +Corkscrew Path which, as the name indicates, 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 cave, and shows the most +violent water-action. The plunging torrent rushed on from here to tear +out the heavy rock and form the next chamber, known as Dante's Inferno, +whence, its force being divided, it went more gently in various +directions. And by one of these passages we now re-enter the main route +of travel once more, and finally return to the face of the earth, +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 trip, or the perfection of fragile +loveliness formed and preserved as by special miracles in the Garden of +Eden. + +One peculiarity of this great journey was that the box work, so abundant +in other portions of the cave, was here conspicuously absent. + + +THE CRYSTAL PALACE. + +Another route in Wind Cave is that to the Crystal Palace which, although +the shortest, is the one most seldom taken by visitors, because of a +certain amount of difficulty and discomfort being unavoidable. Only a +portion of the great stairway below the entrance is descended, when we +abandon it and climb into a hole in the side-wall of the narrow passage, +from which point to the end of the trip our feet prove to be merely +encumbrances. + +The space crawled into and through widens sufficiently in several places +to form chambers of good size, but the height of the ceiling is nowhere +more than three feet and most of it only two or even less. The rough +rock floor is partly carpeted with patches of loose moist clay, which is +the means of our becoming as grimy as tramps, and its source is readily +accounted for by an examination of the ceiling. This is easily made +while resting one skinned elbow at the expense of the other. The word +"abraded" is inadequate where anything approaching real cave study is +attempted. + +The box work of the ceiling has almost entirely lost its +crystallization, and is as ready to crumble as the enclosed clay, which +is still retained because it had not yet reached the necessary point of +deterioration to be carried out before the great volume of water, +required for that service, retired from this high level of the cave. + +When finally reached, the Crystal Palace proved worthy of the effort, +its decoration being entirely of dripstone and very beautiful, although +on too small a scale to be compared with similar work in many caves: it +is merely an attractive "extra" in Wind Cave, and not one of the +important attractions that give the Cave the rank that may have a few +equals but no superiors. + +The first room is scarcely more than twelve feet in either direction and +not quite six feet high. The glassy ceiling is thickly studded with +small stalactites from two to eighteen inches in length, and mostly of +the hollow "pipe stem" variety, from which the surplus drip rests in +white masses on the clean floor around a central bowl of good clear +water. + +Down the middle of the wall directly opposite the entrance a rushing +little white cascade has congealed, and on either side just under the +ceiling is a hollowed-out nook closely set with short stalactites and +small columns, all pure white. + +Near by but not connected is another room too well filled to permit an +entrance, but a portion of the wall having been carried out a +satisfactory view is not denied. Here the floor rises to within three +feet of the ceiling, and the deposit is much heavier, so that many fine +columns rise from bases that spread and meet or overlap. If the cave had +no greater claim to notice than these small drip rooms, it would still +be worthy of a visit. + +The effort to secure flash-light pictures could only be considered +successful because there are none better to be had. + +The atmosphere of Wind Cave is marvelously fresh and pure, and possesses +in a high degree the invigorating quality which in most caves renders +unusual exertion not only possible, but agreeable as well. In all the +chambers and passages there is little change in the quality of the air, +and thorough tests with a standard thermometer showed the variations on +the different levels, from the highest to the lowest, to be about 2 deg.; +but on different days the range was from 45 deg. to 52 deg. This curious +state of affairs some one else will have to explain. + +The only forms of life ever found in Wind Cave are a small fly and the +mountain rat. + +While visiting the cave, every one connected with it was most kind and +obliging, especially in showing those beautiful and difficult portions +that few visitors are so fortunate as to see. While this is very far +from being a complete description even of the parts visited, it will +serve to show what a truly grand cavern is located at the south end of +the Black Hills. + +The elevation at Hot Springs is three thousand, four hundred feet, and +that of the entrance to the cave is four thousand and forty feet. A +source of disappointment in connection with Wind Cave is that its fine +scenery cannot be effectively pictured. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE ONYX CAVES. + + +Northwest of Hot Springs there is a group of three onyx caves, the +distance to them being estimated at from seven to ten miles, if the +party does not get lost, which is the usual fate of those who dispense +with the service of a driver familiar with the country. In going, the +longer way, over the hill-tops, claims a preference on account of +distant views with a favorable light. When the Onyx Cave Ranch is +reached its scenery is found to be charming, with an ideal log house +overlooking the canon, and itself overlooked by the rising slope of the +wooded hill. The entrance to the cave is in the opposite wall of the +canon, and is covered by a small cabin, at the door of which the view +demands a pause for admiration; then the party disappears down a narrow, +rough, sloping passage of sufficient height for comfort to none but know +the value of comparative degrees. It soon appeared, however, that +personal comfort would travel only a short distance. The mud increased +with every step, and in its midst was a small hole through which it was +necessary to pass to the next lower level. This hole being so small and +its walls slanting, the only way to accomplish the first half of the +descent was to sit down in the mud and slide, stopping half way to +examine a fine ledge of beautiful striped onyx, white and a brownish +pink, the first outcrop in the cave, but in the next level it is seen in +rich abundance and variety; the colors being red, black and white, brown +in several shades and pure white. All are handsome and of commercial +quality and hardness; and just above them is a ledge of fine blue +marble. + +The next chamber is called the Bad Lands, on account of a certain +resemblance to that desolate region. The way into it is through the +Devil's Corkscrew, a most uninviting passage because it stands on end +and is about twelve feet deep with circular, perpendicular walls +discouragingly free of prominent irregularities; but careful study +reveals a few available crags and rough edges, by which the descent is +made. Fortunately the party decreased in size just within the entrance. +Climbing up into a hole in the wall of this room, with no little +difficulty, the Aerial Lake is the reward of a breathless upward +struggle, and a satisfying one. The Lake is very small, but under its +clear surface can be seen numerous growing deposits of calcite, while +the roof of onyx gleams with a mass of small white stalactites. + +Returning again to the main route and traveling to the end of a short +passage we beheld the entrance to Red Hall, a piece of rope ladder +dangling half way down a perpendicular wall, the other half having no +help whatever. The way was clear so far as the length of the ladder, and +with trust in the future soon learned in cave work that distance was at +once passed, and sitting on the very narrow ledge to cogitate on the +possibility of further progress, Mr. Sidey solved the problem by +suggesting, rather doubtfully, that the easiest way would be to drop off +and allow him to interrupt the fall. This method had twice proved the +only means of advance in Wind Cave and can be termed rapid transit. The +walls of Red Hall are of stratified limestone variegated with patches of +red rock, and clay of the same gay hue. It is the highest chamber in the +cave and probably the largest. A hole in the wall at the floor level, +near the entrance to the passage beyond, gives a glimpse of the cave +river flowing on a slightly lower level, not over two feet below the +floor we stand on. The water is said to have a depth of fifteen feet, +and a rock thrown in gave back the sound of a splash into water not +shallow. Entering the passage already referred to, its dimensions +decreased to a crawl and then to a squeeze, so that most of its length +was taken in a very humble position, 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 privilege. +Even a muddy passage ends in time, and at last we gained a standing +point and after a short climb were in Fairies' Palace, a marvel of +dainty beauty, and worthy of the distasteful trip just taken. We stood +in a narrow passage that divided the small chamber like the central +aisle of a cathedral, above which the white roof formed a Gothic arch +from which depended countless little stalactites and draperies, while on +either side, six feet above the passage, was a floor of onyx supporting +exquisite columns of which the highest are not more than three feet. +Only a short distance from the Fairies' Palace is the almost equally +beautiful Ethereal Hall, and connecting the two I had the pleasure to +discover a small arched passage more beautiful than either. + +[Illustration: Fairies' Palace. Page 165.] + +Although much of the cave was still not visited, the long drive to town +demanded a return to the surface, but several stops were made on the way +to admire masses of onyx and groups of curious forms in deposits of that +fine stone. One high, crooked chimney above the Corkscrew is especially +fine and correspondingly difficult for a grown person weighted down with +garments dripping mud and water; but Kimball Stone, our boy friend, +scampered up like a squirrel. + +Two of the Onyx Caves had not been seen at all and Mr. Sidey expressed +special regret on account of the latest discovery as no woman had ever +yet entered it; but the sun was low in the west and the road had some +dangerous points that must be passed before dark, so the reeking skirt +was removed and without waiting to dry by the great fire kindled for the +purpose we hurried off, promising to return if possible, and carrying +treasures in specimens, besides an ancient lemon, which may not be +called a fossil, since soft substances are said not to fossilize; but +however that may be, 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 +conditions, and supported an abundant animal life of tropical nature and +habits. + +Soon after leaving the ranch, we descended by a sort of goat-trail-road +into a grandly beautiful canon, along the bed of which the road +continues until it flows out as the water did in ages gone. By this time +it had become quite dark, and the chill of the northwest night formed a +combination with saturated clothing that cannot be highly recommended as +a pleasure; but the natural chivalry which prompted our young escort to +insist on lending his own coat, and his evident disappointment that the +sacrifice was not allowed, afforded a pleasure that will continue. + + +THE WHITE ONYX CAVE. + +A few days later it was convenient to return to the Onyx Cave ranch with +the special object of entering the newest cave, which could be done with +the assistance of seventy feet of rope. While necessary preparations +were pending, a walk up the canon was proposed. At a distance of perhaps +a quarter of a mile above Onyx Cave evidence was seen of a very +remarkable form of ancient life. It is not the usual few bones but is a +cast in the rock of the canon bed of an animal clothed in its flesh. The +appearance of the head, neck, body and wings is preserved, but the tail +and four limbs have been carried away by eroding waters which even now +have not quite forsaken the canon. The containing stratum is not seen in +the canon wall, and near the lower end of the canon a fine white +sandstone crops out beneath. We ask: "Was the canon cut to its full +depth while yet a Cretaceous sea was depositing beach-sand, and did the +earliest horse, with wings, appear at the close of that period? Or, did +an animal with fore limbs developed, retain its wings into Miocene time +and leave record of its life in an arm of the Tertiary lake?" The body +is that of a horse with wings attached to the shoulders. The head is +unlike that of a modern horse, being much shorter and more rounded, but +the parted lips give a glimpse of the teeth of a young horse. If only +the feet could be found, I feel assured they would prove that the +three-toed horse of ancient time, so abundantly in evidence throughout +this region, was possessed of wings and in some way furnished the idea +of Pegasus. + +A few feet further down the canon are a pair of twisted wings that show +the animal to have perished in company with its mate, while trying to +escape from a sudden flood that rushed down the canon like a moving +wall. + +After some uneasy discussion about the means of entering the new cave, +it was finally decided that the available rope was too short and not of +sufficient strength. This was, of course, a disappointment but not a +surprise, as a very peculiar quality in the rope used to enter caves of +this kind had come to notice before. The peculiarity is, that a rope +entirely above suspicion for the safety of a two hundred pound man, at +once weakens and must be condemned when threatened with one hundred +pounds of woman's weight, yet there is an implied compliment hidden +somewhere about this protective system that tends to reduce the sting of +disappointment. + +So it was agreed to spend the afternoon in the White Onyx Cave, which is +generally spoken of simply as the Upper Cave because it occupies a +higher level than the Onyx Cave already described, and is supposed to be +an extension of the same although no connecting passage has been +discovered. + +The accompanying friend had not been costumed for caving, but was +persuaded to accept a full suit of overalls, which needed the addition +of a pick and pipe to make the picture perfect. Unfortunately a snap +shot failed. + +The entrance is in a perpendicular portion of the canon wall, but a +narrow path that starts some distance away and appears in eminent danger +of falling off, makes most of the ascent comparatively easy; and the +balance is completed by a short ladder whose rounds dip toward the canon +bed in a rather alarming manner, but this only proves the folly of +giving too much heed to appearances, for it is strong and firmly +fastened to the rocks. + +Just within the entrance there is height sufficient for standing, but +the roof descends suddenly and the walls come near together, reducing +the passage to a crawl, and showing that in past times water poured in +at this opening and not out as might be supposed. The first chamber +entered is the Crystal Gallery, but it is so nearly filled with great +masses of pure white onyx no standing room remains. Drops of water on +portions of the onyx ceiling here are the only moisture remaining in +this cave. When Mac's[5] head came in contact with the roof he called to +the guide: "See here, little boy, you ought to sing out 'low bridge' at +that sort o' places, 'cause when I'm busy hunting a spot to set my foot +in, I can't see what my head's coming to, and I like to mined a lot o' +this rock with it." + +Slowly, and with no danger and less comfort, we creep over, 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 deposited, but +where numerous mountain rats have evidently been at home for many years, +if we may judge from the enormous quantity of pine needles with which +they have carpeted the floor. The walls show small box work crumbling to +dust, and Ray climbed high into the chimney-like opening above our +heads, but reported that it ended suddenly and had no attractions to +offer. + +Coming out, the way was somewhat varied, but more difficult, as the +passages through the onyx beds were more irregular and more nearly +closed; Onyx Hall being only a fair specimen of the marvelous results +achieved here by the persistent regularity of an uninterrupted but slow +drip, continued through hundreds of years. + +[Illustration: White Onyx Masses. Page 170.] + +[Illustration: Looking out of White Onyx Cave. Page 171.] + +It is surprising that in all these heavy beds there is no line or +tint, or slightest trace of color anywhere, while the other Onyx Cave, +so near as to suggest connection, has a gorgeous variety of rich +coloring. + +The view looking out from the entrance of White Onyx Cave is wonderfully +fine, and equally so whether the rain falls or the sun shines, a timely +shower giving us an opportunity to enjoy both. + +Before leaving the ranch, a promise was made by Mr. Sidey to write a +short description of the other cave, which he kindly did, and it is here +given. He says: + +"In trailing a deer I came across a hole on top of a long divide. On +throwing a rock down the opening, I could hear it rattling against the +walls until the sounds gradually died away, but there seemed to be no +bottom to the hole, and I resolved to come again prepared and make +explorations. After the snow had gone my twelve-year-old son, Ray, and +I, mounted on our trusty horses, Bonnie and Dee, equipped with ropes, +candles, hammers and a pocketful of matches, set out to explore the new +cave. It was a beautiful, bright spring morning, and after an hour's +hard climbing over fallen timber and rocks, we reached the summit of the +mountain. A search of half an hour revealed the opening which was barely +large enough to allow me to pass through. + +"Fastening our ropes securely to a stout log rolled across the chasm, we +began to pay it out, and although we did not feel it touch bottom, I +started down to explore, the length of the rope at least. As I descended +I found the opening gradually widened out to eight or ten feet, a sort +of inverted funnel-shaped hole with irregular wall but smooth and +affording little footing. As I neared the bottom I saw the end of the +rope was within four feet of it, so I landed on terra firma and called +to Ray, 'All right, come down!' + +"Lighting our candles we found ourselves standing on a mound of pure +onyx, and on looking around could see we were in an immense cavern, +whose walls sparkled and glittered as if studded with diamonds. Going +down twenty feet we found a smooth-floored room that measured three +hundred feet in length, twenty five feet in width, and thirty feet in +height. The walls were solid white onyx lined or banded with pink and +golden stripes. The ceiling was arched, and draped in fantastic shapes, +and hung with stalactites innumerable. The room was so large and the +drapery and festooning so delicate and beautiful, that we were filled +with awe and could not speak for a time. + +"At last we started to further explore this wonderland. On going to the +farther end of the room we found a passage leading on. This we followed +for a hundred feet and found the whole cavern lined with onyx and +crystals clear as glass. After loading up with specimens we retraced our +steps and on reaching the large room we had first entered we heard a +roaring, rumbling noise. An awful noise truly, which filled us with an +unknown dread. + +"On approaching the entrance we saw a stream of water pouring down, +completely filling the hole. + +"For a moment we felt like rats caught in a trap, our only way of egress +occupied by a stream of water falling straight down seventy feet, and +then we wondered how long it would take to fill up the room. + +"Suddenly the thought that there might be an outlet for the water gave +us new hope, so we went to see and sure enough we found a natural +water-course down through an opening we had overlooked. We gathered up +courage once more, and thought the best thing would be something to +occupy our time. So we set to work getting out more specimens and in a +couple of hours the water stopped running and we were ourselves once +more. + +"Ray grasped the rope, which was soaking wet, and went up the seventy +feet, hand over hand, like a cat. I, being heavier, found it quite +different from going down. The rope played whip-cracker with me for some +time and before reaching the top I was covered with bruises. But +daylight never appeared so beautiful before. + +"Here we found the cause of so much water. A cloud-burst had occurred on +the Divide and a large portion of it had poured down the passage way to +the cave. + +"We found our horses patiently waiting for us and night closing in. +Mounting we rode rapidly home, resolved never to venture into this cave +again without leaving some one at the entrance to give warning in case +of danger. + +"John F. Sidey." + +The first specimen taken out was given to us on our first visit to the +ranch, and is pure white with a stripe of brilliant golden yellow. +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 color, and considering the hopeful promise of future +possibilities, to call it The Rainbow Cave. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[5] Colored driver. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +CRYSTAL CAVE. + + +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 itself. This is Crystal Cave. It is nine miles from +Piedmont in the eastern edge of the Hills, and easily visited from that +point by way of the narrow-gauge road, which winds along the natural +curves of the beautiful Elk Creek canon, whose walls are said to expose +a depth of almost a mile of geological strata, although the exposure at +any one point does not exceed three hundred feet. + +The disappointment of not having seen this cave during the summer visit +to the Hills grew as the weeks passed, and a request that the owner +should send a description was answered with an assurance that it was +impossible. Therefore, on Friday, November 13th, 1896, with a small +nephew, Herbert A. Owen, Jr., for company, the trip was undertaken a +second time to complete the unfinished mission. + +The first glimpse of the Hills is at Edgemont in the early morning, but +the train makes its way to the north through the heart of the uplift, +twisting about the curves of the hills and clinging to the sides of a +beautiful canon whose high walls give way here and there to fine slopes +densely covered with forests of pine and spruce. These look black in the +distance and suggested the name of Black Hills to the Indians, who +always have a reason for the names they give even to their children. + +There are great tracts where fire has killed part or all of the timber +but left much of it standing, while in other places nature has defied +the power of fire and the hills are re-clothed with young trees. A +recent storm had further beautified the region with a few inches of +snow, but as the day advanced a chinook began to blow so that when +Deadwood was reached, soon after noon, only the northern exposures +retained an appearance of winter. + +Deadwood is a most peculiar little city and very attractive in its +peculiarity, being crowded snugly into a depression between a number of +steep pine-wooded hills, which gives an appearance suggestive of a +bird's nest securely located among the forks of a branching tree, and as +is the case in a nest, business is chiefly transacted at the lowest +depth of the enclosure. As the busy center of a great gold-mining +region, the metropolis of the Hills, and the outgrowth of an exciting +historical past, it claims and receives interesting attention. And while +the whole Black Hills region is still distinctly a man's country, it +is called woman's paradise, and surely nowhere else are the daughters of +Eve received with a more gracious courtesy or surrounded by an equally +unobtrusive protecting care. + +[Illustration: Approaching Deadwood. Page 176.] + +The streets leading up to the residences lack very little of standing on +end, and the houses appear to have been hung in place by means of hooks +and wire cord like pictures on a wall. The smelter has no reception day +but admits visitors as if their pleasure were a guarantee of profit. + +The finest scenery in the Hills is said to be that of the Spearfish +Canon, north of Deadwood, and the finest of that at the Falls, but this +may be doubtful as other points are very beautiful, especially where the +Burlington & Missouri Road requires a distance of seven miles to climb +the canon wall. + +Piedmont being the nearest town to Crystal Cave, we took the early +evening train on the Elk Horn Road and soon were located, and shocked to +learn that the proprietor of the cave had started several days before to +drive to Wind Cave for specimens. The cave was closed and no one there. +The trip had been taken for the one purpose of exploring Crystal Cave, +and a letter sent in advance to announce our coming, but the train +carrying it was an hour late so he drove off without the mail. + +There seemed at first nothing to be done but take the next returning +train, which, under the circumstances, was objectionable. A night's rest +and a telegram that had to be sent twelve miles by special messenger, +improved the situation. The proprietor was unavoidably detained at Wind +Cave, but secured a reliable guide, expressed me the cave keys, and has +since married the "specimen" he had gone in quest of. May great +happiness dwell at the cave many years! + +The morning of the third day after our arrival found arrangements all +complete, and soon after the train left Piedmont it entered Elk Creek +Canon, which is always beautiful, 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 frost. The trees on +distant hills that ordinarily are black, were, for once, all softly +white, and when the tall pines in the canon were shaken by a breeze, +they cast a shower of flakes like snow. + +Here the canon walls are in Carboniferous Limestone with a pleasing +variety of color in the strata, and the erosion-carving not overdone, +the most notable piece being the Knife-blade. This, at first view, +appears to be a high, round tower, but the train following the curve, +reveals the fact that it is not a tower, but a thin, curved +knife-blade. The sun just for one instant shone through a rift in the +clouds, and added special charm to the scene. + +[Illustration: The Knife-Blade. Page 178.] + +A short distance beyond is Crystal Cave station, where the guide was +waiting to take us in charge. He is an intelligent young man who has +served an enlistment term in the army, is recently married, very +obliging, and proud of being trustworthy. + +The scenery here is most beautiful as well as grand. The canon makes a +sharp turn toward the south, and on the north opens out into another +canon of even greater beauty and higher walls, the perpendicular being +three hundred feet in places. Crystal Cave is in the hill embraced by +the junction curve. The natural entrance is more than two hundred feet +above the canon bed and was naturally approached from above. A short +walk up the north canon, whose name has unfortunately slipped away, was +over ice and snow the chinook had failed to reach, and brought us to a +long stairway against the wall, which affords a more direct approach +than nature gave and is a fair test of physical perfection. + +Finally a resting place is reached where the grandeur of the view can be +enjoyed; and then a shorter stairway completes the ascent of the wall, +but not of the hill, so there is still a considerable upward walk +through the forest of tall pines all carpeted with brilliant mats of +kinnikinic with its shining leaves, glowing in shades of green and red, +trying to rival the bright scarlet berries. The kinnikinic here +resembles the wintergreen of the east, while in the mountains in +Colorado it grows in the form of a shrub two to three feet in height, +but with no variation in the leaf or berry. + +At last perserverance is rewarded with a view of the cave buildings and +the summit of the hill rising yet higher beyond, and tall, straight +pines swaying in the rising wind over all. + +One of the two houses was entered and preparations quickly made for +entering the cave, the artificial tunnel entrance being only a little +distance further on. + +The door was unlocked, candle-sticks taken from a shelf within, candles +from the guide's supply lighted, and we went forward at last, into +Crystal Cave. At the end of the new tunnel, a second door was passed +through, which is locked on the inside during the visiting season by the +last guide to enter, in order that no chance late arrival may enter +alone and be lost. + +The first room is a small one at the junction of the natural and +artificial entrances, from which we go upstairs to the Resting Room, in +the highest level of the cave, and perfectly dry but otherwise of no +special interest. After a short rest here we went down stairs at the +side opposite that on which we entered, into a passage leading to the +cave's first beauty, the Red Room. As the name indicates, the walls are +vividly colored and represent the uncertain line which separates the +Carboniferous strata from the Triassic rocks. The color is handsomely +brought out here in contrast with masses of calcite crystal, so as to +present by the combination a charmingly beautiful room, from which we +retired, feet first, down a "squeeze" to the Bridal Chamber, where we +found ourselves perched on an irregular narrow ledge, high up on the +wall, and cherishing a private conviction that exploration had met a +checkmate; but the guide reached the floor and my nephew, Herbert, +scrambled down with as much ease as the chipmunk he had chased to the +house top a while before; so a little application settled the difficulty +and re-united the party. The room is an artistic study in red, 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 +effected; this, however, is an observation not based on official +information. + +Off to one side of this room is Lost Man's Paradise, also in red and +crystal, named in honor of the timely rescue of one who had faced the +possibility of becoming a lost soul. + +Another Fat Man's Misery, on a lower level, leads from the Bridal +Chamber to the Big Dome, a large room with a fine dome-shaped ceiling +from which heavy masses of crystals have fallen to the floor; and down a +steep incline from here is Reef Rock, an immense fallen rock with box +work on the under side, which at one time served to ornament the +ceiling; and now this rock marks the beginning of Poverty Flat, a broad, +low passage of great extent, that has been robbed of all its wonderful +treasure of crystal and ends in a steep, rough declivity named Bunker +Hill by the guides who dreaded to mount it when going out loaded with +specimens. At the foot of the Hill is a bowlder of enormous size and +with a pointed top, known as Pyramid Rock and giving the same name to +the large room in which it stands. + +Every portion of Crystal Cave has at one time been heavily crusted with +calcite crystals, mainly of the dog-tooth variety, and any barren places +are so either because the surface has been removed for specimens, or +thrown down by the violence of an earthquake. But where the latter has +been the cause of removal, the crystals have in most cases been renewed, +which is amply evidenced by the fallen masses being crystallized on all +sides; and these as well as most of the walls, are not covered thinly +with one crust, but layer has been added to layer until the thickness +is four to ten inches and often more. The ceilings that have been +denuded by nature's forces during the same early period when water +filled the cave were also renewed. + +From the Pyramid Room a narrow fissure forms a passage to the Cactus +Chamber, where there is a marvelous floor on which the crystals are in +bunches like cacti, and the beautiful ceiling is the finest and most +irregular unbroken mass of crystal yet seen. + +Passing through a round hole known as the Needle's Eye, we enter +Statuary Hall, where the latest inrush of water has eroded the sharp +points from the crystals, leaving only smooth surfaces, and at the same +time done much curious carving, the most conspicuous pieces of this work +being a bear and the heads of an Indian and his baby. + +Out from the Hall are two important routes, one down the steep incline +of Beaver's Slide to The Catacombs, and another, which we followed +first, is through Rocky Run, a rough and rocky pass, to a large and +handsomely crystallized chamber called the I.X.L. Room, on account of +those three letters, over twelve inches in height, being distinctly and +conspicuously worked in crystal on a magnificent piece of box work that +would weigh nearly half a ton, for which an offer of five hundred +dollars is said to have been refused. + +The next chamber beyond is Tilotson Hall, very large and extremely +rough, and named in honor of a teacher from the Normal School, who +delivered an address here that gave much pleasure to both visitors and +guides. + +The way to farther advance is now more difficult and through a jagged +crevice of threatening appearance, but the trip is made in safety and +with comparative ease, and brings us into Notre Dame, one of the largest +chambers in the cave and perhaps the finest, although where so much is +fine that may be uncertain. The display of box work and crystal is +sufficiently gorgeous to do honor to the famous old cathedral of France, +the ceiling especially being a masterpiece of the builder's and +decorator's arts; but the grandest portion, which a visitor recently +returned from foreign travel called The Russian Castle, on account of +the magnificence of the large box work and pearly crystal masses, should +rather be known as the great cathedral's crowning glory, The Altar. + +Another large room, the handsome Council Chamber, is entered just as +that Altar of pearl is lost to view; and from there an up-hill trip is +taken through a narrow crevice to Whale Flat, which is the natural +history room, with a large whale as the show specimen. + +Going out from here we enter another crevice which serves as a steep +stairway descending to a lower level, and measures from top to bottom +one hundred and eighteen feet. This is called Rip Van Winkle's Stairway, +and although merely a high and crooked crack in the rock, is very +beautiful because heavily coated with crystal, the effect being +especially striking at the top where the crystal is partly worn away and +leaves exposed patches of red rock. + +At the foot of the Stairway is the first room containing water, and is +called the Gypsy Camp. It is the most charming chamber yet visited, with +not the smallest spot of plain or common rock visible. The ceiling, +walls, floor, and groups of fallen rocks, are all unbroken masses of +pearly calcite in crystals of varied sizes, with here and there a patch +coated over with pure white carbonate of lime, or supporting a bunch of +fragile egg-shell, which is a thin, hollow crust of lime carbonate, +almost invariably having the pointed form of the dog-tooth spar. And +there are also beautiful mats and banks of dainty white carbonate +flowers. While waiting here for the guide to go in quest of the lunch we +had carelessly left behind, the time was utilized in measuring the room, +which is a small one. The size of the cave and our limited time for +seeing it, prevented much-desired measurements from being taken in all +parts of the cave. + +This room was found to be forty-eight feet long, the irregular width +varied from fourteen to thirty feet and the height from four and +one-half to ten feet. The crystal water basin is especially beautiful +and the water so clear that we stood looking into it with +disappointment, being thirsty and thinking it dry, until the guide +laughingly dipped and offered a cupful. The basin is the segment of a +circle rounding beneath a massive, overhanging crystal ledge of +wonderful beauty, and is nine feet long by two in width. This room and +the Stairway into it are alone worthy of a visit, but there is much that +is finer still. + +Out of Gypsy Camp by way of Gunny Sack Crawl, so named by the workmen +who spread gunny sacks to relieve the torture of crawling over the +beautiful floor of sharp crystals, we enter the first chamber, where +active operation is still maintained and certain branches of the great +decorative industry of the cave may be carefully studied. This operative +chamber, which is unnamed, would no doubt be called a factory in the +east, but in its own locality would more likely be referred to as The +Works. + +The next chamber entered is Crystal Flat, whose floor is completely +covered with immense crystal blocks, and the wonderful crystal ceiling +is exceedingly fine. But time being limited we must pass on into the +Lake Room, where is Crystal Lake, the largest body of water in the cave. +It is about thirty feet long by fifteen wide and its greatest depth +is said to be ten feet. The water is cold and clear, and the gold fish +introduced as an experiment three years ago are said to have grown +rapidly but not yet turned white, and are not known to have become +blind. + +[Illustration: The Bridal Veil. Page 187.] + +At some little distance from Crystal Lake, and not within the same range +of vision, although in the same room, is Dry Lake, which to the surprise +of the guide we found to be not dry, but full of limpid water through +which we could distinctly see the delicate clusters of crystals it is +depositing. They are of a pale honey yellow and are called Gum-drops on +account of the resemblance to that variety of confection. + +The name Dry Lake was given because in blasting out a passage a +misdirected shot went through the bottom of the Lake, which in +consequence was soon drained; but the heavily charged water has sealed +up the unfortunate break, and resumed its interrupted work. The ceiling +drops to a height of little more than three feet directly above the Lake +margin, and is a beautiful crystal mass, which at a little distance down +the sloping floor appears as the background for a fine piece of cave +statuary called The Bridal Veil, and formed of cream-tinted dripstone. +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 feet. The figure itself is three feet ten inches +in height and stands on an almost flat circular base of the same +material, that measures nine inches in depth and two feet eight inches +in diameter. At times the water rises sufficiently to cover the base, in +proof of which it left a fringe-like border of small sharp crystals, +such as could be formed only beneath the water's surface. Most of this +border has, unfortunately, been chiseled off for specimens, but will be +renewed in time if left undisturbed; and that condition can easily be +secured with a few feet of wire netting. + +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 difficult. This alcove is +about twenty-five feet in either direction, with a sloping floor almost +covered with stalagmitic growths above the earlier deposit of sharp +crystals, and many of these rise in slender columns to the glass-like +ceiling, which varies in height from three to six feet and is thickly +studded with small stalactites of both varieties--the pointed, solid +form, and those of uniform size, which are always hollow like a pipe +stem. The central ornament is the Chimes, a musical group of stalactites +which is scarcely more beautiful than Cleopatra's Needle, at a +distance of a few feet to one side, a transparent column four feet +in height and having an average circumference of seventeen inches. + +[Illustration: The Chimes. Page 188.] + +[Illustration: The Needle. Page 188.] + +[Illustration: Tower of Babel. Page 189.] + +The Abode of the Fairies is a similar, though smaller room, with The +Tower of Babel for a handsome show-piece. While this portion of the cave +is extremely attractive, 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 itself, but in conjunction with the +miles of calc-spar that give the cave a character distinctly its own, it +well repays all attention. + +Leaving Lake Room we enter a newly opened, long, dry passage to Slab +Room, where a comparatively recent earthquake has shaken down the +ornamental ceiling and spread it in great slabs over the floor; and +having since remained perfectly dry it has the appearance of being the +work of yesterday. This room is remembered as the one in which a party +of workers were lost, 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 out, it was only right that he should be +the first victim to satisfy their hunger. A rescuing party with +extinguished candles was listening behind a rock to the blood-curdling +speech, and came forward to restore cheerfulness. + +A long, irregular, frosty looking crevice called Jack Frost Streak, +conducts us from Slab Room and ends at Mold Ladder, on which we pause to +admire a wonderful growth of snow-white cave vegetation, before +ascending into Santa Claus' Pass, the longest passage in the cave. It is +a rough crevice named from the fact of being discovered on Christmas +Eve, and ends at the Government Room on the main tourist route where a +U.S. pack saddle and apparently portable bath tub are conspicuous. + +Next beyond is a very large room named New Zealand, on account or its +icy appearance and the undisputed possession of a seal. This room in +turn opens into Mold Chamber, where an old board platform, formerly used +for the display of specimens, has fostered the most marvelously +beautiful growth of mold: it hangs in ropes five and six feet long, with +tasseled ends, and in broad, looped draperies; but is most beautiful +where it has taken possession of the rocks and spreads out on the flat +surface like large open fans, with deep, soft feather borders. + +Having been in the cave eight hours, 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 door; but the child surprised him by quietly stepping +down and then asking why he wished it, only to be told "because we are +coming too." Which we did and found ourselves in the main entrance +passage, 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 dark. + +The guide locked the cave, walked with us to the house where he lighted +a lamp and left us to prepare for the return to town; but the lamp, +belonging to a bachelor, was empty, so we made our preparations in +imitation of the blind. On the guide's return he lighted a candle, but +suggested that twenty minutes were generally allowed for reaching the +station. + +The house was accordingly closed and as we walked down the long, curving +slope to the stairway, 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 stock. It attacks and bites horses or +cattle, and after waiting for the fatal poison inflicted to take effect, +falls to and eats the victim. + +The uncovered platform which serves as a station being reached a few +minutes before the train arrived, I expressed an unwillingness to detain +our guide longer on account of his having a walk of four and a half +miles to his home; but he declined to consider the subject; saying he +had been directed not to leave us until we were taken safely on the +train, which came sweeping round the curve on time and stopped for us. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +CRYSTAL CAVE CONCLUDED. + + +According to agreement the guide again met us at the station on the +following morning, for another day in the cave, which we entered with no +unnecessary loss of time, and hurrying through the main entrance +passage, Government Room and Statuary Hall, went down Beaver Slide, +which, on the previous day, we had passed to enter Rocky Run. Our +descent into the crevice took us past those portions known as Suspension +Bridge and Rebecca's Well, and over some very "rough country" to the +most wonderful parts of the cave. Numerous passages open out in various +directions; one to rooms of frost work of great beauty; another to the +Ribbon Room where the drip deposits on the walls are in ribbon-like +stripes of red, yellow, and white, while others yet are ways to the +Catacombs. And it is the Catacombs we particularly wish to see, as they +most perfectly represent the individual character of the cave and have, +as yet, received no injury from either time or man; but is a region as +difficult to travel as the way of the transgressor, and many miles can +be traversed with no prospect of coming to the end. But where locomotion +is so slow and painful, the owner of a pedometer would find that +instrument a discouraging companion and soon learn better than to +consult its record publicly. + +The Catacombs are a series of connected fissures and small crevices in +which every inch of exposed surface is covered with clear, translucent, +almost transparent, calcite crystals, neither coated with lime nor +stained with clay; nor even is the pearly lustre dimmed with the +slightest trace of dust. The crystals are very sharp and of all sizes, +ranging from half an inch to three and a half inches in length, the +larger sizes being conspicuously abundant. The entire region is an +enormously large, perfectly formed, and undamaged geode. In reality, the +whole cave is a great cluster of connected geodes, and a similar work +probably does not exist, but if it does, has never been discovered. The +fissures from which it is formed were opened by volcanic violence and +then enlarged, and afterwards decorated by the varied power of water, in +action or repose. + +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 Northwest, the waters necessarily +became heavily charged with the naturally resulting carbonic acid gas, +and this, acting on the limestone rocks, would decompose them, leaving a +residual clay and taking the chief portions of the mineral components in +solution, to be afterwards deposited according to circumstances and +conditions; and these are indicated by the various results found in Wind +Cave, Crystal Cave, the Onyx Caves and the Bad Lands. The latter being +previous to that time by no means "bad," but richly luxuriant in +tropical vegetation, which gave shelter from the heat to great numbers +of curious animals. + +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 outside, as otherwise they would have +been buried beneath the fallen masses of crystal covered rock with which +the entire floor is cumbered. 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 times. + +In the beautiful Catacombs progress is as slow as in a cactus thicket or +a blackberry patch. The crevices lack none of the usual crevice +irregularities; high places must be mounted or descended, chasms crossed +and narrow passages crawled through, while extra caution must be +exercised to avoid striking the head or making a misstep that might +result in a fall. The hands are in constant use and soon become so +sensitive that holding a soft handkerchief gives infinite relief; but +the worst experience is the "crawls" where only the soles of the feet, +being temporarily turned up, seem safe from the savage treatment of the +sharp calcite dog-teeth. 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 first. Fortunately it was short. But in no place do +the difficulties outweigh the pleasure of beholding scenes of such +beauty, or suggest regret for the time, torn garments, and personal +exertion required for its enjoyment. + +In many portions of the cave the surface layer of crystals has had the +points worn away by the action of water, later than that in which they +were formed; but in the Catacombs and other extensive regions as well, +the finished work of crystallization is preserved in an absolutely +perfect condition. And everywhere the largest crystals are on the under +side of a projection or the roof of a cavity. + +As the day was passing far too rapidly and many points of special +interest yet remained unseen, we turned with reluctance from the beauty +and relief from the hardships of exploration in the Catacombs, and made +our way over a crevice into Santa Claus' Pass, which was traversed for +a considerable distance and then abandoned for a low crawl terminating +at the Senate Chamber. This is a large room extending to Poverty Flat, +and is brilliantly red and purely white, most of the crystal presenting +a smooth surface. Under the Senate Chamber there is said to be some fine +box work which we had no time to visit. The name of this chamber was +given by a visiting party composed of members of both houses of +Congress. A smaller room, which is really an extension of the Senate +Chamber, has handsome walls of white and red box work on account of +which the same distinguished party called it the Senate Post-office. + +From here a difficult crawl, through red rock, well-worn by the action +of water, leads to the Starr Chamber, another large room in white and +red, and named by Senator Starr of South Dakota. + +Opening out from the last room is a curious, dangerous looking, narrow, +crevice-chamber known as Suicide Room on account of the threatening +appearance of over-hanging rocks, some of which have at times fallen in +great masses of various sizes to form an irregular floor; and a descent +of this is necessary in order to reach a short and extremely rough +crawl, beautifully and painfully decorated with sharp crystals above and +below and on the sides. From this we emerge into Rainy Chamber, an +elliptical room not less than two hundred feet long by one hundred feet +wide, with a tent-like ceiling rising high in the center and sloping +down to meet the floor, which also slopes irregularly toward a deep +central depression, giving the room a greater height than any other +visited. The high points are generally seen in the narrow crevices, +while the rooms of generous length and breadth are usually low, many of +the largest having an average of five feet or even less. + +Although there is frequent intersection of crevices, and each chamber +has passages leading out on every side, the general direction of the +cave is said to be northwest-southeast. + +Rainy Chamber is named from the fact that during the early months of +summer water falls constantly in the form of a light shower; but it +drips at all times, 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 perplexing. This is the +pop-corn, 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 drippings. Here in Rainy Chamber it is fully +explained. Near the center of the room the fallen masses are heavily +crystallized, much of the groundwork being fine box work and the +crystals in perfect condition. On these crystals the pop-corn is being +formed, and specimens can be seen in all stages of development, from the +beginning to an approximate degree of finish; and whatever the position +it occupies on the receiving surface, either on top, underneath, or on a +side exposure, it always maintains the same relative position as growing +plants on the mundane sphere. The water falling on the upper surface in +scattering drops forms myriads of minute stalagmites; on side positions +the falling drop first strikes the point exposed to its line of descent +and then spreads. The scant moisture slowly makes its way down sloping +sides and shelving edges, leaving on each small irregularity a tiny +portion of its volume, to deposit an infinitely small charge of solid +substance, and the balance finally hangs in moisture less than drops on +the growing grains of the under surface. + +Pop-corn, therefore, is the globular aragonite of the stalagmitic +variety. A small specimen from Rainy Chamber, placed beside one of the +same color from Wind Cave, shows them to be absolutely alike. + +Rainy Chamber is the room in which the bones of the three-toed horse, +already referred to, were found, but their presence has not yet been +explained; therefore the case is open to conjecture and several +theories may be advanced and their values considered. The first question +when such a discovery is made, is whether the living animal was possibly +a cave-dweller; which, as the horse was not, is quickly disposed of and +attention turned to the next, 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 undisturbed. This theory is equally +unavailable by reason of the topographical features presented. If the +present natural entrance to the cave were the only way into this room +from the outside, the distance was too great and beset with many +difficulties; 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 horse. But if at that period the room had direct +communication with the outside through an opening since closed, the +shape of the walls indicate that it must have been a pot-hole in the +roof, and through this an animal could have entered by falling, which +the horse and others may have done. 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 period, when the erosion of +the Hills was most active. + +Rainy Chamber also contains a large and beautiful assortment of the +small polished and coated pebbles called cave pearls. + +The guide being anxious that we should not fail to see the Niagara Room, +we now turned toward a low, broad opening in the wall, a short distance +to the right of the entrance, where the rising floor and descending +ceiling, failing to meet, had overlapped; so we made our way up a steep, +smooth bank, and then down on the other side over a broken, rocky +surface for a distance of about twenty feet, when the roof at last +joined the floor and two small water-worn holes at the point of junction +revealed an untempting passage within. The broader of these holes was +three feet, but too low to be considered an entrance; the other was +round but certainly not so large as our guide, who was preparing to +enter it with doubts of his ability to make the trip, on account of +having increased in size since his one entrance there, on which occasion +two smaller guides pulled him through the tightest places. Carefully +comparing his size with that of the hole he sat beside, there was no +possibility of doubt that if the attempt were made he would stick fast, +and that would place our little party in dire straits. Consequently I +insisted that it should not be, but he was unwilling that Niagara should +be missed when so near. Finally I positively refused to go unless he +would consent to give us instructions and remain where he was while we +went without him, to which he at last yielded with extreme +unwillingness. He had frequently shown us the guide's marks, and now +earnestly cautioned me to advance only as they point, and turn back if +they should fail. + +The small nephew went on a reconnoitering expedition to the end of the +passage, and reported that the jump-off there was higher than himself +but he could get down. I now crawled through the hole and found the +passage to be a "crawl" or rather a "sprawl," from fifteen to eighteen +inches high, but having an ample width varying from three to six feet. +The smooth, straight floor has a steep downward inclination and is +thickly covered with dust. + +Having reached the widest portion, which is near the end, Herbert +directed me to turn, so as to come down the jump-off feet first, where +there was a little difficulty in landing, as the perpendicular wall, +which proved to be almost five feet high, offered only one projecting +help, and that within a few inches of the base; but in obedience to his +advice to "reach one foot a little farther down and then drop," I +advanced the right one, to be told not that, but the other, and was soon +down where it was possible to observe with interest that the right foot +had been swinging above an open fissure. We stood in a wide crevice +running at right angles to the obnoxious passage we had just quit, and +immediately found a guide's mark on a large rock, and others followed at +intervals of a few feet over extremely "rough country" as the guides +say. Everywhere the work of water was apparent, not in the crystal +deposits of still water as in other portions of the cave, but the +erosion due to its rushing through. Carefully following the marks, they +led into a cross-crevice that took us under Rainy Chamber, and ends +there by widening into a circular chamber of about fifty feet width in +either direction, and rising to a height of nearly fifty feet in a fine +dome. 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 lines, +as if from refraction. The fall is, of course, dripstone, and I knew we +had found Niagara, although we had gone beyond the reach of the guide's +voice almost at the start. A huge rock directly under the dome has +received the falling drip until it represents a mountain cataract. These +deposits testify to the great age of the chamber they adorn, as they +were necessarily not commenced until all heavy flow ceased, and in +Crystal Cave the accumulation of dripstone is so slow that it is said +six years' observation can detect no increase whatever. + +Several small passages at the floor level gave exit to the great volume +of water that evidently at one time entered this crevice, from Rainy +Chamber, by the route we followed, and being checked in its course the +lower end of the crevice became filled, under pressure; and the low +position of the outlets gave this water a whirling motion that in time +excavated the dome-shaped room. + +No part of Crystal Cave has ever been occupied by a river, but its +fissures, opened by the violence of earth movements accompanying nearby +volcanic disturbances, have been filled more than once by the inrush of +waters which repeatedly submerged the whole Black Hills region. + +Following again the marks which guided us into Niagara Room, we soon +came within hailing distance of a voice expressive of profound relief; +and as we crawled up the sloping passage, over-heated and breathless +with the exertion, the guide assured us he was most truly thankful to +see us again, 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 match. + +He also said I had been where no lady had ever gone before, and took +satisfaction in the fact that many men have refused to make the venture +with a guide. + +Leaving this portion of the cave, by returning as we came, through +Suicide Room, Starr Chamber, and Senate Chamber, we crawled along the +rocks overhanging a narrow fissure, to reach a ladder at the end, by +which we descended to another part of the Catacombs. Here, after +traveling a long distance over uneven floors covered with sharp +crystals, as were all surfaces, through large, low rooms, and narrow, +crooked passages, constantly assisting the difficult advance with our +hands, like monkeys, we finally came to The Grotto, which is probably +the most remarkable room in this very remarkable cave. It is a large +room, with much of the irregular ceiling so low that even the small +nephew struck his head severely while turning to warn me, as he often +did, of threatening inequalities in the floor and light them with his +own candle. The crystals here are exceptionally fine, being very sharp +and of unusual size, besides many of them being double--that is, pointed +at both ends. Through this beautiful ceiling there is a percolating drip +adding stalactites to the crystal-points and piling stalagmites on the +crystal masses below, varying this with imitation cascades, mats of +small flowers, and masses of pop-corn. Off to one side in a kind of +recess there is a depression in the crystal floor filled with clear, +cold water. + +A glance at the time now showed us to be in danger of failure to meet +the train to town, and consequently, tired as we were after nine hours +of rough travel and much climbing, it was necessary to make our way out +with more speed than comfort, and we found the weather turning very +cold. The cave was carefully locked, preparations for the train +hurriedly made, the house closed, and as we left it the train could be +heard coming down the canon, but we arrived at the station first, though +breathless, and a few minutes later were in Piedmont, too tired to +properly enjoy a hot venison supper. + +As to the size of Crystal Cave, it is impossible to make any positive +statement; for as Mr. McBride, the proprietor, says, no survey has yet +been made. Other persons said that thirty-six miles is the greatest +claim made for the combined length of all passages, and sixteen miles +the least, so it may be wise to accept the lesser number until a survey +proves it wrong. + +The box work in Crystal Cave is not of such great abundance as to demand +special attention, but is very beautiful, and one variety deserves +particular mention. These boxes have been formed in dark red sandstone, +and after being emptied of their original contents, have been completely +filled with colorless calcite crystals, 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 waters. +A specimen of this was a temptation too great to be resisted even in the +owner's absence. + +Some of the box work is of such size that a single box may have a +capacity equal to that of a bushel measure, but it is less beautiful +than the smaller forms. + +On the following morning we left Piedmont, and having a desire for +greater personal knowledge of the Hills, took the same train which had +taken us to the cave, and traveled to its western terminus, Lead City. +The interesting scenery makes this a desirable trip for any one visiting +the Hills, but its beauty is chiefly massed at the ends, the middle +distance being over gradually rising ground, which is without a +counterpart of the rocky canon left behind or more than a suggestion of +the high hills yet to come. The special charm of this portion was the +magnificent pine forest which covered it until three years ago, when it +was swept by a terrible fire, from which the settlers escaped with only +their lives; and even that would have been impossible if the railroad +company had not kept refuge trains waiting for them just ahead of the +flames. The prominent geological feature here is the porphyry dikes, +which are becoming more numerous and more prominent, and in many places +resemble a conspicuous group near Harney Peak, called The Needles. These +dykes are of special interest in connection with a study of the caves, +since they are probably of simultaneous origin. + +The same volcanic movements that caused the violent upheaval of the +whole region, and thrust up molten masses through the strata to form a +central core to the Hills, must also have rent the nearby regions with +fissures through which probably much gas escaped, and having been +further opened and then adorned, now demand our attention as caves of +unique and curious beauty. + +The approach to Lead is over the hill-tops with a magnificent distant +view, and the first glimpses of that young city famous for having as a +center the Homestake mine, the largest gold mine in the world, are +charming. It is situated far down in a valley among the high hills and +spreads some distance up the surrounding slopes. + +The works of the great mine are wonderful, and visitors welcome to +examine whatever they find interesting; any questions they wish to ask +are graciously answered, although every one is busy. This is not a +special favor to the exceptional few, but the courtesy shown to all. +Visitors are also welcome to descend into the mine, but as an attendant +is necessary on account of dangers to be avoided, a permit must be +obtained at the office. + +Several other caves have been discovered in the Black Hills, the largest +of which is the Davenport Cave at Sturgis. Very little exploration has +yet been done in it, but indications are said to be that it will take +rank among the large ones. + +At Galena, a new mining town of golden promise, there is reported to be +an Ice Cave, where ice forms at all seasons, and during the warm weather +is a source of comfort and pleasure to the miners. + +In the evening, as train time for continuing the homeward journey +approached, the snow storm which began gently early in the afternoon, +grew steadily more severe. A carriage to the depot was not to be had, as +every vehicle in town had gone to the funeral of an old-timer in the +Hills and the return delayed by the storm. The situation could not be +regarded as a special pleasure, but cave hunters learn to accept +whatever is and be thankful for the general average. At the last moment, +however, a team was driven up and permission given us to make use of it. +It proved to be the private conveyance of the hotel proprietor, and the +young boy who accompanied us, his son. + +Our train was on time, and the ride through the Hills to their southern +limit, in the falling snow, was wonderfully beautiful; but the storm +continued for many days and was one of the most severe on record. + +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 regions, might find a tour of the Hills doubly +interesting by making a supplementary study of "The Living Age," which +cannot be so correctly viewed from a distance as is sometimes supposed, +since the specimens exhibited are not always a true average of the +strata they are supposed to represent. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +CONCLUSION. + + +After a visit to the marvelous caverns of the Black Hills, much may be +added to the pleasure already enjoyed, through the explanatory activity +of the Yellowstone National Park, where even the wonderful combinations +of beauty and grandeur are by no means the full measure of attraction +and charm. Here is found evidence to verify theories concerning the +caves, and those theories in turn contribute in no small degree to a +satisfactory understanding of the mysteries of geyser action. For +scientific study the two regions should be taken together, since the +natural conditions are practically the same, and the chief difference +lies in the stages of development; the present of the Park explaining +the recent past of the Hills, while the present of the Hills foretells +the future of the Park. It seems that Nature, with a full appreciation +of the limits and restrictions binding our powers to penetrate certain +secrets of an intermittent force, has in this great western country +carefully prepared what might quite properly be termed a progressive +course of study, wherein each locality makes plain a special point that +somewhere else appears obscure. + +As has been said in the preceding chapters, 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 States. Although there is every +indication that both these caves have been subject to the action of +enormous volumes of water, there is equally positive evidence that +neither was ever the scene of a flowing cave-river. The lowest levels in +both show the narrowest fissures and the heaviest deposits of crystal, +by which we infer that the water was held in confinement here, while all +the higher passages or channels bear witness to the water's flow. But +many of these channels in Crystal Cave, or indeed we might say, most of +them, present an unmistakable record of the gauge of the water stage at +different periods. During the earlier time, when the volume of water and +consequent pressure were greatest, frictional motion must have been +limited to the main channel connecting with the vent, and the high gauge +of water maintained a fairly uniform degree of heat near its surface. In +consequence of these conditions geyser action, probably, was constant, +and chemical activity was such that great chambers were formed and then +decorated, as already described, with wonderful masses of crystal. As +the water gauge receded to lower levels the higher chambers became +storage basins for water and steam forced up by the pressure from below, +and the time required for these to fill and accumulate sufficient +pressure to continue the ejectment, formed the periods between eruptions +after the geyser became intermittent. It was during this stage that the +sharp crystals in many of the channels, now called passages, were worn +down to smooth surfaces; and later, when water occupied only the lowest +level, and the great geyser had become reduced to merely a steam vent, +the channels immediately connecting with that level were in their turn +subjected to the same smoothing process, and then all action ceased. + +As no two of the glorious geysers of the Yellowstone Park are alike, +neither do the two great caves of the Hills indicate that they should be +so. The vent-tubing of each is quite unlike that of the other in all the +essential governing points of length, size, shape, angle of inclination +and power-conserving bends. And the differences extend in an almost +equally marked degree throughout the vast and complicated succession of +storage chambers and their connecting channels. The small vent of Wind +Cave shows that the ejected jet was far from being equal to that of the +Crystal Cave in volume; but the nearly perpendicular long arm of its +tube shows also that its jet attained a much greater height, even +supposing that it should be necessary to make some allowance for a short +elbow at the top. + +Dr. Hayden's geological party gave much attention to the Yellowstone +Park while its wonders were new to the world, and observations were made +at various times during the period included between the years 1869 and +1870. The special study, and full report of the geysers became the duty +of Dr. A.C. Peal, whose descriptions and conclusions were published in +U.S. Geological Survey Report, 1878, Part II. In the final pages of his +report he quotes the leading authorities on geyser action, and applies +the principles of their theories, according to his own judgment, to the +geysers of the park. Since copies of this report are not now easily +obtained, nor even always accessible to the increasing number of +personages who visit the park, it may be well to quote from him some of +the theories he discussed and the opinions he expressed. On page 416, +beginning the chapter with the derivation of the word geyser from the +Icelandic word _geysa_--to gush, he continues: + +"We now come to the definition of a geyser. It may be defined to be a +periodically eruptive or intermittent _hot_ spring, from which the water +is projected into the air in a fountain-like column. 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 lava. We have italicized the word hot in the definition just +given, because springs containing a large amount of gas may simulate +geysers. + +"The difference between geysers and ordinary hot springs is not readily +explained, nor even always recognized. The difference between a quiet +thermal spring and a geyser in active eruption is very marked, but +between the two there is every grade of action. Some geysers appear as +quiet springs, as for instance the Grand Geyser during its period of +quiescence. Others might easily be mistaken for constantly boiling +springs, as in the case of the Giant Geyser, in which the water is +constantly in active ebullition. This is true also of the Strockr of +Iceland. Many of the springs, therefore, that in the Yellowstone Park +have been classed as constantly boiling springs may be unsuspected +geysers. The Excelsior Geyser was not discovered to be a geyser until +eight years after the setting aside of the park. Almost all constantly +boiling springs have periods of increased activity, and those which +spurt a few feet into the air have been classed as pseudo-geysers. + +"It has been noticed that geysers occur where the intensity of volcanic +action is decreasing. In the neighborhood of active volcanoes, such as +Vesuvius, the temperature appears to be too high, and the vapor escapes +as steam from what are called stufas. When the rocks at the surface are +more cooled the water comes forth in liquid form. + +"We will now pass to the various geyser theories that have been proposed +by different writers." + +Dr. Peal then proceeds to give the theories of Sir J. Herschell and Sir +George McKenzie, but as they are accepted and extended by others, we may +pass on to Bischof's, of which Dr. Peal says: "Very similar to +McKenzie's theory is the one adopted by Bischof in his Researches on the +Internal Heat of the Globe (pages 227, 228). It is really the theory of +Krug Von Nidda, who examined the geyser in 1833. Bischof says: + +"'He (Krug Von Nidda) takes it for granted that these hot springs derive +their temperature from the aqueous vapors rising from below. 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 depths; +hence the constant ebullition of the permanent springs and their boiling +heat. If, on the other hand, the vapors be prevented by the complicated +windings of its channels from rising to the surface; if, for example, +they be arrested in caverns, the temperature in the upper layers of +water must necessarily become reduced, because a large quantity of it is +lost by evaporation at the surface, which cannot be replaced from below. +And any circulation of the layers of water at different temperatures, by +reason of their unequal specific gravities, seems to be very much +interrupted by the narrowness and sinuousity of the passage. The +intermitting springs of Iceland are probably caused by the existence of +caverns, in which the vapor is retained by the pressure of the column of +water in the channel which leads to the surface. Here this vapor +collects, 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 it. The violent escape of the vapor causes the +thunder-like subterranean sound and the trembling of the earth which +precedes each eruption. The vapors do not appear at the surface until +they have heated the water to their own temperature. + +"'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 +water, tranquility is restored, and this lasts until such a quantity of +vapor is again collected as to produce a fresh eruption. The spouting of +the spring is therefore repeated at intervals, depending on the +capacity of the cavern, the height of the column of water, and the heat +generated below.'" Dr. Peal continues: + +"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 follows: + +"'The two distinct classes of eruption in the geyser which we have +already mentioned seem to be attributable to two different cavities. A +small cavity fills quicker, and, therefore, empties itself more +frequently; a larger one fills slower, empties itself seldomer, but with +greater violence.'" + +Bunsen's theory is the next considered and is somewhat similar to +Bischof's but with notable differences. After taking temperatures at +different points in the Geyser tube his first conclusions are that: + +(1) The temperature in the geyser tube increases as we descend. + +(2) 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 +subjected, but the temperature depends on the time that has elapsed +since the last eruption. As a great eruption comes near it approaches +the boiling point. + +(3) 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 least. + +The main point of his theory appears to be that an eruption takes place +when the water in the tube reaches the boiling point, and to account for +it, "He supposes that the column in the central tube communicates by a +long and sinuous channel with some space, be it what it may, which is +subjected to the action of the direct source of subterranean heat. The +temperature gets raised above the boiling point, due to the pressure, +and a sudden generation of steam is the result. This steam rises in the +column of water, which, being cooler, causes it to condense. Gradually +the heat of the water is raised until the water of the channel must +boil, and the steam therefore cannot condense, but must accumulate and +acquire a gradually increasing tension. The condensation of the bubbles +possesses a periodic character, and to this is due the uplifting of the +water in what Bunsen calls conical water hills, which are accompanied by +the subterranean explosions." + +Prof. Comstock is quoted as thinking "Bunsen's theory has not yet been +proved adequate to explain the more prominent features of geyser +eruptions. Nor does it, in his opinion, account for all the differences +between geysers and hot springs, and he proposes a structural +hypothesis which combines Bischof's and Bunsen's theories." + +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 curve, and he explains that the water collecting in the depressed +curve should confine the steam, rising from the reservoir in the other +curve until the pressure is sufficient to cause an eruption. His theory +of action being that the water in the reservoir remains in equilibrium +at a certain level, and the constant heat fills the space above with +vapor, which heats the water held in the downward bend of the tube, and +that also evolves vapor which fills the balance of the tube to the vent. +When the combined pressure of this vapor and water are overcome by the +expansion of vapor accumulated above the reservoir, they are forced out, +and followed by a portion of the water of the reservoir. This theory is +in the report of Captain Jones on Northwestern Wyoming. + +The last theory cited by Dr. Peal is that of S. Baring-Gould, "Who +visited the Iceland geysers in 1863, and thinks that a bent tube is +sufficient to explain the action of the Great Geyser. He took an iron +tube and bent it in an angle of 110 deg., keeping one arm half the length +of the other. He filled the tube with water and placed the short arm in +the fire. For a moment the surface of the liquid remained quiet, and then +the pipe began to quiver; a slight overflow took place, without any sign +of ebullition, and then suddenly, with a throb, the whole column was +forced high into the air. With a tube, the long arm of which measured +two feet and the bore of which was three-eighths of an inch, he sent a +jet to the height of eighteen feet. Steam is generated in the short arm +and presses down the water, causing an overflow until the steam bubble +turns the angle, when it forces out the column in the long arm with +incredible violence." + +Dr. Peal now goes on to say: + +"Of the theories that we have just enumerated, perhaps no one is +adequate to explain all the phenomena of geyser action. Bunsen's theory +comes nearest to it, and in the simplest kinds of geysers is a +sufficient explanation. The variations and modifications in the geyser +tubes and subterranean water passages must undoubtedly be important +factors entering into any complete explanation of geyser action. Now, of +course, we can see what the conditions are at the surface, but in our +experiments we can penetrate to a very inconsiderable distance. We have, +therefore, no data to present on these points, and investigations of +this branch of the subject will have to be carried on in an artificial +manner; that is artificial geysers will have to be constructed, and +various modifications made in the tubes until results are reached +analogous to those seen in natural geysers. If water in a glass tube be +heated with rapidity from the bottom, it will be expelled from the tube +violently, and if boiled in a kettle which has a lid and a spout, either +the lid will be blown off or the water will be forced out through the +spout. The first case is an illustration, in part at least, of Bunsen's +theory, and the second exemplifies the theories which presuppose the +existence of subterranean cavities with tubes at or near the surface. +According to the former we must suppose that the layer of rock, +extending seventy-five to seventy-seven feet below the surface, contains +sufficient heat to account for geyseric phenomena; or else that the +geyser tube has some opening, either at the bottom or on the sides, by +which steam and superheated water have access to it from a considerably +greater depth where the temperature is very high. At these depths +caverns probably exist." * * * * + +"That such cavities exist is more than probable. On page 405 I have +indicated my belief, that all geysers are originally due to a violent +outburst of steam and water, and under such conditions, irregular +cavities and passages are more likely to be formed than regular +tubes." * * + +"In view of what we have just written, Bunsen's conclusion (No. 2) +would have to be modified somewhat. 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 subjected. As far as this +relates to the straight tube in which his temperatures were taken, it +may be so; but if he could have taken temperatures in the side conduit, +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 it. In the Yellowstone Park we obtained a number of surface +temperatures which were above the boiling point. In the Great Geyser of +Iceland, the mass of water in the tube prevents this condition at the +surface, and when it takes place opposite the aperture an eruption is +caused. In the main, however, I am inclined to accept Bunsen's theory, +especially as it seems to me to require subterranean cavities in which +the water must be heated. Whether these are caverns, enlargements of +tubes, or sinus channels, appears to me to be of no consequence, except +as the interval or period of the geyser might be affected by the form of +the reservoir holding the water." + +Dr. Peal has reached conclusions which present an imaginary picture of +the interior structure of the great geysers of the Park, that bears a +striking resemblance to what the two caves of the Black Hills prove to +be the true conditions; although it is evident he had in mind caverns of +no such vast extent, nor of so complicated a system of cavities and +tubes. He overlooked an important feature, however, in not accepting +Professor Comstock's idea of the tube having a double curve. The double +curve is, or was, conspicuous in both the caves. Unfortunately, its +perfection in Wind Cave was necessarily partially sacrificed to make the +passage traversable for visitors; but in describing the enormous labor +of opening up the cave, Mr. McDonald showed how an arching "crawl" had +been worked down by blasting, and the depression beyond filled to raise +it to the desired level for securing the present easy passage at the +bottom of the main tube, which is the entrance passage. This double +curve in the tube is simply the rough original of the S trap of sanitary +plumbing. In both caves it is somewhat irregular and deformed, but the +familiar "trap" is easily recognized. The destruction of one of the +Yellowstone geysers was, no doubt, due to the breaking of the S. 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 eruption. +The impatience of the party was rewarded by an eruption accompanied by +explosions that shook the earth for a great distance, and the geyser has +not been seen in action since. + +Dr. Peal finds the theories advanced for the generation of steam +unsatisfactory and insufficient, especially in the class of geysers +having a long steam period. He says: (page 423) + +"The Castle Geyser differs from Old Faithful and the Bee Hive mainly in +the fact that it has a long steam period, during which the steam pours +out or is pushed from the geyser throat with great violence and a +terrific noise. There appear to be only two possible explanations of +this difference, viz., either an accumulation of immense volumes of +steam in the Castle, or an instantaneous formation of steam throughout +the length of the geyser tube. The former, to our mind, is untenable, +because it seems impossible that the water, which is exhausted in +fifteen minutes, should exert enough power to keep down the immense +amount of steam that escapes for more than an hour. According to +Bunsen's theory, it can be readily explained. The relief afforded by the +first part of the eruptions allows the superheated water to rise +rapidly, and before it can reach the top or orifice of the tube it is +all converted into steam from the top downward with inconceivable +rapidity, and must be forced out with the terrific violence which is +noted in the case of the Castle. On page 208 we have expressed the +opinion that it is the oldest geyser in the region, and it seems to us +that a greater length in the tube, with a consequent greater supply of +water, will account for the difference between the Castle and Old +Faithful, the latter of which we consider one of the youngest geysers in +the Upper Geyser Basin." + +A study of the Caves in connection with the active Geysers indicates +that the theory he suggests and then rejects, is probably the true +explanation of the difference between the two kinds of geysers. It seems +that the length of the tube must necessarily have more effect on the +height of the jet than on the generation of steam; 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 usual, unless the fresh inflow of +water was cold. Then if the storage cavities are broad but low, the +steam cannot accumulate above the water; but when the pressure becomes +sufficient to force a passage through the tube, the water and steam are +expelled together until the pressure is exhausted. But if the storage +chambers are vertical fissures, as Wind Cave illustrates, 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 tube, 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 trap, when quiet is restored. By the constant +addition of fresh water from the surface, by percolation or other usual +ways of sinking, the necessary conditions for the generation of steam +are maintained with surprising regularity. + +The differences in the shape and general arrangement of the cavities and +tubes of the two caves, indicate that their action as geysers was very +unlike. Wind Cave evidently sent a rather slender column to a great +height, nearly perpendicular, and the water eruption was followed by a +long steam period. Crystal Cave ejected a much larger jet more +frequently, at a low angle of inclination, the eruption was sooner over, +and was not followed by a steam period of any consequence. + +Thus it can be seen that the caves of the Black Hills prove the theories +in regard to geyser action in Yellowstone Park, and those theories, in +turn, prove the past history of the caves. 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 floods, as in other regions, but to +jets of water forced up from lower levels. + +Perhaps the finest geyser basin, and possible cave, ever in existence +was destroyed when the Grand Canon of the Yellowstone became a canon. +Evidences of the former conditions in control of this gorgeously +brilliant scene are neither wanting nor doubtful. Steam constantly +issues from numerous small vents in the canon walls, and a field glass +reveals miniature geysers in action down in the depth of the canon, +nearly half a mile below the top of the wall; while the entire canon +shows, in both the color and character of its rocks, that chemical +agencies have wrought changes here that have not been effected in other +exposures of similar nature. It seems not improbable that the relation +of Yellowstone River to the Grand Canon was the same as, at the present +time, is that of the Firehole to the Upper, Middle, and Lower Geyser +Basins: and that an explosion of great force was followed by a general +collapse instead of the usual eruption of one of the grandest geysers; +one result being the sudden precipitation of the river into a new, +beautiful, and totally unexpected channel. After its great leap of two +hundred and ninety-seven[6] feet at the Lower Fall, the river flows in a +brilliant, narrow line of emerald green, broken by the white foam of +frequent cascades, between magnificent walls of yellow, white, pink, and +red of most vivid hues. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] Measurement by the Hayden Party. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAVE REGIONS OF THE OZARKS AND BLACK +HILLS*** + + +******* This file should be named 17354.txt or 17354.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/3/5/17354 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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