418 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



i.s filled to a height of probably 50 feet with a mass of clay and rocks. 

 The mouth of the stream is obstructed with great masses of rock, 

 Avhich make entrance at that point almost impossible. Taking the 

 path on the left-hand side of the entrance, the visitor follows close 



to the wall for a distance of about 100 

 yards to the brink of a steep hill. Here 

 the path divides, one branch leading 

 down the hill to a flat floor only a few 

 feet above the stream; the other still 

 follows the wall and soon enters a 

 crevice, which, in turn, leads to alab}"- 

 rinth of low, tortuous passages. From 

 the labyrinth one may return to the 

 main cave again by a rough climb over 

 a great heap of fallen stone, the exit 

 being into an enormous room 100 feet 

 wide and long, and (10 feet high, in 

 which hundreds of ])ats have congre- 

 gated. From this room the path leads 

 down the side of the rocky hill to the 

 water's edge and joins the other branch 

 of the original path, which Avas left on 

 the right on entering the labyrinth. 

 From here on the cave is much smaller, 

 the Avidth has decreased to about 80 feet 

 and the ceiling is little, if an}-, over 20 

 feet high. The cave stream so nearly 

 covers the floor that one must walk 

 close to the Avail and from time to time 

 cross the stream to find a path on the 

 mud banks, Avhich border it first on one 

 side and then on the other. If one 

 does not object to getting wet it is thus 

 possible to penetrate probably over half 

 a mile into the recesses of the cave to a 

 great room, 80 to 100 feet in diameter 

 and Avith a ceiling 60 or 70 feet above 

 the Avater. The stream here runs 

 through a gorge made still more narrow 

 by the fallen stone, Avhich lies as if 

 thrown down 1)V some great convulsion 

 of nature and seems ready to take another tumble if distur])ed to the 

 slightest degree. At one place the rock masses have 1 )locked the stream 

 so ertectually that it is impossible to get a ])oat around them, and beyond 

 is a large pool too deep to cross l»y wading. This room is ])racticallj 



Sketch 



a AVagon road crossiiig cave 



() Pool in front of cave. 



c Entrance. 



d Large stalagmite. 



e Valley in which are two stalagmites. 



/ Labyrinth of small passages. 



(/ Bank of large Mocks of rock. 



h Side pa.'^sage with Ijranches parallel 



main cave. 

 (■ Side passage abont 25 feet aliove level 



stream. 

 7 Wall of rock apparently ready ti) fall. 

 k Mass of rocks obstructing cave stream 

 I Pool at limit of exploration. 

 m Possible continuation of i)assage. 



