52 



THE MUSEUM. 



in the direction of Ball's — he referred 

 to this cave, perhaps not — as no 

 names were mentioned — and caves are 

 quite numerous. 



While we did not visit the other 

 parts of the cave, it may be of interest 

 to others what we missed by not beinj^ 

 able to go further. One account 

 of the cavern says that: The lake 



to the right is rather a series 

 of lakes, thirteen in number, being 

 separated by semi-circular dams of 

 calcareous tufa from two to thirteen 

 inches high. These lakes are from 

 fifteen to several hundred feet in 

 length. After the passage of these 

 lakes, a rocky hill is ascended and you 

 enter what is called the Square Room, 

 which is about fifty feet square and 

 si.xty feet high. From its roof or ceil- 

 ing hang high shapeless blocks of 

 stone which appear to threaten the 

 e.xplorer with instant death; the floor 

 is covered with the same as though 

 they had just fallen — though ages 

 probably passed since they loosened 

 and fell. 



This wing contains no peculiar for- 

 mations save the calcareous tufa and 

 the above shapeless blocks of stone — 

 as the limestone is 

 abundance of sandstone. 



The dams which are mentioned as 

 separating the lakes and consisting of 

 calcareous tufa, are a peculiar forma- 

 tion of lime, sand, etc., deposited by 

 water. It is usually of a brown color, 

 spongy and cellular in structure, soft 

 and brittle. In its formation it as- 

 sumes many uncrystalline forms as 

 tubular, botryoidal dike clusters of 

 grapes) and cellular. 



It is said when this cavern was first 

 explored the long passage way below 

 the perpendicular opening or entrance 

 was covered with that beautiful min- 

 eral arrogonitc. I understand that 

 none now remains. However a care- 

 ful survey of the walls with long lad- 

 ders might result in finding a deposit 

 in some of the small cracks and cran- 

 ies not yet reached. This very pretty 

 mineral is essentially carbonate of 



mingled with an 



lime, but differs from it in the form of 

 its crystals. I believe that found here 

 is of the needle-like form of crystalli- 

 zation. Of what color I am unable 

 to state, but the account which men- 

 tioned the presence of arrogonite in 

 this passage described it as very beau- 

 tiful. It is found in almost any color; 

 as subjected to foreign substances it is 

 rendered blue, green, yellow, red, 

 brown, etc. 



Calc or Calcareous Spar has the 

 same chemical composition as arro- 

 gonite, but differs from it only in the 

 form of its crystals. 



-:.- -;:• * * -x- » 



In regard to the history of this cave 

 I believe it was first explored in Sep- 

 tember, 1 83 1. The name was de- 

 rived from a former owner of the lands, 

 by the name of Ball, in whose family 

 the property was for many years. It 

 has also been called Gebhard's Cave, 

 probably after John Gebhard, whom 

 history says was one of the first ex- 

 plorers — and who was the first to ex- 

 plore several other caves in the town.. 



Some years ago this cave and sever- 

 al acres of ground about the entrance 

 were bought by parties living in New 

 York City, with the design of opening 

 it up, building a large hotel and mak- 

 ing it a popular place of resort. The 

 visions of "millions in it" probably 

 dwindled, as the idea was given up, 

 but the property is still in their posses- 

 sion. 



Cave explorations are interesting to 

 those who love to see the wonders of 

 nature — things before unseen, new and 

 surprising — so Ball's has been an ob- 

 ject of attraction by persons distin- 

 guished as geologists, scientists, stu- 

 dents and others of an adventurous 

 turn of mind. Indeed, several ladies 

 are listed among them — even they 

 weut through the perils of that seven- 

 ty feet of perpendicular descent to see 

 the wonders of the underground world. 



My companion recently said to me 

 upon learning that ladies had visited 

 it: "I do not think the cave access- 

 able to ladies at present." I agreed 



