HOLWELL CAVERN. 3l 
vertically into the clay, at some distance from each other, 
and fill each funnel with a solution of different metals, 
sulphur, &c. &c ; in the course of time these solutions 
will find their way through the clay into which they are 
stuck, and their metallic salts will be attracted by the 
same negative influence which occasions the other pheno- 
mena, become decomposed, and line the fissures with metallic 
earthy, or sulphureous crystals, according to the nature of 
the fluids employed. Here you have the metallic or earthy 
lode. By.a similar apparatus, and using three funnels, filled 
respectively with silver, copper, and sulphur in solution, 
the experiment being continued for two years, and the 
fluid kept duly replenished, I lined the two fissures in 
the clay with the following substances, amorphous or 
erystallized native silver, sulphuret of silver, native copper, 
red oxide of copper, sulphuret of copper, and crystallized 
sulphur. Here were two complete lodes, which became 
considerably indurated at the termination of the experi- 
ment,—a mine in a garden pot. This would be suflicient 
to account for the fissures in the Holwell lime rock, when 
in its incipient state of moisture. Had metallic solutions 
been then in its vicinity, with a sufficient electrical current, 
sufficiently long continued, we should have seen there an 
east and west metallic lode, instead of an empty chasm, 
partially lined with arragonite or carbonate of ‚lime. 
Nevertheless, as it is, it is a most interesting cavern, and 
the extreme beauty of the arragonite, even in its present 
state cannot easily be described. I shall conclude with 
an extract from an unpublished poem touching on this 
subject. 
“ Here not a breath at hand, nor distant sound, 
Nor insect’s hum disturbs the calm around 5 
Silence, and sleep, and breathless, starless, night, 
