92 CAVE EXAMINATION IN HANTS CO./ N. S. PREST; 



side to the other. Great blocks of gypsum littered the floor 

 and finally compelled us to climb over them or squeeze through, 

 between, or beneath them. In climbing over the boulders, the 

 guide fell and put one of our lanterns out of commission. In 

 so large a cave this was a great inconvenience, as the narrow 

 circle of light from the remaining lantern did not reach to either 

 wall. The wide and slightly arched roof continued for over 

 1000 feet. Spreading from wall to wall without a single 

 support it seemed to me a marvel of natural architecture. 

 About 1300 feet from the entrance, the cave became so 

 obstructed by enormous blocks of gypsum that a passage was 

 hard to find. Many apertures were entered, followed a few 

 yards, and retraced. Then others were followed up, down, or 

 laterally. Some ended in diverging fissures, too small to be 

 followed. The last, only 15 inches wide, ascended at an angle 

 of 60 and became impassable. Even here the cave was large, 

 but blocked from bottom to top by a jumble of fallen rock that 

 prevented all further progress. The extreme length, as far as 

 passable, is about 1600 feet. 



The archaeological value of this cave is much reduced by 

 the enormous quantity of rock continually falling from the roof 

 and cliff outside. In its original condition it was doubtless 

 an ideal place for shelter, and was probably so used by the 

 aborigines. Now there is probably 30 or 40 feet of debris over 

 the original floor at the mouth of the cave. Probably nearly 

 all the caves in the gypsum region are in the same condition, 

 this friable rock rapidly crumbling under the influences of frost 

 and heat. 



Geological Conditions. That the origin of these caves 

 reached back to a time when this province was much higher 

 than now, there is no doubt. Some evidence for this view is 

 furnished by the springs that come up from the bottoms of 

 rivers at tide-level, such as are seen in the River St Croix 

 above the bridge on the road leading from St. Croix to Brook- 



