18 REPORT 1865. 



not present any very great difficulties in working. After a visit of inspec- 

 tion it was decided to undertake the exploration of the large chamber into 

 which the southern entrance immediately opens. The mode of investigation 

 was laid down, trustworthy and intelligent workmen were engaged (Mr. 

 Charles Keeping, brother of the well-known fossil collector, being the chief), 

 and the work, consigned to the superintendence of the two resident members 

 of the Committee, Mr. Vivian and the Honorary Secretary, was commenced 

 on March 28th of the present year. 



Immediately outside the cave lay a considerable talus of earth and stones, 

 the upper portion of which, at least, is believed to have been thrown out by 

 Mr. M'Enery, who conducted his researches through the northern opening. 

 It was necessary to cut through this mass in order to reach and make avail- 

 able the entrance which the Committee had selected for their operations. 

 This material was very carefully examined, partly for the purpose of detect- 

 ing any objects of interest which it might contain, and partly as an initiatory 

 exercise for the workmen. 



The cavern is in no part subject to any considerable amount of drip ; and 

 no portion of it is drier than the chamber selected for exploration. Since the 

 commencement of the work unusually heavy rains have fallen in the district, 

 but water has entered through the roof at a very few points only, and in no 

 instance in such an amount as to produce discomfort or inconvenience. 



The following is the succession of deposits, in descending order, which the 

 chamber contained. 



1st. Huge blocks of limestone which had manifestly fallen from the roof. 

 Many of them required blasting to effect their removal ; and in several 

 instances it was necessary to blast even the masses into which they were by 

 this means divided. One of the blocks measured 11 feet long, 5| half 

 broad, and 2^ thick; hence it contained upwards of 100 cubic feet, and 

 must have weighed fully 7 tons. In some cases two or three of them 

 lay one on another, and, in a few instances, were firmly cemented together 

 by a separate cake of stalagmite between each pair; whilst others lay 

 unconformably with considerable interspaces. Occasionally, what appeared 

 to be a boss or dome of stalagmite proved to be a block, or two or three 

 small blocks, of limestone invested on all sides with a stalagmitic sheet. 

 Certain masses, lying at some distance from a drop, were without even a 

 trace of stalagmite. 



2nd. Beneath these limestone blocks there was a layer of mould of an almost 

 black colour. It varied from a few inches to upwards of a foot in depth. 



3rd. Underneath the black soil came a cake of stalagmitic breccia, made up 

 of comparatively small fragments of limestone so very firmly cemented to- 

 gether with carbonate of lime as occasionally to require blasting. It was 

 rarely less, but not unfrequcntly much more, than a foot thick. Everywhere 

 it was firmly attached to the walls, and it occasionally extended completely 

 across the chamber. Not unfrequently, however, the centre of the chamber 

 was altogether destitute of this breccia, in some instances, because there is 

 no drip near the area, in others, because it was intercepted by an overlying 

 limestone block. 



4th. The breccia is succeeded by the ordinary reddish cave-loam, which 

 contains a large number of limestone fragments, varying in dimensions 

 from bits not larger than sixpences, to masses but little smaller than those which 

 lay on the surface. They lie at all angles without anything like symmetrical 

 arrangement. In fact the entire deposit is without any approach to strati- 

 fication. Many of the stones are partially encrusted with calcareous matter, 



