368 BaWs Cave. 



Veiy handsome crystals of Iron Pyrites were contained in Mr. 

 Bonny' s box, which he informs me have been known for many 

 years as occurring at a place one mile from the Court House, in 

 bluish clay and limestone. They are in single crystals of the form 

 of the pentagonal dodecahedron, and in compound crystals forming 

 globular masses coated by small crystals. 



The same neighborhood also affords narrow seams of purple Flu- 

 or, embraced between layers of Calcareous Spar. 



Notice of Ball's Cave, Schoharie, (N. Y.) 



The first intimation of the existence of the cave was derived from 

 Mr. Ball, upon whose land it occurs. He had observed a conical 

 depression in the soil to the depth of twelve feet, which terminated in 

 an irregular, perpendicular fissure in the lime rock, ten feet in length 

 and six in breadth. In September, 1831, Mr. John Gebhard, a 

 gentleman to whom the taste for Mineralogy and Geology in his 

 neighborhood appears to be principally due, in company with Mr. 

 Hubbard and Mr. Branch made arrangements for ascertaining the 

 extent of the cavern. The two latter gentleman were lowered by 

 ropes down a perpendicular descent to the distance of seventy five 

 feet ; where the opening assumed an oblique direction to the south, 

 although it still continued somewhat precipitous. Having disenga- 

 ged themselves from the ropes, and prepared the necessary lights,' 

 they descended about fifty five feet, through a passage varying in 

 width from four to ten feet. Here the descent became perpendicu- 

 lar for fifteen feet, after which they proceeded, as before, about thirty 

 feet, when they reached the bottom. The cavern here is only 

 about ten feet in width, but of gi'eat height, on one side of which is 

 a small stream of pure and limpid water, running in a southerly di- 

 rection. Passing under an arch so low as scarcely to enable them 

 to stand upright, they followed the stream about twenty feet, when 

 they penetrated by an opening just large enough to admit a man of 

 ordinary size, into an apartment twenty feet in diameter, and above 

 one hundred, in height. Its sides were covered by crystalline 

 masses of Calcareous Spar and the roof by stalactites, dripping 

 with water. The effect of the torches upon this apartment is de- 



mination, Prof. Silliman was kind enoug'h to subject a fragment to the action of 

 the compound blow-pipe ; the result of which was, that it gave the color of baryta, 

 unattended by the slightest tinge of red. 



