Cave in the Trenton Limestone. 193 



which is covered with water to the depth of some feet. A part of 

 the floor will permit of a footing, and when in the cave a person 

 can stand upright with plenty of room to spare. The roof of the 

 Cave is of limestone, lined with a coating of stalactitical carbonate 

 of lime, but from which there do not project any stalactites; 

 ■some portions of the floor however contain stalagmites, as my 

 friend collected a few specimens. No bones of animals were found 

 possibly owing to the presence of the water. I would surmise 

 their presence at the bottom, and possibly consolidated into a sort 

 of breccia from the lime held in solution becoming deposited 

 around them during super-saturation. This could be ascertained 

 by pumping the water out of the cave. 



It would seem from the description of the cave, as if its origin 

 was due to upheavel from below, producing a dislocation of the 

 stratum of limestone and the formation of a wide fissure. This 

 can be determined by a careful examination. 



The name of the farmer upon whose property is the cave, is for- 

 gotten ; the cave is situated some six or eight acres back of his 

 house in the limestone ridge, which here takes somewhat of the 

 character of a hill, at the base of which is an opening leading 

 into its interior. It was accidentally discovered some thirty years 

 ago, on the occasion of a party of habitans going out hunting. 

 The dog belonging to the party commenced to scratch at the spot 

 which forms the entrance of the cave, and suddenly disappeared J 

 he had fallen into it, and his cries brought the hunters to the hole 

 in the ground, the opening was enlarged and the party entered 

 the cave by crawling on their hands and feet. I can do no more 

 in this short paper than to communicate the fact of the existence 

 of the cave, and leave it to others residing in Montreal to make 

 out its formation and precise locality. 



The route which must be followed to reach the site of it, is along 

 the Victoria and Papineau Roads, continuing till the Road of the 

 Cote de la Visitation is arrived at ; this must be followed till the 

 chemin de ligne is reached, which partly traverses the Island. 

 Half way up the Chemin de ligne is the Cote St. Michel, and on 

 tnrning into the Road St. Michel in a K. E. direction for about 

 half a mile more or less, is the farm in question containing this cave. 



Although of small dimensions the discovery of the cave was at 



the time looked upon as someting very wonderful ; it adds another 



to the many objects of interest which already abound in the vicinity 



of Montreal. • 



14 Queen Square, London, April, 1858. 



C 



