MOISTURE. 11 



to cause the cave from "22" to the cork-screw room to become filled 

 with mud to near the roof. The obstruction having been removed 

 later, the water cleared out the main passage, except at the mound, 

 where the stream made its way underneath the deposit. The stream, 

 in cutting through the earth in the cave, formed a winding course and 

 left the banks of soil still remaining at the sides of the main passage. 



MOISTURE. 



The cave stream runs only during winter, spring, and part of the 

 summer, or after heavy rains at any season. It is much influenced by 

 weather conditions, becoming swollen and clouded after heavy rains or 

 thaws. In late spring the stream becomes gradually smaller, until by 

 June it ceases to flow. The pools of the stream then become separated 

 from one another, but there is always sufficient water to keep them 

 brimming full. There are several of these pools, the largest of which 

 is about 15 inches in depth and covers an area 20 by 8 feet. Most of 

 them are much smaller, however. Usually one or both edges of the 

 pools extend under projecting shelves of rock at the sides of the wall. 

 The cave stream enters the cave from the "cork-screw" passage and 

 follows the main cave to " 33, " where it becomes lost under the wall. It 

 has a winding course, wandering from side to side in the cave and often 

 disappearing under the wall and reappearing within a few feet. 



The amount of moisture in the different parts of the cave is variable. 

 The part from the mouth to "17" is rather moist. From "17" to "24" 

 it is drier and from "21" to "24" very dry for a cave. From "24" to 

 "26" is a damp portion again, within which are two places where water 

 drops from the roof at all seasons. Beyond "26" to the mound, "29," 

 it is less moist. From the mound to "32" it is very moist, water coming 

 through the roof in places. From "32" to "34" there is less moisture 

 again, and from "34" on the cave is everywhere quite damp. There is 

 considerable seasonal variation in moisture in the part of the cave from 

 the mouth to "34." From the mouth to "12" the cave becomes wet 

 after every rain by water entering through sink-holes, and if the rain 

 is heavy the water spreads over the floor to " 17. " The cave from the 

 mound out is very rarely flooded. Only once have I known water to 

 run through this part, and this was during the unusually high waters in 

 April, 1903. Here the cave becomes very dry, except in places where 

 the water seeps through the roof. After each heavy thaw or heavy 

 rain the amount of water coming through the roof is considerably 

 increased, and wet spots appear at places where during dry weather 

 there is little moisture. 



