470 UNITED STATES. 



beautiful white and yellow stalactites, of different^ 

 size and shape ; some of which have the appearance 

 of a honey-comb. The roof is fiat, and appears as if 

 it had been cut by a chisel.' At the distance of a few 

 rods from the opening, on the west side, the cavern 

 divides itself into two vaults of nearly the same di- 

 mensions. Near the eastern extremity there is a 

 fall of water, of unknown depth, beyond which no 

 person has yet ventured. The common eel, and a 

 species of the sucker, have been caught in this subter- 

 raneous stream. Fahrenheit's thermometer stood 

 at 65, when in the common atmosphere it was 57. 

 Rotten timber is seen in the chinks of the rock, 

 which doubtless engenders impure air. The water 

 oozes and drops from the roof, and occasions so great 

 a mistiness, that, at a small distance, the flame of a 

 candle is little more than perceptible. After vio- 

 lent rain, the cavern is not capacious enough to re- 

 ceive all the water of the stream : that which it 

 cannot admit rushes past the inlet* and runs in the . 

 direction of the cavern. It crosses the road, and 

 the body of water is sometimes so great that it is 

 troublesome to travellers. The dry bed of the 

 stream is very visible, as it is a smooth rock, from 

 which a shallow soil has been washed away. 



In some 6f the mountainous parts of Virginia, 

 Kentucky, and Tenessee, the strata consists chiefly 

 of limestone. These vast masses of calcareous mat- 

 ter contain numerous caves : these are of various 

 shapes and sizes; for, V/iiile certain of them extend 

 but a few rods, there are others which maybe traced, 

 by aid of caisdles, for half a mile or more. From 

 a. low and narrow entrance, the caverns sometimes 



