143 



nents, that several geologists of the school of 

 Freiberg have given it the name of cavern 

 limestone, hoehlenkalkstein. It is this rock 

 which so often interrupts the course of rivers*, 

 by ingulfing them into its bosom. It is this 

 also, which includes the famous Cueva del Gua- 

 charo, and the other grottoes of the valley of 

 Caripe. The muriatiferous gypsumf-, whether 

 it be found in layers in the Jura or Alpine lime- 

 stone, or whether it separate these two forma- 

 tions, or lie between the Alpine limestone, and 

 argillaceous sandstone, presents also, on ac- 

 count of its great solubility, enormous cavities, 

 which sometimes communicate with each other 

 at several leagues distance, When these sub- 

 terraneous basins J are filled with water, their 

 proximity becomes dangerous to the miners, 

 whose works they expose to unforeseen inunda- 

 tions. If the caverns, on the contrary, be dry, 

 and very spacious, they are useful in freeing 

 a mine from water. Distributed in stages, 

 they may receive the waters into their upper 

 part, and assist the efforts of industry by serv- 

 ing as subterraneous drains dug out by nature. 

 After the limestone and gypseous formations, 



* This geological phenomenon had very much attracted 

 the notice of the ancients. Strabo, Geegr., lib. 6 (ed. Gxon. 

 1807, T. 1, p, 397). 



•i- Gypsum of Bottendorf, schlottengyps. 



% Kalkschlotten, in Thuringia, 



