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GLAFSEN AND POVELSEN's 



from stagnant marshes. Our travellers, however, were not much 

 incommoded by it. 



They afterwards proceeded into the gallery on the rights where 

 the cavern regains its former size ; and here they found a lake of 

 fresh water, which entirely stopped their passage. One of these 

 gentlemen had arrived at this lake in the year 1750. He then 

 found its bottom was frozen as at present, but its water was too 

 high to permit him to cross ; he ascertained that it was three feet 

 deep at the brink, from which he presumed that it must be much 

 deeper in the middle. At his present visit, however, it was dif- 

 ferent : the ice at the bottom was much thicker, and formed two 

 sheets, one above the other ; on this account jthere was but one 

 foot of water, and they easily passed through it by keeping close 

 to the wall above-mentioned. 



After having overcome every difficulty, they proceeded with 

 ease to the other parts of the cavern : the floor here was level, and 

 they no longer met with fallen masses of stone and rock ; but 

 they perceived that the soil gradually became steeper, and that 

 the cavern curved to the S. S. W. They also here found but 

 little, either of the stalactites or the varnish, lately mentioned; 

 which proves, that the terro-aqueous matter that formed them, 

 must have been, in this part, more coarse and much scarcer. 



The air now became very cold and dense, and the darkness so 

 much increased, that they went from 300 to 400 paces, without 

 perceiving a ray of light; they at last, however, observed the 

 fourth and last hole in the roof, which gave them much pleasure, 

 as it afforded a current of fresh air, and an easy ascent, by which 

 they quitted the cavern. 



They perceived no difference in the air, as they advanced into the 

 dark part of the cavern; but afterwards it became more thick and 

 condensed; and, on proceeding, the obscurity increased to such 

 a degree, that, notwithstanding the strong light thrown out by the 

 torches, they could only see two or three steps before them. Ad- 

 vancing a little further, they found that the thick vapour that fell 

 about them resisted their breath, which could only arise from the 

 great degree of cold, the efTect of which was visible on the walls, 

 as the whole of them was covered with a thick ice, in long and 

 large lumps. The ground was frozen in the same manner; but; 

 they ran no risk of -slipping, because the ice was covered with a 

 moist and brownish earth, which had fallen from the roof of the 

 cavern in consequence of the filtration of the water. 



They considered it as a remarkable circumstance, that to the lumps 

 of ice were attached pentagonal and heptagonal figures, very similar 

 to those observed in the second stomach of ruminating animals*. 



* Aqualiculus, ap prcecipue reticulum. 



