178 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



At the south-eastern extreme of this cave branches off another of 

 inferior size and consequence, bearing about a due south course, as 

 may be deduced from the angle it makes with the last described. 



It is in length 20 feet 



Width 5 „ 



Height 5 to 4 „ 



" At the outward angle formed by this cave with the preceeding 

 one, is to be seen a nearly circular aperture of about, a foot and a 

 half in diameter, which leads to a cavern yet unexplored, the extent 

 whereof is not known with any certainty ; but conjecture and suppo- 

 sition will have it to extend two arpents — an astonishing distance as 

 a natural subterraneous passage. Summing the lengths of the 

 several caves above-mentioned together, we have a total distance of 

 a hundred and ninety-five feet of subterranity in the solid rock, o Ber- 

 ing a beautiful roof of crystallized sulphurate of lime, carved as it 

 were by the hand of art, and exhibiting at once the sublimity of 

 nature, and the mastery of the all-powerful Architect of the 

 universe." (See plan, plate x.), 



Erom the foregoing description there would seem to be five different 

 caverns or galleries, and probably many more, if the fifth has been 

 since explored. Three of them branch off from the entrance in 

 different directions, whilst the remaining two do so at the termina- 

 tion of the central gallery. The roof throughout is covered with 

 stalactites, but as no mention is made of stalagmite, nor of the pre- 

 sence of bones, we are left to conclude that they were a^bsent, 

 although the chances were much in favour of finding the latter, in 

 consequence of there being a free and unobstructed entrance into 

 the cav^ern. 



20, — GiBB*s Cavern, Monteeal.* 



This cavern, which is of humble pretensions as to size, is situated 

 in the Island of Montreal, and no account of it had appeared befoi*e 

 the one which I published in the " Canadian Naturalist and Geolo- 

 gist" for June, 1858. My attention was first drawn to it by my 

 friend Dr. Robert Nelson, formerly of Montreal, and now of New 

 York. 



The cave exists on the border of a limestone ridge, running in a 

 north-east and south-west direction, which skirts a number of farms 

 back of the main road at Cote St. Michel. Its dimensions are 

 twenty-five yards or more in depth, with a ^ddth of two or more 

 yards. The latter varies a good deal and is somewhat irregular, but 

 iho roof is considerably wider than the floor, which is covered with 

 water to the depth of some feet. A part of the floor will permit of a 



* Tho association of my T\nino with this cavern hy a friend is my oxcnse for 

 r(>i;uinnr^ it here. 



