35 4 
POULTOX : DOWKER BOTTOM CAVE. 
formerly covered by bard stalagmite deposited by the stream which 
then flowed across the chamber and lost itself under the right wall. 
This stalagmite was removed in the explorations mentioned above, 
and the stream disappears below the broken edge of the hard stal- 
agmite at the further end of the chamber. The present floor of the 
chamber is chiefly of hardish stalagmite ; in various parts are the 
traces of former working, but most of it has not been touched, 
after the removal of the hard stalagmite. This floor will be des- 
cribed more in detail when I speak of our work in this chamber. 
The steep passage at the end is of hard stalagmite, while at 
the top where the stream receives many additions from the sides, 
the stalagmite is softer. The gorge further on supplies the water 
which forms the head of the stream, for the latter begins in the 
overflow from the gorge, while the gorge itself is fed by little 
springs along its sides. In the gorge thickened walls of stalag- 
mite make a very narrow passage in the lower part, while above 
these walls end as two ledges which used to be the only foothold 
in passing to the next chamber. 
The third and last chamber is very different from the others. 
It deserves a special description, as its present state explains in a 
most interesting way the former condition of other parts of the 
cave. Its roof is flat and not lofty, — about 15 ft. in height. On 
the floor are thickly strewn large angular blocks of limestone, 
which have fallen from the roof from time to time. These falls 
have not been of very recent occurrence for on the rough surfaces 
and sharp edges of the limestone blocks, rounded projections and 
flattened layers of stalagmite are seen, caused by the drip from 
the roof. Between and beneath the blocks is an extremely tough 
browu clay, especially abundant at the further end of the chamber. 
I have mentioned a small pool at the end of this chamber ; but 
marks on the walls shew that quite recently there has been a 
subterranean lake, at least 12 ft. deep in parts. This must be the 
lake spoken of in Whittaker's " History of Craven," and described 
as preventing the complete examination of the cave. Probably 
