302 
MINUTES OP PROCEEDINGS OP 
this spot from the entrance, measured along the main route, being 1700 ft. 
or thereabouts, while that of the “ Prison ” is 1230 ft.; all preceding 
explorers had arrived at the conclusion that the “ Prison” was the extreme 
end of this cavern, and it was only by means of great labour, and care, that 
we were enabled to prove the contrary. The axis of fracture, the lines of 
stratification, and above all the currents of air which were manifest in several 
fissures, at the end of the “ Prison,” together with the sound, convinced me 
that there were other large caverns in this wonderful fissure, beyond the one 
we were in, so examining with the aid of hammers and crowbars two or 
three of the most likely spots (denoted by the current of air), we finally came 
New caverns u P on a P assa g e which by dint of some labour we were enabled 
found C beyond to enlarge to a sufficient size to permit a man to pass through, 
supposed end upon doing so my opinions were verified by finding a cavern 
© cftTu larger than any of the former (perhaps about 1600 cubic ft. 
in space), with passages, and two other caverns beyond; at the latter, though 
we were effectually stopped, as instead of the ordinary stalactites we came 
upon vast masses of the primary limestone, without any prospect of an 
outlet of any kind whatever; no current of air was noticeable at any of the 
fissures at the extreme end of the cave, both the geological formation and 
the sound &c, indicated that we had come to the termination of it. This 
visit took place on the 17th June, 1865. 
The whole exploration of this cave was executed with the greatest care, 
the many difficulties and dangers in passing through the narrow passages, 
some of which had to be traversed at full length on our backs, where neither 
the hands nor the legs could be of any service, the only means of locomotion 
being the shoulder-blades caused it to be a somewhat hazardous task; one 
of the passages, not the smallest we went through was 11 inches in the 
highest part, and 22 inches in extreme width, of the form . The 
extreme beauty of the stalactites and small caverns fully repaid us, however, 
for our labour. The instruments we took down were two barometers, two 
compasses, geological hammers and chisels, thermometers, these together 
with the aid of magnesium wire, and other lights, crowbars and ropes enabled 
us to form a pretty correct survey of the fissure, each visit taking between 
11 and 12 hours. 
The cave abounds in stalactites, and stalagmites, and in several places we 
found large quantities of pure water, in other places we found a kind of 
loose crumbling semi-stalagmitic limestone. The same with pieces of stalag¬ 
mite and limestone covering the sides, also limestone breccia highly coloured 
with oxide of iron, this principally exists in the passages and holes leading 
out of the “ Grotto,” carefully examined on the 8th May; we descended 
into these holes, and found them in some places 60 or 70ft. deep, also the 
red crumbling limestone breccia is found in the fissures near the entrance 
of the cave. Notwithstanding the most careful examination we 
dfbfrds'alone 63 ^ ounc ^ n0 ^ mce °f ^ one breccia nor any hones in the cave> 
found. S a ° ne excepting the leg and wing bones of small birds; at the extreme 
end of the cave where the foot of man had never before trod, 
these were found petrified and half imbedded in a stalagmite floor, in a 
Small water course, they having been evidently washed down from the out* 
side of the cave (supposed from a hawFs nest), through some exceedingly 
