Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/39

Rh the aſcent of which, on one ſide, is ſo ſteep, that you may pitch a biſcuit from its ſummit into the river which waſhes its baſe. The entra n ce of the cave is, in this ſide, about two thirds of the way up. It extends into the earth about 300 feet, branching into ſubordinate caverns, ſometimes aſcending a little, but more generally deſcending, and at length terminates, in two different places, at baſons of water of unknown extent, and which I ſhould judge to be nearly on a level with the water of the river; however, I do not think they are formed by refluent water from that, becauſe they are never turbid; becauſe they do not riſe and fall in correſpondence with that in times of flood, or of drought; and becauſe the water is always cool. It is probably one of the many reſervoirs with which the interior parts of the earth are ſuppoſed to abound, and which yield ſupplies to the fountains of water, diſtinguiſhed from others only by its being acceſſible. The vault of this cave is of ſolid lime-ſtone, from 20 to 40 or 50 feet high, through which water is continually percolating. This, trickling down the ſides of the cave, has incruſted them over in the form of elegant drapery; and dripping from the top of the vault generates on that, and on the baſe below, ſtalactites of a conical form, ſome of which have met, and formed maſſive columns.