Journal of a Tour into the Interior of Missouri and Arkansaw | Page 6

a room which is an irregular circle, with a height
of eighty or ninety feet, and a diameter of three hundred, having several
passages diverging from it in various directions. The two largest
passages lead south-west and south, and after winding along a
considerable distance, in the course of which they are successively
widened and narrowed, unite and lead on in a south course about five
hundred yards, where the passage is choaked up by large masses of
stalactite, formed by the water which has filtered through the
superincumbent rock at that place. The largest passage from the circular
amphitheatre of the cave diverging north, opens by another mouth in
the rock, facing the valley of Cave Creek, at no great distance below
the principal mouth by which we entered. Several smaller passages
diverge from each of the main ones, but cannot be followed to any
great extent, or are shut up by fragments of the fallen rock.Ê Near the
centre of the largest opening, a handsome spring of clear water issues,
from which we procured our water while encamped in the cave.
The ragged faces and hanging position of many parts of the sides and
roof of this cave, added to its sombre colour, which has been
heightened by soot smoke, its great extent, singular ramifications, and
the death-like stillness which pervades such ample spaces situated so
far below ground, inspire both wonder and awe, and we did not return
from our examination, without feeling impressions in regard to our own
origin, nature, and end, and the mysterious connection between the
Creator of these stupendous works and ourselves, which many have
before felt, but none have yet been satisfied about. In contemplating
this connection, we feel humiliated; human reason has no clue by
which the mystery may be solved, and we imperceptibly became silent,
absorbed in our own reflections. Such at least was the effect produced
in this instance, and we returned to trim our night-fire and go to sleep,
with the taciturnity of the American savage.
Friday, Nov. 13th
The atmosphere threatening rain this morning, we did not think proper
to quit the cave, and have divided our time between hunting, mending
our clothes, and noticing the geological character of the adjacent region.

In hunting large game we are not very successful; our guns, as we were
informed by the hunter's wife at Fourche ˆ Courtois, not being adapted
to killing deer and bear. Of wild Turkey, ducks, and squirrels, we,
however, kill a plenty, to answer our purposes, and we do not seek
anything further. The most remarkable fact respecting the cave in
which we are encamped, is the nitre which it yields. This is found in the
native state, filling small crevices in the rock, and also in combination
with the earth which forms the bottom of the cave. The nitre is formed
by mixing this earth with a certain quantity of wood ashes, and
lixiviating the whole in the common way by means of a tub and fasset.
The potash of the wood-ashes is necessary to enable the salt to form,
and the whole is then concentrated by boiling in a kettle, and afterwards
set aside to cool and to crystallize. In this way the crude nitre is
obtained, which may be brought to any required state of purity by
redissolving and recrystallizing.
The works which have been erected by Colonel Ashley for this purpose
are all situated in the mouth of the cave, so as to be completely
protected from the weather. No person is, however, here at the present
to attend to his business, and the works appear to have lain idle for
some time. Large quantities of crude salt-petre are lying in the fore part
of the cave.
The earth found in this cave, and which is now so highly charged with
nitrous salts, presents an extraordinary circumstance for the
consideration of the geologist, and one which must be conclusive in
regard to the antiquity of the cave itself. This earth is a mixture of clay
and sand in rather gross particles, but has sufficient tenacity to adhere
in lumps when dug up, and contains plentifully interspersed pebbles of
quartz, slate, granite, and other stones, and also fragments of horn-stone,
or a kind of flint. It is in fact precisely the same kind of earth, deposited
in the same manner, and mixed with the same stony substances, as the
alluvion deposit which covers all the adjoining hills, and has
constituted the soil of all the uplands from Potosi; nay, from the west
banks of the Mississippi river to this place. The conclusion is
irresistible, that this cavity in the rock existed previous to the
deposition of the substratum of the soil upon the calcareous rock of this

country, and, consequently, previous to the existence