THE NARRACOORTE CAVES.

Southland Times, Issue 3362, 31 March 1879, Page 3

THE NARRACOORTE CAVES.

A correspondent Of -.the South Australian Advertiser gives the folloAving account of the Narracoorte caves, in the south-eastern disfericts of South Australia:— r . ? r■■

V The sight'Of^ai-racpprteisits caves. No other town in the colony Ws so Unique n, thing to show. No AvOnder that the resi- ! dents are-proud of these caves. .Nature has AVToright a wbriderforVhem, givesthem a glimpse Of the strange and patient way she Avorks from century to century, unhasting yet unresting, building up gigantic pillars out of tiny drops of water no bigger than a tean A quiet hour's drive from the township is a grass covered hill side. On the crest of the lull is an aperture "wide enough for three or four men to Avalk abreast, ami sloping somewhat; abruptly to the door of the cave, Avhich is, . say 30 feet beloAv the surfacevof the grpuridi J: VThe; area of this ; cave is two or Vthree acres. 3,ere ; , and ; there a' huge irregular;; shaped pillar-vpi. stalactite supports its rp,pf, and ..the .;.?.biiii'd- ;- of dripping Avater proclaims thatthe manufacturing process is stillvgpirig oh. vv -The light is dim,but brightensj a^. Aye pass fui-thbr into the, cave.- and we i;sudderily -cpme upon a spot Avhere; the surface bf the grourid" above/has given way; dhe -roof hady-fallen in, and we coiiid see bl ue sky arid shafts of sunlight warmirig up the gloom. On the debris of thdifallen sdil.a huridred varieties ■ of creeper, shrub, and fern ,gi*evv fresh and • fair; and over it -'thb SAfrallowjs flitted |Ayif t i and fearless. IvThe thihriess^frthe^avefn's roof near the spot. suggested a"speedy-;re-:mova,lfi*bmtheyicini^fbr-furtheiyf^ appear irieyitableVV Continuing oui* eoiirsfe" past the tumbled bpuldei-s that almost block : our passage,Ave,come pnce more into gloom ;so deep as'to necessitate the "lighting of ■candles, arid as Aye penetrate -still, further iinto the inner recesses of the cave Aye note in the dim and shadoAvy light hundreds of stalactites grOAving froniVthe roof, some about the size of one's finger, others as big as One's ai*rii,and many that have developed ;into massive columns wrought into a thou.Isarid fantastic shapes -andlorming strong- ; arid vlasting pillars tpvsupport vthe. cavern^s v ; roof, which here seenied to '•; be f ormedvof ; pure Vwhite- limestone- ;iSome T feAVj..o.f theiri only had Vthat ..crystalline .appearance; whichl expected to 7 have seeri, the larger ■ propdftidh -being of : a "' dirtyXbrdwii color,- ; and thirigs more Of rwonder than of beauty. From riiany of ;theriii what ; appearody to _. be drops of water hung or dropped upon the floor benea,th; so thick were, they in.places andrsolrregular in thjeir shape ; and size and position; as to from .a perfect .labyrinth, amidstwliich; Aye Ay*andered^ that Avbre^ialf* Of awe, and h tibn;.V v ; sprice'in subh : aVVscene a5 r this,'but I ..should say this inner cave "covers' quite ; five acres; at- ohe point; a thin'natural:wall of : : -_i,m egfo'he ; diA*ides it iritotAvo, andVa nan;o^Varid diffi- J cult passage- forms ;the Only- niearis com- j liiuriicatiori.: '-1 lii^h'e' remote. recesses of. this innerriidst cavern the Stalactite pillars ;are beirig formed' with. dailyiricfeiiisirig deA'elop.nien^^the^ "find Vf antastic labyrinth of maSy ;fluted cblumns'arid a^^'inade ;*thie; scene; one not ; easiiyVtdVbfe ;oh¥bbuld^ictui*e.the place^ /as 'inhabited by someje^l^enii^ and would ribtVliaye; Vbeeri : much ;-&urprtee'd to seegTbtdsque^little iinps^ ; gri^in^b^whuponfn^- and' sUiriyvjSnakesV hi^in^kbput bur febtiv s^pt AvherX.s.brne; years. agb^the^ petii&ed bo4y ; Of a^abHellow ha^been cmc there, brhb^ ; npbb^y^nows. ; V Th^-fibbr^of ; -ffi^ev&yes V v^h-^i^'idMestJ^ aY ;■ ye ry Vgop^v'^ality^ and VV On" e^ariiinatibh' :you V see "the'^shattered" fra|^e*^s^; : thousy vands:Oftinybones^iwd ;^d^evtlicwe^b^ ith Vthe walfe of eayei are many ;yarieties . -bfSahblis dri~a very^fair statieV^^serv^bni V^erb iirbl think:^^ bn$ yJJi :attemptediVto. VdescnbeVVV-iOneyos: i;knpwEv_B.lfievßi_fcG^e^f^ of bats tli^e^ ah^;^nch;;:flit^ Viritruders^irif a ' inost; rincbiiif brtable niianriei*^ ■ Ahbthey i|-i^led'F&nGayb» m l^bferns; Vtliat 'grow iibbutits; riibuthr: Vli(l0n ? t suivbsef; ; there ;is such ahbther ..;.isight in -."the colony as Vthie^NaiT^obrie'-cavbs^