by Professor Locke, oulophilites, or curled leafed
stone; and in remarking upon them, he says, “They
are unlike any thing yet discovered; equally beautiful
for the cabinet of the amateur, and interesting to
the geological philosopher.” And I, although
a wanderer myself in various climes, and somewhat
of a mineralogist withal, have never seen or heard
of such. Apprehensive that I might, in attempting
to describe much that I have seen, color too highly,
I will, in lieu thereof, offer the remarks of an intelligent
clergyman, extracted from the New York Christian Observer,
of a recent date: “The most imaginative
poet never conceived or painted a palace of such exquisite
beauty and loveliness, as Cleveland’s Cabinet,
into which you now pass. Were the wealth of princes
bestowed on the most skilful lapidaries, with the
view of rivaling the splendors of this single chamber,
the attempt would be vain. How then can I hope
to give you a conception of it? You must see
it; and you will then feel that all attempt at description,
is futile.” The Cabinet was discovered by
Mr. Patten, of Louisville, and Mr. Craig, of Philadelphia,
accompanied by the guide Stephen, and extends in nearly
a direct line about one and a half miles, (the guides
say two miles.) It is a perfect arch, of fifty feet
span, and of an average height of ten feet in the centre—just
high enough to be viewed with ease in all its parts.
It is incrusted from end to end with the most beautiful
formations, in every variety of form. The base
of the whole, is carbonate (sulphate) of lime, in
part of dazzling whiteness, and perfectly smooth, and
in other places crystallized so as to glitter like
diamonds in the light. Growing from this, in
endlessly diversified forms, is a substance resembling
selenite, translucent and imperfectly laminated.
It is most probably sulphate of lime, (a gypsum,)
combined with sulphate of magnesia. Some of the
crystals bear a striking resemblance to branches of
celery, and all about the same length; while others,
a foot or more in length, have the color and appearance
of vanilla cream candy; others are set in sulphate
of lime, in the form of a rose; and others still roll
out from the base, in forms resembling the ornaments
on the capitol of a Corinthian column. (You see how
I am driven for analogies.) Some of the incrustations
are massive and splendid; others are as delicate as
the lily, or as fancy-work of shell or wax. Think
of traversing an arched way like this for a mile and
a half, and all the wonders of the tales of youth—“Arabian
Nights,” and all—seem tame, compared
with the living, growing reality. Yes, growing
reality; for the process is going on before your eyes.
Successive coats of these incrustations, have been
perfected and crowded off by others; so that hundreds
of tons of these gems lie at your feet, and are crushed
as you pass, while the work of restoring the ornaments
for nature’s boudoir, is proceeding around
you. Here and there, through the whole extent,