“Missouri is generally a region of prairies and table lands, much of which, as already described, is almost destitute of timber and water.  It is crossed by the Ozark Mountains, which form a rugged tract of considerable extent.  Earthquakes are not infrequent in some parts of this state.  The soil is not generally productive.”

A comparison of these curious views with the latest official reports is highly amusing, as well as suggestive that early impressions are liable to require modification.

In addition to the wonderful springs of pure water, there are numerous fine mineral springs, among which are a number of Epsom salt springs.  At Jacksonville, in Randolph County, there is a large mineral spring from which it is said an over-heated horse may drink all he will without injury.  Epsom-salts, or Epsomite, frequently occurs, as does the Niter, in a crystalline form of the pure mineral, as an efflorescence on rocks in many of the caves and in other sheltered positions.

[Illustration:  The Surveyed Portions of Marble Cave Stone County Missouri

Surveyed and Plotted by Fred Prince. 1894

Scale of 100 feet]

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Lead and Zinc.  Prof.  C.R.  Keyes.

CHAPTER II.

Marble cave.

Marble Cave, which is the finest yet explored in Missouri, is southeast of the center of Stone County, a short distance north of the picturesque White River.  The nearest station is Marionville on the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad, and the drive of forty miles is delightful, but can be divided, into two of twenty each by a stop at Galena.  The road, for the most part, is naturally macadamized and is through a most charming country whose roughness and beauty increase together as the journey advances.  At first it winds along fertile valleys between wooded hills, crossing many times a shallow stream of water so clear as to afford no concealment for an occasional water-moccasin, whose bite is said to be not poisonous if inflicted under water, and which must be true because the horses showed not the least uneasiness.

The second week in May found the vegetation in its summer beauty; strawberries were ripe, and the weather without a fault.

Galena is pleasantly situated on the hills overlooking the James River, and is entirely invisible from the road by which it is approached until a slight curve in the line of ascent ends the first half of the journey with surprising suddenness.  In the immediate vicinity there are several small caves which are worthy of attention and will be described later on.