This room and
the Stairway into it are alone worthy of a visit, but there is much that
is finer still.
Out of Gypsy Camp by way of Gunny Sack Crawl, so named by the workmen
who spread gunny sacks to relieve the torture of crawling over the
beautiful floor of sharp crystals, we enter the first chamber, where
active operation is still maintained and certain branches of the great
decorative industry of the cave may be carefully studied. This operative
chamber, which is unnamed, would no doubt be called a factory in the
east, but in its own locality would more likely be referred to as The
Works.
The next chamber entered is Crystal Flat, whose floor is completely
covered with immense crystal blocks, and the wonderful crystal ceiling
is exceedingly fine. But time being limited we must pass on into the
Lake Room, where is Crystal Lake, the largest body of water in the cave.
It is about thirty feet long by fifteen wide and its greatest depth
is said to be ten feet. The water is cold and clear, and the gold fish
introduced as an experiment three years ago are said to have grown
rapidly but not yet turned white, and are not known to have become
blind.
[Illustration: The Bridal Veil. Page 187.]
At some little distance from Crystal Lake, and not within the same range
of vision, although in the same room, is Dry Lake, which to the surprise
of the guide we found to be not dry, but full of limpid water through
which we could distinctly see the delicate clusters of crystals it is
depositing.
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