Day Six

Mark Twain Cave 2

マークトウェイン洞窟　その2

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Mark Twain Cave is said to be made of what is called Louisiana limestone. This is so called because it's a very unique kind of limestone that is only found in the area between Louisiana, mo, and Hannibal, mo. The photo shows part of the ceiling of the cave near the entrance.

The slits like this that go on many parts of the cave ceilings give us one proof that the cave is made of limestone. Limestone is made of calcium carbonate. This mineral melts by acid. When rain falls, it gets carbon dioxide from the air. It gets more of carbon dioxide when it runs down the soil. When this acidic rain runs through limestone layer of the earth, it melts part of the layer so that a hollow eventually forms through. Mark Twain Cave is thought to have been generated in the same chemical process. Scholars assume the cave was built some 150 millions years ago!

Have you read the Adventure of Tom Sawyer? Then, do you remember the Cross that signals the exact location of the treasure that Injun Joe had hidden deep into the cave? This photo shows just that Cross.

"Now, I'll show you something, Huck."
[Tom] held his candle aloft and said:
"Look as far around the corner as you can. Do you see that? There, on the big rock over yonder, done with candle-smoke."
"Tom, it's a CROSS!"

Of course, all this is simply from the imagination of Mark Twain. On the other hand, we should recollect that Sam Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, played in this cave a million times and saw this ceiling cross over and over again when he was a boy. Twain wonderfully mixed his fictitious story with his real life experiences in the cave.

Day Six continues to the next page.

六日目は次のページに続きます。