barren ridge they occupy as to give it the appearance of a prairie dog
town. One hill-top over which an abundance of detached crystals, of the
palest water-green tint, has been spread, gave the impression of being
covered with crushed ice. This transformation from a richly tropical to
a marvelously barren region, was accomplished during the time when
storms reigned over the Hills and ice ruled the country to the north and
east.

The long slender barite crystals of a bright golden brown color are
especially beautiful but are generally seen in the specimen stores, as
the deposit is confined to limited areas and the few persons familiar
with the locations are not over anxious to introduce the general public.

The fossil remains previously referred to are of course only a few of
the most important, but it is remarked as a curious and notable fact
that among the fossils of the lower orders of life in the Bad Lands, the
heads have not been preserved. On account of scarcity of water it is
necessary for parties to carry a supply even when they expect to be in
the vicinity of the Cheyenne River and probably ford the South fork, as
these waters carry in solution a quantity of alkali that renders them
unfit for drinking, although the effects would not be fatal but simply
the extreme reverse of pleasant.

No caves have been discovered in the Bad Lands, unless that name be
applied to some of the geodes which are really grottoes, they being of
sufficient size for a man to stand in. The Black Hills, however, contain
some of the most remarkable caves ever yet discovered, of which those of
greatest importance are Wind Cave and the three Onyx Caves near Hot
Springs, in the southeastern part of the Hills, and Crystal Cave near
Piedmont, in the northeast. All of these occur in the Carboniferous