Having passed the better part of three days in the vicinity of St. Peter's, adding to our collections and portfolios, we left it on the second of August, and proceeded down the river to the village of La Petite Corbeau, or the Little Raven, situated on the east bank not far above the mouth of the St. Croix. The river, in this distance flows between lofty cliffs of the white sandstone and neutral-colored limestones, which are first conspicuously displayed at the Falls of St. Anthony. Springs of water, not infrequently, issue from these cliffs. We landed at one of these, flowing in through a gorge at the distance of four miles below St. Peter's, on the east bank, for the purpose of visiting a remarkable cave, from the mouth of which a small stream issues. The cave is seated wholly within the beautiful white crumbling sandstone rock. It is, in fact, the loose character of the rock which permits the superincumbent waters of the plains above to permeate through it, that has originated the cave. The stream consisted of the purest filtrated water, which is daily carrying away the loosened grains of sand into the Mississippi, and thus enlarging the boundaries of the cavern.[95] We had been erroneously informed that this was Carver's Cave, and looked in vain for this traveller's name on its walls.[96] The atmosphere in this cave was found to be seven degrees higher than the water. We noticed nothing in the form of bones or antiquities. [95] St. Paul's, the present capital of Minnesota (1854), is situated on the high grounds, a few miles below this cave. [96] Carver's Cave is four miles lower down, on the same side of the river, agreeably to subsequent observation. It is now obstructed by fallen rock and debris.