Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-08-13

where nature appears in her most rugged
forms, and almost denies to those who at
tempt to explore her, any means Of access:
and what indeed appeared to Us. avery in
teresting mass: Accordingly, we made no
delay in proceeding toexamine it /; we had
not gone far when our notice was attracted
by what appeared to us small ape: tufe
in the earth, at about twenty feet psrpendi.
cular height, and about ten feet from the
top of precipice, the aperture appeared to
be about three feet in width and about two
feet high, directly under projecting rock
as we were, however, determined on exa.
mining it, we fell some small trees in order
to make kind ofladder by which'wr might
ascend !; on attaining the, place, we found
it considerably stopped at a few feet from
the entrance, which Eat US under tn, neces-
sity oot entering on our hands and knees
after we mad proceeded about twelve feet,
we found that it enlarged very much, 50
that We could walk almost erect, and by
casting stone in, we perceived that It
struck .agaist no obstacle for considerable
time, consequently we concluded it Tus,bc
very spacious, but were obliged lowing to
the total darkness of the place to procure
a light before we could proceed to explore
what now appeared 10 be an extensive ca
vern. Accordingly, we discharged Our
manior lamp, with which, after about IS
minutes spent by us IN the utnost suspense,
he returned, and we proceeded to an exami.
nation: by aid of the light we perceived
that the chasm run directly forward on an
almost horizontal l.vrl, for some distance,
and hardly high enough for us to walk with
ease, and not more than six feet wide we
advanced about two hundred Feet Wtrn, as
we supposed, reached the end, but on cx-
aiming the sides, we perceived on the; right
what appeared to be q door evidently cut III
solid rock, bot whether it was really one,
or representation, we were uncertain; IN
tending, however, not TO CIV up without
careful examination, we continued to search,
ard a, last perceived it had hinges Of SIN
eular kind; alter scratching Oft some Pttfl
fi-d substance which arp cred once to have
been wood, we discovered large KY. hole,
stopped up with rust and sand, and in It the
remains Of an iron key !; but as the losk
and hinges must b. almost corroded, we
t w rc Obliged to break !. down, which, alter
repeated forts, we effected its fall male
great noise which appeared 10 echo in
many dlrt tons below the damp air rush
I'd out, which fairly chilled us we proceed,
ed Ito enter, but whas was our astonish.
mrnt when we foand we were at the he ri
L q. |,k RI
ra. K u--tA@scended IN a circular course
abou: $50 feet, when we came to land
ing, wh4re we perceived two doors, one to
the right and the other on the left hand,
both stonr, we effected opening the one the
right, when we entered a;spacious hall, fur
nlsh+d with two chairs, table, kettle and
several basons, all of very fine marble, with
several brau;iful statues but conceive nv
surprise, on examing them, TO find they had
not the French, English or Italian feature,
but the contour OF the face entirely Grccian;
the one shichis finale representative, is
truly elegant. almost equal IN workmanship
to the Venus de,MedlcIs by what N ans
those came here we could not divine. but
it Esled Us with astonishment, as i. mus, e.
very person and hardly will the reason of
people admit the possibility of their being
here, ,rnless they behold with their own
eyes, what appears SO iaexPlicabie. When
wehad examined the apartment Gin which
we have discovered other very valuable ar.
ttcles, among others, agcld cup very Gu
riously wrousht) we proceeded to ex;mine
where the orhet door led to on opening it,
which we did without much uoabIe, we en-.
tered an arched passage, six feet high, and
five feet and a malt wide at bottom; after
pursuing it in esserly direction about six
~ feet, eve came to small square room,
which appeared to terminate the passage,
with marble b-uch on two sides and
arge marble table in the middle, on which