The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1816-10-02

from where had left nay guide sit,ing, Hound
some very beautiful specimens OF soda, which
! brought out with me. We returned over
piles Of salt pctre earth end fire beds out oI
one avenue into another, until at last, with
great fatigue and dim light, we entered the
walls Of the chief city where, for tho last
time, ws trimmed our lamps, and entered the
spacious avenoe that carried Us TO the second
hoppcrs.
found, when in the last mentioned large
avenue or upper chamber, many curiosties,
such as Glauber salts, Epson salts, ilint, ycl-
low ochre, spar Of dGefen, kinds, aud sor,e
petrifsctions which brought out, together
with the mummy which was found at the sec.
ond boppcrs. We happily arrived at the
mouth OF the cave about three in the morning,
nearly exhausted and worn down with nine
teen hours continued fatigue.
was near fainting on leaving the cave aud
inhaling the vapid air of the atmosphere after
having so long brcatbed the pure air vhish is
occasioned by the nitre of rhe cave. The
pulse beat stronger whenin the cave, but not
90 fas, as when upon the surface.
have described TO you hardly one half OF
the cave, as the avenues between the mouth
Of the cave and the second hoppers have not
been named. There is a passage 10 the main
avenue, about GO rods from the entrance, like
that of trap door BY sliding asidea large
fiat stone, you can desceDd nc or 10 feet IN
very narrow deie, where the passage comes
upon a level, and winds abou, 10 such q mao
Der as 10 pass under the main passage with
out having any communicated with II and
at last opens into the main cave by tvo largo
passages Jus, bey. nd the second hoppers. j,
is called tho 7" Glauber- salt roou,," from sal,
of that kind being found thete.--There is also
the sick room, the bat room, and the A;nt room
--all of which are large and some Of them
quite long - The last that l shall mention, is
a very winding avenue, which branches off at
the second hoppors, and runs ives, and south
west, for more than TWO miles. This is cal
led the I" haunted chamber" from the echo of
tho sound made in IT, The arch this avenue
very beautifully incrused with limestone spar,
and in many place the columns ct spar arc
truly elegant extending from the ceiling to
the floor. discovered 10 this avenue a very
high dome, in or near the centre OF the arch,
apparently 500 feet high, huog in rich drsp-
cry, festooned in the most fanciful manner Tor
or feet from the hangings, and in colors
the most rich and brilliant.
this chamber are extremely rom anlic IN their
appearance, with the reflection OF one or two
lights. There is q chair formed OF this spar,
called /" Wilkins armed chair" which is very
large, and stands in the GENRE of the avenue,
aud is cncircied With many smaller ones.
Columns OF spar flated, and studded with
knobs OF spar ard stalactiles drspsry OF var.
ious cOlors, superby fes,oonsd, ond hung 10
the most graceful manner, are shown with
the greatest eriIlisncy from the detection OF
lamps.
A part Of the haunted chamber" is direct.
Iy over the bat room, which passes under the
"baun,ed chamber" without having any con
nexion with ie My guide led me into very
narrow deiie on the left of this cnamber, AID
about 100 yards from {" Wilkio's armed
chair" over the side of smooth lime s,one
rock, 10 or IL feet, which we passed with
much prccaution for, had We slipped fram
our hold, We had gone 10 that boui nc whence
no traveller returns If may Judge from
cataract OF water, whose dismal sound we
heard al a very considerable distance in this
pit, and neasly under Us. However, we eros
sed in safety, clinging fast TO the wall and
winding down under The +" haunted shambcr,"
and through very narrow passage Tor so or
40 yards, when our course was west, and the
passage 90 or so feet in width, and from 10
20 Is feet high, for more than a mile. The
air was pure and delightful in this as we'll as
o'her parts of the cave. At tho further part
of this avenue, we come upon reservoir OF
water very clear and delightful to the taste,
apparently having neither inlet nor outlet.
Within few yards of this reservoir OF wa.
49, -. 4 a ,t. -,
avenue, which l.ads TO the northwest We
had entered IL but about forty feet, when we
came TO several columns OF the most brilliant
spar, so or 70 feet in height aud almost per-
pendicular, which stand in basons OF water,
that comes trickling down their sides, theo
passes Oft silently from The ba,ons and enters
the cavities OF stone without being seen again.
These columns of spar aud the basens they
rest in, foe splendor and beauty, surpsss sv-
cry similar work OF ar, ever saw. We pas.
scd by these columns, and entered q small
but beautiful chamber, WI hose walls were abou,
90 feet apart, and the arch not more than