Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-08-24
From tux WORCESTER SPY.
MAMMOTH CAVE.

Description ef the Great Cave in Var.
rem County, Kentucky.
Extract of letter from gentleman resident in the
Western Country, To his friend in this Connrv.
giving an account Of an excursion into Kentucky
In the iall OF last yesr-dated
".Msfet.a, Ohio .9ba4, 1916.
"Ihe country for considerable distance round
the cave, is not mountainous yet broken and rolling
u was seven IN the evening When reached the
hosphable mansion Of Mr.. Miller, the overseer of
Messrs wilkins and Grstz, in whose land the cave
opens, who met me al the gate, and US he anticpa-
'ed my object, babe me welcome to all his house
afforded
During the evening, Mr.. Miller made arrange
mems for my visiting the cave next morn:ng. by
procuring me two guides, lamps. SIC. could hard
~ rest during the night, much had nav curiosity
been excited b. my hosts account Of the reclal.
cOntuson in this sgbterraneous world
AT eight IN the morning, left the hogss in com
pany with my guides stalking with ustwo large lamps,
compass, and something for Refreshments, and
entered the about co rods from the house.
down thro' pit 10 feet deep and 100 in crcumfer.
enee at the bSttom Of which is fine spring of water
when at the bottom Of This pit, on are at the en-
trace oil the cave which opens to the north a.d is
from 40 10 50 ieet high, and about so in width Tor
upwards OF 10 rods, when it is not more tnat, 10
feet vide and feet high However, this continues
but sh"r distance, when it expsnds to so or 40
ieet IA width am. IS about % in h. rht for about one
mile, until you come to the lrst Aobbeys, whore
sait-petc Is manufactured. Thence # is about 10
ieet IN width, and 90 in height, to the sscod iDD-
p9is, two miles from the euti ance The tnnse i;r,e
stone has been laid up into handsome walls, on a.
Their side, almost the whole distance from the en-
trance to lee second hopperS. The road - bard
& as smooth as dag pavement The wall of the
cavern perpendicular ia every passage that rav-
vefsed the arches regular in every part & have
b'l defiance even 10 earthquakes. One my guides
informed me, he was az the SecoTd ho5asrs in
iS'2, with several Orknen, when those heavy
SHOCKS came on which were so seversy felt in this
country. He said that about FIVE rsioutes before
the shock heavy ru'nbing noise was heard coming
ont OF the cave Ike mighty wird when that ceas-
cd the rocks cracked, and all appeared to be going
IN moment tn 'inaldesrueton. However no one
was injured, although large rocks fell in some parts
Of The cave.
AS you advance into The cave, the avenue Iesd,
to the secsHdh0Bbers, west one mile then s. w
to the 90 chief eity," Which is six miles from the
entrance. j his .venue is from 60 10 100 feet H.
height and about the same in width, the whole
distance after you leave the scc,nd hob6ers until
you come 10 the cross roais chief city, and IS
nearly upon a lcyei TIE iloor bottom being CO.
vered with loose lime stone and salt petre Garth
When reached this immense area, (chief CITY }
which contains upwards OF eieAt acres, without a
Single pillar to'supp0rt the arch, which is entire
over the whole, WIS struck dumb with asto,ish-
mant.
Nothing under l.saveu can be more sublime aud
grand than this place, covered with one solid arch
1t least one hundred feet high, and to all appear
ancc entire.
After entering the chief citg perceived five
large avenues leading Of it, from Go TO 100 feet
IN width. and IRON forty 10 eighty in height. The
walls (a Of sione) arehed, AID are from 40 to
20 feet perpendicular height, before the arch COM
nCncts.
The first wlicl, irayersed, after cutting arrows
on the stones under our feet, pointing cut to the
month olthe cave, (in fact we did this at tie en-
trance OF every avenue, that we should not be at
a'y loss for tbc way out On our retur1) was one
that he'd Us IN q southWarlly direction for more than
two miles. We then left it, and took another that
led rs east, then north, for more than two miles
further and at last IN our winnings, brought
outby another avenue isto the Chief cifv again,
s' er travorsng different avenues for more than 5
miles.
We rested ourselves for a few m inut.s on some
area, and after having refreshed as and timrned
orr lamps " e took Ow departure second time,
through an avenue almost worth, and parallel with
the avenue leaeog from the chief city TO the month
Of the cave, which contiru' for upwards Of ;ws
miles, when we entered the sscoud cifv This is
covered with arch nearly 300 FEET bigh in the
centre, and very similar to Tie clief cir, except IN
the der Of avenues lsading from it,his having
but wO.
We pas-ed thFors b it over very consideraLl.
RE in tie centre sad descended ,hrocgl su avenue
which bore q the easl about 800 rods, vhea We
csrl upon third ares, about 200 feet squere a,rd
Fly Ia height, whist had pure and dcligitful
stream e water issliug from de SHE g Tie well
about thirty feet hisl, ard which fell ,pon some
broken stone, and vas entrely los, y our, view
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