Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-08-07
JOHN eJIScY ADAMS, sec'y of State.
CAVERN LIN VERMONT.

IA I$NfN I'm NEOhONI.
LettSr from the Rer. Waiter Chapin, TO the editors
Of the pTmont Journal, dGted iVOoastOck, July
L. islS
BesYs. SpOones The enclosed letter which
received few days since from MIR. Ta0nip-
son, gives very interesting aud minute ac.
count Of cavern in the town of Plymouth,
which has never been explored Till within
few days have specimens of the petrifica-
lions, which are among tie greatest curiOSi-
lies of the kind ever Witnessed. They an
pear 10 be more cohesive than the rocks on
w1iCl they are formed. Those in my possess
sion are much shorter than icicles of the same
size but their form and appearance are such
as evince that they were produced by the Wa.
ter trickiins down the rocks. If YOU think
The litter would interest tue readers of your
paper, yOH have liberty to insert 1T. Yours, sc.
Bridssrater { VI July 10, 1918.
REv SIR: Having heard OF the recent dis.
eOyerN of 4 cavern in tile town of plymouth, l
went yesterday, accompanied by young gen
temsn of my acquaintance, for the purpose of
examining il. We found it situated near the
head of Black river, on its south western side,
aud about fifty rods from the stream. II is at
the foot of large mounts ain lust in The border
Of d wood, aud about sixty rods from the near.
ct dwelling house. Ii has been known for
several years that the earth was hollow IN tins
place. aud stones have been frequently thrown
IN which OccasiODeda rumbling noise as they
bounded from rock to rock hut the passage
was never opened sOa 10 admit a person TO
descend, till about ten or twelve days agO. Ha-
wing procured lights, we descended through
sio Ding aud rugged passage, barely Sufficient
30 admit one person at time, about ten feet,
which brought us to the first subierrdueaD
APARTMENT Accustomed TO the brightness Of
day, orr eyes we're unable to discern the dis.
tant rocks by the help of our candles, and no
thing appeared before us hut n dark and pro.
found abyss. We, however, proceeded eau
tiOuslV down, over loose iFdgine nts Of ROCKS
about twenty feet further, which brought US
az ihe lowest place iB the first apartment. The
sliape of this room is eiipticdl, being about 30
feet long and twenty bread. Ii greatest per-
pendiCulaT height is about twenty feet, the
walls .irrcguiar, aud the bottom very rough
and uueven. We found at the north, passage
into second apartment which WAS about iw .
thifd. as large as the first. The bottom of this
room is sand and fnnch more level tian the
former. in passing from the FIRST INTO the
second apartment, the perpendicular descent
is about ~ ht feet From the second we pro
erejed through passage FIVE feet high and
four wide into third apartment, which was
fourteen feet long, eight broad, aud seven
feet high. From the third we entered fourth
apartment to the North, upwards Of thirty feet
iOpc, twelve lrOad ard eighteen high. This is
very curious. Nbouttiiree teet ffou tie bottom,
the sides begin to- iuciine towards each other,
and meet az the top like the roof OF house.
lH passing from the eHiraHCe 10 the opposite
end, Ne ascend about ton feet, AVID the iop Is
parallel 10 this ascent On returning back INTO
tie third, we found passage into 4 ffth room
10 the south. The opening into this room J..
not larger than the mouth OF common oven
With some difhcnlty, however, we CFept thrO
~. and found the apartment 10 resemble AZ
over very much in other respects ii being
ten feet long, seven broad, and ~ the middi,
touT and a half feet high At the top was 4 hole
oil = conical shape, about two anu half feet