Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1823-09-17
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS spy
PURGATORY. ..

"Ndturc guam te colimus inpita quoque."
This place lies in the town of Sutton,
in south east direction from the Meet
ing House, near the centre of that ex-
tensive tract of land known by the name
of the " South Woods" Owing to the
extent of these woods, and the multi
tude of rocks, the way to it is somewhat
cirCuitous.
The place is large cavity in the
earth, running nearly north and south,
descending little in its northern direc-
ton. The most general entrance is at
the southern extremity. Should Wis
itor commence at this place, he descends
somewhat abruptly about thirty feet,
where he finds the main base, filled with
huge rocks, thrown together in frightful
disorder, beneath which are multitude
of small apertures, many of them large
enough to admit person, and others so
small that the eye only penetrates
through their scanty openings, till vision
is lost in impenetrable darkness. As we
advance along ten or fifteen roods, there
is precipice equal to the first, having
similar base, but with apertures more
extensive. Immediately at the foot of
this precipice, we descend one of un-
common magnitude. After descending
about twenty feet we come to an open
ing sufficiently large to contain twenty
or thirty people. The temperature of
the atmosphere here, is extremely low.
SO much so, that we felt cold and SILVER
ing. The darkness INSTRUCTED our view
in all these subterraneous passages.
People have descended with lights. and
| am inclined to believe, that much
greater pleasure would be derived in
this way. A boy, our guide, passed
through one of the openings, at least
forty feet, and as proof that thew do
all communicate, when we were in diff
ferent cavities, we could distinctly hear
each others voices, though several roods
apart. Still continuing our course, down
a few roods tartheswe descended anoth-
er bank, to bottom, formed of larger
rocks than the two we had last visited.
Here is a scene of wonder and sublim-
ity. As we cast our eyes upwards, i'm
pending rocks were seen shelving over
our heads, with most threatening as
Pect. The mind here is lost in contem-
plation, when sunken passage of moi
more than thirty feet in width, is pre-
sented to view, bounded by walls of
solid rock nearly an hundred feet high.
The rock appears of greyish colour,
hard, and only here and there marked
with crevices, which gave to the whole
a most beautiful appearance. AT the
very highest point on the west side is a
huge rock projecting many feet over the
main base, and making the gulf MANY
feet narrower at the top, than at the
bottom. As the visitor stands on the
base, and views this peak towering over
his head, he feels for the moment. a
littleness,-unequalled but by the dust
on which he stands. From the whole
appearance of the two sides, have not
doubt they were once united. The
colour Of the rocks, their corresponding
height, and, more than all, the large
crevices that divide the wall in regular
layers, all running in the same direction.
making slight angle on the walls to-
wards the north, of about twenty de-
grees. AS we proceed along, our course
Is here aud there impeded with scatter
ed trees in almost every stage of decay,
from the withered foliage, TO the last of
vegetable decomposition. The whole