Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-10-23

we were obliged 10 set out on our returnl
10 the mouth of the main cave. where
we expected to meet the ladies whose
parting from US, was above mentioned.
1his, the writer did with regret, for, the
comparatively very small portion of this
Istupendeous and almost limtless vaults
of nature, which he had seen, excited
curiosity greatly increased from what
had been felt before entering it: thread
ing its "devious ways" and exploring its
alternately gloomy and gorgeous recess
es. Our first object now, was, to re-en,
ter the main cave; this we did, not by
retracing our steps, but by turning into
another branch of the cavern on the left
hand, small distance from the "white
Chambers" and after pursuing it a few
hundred yards, ascending in rapid sue
cession steep Precipices and crags, until
we found ourselves once more in the
spacious range of rooms, we had left pre-
vious to our entering the first branch
1t should be remarked, that we left the
main cavern on the right hand side
We returned to it. through an Aperture,
on the left hand side proving, thatin our
rambles below, we had passed directly
under the main cave; our re-entrance
10 it was about quarter of q mile be.
yond, or more distant from the mouth,
than where we had left it. Having al
rived at the mouth of the branch at
which we al first departed from the main
cavern the writer, suffered the guide
and servant to go in search of his hat.
which for convenience, he had parted
from in one of the narrow passages at
some distance. The sensations OF utter
loneliness produced by being left in the
high arched and gloomy room where he
stood, were more oppressive, not to say
overwhelming. than he ever before felt,
or expects to feel in any other situation
than that in which he was placed. The
solitude and silence were perfect-aw.
ful-proiound-app words can
not describe,-the nerves and senses
alone can realize them. The guide
and servant having returned and the
road before us being unobstructed. with
out accident, we soon reached the mouth
of the cavern, where we found the re
mainder of our company in waiting for
, us.
The above is a hasty and in many
: respects imperfect description of the
writer's own observations while in the
mamoth cave. The distance he travel
led in the cave was thought TO be about
five miles. The portion of the cavern
he saw. is probably as interesting as 9th,
er parts Of it, but he scarcely made a
beginning toward a complete ,xamina-
lion. Indeed the extent of the cave,
with its unnumbered branches and ram;
Iflca'lons. is almost inlermnable, aud
, months, perhaps years, might yet be
employed in exploring those parts Of it
that have never been seen. The main
cave. Ia which the writer travelled about
a mile and a half extends twelee mile,
where 1t forks, forming two main caves.
One of these forks only has been ex
ipIofed TO It's termination The distance
rom the mouth 10 this point, is said by
some, to be twenty miles. The other
} fork has been explored an equal distance
but no one yet has had sufficient perse-
verence to trace it to its end. The
branches from the main cave, the whole
distance, are frequent, and the branches
from the branches are still more fire.
quenl, presenting a map, resembling the
profile OF large tree, with trunk, large
branches, smaller branches and twigs.
The floor and walls Of the cave are
generally dry and dusty. The atmos,
Phere is temperate. pure and invisorat-
ing. 1t is said that animal substance
placed in the cave, never becomes pu
ierescent. The bodies of several abo
rgnes, retaining in great perfection,
their general shape and features, in "A
state petrifaction, have been found in the
cave, and are now preserved in some
meuseum in the country. Some Of the
rooms OF the Cavern were also used as
cementaries by the original population
lof the country, the bones and other re-
mains together with the grave clothes in
which the bodies were enveloped and
inferred, ina good state of preservation.
having been discovered by the saltpetre
manufactures when making their exca.