Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-10-29
TIE JMansnsosh Lave In kentucky.


'''rhe improvements within the cave com.
mence abou, half mile from the mouth, ia lha,
branch formerly known As the Great Bat Room,
but now as Audnbon's Avenue, named by the
proprietor after his old friend. the celebrated
ornithologist. They consist Of chambers IA
feet square and 10 feet high. The chambers
| are placed aside of the cave and 10 feet aDart-
| n handsome paner door opens upon the avenue,
| and to the side Of those TO he occupied by fam
lilies are sliding doors. A curtain Of 10 feet in
| width extends from one chamber to the other,
and when let down and the sliding door open,
! communication from one chamber to the 9TH
er can be had without being seen by those
pIomenadng the avenue. The reasons which
Influenced the proprietor in selecting this stu
alton were its isolated position, it's vast size,
60 feet wide by as many high, its contigui'y TO
good waller. its affording pIeasan, promenade
to those wishing to visit',he hotel above, its
greater convenience and cheapness than if it
had been at remote distance and, moreover,
it is at the nearest point where the atmosphere
is uniform during winter and summer.
Owing to the extensive hotel which the pro-
pre,or is erecting above ground, there have
been only four or five chambers erected in the
Cave; they exhib. most picturesque appear
ance. have no doubt but the hotel above will
be measnrably deserted as soon as the neces-
sary chambers below are completed. A resiau-
rat will be established al convenient distance
from the chambers. The Cave possesses pc
culiar fitness for such an establishment; he.
cause meats, butter, &c. will keep any length
OF time. Cooking Will be performed with al
cohoI. Such an establishment AS this is impe-
rlously called for by the community. Last
winter number Ut persons laboring under
chronic diseases intended taking up their a
bode within the Cave, but were disappointed
owing to the accommodation within not being
completed. The peculiarly Of The air Of the
Cave. its extraordinary influence on the healthy
as we'll as diseased. would constitute perfect
study f,r the medical philosopher. lis temper
a,ure is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, summer and
winter. 1t is never degree above or bel, W
60. Nothing pulrifies in the Cave. The Wa
ter pipes which conducted the water TO the
saltpetre watts in 1914, are now in perfect pre-
servatiop, and the corn cobs where the oxen
were fcu tHtTry years aSo, af~ 10 ov,s..d
that day. Lamps burn with more brlliiancy
within than without the Cave.-rhis occurs
IN every part Of it. The cave is abundant IN
minerals, sucl, as sulpha,e vi lime, or gypsnm;
EPSON aid glauber salts; nitrous earth; chalk,
sand fint, pebbles, red and grey ochre, caIcare-
| Gus spar, cha'cedony. chrystalzed carbonate
OF li,ue, pol',e, chrysals Of quartz, &c. THE
discoveries recently made in the cave greatly
exceed il extent all ha. was known at the pe-
Rod Of your stay here. A gentleman OF un-
questioned veraci,y, and who has ample cp-
portunllies for acquiring correct information.
having resided there aud in its Wei ity thirty
years, gives it as his opinion, that there are
not less than two hundred square mi es Of cave.
No wild beast reptile or verlnin has ever been
prevailed upon to enter the Mammoth Cave
often mas this BEEN tried. What This peculi-
arity results from, know not. Nothing in
habits the Mammoth Cave hut the bat during
the winter, aud they are confined to particu-
lar spot. ] ain told there ars rats but have
never seen them. The country south of the
cave, which 10 1913 was barren, is now grown
| over with timber.
! "The Cave is eight miles from the dripping
springs, aud eigh; aud half miles from Pru-
IT'S Knob. The turnpike from Louisville runs
within six miles Of it.
| No man can form the most remote idea of
all this, the most wonderful OF all natures won
ders. except by visit to it; aud 10 describe il,
with all lis recent discoveries, would require
| a volume. The discoveries made in the cave
within the last Two years, are in the estimation
OF many, letter worth seeing, than all the cave
| as previously known. They consist Of numer-
| and beauty, and river terminated by lake.
Until recently, no person had explored that
branch of the cave in which the bottomIess pit
| Is situated, beyond the pit; now the most inter-
| esting and extensive part Of the cave is beyon
the pit. For this discovery we are indebted
to a gentleman Of Georgetown, KY, named
| Stevenson. He ascertained that the pit was
| nothing but chasm of great depth, extending
| across the cave, aud therefore got ladder Of
| sufficient length to reach over. On this ladder
this daring man, the guide, and some two or
three others, crossed the deep aud frightiul
chasm, aud, on reaching the opposite part,
found themselves in cave ofconsiierable size,
which, after exploring the distance OF TWO
mics, brought them, to their astonishment and
delight, TO the celebrated river Of the cave. 1t
is ia this region of the cave, unknown until the
| las, two years, where you meet with the great
domes, the cataract, the river, the lake, and
the gigantic s,alag,nile columns. liz order to
| crafty the numerous visitors with view OF
| this deeply interesting section Of the cave. the
proprietor has had large and strong bndge
| with suitable railways erected over the botlOm-
less pit, rocks have been removed, SO as TO ren-
der walking pleasant in the different avenues,
| stair-steps have beer placed where required,
boats are in readiness for those who feel ln-
clined to take aquatic excursions on the river.
aud Bengal iign's can be had by such as wash
TO witness the sublime spectacle which ISL
hibi,ed by al. illumination Of the various dones.
1.-The river is three miles from the moult OF
the cave. Where you first strike il, it is bot
very wide, but OF geat depth as you desca'd
II, it becomes wider, and II has gentle our
rent. have never descended the river nlsre
than half mile, but it il from the point whers
you frst see it TO the lake, Eve miles; and ~.