Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-07-15
From the Howard (Md.) Free Press.
THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY.

A gentleman of this village, who has
been travelling in the South and West the
past season, has furnished US with some
particulars relating to this extraordinary
cave, which may be new and not with
out interest to the public generally. The
Mammoth Cave is situated in Edmonton
county, near the bank of the Green river.
The entrance to the cave is not, as may
generally be supposed, at the base of a
mountain, but il is in the form of pit in
the EARTH and the surface of the country
around it is generally level, with nothing
to direct the footsteps of the traveller TO
the wonders contained within its depths.
The main entrance to the cave is seven
miles in length, from fifty to one hun
dred feet in width,-and varying from
sixty TO ninety feet in height. AT its far
Their extremity is cataract Of ninety feet
perpendicular fall.
The full extent of the cave has never
yet been explored. Including two lateral
branches, it measures twenty-six miles in
length, so far as it has yet been penetrat-
ed. 1t contains thirty one chambers and
avenues, varying from one quarter TO
three miles in length, the most remarka.
bic Of which is the Persico avenue, 2 miles
in length, which is described as the most
grand and beautiful of the cave. The
ceiling Of this room forms perfect arch,
and both the sides and ceiling are as
smooth as if plasiered by a sklful work.
man.
This is the principal registry room, and
the names of thousands of visiters may be
seen upon the ceiling. The attendants
attach candle to the end of a pole, by
means of which the visitors name is trac-
ed in smoke upon the wall. Another is
called the winding way, being passage
through a rock three feet wide, twenty
feet high, and one mile and a half in
length. At the termination OF this way,
is river from ten to fifty feet wide, fifteen
feet deep, and three. fourths of mile in
length. Visitors traverse this river in
boat, and describe the appearance of the
shores as grand and beautiful in the ex.
IRENE.
By means Of a scoop net, numbers of
fish may be taken, from two to six inches
in length, and owing to the absence of
light. they are Of course. perfectly white
and transparent. They are said to exhi-
bit no appearance of an eye even by the
aid of a powerful microscope. This state
ment appears somewhat incredible, but
the proprietors of the cave declare it 20 be
strictly true. These fish are the only iv-
ing thing found in this vast cavern, with
the exception Of thousands of bats, which
may be seen in winter, hanging from the
roofs Of some Of the chambers, in string
nearly to the floor. In one Of the rooms
two bodies were found, a. we'll preserved
as mummy from the Egyptian cata.
combs. There is large room called
the temple, in which religious services
are occasionally performed. The pulpit
is natural formation Of stalagmite in the
centre Of the room, and various stalacti,cs
give it a beautiful appearance when light
ed up by torches. The area Of this cham.
Der is more than seven acres.
The temperature OF the cavern is al.
ways sixty degrees, both in summer and
winter. The current Of air sets from the
mouth of the cave in summer, and into It
in winter.
The Mammoth Cave contains twelve
domes, from twenty to three hundred feet
in height, and eight pits from sixty to two
hundred and eighty feet deep. Also five
cataracts, from different streams, from fif-
ty to one hundred feet perpendicular fall.
We have not space to describe oil the
wonders Of this remarkable cavern. Our
informant, George Elliott, ESQ.,, describes
it as exceeding in interest all that he ever
beheld, Of the natural curioslties Of this
country. From the falls of st. Anthony
TO the Niagara, he has not witnessed any
thing to affect him with such powerful
emotions as did the grandeur, beauty and
sublimi:y of the Kentucky cavern.
| CoNsUMPTIoN.- This dreadful disease.