New-York daily tribune., 1842-08-09
An Awfnl Chasn,.

aud closdess, the snn rispg from out the prairie
in all his majestic. Singular as it may appear,
nearly every shower we had came in the night
from the time we left Austin until we reached the
Mexican settlements Again we spent couple
of shours driving our blankets, then sadded up and
pursued our Journey, and still in northwest di-
rection.
We had scarcely gone six miles before we sud
deniy came upon an immense rent or chasIn IN the
earth, far exceeding in depth the one we had 50
much difficulty in crossing the day before NO one
was aware Of its existence until we were ifnfnedl-
ately upon its brink, when a spectacle, exceeding
in grandeur any thing we had previously Witnessed
came suddenly in view. NOT tree or bush, no
outline whatever marked Its position or course,
and we were all lost in amazement and wonder as
one by one we left the double-hle ranks and rode
M to the verge of the yawning abyss.
In depth il could not have been less than eight
hundred or thousand feet, from three TO hve hum
dr.d wards in width, and at the point where we
first struck it, the sides were neutrality-suspicious..
A sickiv sensation of dizziness was felt by ali as
we looked down, as it were, into the very depths
Df the earth. Below al occasional spot OF green
relieved the eye, and small stream OF water, now
rising TO the view then sinking beneath some huge
rock, was bsbbling and foamins along. Immense
walls, columns, in some places what appeared TO
bc'arches, were seen standing, worn by the water
undoubtedly, and 50 perfect in form that we could
with difficulty be brought to believe that the hana
Of man was not upon .hem. he rams OF centu'
ries, falling upon an immense prairie, had mere
found a reservoir, and their workings up the dit
ferent veins OF earth and stone had formed these
strange and Ianclful shapes.
Before reaching the chasm we had crossed hu-
merous large trails leading little more TO tne
west than we were travelling, and we were at ohoo
convinced that they all conferred at common
crossing close by In this conjecture we were not
disappointed for trot of half an hour oronght Us
into large road, the shoroughtare along whion
millions of Indians, buffalo, and mustangs hao
travelled FOR years. Perilous as the descent LOOK
ed, we we'll knew there was no other near. ihe
lead mule was again started ahead, the steader
and older horses were next driven over tue sioes'
while the more skittish and intractabe brought
up the rear Once in the narrow path which led
circuitously down the deep descent there was no
turning back, and our maddened animals I'm ally
reached the bottom in safety. Several large stones
were ooscned from their fastenisgs by our men
during the rishtful descent. They would leap.
dash and thunder down the precipiteus sides and
strike against the bottom far below us with
terrific crash.
We found running stream at the bottom, and
on the opposite side n romantic dell covered WITH
short grass and q few scattering cottoa woods.
large body of Indians had encamped on this very
spot but few days previous, the wllted limbs OF
the trees and other signs showing that they had
made it u resting place. We, too halted couple
of hours, to give our horses opportunity TO
Craze and rest themselves. The trail which ied
upon the opposite side was discovered short dis
tancc above us, to the SOUTH winding up the steep
and ragged sides of the precpice.
A ,ro olono this doll all yNer, struck
with admiration at the strange and fanciful figures
made 10y the washing of the waters during the
rainy season. In some places perfect walls formed
of redish clay, were standing, and were they
any where else it would be impossible to believe
that other than the hand of man had formed them
The vein of which these walls were composed was
of even thickness, very hard, and ran perpendicu-
larly and when the softer sand which had sur
rounded them was washed away, the veins still
remained standing upright, in some places one
hundred feet high and three or four hundred feet
in length.
Columns, too, were there, and such was their
architectural order, and so much of chaste
grandeur was there about them, that we were lost
in wonder and admiration. In other places the
breast-works of forts would be plainly visible then
again the frowning turrets of some castle ef the
olden time. Cumbrous pillars of some mightypilc
regularity was strangely mixed up with ruin and
disorder, and Nature had done it all. Niagara
has been considered one of her widest freaks;-
but Niagara sinks into insi gni6cance when COM
pared with the wild grandeur of this awful chasm.
Imagination carried us back to Thebes, to Palmy-
ra and TO ancient Athens, and we could not help
thinking we among their ruins.
oar passage of this place was effected with the
greatest difficulty. We were obliged to carry our
rifles, holsters and saddlc-bags in hand, and in
clambering up steep pitch one of the horses,
striking his shoulder against projected rock, was
precipitated some fifteen or twenty feet directly
upon his back. All thought he must be killed BY
the fall but singular enongh, he rose Immediately,
shook himself, and second effort in climbing
proved more successful-the animal had not re-
ceived the slightest apparent injury.
By the middle of the afternoon we were all
safely across. after spending five six hours COM
pletely shut out from the world. Again we found
ourselves upon the level prairie, and on looking
back after proceeding some hundred yards, not q
sign of the immense chasm was visible. The waste
we were then upon was at least two hundred and
fifty miles in width and two casms have men.
toned were the reservoirs, and at the same time
the conductors of the heavy quantity CT rain which
falls upon il during the wet season TO the running
streams. The prairie is undoubtedly the larges,
in the werld. and the chasms in perfect keep
ing with the size OF the prairie.
AT sundown, we halted at the side of water.
hole. and encamped for the night. BY this time
many of the men we're entirely out of provisions,
while those who still had little beef left, had
saved 1t by stinting themselves on the previous
days. The worst of our suferings had now COM
Ynenced.
II, Doctor E.arfner's Lecsurcs.-The second
coa Of Docter LarnefS Coarse OF Lectures delivered
Nb!os is Just published aud Tor sale at this office. Pces
25 cents The subjects embraced in the Lectures