New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-10-12
THE TRIBUNE.
A visit 20 the vlasnraeah Cave
Correspondence oil ne =, .,

WI, ..,,ool.bov and studied Morse's
c;aox,anbv remember seeing therein long de-
s,r;,,;n, sf AN immense cavern in the State OF
K.n,,,.k,. b., little did then imagine that
,ho,a avo, be ,reading its dark avenues or dining
beneath its magnificent domes But 50 II Is. fiow
,;,,,a do ,ge know in our schooi-boy days what We
,,.,, 40, or where we may be in after years
abont year ago left my home among the
Green Mountains to travel in the Far West Al
,er making the voyage Of the Great Lakes, wan
aering over great portion Of the State OF Illinois
and making trips on several OF the great rivers,
with many other peregrinations, found myself at
.,,,,t ,own in Kentucky only eighteen miles from
Who Mammoth Cave Here heard so much talk
of il az natural Curiosity worthy TO compare with
NIAGARA. that determined 10 visit it forthwith
&. baking horse proceeded thither, arriving
about noon al the hotel, which is kept near the
Cevr for the entertainment Of visitors. Here |
found several persons from various parts of the
IJnion and two gentlemen from France. These,
the attention, poteness, and good humor OF the
landlords IMessrs Milers) caused 10 leel quite at
home, and prepared for seeing every thing IN It's
most pleasing aspect
After partaking Of dinner served up IN the
style of our best hotels in New-York party was
formed for an excursion into the Cave, the point
of destination being Gorens Dome, via the
Gothic Avenue Being equipped that is to say, with
old coats and paats t, match, (oi misInatch as II
might be- and armed each with lamp, we pro.
ceeded, under the command and guidance OF
Mat who served also as baggage-nan, carrying
oil AVID matches to serve iii case OF accident
Now it is not to be supposed that | am going 10
give any thing like description OF this Cavern
for only saw about the fftieth part of 1t, Though
I was nearly two whole days in 1t, and besides new
branches are discovered very often even now, aud
moreover think it would be impossible 10 give
description which would convey any idea OF the
scene shall only make few random remarks
and comparisons and leave the rest to the imagin-
alton OF my readers
The entrance or mouth is like what one of the
streets of NewYork would be with massive arch
of limestone spanning from the caves Of the build
ings one side to the other. About one hundred
wards from the mouth where the passage narrows
little, partition has been built aud & door sur
mounted with an .Folian Harp, which the
constant rush of air outward keeps constant
" PLAYING. A short distance from the door the
arch rises, and found myself in au avenue as
spacious as Nassau or Wall street and spanned by
an arch of which the combined light OF dozen
lamps gave only an indistinct view. Every other
feeling was lost in astonshment. had read and
heard descriptions given in feet and inches, but
they had failed to give any conception OF the
size and magniGcence OF this truly Mammoth Cave
Continuing our walk about mile we came TO
the Church. This is a large space nearly circular,
and on one side there is gallery leading 10 a nat
ural pulpit We were Informed that meetings
were often held here; and a filter place could not
be found than in this Church built without hands.
Proceeding EDWARDS two three miles aad
passing many places which in any other cave would
be thought worth visit from the remotest State
in the Union we came To what the guide called the
Window to Gorcn's Dome. 1t appeared To be
only hole in the wall two or three feet square.
/ thrust nv lamp into it but what my
ishment TO find that my vision was bounded only
BY the darkness. As the wall which separated us
from this was only about two feet thick we
took several lamps and strinsing them on stick
extended them through the window: by this
means we were enabled dmly TO discern in the
distance the limits of this immense domo. The
guide said it was 1876 feet to the bottom from
where we stood, and | should think the top was
at least so feet above US. At some distance from
the window passage has been discovered by
which man may with some difficulty descend TO
the bottom directly under the window.
The proprietor of the Cave CDR. Croghan) now
ordered tho guide to take some Bengal Lights and
descend to the bottom and illuminate the Dome
When the lights were all burning the scene was
too much for description; neither the pen nor the
pencil could give any thing like complete idea OF
the grandeur, sublmity AID beauty of the scene.
I was struck dumb with establishment: l had
come prepared to the most wonderful cavern
in the world but my imagination was far inferior
to the reality l might tell you of the stalacti,es
that hang from the oof in the most iancitul clus
ters and sparkle like water drops in the light of
the lamps; Of an immense rock that is suspended
from the centre of the Dome of the walls in many
places perpendicular, and tuted If by the hands
of cunning workman =: might write over this
and dozen moro sheets of paper, and then should
YOU view the scene as | viewed it you would say
the half has not bean told.
Leaving here, we turned our course towards the
outer world, proceeding by different route from
the one we came. We emerged about II clock.
My sheet is filled. Should YOU lbiak this com
municatien worthy admission into the columns OF
your paper l viii send YOU account OF my sec
ond days rambe. SMITH.
The Neither of Mccoy.
To the Editor Of The Tribae
speeding the case of the mother OF Mccoy, wishes TO show
her dispositions aid in furnishing the immediate supplies
OF which The death OF her said have deprived her
by the accompanying enclosure.
II doubtful however, in the mind OF the writer, bow
far sympathy for the dsresses molher
should he the guide lLa,