The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-10-10
THE MAMMOTH CAVE az Krsrvckr)
r.ox THE NASHVILLE UNION.

have been termed the wonders
of the world. Its vast extent it is not ca
sy TO ascertain. By for the greatest por.
ton of it has been but recently, or within
a few years, explored, End there is lille
reason 10 doubt that very much within its
deep and dark recess es remains yet 10 be
discovered.
The temperature of the air in the cave
is uniform, being about 59o Fahrenheit /:
and during the summer the air rushes Out
at the entrance with great force, render
ing II extremely uncomfortable 10 breast
it. Think for moment OF breathing the
of warm day, the thermom-
eter up to 50 or 80, and then after sin.
gle step, in moment, falling 800, and you
can have some idea Of the feeling OF WIS.,
tier about 10 enter the Mammoth Cave.
To be almost foored by "norwester +"
while suddenly turning "A corner in mid
winter is but as draught through the
keyhole in comparison. This chilly feel.
ing, however, lasts but short time. As
you proceed you are relieved by exercise
and the equabe state of The air; aud after
awhile you breathe ireer and deeper, aud
perspire freely or not according to the a.
mount OF labor you perform.
For mile or two the road is plain and
good, but there is nothing peculiarly wor-
thy Of note save the hoppers and tracks of
oxen and Of the wheels Of wagons employ
ed in the manufacture of sal,petre during
the last war. This was profitable bust.
ness for time, but the expense and diff.
Guilty Of procuring potash. aud the neces-
slty OF carrying on much OF the operation
outside, put an end to il.
The houses erected for the invalids who
thought the air Of the cave beneficial are
still standing monuments of the tenaciIy
with which mortality clings to life, and Of
the vain eXpedenls which man will seek
after to escape the unalterabIe decree Of
bis Creator. If TO improve the appetite
were TO cure consumption, these patients
might have recovered. They lived well
as far as comestIbles could serve them.
Good yenison and chatting dishes TO "do :"
il, good wine that needed no bush, and all
that the good taste and enterprise of tho
host could furnish were at their call but
no consumptiye was, as far as we know,
permanently relieved.
After leaving these, various wonderful
scenes are encountered, description Of
which would require good sized volume.
asst and majestic domes, avenues extend.
ng some miles, caves above and beneath,
and pits Of immense depth, begin to i'm
press upon the yster some idea Of the
grandeur and subIimiiy of the place. The
passage over what is called the Bottomless
PIT is made safe by bridge abou, four #.
nigh and ten long. Attic end Of the bridge
IS ladder which you descend to reach the
other side. In this pit, at the depth Of a.
bout seyenty-fve feet, you find water, but
It's loves, depth is not known
Near this is the " Winding Way," an
extremely narrow passage, apparently cut
ou, Of the rock. For a distance OF shout
one hundred yards, the opening is not much
moro than a foot wide and about four feet
n height. You work your passage ,hro',
however. with but little trouble, and pre-.
sently emerge into an immense space both
in height and width.
Now you approach the rivers. The first
river Styx) can be passed BY going round
instead of crossing ii. The second is call.
cd Lake Lethe, about 10 or / ? feet wide.
This is crossed BY means Of boats, and the
distance from one landing TO the other is
perhaps one hundred and fifty or two hun.
fred yards. The river Jordan is the last
md the largest. [ pom this you travel a.
1out half mile, small part of the way
indcr ceiling so low as to make it neces.
iary 10 stoop III the boat. Another name
or this is the Echo rivera report of
'Istoi on this stream is almost deafeninq,
md the solemn stiffness, when all on board
re perfectly quiet, is Indcscribable. These
ivcrs rise and fall With Green river, which
INST OF course supply them with water.
There arc fish here 10 considerable nun.
ers; but crawfish and small fish abou,
he size OF a large minnow are the princ.
al varieties. Tue latter are Of a very
i9ht delicate pink color, almost transrar (
Mt. They live but short time after be. (
ng taken out Of the cave waters; but the
most singular thing about them is their 10.
al want Of any thing like an eye.
At Lake Lelhe, the distance tothe sur.
ace of the earth above, it is said, has been
scerIalned to be three hundred feet.
Attic foot Of ladder ascending through
fissure in the rocks 10 " Martha's Vine.
ard and the route onward is a spring Of
ellghtful water, cool and refreshnG.--.
itIll higher, by a very steep and difficult
scent of perhaps thirty or forty feet is
nc Holy Sepulchre." From the roof
this hang, like icicics, in great quaint.
es, beautiful stalaciitcs, curious and
lusicaI. These arc some of the count.
'ss varieties Of carbonate Of lime abound.
e IN this region Of the cave, and have
cen formed by the filtration of water
trough the pores Of the rocks.
Beyond this, for a mile or two, NAV be
mad -.