Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-03-04
IMPORTANT III TRUE.

'u near lllaL pace ny n party VI
While pursuing their sports.
GENrLrMrS Perhaps you have not heard
oT most daring net. which happened IN our
county a few days since, and which resulted
in the discovery Of onr ot the most stupendous
caves now known Do not be surprised to
hear that not only Hagcrstown but no doubt
the whole country between the north mountain
aud Blue Ridge, is nothing more than an i'm
mense bridge or viaduct, supported by thousand
of pilars, some of which exceeds in form and
bcaulv, any thing to be conceived Of. | will
briefly relate the manner in which it was dis
covered
Some ten DAYS ago two gentlemen, MIR. !
Mngeniser, of Funkstown, and Mr.. Watson !
near this place, being at leisure, as the wea-
,her was fine. determined on a fox hunt. They !
soon had olt Reynard under way. The chase |
was close and tight, and old Reynard evident |
ly began to tail on account OF his tail collecting
the mud, and from the unseasonabe warmth of
the atmosphere-and finding it rather danger
ous to remain in this upper world when 1t was
80 warm thought to try another a little cooler.
NCChulhgiy ne eHteIeu sHuII opehlhR III
hill side. about one mile west Of Hagerstown
which has never been regarded as more thana
| sink or falling in of the earth. The huntsmen
! losing the cry Of the hounds, thought that they
had made "baulk" but upon riding to the
spot where they had last heard them, were sur
! prspd at not being able to find them. Whilst
! s,nudinp in conjecture, dog, TO their astonish
ment, came galloping out Of the, apparently
| sink
Then the idea occurred that the whole pack
must have entered this place, and that the one
lacked courage and returned whereupon Ole of
the gentlemen dismounted, and on applying
his ear to the opening, could hear the dogs IN
full cry. There could be no doubt they were
in full chase. for the sound gradually died away,
justas if they had been on plain in this upper
| world After half an hours anxious waiting.
they again, for few minutes heard the dogs
more distinctly than before, but this time they
seemed to turn corner, as the sound was
hushed abruptly, Their curiosity induced one
of them to commence tearing away the roots
and earth which surrounded the entrance, and
to their astonishment, found in few minutes,
that he had made an opening sufficiently large
to admit hisperson erect. Upon advancing 80
or 40 yards in straight and descending dlrec-
ton, to his amazement, he found himself in a
spacious hall, the top of which he, in dull
twilight, could not perceive. lie then return
ed To his companions, when they agreed 10 fol-
low the dogs, or at least explore the cavern as
far as was practicable. Well after the neces
sary arrangements, they actually entered and
when this first hall became lighted, it present.
ed one OF the most gorgeous spectacles that can
+, be imagined. The ceiling is about 40 or SO
, feet high, and hung with stalactites the mos,
gltterlng and beautiful Their was a chsr.de
, lier of exquisite spendor, glittering With
: thousand star-like tapers--snd there was ano
ther set with rrbes and sapphres, and ther,
was column that would have sunk the beau
ties OF Grecian architecture into nothing. Th
trees and shrubbcry all gltterlng. reaecte'
prlsmatic culors :rorl thousands of gltterin.
points. Whilst tie gentlemen were standin!
> here, wondering at the prospect before them
they aga'a Iieard the dogs in South Easter
direction, and Percelving large opening, the.
Proceeded Cautiously in that direction. When
ever they passed turn, or any place, which
in reimrning. might bewilder them, they hum
rp piece OF linen, which they had prepare
e for the occasion, In this way they proceede
about half mile, when they came to smaI
but beautiful stream, rlppllng over gentl
descent, which they thought must be the Col
!, Spring near this town--tor the quantity OF wa
ter correspondent precisely, and II seemed
f. flow in the proper direction. They had som
er difficulty IN crossing this stream without gel
H. ting wet feet, as there were no loose stones
- being fast with an incrlstation. They the
Id proceeded on in little more easterly dIreC
tron, as they thought, and after another ha
mile, they came "a steep and dangerous d.
scent of about 30 or 40 feet which however
did not check them. for they were now aI
proaohing-near to where they thought The
heard roaring noise, the cause OF which the
were anxious 10 learn. They passed man
large openings, right and left, and the avenue
which they passed, was every where beautiful
ly and tastefully hung with drapery-llke ii
crustations. About halt a mile from the el
IN trance, they found plant of the Monotrof
family, Just in bloom. II was not long beol
yc one OF them discovered an opening, throug