Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-07
Godey's Lady's Book.


There are several good papers by popular writers, such as
Miss Leslie. Mrs. S. J. Hale. r. S. Arthur and DIR. Bird
from a sketch by the last named, called "The Death Cave"
we make an extract, p~ortroying the feelings of a man who
mas been lett IN utter darkness in one Of the intcrminable
caves o tennessee, abandoned by his guide, as he .upposes.
10 a death OF lingering misery.-N. y. Com. Ad,.
1 sprahg desperately Forward to seize him by the throat.
ne blew out his light, and in an instant all was the blackness
vi darkness.
was Supplied by this act, q, once so s,r,,ge, and u,o,
Ptc'e"' ne could not, himself, get away from me, without,
ahghti did he mean TO murder me in the darkness He y.
ho''en s'eps from me; but It was impossible he should know
"here 10 mad me;-and, besides, the floor of the cave n
roush WIN loose rocks, and he could not approach without
my nearing him. Suddenly | heard the Gathering Of a s,one-
then the sound OF a falling peddle-then another clnterino:
ne noise Of iooistepS-the foOiteps Of a man s,esIing
cautiously away. 1t was Darling; he had some means oSss
cape unknown to me; and the murderer was abandoning me
10 my fate. "'
Can you conceive the feelings that then convul,ed M.
a young man IN the very pride Of my youth and strength
nappy IN III my worldly relations, possessed of fortune and
nenas-ne husband OF a young wife. the best and loveliest
oi lir sex-the father of two babes that were sent m iron,
heaNen-happy and competent to 4 life of happineSs.-,nd
It' uhplIaleied william was stealing away, to suffer me Z,
uIe a death OF darkness and starvation IN n cave could
. ioLow nun; at the first attempt to move in the direction
VI the footsteps | fell over the broken rocks. a,,emp,ed
I" creep; but the sounds were now behind me: now it,a~m
20 'ney We're on my right hand, now on my left. vas
Mn01y oe"'ldered, und every instant they sounded fainter
anu farther. called after the william; and il was viii, ,be
uLhoe Spitlt add duplicating accents of 4 slave. beg.
geo OF my lie; / promised forgiveness and silence-n,y
l pledged an oath Of secrecy; | offered hin the money ~
my saddle bags, and not that only, but more; | would don.
pc H-qaadfuple 1T would beggar my wife and children
and give him all | possessed, if he would only rerprn 1900
me my light, and suffer me to depart.
10 tins piteous appeal, there came an answer il vos tho
s. oun -. oi Hl'tah iaGghier-such laughter as might come
from the ups OF a hend, exulting over the anguish of n
condemned soul. | heard the farewell lauph of IN. NM
oereii and then oil was silent in my living sepulcbrr-,rd
yet not silent; for | could hear the throbs of my oy,, 49,,
I"u il ringing roaring sound, the pulsaiions of NV brain.
i was alone. | could then tell what were the FEELINGS nj
nc o. 'are os'i l could realize even wha, had been the feel.
ihgs ot my betrayer.-As / thought of them. I invoked
haIeaichons on his head, and insulied heaven with a horn.
6e prayer. prayed that he might lose his light and wan.
unL;o { 10 me- begging help and forgiyeness-that might.
"nhe ne implored me, tear him 10 pieces, And tho,
tainted; and the Death Cave was the place of de,,b ~
How could | tell how long l remained unconsciops7 +,
nIs ! "as assured nave been hours; it might have been
uaEs' l a"oAe 10 a iuIl consciousness of nv situation. and
the cave wash filled with the shueks and wells made for as
si7tahce' But who was there to assist mel | dropped on
my knees and prayed heaven for succour; but heaven was
oeai' or seemed so; and / blasphemed the Providence. ,b.,
hau abandoned me. This was despair; and no man hut The
man lost IN a cave, knows what despair is.
l started from my delinum, as a thought flashed ,bropob
my troubled brain. The villain had carried off INV fin, a0d
steel; but | had 4 penknife in my pocket: and among tho
rocSs might certainly-be found stones that would strike fire.
Gouu ! ou' nnd a substitute for matches, | might strike a
gu Nne Au ieIt the candles with me in very derisiouN
o'u ''eh escape was certain. The thought that aroused
At, v" i oi a substitute for matches. | seized the loose
rocks upon which | had been sitting; | tore them M, ri,,
my hanuS' Ol5rO"ed among them until | could srasn nm
a handful OF loose dry earth. put 1t 10 my ton,no ,n5
screamed win delight, 10 fluid, by the taste, tina, il was inn.
Ne"NS- wan HNAt 1 ClQtCncu IN q fragment u rn.I
~ WIN 'Ie back OF my knife, struck off sparks of tire
gods! now beautiful they were, in that den of darkness,
"1appeu 'e m'Ie earth N a piece Of paper, which Hound
IN my pockei, and struck fire into il from the bsck of ms
Anie' know not how II was | managed it, | have tined 10
strike hre ihatway since, but never succeeded.O in an in.
s'ant the paper was blazing, and the candle lighted.
l laughed with joy-l huzzaed-I screamed, and turned
TO escape. But, which was the path. and wbi,be~ 80 a.
way ! was IN a wild rocky hall, and six or seven diGer-
eh' passages yawned around me, all locking alike, vet one
only being that by which / had entered and could ,scnne.
mat one ! could not distinguish from the Others. tore ~,
mar with rage and disappointment. / ran wildly from one
" ms o'heF' penetrating each a little way to see if | could
10 discover some remembered object. But all was equally
neMa n unknown or aforementioned. l gave way to a
second paroNlsm OF despair and frenzy: until, in the midst
VI IT, my eye was struck by Z broad arrow chalked on the
wal OF one OF the passages. / was too familiar with caves
hott' Know that this indicated the path out of the cave. for
"''n inns expedleni only can explorers be sure Of a safe re-
'uIn .IoLi n unknown cave. twas with inexpreSSible de.
HRHt hat / darted into this passage. discovering arrow after
arrow. and pursuing my hurried way, until. having travelled
asgTeat' nay a greaterdisiance than knew the place of nv IA.
m'eHpermentw1sirom the mouth, found mvs, atlas,con.
'uSeu' oe"luefed' thoroughly lost amid c labvrinth of ms.
sases winch | was certain ! had never uodden before. and
convinced mat was only more incxiricab!y involved II, the
ueP'"s 81 the cave. Yes! that chain OF arrows was bu, a
device OF the devllsh Darling, TO meet such 4 contingency
as mas happened To ONE, to deprive his victims Of tbs adv,n.
ISse' u they should lind the means, of light, and delude
Heu t1tnsI away ron nope, TO cheat them more certainly
~heiF destruction. l saw the deception, and | felt all the
effects Of Tiny error, when, after hours of search. | failed %
discover me arrows, by means OF which / might retace nv
s'ep'S me pace where was hTstdesered. 1t was vain, vainal
Valn;l only pIungeodeeperint the stony wilderness of INV mn
son house. But, was l 10 pause IN despair Nv candles were
burning one by one. away; and when they were all consu.
med-ay' then would come The time to pause--and die.
iolIed on with the activity Of desperation, penetr,tipg
kne" not whittier, and passing among scenes of the r,os,
extraordinary grandeur and novelty: but they had no mr.
estior a dying man. ! only remember being attracted bv
Us distant thunder to a roaring wateTfall-not a pitiful
Stream Gripping down BY buckei.fulls, like the usuol
cascades OF a cave-but n subterrancan Niagara. a misbty
Sa'iia'' ua came biIlo"lng down a vast cliff, and pitched
mo d gun that the eve could not fathom. / caught wnter
irom TN my hands; 10 slakc ms thirst, and then aad ava
- seek a path Of escape.
Ands so long as M candles lasted. Icontinued the search
wHnoai pausing a moment. Time was precious, my hours
~ Hghl were numbered, and ! walked, and where / cc,ld
! ran without uung-how could Weld TO fatigue. or eycr
De conscious Of u IN my dreadful situationl and il seemed
~ me continued mus 10 walk and run for at least &c hours.
iI 81 'ohg l Judged-or rather my feelings told m f,-
Juugeu no'hlng-ih1t my candles lasted. had a watch.
hut / dd not look at IL: | had let il run down. and I JtJ -,
care How could care about time! II was lrbt, opv
light that | thought Of. And how tiouy,t of 7rr"I
away. S ''"'"u1Ny
AZ length, Il was consumed; it aickcrcJ and gave ON, II.
'N' nasn' ] hNcd my eyes upon the fragment OF the burn-
ing WICK; and when that ceased 10 sparkle. | fell down nm
the rocks IN a swoon. ''"" Oh
Shall go on with my story Shall tell you how Tavok,
aS'couu time, and crept darby from rock 10 rock novy
s"Issius OF ne now lying down TO die; how days and
nights came aud passed. though al THERE was one 6,eJ
everlasting midnight But days and ni,hts did c,r,c oni
pass'a death bell IN my spirit marked The lonsc Of boyrs. -
'"''o "Hs s'metnlng within me that told me had passed
lN nti' n mat awful condition. Noumay Judge thatbodIy
anguish was added 10 that Of spirit. Truly. endured Iii
the horrors Of hunger aud thirst ul the eleventh dov. ,ybc,
SatN 'f 'he iasi Time into a swoon, thinking u was death.
! aWoke again strong light glazing In nv face. ana
man was stopping over me, rubbing INV hands md -
ling my face with water. ' SI'"N-
And yet after oil only ten inmates had elapsed from tho
um. y Wv. Dl3"lng outoi the light ul the guide had reap.
Peared. such Is the strength Of Imagination.
n ~ axes, ANes.-JuN received large supply Of tho
maker. for .. IT,, W. assou'' oi ,olia.. simmons. ]andothcr