Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-12-29

the pure white incruslaiions, and the guide is
therefore very properly reluctant to have them
used. The reflection from the shining walls is so
strong, that lampght is quite sufficient. More
over, these wonderful formations need to DO ex-
amined slowly and in detail. Tho universal gilt
ter Of Bengal lights is worthless in comparison.
From Rcbeccas Garland, you come into vast
ball, OF great height, covered with shining drops
of gypsum, like oozing water petrified In the
centre is large rock, four feet high and level at
TOP, round which several hundred people can sit |
conveniently. This is called Cornelia's Table, and
is frequently used for parties TO dine upon. In |
this hall, and in Wellngton's Gallery, ure deposits
OF hbrons gypsum, snow white, dry, and resem- |
bling asbestos. Biologists, who sometimes take |
up their abode in the cave for weeks, and other |
travellers who choose to remain over night, find |
this very pleasant and comfortable bed.
Cornelias Table is safe centre, from which |
individuals may diverge OH little exploring expe.
di,ions; Tor the paths are not labyrlnlhine, and
the hall is very conspicuous from the various
neighboring points of view. In most regions Of
the cave it is hazardous TO lose sight Of the
guide. If you think 10 walk srnght uhead, even
for few rods, and then turn round aud return to
him. you will frd il next to impossible TO do SO.
So many paths come in at acute angles they look
so much alike and the light of n lamp reveals
them SO imperIectly, That none but the practised
eye of guide can dsentangle their winnings. A
gentleman who retrnced a fuw steps near The ell
trance Of the cave, to find his hat, lost his way so
completely, that he was not found for forty eight
hours though twenty or thirty people were in
search OF him. Parties are occasionally mustered
aud counted to see that nono IRE missing. Should
such an accident happen there is no danger, if the
wanderer will remain stationary Tor he will soon
be missed aud guide sent after him.
From the hail Of CONCEALED drops, you may
branch off into succession OF small caves, called
Ceca's Grottoes Here nearly all the beautiful
formations of the surrounding caves such as
grapes, flowers, stars leaves, coral, &c. may be
found so low that you can conveniently examine
their minulest features. One of these little recess
SEES, covered with sparkling spar, set in svery
gypsum, is called Diamond Grotto. Alnia's Bow
er closes this series Of wonderful formations. AS
II whole they are called Cleavelands Cabinet in
honor of Prot CIeaveand, of Bowdoin college.
| Silliman, in his American Journal of Science
and Art, calls this admirable series, the Alabaster
Caves. He says, 81 was at first ut n loss TO ac-
count for such beautiful formations, and especial
~ for the elegance of the curves exhibited. 1t is
however evident that the substances have grown
from the rocks by increments or additions 10 the
buse; the solid parts already formed being conlin.
uully pushed forward. If the growth be II lutte
; more rapid on one side than ON the other, well
proportional curve will be the result should the
r increased action on one side diminish or increase
then all The beauties Of the conc AMI mixed curves
r would he produced. The masses are often evenly
and longitudinally striaed by kind OF columnai
structure exhibiting fascice Of small prsnis
: aud some OF these prisns ending sooner than 9th
f erS give broken termination of great beauty
4 similar 10 our form OF the emblem OF the order o
l. the star. The rosetes formed 10y numnar,
Il disk surrounded by circle of leaves, rolled ele
i. ganrly outward are from four inches TO a loot u
o diameter. TurtuOus vines, throwing off curlet
3 leaves ut every llexure, like the branches of
f. chunieer, running more Than Il foot in length, an
> not thicker than the finger are among the var
= ed frosl-w OF these grotoes; common staaC
It lites of carbonate of lime. although beautiful oil
= lecis, lose by contrast with these beautiful Orna
= inenls, and dwndle into mere clumsy, awkwar
icices BESIDES these, there are tufts of 'ha
g. SALT native sulphule of mngnesia, dependir
s. like adherng snowbaI!s from The roof, and per
- odicay detecting themselves by their own il
ID creasing weight. Indeed, the more solid alaba.
o. Ter ornaments become at last overgrown, and fu
so upon the floor OF the grotto, which was fouu
ct covered with numbers quite entire, besides fias
- mens OF others broken by the full"
~ distinguished geologst has said lint he h,
Isl lieved Ceveland's Avenue, TWO miles in lenpu
contained petrifed form of every vegetable pr
p ductiun earth. If this be too large q stat
al meni, is ut least safe say that its variety
ly almost infinite. Amongst its other production
ne are large piles of Epson salts beautifully chrysl;
is ized Travellers have shown such wanton d.
h. structiveness in this great temple of nature-m
IL taling beautiful columns, knocking off spar al
crushing delicate fiowers--lhat the rules are no
he, very strict. 1t is allowable to touch nothing c
Dr. cept tho ornaments which have oosened Of
ge dropped by their own weight. These are oft
nd. hard enough 10 bean transportation.
he After you leave Almos Bower, The cave aga
ok becomes very ragged. Beautiful combinations
mt gypsum and spar may Still he seen occasional
& overhead; but oil around you rocks and sion
rs are piled up in the widest manner. Throu
) such scraggy scenery, you come to the Rocl
'th Mountains, all irregular pile of massive rocl
100 TO $50 feet high. From these YOU can lo
ny, down into Dismal Hollow-decp below deep
tIy the most irigh,ful looking place in the who
ID cave. On the top OF the mountain is beaut
TO ro,unda, called Croghan Hall, in honor of the pr
ire prietOr. Staactltes surround this in the richie
ell fringe OF icices, and lie scattered about The WA
:e- in all shapes, as il arranged for q museum.
m one side is n salagme formation like pine tr,
he about five feet high, with regular leaves Al
ed branches; another IS in pyramdal form, like
oh cypress
us If you wind down the mountains on The 81
opposite from that which you ascended, you "
d. come 10 Serenas Arbor which is thirteen mi
sht from the entrance OF the cave, and the end of Il
zee avenue. And most beautiful termination il
III In semcrce OF stalaclile columns is a founii
VA OF pure water spoung up from rock III
en- fluid is as transparent as Dir all the earthly paI
Ito, cles II ever held in suspension, having been 10
"a since precipltaied. The stalactite formations
this arbor are remarkably beautiful.
out One hundred and sixty five avenues have be
M discovered in Mammoth Cave, the walk throu
has which is estimated at about three hundred mil
In some places you descend more Than mile il
ure The bowels of the EARTH The poetic minded tri
are eer, after he has traced all the laybrnhs, depa
, in with lingering reluctance. As he approaches
bile entrance, daylight greeis him with novel d
in startling beauty. II the Lines on the verdi
In sloping hill, and the waving trees, seen throu
ok, the aich, they seem like fluid gold if mere d.
n light rests upon them, they resemble molten
- yer. This remarkable richness of appearance
in doubtless owing 10 the contrast with the III
;an darkness, to which the eye has been so long
les, customed.
oks As you come out OF the cave the temperate
lily of the air rises thirty degrees Instantly lit the 81
the son is summer,) and you feel as if plunged in
the hot vapor bath but The effects ofthis are SALUTE
are and not unpleasant.
m n,iraculaua il do