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


continually modified by the presence of chemical
agents. Whatever may be the cause, its agreee-
BILE salubriiy is noticed by every visitor, ana II Is
said to have great healing power in diseases oil Tue
lungs.
The amount of exertion which can be perform
ed here without fatigue, is astonishing, Inc SUI
perabundance of oxygen in the atmosphere ope-
rates like moderate doses OF exhilerating gas
The traveller feels q buoyant sensation, WHICH
temps him to run and jump, and leap from crag
TO crag, and hound over the stones in his paih
like awn ut play. The mind, however, sus
taias the body, being kept in state OF delightful
activity, Ivy continual new discoveries and start
ling revelations. This excitement continues inter
they return to the hotel. No one feels the need oil
cards or politics. The conversation is all about
The cave! The cave and What shall we see to-
morrow?
The wide entrance to the cavern soon contracts
SO that but two can pass abreust. AT this place,
called the Narrows, the air from dark depths be-
yond blows out fercely, as if the spirits OF me
cave had mustered there, to drive intrnders back
TO the realms OF day. This path continues about
fourteen or fifteen rods, and energies into a wider
avenue, hoored with satpetre EARTH from which
the stones have been removed. This leads direct
ly into the Rotnnda, vast hail. comprising sur
face oil eight acres, nrched with dome lOO leet
high without a single pillar to support it, 1t rests
irregular ribs OF dark grey rock, in massive oval
rings, smaller and smaller one seen within anoth-
or, till they terminate at'the top. Perhaps this
apartment impresses the traveller as much us any
| portion oil the cave because from it he receives
his first impression of its gigantic proporlions-I
! The vnstness the gloon the imposshility OF taxi
! ing in the boundaries by The light OF lamps-nll
! these produce n deep impression OF awe and
wonder.
From the Rotunda you pass into Audubons
| Avenue, from so TO 100 feet high, with galleries
of rock on each side, jutting out farther aud far
| Their, till they nearly meet at TOP. This avenue
,I,n,
| This contains several projecting galleries, one OF
them resembling cathedral choir. There is n
gap in the gallery, and at the point Of interruption,
Immediately above is rostrum or pulpit, the
rocky canopy of which JUS over. The guide
leaps up from the adjoining galleries, aud places
lamp each side OF the pulpit, oil fiat rocks, which
seem made for the purpose. There has been
preaching from this pulpit; but unless 1t was SUI
perior TO most theological teachings, it must have
been litully discordant with the sublimity Of the
place. Five thousand people could stand in this
suberranean temple with ease.
So far, all s Irregular jagged rock, thrown to-
gether in fantastic masses without any particular
STYLE; but now begins series of limitations, which
grow more and more perfect, in gradual progress
sion ill you arrive NJ the end. From The Church
YOU pass into whet is called the Gothic Gallery
! from its obvious resemblance TO that style o arch
itecturc. ilcre is Mummy Hall so called be-
| cause several mumlnes have been found seated ir
rccesses of the rock Without any process OF EN-
balnling, they in perfect state OF rresrrva
ton as the nummies Of Egypt; for the air of the
cave is so dry and Interchangeable and so strongly
impregna,cd with ntre, that decomposition can
not take place. mummy found here in 1913
was the body of woman five feet ten inclIe;
high, wrapped in halfdressed deer skins OF
which were rudey drawn white veins and leaves
Al the feet, lay par OF lnoccasiIis and hand
some knnpsnck made of bark; containing string
of small shining seeds; necklaces OF bear teeth
u. ., 1,T,, Ia, L..
made oil cane; two rattle snakes skins, Que hav
ing on it fourteen rattles coronels for the head
made Of erect feathers of rocks and eagles; sinoot
needles of horn and bone, some OF them CROOKED
like sail needles; deer's sinews for sewing, and
parcel ofthree corded thread bling twine'-
y ! believe one of these mumnes Is new IN III
British Museum.
From Mummy Hail. YOU pass int Sr.r ave
very perceptibly increases The wall jnts out i
pointed arches, and pillars on the sides OF wh:c
are various grotesque combinations OF rock. On
is an elephants head. The usks and sleepy eye
are quite perfect the trunk, at first very dlsnc
gradually recedes and is lost in the rock. o
another pillar is lions head on another, n hu
rt man head with wig called Lord Lyndhurf
e. from its resemblance TO that dignilary.
re From this gallery you can sep into side cav
n in which is an immense pit, called the Lover
s- Leap. A huge rock, fourteen fifteen feet lon
i /; like an elongated sugar loaf running to a sha.
gh point. projects half way over this abyss. II max
1t one shudder to the guide walk almost 10 Il
,s' end Of this projeclo bridge, over such TN awi
chasm.
CHI As you pass aong, the Gothic Avenue narrow
"a until you come 10 II porch composed of the 6I
ny separate columns in the cave. The slaaclile al
es- slalagme formations unite in these irregular ma
INT SEES Of brownish yellow. which, when the Zig
shines through them, look like transparent anbt
mn They are souorous ms clear toned hell. A pc
ase dant mass called the bell, has been unfortunate
las broken by being struck too powerfully.
nd. The porch of columns leads to The Goth
It's Chapel, which has the circular form appropria
red to true church. number Of pure stalac
elt columns fill the nave with rches, which, in ma
The places form a perfect Gothic roof. Tho slalac
M ties fall in rich iestoons, slrlkingly similar TO 1
'el highly ornamented chapel of Henry VII. Fo
18th companies in the centre form a separate arch
q is themselves, like trees twisted into grotto, in
le- Irregular and grotesque shapes. Under this ar
fall stands Wilkins Armchair, stalactite lormaiit
ose we'll adapted TO the human figure. The chapel
ere the most beautiful specimen of Gothic in the ca
lity Two or three OF the columns have richly loal
me capitals like the Corinthian
II you turn bnck to ;he main avenue, and stri
you off in another direction, you enter vast roo
nee with several projecting galleries, called the 81
the Room here the proprietor intends TO assemble
He'd brilliant dancing party This In close
lied entity as if arranged by the severer school of Il
NO ologians; is a large nmphilheatre, called Saa
Easy Council Chamber. From The centre rises
'gIh mountain of big stones, rudely piled one abe
another, in gradual slope, nearly one hund
sally feet high On the top, rests huge rock, big n
able house, called Satan's Throne. The vaslness
ably gloom, partially Illuminated by the glare OF lam
gng iorcibly remind one of Lucler on his throne,
ance REPRESENTED by Mar,ln i'm his illustrations on Al
pill ton. |, requires little Inauguration TO t,anslo
mes the uncouth rocks all around the throne, into
COO !endant demons. Indeed, throughout the ca
me Martins pictures are continually brought TO mi
Is by the unearthy effect of intense light on bl
this masses of shadow. In This Council Chamber.
,und rocks with singular annropriateness change fr
n its an imitation of Gothic architecture TO tla1 of
uIse Egyptian. The dark, massive walls resembI
OF a series OF Egyptian lombs, in duh and heavy O
rled line. la this place is un angle which form
the meeting point of several caves and ia ,hereG