The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-19
Miscellaneous.
FROM Bentley's Miscellany.
M a m m 9th Cave.
Concluded.

over which you can look down, by aid Of blazing
missls, upon broad, black sheet orwnter so feet
below, called the Dead Sea- This is an awruy i'm
pressive place, the sights and sounds of which do
not easily pass from memory. lie who has seen It
will have il wildly brought before him by Alferi's
description of Fllippo: "OnIy transient word or
act gives us short and dubious glimmer that reveals
to US the abysses oil his beings dark lud and terrific
as the throat of the Internal poole
AS you pass along, you hear The roar Of invis ibe
waterfalls. and at the foot of the slope the river syx
lies before you deep and black. The first GLIMPSE
oil brings to mind the decent Of Ulysses into hell
Where the dark rock o'hangs the Internal lake,
And mingling streams eternal murmurs mike -
Across these unearthly winters, the guide can con-
vey but two passengers at once; and these sit mo-
ioness in the canoe, with fee, turned apart so as not
to dsturb the balance. Three lamps are fastened
to the Prov, the images of which are reflected in the
dismal pool.
Ifyou are impatien, to delay, or eager for new ad-
ventures you can leave your companions lingering
about the shore, and cross the Styx by dangerous
bridge of Precipces overhead. In order do this,
you must ascend steep cliff and enter cave above,
from an egress Of which you find yourself the bank
Of the river, eighty feet above its surface command
ing view of those passing in the boat, and those
waiting the shore. Seen from this height, the
lamps in the glare like frey eyebaIls; and the
passengers sitting there, hushed and moonless,
look like shadows. The Gene is so strangely fu-
neral and spectral, that it seems as if the Greeks
must have Witnessed it, before they imagined
Chnron conveying ghosts to the dim regions of Pluto
Your companions, thus seen. do indeed,
'Skim along the dusky glades
Thin airy shoals and visionary Shades
fyou turn your eye from the canoe, to the parties
OF men and women whom you left waiting the
shore, you will sec them by the glenn of their Jumps,
scattered in picturesque groups looming out in bold
relief from the dense darkness around them
When you have passed the Styx, you soon meet
another stream, appropriately called Iea,hs. The
echoes here absolutely stunning. A single voice
sounds like powerful choir; and could an organ be
played, II would deprive the nearer of his senses.
When you have crossed you enter a high level hall.
named the great walk, half a mile OF which brings
you to another river called the Jordan. In crossing
this, the rocks in one place descend so low, as to
leave only eighteen inches for the boat pass through
Passengers obliged to double up and lie on each
Others shoulders all this gap passed. The
Portable position is, however of short duration, and
you ddeny emerge to where the vault of the cave
is than hundred feet high. In the fall Of tho
year, this river often rises almost instantane-
ously over fifty feet above low water mark phe-
nomenon supposed TO be caused by heavy rains from
the upper earth. On this account autumn is an un
favorable for those who wish to explore the
cave throughout fparties happen to be caught on
the other side Of Jordan, when sudden rise takes
place boat conveys them the swollen waters,
to The level of nm upper low that they
obliged TO enter hands and knees and crawl
through. This place is called Purgatory. People
the other side aware of their danger, have boat in
readiness to receive them.
The guide usually sings while crossing the Jordan
and his voice is reverberated by a choir of sweet
echoes. The only animals found in the
are fish, with which this stream abounds. They are
perfectly white and without eyes; at least they have
been Injected to careful examination, and
gam similar an eye can be discovered. It would
indeed be useless appendage to creatures that dwell
forever in Cimmerian darkness. But is usual the
acueness Of one is increased by the absence Of
another. These fish undsturbed by the most
powerful glare of light, but they alarmed by the
slightest agitation Of the water; and is therefore
extremely difficult to catch them.
The rivers of Mammoth cave were never crossed
till $40, Great efforts have been made to discover
whence they come and whittier they go. But The
courageous Stephen has foated for hours up to
his chin, and forced his way through the narrow
est nperures under the dark waves, so as to leave
his head merely breathing place, yet they still
main as much mystery as ever-wthout beginning
end, like eternity They disappear under arches,
which, at the lowest stage Of the water, are under
the surface Of it. .,..
From some unknown cause, it sometimes happens
in the neighbrohood Of these that the figure
of a distan, companion will apparently loom up, to
the height OF ten twelve feet he approaches you
This occasional phenomenon is somewhat frighfal
10 the most rational observer, occurring as it
does in region naturally associated with giants
and genii. ..... ...r ........,. .. 3D.. .
From the Jordan through Stman's Avenue, you
enter high, narrow defle, pass in n portion OF
which, called the Hanging Rocks, hnge masses of
stone hang suspended over your head A. the side
OF the defile is recess called the Devils Blacksmith
Shop. 1t contains rock shaped like an anvil, with
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