The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-19


the other, well proportioned curve will be the re-
suit should the Increased action one side diminish or
increase then all the beauties Of the comic and mix
ed curves would be produced. The masses are often
evenly and longitndnally strated by kind of COL
unnar structure, exhibiting facicle Of small prsms
and some OF these prisms ending sooner than Others
give broken termination of great bsnuty; similar to
our form of the emblem of the order of tho STAR
The resets formed but mnmmllary disk surround
ed by circle Of leaves rolled elegantly outward ARE
from four inches 10 foot in diameter. Tortuous
vines, throwing off cued leaves Mt every Texture,
like the branches Of chandelier running more than
foot in length, and not thicker than the finger,
mong the varied frostwork Of these grottos common
staacutes Of carbonate Of lime although beautiful OBJ
jects, lose by contrast with these beautiful ornaments
and dwinde into mere clumsy, awkward cices. Be-
sides these, there tufts Of hair SALT native sui
phnte OF mngnesia, depending like adherng
balls from the roof, and periodically detecting them
selves by their own increasing weight Indeed, the
more solid alabaster ornaments become at last over
grown, and fall upon the floor of the grOt,o, which
was found covered with numbers quite entire besides
fragments Of others broken by the fall.''
distinguished geologst has said That he believed
petrfed form Of every vegetable production on earth
Ifths be two large statement it is at least safe to
say that it's variety is nlmos, infinite Amongst is O.
Their productions, are large piles ofEpsom salts beau
,ifuIly chrystazed. Travellers have shown such
wanton destructiveness in this great temple Of
-mutiniing beautiful columns knocking off spar,
and crushing delicate fowers-that the rules are now
very strict 1t is allowable to touch nothing bu, tho
ornaments which have oosencd Sdropped Of their
weight. These often hard enough be transported
After you leave Almas Bower, the cave ngain be-
comes very ragged. Beautiful combinations of gyp-
sum and spar may still be seen occasionally over
head but all around you rocks and are piled
up in the widest manner. Through such ragged
scenery, you to the Rocky Mountains, an ire
gulur pile Of massive rocks, 100 to $50 feet high
From these You can look down into Dismal Hollow
deep below deep-the most frgh,ful looking place in
the whole cave. On the top OF the mountain is
beautiful rolunda, called Croghan Hail. in honor of
the proprietor Stalactes surround this in the rich
fringe Of icicles, and lie scattered about the walls
in all shapes, if arranged for On
side is a stalngmi,o formation like pine tree, about
five feet high, with Irregular leaves and branches;
other is in pyramidical form, like a cypress.
Ir you wind down the mountains on the sido oppo-
site from that which you nscended, you will come TO
Serenas Arbor, (which thirteen miles from tho
trance of the cave, and the end of this And
most beautiful termination it isl In u semi circle Of
sulactitc columns is fountain Of puro spout
ing up from rock. This fluid is as Transparent as
air; all the earthly PARTICLES it held in suspen-
sion, having been long since precipitaed. The eta
lacti,e formations in this ubor remarkably beau
t.Gul. ..
One hundred and sixty Eve avenues have been dis
covered in Mammoth Cave, the walk through which
is estimated about three hundred miles. In some
places you desceud more than mile into the bowels
Of the earth The poetic minded traveller, after he
has traced all the abyrnhs, departs with lingering
luctance As he approaches the entrance daylight,
greets him with novel and startling beauty. II the
sun shines on the verdant soping hill, and the way
ing trees seeo through the arch, they like fluid
gold; ifrnere daylight, rests upon them, they resem
BILE molten silver. This remarkable richness Of APP
pearance is doubtless owing the contrast with the
thick darkness, to which the eye has been so long nc
custonied.
As you come out cf the the temperature Of
the air rises thirty degrees instantly f the season is
summary and you feel If plunged in hot vapor
bath; but the effects Of this salutary and
pleasant. .s... "U ..a'a
Nature never seems so miraculous as u uoes Wheh
you emerge from his hidden realm Of marvellous i'm
,ations The ''denr goddess is so serene in her
respendent and more harmonious beauty! The gor-
geous umph theatre Of trees the hills, the sky, and
air, all seem veil Of iranslisurcd glory
The traveller feels that he was before conscious, how
beautirula phenomenon is the light how mugnif-
cent the blue arch Of heaven. ..a#s.. af
There three guides at the service of travellers.
all well versed in the intricate paths of this neither
world Stephen. the presiding genius of Mammoth
Cave, is mulatto and slave lie has lived in this
strange realm, from boyho0d, and large proportion
of the discoveries the result of his courage, in
telligence, and untiring zeal. His vocation has
brought him into contact with many intellectual aud
scientific men; as he has great quckness OF perceP-
lion and prodisious memcry, he has p'oftied much
by his intercourse with superior minds. lie can re-
collect every body TINT visited the cave and all
the terms Of geology ard minerology are at his
tongues end He is extremely attentive and peculiar
ly ro,e TO ladies' Like most Of his race he is fond
of grandioquen, language. and his raptoroas EXPIRES
sions IA he lights up some fine point Of view are at