New-York daily tribune., 1844-07-31
TIE TRIBUNE.
The Mammoth Cave.

ground say the last end because few years
ego the farthest extremity was believed 10 be not
more than two or three miles from the entrance.
Since then, however, the enterprlsing guide, Ste
phen, the Culunbus Of these subterrane4n re-
gions hes revealed to the gaze OF the sdmiring
thousands Few world Of wonders, such the
eve Of man bad never before witnessed. That
these discoveries will be farther extended, and
1nosc distant termination made known, ] have no
doubt, as there are some twenty large branches
which still remain N prmeval darkness unex-
pored.
For seven long hours, they appeared shor, to
rnc,l have been toiling with rapid step to reach
this place. and now haviny properly disposed cf
my share OF yenison, chickens, biscuit pes,
strawberries and cream, &oc. in company with gn
agreeable party, .nd having quenched my thirst
at the delicious spring hard by, | feel If It
would be 3 pleasure to conmuDc lof awhile
with kindred spirit above ground, and [9sith
your pcrmiss.oD) to act the part of cicer1ne IN
reviewing the scenes through which have late
iy passed.
hand, down the deep narrow valley leading 10 the
"mouth" The heightened shadows Of the early
dawn tfickcn across our path, embowcred by viac
encountered tees; and
Fur-ii1nded SpIln: emf ,,Ons every gI-cs.
Through the vista winch opens before US, mark
how the craggy cliff Of Green River tower steep
and sigh from lne very b,iDk; their wooc
crowned summit aud ivy -mauiled brow bsthed
bv the rising sun in liquid gold and observe Ia
down in the quiet vale, the placid green tinged
waters encircIing in thar embrace lovely
island.
But far different scenes await us. We feel the
cool air of the cave blowing upon us, anddescend
by winding steps into the dark opening whence
II issues We pass the waterfall t now invisible,
the door, the narrow way, and now we pause IN
wonder Oar feeble lights fail 10 dispel The
gloom above, below, around, the distant walls
conceal their shadowy oullines--al Is darkness.
This is the ycsibue of the Mammoth Cave. On
our right is Audubons Avenue, 50 named on ac
count OF the nuniberess bats which hybernatc
within .ts remote recesses; IN !;ont is the man
cave, in which our pathway lies.
Pass we on. The lofty ceiling now appears
family visible as the eye becomes more accustom-
ed to the darkness. We pass the Mountain, thc
Kentucky Cliffs. the Church with It's rock. buIli
pulpit, it's natural galleries. and long drawn
aieles," the clouds, which appear 10 float away
above our heads the Haunted Avenue, lcacmg
10 Annata's Dome; The Spring and Well; the
Rocky Cave; The Figured Ceiling; the Grand
Turn; and row the appears open at tiC
top, and we see tho bright stars twinki:ng on
dark ground, far up il the depths of ether.
Were we 10 proceed farther we might sec
many other places OF ln.erest--thc Black Cham
bers in winch the level ceiling, 40 feet wide,
is supported by enormous stone pillars Tie
Cataracts, pouring constant stream, sometimes
80 copious as 20 shake the walls; the Solitary
Cave with It's fairy grotto and coral grove; tho
Templc, with lis magnificent dome l2O fee; bigs
and covering an area Of two acres; tie beautiful!
Blue Slipper Spring, lined with crystals L periec;
gem: but VIC will ictracc our steps for a short
distance and enter through an opening on our
left into the Deserted Chambers. We take that
branch when will conduct us 10 the new discoy-
cries. We pass Richardson's Spring, the Side
saddle Pit and now the Bottomless III yawas
before us, the ultima thale OF the lndlan inhabit
ants of the cave of the saitperetnake!s, and oi
all later adventurers up 10 tIo time OF Stephen
the Ilustrlous' the same who now cheers these
neither solitudcs wiih his same cchoing song, or
ever.during s,nlie--g guide of thousands aud
teacher OF the great men OF earth IN matters per
tanng to his vocation.
Ere we cross the tiny foot-bridgc before us, we
may as wei, descend this ladder our night INTO
the Covered Way, and take peep 4: Gorin's
Dome. We place ourselves at open window,
leaning agans. a plrapet three or four feet high
The guide goes to another place and sets oil
Bengal light. The dazzling glare reveals IN front
perpendicular wall, extending as far up as the
eye can rcacii-as far down as the eye can ponc.
trate; the rest ls mighty VOID disclosing no
limit.
We may now resume our journey, but time
would fail were we to notice moro than few OF
the hundred branches;
" Cavens in caves. in deeps lower deep
.ho hall ronr,,s and inuuncroh cnriositips
tered over distance o! seven or eight mics We
pass the E.,dLc, on Which the timld might fear 10
Tread could they see the depth OF the abyss which
IT spans /; the Pcrsco Avenue. full of formations,
and remarkable Tor It's eXhilurating air; Silnan's
Avenuc; the Relief Halt; the narrow Winding
Way [the corpucnt might ieeliugiy say of this
place aye, there's the ru6 -" The Bacon Rooms
IN which the pendent canvassed hams make II
greater display than any artificial imItatlon even
IN the renowned Porkopolis; the Holy Sepulchre,
arecess containing natural sarcophagus. rclled
by stalact.c drapery the rlver StyX, which Is
now so low that shall need no Charon; the
Dead Sea. whose deep moIonleSS waters return
but hollow sound when q rock is thrown in.
The river Lcthc, over which are soon crried
In light canoe Here the celebrated white eye
less fish are usually caught. Ii yop are Gesirous
to obtain one, you must be contentcd with craw-
fish, which is last as blind though not as beauti-
full We next come to The Echo fiver, passing
by the way the entrance TO Purgatory, "a filthy
name rough winding crcvice-hke-pasSage,
which must DC threaded whenever the river is su
high us to I'LL the arch above Its present surface
While our guide is preparing ior the long voy-
age which we are about u take, let US observe
from this elevation how distinctly the images u!
all things around US are reflected from the dark
waters We see two boats united at the keel :;
Stephen above and Stephen below, both
smiling so exqusitely natural that 1t would be
dliisut to determine, except from the position.
which is the original, and winch the unsueStan.
tial counterfeit. But hsEk! Strains Of iantest
music now greet the ensapturet ear and now
more loud, more clear the notes swell! out and
gradually dissolve; echo upon echo repeats the
dying sounds hi the whole arch is eloquent
with voices, if ten thousand spirits IN one
choir were singing their song OF praise before the
throne OF Hum who makeih all things beautiful.
N,axar he S1,lr6S o,,nr,ach- .,,T