Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-08-10
The Mammoth Cave Of Kentucky.

writer in the Boston Morning Chronicle,
furnishes an interesting article upon the subject
otthe Mammoth Cave, which he explored with
care. He concludes as follows -
The air in the cave is so pure that the sense
OF smell becomes very acute SO that when YOU
flrst come out, if the weather be warm, the air
seems impregnated with vegetable matter, and
you feel as if entering a hot, close stove room.
II, on the contrary it is cold, it is said the air
without seems as though it would pierce YOU
through. These sensations, however. soon
wear off, as the system adapts itself to the at
mosphere.
II is believed that it was once inhabited, and
by race wholly different from any existing In.
dian tribe. As proof Of this traces of the saw.
age are still found here-two mummies having
been found, some years since with red hair, in
a good state of preservation Also the skele-
ton of a mammoth human frame--besides ends
OF cane, which were used for their torches and
their fires; one Of which, an unusually long
specimen, Stevepresented me with, which he
Ias ncIu lor seVeral years.
But the mos, striking Characteristic of this
cave is It's vast dimensions. Before entering
| had no idea that there coud be such hole un Z.
der the earth and what now mortiies me the
most is, that | am totally unable 10 describe it.
This is not cave--that name is inappropr,
ate for this magnificent grotto-this stupen-
dous tunnel-thls boundless territory, or Meth
or world. In fact, should the truth be told of
this cave, it will not be believed. Who be.
Ieves that the air rushes six months in, and six
months out, at its mouth, sufficient to extnguish
the flame Of torch, and yet one half mile in
there is not sufficient draught to wave the blaze
OF candle Not one IN twenty. Who be-
lIeves that there is a pit of 100 feet deep, and
directly above 1t is dome 200 feet high Not
one in thirty. Who believes that the thermom-
eter never varies from 81 degrees of Fahren-
helt, the codest days of winter or the hottest
of summer, and that too, when the cave door is
left open all winter long! Who that in win.
Ter, cart load of bats can be shoveed of from
space fifteen feet square, and that millions
anu th'HIols ntn9 on some parts OF the wall
two and three feet thick ! Who, that two
| mnmmes have been found, with red hair, a
mile inside the mouth ? Who, that animals
will not enter without being compelled That
it Yves once inhabited by the Indians That
It's different passages unitcdly measure over 100
miles in lengthl Who, that salpetre was once
obtained there That oxen were once worked
and fed there--,hat the tracks made by their
feet over Thirty years are distinctly seen and
! that the corn cobs, left in their trough and on
the ground, remain in perfect state of preser-
voton That animal flesh dries and becomes
hard Who, that meat will not purify, nor
I vegetable matter decomposc That Stage
coach can drive for miles without obstruction
That the heaviest thunder cannot be heard in
| side even at the first hopper! That forma-
trons, as white driven snow, line the side and
ceiling OF a gro,to for two miles That there
are streams 20 feet deep and mile in length,
and fish in them without eyes ! Who believes
this Not one in !iity--no, not one in a hun.
dred. le, all this is The fact. believe it, and
much oft have seen, felt and handled, and
the uhoic inwardiy memoriali:ed