The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-10


Mammoth Cave is situated in the south
west part of Kentucky, about a hundred
miles from Louisville, and fifty miles
from the famous Harrodsburg Springs. The
word care Is i'll calculated to impress the I'M
aSination with an idea of its surprising grand
eur. 1t is in fact subterranean world con-
tanning within itself territories extensive
enough for half score of German principal
tiles. 1t should be named Titan's Palace, or
Cyclop's Grotto.
1t lies among the Knobs, range of hills,
, which border on an extent of country like
highland praries, called the Barrens. The
surrounding scenery is lovely. Fine woods
of oak, hickory and chestnut, clear of under
brush, with smooth verdant openings, like
the parks of English noblemen.
The Cave was purchased by DIR. John
GrOghan for $4,000. To prevent a disput-
ed title, in case distant opening should be
discovered, he has likewise bought wide
circuit of adjoining land. His enthusiasm
concerning it, is unbOunded. 1t is in fact his
world; and every newly discovered chamber
fills him with pride and joy, like that felt by
Columbus, when he first kissed his hand to
the fair Queen of the Antilles. He has built
a cOmmOdious hotel near the entrance, in a
style well suited to the place. 1t is made of
logs, filled with lime; with fine large porch,
in front of which is beautiful verdant lawn.
Near by, is funnel-shaped hollow Of 300
acres probably a cave fallen in. Ii is call
ed Deer park, because when those animals
run into it, they cannot escape. There are
troops of wild deer in the immediate vicini-
ty of the hotel; bear-hunts are frequent, and
game of alkinds abound.
Walking along the verge of this hollow,
you come to a ravine, leading to green river,
whence you command aview of what is sup
posed to be the main entrance. 1t is huge
cavernous ARCH filled in with immense stones,
as if giants had piled them there TO mprison
Il conquered demon. No opening has ever
been effected here, nor is it easy TO be mag
ned that it could be done by the strength Of
man.
In the rear of the hotel is deep ravine,
densely wooded, and covered with luxuriant
vegetable growth. 1t leads to Green river,
and was probably once water course. A
narrow ravine, diverging from this leads by
a winding path, to the entrance of the cave.
1t is high arch of rocks, rudely piled, and
richly covered with ivy and tangled vines
At the top is perennial fountain of sweet
and cool water which trickels down cOntin-
ually from the centre arch, through the pen
dant foliage, and is caught in vessel below.
The entrance of this wide arch is somewhat
INSTRUCTED by a large mound of saltpetre,
thrown up by workmen engaged in IFS man.
ufactOry, during the last war. In the
course Of their excavations, they dug up the
bones of a gigantic man; but, unfortunately,
they buried them again without any memoir
all to mark the spot. They have been sought
for by the curions and scientific, but are not
yet found.
As you come opposite the entrance of the
cave, III summer, the temperature changes
instantancously from So TO below CO., and
you feel chilled as if by the presence Of an
iceberg. In winter the effect is reversed
The scientific have INDUCED in various spec
ulatious concerning the air of the cave. 1t
is supposed to get completely filled with cold
winds during the long blasts of winter, and
and as there is no outlet, they remain pent
up till the atmosphere without becomes
warmer than that within when there
is, of course, a continued effort toward equi-
ibrium. Why the air within the cave should
be so fresh, pure, and equable all the year
round, even in its deepest recesses, is not so
easily explained. Some have suggested that
it is continually modified by the presence OF
+ chemical agents. Whatever may be the
cause, its agreeable salubrity is noticed by
every visiter and it is said to have great heal
ing power in diseases of the lungs.
The amount of exertion which can be per-
formed here without fatigue, is astonishing.
The superabundance of oxygen in the atmos-
phere operates like moderate doses of exhil-
Grating gas. The traveller feels a buoyani
! sensation, which tempts him to run and jump,
, and leap from crag to crag, and bound over
the stones in his path like a fawn at play
, The mind, however, sustains the body, being
: kept in state of delightful activity, by con-
, tinual new discoveries and startling revela-
tons. This excitement continues after they
return to the hotel. No one feels the neeC
of cards or politics. The conversation is al
about The Cave The Cave! and what shall
f we see tomorrow!
The wide entrance to the cavern soon con
: tracts so that but two can pass abreast. A
;. this place, called the Narrows, the air from
i dark depths beyond blows out freely, as i
h the spirits of the cave had mustered there, Il
# drive intruders back to the realm Of day.
e This path continues about fourteen or ffteel
N rods, and emerges into wider avenue, floor
Ie ed with satpetre earth, from which the stone
Dr. have been removed. This leads directly in
1t to the Rotunda, vast hail. comprising sur
tv face of eight acres, arched with dome 10
4 feet high without single pillar to support ii
,e 1t rests on irregular ribs of dark grey rock, il
massive oval rings, smaller and smaller, OH
of seen within another, till they terminate a
n the top. Perhaps this apartment impresse
p the traveller as much as any portion of tn
cave; because from it he receives his first i'm
preston of its gigantic proportions. TIL
vastness, the gloom, the impossibility of tax
r. ing in the boundaries by the light of lamps
;. all these produce deep impression of aw
70 and wonder.
10 From the Rotunda, you pass into Audi
- bon's Avenue, from so to 100 feet high, wit
" galleries of rock on each side, jutting out fal
= Their and father, till they nearly meet at toI
~ This avenue branches out into half ov;
re hall, called the church. This contains seve
h. raj projecting galleries, one of them resem
70 bling cathedral choir. There is gap
ID the gallery, and at the point of interruption
Immediately above is a rostrum or pulpit, tn
x. rocky canopy of which juts over. The guild
a. leaps up from the adjoining galleries, an
~ nlaees lam, ach side of tho nulD;. ~, q.