The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-12
st. JOhnsbury, Vt, February 70, 1914,

effect TO see groups Of people dotted about at differ
ent points of view, their lamps hidden behind stones.
and the light streaming into the thick darkness, thro'
chinks in the rocks. When the Bengal lights begin
to burn, their intense radiance casts strong glare
Satan's Throne, the whole Of the vast nmphithentre
is revealed to view and you can peer into the deep
recesses oftwo other caves beyond For few
ments, gigantic proportions aud uncouth forms stand
out in the clear, strong gush Of brilliant light! and
then----all is darkness. The effect is like
mngic, thut one almost expects towering genii
strding down the deep declivtes, startled by the
brilliant flare, shake off their long sleep among the
dense, black shadows.
Ifyou enter one Of the caves revealed in the dis
lance, you find yourself in n deep ravne, with huge
piles Of gray rock jutng out and I'LL they
nearly meet at tho top. Looking upward through
this aperture, you see high high above you,
a vaulten roof orbldch rock, studded with brilliant
spar, like consultations in the sky, at midnight
from deep cefts Of n mountain. This is called the
Star Chamber. II makes think OF Schiller's
grind description of William Tel, stenly waiting for
Gesser, among the shadows of the Alps; and of
Woodwork picture Of
yorkshire daes
Among the rocks and winding scnrs;
Where deep and low the hnmIes lie.
Beneath their little patch Of s<y,
And little lot ofstars''
In this neighborhOod is vast, drenry chamber,
which Stephen, the guide, called Band It's Hail. the
first moment his eyes rested upon it; and the na,no
is singularly expressive Of its character Its ragged
roughness and sullen gloom ndescrbaLle. The
floor l. mountainous heap Of loose stones, and not
an inch Of even suffice could be found on roof or
walls Imagine two three travellers with their
lamps passing through this place of evil aspect The
deep, suspicious looking and frightul crags
are but partially revealed in the feeble light. All at
at once, Bengal light b!azes up and every black
rock and frownng cliff stands out in the brilliant
glare! The contrast is sublime beyond imagination.
1t is as IL n NAH had seen the hills and trees Of the
earth only, in the dim outlines Of moonless night,
and they should, for the first time, be revealed 10
him in The gushing glory of the morning sun.
But the greatest wonder in this region Of the cave,
is, Mammoth Dome e. the giant among giants IL is
so immensely high and vast, that three Of the most
powerful Bengal lights illuminate very imperfect
ly That portion Of the ceiling which becomes wish
BILE is three hundred feet above ,our bend, and re-
markaby resembles the aisles Of Westminster Abbey.
is supposed that the top of this dome is near the
surhce Of the ground.
Another route from the DEVILS Council Chamber
conducts you to n smooth level PATH called Pensaco-
la Avenue. Here numerous formations of crysta-
lized gypsum but not as beautiful or as various as
found farther on. From various slopes and OPEN
ingS, caves above and below are visible. The Nee
cas- shrine of,his pilgrimage is Angelica's Grollo
completely lined and covered with the argest and
richest dogs tooth spar A Presbyterian Clergyman
who visited the place few years since, laid his sac
rIgious hands upon il, while the guides back was
turned towards him. He cooly demolished a mag
nifcent spar, sparkling most eonspicuously the
very centre of the arch, and wrote his own nsgnif
cant name in its pace. This was his fashion Of Sc
curing immortality! 1t is well that fairies and giants
powerless in the 9th century, else, had the in
dignnnt gen of the cave crushed his bones to mpa-
pabe powder.
If you pass beyond Satan's Throne, by n narrow
ascending path, you come into n vast hall where
there is nothing but naked rock. This empty dreary
place is appropriately called the Deserted Chamber
Walking along the verge, you arrive at another
nue., enclosing sulphur springs. Here the guide
warns you of the vicinity Of pit, 100 feet deep
in the shape of saddle. STOPPING over it and look
ing upwards, you see an abyss Of precisely ihe same
shape your head; fact which indicates TINT il
hegan in the upper region and merely interrupt
ed by this chamber.
From this you may enter narrow and very tor
,uous path, called The Labyrinth, which leads to
immense split, or chasm in the rocks. Here is plac
ed ladder down which you descend IS or 30 feet,
and enter below, which brings you to
a com bnation Of rock called the Gothic Window
You stand in this recess, while the guido ascends
huge cliffs overhead and kindles Bengal Lights by
the help of which you see, 500 feet above you,a Co
THO dome Of one solid rock perfectly ovcrawing in
its vastness and height. Below is an abyss Of dark
ness, which eye but the Eternal can fathon.
II, instead of descending the ladder, you pass
straight along side the chasm, you arrive at the Bot
tomless Pit, beyond which, over venlured 10
proceed ill 1885, To this fact probably owe the
meagre account given by Liebef, in his Encyclopedia
Americana. lie says: "This cave is more renarka-
BILE for extent than the variety and beauty of its pro-
buttons; having none of the beautiful slalacttes
found in many other caves.'
For long period this pit was considered bottom
less, because, when stones thrown into it, they