Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-06-19
For rng TINES.
THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY
(CoNrISUEp.)

81" wv """ 'h'tc w an opening cut, a. ~
werc'm the perpendicular rock, we entered
long gallery ar branch of the cave called the
Gothic Avenue" Ii derives its name from
numerous formations within il bearing a r..
sfmblancr to the forms aud decorations ot
Gothic Architecture. II is filled in many parts
WIN objects, sometimes beautiful. sometimes
fantastic and always curious productions of
Natures handicraft. They have all grown
there IN that underground world during the
silent How OF centuries, fashioned only by the
eternal drip and oo1ing of the waters from the
'och' mus have arisen the forms of animals,
oil Our household furniture and even of tenn
pies. Not very Tar from the entrance of this
Avenue is the Gothic Chapel" 1t is OF con-
Nenient size Tor chapel il an oval form and
Is surrounded by dark massive pillars. each of
which is large cluster of minor stems no, nm.
Ink: the same portions oil Gothic edifice
made with hands" The formations here are
not white but covered with dark brown
crust which in these pillars recalls TO our fan
cy the strong, rough, mbending trunks of oak,
IN the forest, whose canopy of Interviewing
branches Is said 10 have given the first model
OF the architecture which we call Gothic. On
the sides OF this chapel the pillars stand at reg
uiar intervals and at each end two or three
columns unite so as 10 form a sort of par,ition
dividing, as we might imagine, the more re-
tired or sacred portions from the main BODY of
the chapel. The same process of nature which
has formed these pillars with their irregular
but not ungraccful growing and fluting, has
also fretted and groincd the ceiling i'm the
same style. 1t stands all ready for the wor
ship 81 those unknown tenants of these strange
unearth!y regions for whom Nature designed
IT. Who were they?
In another part of this avenue are found the
implements of ''Vulcans Smthy"; then n
huge arm chair with a canopy overhead: then
the perfect head OF an elephant with many
things equally curious formed of the same ma
tcrals which built the Chapel. In niche of
this avenue also. was told, were found two
Indian mummies in state of perfect preser-
Walton. But we will descend from the Gothic
gallery and enter another avenue.
Behind the detached rock called the Giants
coffin is a narrow descending passage in which
you must watch your footing or YOU will top
pie down over the loose stones. Ii leads tn
another avenue much smaller than the main
cave but otherwise resembling il. Along this
You walk as far as You please, for at every few
steps YOU are likely To enter a new passage on
the right or left, and all so much alike that
none but guide could distinguish between
them. Here and there you stoop under the
low ceiling or stop to throw pebbles down a
PIT whose endless revcrbcrations give no sign
OF bottom. These have their names too-such
as the ''Sidc-Saddle pit" from its peculiar
shape. After travelling on and on still farther
from the habi.able world, we at length enter
ed low arched passage called the '.humble
chute" through which we went crouching or
crawling until we Strengthened up i'm the
winding way" This is mere zig crew
ice between the rocks just wide enough to adj
mt our bodies and so low that could scarcely
stand erect. Through this we squeezed for
about hundred yards. Having already gone
two miles (the guide said) from the mouth of
the cave, 1t was not so very pleasant thus TO be
pushing myself along still further under ground
without knowing what might be one step be-
fore me-except the guide, Ga very comfort
able exception.) This passage leads to the
'bottomless pit'-so untruly has the poet said
'Jdcitfs descensuS AUerni." But Virpil prob-
ably never visited the Mammoth Cave
For the benefit of your readers who expect
to 60 to the bottomlcss pit, / may add that il
Is about thirty feet i'll diameter, and as for its
depth, fathomed it with stone that went
gathering down from silc to side until the
sound could no longer reach the ear. lam
perfectly satisfied therefore that il YOU should
happen.lo fall into the bottomless pit.you stand
very Little chance of getting out again.
"A little further OH we reached the first
water had bcheld in this subterranean conn
try. In place like one of those circular pits
winch have mentioned, the light of onr
lamps fell suddenly ON dark still unbroken
shect OF water. Ii lay about ten feet below
the surface of the rock on which stood and
seemed like d minute hidden lake, as full of
wonder and mystery as the scenery of
rock around il.
lhiS is the Dead Sea" found no fruits
upon Its shores, nor do ! know whether it
might be fatal to birds to fly over it or fishes
70 swim III it. But its dark waters. scarcely
revealed BY the light of a small lamp. looked
as u not breath or motion oflite had ever dis
tubCd their repose
The Dead Sea" was formerly the utmost
boundary of adventure in these regions, and it
was first passed BY climbing along prccipicc
which ovcrl'angs it, supported by very mar
row projection and BY clinging to the rock
But ladders now render the feat less perious.
though ] meta traveller whose heart failed
him at this point aud le returned
Beyond this is thr river "Styx." II makes
It's appearance abruptly from beneath the
rocks. Its dark, sluggish looking stream
like the Styx Of ancient fdJl, BIT whether
IT encompasses these clover regions" nine