Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-06-18
For THE TIMES
FOR THE LINES.
THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY

FoR THE TINES.
THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY.
MIR. EDrToU: am obliged to fill up the
leisure of convalescence and NAV as well try
10 entertain your readers as well as myself by
giving them an account of "a visit made last
winter to the MAMMOTH CAVE. Many de-
scriptions OF it have been published, but they
consist, 50 largely of vague cpi,hets of wonder,
grandeur, and the like, that they gave me no
clear idea OF the reality, and perhaps simple
narrative OF what ! saw may be of some use TO
others, by rendering their conceptions of the
subject more distinct. l shall not detain you
therefore by preliminary flourish of admira.
ton, nor attempt to excite your establishment
by describing mine, but shall simply tell YOU
" all which saw and part of which was"
| On keen and nipping morning in Deem
Der, set out from Bells Tavern, the usual
stopping place on the turnpike between Nash
Vile and Louisville, TO ride seven miles 10 the
cave. | faced a piercing wind mounted on
old = Mike" a venerable sorrcl who had of
late years retired from the plow TO pursue the
more refined employment of carrying visitcrs
like myself TO and from the Cave. Being an
old hand at the business he set OF at his own
gait, which wasa comica burlesque ola pace,
and neither spur nor persuasion would move
him out OF ii, though thought should have
been frozen by the way. The roads in those
parts arc very obscure, and put myself there
fore under the Guidance Of Uncle Sans mail
who was about twelve years old bat rode a
horse old enough for himself and his rider both.
Mike" soon distanced the mail. and the poor
post-boy, in his efforts to keep up, had dsop
ped his blanket, then his mills, AMI when he
dismountcd, his saddle followed So that
when looked round saw him with the whole
at bis back 'rudGing up TO stunp-the very
picture Of Post-boy, who comes the Herald
OF noisy world,
News from all nations numbering at his back.
But must leave my guide and my steed or
l shall never arrive at the Cave did arrive.
however, at large tavern built of hewn tim
Der and standing in the midst of level farm
Beneath this farm is the Mammoth Cave. 4"
There were no visters there at that season
but soon procured guide and prepared to
explore the wonders of the cavern without
other companions. Descending a short dis
lance from the Hotel by a ravine, we came 10 a
"hole III the ground" some ten or twelve wards
i'll diameterand fifteen or twenty feet i'm depth.
Rude steps lead down To the bottom of this and
/ then passing off horizontally, we soon came
to door of ordinary size, which closes up the
entrance te the cavern. On opening this the
AIR rushed IN with much violence, so that il
was with great difficulty we could carry our
lamps in without their being blown out. NV
guide was an intelligent mulatto boy named
Stephen, who entertained me from time 10
time with scientific discourscs on the various
phenomena, and he took occasion to explain
to me here that the rush is always towards the
rarificd air; so that in summer the current
sets very strongly ont of the Cave.
] From the door groped along three or four
hundred yards, perceiving nothing except that
the passage in which walked gradually in
creased i'll height and width until il became
usually forty or fifty feet high and thirty or
forty wide. This is the ''inain cave and near.
ly the same dimensions continue to the dis
lance OF half d mile At one spot the roof RI
SEES to the height OF near one hundred and fifty
feet and il is called here the .'Rotunda." But
elsewhere there is little variation in the rough
rocky walls and ceiling, and throughout the
main cave there is little to crafty curiosity.
The dry dusty floor is stTcwn with huge blocks
OF stonc--hcrc and there are the old watts and
pipes which were used thirty years ago in the
manufacture Of salt pctrc--an1 that is about
all which meets the eye until YOU are tired
with walking. About this time the guide
challenges your wonder for a large rock that
has fallen down and viii n is shaped like
coffin. II Is called the Giants Coffin" and
/ is a very good imitation. bat the only wonder
1t excited IN III" at the moment was whether
the famous cave contained nothing better
worth seeing than this. Dut soon Stephen
called a halt and announced that we were AT
1.-THE acute angle" half mile from the en-
trance Above Our heads hc pointed out the
Inquire OF an Indian traced on the ceiling nv
some incrustation. Its az much like a live
Indian as great bear is like IN. constellation,
OF that name--jus about.
From this point we turned T. the left and
continued TO walk OF some hundreds of yar1s
seeing nothing very remarkable until we ,rri
we'd at the "Star Chamber This is NOT ina,
Star Chamber OF historical celebrity. the DARK
engine Of tyranny But here. turning our a,nps
into such position that their light fell upon
tn" rooi OF The cavern locke upand beheld