Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-12-14
From the Home Journal,
The Wonder of the World.


EENTLEMAN.-Here l am in the in.
terror OF Kentucky. 'rhe dark and bloody
ground" of the Aborigines. arrived
here sale from the Falls of Niagara, where
| wrote you last. will not detail to
you the incidents OF my journey. incidents
that happen 10 every traveller, but bear
you at once 70 this wonder of,he world
the great Mammoth Gaze of kentucky.
The cave is situated in the county of
Edmonson, KY, about equi.disiant be.
tween the cities of Nashville, Tenn. and
Louisville in rather an out of the way
place. As we approached the cave we
passed over a rugged, broken road, tho
what is called, in the West, "barrens;"
but the country around has wild ronai..
tic appearance. As we come along this
road. the day was delightful-the sky was
bright above us-the birds sang mefriIly
from the yonug trees on either side, the
foliage OF which has already begun to as.
suHle the rainbow tints OF autumn. The
earth was strewed with wild flower Of ev
cry shade and hue in such profusion as to
give it the appearance Of gorgeous car.
pet OF many colors. After arriving at the
Gave House" Immediately made pre-
psratlons tor visiting the cave itself Be.
ing acquainted with the proprietor, DIR.
Croghan, he kindly afforded me every
facility for making thorough exploration.
After preparing myself with a suit of old
clothes and cap and taking the guide
Ma" who was waiting with the lights
and can of oil strapped on his back, I
started for the cave. The approach to it
is down romantic and lovely dell; over
hung with vines and creeper>, pendant 10
the branches Of beautiful trees of the
richest foliage, rendering the path almost
imPervious to the rays of the sun. Sud.
denly we came to the mouth ofihe cave.
We stopped aud looked down into the
the yawning gulph before we entered.--
How dismal any gloomy. Stepping down
some rude stone steps, we Immediately
experienced change of atmosphere, cold
and damp, and heard The mouniul drip
ping OF the waters from the rocks above
spashing on those beneath, then disap.
Pearing i'll deep pit below. Here we
gave ourselves up to the guide, who tel.
ling US to 'be careful" let us deep, deep
down into the yawning gulph below. All
was black as midnight in advance; and
behind all WIS gloom and DE- -kness.-
Nothing was heard but our heavy tread
echoing from the rocky roof above. Now
we passed the door where there is always
a draft of air blowing either out or in the
cave. 1.-THE atmosphere without is warm,
the wind blows out; if cold, the wind
rushes in. This draft of air frequently
exlinguises the lights. and leaves visitors
IN utter darkness. After passing this
door we entered the great vestibuIe ofthe
cave, which is two hundred feet in length,
by one hundred and fifty feet wide; and
about seventy feet high. The whole of
this immense space is spanned by single
rock and is supported by single pillar;
but 1t needs no support save what it al.
ready has-the invincible hand OF the
Almighty. From the veslibule we pas.
sed down the ''main cave" to the church,
which has tulpit ID feet high, galleries
on each side. This church is large enough
10 accommodate thousands of persons
About half mile beyond the church we
entered the Gothic Avenue, situated about
twenty feet high on the right of The cave
and reached 10y flight of rude steps 1t
was IN this avenue the mummy was found
that is now in the American Museum al
New York. 1t was taken from a recess n
foot from the floor on the left wall, and
30 feet from the head ofthe stairs. This
hall containg great variety OF stalagmite
pillars, extening tneir forms from floor
to ceiling. There are also great vari.
ETY. Oi stalacties--onee white and almost
transparent; but now black from the
smoke Of the lamps and constant handling
OF visitors. Some of these formations
have very grotesque shapes-resembling
curtains, elephants, chairs. There is one !
bearing the name of the Devils arm.
CHAIR and one the DEVILS cooling tub.
Near the end of,his avenue is the Goth. !
ic chapel which no one can enter with !
out being forcibly reminded of the very |
old cathdrals OF Europe. We hung our
lamps around on the pillars, Lighting up
the whole chamber, and what sight was
presented The appearance was such |
as to inspire feeling of solemnity and !
awe. 1t would take a sheet of paper as
long as Bandard's painting on which to
describe all that can be seen in this won.
dertul cavern. will. therefore, hurry
you past the many lofty domes-some of
which arc four hundred feet in height
over the deep guIph of the dead sea and
boitomless Pit-though the winding way
and star chamber, where the stars wink
at you as you pass along, by the Bandits
hall and Fairy grOtio, down the Styx
about mile, then ten miles deep into the
heart ofthe ear'h;'o the cr0wning beauty
Of this rnOfnDoth caveTn--Cleavelapd's
Cabinet and Paradise.