Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-03-07
From the Franklin Qa.) Examiner.
The Great Indian Cave.

From the Franklin Qa) Examiner.
The Great Indian Cave.
| last week visited newly discovered cave in
Crawford county, Indiana. 1t is on the right bank
of Blue river. For magnifcence and beauty of
scenery, it promises, when fully explored to rival
Salt Cave known for nearly half century, and sue
cessfully worked for satpetre and salts many
SINCE is about two miles long, and in some places
forty fifty feet wide, and seventyfve feet high
but has nothing peculiarly interesting in it, except
beautifully futed column, some twenty five feet in
diameter and twenty-five thirty feet high, all of
stalactic matter.
Entering this cave under iutting rock near the
brow Of lofty hill, and descending for about quar-
ter of mile at angle of thirty or forty degrees
we entered small door, and after stopping rather
uncomforably for sixty yards, found ourselves in a
large open cave, or bathroom, in which tens of thou
sands of these little animals hang suspended from
the rocks in large clusters like bees in swarming.
Farther on sticks, the size of hoop-poes, hickory
bark, charcoal and bare-footed human tracks were
discovered, which must have remained there for a
long time at the door to this part of the
blocked up with rocks when first discovered that
man could not possibly pass. We entered an
avenue forty feet wide and varying in height from
ten to sixty feetthe ceiling smoothed and beau
tiful as if finished by the trowel then suddenly
| changing, presents the appearance of diversified
hanging drapery and of spotless white. Then again
the naked rocks appear. At the end of this avenue
we 1Ounu ourselves at 1OOG OF a rocky
up which we climbed some sixty feet and on the
top of which stand two beautiful stalactities some
five feet high eighteen inches in diameter, and as
white as the purest Indian marble and when view
ed by the dim light of our candles, presented a
strong contrast with the grey walls of lime stone
rock An oblong canopy, some forty or fifty feet
high is here hung with beautiful stalactites suspen-
ded from the ceiling. We found it necessary to
crawl upon our faces Esnake it, for about twenty
feet, when we came into an avenue wide and high.
Turning suddenly to the left found ourselves in
the midst of scenery OF surprising and exquisite
beauty. The entire walls are covered with an in
crustation of sulphate of lime, crystazed so as to
gsten like ten thousand diamonds in the lii ht Some
of these crystals, foot in length, inch wide, and
thick as table knife blade grew upon this base in
thousand diversified forms. Upon projecting
rock at one side of the avenue great numbers had
broken by their weight, and were lying in great pro-
fusion at the bottom of the These formations
like the base upon which they grew, are suphate,
and white as the driven snow. Others resembling
glass; form upon the ceiling well as the floor from
inch in diameter to the length and size of COM
mon knitting needle, and even smaller The ncrus-
tation is frequently inch thick but general
ly from an eighth to quarter of an inch thick
Much of it has fallen to the floor and is crushed I'M
der the feet of the visitors and the place it occupied
the ceiling is being replaced by new formations
But am utterly unable to describe it, It must be
to be appreciated, any correct idea formed of
its beauty.
We visited many rooms with spacious domes and
| stalactites of every imaginable size and form In
one apartment the water finds its way over large
range of projecting rocks, and the stalactte matter
is formed in folds and blades like extended hone7
combs, and hangs like drapery around the sides Of
the room. Upon the bottom is formed a great num-
Der of little pools of every FORM elevated upon the
floor like basins or troughs-the rim of each being
perfectly level and inclined inward, the stone which
forms the basin being not thicker than paste board
| l spent three days in this wonderful hole in the
ground-say seven hours each day. The first two
days were spent in examining and exploring, and
think we must have travelled at least mile pei
hour. or fourteen miles in two days The third day
| revisited the most interesting parts to procure
specimens for geological inves igation. | had for
gotten to say that sapetre and epson salts found
in various parts in large quantities. and procured
a lump of salt Of half pound weight, quite pure
We ventured mile at least further than any othe
had even gone before, and left it for others still t.
prosecute quite transparent eyeless crawfsf
which we found, not the least interesting thin
we saw.
The entrance to the cave belongs to Henry P
Rathrack, wealty and generous gentleman, VIII
cheerfully rendered US every facility for examinn
the cave. and attended us as guide. have no doub
when it is fully explored and surveyed, it will prov
to be one of the wonders of Hoosierdom
Very respectfully, S. BUTLER
/ The most graphic description of Free Sellers, Abo
onists. &C., that we have SEEM is in one of the re
solutions adopted by Democratic meeting at Andoyel
where they are alluded 10 as a class wrapped i
the clouds of a false philanthropy, and smitten Wit
the terrors OF dubious conscience they stand between
earth and heaven not knowing which to choose, with
out being exactly satisfied with ether"
has contracted 10 print the Acts and Resolutions of III
: nd oh -of 4baD Do.