Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-02-24
Another Mammoth Eays.

e, esting cave recently discovered. 1t il
written by visitor named S. Burnet.
) l last week visited newly discovered
cave in Crawford county, Indiana. 1t i.
) on the right bank Of Blue River. Fol
magnifcenee and beauty of scenery il
5 promises, when fully explored, to rival
even the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky
The EPSON Salts Cave, known for nearly
half a century, and successfully worked for
saltpetre and salts, many years since, is
/ about two miles long, and in some places
40 0or so feet wide, and IS feet high; but
has nothing peculiarly interesting in it ex-
!, cept beautiful futed column, some 25
feet in diameter, and 25 or 80 feet high,
all of stalactic matter.
Entering this cave under juttng rock,
near the brow Of lofty hill, and descend
ling for about quarter of mile, at an an.
gle Of 80 to 10 deg. We entered small
door, and after stopping rather uncomforta-
bly, low for go yards, found ourselves in q
large open cave, or bat room, in which tens
ofthousands of these little animals hang
suspended from the rocks in large clusters,
like bees in swarms. Further on, sticks
the size of hoop poles, hickory bark, char
conl, aud barefoot human tracks were dis
covered, which must have remained there
long time, as the door to this part Of the
cave was so blocked up with rocks when
first discovered that man could not posi-
bfy pass. We soon entered an avenue 40
feet wide, and varying in height from 10 to
60 feet; the ceiling as smooth and beauti.
full as if finished by trowel; then sudden
! ly changing, presents the appearance of
diversified hanging drapery, all OF spo,less
white. Then again the naked rocks ap-
pear.
At the end of this Avenue, we found our.
selves at the foot Of a rocky pyramid, up
which we climbed some sixty feet, and on
the top Of which stand two beautiful stalag.
mites some FIVE feet high, eighteen inches
in diameter, and rs white as the purest Ital-
ian marble, and when viewed by the dim
light Of our candles, presented strong
contrast with the grey walls of limestone
rock. An oblong canopy some forty or
fifty feet high. is here hung with beautiful
stalactie, suspended from the ceiling. We
now found it necessary to crawl upon our
faces, Or 'ssnake it, ''for about 20 feet,when
we came into an avenue wide and high
Turning suddenly to the left, we found
ourselves in the midst of scensry of sur
passing and exquisite beauty. The entire
walls ore covered with an incrustation of
sulphate of lime, crystalized so us to glis-
ten like ten thousand diadems in the light
Some Of these crystals are foot in eng gth,
an inch wide, and as thick as table knile
blade, and grew upon this base in thou.
sand diversified forms.
Upon projecting rock, at one side OF
the avenue, large numbers had broken by
their weight, and were lying in great pro-
fusion on the bottom of the cave These
formations, like the base on which they
grew, are sulphate, and white as the driven
snow. Others, resembling glass, form
upon the ceiling, as we'll as the floor, from
an inch in diameter to the length and size
of q common knitting needle, and even
smaller. Tbs incrustation is frequently
an inch thiek, but more generally from an
eighth to quarter of an inch thick
Much Of it has fallen to the floor, and is
crsshed under the feet of the visitor, and
the place it occupied on the ceiling is being
replaced by a new formation. But | am
utterly unable TO describe it. 1t must be
seen TO be appreciated, or any correct idea
be formed ofits beauty.
We visited many rooms with spacious
domes and stalactites of every imaginable
size and form, In one apartment the wa
ter fnds its way through a long range Of
projecting rocks, and the stalactic matter
is formed in folds and blades, like extended
honey comb, and hangs like drapery around
the sides of the room, Upon the bottom
is formed great number Of little pools, of
every form, elevated upon the floor, like
basins or troHghs-the rim of each being
perfectly level and inclined inwards, the
stone which forms the basin being not thick.
er than paste board. 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
one mile per hour, or fourteen miles in two
days. The third day revisited the mos
interesting parts, to procures pecimens fol
) geological investigation. .--..-
, had forgotten to say that saltpetre and
EPSON salts are found in various parts ir
large quantities; and | procured lump o
salts Of half pound weight, quite pure
We ventured mile at least further than
any one had ever gone before, and left i
for others still to prosecute. A quite trans
S parent and eyeless erawfsh which VIZ
, found, was not the least interesting thing
which we saw.
Tho entrance TO the cave belongs tt
Henry P. Rathrack, wealthy, generous
$ gentleman, who cheerfully rendered u.
every facility for examining the cave, ane
attended US as guide. have no doub
when it is fully explored and surveyed, i
will prove to be one Of the wonders of Hoo
sierdam.
e| ~The Va. Constitutional Convention
/; have reported in favor of universal suffer
a age as an article Of their new Constitution
Some wag of the press announced tina
one of the Siamese Twins has arrived ir
II ~