Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-11-02

dotted about, at different points of view, their
lamps hidden behind stones, and light streaming
into thick darkness through chinks in the rocks.
When the lights begin to burn their intense,
radiance casts strong g are on Satan's Throne /;
the whole of the vast amphitheatre is revealed
to view aud you can peer out into the deep re-
cesses of two other caves beyond. For a few mo-
ments, gigantic proportions and uncouth forms
stand out ir. the clear, strong gush of brilliant
light and then-all is darkness. The effect
is so like magic that one almost expects to see
towering genii striding down deep declivties, or
startled by the brilliant flare, shake off their long
sleep amongst the dense black shadows.
1fypu enter one of the caves revealed in the
distance, you find yourself in a deep ravine, with
huge piles of gray rock jutting out more and
more, till they near meet at top. Looking up
ward, through this narrow aperture, you see,
high, high above you, vauted roof of black
rock, studded with brilliant spar, like constea-
tions in the sky, seen at midnight, from the deep
clefts of "a mountain. This is called the Star
Chamber Itmakes one think of Schiller's grand
description of William Tell sternly waiting for
Gessler, among the shadows Of the Alps, and Of
Wordsworth's picture Of
yorkshire dales
Among the rocks and winding scars,
Where deep and low the hamets lie,
Beneath their little patch of sky,
And little lot of stars"
In this ncighborhood is a vast, dreary cham
bcr which Stephen, the guide, called Bandits
Hall, the first moment his eye rested on it; and
the name is singularly expressive of its character.
Its ragged roughness and sullen gloom arc indie
scribable. The floor is mountainous heap Of
loose stones, and not an inch Of even surface
could be found on roof or walls Imagine two
or three travellers with their lamps, passing
through this place of evil aspect. The deep,
suspicious recesses and rightfu crags are
but partially revealed in the feeble light All at
once Bengal Light blazes up, and every black
rock and frowning cliff stands out in the brilliant
glare. The contrast is sublime beyond imagin-
alton. 1t is as if Il man had seen the hills and
trees of this earth only in the dim outline of
moonless night and they should, for the first
time, be revealed to him in the gushing glory of
the morning sun. But the greatest wonder in
this region of the cave, is Mammoth Dome-a
giant among giants. 1t is so immensely high
and vast, that three of the most powerful Ben
gal Lights illuminate it very imperfectly. That
portion of the ceiling which becomes visible, is
three hundred feet above your head, and remark
ably resembles the aisles of Westminster Abbey.
1t is supposed that the top of this dome is near
the surface of the ground. Another ronte from
the Devils Council Chamber conducts you to
smooth, level path, called Pensacola Avenue
Here are numerous formations ofcrystazed gyp-
sum, but not as beautiful or as various as are
found farther on. From various slopes and open
ings, caves above and below are visible. The
Mcccas shrine of this pilgrimage is Angellca's
Grotto, completely lined and covered with the
largest and richest dogs tooth spar. A person
who visited the place, few years since, laid his
sacregious hands upon it, while the guides back
was turned towards him. lie coolly demolished
magnificent mass of spar, sparkling most con-
spicuously on the very centre OF the arch, and
wrote his own insignificant name in its place.
This was his fashion of securing immortality! 1t
is we'll that fairies and giants are powerless in
the nineteenth century, else had the indignant
renii of the cave crushed his bones to impalpa-
bic powder.
If You pass behind Satan's Throne, by mar
row ascending path, you come into vast III hall
where there is nothing but naked rock. This
empty drcary place is appropriately called the
Deserted Chamber. Walking along the verge,
YOU arrive at another avenue, inclosing sulphur
springs. Here the guide warns you of the Vi
cinity of pit, one hundred and twenty feet deep,
in the shape Of a saddle. STOPPING over it, and
looking upward, you see an abyss of precisely
the same shape over your head; fact which i'll,
dcatcs that it began in the upper region, and
was merely interrupted by this chamber.
From this you may enter narrow and very
tortuous path, called the Labyrinth, which leads
to an immense split or chasm in the rocks. Here
is placed ladder down which you descend 20
or 80 feet, and enter narrow cave below, when
brinos Won to combination of rock called the
Gothic Window. You stand in this recess, while
the puide ascends huge cliffs overhead, and kin
dies Bengal Lights by the help of which you
see, two hundred feet above you, Gothic dome
of one solid rock, perfectly over-awlng IN It's
yastness and height. Below, is an abyss OF
darkness. which no eye but the eternal can ia
tbom. If, instead of descending the Ladder, you
pass straight alongside the chasn. you arrive at
the Bottomless Pit, beyond which no one ven
turcd to proceed till 1888. To this fact we pro-
bably owe the meagre account by Lleber, IN the
Encyclorrdia Americana. He says, This cave
Is more remarkable for extent, than the variety
or beauty of its productions having none OF the
beautiful stalactitcs of other caves" FOR long
ncriod, this pit was considered bottomless, be-
cousc when stones were thrown into it, they re-
vcrbcratcd and rcvcrbcratcd along the sides till
lost to the ear, but seemed to find no resting
,J,,o l. has since been sounded and found to