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

r.
rough, interrupted by steep activities, rocks and
big stones; but this avenue has smooth and le-
vel floor, as if the sand had been spread out by
gently flowing waters. Through this descend
ing more and more, you come to deep arch,
by which you enter the Winding Way; astrange-
ly irregular and zig gag path, so narrow that
very STOUT man could not squeeze through. In
some places the rocks at the sides are on line
with your shoulders, then piled high over your
head; and then again, you rise above, and over
look them all, and see them heaped behind you
like the mighty waves of the Red Sea, parted
for the Israelites to pass through. This toilsome
path was evidently made by rushing winding
torrent. Towards the close, the water not hav-
ing force enough to make smooth bed, has
bored tunnel. This is so low and narrow, that
the traveller is obliged to stoop and squeeze him.
self through. Suddenly he passes into vast
hall, called the Great Relief and this leads to the
River Hall, at the side Of which you have a
glimpse of small cave called the Smoke House.
because it is hung with rocks perfectly in the
shape of hams The River Hall descends like
slopes of mountainE The ceiling stretches,a-
way-away- you, vast and grand as the
armament at midnight. No one, who has ne
yer seen this cave, can imagine the excitement
and awe, with which the traveller keeps his eve
fixed on the rocky ceiling, which, gradually re-
vealed in the passing light, continually exhibits
some new and unexpected feature of subIimity
and beauty.
One of the most picturesque sights in the world
is to see a file of men and women passing along
these wild and craggy paths slowly slowly,
that their lamps may have time to illuminate
the sky-ke ceiling, and gigantic walls; dsap-
pearing behind the high cliffs, sinking into ra-
vines, their lights shining upward through fs-
surcs in the rocks; then suddenly emerging from
some abrupt angle, standing in the bright geam
of their lamps, relieved against the towering
black masses around them. He ewho could paint
the infinite variety of creation, can alone give an
adequate description of this marvellous region.
At one side of River Hall is steep precipice,
over which you can look down, by aid Of blazing
missiles, upon broad, black sheet of water 80
feet below, called the Ded Sea. This is an aw-
fully impressive place, the sights and sounds of
which do not easily pass from memory. He
who has seen it will have it brought before him by
Al6eri's description Of Filippo: "Only transient
word or act gives us short and dubious glim-s
mer that reveals to us the abysses of his being;
dark lurd and terrific as the throat of the infer
of invisible waterfalls, and at the foot of the slope
the River Styx lies before you deep and black,
overarched with rock. The first glimpse oft
brings to MUD the descent of Ulysses into hell.
aWhere the dark rock DER hangs the infernallake,
And mngling streams eternal murmurs make."-
Across these unearthly waters, the guide cam
convey but two passengers at once; and these
sit motionless in the canoe with feet turned apart
so as not to disturb the balance. Three lamps
arc fastened to the Prov, the images of which
are reflected in the dismal pool.
If you are impatient of delay, or eager for new
adventures, you can leave your companions lin
gering about the shore, and cross the Styx bya
dangerous bridge of precipices overhead. In
order to do this, you must ascend a steep cliff
and enter cave above, from an egress of which
YOU find yourself on the bank Of the river, eighty
feet above its surface, commanding view of
those passing in the boat, and those waiting on
the shore. Seen from this height, the lamps in
the canoe glare like fiery eyeballs; and the pas
sengers sitting there, so hushed and motionless,
look like shadows. The scene is so strangely flu
neral and spectral that it seems as if the Greeks,
must have witnessed it, before they imagined
Charon conveying ghosts to the dim regions Of
Pluto Your companions, thus seen, do indeed
"Skm along the dnsky glades,
Thin airy shoals, and visionary shades"
If you turn your eye from the canoe, to the
parties of men and women, whom you left waiting
on the shore, you will see them, by the gleam Of
their lamps, scattered in picturesque groups,
looming out in bold relief from the dense dark
ness around them.
When you have passed the Styx, you soon
meet another stream, appropriately called Lethe.
The echoes here are absolutely stunning, Asin-
ole voice sounds like powerful choir; and could
al an organ be played, it would deprive the hearer
of his senses. When you have crossed, you en-
ter high level hall, named the Great Walk, half
mile Of which brings you to another river, called
the Jordan. In crossing this, the rocks, in one
place, descend so low, as to leave only eighteen.
inches for the boat to past through. Passengers
are obliged to double up, and lie on each others
shoulders till this gap is passed. This uncom--,
Portable position is however, Of short duration,
and YOU suddenly emerge to where the vault of
| the cave is more than hundred feet high. In
the fall of the year, this river often rises almost
instantaneously, over fifty feet above low-water
mark; phenomenon supposed to be caused by
heavy rains from the upper earth,
On this account autumn is an unfayorable
season for those who wish to explore the cave
throughout. If parties happen to be caught ON
the other side of Jordan, when the sudden rise
takes place boat conveys them, on the swollen
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