The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-08-16

tuoy H6u yodES ago SuTuuk ITOU 6nVt0l0g
that appeared like thrusting themselves in
the way of their relatives.
AS it was morning, Stowell did not make
a long call, but spent portion Of the af:
ternoon and evening with them. The par
ties were mutually pleased with each 9TH
er, and when the young man left for the
night, Amelia begged her mother not to
call her child any more.
CONCLUSION NEXT wEEK.)
[From the Susquehanna Journall
A Hair-Breadth Escape from the
Mammoth Cave.
Among the many natural curiosi,ies Of
our country there are but few which attract
greater attention and call together great
er number of visitors than tho Mammoth
! Cave, in the State of Kentucky. Its at
fractions continue to increase by new and
interesting discoveries as to its internal
structure, its extent, and the materials
composing it. Its existence and general
formation are mentioned by number Of
authors, whose accounts. though interest
ing, are not sufficiently descriptive to EN-.
brace all that might be instructive and in.
teresting in regard to it; and it can hardly
be supposed, while there are additional
and new developments constantly taking
place. that former accounts are ample in
detail. According to recent discoveries,
there are in it about thirty apartments.
Some Of them are of great extent and are
appropriately named. The one which is
called the Haunted Chamber. is two miles
in length, supported by pillars of rock.
| One room is assigned to the Evil Spirit,
where there is dining table, working
shop, &c.
| The largest apartment yet discovered,
embraces an area Of eight acres, overhung
by vast arch, some portions OF which
are one hundred feet high, without sin.
gle pillar or column 10 support it. There
are, also, i'm this cavern, streams Of water,
some OF which are large, and in which are
found fish without eyes, having no use for
them in the absence Of oil light. Its en-.
trance is horizontal, and large enough for
teams to pass Tor several miles. As near
as can recollect, will now in substance,
state few particulars as given me by the
4 lips of nv son, descriptive of this wonder
of nature, whose rescue from its deep and
gloomy caverns | regard as almost mirac.
ulous. In the Spring OF l848. in company
with my daughter, Ileft the South, to pass
a few months with my family in this place,
and he who had been my travelling com.
panion eight years. remained to spend the
summer on a tour Of observation and pleas
ure, and visited, with other places, this
| celebrated cave.
Those who enter this subterranean won.
i der, in general do so in groups; some, how.
ever. risk it alone, not having guide
This is venturing too much, tits indiscreet
il is as presumptuous as it is bold; for the
numerous windings, angles and avenues
can hardly be remembered with sufficient
distnctness to retrace ones steps, and
/ secure a safe egress, as has been fully
demonstrated in cases OF dread fatality
| Those who enter this dark and dreadful
! place, provide themselves with food and
i light sufficient to last during the time ol
their intended subterranean sojourn, so
that in case they become bewildered and
lost, protracting the time, their doom is
darkness and suffering the pangs Of hun.
ger, and what is still worse, the forebod.
ings Of approaching and speedy dissolu-
ton stare them in the face.
! On entering alone, when one is daring
enough to do so, the hazard is still greater
not to leave evidence of his ingress, "a
that search could be made in case of toe
long detention. Without observing strict.
I ly this necessary precaution. my son en-.
tered alone in the morning. with lamp and
lunch in hand, end commenced his tramp
for the day, or perhaps moro properly
speaking. night, as there is no day there
In advancing he passed many angles, al
each of which he placed mark, as 9
guide TO direct his safe return. The ab'
sorbing interest Of the scene, mental ab.
straction, or from some cause, one corne,
was passed without leaving the necessary
mark to guide his returning footsteps. Still
onward and downward was his course, OBJ.
serving with great intensity the various and
interesting objects which presented them
selves to his view.
When admonished by his watch that the
time to retrace his steps had arrived, he
commenced retracing his steps, and on
arriving at the angle where he had left nc
mark, unfortunately though supposine
the course taken was right-he took the
wrong direction, and soon became bewil
dered. With accelerated step and deep
anxiety ne IuSHeu from 0Veuu0 10 uV6nu0
to find, if possible, the aperture through
which he had passed from the gloriou.
light Of day to the pitchy darkness Of .
; rayless cavern. As is generally the case
with lost and bewlldered person, his
course was diametricapy opposite to the
, right one, leading further and still further
astray. From the time.of first missing the
+ right way, ne object was sufficiently inter.
esting to engage his attention., until he
came upon half consumed, as he sup
posed human skeleton. This gave inten
sity to thought, and new vigor to his al
ready impaired powers Of locomotion.
After passing over considerable dis
,ance, other bones. supposed to be human
lay in his pathway. After passing these
, he came upon the bank of river. at ,
, deep waterfall. As his taper would no
afford sufficiency OF light to see the dep,f
OF the chasm below, he could Judge as t
its depth only from the noise OF the falling
waters, which indicated an immense fall
/ This river, which was of considerable size