New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-24
NOTES or WESTERN TRAvEL.
YENTUCKY--JOURNEY TO THE NAM
MOTH CAVE.
,.r,,,o.a.nce Of The y. Y. Tibune.


with it, precise location aud the character Of
she country which must be Travelled 70 reach it.
The very uncertainty in this respect which
many persons must have felt has no doubt been
the means Of lettering them from attempting 70
visit il, aud a. the season Of Summer travel j.
now close at hand shall probably do a service
10 the locomotive public by making ont a brief
itinerary of the trip from Louisville 20 Thu place.
The Mammoth Cave is in E1mondsoE County,
in the southern part of Kentucky, about equi-
distant from Louisville and Nashville, aud eight
miles from the main stage route between those
cities. Ii is ninety-three miles by the nearest
and ninety-nine by the most usually travelled
road from the former place. The NaAhyille stage
which leaves Louisville early in the morning
reaches Bells Tavern at the Three Fork eight
miles from the Cave about II Pm. Travellers
from the North, however, viii find il quite as
convenient to stop at Ritter. Tavern at Wood
lands, eight miles short of Bells aud eleven from
the Cave. Conveyances can always b. procured
at either OF these places. 10 those who are not
pressed for time / would recommend the char.
tering Of L strong, light carriage and q pair Of
good horses, with which they can make the jour
sey very easily and pleasantly in two days.
We were family party OF six, and ourselves
and baggage, including bucket for the
horses, just filed two carriages 1t was our in
tention to have left New-Albany, Ind. (where
We had been sojouning day or two), on the
rorning Of the Sd in order to reach Elizabeth
town the same evening; but the heavy rains Of
the previous night prevented us from starting be-
fore noon Crossing the Ohio River TO Portland
We struck the Nashville turnpike on the outskirts
Of Louisville, and took up our journey toward Salt
River, 22 miles distant The country through
which We passed is low, slightly unduatng, and
very fertile. For some miles after leaving Louis
vile We saw little except vegetables which are
raised in large quantities by German settlers Now
and then appeared an old family mansion surround
ed by its orchards and gardens, and presenting
much the same aspect OF comfort and repOse as the
country homesteads Of Pennsylvania and Virginia.
There were the avenues of lOcusts, now in
snowy and fragrant bloom; the same heavy brick
dwelling with its portly front door, rarely opened
but on state occasions the same bowers of honey
suchle, tIelllses Of grapes, beds of peones aud
frOwn-lmpeTials, and the same scattered clusters
Of Out-hOuses, backed by the rounded tops of the
orchard trees. The season is nearly month in
advance of the valley of the Hudson; all forest
trees-eyen the latest-are in their young foliage,
the apple and pear blossoms gone, and the corn
il ready for its first narrowing.
The afternoon was intensely hot and sultry.
Heavy thunder-clOuds were piled up on the nor
them and southern horizon, but they gradually
rolled away without crossing our path The lat
ter part of our Journey was through forests of
beech, oak and elm. The former tree, which
greatly predomnated, attains size aud beauty
rarely seen east of the Alleghanies. IT'S foliage is
the purest and most brilliant green, charmingly
relieved by the smooth white trunk, and the long,
slender, ieathery curve of the dropping boughs.
We were delighted with the alienation of wood
hand and iarm.scenery which the road afforded MS.
Toward evening We came again upon the Ohio
the Beautiful River, here as elsswhrre-ana fol
lowed liza Uunk 10 tne mouth of Salt River, on the
opposite bank OF which is Point, our resting
pace for the night
Where it debouches into the Ohio Salt River is
not more than fifty or sixty yards in breadth but
very deep. 1t is never fordable even in the dry
est seasons; and, being nayigable for fourteen
miles above its mouth, has not been bridged at
this point. We descended its steep and difficult
banks, embarked our carriage upon a fiat ferry
boat, and were conveyed across. The view look /
ing up the river, was very beautiful. Tall elms
and sycamores clothed the housekeeping their I
boughs almost to the water and forming vista
OF foliage through which the stream curved out /
Of sight between wooded hills / lOnged TO be
rowed up it. While on the spot / took occasion /
10 inquire the derivation of the slang political 4
phrase, Rowed up Salt River and succeeded in .
aiscoy ering it. Formerly there were extensive
salt-works on the river, short distance from its
mouth. The labOrers employed in them were
set of athletic, belligerent fellows, who soon be-
came noted far aud wide for their achievements in
the puglstic line. Hence it became common
thing among tie boatmen on the Ohio, when one
Of their number was refractory, to say to him,
"We1l row you up Salt River where of course
the bully salt-men would have the handling OF
of him. BY natural figure of speech the express
sion was applied to political candidates, first, |
believe, in the Presidential campaign of $40, and
Is now extensively used wherever the Native
American language is spoken.
In West Point we found very comfortable ac-
eommodations at DR. Graham's hotel. About dusk
the great Eclipse, the crack Mississippi steamer,
pasted down the river on her way 10 NcwOrleans
With her whole 365 feet of length illuminated
and mass of smoke and sparks pouring out of
the tulipbells topping her chimneys, she was
splendidly outlined against the dark Indiana hills
Soon afterward the rain commenced pouring in
torrents and continued without intermission the
whole night. IL gave but dismal prospect for
Of change of weather which was worth millions
Of dollars 70 the West.
. About 3 O'Clock the next day the clouds broke
little, and we started for Elizabethtown. After
passing two three miles of fertile bottoms,
studded with noble beech woods, the road entered
: glen in the Muldraugh Hils-a long, lateral
branch Of the Cumberland Range which stretches
quite through the center of Kentucky. The road
We travelling is one of the finest in the United
States-brold, smooth and thoroughly Macadam-
ned 1t follows the windlngs of the glen for
three or four miles so well graded that the ascent
is barely perceptble. A brock swollen by the
rains flaufa below Ms now this side and NOW