Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-06-22


OF our lamps as we clustered around
the brink Of the pit to drink from the
stores gathered in those natural bowls
which seem TO have been followed
out for the uses Of the invisible
gnomes.
Beyond Cascade Hall commences
Silllman's avenue, passage about
twenty feet wide, forty or ifiy in
height and a mile and half length.
The floor is IN some places smooth
and firm, in Others broken and rough,
with deep dips which often commu-
Dicate with smaller passages or "side-
culs' that after winding through the
rock for some distance find their way
back Ia the main avenue. The walls
on either side have bold, projecting
cornices, above which springs a well
arched ceiling. There are few Oh
lects of special interest in this aven-
ue, but | was never tired of watch
ing the procession Of lamps as they
wound up and down lis rocky floor,
and the picturesque play OF light
and shade on the gray walls and cor
nces, and inches and hollow vaults.
After a steady walk Of a mile and
haIi-the distance is not exaggera-
ted, for iimea tive reached gi-
gantlc bluff, which, facing US, divid-
ed the avenue into two parts. That
to the LETT retains the name of Silt
man, and continues for nearly mile
further without leading to any result.
The other was called 1.-THE Pass of
FL Ghor' 10y some traveller who had
been in Arabia Peirea--but the
name is pleonasm, as Ell ghor signi-
iies a narrow difficult pass between
rocks. While we rested few min
utes on some broad stones at the base
If the cliff, Stephen clImbedl up To
the plat form behind the broFd cor
nice Of the wall and brought Us down
a handful of fbrous gypsum as white
as snow. The ladies eagerly appro-
prIated pieces Of ii as specimens, but
he observed deprecatingly: You
will throw that away before long"
DOR lamps were replenished and
we entered FL Ghor, which is by far
the most picturesque avenue in the
cave II is narrow, lofty passage,
meandering through the heart of
mass of horizontal strata Of lime
stone, the broken edges Of which u.s.
sumo the most remarkable forms
Now there are rows of broad flat
shelves overhanging your head now
you sweep around the stern OF some
mighty vessel with ITS rudder set hard
TO starboard now you enter little
vesiibule with freezes and holdings
of almost Doric symmetry and sim
/ plcity and now you wind away in
to a Cretan labyrinth most uucouth
and fantastic, whereof the Mlnotaur
would be most proper lnhabilant.-
IL is IA continual succession Of sur
prlses, and, TO the nppreclauve visit
tor, of raptures. The pass is some
what more than mile and a hdy
IN length, and terminates in d Curl
Gus knot or ENHANCEMENT of passa-
yes leading TO two or more tiers of
avenues.
We were now, according 10 Ste
phen's promises, on the threshold of
wonders. Before proceeding further
we stopped to drink from fine sui
phur spring which fills a natural ba-
sin IN the bottom of niche made
on purpose to contain it. We then
climbed a perpendicular ladder pas
sing through hole in the ceiling
barely large enough 10 admit our
bodies, and found ourselves at the
entrance of narrow, lofty passage
leading upward. When all had
made the ascent the guides exuliing-
ly lifted their lamps and directed or
eyes 10 the rocks overhanging the
aperture. There was the first won
der, truly Clusters of grapes glcam-
ing with blue and violet tinis thro'
the water which irickled over them,
hung from The cliffs, while stout
vine, springing from the base and
climbing nearly 10 the top, seemed
To support them. Hundreds on hun
dreds Of punches clustering so thick
ly as to conceal the leaves, hung for
ever ripe aud foreve. unplucked IN
that marvellous vintage of the sub
Iefranean world. For whose hand
shall squeeze the black, internal vile
from the grapes that grow beyond
. Lcthe
Mounting for short distance, this
new avenue suddenly turned to the
left, widened and became level the
ceiling is low but beautifully vaulted,
and Washington's Hall, which we
soon reached, is circular aud upward
of hundred feet in diameter. This
is the usual dIning-room of parties
WIZ % Ssoiu 'hO i'O's' 'S"''J
five hours had now elapsed since we
entered the cave, and five hours spent
in that bracing, stimulating atnos-
phere might well Justify the long
gances which we cast upon the bas-
keIs carried by the guides. Mr.. Mil
Ter had foreseen our appoilics aud
there were stores of venlson, biscuit,
ham aud pastry more than sufficient
for all. We made our midday oil
rather midnight meal sitting like the
, nymph who wrought Excalibur
upon the hidden bases ofthe hills"
buried far below the green Kentucky
, forests, far below the forgotten sun
, .k,..a For IN tho oava vnn lnr0ai