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

WITHOUT measuring " up Tor l1ter use.
In this way his mind has become the
repository of great variety of opt
Mons aud comparisons which he has
sagaciiy enough to collate and ar
range, and he rarely confuses or mis-
places his materinl. think no one
can travel under his guidance with
out being interested in the man and
associatlng hun in memory with the
realm over which he is chief ruler.
Mat, who ranks next 10 Stephen
among the guides, is also a mulatio,
of about the same age--a careful,
patient, intelligent and amiable man,
but with less geological knowledge
Than the latter. He does not belong
to the cave property, but is hired out
10y his master. Stephen and Alfred
belonged tn DR.. Croghan, the late
owner of the cave, and are to be ma
numitied in another year, with
number of other slaves. They are
now receiving wages. m order 10 en-
able them TO begin freedom with "A
little capital, in Liberia, their destin-
ed home. stephen, | hear, has COM
mencrd the persual of Blackstone,
with a view 10 practice law there,
but from his questions concerning the
geography of the country, ! forcsee
that his tastes will lead him TO Ue-
come one of its explorers. He will
find room aud verge enough IN the
Kong mountains aud about the sour
res of the Niger, and If desired to
undertake an exploration of those
regions, know Of but few aids
whom | would sooner choose.
There was 10 uulhreaihing from
the regions below as we stood al the
entrance TO The Cave, the upper al
mOsiphere having precisely The sane
temperature. We advanced in sin
Gle file down the Main Avenue, " hich
from the increased number o! lamps
showed with greater dis,lnclness than
on our first trip. Without pausing
at uny of the objects OF interes, on
the road, we marched to the Giants
Coffin, crawled through the hole be-
hind H. passed The Deserted Cham
hers, and reached the nottomless Pit,
the limit of our journey in this d.
recilon the previous day.
Beyond The Pit we entered upon
new ground. After passing from
under its Moorish dome The ceiling
became low and the path sinuous
and rough. could only walk by
STOPPING considerably, and II is ne
cessary to keep sharp lookout to
avoid striking your head agans, the
transverse lambs or rock. This pas
sage is apply called the Valley of liu-
mlntlun. 1t I.--~i.-- -T - IT
night inio another passage called Pen
sico Avenue, which contains some
curious stalae,ilic formations, similar
to the Gothic Gallery. We did not
explore il, but turned to the left and
entered an extremely narrow, wind
ing passage, which meanders through
the solid rock. 1t is called Fat Mans
Misery, aud any one whose body Is
, more than IS INCHES in depth will
r have trouble TO get through. The
largest man who ever passed Il
weighed 900 pounds and any gen
= ileman Weighing more than that mas
leave the best part OF the cave IN
= explored. None of US came wilhir
= the scope of prohibition, Mature, i
) seems, is opposed 10 corpulence.) anc
= alter five minutes twisting we EN-
E erged into a spacious hall called th'
/ Great Relief. lis continuation iorm
= an avenue which leads to Bandit
0 Hall--a wild, rugged vault, the bot
tom of which is heaped with huge
= rocks that have fallen from above
= All this part OF the Cave is rlch II
1 striking and picturesque effects an'
0 presents a more rude aud irregnla
r. character than anything we had ye
seen.
AT the end of Bandits Hall is tn
Meat-Room, where a fine collection
of limestone hams and shoulders ar,
suspended from The ceiling, as IN
, smnke--house. The resemblance
which is really curious, is entlrel
owing to tie action of water. tn
air now grew perceptibly damp an
IA few more steps brought us to tn
}. entrance Of River Hall. Here III
d ceiling not only becomes lolIler, bu
If the floor gradually slopes away be
q fore you, and you look down into III
. vast depths and uncertain darkness
n and question yourself if the GrecIa
fable be not indeed true. While
= paused on the brink of these fires
IA mysteries the others of the party hal
, gone ahead under the charge of Mai
!, Stephen, who remained with me
n proposed tina, we should descend 1
# the banks of the Styx and see thee
: crossing the river upon the Nature
q Bridge. We soon stood upon III
J. brink Of the black, silent water IN
l. arch Of the portal was scarcely Wis
= BILE in The obscurI,y far above u.s.
!, Now as far below | saw the twink.
= of disian, lamp, then another an
e another, I" is it possible" | askes
"lhat they have descended SD mud
m further 2" You forget" said Sc
8 phen, " that you are looking into ile
i, river and see their reflected image
4 Stoop little and you will find lhl
Ia they are high above the water"
E stopped, looked under an arch and
~ saw the slow procession Of golen
e. points of light passing over the pli