Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-07-25
M ISC E L L A N Y.
VISIT TO WEYER'S CAVE.
Correspondence Of the Boston Transcript.

Correspondence Of the Boston Transcript
STAUNToN, AUGUSTA Co., (VAo
JUNE, 1857.
Half century ago Bernard Weyer, a hunter
of Virginia, discovered the cave which bears
his name. 1t lies seventeen miles northeast Of
S,aunton, and the road whith leads TO it is well
worth travelling We rode over the route to-
wards the close of delightful day. The same
pecuarities that attract the strangers attention
while travelling through Virena-the quaint
Lighthouses with chimneys Of stone built entire
~ outside Of the main structure, the cabins for
the negroes, the diIapidated buildings and fences,
the lisless appearance of the inhabiants-were
observable along the road. The flowers, SO
marked feature in the Virginia landscape from
spring to autumn, were blooming in great va
riety. The rhododendron, with its clusters OF
purple blossoms, the delicious wild honeysuckle,
the scarlet wood lily, the sweet briar-amost
the only familiar flower to my Northern eyes
the wild coral bell, and score Of others, whose
names know not, but whose beauty and perfume
added a welcome charm to the attractiyeness Of
the scene, were scattered in great proiuson
along the roadside.
There is very comfortable inn near the cave
kept by the proprietor of the wonders we were
| 10 see on the morrow. 1t stands in picturesque
valley, among a cluster of hills, and near
rushing stream, and its appearance suggests an
American edition of Swiss chalet SO at bed
time fell asleep listening to the babbling Of the
water, and trying 20 fancy myself in the little
inn at Armstag, which nestles among higher
mountains and has larger river with which to
lul the traveller to sleep. But when, at an in
tolerably early hour the next morning, there
walked into my bedroom a very black young
woman, with cropped head and the whitest OF
teeth, who chuckled out the information that il
was time 10 get up and enter the cave realized
that | was not under the shadow of St. Gothard,
but in the United States of America, and par
ticularly in the Ancient Dominion of Virginia.
The entrance to Weyer's Cave is on the side
of hill which slop IS towards the little river,
and commands view of great natural beauty.
You toll up the steep ascent, pass through a
wooden entrance, take candle IN your hand,
bid goodbye to the daylight, scramble after your
guide through low narrow passage, and find
Yourself in the cave. In the absence of the
regular guide it was our privilege to be escorted
by coored Youth of singular sobrlety, who
had no. the remotest idea Of his own age, and
who yawned fIighlfully in the most impressive
localities during our subterranean journey lie
proved to be thoroughly acquainted with the
winding ways of the cave and gave the fanciiul
names of the different staacttes in the most
elaborate and artistic manner.
will not attempt to describe the numerous
wonders of this remarkable cavern. Suffice il
to say that for a space Of two or three hours you
NAV wander through its labyrinthine passages
every moment discerning some new beauty and
tracing some fresh resemblance to familiar OBJ
jects in the delicate forms which Nature ha:
slowly woven in stone around you. There are
two apartments, however, which will live the
longest in my memory. One, called the "Shel
Room," has ceiling of staactites shaped like
shells, and of the most exquisite purity and brill
fancy. The effect of these as the light falls up
on them is remarkably pleasing. Another q
room of some fifty feet in length is of differ
ent character, and, although called "Washing
tons Hail." its prominent feature is about a'
suggestive of the Father of his Country as il
the Greek Slave of the LAGOON. The side:
are lined with rows of staactites like pillars
the ceiling sparkles and flashes as if covered
: with diamonds and at the further end there
stands figure with halfaverted face. Seen by
the dim light Of our candles, it seemed as j
Michael Angeles statue of Night had risen tC
its feet and was standing in the gloom before us
In both there is the same halfde6ned expression
struggling through its stony covering, the SAINT
majesty, the same repose But no mortal hano
has carved the wonderful likeness 10 the human
form that stands in its solitary grandeur will
4 such fitting surroundings; no sound of chise
/ has been heard IN that almost unearthly solitude
Drop by drop the water has fallen, and the fig
ure has arisen and taken upon itself the sem
blance of man. There it has stood for ages il
the darkness, and there it will stand until th'
hour shall come when Nature shall destroy wha
she has so wonderfully fashioned.
We walked for hours in the cave, gropni
through winding passages into jewelled treasure
houses that sparkled like the place OF Aladdin
: till at last a faint CLEAN of daylight pierced TIL
: darkness before us, and we reached he QUITE
, world. The sun was shining in c'oudless SIX.
: as stood at the mouth of the cave. and, look
, ing on the charming scene that lay before me
n conirasted it with the glitering briance of tn
7 cold damp prison-house we had just left. Tn
! sights that met my eye, the sounds that fell UP
= on my ear, were douoly welcome after the 81