Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-07-30

selves with drink from the pure crystal
water of this fountain, unrehected by the
light Of day, and unruffled by the passing
breeze.
Next we returned and FASTENED to the
" Bishops Palace" This chamber is ir-
regular in FORM and is from sixty to nine
ty feet in extent The arched ceilings
are about thirty feet high, suspended
from which are huge stalactities of vari-,
Gus form and color, from one to ten feet
long. Several large ones hanging from
the centre of the Palace" with numer-
Gus small branches, present the appear
ance of so many huge chandeliers, reflect
ing the light Of our torches, and brilliant
ly Illuminating the gloomy recesses of this
world below. While admiring the hab-
itations Of solitude, according to secret
arrangement, every light was distinguish
ed. The change from visions so beautiful
to darkness SO profound almost startled
my senses with fear and. dread. | had
often CROPPED my way through woods and
fields in the blacklist nights, when every
| light ofheaven seemed extinguished, but
not till now did | ever fully realize the
painful sublimity of perfect stiffness and
darkness. At first, there was not mo-
ton made or word spoken; all seemed
attentively listening to the silence Of ma
ture. The death-like slumber that for a
time had boundous was soon broken by a
song of praise, in which all Joined with a
real spirit and devotion. As the sweet
strains of music were tremendously re,
| nected from the dark arches and columns
of this great cathedral of Nature, it seem
ed as if | never before felt so impressively
the majesty Of the Creator Of all this
grandeur. After the music had ceased,
one of our party fred a pistol several
times, the report Of which was deafening.
As the sounds reverberated and echoed
from room to room, till they died away
ns4ltea issa--ees- etI.ear sss.s.sa lslAe- az
meanings of departed spirits.
We now relit our torches. and proceed
ed to ascend our difficult. and at times,
dangerous way through the Secret Pas,
sage. This path has evidently been worn
out by the water which, in the rainy sea-
son, renders it almost impossible to visit
the Cave. 1t is so low, in this place, that
it is necessary to stoop and almost crawl to
avoid collision with the projecting rock
above. But the visitor is richly paid for
all his toll in ascending, as he is ushere
into the presence of the.resplendent beau
ties of the Bridal Chamber The most
imaginative poet never conceived or
painted place of such exquisite beauty
and workmanship. This room, the crown
ing object of interest-having been lately
explored, has escaped the vandalism of
man, and now reflects all the unblemished
beauties of nature. 1t is nearly circular
| in form, and is about eighty feet in diam
eters Some of the incrhstations are mas
siye, while others are as delicate as the
lily and frail as wax work. In color
they reflect every hue and expression;
some are white as alabaster. while others
are clear and sparkling as the diamond.
All seemed fresh and new. Indeed. the
invisible Architect has not yet finished
this masterpiece Of workmanship; the
structure is still visibly going on before
ones eyes. One can see the water trick
ling down its tiny course, depositing car
Donate of lime, to perfect the delicate
point of some immense stalactite. The
sides and arches are clothed in a drapery
of dazzling beauty, rendering it indeed a
fitting type of a fairy bride. Queen Cleo
patra, in all her pride and beauty, never
reclined in an apartment more magnl6-
cent than the Bridal Chamber Of this
| Cave.
Immediately above, and to the back Of
| this grand apartment, and connectedwith
| it by short passage, is another room,
called the Organ Chamber" 1t appro-
priatcly takes its name from the arrange
ment of the stalactities as musical scale,
upon which may be produced notes resem-
bling the music Of an organ. The large
pendants corresponding to the low bass
wires, while the the smaller ones will pro-
duce all the different notes of the higher
keys. The various apartments are so ar
ranged, that this is the last room to be
visited which is worth noticing. The
closing scene is exceedingly appro pirate.
After feasting the eye upon the splendor
of walls, arches. columns and pendants,
Iornamented by an infinite Artist, and hav-
ing filed the mind with the painful sub
Unity Of silence and darkness, nothing
could produce upon the senses greater
thrill Of pleasure than to listen to the
sweet music of nature echoing and re-
echoing through these halls of solitude.
Reluctantly leaving this great organ,
still sounding the praise of Him who
loeth all things we'll, we retraced our
! faltering steps to the Bridal Chamber, "
to take last lingering look of its gran
deur, dressed in thousand lovely forms
From here we rapidly wound our tortu-
Gus way up to the opening on the top Of
the hill, near which the Cave was discov-
ered The Cave in all its aisles and
apartments is nearly mile in length.