The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-10-06
MISCELLANEOUS.

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]" MISCELLANEOUS. {
From tbs Louisville Journal, 18th inst.
1errifio Adventure In the Mammoth
Cave.
At the supposed end Of what has al.
ways been considered the largest avenue
of the Mammoth Cave, nine miles from
disturbance, there is pit, dark, deep and
terrible, known as the Maelstrom. -
Tens of thousands have gazed into j.
with awe, whilst bengal-lights were
thrown down it to make its fearful
depths visible, but none ever had the
daring to explore it. The celebrated
guide, Stephen. who was deemed insen-
sible to fear, was offered six hundred
dollars BY the proprietors of the cave il
he would descend to the bottom of it,
but be shrank from the peril. A few
years ago, Tennessee professor, a
learned and bold man, resolved to do
what no one before him had dared do,
and making his arrangements with great
care ard precaution, he had himself
lowered down by strong rope hun
dred feet, but, at that point, his cour-
age failed Linn, and be called aloud to
be drawn out. No human power could
ever have induced him to repeat the ap-
palling experiment.
A couple. of weeks ago, hawever, a
gentlemen Of louisville, whose nerves
never trembled at mortal peril, being
at the Mammoth Cave with Professor
WRIGHT of ourasitn and others, deter
sillde snalt lat the damages and
diGcultiss migh4 70, to explore the
depths Of the Maelstfom. Mr.. Proctor,
the enterprising proprietor Of the cave,
sent to Nashville and procured long
rope expressly for the purpose. The
rope and some necessary timbers were
borneby the guides and others to the
point of proposed exploration. The
arrangements being soon completed, the
rope with fragment Of rock affixed to
it, was let down and swung to and fro
to dislodge any loose rocks that would
be likely TO fall at the touch. Several
were thus iislodged, and the long-con-
tinued reverberatiens rising up like dis
tant thunder from below, proclaimed
the depth Of the f6ffid chasm. Then
the@young hero Of tle occasion, with
several hats drawn 81 bhishead to pro-
feet it from masses Of rock falling from
|abeSe nth = liahtipAf q hand, and the
an sllls body, took his
1lI5g oyrf b 3 t directed
The hall dozen men who held the end
Of the rope. to let him down into the |
Cimmerian gloom.
eWe hatGheard from his own lips an
account Of his yhseens Occasionally
6ss 81 SSrfb ard rock went whizzing
neE bpts( 80 Strhck him. Thirty or
hrty feet froa HE top. IL saw ledge,
fromDv hiof. IEhs judged b. appear
aflcSs, 6swo Of three avenues led of in
Different directiorfsss About hundred
fest fso1&3he top, a. cataract from the
side bf the pit went r1Sl7isg down the
aby1 III descended by the side
of the falling water and in the midst of
the spray, he felt some apprehension
that his light would be extinguished,
but his care prevented this. He was
landed at the bottom Of the pit, hun
bred and ninety feet from the top. He
found it almost Perfectly circular. about
openins sIa5l 6josjfisf slaedinup to fine
'chamberof rs ~ extaht. He found
on the 1oor beautiful spec,mens of black
slick Of immense sise. 1vattly larger than
were ever discovered Is INV other part
Of the Nnfhxnaaa CSra. and also a null
titude 81 exonisita lermations as pure
and white Is snow. Making himself
heard, with great sff1rt. ,by his friends.
he at length asked Their to pull him part
" up. intending to stop on the. g9ay and
explore . cave that he observed opening
ahout orty TT phuJlo6 Of the
pst. $50 go s.: q
Reaching the mouth Of that cave,
with much exertion he swung himself
into ii, and, holding the epd of the rope
in his hand. he incautiously let il 90
and It swung out apparently beyond his
reach. The situation was fearful one,
and his friends above could do nothing
for him. Soon. however. lie made =
hook ,of the sud of his lamp, and, by
xtanil 10 hi Il far over the VERGE
49, - = felline. he succeed
" - T. 4 ~ <00 SsSS listening it
y asf0Sk. he followed the avenue $50 or
zoo - 3raoz1r6 i point where he found it
block III IN impassable avalanche of
rock and earth: Returning to the mouth
81 this ay1hue, Ia sbeheid an almost
! ~.,4l.~s 60 81. !n,o,,fh of orot,,a, ~, tho