New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-20
TERRIFIC ADVENTURE IN THE M4N
MOTH CAVE.
From The LouisriHe Journal.


At the supposed end of what has ewavs been con-
sdercd the longest avenue of the Mammoth Cave,
nine miles from It's entrance there is pit, dark and
deep and terrible, known as TIE Maelstrom. Tens of
thousands have gazed into it with while bengal
lights were thrown down il 10 make its fearful depths
visible, but none had the daring to explore it.
The celebrated guide Stephen, who WAS deemed in
sensible to fear, offered six hundred dollars by the
proprietors of the Cave, if he would descend To- the
bottom Of it, but he shrank from the peril. A few
years agoa Tennessee professor, learned and bold
man re solved to do what before him had dared
do and making his arrangements with great
and precaution, he had himself lowered down by
strong rope a hundred feet but, at that point, bis
courage failed him, and he called aloud to be drawn
ont. No human power could ever have induced him
% repeat the appalling experiment.
A couple of weeks ago, however, young gentleman
of Louisville whose never trembled ut mortal
peril being at the Mammoth Cave with Professor
Wright Of city and others, determined, matter
what the dangers and difficulties might be, 10 explore
the depths OF the Maelstrom MIR. Proctor the enter
prising proprietor of the Cave sent to Nashville and
procured long rope Of great strength expressly for
the purpose. The rope and some necessary timbers
were borne by the guides and others TO the point of
proposed exploration. The arrangements being soon
completed, the rope, with heavy fragment of rock
attached TO IT, was let down and swung to and fro to
disOdge any loose rocks that would be likely to fall at
the touch Several thus dslodged, and the long
continued reYerberatiOns rising up like distant thun
der from below, proclaimed the depth Of the horrd
chasm. Then the young hero of the occasion, with
possible against any masses falling from above and
with ligi in his hand and the rope fastened around
his body took his place over the awful pit aud directed
the halfdOzen who held the end vi the rope to let
him down into the Gimme rian gloom.
We have heard from his own lips an account Of his
descent. Occasionally masses Of earth and rock
went whizzng past, but none struck him. Thirty or
forty feet from the top he ledge from which,
be- Judged by appearances, two three avenues led
off in different directions. About hundred feet nom
the top cataract from the eide of the pit went rush
ing down the abyss and he descended by the side
Of the falling water aud in the midst OF the spray lie
felt some apprehension that his light would he extn.
gushed, but his prevented this. lie was landed
at the bottom of the pit, hundred and ninety feet
from the top. He found il almost perfectly circular.
about eighteen feet in diameter with small opening at
one point, leading TO fine chamber OF no great extent.
He found on the floor beautiful specimens of black
silex Of immense sizc, vastly larger than were ever
discovered in any other part OF the Mammoth Cave,
and also multitude of exquisite formations as pure
and white as virgin Snow Making himself heard, with
great effort by his friends he at length asked them 10
pull him partly up, intending to stop on the way aud
explore q cave that he had observed opening about
forty feet above the bottom OF the pit. Reach'n: the
mouth OF that cave, he swung himself with much ex-
ertUn into it, and holding the end of the rope In his
hand he incautiousy let it 60 and II swung out ap-
parently beyond his reach. The situation was fear
f one and his friends above could do nothing for him.
Soon however, he made a hook of the end hlr lamp,
and by extending himself as far over the verge "a
possible without falling, he succeeded ia securing the
rope. Fastening il to a rock he followed the avenue
l0 or 200 yards, 10 point where he found blocked
by an impassable avalanche of rock and earth. Re-
turning to the mouth of this avenue, he beheld an al
mest exactly similar mouth Of another on the oppo-
site side of the pit, but, not being able to swing him.
self into it, he reasened the rcpe around his
body, suspended himself again over the abyss,
and shouted to his friends TO raise him TO the
top The pull was an exceedingly severe one,
and the rope, being i'll adjusted around his
body gave him the most eXcruciating pain But soon
his pain was lost in q new aud dreadful peril When
he was 90 feet from the mouth of the pit and 100
from the bottom, swaying and swinging in md.air he
heard rapid and excited words of horror and alarm
above, and soon learned that the rope by which he
was upheld had taken fire from the friction Of the tim.
Der over which il passed Several moments OF awful
suspense la those above, and -i more awful to him
below ensued. To them aud him a fatal and instant
catastrophe seemed inevitable. But the fre was ex-
tingushed with bottle of water belonging tohimseli,
and then the party above, though almost exhausted
bv their abors succeeded in drawing him to the top.
He was rs calm and self-possessed az upon his en-
trance into the pit, but all Of hs companions, over
come by fatigue sank down upon the ground, and his
friend Prof Wright, from over-eNerion and excite
mcnt tainted and remained for q time inscnsitle.
The young adventurer left his name carved IN the
depth Of the Maesrumthe name OF the first and only
person that ever gazed upon H. mysteries.
The here Of the exploit is William c. Prentice, the
scI OF George II. Prentice.