The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-08-11

to the end. After a journey of eight miles,
the traveller finds himself at the apparent
termination of this interior world. But 1t
is not the end of the original passage, which
has been blocked up with drifty clay and
sand. A little labor may open it to regions
miles beyond
The beauties and attractions of these ay-
enues are endless and even new, and the
visitor can find increasing interest, for
week. In these explorations.
In the Western avenue there are attrac-
tions similar to those in the Eastern trunk,
but not so many objects of striking interest
In the Western or old cave, as il is called,
there is rock weighing over twenty tons,
poised on point scarcely an inchin surface,
which is just ready, apparently, to fall upon
the head of the passer by and crush him.
This the explorers have denominated the
!. dead fall. " The q Senate chamber in
this department of the cave, is almost indis
cribably grand in the impression it makes
upon the beholder. 1t is $50 feet in diane
ter, and its magnifcently vaulted arch rises
to the height of 80 feet. Within it, is a
high mound of marble, and from the top of
the mound, rises ''pillar ofthe constitution p"
of the pureSt stalactile formation, rising
nearly to the top of the arch, in the form OF
beautiful cone-being 10 feet in circum-
ference ut the base, and as the apex has
never been reached, ii has not been meas
ured. This lofty monument, as grand as
that which crowns Bunker Hill, has been
erected by the silent deposits from few
drops of water falling through an eternity
of ages upon the same spot. Its sides are
not perfectly regular having seemingly,
several bases, marking different periods OF
its formation, as If one structure had been
built upon another. Its sides are irregular
ly flutcd, and on one side is a chair ofState
of gigantic proportions, a seat fit for the
emblem of the authority of the constitution
over the realms that shall own its sway.
In one part of the cave is the Wyandotte
council chamber, whose walls and ceiling,
are blackened with the smoke of the coun-
Gil fires, held within it. Scattered
through the cave are traces of the presence
of Indians. In several of the passages are
found smooth hickory poles evidently cut
and trimmed with the Indian stone Ratchet
with not trace of decay about them-pre.
served probably, by the peculiar atmosphere
OF the cave. In several places the prints o.
/ the bare foot of the Indian in the clay were
clearly visible when the cave was first open.
ed.
1t is evident there is free circulation O
air within the cave, and that its atmosphere
has an unusual proportion of oxygen, a;
| candles burn with more than common bril-
/ Iiancy i'm all the qualifications of itsayenues
and its rcmoteSt receSses give no signs o
the presence of mephitic gasses. The tenn
peraturc ranges from "a to 81 degrees. Tn,
whole distance travelled i'm the exploration
of the entire cave is 80 TO 81 miles. TIL,
attendance at the cave is courteous and at
tentive, an d the accommodations provided
by Mr.. Rotherwick, the proprietor, are ampl,
for any number of visitors. Till all of ON
citizens have seen the wonder, within ON
own borders, they ought not to go abroad
in search ofthc lesser works of the sam,
] great architect