The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1858-10-14
Daring Exploit in the Mammoth
Cave.


The Louisville Journal gives the fol-
lowing description Of a descent into a
hitherto unexpIored abyss Of frigblfti
depth, at the supposed termination Of the
largest avenue Of the Mammoth Cave
The hero Of the adventure, Mr.. VIM. G.
Prentice, son Of the senior editor of the
journal, determined to solve the mystery
a few weeks since was lowered into the
pit by means Of rope fastened about his
body:
We have heard from his own lips an
account of his descent. Occasionally
masses Of earth and rock went wbizzing
past, but none struck him. Thirty or
forty feet from the top, he saw ledge,
from which, as he judged by appearances,
two or three avenues led off in different!
directions. About hundred feet from
the top, a cataract from the side Of the
pit went rushing down the abyss, and, as
he descended by the side Of the falling
water and in the midst Of the spray, he
felt some apprehension that his ligh.
would be ex!inguishcd, bat his care pre-
vented this lie was landed a; the bot
tom Of the pit, a hundred and ninety feet
from the top. lie found il almost per
iectly circular, about eighteen feet in d.
ameter, with a small opening at one point,
leading to a fine chamber Of no great ex-
tent He found on the floor beautiful
specimens Of black siIex Of immense size,
vastly larger than was ever discovered in
any other part Of the Mammoth Gave, and
also multitude Of exquisite formations
as pure ar white as virgin snow Max
ing himself heard, with great effort, by
his friends, he at length asked them to
|p-ll him partly up. intending to stop on
the way and explore a cave that he had
observed Opening about forty feet above
the bottom OF the pit
Reaching the mouth Of that cave, he
swung himself with much exertion into it,,
and holding the end of the rope in lis
hand, he incauiou,ly let it 60, and it
swung out apparently beyond his reach.
The situation was a fearful one, and his
friends above could do nothing for him.
Soon, however, he made hook of the end
Of his lamp, and by extending himself as
far over the verge as possible without
falling, he succeeded in securing the rope.
Fastening it to a rock, he followed the av-
enue i5O or goo yards to a point where
he f .nd it blocked by an impossible ay-
alanche Of rock and earth. Returning 10
the mouth Of this avenue, be bebeld an al
most exactly similar mouth ofanother on
the opposite side Of the pit, but no; be-
ing able to swing himself into ii, he re-
fastened the rope around his body, sus-
pending 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 ill-adjust-
ed around his body, gave him the most
excrucating pain But soon his pain
was torgoton in a new and dreadful peril.
When he was 90 feet from the mouth
Of the pit,a 100 from the bottom, sway
ing and swinging in mld-alr, he heard
rapid and excited words of horror and
alarm above, and soon he learned that the
rope by which be was upheld had taken
fire from the friction Of the timber over
which it passed. Several moments ofaw-
ful suspense TO those above, and still more
awful 10 him below, ensued. To them
and him iataJ and instant catastrophe
seemed inevitable. But the fire was ex-
with bottle belonging to him
self and then the party above, though al
most exhausted by their labors, succeed
ed in drawing HIM to the top. He was
as calm and self.possessed as upon his en-
terance into the pit. but all Of his com.
panions, overcome by fatigue, sank down
upon the ground, and his friend Profess
or Wright, from over exertion and ex-
element, tainted and remained for time
The young adventurer left his name
engraved in the debths oflhe Maelstrom-
the name of the first and only person
that ever gazed upon its mysteries.
A Fniiurn