The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-05-22

-i-- 81 ug8I - t#5s55 =
-------- -----
OCH THIRD, STt
1.oEo = N - ~ = -7'-7TT NJ
lSCS. .aoss9s stt5 sneh IS GtiE sas6i
g'iJ MYsTERIEs OF HowE's CAVE. io
Doubtless all have had, at times, the de.
sire awakened in their hearts to see the mys.
teries Of the s'Mammoth Cave;"'. to listen ts
the dull sound Of the falling stone, dropped
into the "Bottomless Pit" rs it goes bound.
ing and leaping on its way towards that vast
sea of motion lava, which geologists tell u,
of, and which must be more easy to imagine
than to describe, or to engage the services
Of Charon, and explore the unknown won.
ders of the cold, black "Styx," J" or listen to
the tales Of ancient "Indian towns," in the
Interior of the cavern's nav, and wonder
how the race lived, and when they died.
lndulging such reveries, many have sighed
that distance sDd expense render visit to
this cave to them impossible, nor seem aware
that near at hand cave of almost fabulous
proportions and features is found; and even
slight and imperfect sketch Of it may prove
acceptable to our readers. ssa a@.j
"Howe's Csve'' is situated in the town of
Coberskill Schoharie county, in the State Of
New York, and deserves the celebrity SO
generally awarded to it Of being the great
est natural curiosity in the United States;
and many who have visited the cave. of
Kentucky, prefer to linger here. sss
Thn - aS oSkhnp
Cherry Valley or Canajoharie. Having
safely landed, (for not being able to de-
scribe natures laboratory as it is, must need
give our own experience, we booked our
names at the "Cave House," and having
donned suit Of clothes that seemed to have
suffered in a desperate struggle for exis-
tence with the old-clothes man, we descend
ed few stone steps, and entered with a
shudder (perhaps occasioned by the cold
blast that saluted us) this wondrous bou-
doir of Dame Nature. "'.'."
In s'Eutrance Halp' we found ourselves,
and, after lighting our torches, discovered
it to be rocky passage, two hundred and
sixty feet in length, by thirty in width.
Being. satisfied with our view of stone and
smell and dampness, We entered "Washing-
ton Hall" which is one hundred feet long
and thirty wide; here is beautiful stalac-
tite, resembling the Father of his Country,
or what is really imagined to be bis statue.
His mantle is falling in graceful folds from
about his commanding person, while his
epaulets, removed from his shoulders, are
hanging on the wall beside him. On the
opposite side of the wall hangs "Lady
Washington's hood" every fold in the am
pie cape distinctly visible. Near by, at an
elevation of twenty-five feet, is an altar,
kneelipg at which many have taken the most
holy ties, that bind for life. The ceremony
solemnized in such q place, the walls blaz-
ing with the red glare Of torches the solemn
voice of the officiating minister, must stamp
the memories of the assembled guests and
produce impressions lasting as the granite
walls that echoed their responses. A little
removed is small statue Of woman, sit
ting in a chair-also a withered hand, with
beautiful stalactite examinations. "Her-
mit's Cell'' is the next object of curiosity,
but deserves no particular mention save that
all above US, attached to the walls, are ina
ges Of birds, beasts, trees, and fishes, until
one is almost ready to believe that he stands
in natures storehouse Of patterns, and these
are carved out, of black and white marble,
in the matchless style Of the Creators hand
alone. Passing through the ''Tunnel' we
enter "Cataract," which is five hundred and
forty feet high and thirty FIVE wide, through
the midst of which stream ripples and mur-
murs in its darksome way, toward cataract
never yet seen by man.
But applying our ear to Gssure in the
wall the distant roar of waters was distinct
" heard, its height or depth unknown. The
very mystery attending it renders addition
al interest to the hidden waterfall. At the
"Lake," large body of water reposing in
a huge stone reservoir, We step into large
boat, and as the torches lurid glare falls or
the dark walls, the eye is bewildered by the
multitude and beauty of the groups Of fig.
ures on which the light is thrown. Cornices,
statues, men, birds, beasts, and fishes, are
seen on every side, and excite the wonder
and admiration of all who, like US, expert.
ence the pleasure of visit to these enchant-
ed halls. In "Music Hail." near by, is a
huge formation, called the "Harp," weigh
ing nearly ton, which, on being struck,
sends echoes through the cavern in tones OF
finest melody and sounds Of deepest pathos
and most bewitching tenderness. The mu-
SlCdi SuuChtbVA Va tAC WatCl SpAtCcS w kOuu
of this cavern, has not been neglected, and
if they could not 60 to the mountain, the
high and towering peaks of the "Alps" have
come to them, and from their submits We
look far down into dark chasm called the
'Pirate's Cave" Leaving "Mount Blanc"
behind US, We toiled up the "Rocky Noun
tains," clambering over huge rocks and
scrambling through chasms, until We gained
a height of FIVE hundred feet, when we be-
gan our descent into the "Valley of Jehosa.
phat," passing the "Winding Way,' mar
row passage hewn out of the solid rock, OF
perhaps, channeled by narrow stream, and
just wide enough to admit one person at a
time, so crooked that We could see scarcely
three feet in advance, while the walls are
ornamented with most beautiful specimens
of carving. We came to the 'sDeviPs Gang
way," which leads to the ssRotunda," a
room six hundred feet in height. This al.
titude was ascertained by the fight of rock
cts. Being satisfied with having penetrated
four miles and half, we commenced our
return; and when once again the suns bright
rays fell on US, our joy seemed too great for
utterance.. Those granite domes and rock
ribed halls showed superhuman skill of the
great architects own inspiring. Those
sculptured and wondrous forms of stone,
seemed angels work and not the work Of
change-the water-drippings Of ten thou.
sand years. The Lake and Winding Way
excite our interest; the Hidden Waterfall
and mystic Harp stir feelings in our breast
that give US pain, and yet such pain is de-
licious. But it is the sunshine-the bright,
glorious sunshine-the fields, the grass, the
tree, that give such ecstatic joy, that only
those who live with them around can ever
know.-New York Dispatch.
COULDN'T SUBSCRIBE.
The correspondent who sent US the follow
ing, has failed to append his name, and we
hope he will not lose himself. We shall
certainly hope to hear from him again. He
tells US how and why friend of his couldn't
subscribe. l. .-a.... s-rs...
Apair of those interesting, enterprising Ia
dies, who of late seem to carry on so large a
business in our downtown Offices and stores,