Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-10-08

like distant thunder from below, pro
claimed the depth of the horrid chasm,-
Then the young hero of the occasion,
with several hats thrown over his head to
protect it as far as possible against any
masses falling from above, and with a
light in his hand and the rope fastened
around his body, took his place over the
awful pit and directed the ham dozen
men, who held the end Of the rope, to
let him down into the Cimmeriam gloom.
We have heard from his own lips an
account of his descent Occasionally
masses of earth and rock went whizzing
past, but none strucA 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 fall
ing water and in the midst of the spray,
he felt some apprehension that his light
would be extinguished, but his care pre-
; vented this He was landed at the bot
: tom the pit, hundred and ninety feet
from the top.
2 He found it almost perfectly circular,
] about eighteen feet in diameter, with a
D small opening at one point, leading to a
fine chamber of no great extent. He
= found on the floor beautiful specimens ol
: black silex of immense size, vastly larger
than were ever discovered in any othel
+ part of the Mammoth Cave, and also ;
C multitude of exquisite formations as pur'
d and white as virgin snow. Making him
|. self heard with great effort by hi
e friends, he at length asked them to pu
= him partly up, intending to stop on tn
S, way and explore a cave that he had oil
v served opening about forty feet abov
pit the bottom OF the pit.
le Reaching the mouth of that cave,,t
H. swung himself with much exertion in
Mt it, and, holding the end of the rope
Il his hand, he incautiously let it go, and
I'd swung out apparently beyond his reac
IS, The situation was fearful one, and h
ce friends above could do nothing for hir
n Soon, however, he made hook of Il
% ond of bio larnP, ord, " e--tandina hir
self as far over the verge as possib
is without falling, he succeeded in securir
a the rope. Fastening it to a rock,
es, followed the avenue one hundred al
ps, fifty or two hundred yards to a poi
TT. where he found it blocked by an impa
. sable avalanche of rock and earth.
= Returning TO the mouth ofthis avenr
en- he beheld an almost exactly simili
ms mouth of another on the opposite side
Ike the pit, but, not being able TO swing hi
TIA self into it, he refastened the rope arou
lists his body, suspended himself again on
the the abyss, and shouted 10 his friends
vas raise him TO the top. The pull was
exceedingly severe one, and the 70
being i'll adjusted around his body, ga
we. him the most excruciating pain. !
soon his pain was forgotten in new 6
a. dreadful peril.
'o0 When he was 80 feet from the moi
'oih of the pit, and 100 feet from the bottC
cop swaying and swinging in mid air,
T. heard rapid and excited words of hor
0 1t and alarm above, and soon learned
'ere the rope by which he was upheld
'IhS taken fire from the friction of the tim
I 10 over which it passed. Several nome
ote- of awful suspense TO those above
ear still more awful to him below ensued
the To them and him fatal and instant
ues- astrophe seemed inevitable.
anA But the fire was extinguished vii
Gu III bottle of water belonging to himself,
ooiu then the party above, though almost
'iO'e hausted by their labors, succeeded
F'i drawing him to the top. He was
''."- calm and self-possessed as upon his
y trance into the pit, but all of his COM
''.''' ions, overcomes by fatigue, sank d
ne upon the ground, and his friend, Pr'
n'- sor Wright, from over exertion and
nm citement, tainted and remained for
insensible.
%" The young adventurer left his n
ever carved in the depths of the Maestro
| Tue tnesname Of the first and only pc
'"' u that ever gazed upon its mysterie
'ii'a'- Louisville journal.
night --.-.-----
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