American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-10-01

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hero ofthe occasion, with several hats
drawn over his head to protect it as
far as possible against any, masses, fall
ling from above, and witha light in
This hand and the rope fastened around
his body, took his place over the awful
| pit and directed the half dozen men,
who held the end Of the rope, to let
him down into the Cimmerian gloom.
| We have heard from his own lips an
account Of his descent. Occasionally !
masses Of earth and rock went whia,
zing past, bu. none struck him. Thir-
T ty or forty feet from the top, he saw
q ledge, from which judging by ap-
tpearanccs two or three avenues led Oh
Tin different directions. About a hun,
dred feet from the top, cataract from
Ithc 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 ap-
prohension that his light would be ex-
tmguished, but his care prevented this.
FHewas landed at the bottom of the
pit, hundred and ninety feet from
jthe top. lie found it almost perfect.
" circular, about eighteen feet in d.
amcter, with "a small opening at one
spoint, loading to afine chamber Of no
great extent. lie found on tho floor
beautiful specimens Of black slick of
immense size, vastly larger than were
lever discovered in any other part of
i the Mammoth Cave, and also multi.
tudo Of exquisite formations, as pure and
white as virgin snow. Making him
self heard with great effort, by his
friends, he at length asked them to
lppll him partly up, intending to stop
on the way and explore a cave that no
had observed opening about forty feet
above tho bottom of the pit. Reach
ling the mouth of that cave, ho swung
himself with much exertion into it,
and, holding the end of1the rope in his
hand, he incautious)y let it go, and it
swung apparently out Of his reach. =
The situation was fearful one, and
d his friends above could do nothing fol
Thin, Soon however he made a hook
4 of the end Of his lamp, and extending
! himself as far over the verge as posi-
! BILE without falling, he succeeded in Sc
curing the rope. Fastening it to rock
he followed the avenue $50 or 20C
yards to point where he found it
blocked up By an impossible avalanche
of rock and earth. Returning to the
mouth of this avenue, he bcheld an al
most exactly similar mouth Of another
on the opposite side of the pit, but not
being able 10 swing himself into it, ht
frefastened the rope around his body
suspended himself again over the abyss
and shouted to his friends to raise hin
Ito the top. The pull was an exceed
Iingly severe one, and the rope, being
Iill.adjusted around his body, gave him
the most cxcrucioting pain. Buts
his pain was forgotten in new anC
dreadful peril, When he was 90 fee
from the mouth Of the pit and 100 frou
Ethe bottom, swaying and swinging ir
lmid-air, lie heard rapid and excited
words ofhorror and alarm above, ant
soon learned that the rope by which
he was upheld had taken fire from tht
friction Of the timber over which il
lpassed Several moments of awful sus
Epense to those above and still more aw
| full to him below ensued. To them and
him a fatal and instant catastrophe
seemed inevitable. But the fire was
extinguished with q bottle of water be-
longing to himself, and then the party
above, though almost exhausted By
ltheir labors, succoeded in drawing hin
to the top. He was as calm and self
possessed as upon his entrance into The
pit, but all of his companions, over
come by fatigue, sank down upon the
4 ground, and his friend ProfcssorWright,
from oger.excitement and cxertion
\ tainted and remained for time insen~
eible, Wa e4
The young adyenturer left his name
carved inlhe depths of tho Maelstron
1.-THE name Of the first and only per
son that ever gazod upon its mysteries
!. ---EoaiSvtRe JoWmdl
Re .4-4i--44-ll- L.. .z.-.f
i a NovEb WAYTo CURE ruE TooTu
AcnE. ~4Ohc day last week one Of th'
colored BARRIERS at South Boston VA
visited by q yoong and respectable
looking White woman, who informe,
the tonsorial operator that she was suf
fcfibg with aseyere toothache, and tha
shc desired his assistance TO cure it. u
The dark comple&ioncd individual rol