Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-10-01
TERRIFIC ADVENTURE IN THE NAM
MOTH CAVE.

there is pit, dark and deep and terrible,
known as the Maolstrom. Tens of thousands
have gazcd into it with awe, whilst bengal
lights were thrown down il 20 make its fear
full depths visible. but none ever had the dar-
ing to explore IT, The celebrated guide,
Stephen. who was deemed inscnsiblc to fear,
was offered six hundred dollars by the pro-
priotors of the cave If he would descend Ga
the bottom of it, but he shrank from the
peril a few years ago, Tennessee profess
sor. learned and bold man, resolved to dc
what no one before him had dared to do. and
making his arrangements with great care and
prccaution, he had himself lowered down by
strong rope a hundred feet. but at that
point his courage failed him. and he called
aloud TO be drawn out. No human power
could ever induce him to repeat the appalling
experiment.
a couple Of weeks ago, however. young
gentleman Of Louisville, whose nerves never
trombled at mortal peril, being at the MANI
moth Cave with Professor Wright of our city.
and others. determined, no matter what dam
ger, and difficulties might be, TO explore the
depths of the Maclstrom Mr.. Proctor, the
cuirpriaug proprietor of tho cave, sent TO
Nashville and procured long rope of great
strength. expressly for the purpose. The
rope and some necessary timbcrs were borne
by the guides and others to the point of pro-
posed exploration. The arrangements being
soon completed. the rope, with heavy frag
mont of rock affixed to IL was lct dovn ,nd
s,,ung 10 and fro to dislodgo ans, looso rocl..
that would be likely to fall at the touch-
Several wcrc tbus dislodgcJ and tbc lop.,
continued reycrbc,,tiop. ris;n,, M, utc .,is7
FAINT nu,lcr from, L.lo,, nro,t,i,noJ fla
doptb or fine borrid cbosm ,rbop tbc vo,,,,
hero of tbo ocrasiop with several hats Jroyyn
.o,or bis hood to ,r,tort IL ne r,r nc ,,s.I1o
against onv ,oosscs c,lI;nc G.o,, ob,,o ,,,J
With a licbt in his hand and fine rono ,.tcnod
aroupl Ills b,dv to,l Lis ,J,,. o,,r h,
ovyr,l nit and J;rcctcd thc b,if.d,,,,,,. ,,,,,,,
who hcld bo cnl or tbo ro.,o a., H., b;,,'l,,,,
into tbc Cinmcri,n Gloom
We bov. hoard from HE o,,, Inns .,, .,,.
connt If his descent Occ,siop,ll, r,,s.,.
NJ Garth and rocl ,,o,,, .,,hi,,i,,, ,.... r,,,
none struck him Thirty or cortv loot fror,
the tom he save , 1ol,,c c.o,, Which no ho
indeed bv opncor,nces t,yo mr. tI,rcc ,,,,,,os
led off in different directions Abort o.
hundred feet from the tom cataract from, tbc
side of the nit went rushing down tho obyss
and as he descended bv tho side of tho Cliing
water and In the midst of thc sprn, No r.It
some nnprchcneion that bis ErLt would ho
extinruisbed but his caro- pro,cnicd mis-
He was landed at bo horton, of tho MI d,
hundred and ninety feet from tine ton fl,
found /, almost uerfectlv circulor about IL
feet in diameter Win a small ononin,, NJ ono
point LEADING 70 n fine rbomber If no mont
extent He fund ON tho aoor hooH,ic,l
vos,ly lor,er thar, ,y,.o o,.,,. ,I;seo,r'l ,.
other part of the mammoth cayo ana ol.,, .,
multitude of evnuisite formations os',,,,,..,,l
white as virgin snow. Maxine himself hs,r,
with great effort bv his friends no M lor,l
asked them to null him nortlv mn ipfopdip,
to stop on the yay and exnlore a cayc tb,t h,
had observed openinp about forty feet abo,,
the bottom of the nit Rcncbip.. tbo ,,,,,l
of that cave lac swpno himself Win r,,,I
cxcrtion into if and holding tbo end or tb,
ropc in his hand ne incantiorsl, h., +, on
and il swnpr out onnorentl, hcyon1 roach
The situation was n fearful orc and hi
friends above could do rothino, far lin, Soo,
however no madc q b,cl, of tbo c,,J &C. nj
lamp. and by oxtopding himself ne c,r os nos
siblc ovo, tho ,cr,o ,,;p,,,,, c,ll;,.. l 49,,
cecdod in scc,r;n,, ,l,,.',o T,.,.1;- :. ~.
a rock he rolIo,ycd tbo pyoo,o t,n %, 5ol
wards 10 mint ,ybo,, ho c,,,nJ :, lIa,I.o,
bv nm imnass,llo oyoIoncl,oc ,ocI AMI o,,,t
Returning TO tbc mouth of this oyorro h,
bebcld nm almost cvoc,l, sir,iI,r ,,,,,'tI, u,
anntbar ~, H., -. 9'''','" mum "
not beipg abIo m evin, himself M, i, ~,
rce,stoncj tho ro,,e ,ron,j liz b,,d,. ,,.,.'..l
ed himself ogain ovcr the obyss aIA shlp,,to,
IN lis friend, to r,iso ill.,, :, ~. ~,