The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-16
TERRIBLE .4DVENTURE IN TIE MAMMOTH
GIVE
rrrom The Louisville Journal

at the supposed end OF what has always peeh consu
cred the longest avenue of the Mammoth Cave nine
miles from It's entrance there is pit, dark and deep,
and tel rible known the Maelstrom Tens OF thou
sands have gazed into it with whilst Bengal lights
were thrown down it to make its fearful depths VISIBLE
hut mono had the daring TO explore it, Inc ceie-
brated guide Stephen, who was deemed nsenslbic 10
fear was offered six hundred dollars by the prop1eofs
of the cave if he would descend to the bottom OF it, but
he shrank from the peril few years ago Tennessee
professor learned and bold man, resolved to do what
no one before him had dared do, and, making his
rangements with great care and precaution ne ha''
himself lowered down by strong rope hundred ce'
hut at that point his courage failed him, and he called
aloud to be drawn out. No human power could ever
have induced him to repeat the appalling experiment.
couple of weeks ago, however young gentleman
of Louisville, whose nerves never trembied at mortai
ncril being at the Mammoth Cave with Professor
Wright OF our CITY and others, determined, no matter
what the dangers and difficulties might be- to explore the
denths of the Inaelstrom Mr. Proctor the enterprisng
moprctor of the cave, sent TO Nasve ana pfocurcu
Iona rope of great strength expressly for the purpose
The rope and some necessary tmbers we're borne by thc
pcs and others TO the proposed point o expioraon-
The being soon completed the rope, Win
heavy fragment Of rock affixed to 1t, was let down and
SWING 10 and fro to isiodgd amy loose rocks that would
be likely to fall at the toHcb. ..,
Several were thus disoJged, and the longcontinucd
reyerberuons rising up like distant thuicr rom pc
low proclaimed the depth of the horrid chasn lic'l
the Young hero of the OCCASION with several hats
over his head protect it far possible against any
masses falling from above and with light IN ms hanu
and the rope fastened around his body look ms pco
over the awful pit and directed the half dozen men, VINO
held the end of the rope to let him down into the cm
meriaii gloom. tesh A
We have heard from his own lips account Of his de-
scent. Occasionally masses OF earth and rock wen.
whizzing past but none struck him. Thirty OF forty
feet from the top he ledge, from which, as no
Judged iy Appearances two three avenues LED OH IN
different drecoiis About hundred feet from the top
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 hc felt some apprc
hensio, that his light would be extingulshed put nus
care prevented this e landed at the bottom OF the
pit a hundred and ninety feet from the top.
He found it almost perfectly circular, about lo lcet ~
diameter with small opening at one point leading 70
fine chamber of great extent He iounu Oh VIC nov
beautiful specimens Of black slick OF immense SIZE VASTLY
larger than were ever discovered in any other part OF the
Mammoth Cave and also multitude OF exquisite lorna
tions as pure and white virgin Making himself
heard with great effort, by his friends ne az icnBth
asked them to pull him partly up intending 70 stop on
the way and explore that he had observed opening
about forty feet above the bottom OF the pit g
Reaching the mouth Of that cave he swung himself
with much exerticn into it, and holding the end Of the
rope in his hand incautiousy let 1t CO. and swung
out apparently beyond his reach The situation was
fearful one and his friends above could DO nothing or
him. Soon however, he made hook OF the end OF ms
lamp and by extending hse as far over the verge as
possible without falling he succeeded in securing the
rope Fastening il to a rock, he followed the avenue
$50 or 200 yards to point where he found it blocked ny
an impossible avalanche of rock and earth
Returning to the mouth OF this avenue, nc peheia Hh
almost exactly similar mouth of another on the opposite
side of pitt but not being able to swing himself into
it, he refastened the rope around his body, suspended
himself again the abyss and shouted TO his friends
to raise him to the top The pull was an exceedingly
one and the rope being i'll adjusted around his
body, gave him the most excrutiatng pain But soon
his pain forgotten in new and dreadful peril "a
When he was 90 feet from tho mouth of the pit and
100 feet from the bottom swaying and swinging in mid
air, he heard rapid and excited words of horror and
alarm above and learned that the rope by which he
was upheld had taken fire from the friction OF the tim
Der over which it passed Several moments Of awful
suspense those above and still awful to him be-
low ensued To them and him fatal and instant catas-
trophe seemed inevitable.
But the fire extinguished with bottle OF water
belonging to himself, and then the party above, though
almost exhausted by their abors succeeded in drawing
him to the top. He calm and self-possessed as
upon his into the pit but all of his companions
overcome by fatigue sank down upon the ground, and
his friend Professor Wright, from over exertion and
element tainted and remained for time insensblc
The young adventurcr left his carved In tho
depths of the Maelstrom the name Of the first and
only person that ever gazed upon its mysteries.
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