Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-08-24
Our Trip 10 the Mammoth Cave.


~ of ladies and gentlemen, left clarksville on the
3 o'clock p N. train, destined for the celebrated
Mammoth Cave. We sped on at railroad speed
changing cars at the State Line and at the Spring.
held Junction Of the Louisville and Edgefcld road
and were soon again making rapid time passing
Gallatn Franklin, Bowlingreen and other thriving
little towns. At 1897 we hauled up at Cave City,
a neat and comfortable Hotel mii.s from the
Mammoth Cave, where supper was waiting, and as
a matter of course all repaired to the table. Here
quite an amusing little circumstance happened to
one Of the young gentlemen Of our company. Hot
coffee was brought in, and the gentleman alluded
70, being rather hungry, seized hold of raeasses
canister thinking II was n cream pot and com
menced pouring ii In his coffee: he soou however,
found out his mistake and undertook to push il to
one side before any one should see him, but the
quick and detective eye of Miss d. and Miss r. had
discovered his mistake, and they broke out in roar
of laughter. lie however had the pleasure of en-
joying hearty laugh at his young friend Mrs r.
who was so unfortunate as to bave his hat cxchang
ed, whilst he was tickling himself about the "iong
swestpn,g."
The next morning, Tuesday We took the Stage
and at o'clock A. NJ. we arrived at the CaveI We
spent the forenoon in examining the grounds, prom
enades, &c. The situation is a beautiful one, but
we are sorry 10 say that the buildings and other
improvements, for place of 20 great resort, are
very poor, and we were sadly disappointed. The
Hotel tolerably well furnished, though the fur
niture was found-to the merrimeut of our party
not Intended for hedry peighf Lcenter tables espe
oially. 1t seems that the owners will not improve
IL nor will they lease it that the caser can put
the desired improvements upon it.
After dinner our. little party made their appear
ance in their Cave costumes, the ladies--as mat
tor of course-looked mighty pretty. We then pro-
ceeded to the Cave to explore the Short Route
This route is three miles long ard possesses some
beautiful and romantic scenery, prominent among
which nre Gorin's Dome, the Star Chamber, Giant
Coffin, Gothic Avenue, &C., taking it altogether it
is a tremendous 'by hole IN the ground" with some
remarkable scenery.
At might the company had quite au animated and
spirited dance. They danced cotons, values
polkas, and many other fashionable dances. Whilst
they were whirling around in the may and fasci-
mating amusement we were forcibly reminded of
a remark that an old woman made that ''you
may call it what you choose, but it looked mighty
IKE old fashioned huygiag 10 u,'-we kinder like it
though.
The next morning Wedncsdny-. there was quite
largo accession To party This was made mp
Of a number of ladies and gentlemen from Louis
vile and other points 1t was determined in COM
Nr h. -h,Io H.. a..
enter upon an exploration Of what is dcnominated
in cave parancc, as the "iong route and affords
about nine miles of as rough walking as one could
possibly wish to encounter Just before entering
upon our subtcrrranean adventures, a number of Ia
dies made their appearance dressed in full Bloomcr
costume. Their dresses were made of var-colored
fabrics and what with the jauntiness of the cos
tunes and the diversity OF colora, together with
tho high CLEO of the ladies themselves they appear
ed 70 us to be even more charming than we had ev-
er before regarded them; and felt half inclined
to abandon our woned opposition to the prosecuted
''bloomsr," and to declare for it.
All being now ready wo entered the Cave, and
had we not been surrounded by beings that We
know are fit only for heaven--after We are done
with them here, of course-we should have thought
we were making the fearful descent to Avcrnus.--
Tho route is very rocky, difficult one for the most
part though certainly the inconvenience of it are
amply repaid by the gorgeous wonders all around
u.s. We, Of course, shall not attempt description
of the glorious beauties of the Cave for we not
adequate to the task aud even il we were, its pras
es have been too often sung and told by poets and
G,r oil abnut NJ all
necessary. We haven't space even to notice in or
der all the different points Of attraction. Promi-
nent among these is the Echo rirer quite II pretty
stream and possessed of several peculiar character
stics that belong to other stream of water. One
of these is it, remarkable transparency. When
there has been no recent rise objects may be seen
In il at depth Of ten, and even twenty feet below
tho surface Another remarkable feature is its pro
duction Of eyele,s fish. They said to have little
bumps on the head that look as If they once thought
they would have eyes, but Afterwards concluded
chat it would he useless expense in that region Of
uroCound darkness These fish are perfectly white
and are viviparous-that is they propagate like
folks, and not with the intervening trouble of lay
ing eggs, like other fishes. They prey upon each
othel too but whether from q scarcity of provis-
IONS there, or simply from a fondness for fish, w
did not learn There are also in Echo river spe
cics of white crdr sh just as blind ms the Others
and consequently they go walking about hind par
before, half their time.
We found some little boats on the river, for ,h'
use of visitors, hut they were inconvenicnt dirt!
and leaky. We got into one Of them, and asceu
died the river for about a quarter of mile on
aquatic ride being cnlivened not only by the pres
encc Of the ladies' but by soft strains of music
from the band that accompanied us; and the cfTcc
upon us of that, and all our surroundings, was tru
ly grand (Our individual mind, however, wa
constantly diverted from the wonders of the Cav
to the equally interesting formations disclosed b.