The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-01-25
LETTER FROM KENTUCKY.


PREw1TT's KNoB, Jan. 9TH, 1860.
a5a In the midst of the most intense polit.
ical excitement, q few items o. social concern.
may not be altogether uninteresting to you,,
and your many readers. While disunion sen.
| timents are daily uttered in our halls of Con.
gress, and telegraph reports are expected to
bring the crack of the revolver. and the BACH
analiau threats Of infurated fre-eaters and
fanatics, how pleasant it is to turn aside and
reflect on some of the natural beauties OF our
beloved laad, Il has become the fashion for
our public declaimers and stump orators, to
speak in glowing terms of our mighty nation;
and with rounded periods, to picture our iWide,s
domain. and we'll titled acres, as stretching from
ocean to ocean. Well, this is q great coun-
try, and the highest soanding epithets msF
well be applied to it; but how many there are
that repeat these phrases simply because they
have heard Others use them. I propose te
give you an account of some of the scenes
that have actually eoms under my observation.
The holidays were spent by me in exploring
the subterranean regions of this proud State;
and no one week ever passed mora pleasantly.
or with more instruction to myself--for the
lime stone of Kentucky is rich in fossils, both
on the surface, and far below. The rock be
longs to the sub-carboniferous stratum, and
has all the remaiAs peculiar to that dspesit-E
In fact, the loose rocks or beulders, ere 20
completely filed with organic remains, en-.
1E
species of marine shells. that the road sides.
and pastures are perfect geological cabinets
The first cave we explored, is called the
Diamond Cave" from the wonderful 6riIlian.
cy that the formations present and for ssve.
ral'hundred yards, it is the most beautiful Cave
haver seen. The Mammoth Gave is much
grander and moro terrible, but 10 this Cave
the stalactites are so perfect, and so many in
number. that one seems surrounded BY dis.
nonds of the first water. The Cavs is very
far belew the surface of the ground-and
these formations have been complete for many
ages. They are NOT white. and in the shape
'f large full blown roses, like the gypsum in
Oleveland's Cabinet in the Mammoth Cave.
but the most beautiful and delicate stalactites.
and they hang from the ceiling above, as thick
Is icicles from the caves The main sYenus7
8 about 20 feet high. and these stalactitas De.
'end so low in many places, that they come,
n contact with the head of the visitor as he
walks along; and many of them are as white
s the pure alabaster. There is one side room
ormed like grotto. where these impending
have all the various tones Of the,
piano, and by means Of copper wires the most
elightful chimes are produced, reminding one
i the cathedral music, whose charms not only.
ontinue but ABSOLUTELY increase, As heard in
memory. What charming retreat from the
usy hauuts efmen How inspiring to the
ensitivs soul. as it listens to these harmouies
reasursd up hundreds of feet under ground,
nd tuned BY the great God when the morn.
g stars sang together. There is music in
he woodland. and there is music, Byron saya.
D the shore of the vest see, but no straipS
e so touching TO me. as these Symphonies.
nging the praises of their Creator, in the
'ry bowels of the earth, What world Of
'aaty is this, and how silently has its Creator
'ne on-for these statistics, almost wholly
rbonats Of lime, were formed by successive
ops Of water, as they trickled down through
e huge mass Of lime stone above. h sfsv5
This Gave has been just Rtted up for ttsv.
rs-is on the C0pe read, two miles from the
eisville and Nashville r. R., and is nov
nding, and will continue to divide. the won.
70 of that truly celebrated, and IN many re.
lets uneuualled curiosity tho, MammSth