The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-10-17

I
ladies are seated on :cudoy, wet boards,
or huddled together in groups, and are
thus padded across the lake. After an
other scramble over rocky boulders you
arrive at the wonderful river Styx Here
again, you embark in another set of mud,
scows, the flats being "leetie" more Iear
ky .han the former, and passing under a
very low arch (Which even in n sitting
posture you are obligel to stoop) like the
mouth OF cave, you become launched
out on the broad waters of the Slyx
From your perIIous position in the
crowded flats, with a high vaulted rocky
roof above YOU, the darkness Of which is
msde visible by the concentration of tie
lights, YOU now realize the wild and fear.
ful scene before you. Ii is a grand spec.
tacle-and what ENLARGED the scene WAS
the tahleau presented by the Hat which
followed us Of groups OF grotesque fg
ures, looking like SO many bandits aud
glps'es, lighting up the darkness with
their numberless lanters, the rays from
which fell back upon themselves as they
! coutsed along the river, and thus pec.Img
through the gloom, made up a picture Of
thrilling novelty. When We had crossed
about half way over, one OF the bands,
(Which | omitted to mention, accomp,n
ed us) played soft exquisite air on the
! cOrnet, the notes Of which were sweety
re echoed again and again through this
river cavern Of the earth, until the whole
band Joining in, the cave seemed to Vi
brste with the melody Of the music The
| ruth Is, the various wild and picturesque
tsb!esus presented by the patty at differ
ent times as they would appear from the
advance, Winding along narrow path
bN the side of chasm, now descending
from some craggy emiuence, one OF the
party representing perfect Meg Merriles
-1c"in ascending 10y ladder IL high
rocky cliff, os they would stretch out in u
long line. or form groups together, were
more interesting 10 me- DIAN The ,ije,ts
Of the cave itself.
Frequently, rs we entered some II the
large halls or chambers Of lhe cavern,
spontaneous SETS would form Co,!ion,
the band striking up IL wish i Was in
D.xry's Land" ,nd several OF the party,
no doubt from fatigue, wished they were
thrtr), While the dancers would some
times resemble girsey scenes, and at 9th
ers the witches i'll Macbeth. Arrived at
Washington Hail, the basket carriers sat
down ihsir provisions, and spread OF
boiled chickens. ham aud bread was set
ont on the fiat rocks. To which the party
did ample jgslice. After the repast, hav,
I"g already proceeded seven miles, We
took up ID" iiue 81 march tw" miles fur
lher. aud arrived at Rocky NJ uutan, the
end Of tie cave. Here the whul. party
having iuI!y satisfied their curiosity, wish
ed that there Was some outlet to take
them TO the ear,hs surface again without
having to tradge the drearv way back. -
But 10 sucE shore Of L"thc presented it,
sell, aud so We started on our return voy
age.
AS we ueared the mouth Of the cave,
amd once more saw the light OF Heaven,
II was universally conceded tha. that WAS
the most glorious and gIadsome sight tha;
We had Vet seen The fact is, the long
route is II perfec, humbug, after YOU cross
the lake aud river, and 'Ion't pay for
the long faIiguIng tramp OF eighteen
miles, though II is true YOU feel it as no
thing III comparison with such tramp
above ground, OH account OF toe eXhlIa
rs'ing atmosphere OF the cave. You real
v see more grand scenery III the Star
ChamLer and Gormau's Chamber on the
short route, than You do on The long
route. The next morning at breakfast,
All old lady declared, that the mex, time
that she took the loug route, she'd be
bound If size d,Gu't take daylight for it
WELL said friend Of mine 10 me,
from Charleston, who had just arrived,
give us All idea Of what the long route is
like"
| cant do that, replied, but | can give
you An idea Of what you don't see. for
you see less, for seeing so much, than any
place ever saw To give you nv idea
Of it, is just TO blindfoId man, and lead
him along over high piles Of cobble stones
then over high and irregular piles of
granite rocks for q mile or two-then
down to the wharyes at Charleston, and
over all the piles Of produce along shore
then make hIm creep through two or
three iron boilsrs-ihen up the ladder Of
a new five.story building, and walk him
over the Iaflers-then down into some
dark cellar, where you have TO walk bent
double-then down to the docks again,
and along the wharyes for half mile,
put him in a leaky skif Of very dark
night, row him over the river and back
again, and after being well mudded, with
vet feet, lst him climb over few more
bills Of sharp granite stone, and then
return him back through the same pro
cess, and he viii! have accomplished the
long route
Ny fTieLd said be would never try that
route 10 this world--bpt he started on
the trip, nevertheless, the next morning !
Tie cave is owned by The beils OF Col.
CroghaD and Gen. Jesup, and yields an
income Of over $40, 600 per annum-the
oh haiac QQ for tha Ioan vonfa .nI