, 1860-05-11
The Diamond Cave in Kentucky
'FErnr. The Cincinnati (s1zfftp1

From IN extended report, in manuscript, on
the Diamond Cave, newly discovered in Barren
County, Kentucky, By Prof. G. J. Phillips, &C.
olog1st, {late from England,) we. are permitted
to make the following summary IN regard to this
natural wonder:
The care is situated mile and half from
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad-Dels
Tavern or Glagow Junction being the nearest
station. The celebrated Mammoth Care Is only
seyen miles distant from tie same phint- Ut
the Interior of:hc care the Professor remarks:
*ln passins on, witness many unique exam
pies Of natural beauty, swelling sometimes into
sublimity, reminding me Of the |chalky cliffs
fthe Isle of Wight-sometimes hollowed out
into magnificent .iomes and pillars, uniting the
interesting in geology with the picturesque in
scenery. In walking through the spacious, Eell
furnished areuues and halls, we pass several
wild chasms aud gorges. Piars Of stalactites,
wearing the aspect Of modesty, jet ready to
crumb1a and crush tue behoider, recall to mind
continually the feudal ages. Farther On, we are
reminded Of historical monuments Of surprising
beauty-now the bold oyerhangiug rocks, and
now the deep recess; now the towering taouu-
tain, and now the quiet and peaceful dell.
Is t'Turning our courze, fer awlile, we meet
with The climax Of scenogrephical wonders.
We enter balls silent and melancholy as death.
Listen VI hear u solitary nurmur Of waters
the echoing Of something lso1ated, perhnps the
fall Of one drop of wuter in some distant hollow
On either side is equal beauty. Beneath. how
dizzy to behold! Adore, what clouds Of flow
lug drapery, Fl stoons Of romantic richness,
architecture, ornament Of carved work IN the
foru of wreath Of garlands Of flowers, or
leaves twisted together. There. too, we seen,
to see SCULPTURE as Of the finest workmanship
limitations Of some Romsn figures, seady TO start
up into life. These figures are from gigantic
size to microscopic lttlencss.
al follow cd my guide To the cooling waters.
How pure. Tho murmuring strcamlets pass
unperccivah!e, but We hear their Whispers In
advancing, on the right we see popisl! figures,
| and groups Of aui,nais-birds, fishes, quadFu.
pods and eerpents and many ancient like
iortns in anatomical structure In reaching the
| climax, we find q grandeur unparalleled. Lar
ger caves there are; but caves presenting 9reat-
| er beauty, aud more Of general interest there
| u1e none In this cave monotony is broken,
mud many other than inviting figures present
| themselves"
| The full length Of the care is abou: one-tbird
| Of mile. The desci iption Of various localities
| aud apartmeuts--,heln Inner Gto.to, Bell Spring,
| Echo Hall, Semi Dome. de-, together with spe
cinl objects Of interest, the "OEgan," -" Pillar
| nr Salt," "Coluubia Column" {tixty feet in
diameter, ornamented with futed sta!actitcs
their crystals magnificent in the llcht,} -ar,na
! d'llo Sta;agu'itc," &c." occapy muck space il
this interesting report, vi lch the author intend
10 embody into work to be hereafter pub
1ished. Our extracts give but very imperfec
idea Of his glowing narrative. He states tim
during his many years. of travel in Europe
Canada aud the United States, for general oh
! serEations in Natural History, be has not wit
| messed such q " gem as the Diamond Cave"