The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-10-31

hen let foul faction : tempest rage.
With blood aad crime stain history page
Here, hand in hand. we now engage
Cur freedom 10 maintain.
Well may the hearts OF tyraatS quail.
As 10 the mast our flag We nail
And unborn tongues repeat the tale
Till time itself shall wanei
GREAT NATURAL. WONDER ~ FLUH;.
MOTH CAVE-IMPDRTAHE TO ANTI
9IARiaNs-A STRANGE INSCRIPTION
FOUND.
John Hartford, writing from Waldo
Alachua County, Florida, furnishes the
New York JOurs'ai of Commerce will!
the following description Of a subterrsnean
cavern recently discovered in that region
which is said TO surpass in extent the cele
brated Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. Mr
Hartford says:
The structure Of the under stratum OF
rocks and earth in Florida is cayoruous to
great extent Indeed, as far as cxplora.
tons have been made, the ground presents
the appearance Of honeyeomb, on account
of tie numerous cavities which are found
to exist. Those indcntations in the sur.
face Of the earth, called sinks" abound
hoTa-some of them dry, aud others par
italy filed with water; while rivers dis.
appear under the ground and are seen nc
more. Florida is not only "t the land Of
flowers" but also the land Of wonders A
few days ago Mr. Henry Wooten, of New
York city, and myself started on a hunting
expedition, with the intention of camping
out several days On Saturday, the Doth
day of September. we pursued deer into
a hammock, and attempting to ride through
it MIR. Wooten's horse stumbled into a small
sink. While Mr.. Wooten was endcavor-
ing to extricate his horse. | dismounsed
and was engaged III examining a curious
pile Of stones which had attracted my at.
tention. On on of thcm | found an in.
scription, as if engraven with some steel
Instrument, but nearly obliberated by the
rsyages of time. Mr.. WOoten, by thi,
time, had led bis horse safely cut of the
sink, aud, on rejoining me, said he had dis.
covered a cave.
After yainly endcaroring to decipher
the strange inscription which | had found,
We each collected an armful of pine wood
to serve for torches. On arriving at the
entrance. we saw by the light of our torch.
es that the bottom Of the cavern was seye.
raj feet below us. Handing my torch to
my friend, prepared to descend, which
accomplished with ease, the rocks serving
as steps
Wootcn then handed me down an arm.
full Of lightwOod and torch, and prepared
to descend further. We now found our
selves in subterranean passage, abou,
ten feet high and fifteen wide.
We pursued this passage for nearly hall
a mile, it growing larger at every step. anc
appearing to descend into the earth by al
easy inclination, when we unexpectedly
found ourselves in cave Of immense ex
tent.
We explored it in every direction, some
times entering small caverns, which led of
from the main cave. We finally entered
sort Of square doorway, and found ourselve
in cavern Of most beautiful appearance
the reflection Of our lights agains, the side
producing magnificent effect
For the first time in my life, | felt Ia,
full force of that beautiful description whicl
Goldsmith has given the word grotto of An
tiparos. But the most wonderful thin.
that met our view was Latin insciption
graven in the solid rock. The inscriptio,
stated that party of Danes had visited thi
cave in the year los, and that a priest VIII
accompanied them had left this memoria
Of their visit. The name of this priest wa
Marcus Poleus.
1t also stated that these bold navigator
had embarked On voyage of exploration
and had been driven far south also, tha
they had visited many large islands, an
finally had landed in thickly populate
country. where the people had receive
them kindly. thinking them superior be
ings; that several of their number, togett
er with some Greek artisans and tw
priests. had been left there as colony.
This is the substance of the inscriptio
as far as it could be deciphered. Now, doe
not this suggest an important inquiry t
the antiquarian
1t is not probable tha. the islands mer
toned were the West Indies and ma
not the country where they landed be Mez
leo? We all know that the ancient Ne,
leans had tradition that about four hur
dred years before the landing of Cortez i
that country, Children of the Sum- wit
. white faces, came to them, ard taugf
them the art of civilization.
Is it not probable that this colony
Danes and Greeks. with their two Lati
priests, were the persons referred to by ii
tradition
Let this subject be investigated immed
ately.
/ Perhaps many buried secrets concern
ing the early history of America may !
revealed by that strange device.