The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-06
fc,rrssp ,nd,nes Of the Richmond p,.ps.cs !

tCorra asp ,ndsnes Of the Richmond DIspssch]
A tTsa to Gaze Besat;tsi Works Of Nature.
CAM kosskrsox, ABtsanoz,
Decem Der 81, 1851 !
Some days OF the Christmas holidays had
passed away in the regular routine OF camp
life, with nothing TO commemorate them as
days Of festivity. Growing tired Of the ever
lasting samenes5, several OF sput our heads
do 70 make the time hang less heavily on our
hands. After various propositions had been
made, some ono proposed the exploration 4
the cave. the idea took like hot cakes, and
party was s ION formed, when we proceeded,
with the necessary paraphsrnalia, to tue
cave, which 10 about mile from camp Ro.
bsrtson. Arriving at the cave, We proceeded
to make our explorations catering the
direction, about fifty feet; then turning to
the right, and forcing ourselves through .
hole ia the huge mass Of rock that ehvel-
0ped us, We entered chamber about ten feet
in leogtb, sioping down at an angle Of nearly
forty five degrees. Passing through this the
passage narrowed down 10 not more Than
Gig teen inches IN height and about The same
IN width. sliding down, feet foremost, about
which we could crawl On our hands and
knees Proceeding in this way for some dis
lance, we at length arrived at place where
We could walk With more ease. The passage
continued to widen and become more spa
ctous; still We had to be cautious, as there
was u deep fissure on our left, where sim
gle nj isstep would have precipitated US in to
the darkness bsneath.
our pass Ige was suddenly cut off ~ deem
circular cavity. which opened directly in our
front; holding our lights over the yawning
chasm. We peered down into the abyss be.
meath. NothiOg but bIackness me. oar
searching gazs. EIxiLg a lantern to the end
OF a rope, We had brought along, and lower
Ing 1t some so or 40 fest, saw dimIy by Is re.
dection the rocks that covered the bottom
Leaving 1t suspended in this position, we
rtpl nlrk search Of "A mas n
which we might cbtaiu access into this SO o.
terranoan ch amber. Finding q smaIi passage
which led down between huge masses u
rock, (which seemed to have been reut asuu-
der by some con vuision Of nature) We crawIsd
into /. and commenced the descent. After
vi atiug about tn rough various passages, we
came to hole through which we could see
the lantern suspended fur above us in the
chamber we were seeking IN entrance, and
by dint OF exsrion, We worked our way up
here the sight thar opened TO our wandering
and admirin& gaze, amply repaid rs for our
toll. Spars OF the most beautiful kind, and
carved out il. the most fan las tic shapes, hung
down in clusters from the Roof. Further on
the moor is covered with glitterin2 projections,
having much the appearance OF q forest Of
emerald. 1t seemed Us il we had suddenl,
burstsintcthe lard Of Fairies and Cent? and
that BY soma mc gic influence, we had en- ter
Ell the Palace OF Aladdin, OR tn at by the aid
Of some fair Ariadne, we had baf1ed the
watrhfulpess OF the Dragon and entered the
garden OF Hespsrides, where before our eyes
and within cur reach, hung the golden apples
IN r!cn and shining clusters. Upon d postal at
one extremity of The crystal chamber, was
an exact imitation OF n church organ, s.
pipes carved and arranged 10 the incest STYLE
There, too, in our imaginative minds, we
could fanc5 the abode tf the muses.. After
Teasing our eyes for some time on TIE gorge.
Gus spl@ndor that sp irkled and shone around
US on every side We turned 20 bea. a retreat:
"Facftis descensns Acernf. sfd rsroca,s sradaa'
mut.ered one OF the fellows AS ne kicked and
seufil I'd among the steep rocks, ing 70 make
his exis. which was quite appropriate for the
occasion. We a. length reached III en- trance
and wac soon safe again on sierra irma."
j. n NJ.