Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-29
For the Wore sfer Daily Spy.
CAMP NELSON. KY, Aug. %, 1Si

CAMP NELSON, KY, Aug. %, 1868.
Mr. Editor: In order to excite the curiosity
OF some of your Yankee readers and our Wor-
cester county friends, and perhaps induce
them to visit us, will send you a briet de-
scription of a visit to the celebrated Mann
moth cave of Kentucky. Saturday evening,
Aug. 10, party, consisting of Mr.. and Mrs.
A. j. Burbank of Keene, N. H., Col. Titus
of the 9Th New Hampshire volunteers, ii. c..
Miscrott of the quartermaster's department at
camp Nelson, from Sutton, Mass, and eight
ladies and gentlemen from Louisville, Ky,
meI at the Cave Hotel, and made arrange
ments to explore the cave on the day follow
ing After breakfast was over, and the ladies
had attired themselves in the cave costume
(without hoOps), accompanied by Mat, guide
of twenty-five years experience (colorcd),
we descended to the entrance of the cave,
where, after short time spent by Mat in light
ing the lamp, we entered the main cave
which is six miles in length, and varies from
twenty to one hundred feet in height, and
from fifty to three hundred in width. The
first room you enter is called the Rotunda.
The ceiling is about one hundred feet high,
and its greatest diameter is one hundred and
seventy feet. The floor is strewn with the
remains of watts, water pipes, and ether nate
rails used by the satpetre miners in 1872.
This is said to be under the dining room of
the hotel. Next you come to the Methodist
church, where the gospel was preached over
fifty years ago. The benches or logs remain
the same as when first placed in position.
We now pass the grand arch, fifty feet high
and sixty wide. The Giants Coffin is now in
view, forty feet long, twenty wide, and eight
deep. On the ceiling to the left of the Giants
Coffin, in the Deserted Chamber, is a picture
of an ant eater complete. From the Giants
Coffin to the entrance of the cave are impress
si0ns of the feet of oxen and wheel tracks,
made over fifty years ago. From the Acute
Angle to the Star Chamber are two stone cot
tages once occupied by consumptives. But
no enc was ever cured by residence therein;
all cases proved fatal.
The Star Chamber is the most beautiful and
attractive of any portion Of the cave, unless
it be Echo river When the guide takes the
lamp and descends behind ledge of rocks,
by which cloud is made slowly to pass over
the ceiling, it is hard to believe a storm is not
approaching The stars are visible as in a
very dark night, and seem reality. This
room is five hundred feet long, ninety high,
and seventy in width. When the guide reap
pears at the eastern extremity, holding the
lights in advance, it resembles much the .ris-
ing SUM- We return to the Deserted Cham
Der, and from that enter Wooden Bowl cave,
named from finding a wooden bowl left there
by the Indians. MARTHA Palace is entered
Dy passing steep declIvity'a and pair OF steps
called the Steps of Time. 1t is forty feet
high and fifty wide.
oide Saddle Pit is twenty feet wide and if
y y. ueep: Minerals Dome, near Side Saddle
Pit, Is sixty feet high and ten wide.
Bottomless Pit and Shelby's Dome-para-
doXcal as the statement may appears but
one hundred and seventy-fve feet deep. Its
width varies from fifteen to twenty feet. A
substantial wooden bridge has been thrown
across it, called the Bridge of Signs. 1t can
be viewed from this in safety. Shelby's Dome
is sixty feet high, directly over the Bottom
less Pit. The pit and dome have been formed
by the action of the water.