The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-10-23
Lost i'm nn AInhnmn Cnve.

An army correspondent, writing from
Cave Spring, Ala, gives the following
incident Of an adventure in a cave near
that place:
Half way up the mountain is tine en-.
trance to what is termed "Saltpetre
Cave" The rebels have worked it since
the opening of the war, and the materi.
al, it is said, besides being plentiful, is
peculiarly valuable. Excited by the sto.
ries concerning the cave, repaired, with
q small company and piece of candle,
to the big thing under grouud Half
bent over we entered the cave, q strong
current of cold, chilly air almost extin.
gushing our light Tho passage is ex-
ceedingly narrow, and at some points it
was only after the greatest exertion that
we succeeded in squeezing through.
Hundreds Of dark isles lead from the
main passage, and following which and
exploring the principal chambers in a
direct line with the way we were moving
along, we left the main passage, and,
crawling on our hands and knees o dis.
tance of twenty or thirty feet rose in a
spacious chamber, hung with dripping
stalactites, and quantity carved, appa.
rently by master artists. '.
Led by spirit of adventure and an
unsuitable curiosity, we travelled on from
chamber to chamber, climbing huge
rocks to higher aisles, descending lodges,
crawling and stopping at intervals, un.
til sheer exhaustion dictated O halt
Turning in what we supposed the direc.
tion of the caves mouth, we traversed
path after path. crept through narrow
assures, and passed through lofty cham
bers that echoed and re.echoed our haSty
footsteps, until light appeared The
sound of voice reached US, and in O
moment a negro appeared, who crept
through a small aperture, aud who had
evidently wandered about for hours in
these labyrinthian passages, unable to
effect an exit. His frightened features
had their effect on US, and we began Sc
riously to discuss whether we knew the
way from the cave.
Apprehension quickened our steps,
and, hurrying, we entered what seemed
familiar apartment that offered safe
egreSs to the main passage. To our
surprise, there was bat one way of exit,
and that by the way we entered. TWAS
evident we were lost. Another hour
passed in q fruitless effort to extricate
ourselves. Hope had almost expired,
and huge drops of sweat oozed from our
over-excited forehead. Our candles
were almost burnt out. No footsteps
where we were. Night was coming on.
Headquarters would doubtless be re-.
moved before dawn on the following day,
and night in this dismal cavern, with a
prospect of being left there to starve,
seemed inevitable.
We had been separated from the main
party, and here we stood, fear. relaxed,
gasping as though the air grew hotter
evviy minute, every sense Of hearing en-
ployed to its fullest capacity The ne.
gro was speechless. lie was as firm as
the lofty walls that shut us in. He was
slightly bent forward, his eyes wide open
and lips agape, perfect statue of q sa.
ble Hamlet listening for voices from the
spirit world. His appearance was lu.
dicrous, but l had no disposition to
laugh. My muscles were relaxed.
grew pale; my clothes were saturated
with perspiration.
We stood silent as death, drinking in
every sound with the acuteness of per.
ception known only to men dangerously
circumstanced could count the heart
pulsationS of my comrades, and every
breath seemed quick and labOred. Sud.
denly the negro started as if he caught
the souDd of footstep. We turned to-.
ward him as he exclaimed, "Goly, Mas.
So, l hears dem." He started in the di.
rection of the sound, and we followed
him to lofty chamber, OF least one hun
dred feet in length, eighty feet in width,
and thirty or forty feet in height. From
one extremity Of tho capacious apart.
ment we discovered o faint glimmer Of
light at the other extremity, and we were
soon greeted by sounds of voices. l
left the cave cured Of my adventurous
proclivities, and declaring that l would
not soon be caught under ground, alive
and voluntarily, without guide.