Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-11-20
Lost in an Alabama Cave.

incident of an adventure in cave near that
place:
Half way up the mountain is the entrance
to whst is termed 'Saltpetre cave" We
have worked it since the beginning Of the
war, and the material, it is said, besides
being plenty. is peculiarly valuable. Ex-
cited by the stories concerning the cave,
repaired, with small company and piece
Of candle, to the big thing usAsr the ground.
Half bent over, Ne entered the esve, I
strong cunsnA = cold dir ~ s)usss q.
tiaeIssAisg on iaho. = passaes-~sy
u 0ssedinoly sasson, 81 = soms poisis
10 WAS only after the grestess exertion that
We succeeded in getting through. Hun
dredso Of dark aislcs Ted from The main pas.
sage, following which and exploring the
principal chamber, in direct line with the
way We were moyeing aaang, we. left the
main passage, and crawling on our hands
and knees distance of twenty or thirty
feet, rose in spacious chamber, hung with
dripping statactites, and quantity carved,
apparently by master artists,
Led by a spirit Of adventure and an in
satiabe curiosity, We travelled along from
chamber to chamber, climbing huge rocks
to the higher aisles descending lodges,
drawing and STOPPING at Intervals, until
sheer exhaustion detained halt. Turning
in what we supposed the direction of the
caves mouth we travelled path after path
crept through narrow fstures, and passed
through lofty chambers that echoed and
reechoed our hasty footsteps until a light
appeared The sound Of voice reached
US and in small aperture, having evident
~ been wondering about for hours in these
labyrinthian passages. We discovered ne
gro, unable to effect than exit. His fright
ened features had their effect on us. and we
began seriously to discuss whether we knew
the way from the cave.
Apprehension quickened our steps and
hurrying forward, we entered what seemed
familiar apartment that offered safe egress
to the main passage. To our surprise there
was but one way of exit, and that by the
way we entered. 1t was evident we were
lost. Another hour passed in fruitless eff
forts to extricate ourselves Hope had al
most expired, and huge drops Of sweat
oozed from our excited foreheads. Our
candies were almost gone. No footsteps
could be heard where we were. Night was
coming on. Headquarters would doubles.
be removed before dawn on the next day.
and night in this dismal cavern, with a
prospect Of being left to starve, seemed in
evitable.
We had been separated from the main
party, and there we stood, fear-relaxed,
gaping through the air grew hotter every
minute, every sense of hearing employed
to its fullest capacity. The negro was
speechless. He stood as firm as the lofty
mass of rock that shut us up. He was
slightly bent forward, his eyes wide open
and his lips agape, perfect sable Hamlet
listening for voices from the spirit world -
His appearance was ludicrous. but I had
no disposition to laugh, My muscles were
relaxed, l grew pale; my clothes were satur.
ated with perspiration.
We stood silent as the tomb, drinking in
every sound with the acuteness Of percep-
ton known only to men dangerously cir
cumstanccd. could count the heart pull
sations of my comrades, and every breath
seemed quick and labored Suddenly the
negro started as if he caught the sound of .
footstep. We turned towards him as he
exclaimed, "Golly Man, / hear leu."-
he startsA II the direetios Of tie sound,
md ~ followed lin to lofty ehamesr Of
East one Kindred i6st high. From one en-
tremity of this capacious apartment We dis
covered aslaint glimmer Of light at the 9th
er extremity and were soon greeted by
sounds of voices left the cave cured
of my adventurous proclivities, and declar-
ing that [ would not soon be caught under
ground alive and voluntarily, without a
guide.
GB"Hermes" of the Charleston Mercury