The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-09-28


saw all around us evidences Of the work
Of saltpetre miners of 1912. Chick"
pointed out unmistakable marks of the
hoofs of oxen, wagon-ruts, and pieces Of
hardened, blackened corn-cobs, which he
said with a faeetious roll of his white
eye-balls were "often took by pussons
as curiosities," and added he "they're
bout gone, gemmen and ladies. Reckon
! III have to bring in some more"
Leaving the "narrows' we entered
the main cave, which is six miles in
length, and which varies from fifty to
one hundred feet in height, and from
forty to three hundred in width. Follow
ing "Nicl1's" footsteps We soon found
ourselves in the rotunda,' a chamber
nearly one hundred feet high, and q
hundred and seventy feet in diameter.
The floor is covered with Tire remains of
Different materials used by the saltpeter
miners; the wood shows no signs of
decay. In "Audubon2 avenue" which
turns ef to the right, we saw fine col
lection OF stalactites. sNick'' told us
that IN winter time hundreds of bats
find refuge in this avenue, and become
perfectly frantic if disturbed.
Just at the entrance of "Audubon
avenue" are the remains of several small
stone houses, built years ago for con-
sumPtiyes. Families lived there, with
out seeing daylight four and five months,
! 4f.o.4 ,cJ
from the hotel. The majority of these
poor victims died in the cave, and the
remainder in few weeks after leaving
it. The appearance Of those who sur
Vivod to come out, is said to have been
frfg22tfu' il The eNtreme,--'' facebeiro
entirely b'oodless, eyes sanken, and
pupils started to such a decree that the
iris ceased to be visible, so that nomatter
what f'fe original color OF the eye might
| have been, Il soon appeared blacl.o
Under huge over-hanging cliffs, re-
sesnhfsag tie cliffs of the Kentuckvriver.
80 passed and entered 81 immense
e2afaher called the Methodist church,
| jus. beyond chat we reached one of the
greatest esriosities eff the cave, the
g gia39t's cof1n.n It is formed Of a rock
over forty ffeet long, twenty wide, and
nine deep, and Is a perfect model OF Il
coffin. just beyond Ills peculiar rock
IS large figure Of the giaat himself,
formed Of black gypsum, on a ceiling Of
white 9nsztone=he IS represented as
s=nl5ssss f.@self=ty nlavias. football
vita eiiza. Ma The sislsaa1e sesseral
, o3hef huge figures, formed u The same
manner; among diem an ant-elter and
a colossal mammoth.
Passing Gu we entered the most poeti-
| eally beautiful, and least gloomy cham
Der Of the cave, the "star chamber" 1t
il over fifty feet in height, seventy in
width, and five hundred in length. The
ceiling of black gypsum has been broken
? of, leaving thousands OF white spots
visible, which present by dim light a
most perfect resemblance to stars.
} Awed by the seemingly endless dark
! ness of this ehamber,we passed through
: in silence, and sat down, by "Nick's"
, orders, against the rocky wall. He ex-
J tinguished all the lamps but two, and
} placed three upon projecting rock a
: short distance from us, then babe us
"look up" Intently we gazed for a few
r moments, and then by the faint light,
5 thousands Of consultations seemed to
) flash and brighten, while Off to the left
appeared fiery tailed comet. The
. immense rocks above us, projected like
: black mountains against starry dome,
land in the Pickering light, swayed back
: and forth, as ifabout to fall and bury us in
r darkness forever. Sitting there, with
' the great walls of darkness rising all
Q around us, we could look up at the fash
/ ing splendor above, and imagine the
j, despair of lost souls catching one glimpse
a of Heaven.
S Taking lamp "Nick" descended
: behind ledge of rocks, and as he pro
a ceeded a black cloud crept slowly over
f the ceiling. 1t looked like the coming