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

several immense chambers, we Went OH
the main avenue to visit the "black
room." It is the gloomiest room in the
cave, its walls being draped in black
gypsum; thence to fairy grotto'' with
its glittering walls, and fine collection of
stalaetites, or as " Nick" said "stick-
tights, ease they was mighty hard to
pull Off" andtinally to SOLITARY cave"
where we found fine spring of water.
Soon we stumbled over "chief city,"
which looks in 4 dim light likethe ruins
of an ancient city. The resemblance is
caused by huge stones being piled one
upon another, ia different parts Of the
misunderstanding over these, and
passing through several halls, containing
nothing Of much interest, we reached
the terminus Of the "4lort route"
Great masses OF rock blockade the way,
but could they be removed imagination
sees the continuation Of this darkened
world perhaps for miles beyond. These
rocks are supposed to have fallen entirely
from above
The most wonderful thing to be seen
on thu" sloM route is Gorin's Dome
It is over two hundred feet III height,
and fifty feet across. We reached it by
passing through a long, narrow cause
way. On the wall of which is a perfect re-
presentation of an American eagle, with
out-spread wings, then ascending lad
der, narrow and insecure, to the "laby-
rynth.' There is an opening about q
hundred feet from the ceiling, through
which we could see, by Bengal light, far
below US, the dark, wet, rocky floor
There are openings leading out from the
bottom, but they have been imperfectly
explored.
= t90ls rs six hours to go over the
@sllaTt route" There We're complaints
of f.laigua, but when we issued from the
cool, fnVigarating air OF the cave, to the
heat Ct tie fully sun, Wealmost suflocat-
ell and we're obliged to rest every few
moments, while walking up the forest
path to The hotel,
Lose ROUTE or THE CAVE.
Ats A. NJ. we wore again dressed a Ia
Boomer preparatory TO doing the
sLong Route OF the Cave a distance OF
eighteen miles. Once more with our
stout sticks, and freshly burning lamps,
we babe adieu 10 ''motier e;srth,o and
descended 70 the lower REGIONS, follow
ingeloseupon thefootstepsofold "Nick.n
our partv VAS composed ofsiXty ladies'
and sentiens NJ. 9Htl aeeil a asFlfy mlng-
ling ofvoiees seldom disturbs Tie under
crust Of this busy world.
We passed over the route of the day
before, until we reached the "Giant's
coffin" when we turned to the left and
| entered the ''Deserted Chamber" where
we found nothing of much interest,"
Passing merrily on we soon reached a
narrow, winding way, called "Black
Snake Avenue, leading through "Wood-
en- bowl cave" to "Martha's palace, +"
which we reached by ascending aslippe-
ny pair OF steps called the ''steeps of
time,1 and where we quenched our
thirst at a clear, cold spring of water
Through a narrow archway, one by one,
we reached side-saddle pit" which has
a dome rising above it nearly seventy
feet. There we were particularly eau
toned by " Nick" as the ratings and
platforms have become soft, and yielding
from the constant dripping of the water
from above.
From Minerals dome," a miniature
representation of "Gorin's dome," we
proceeded to the bOttomless pitt"
" Nick" singing out as we approached,
the rather paradoxical statement that
"dis is de bottomless pitt only one
hundred and seventy feet deep"
One by one we crept across narrow
bridge, leading along the black mouth of
this terrible hole, our guide keeping up
a running fire of cautionary words,
which were repeated from one to the
other, all down the long picturesque line
of followers. "Shelby's dome'' rises
sixty feet above this pit. From the pit
nj 4,, II, n loIl oh