Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-12-07
Terrific Adventure in the Mammoth
Cave.

avenue of the mammoth cave 8 miles
from its entrance, there is a pit, dark
and deep and terrible, known as the
Maelstrom. Tens Of thousands have
gazed into it with awe. whilst Bengal
lights were thrown down it to make
its fearful depths visible, but none ev-
er had the daring to explore it. The
celebrated guide Stephen, who was
deemed inSensibIe to fear, was offered
six hundred dollars by the proprietors
of the cave if he would descend to
the bottom Of it; but he shrank from
the peril. A few years ago a Ten
nessee professor-a learned and bold
man-resolved to do what no one be-
fore him had dared do, and making
Aia o-~o"Gnmnnto with great care and
precaution, he had himself lowered
down by a strong rope one hundred
feet; but at that point his courage
failed him, and he had to be drawn
out. No human power could ever
have induced him to repeat the APP
palling experiment.
A couple of weeks ago, however, a
gentleman of Louisville, whose nerves
never trembled at mortal peril, being
at the mammoth cave with Professor
Wright Of our city, and others, de-
termined, no matter what the dangers
and difficulties might be, to explore
the depths of the maelstrOm. Mr..
Proctor, the enterprising proprietor
of the cave, sent to Nashville and pro-
cured long rope Of great strength
expressly for the purpose. The rope
and necessary timberS were borne by
the guides and others to the point OF
The proposed exploration. The ar
rangementS being soon completed,
the rope, with fragment OF rock
affixed to it, was let down and swung
to and fro, to diSiodge any loose
rocks that would be likely to fall at
the touch. Several were thus diSlodg-
ed, and the long continued reverbera-
tions, rising up like distant thunder
from below, proclaimed the depth OF
the horrid chasm. Then the young
hero OF the occasion, with Serera4
hats drawn over his head TO protect II
aS far as possible against any MASSES
falling from above, and with Iighl
il his hand, and the rope fastened
around his body, took nis place oven
the awful pit, and directed the hail
dozen men, who held the end OF the
rope, to let him down into the Gin
merriam gloom.
We nave heard from his own lips
an account oi his descent. Occasion
all " masses Of earth and rock went
whlZziug past, but none struck him
Thirty or forty Ieet from the top ht
saw Il ledge, from which, as nejudgeC
from appearances, two or three ave
nueS led of III different directions
About a hundred feet from the top {
cataract from the side of the pit wen
rushing down the abyss, and Off he
dcaeonded by the side OF the falling
water, and in the midst Of the spray
: he felt some apprehension that hi
light would be eXtinguished, but hi
care prevented this. He was landet
at the bottom Of the pit, one hundred
and ninety feet from the top. IL
found it almost perfectly circular
! about Is feet in diameter, with
small opening at one point, leading t,
a fine chamber OF no great extent
: He found on the floor beautiful Speci
. mems of black slick Of immense size
i vastly larger than were ever diScOy
cred in any other part Of the Nam
moth Cave, and also a multitude c
l exquisite formations, as pure an
{ white as snow. Making himself hearC
with great effort, by his friends, he a
l. length asked them to pull him partl
{ up, intending to stop on the way an
y explore a cave that he had observe
= an opening about 40 feet above tn
! bottom Of the pit. Reaching the mout
of that cave, he swung himself wit
? such exertion into it, and holding tn
y end Of the rope in his hand, he III
cautiously let it go, and it swung OF
! apparently beyond his reach. Th
7" situation was a fearful one. and hi
,, friends above could do nothing fo
- him. Soon, however, he made a hoo
~ Of the end Of his lamp, and by eXten'
ie ing himself as far over the verge {
" possible without falling, he succeede
in securing the rope. Fastening it I
=, the rock, he followed the avenue IL
IL or 200 yards to point where
= found it blocked by an impossible a
~ alanche of rock and earth. Rctur
&C. ing to the mouth Of this avenue,
beheld an almost exactly simil;
an mouth of another on the oppoSi
side OF the pit, but, not being able
hg swing himself into it, he relaStent
the rope around his body, suspcndC
himself again over the abyss, al
shouted to bis friends TO raise him
the top. The pull was an exceedin
Iy severe one, and the rope being
10 adjusted around his body, gave hi
the most excruciating pain. But so
ny his pain was forgotten In a new al
dreadful peril. When he was 80 fe
feet from the mouth of the pit, al
OF 100 from the bottom, swaying al
O8 swinging in mid-air, he heard rap
ion and excited words of horror al
67 alarm above, and soon learned th
the rope by which he was upheld h
taken fire from the friction OF the IL
zen ber over which it passed. Sever
pe moments of awful suspense to tho
Of above, and still more awful TO h
loo below ensued. To them and him
at fatal and instant catastrophe seem
ter- inevitable. But the fire was ext
ion gueshed with bottle of water.
re- length the party above, though almt