The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1867-10-04
Mammoth Cave.

Special Correspondence of the Citizen.
Bidding adieu, at 10 O'Clock a. m. on
the 18th, to our amiable host of the Ten
nessee House," and taking the always
prompt and whirling "Buss" of the dash
ing Cooper-the Prince of drivers-the
swift-wiuged fight of few minutes plac-
ed the writer and his irrepressible COM
panion at the depot, ready for a hasty
jaunt to Natures Mecca. the fer famed
Mammoth CaVe-well and fttingly styled
by the gifted Prentice, ''the eighth wonder
Of the world''-situated 100 miles north of
Nashville, near the line of the Louisville
railroad, and that of Barren and Edmond
son counties, KY. Soon the rumbling and
ear-piercing whinnes of the storm speed
'Ironhorse," before which ever Intermina-
bic distance itself
"Fades to a blank and dwindles to a span,"
inspiring breeze, in quick response to the
invariable promptness of the gallant and &C.
cOmplished Capt. WestmOreland, in sup
plying the usual tickets.
A brief but busting pause, and we are
sped away like lightning upon ponderous
wheels, the echos of which are caught up
and reyerberated by the circumjacent hills,
and Pulaski--beautifully parterred and
palatial Pulaski-upon the shady and ever
greened streets Of which ethereal beaties
group and bevy like gold-plumaged
''Birds of Paradise, ''-ceases
"To lend enchantment to the view
And mingles with the mountains azure hue"
Whilst the laundering train bounds and
leaps along the rail-threaded track, the
ever watchful and craving eye Of the tour
list catches and luxuriates upon the strik-
ing and varied landscape scenery of Mid
| die Tennessee-all wonderfully united,
beautiful valleys, wstered by rivulet and
river, sloping hills. crowned with lofty
forests, grand in their extent as deep in
| their unbroken silence, and like Holland
and Belgium, dotted Ger. here and there,
with garden and field, hamlet and city
The pleasing spectacle Is not unmixed with
gloom, for, alas the silver-shod horse of
the despot is trampling upon the ruins of
the fabric of the freedom of her patriotic
and great hearted people.
Schedule time brought us to Nashville,
and soon we were directing our footsteps
to the Capitol, on an errand of business
The building and surrounding grounds
were blue and black with the guerrilla as
sassins aud militia of Brownlow. That
towering and magnificent Temple, erected
and dedicated by the people of Tennessee
to law, order and liberty, seemed to rebuke
and frown upon their desecrating presence.
Of course BroWnlow's purseholder greed
lily took the money offered, and shameless
~ betrayed the poverty of the State by
speaking of its sore and bleeding necessi-
| ties.
Left Nashville on Wednesday evenings
Louisville train, and arrived at Cave City
for supper. Early the ensuing morning
We were ready for the stage and the Nam.
moth Cave, distant, northwest, nine miles
Rain not having fallen for months, the dust
along the circuitous Green River noun.
tains, was foot deep, and as the passen-
ger laden stages swept over them, the
winds being brisk, clouds of white sand
arose, huge as the battle-smoke OF Gettys-
burg OF Waterloo.
The steep ascent of the mountains, either
side dressed in the pricking and rugged
habiliments of blackjack, shumac, thorr
and bamboo, and completely impervious t.
every adventurer, save the fearless ante
Iope, and the bold feet of the buntsman
exceeds six miles, at the lofty elimination
of which DIVORCES in unbroken chain, high
swelling hills, whilst in the immediate con
junction, far down the fearful slope below
is beheld the mouth of Indian Cave--ap
propriately named to recall the fierce Wild
Man of the forest, whom alone DAME
Boone could conquer and expel from thu
clark and bloody ground" Here in THU
elevated and austere region of solitude, tn
ancient kingdom Of his greatness, wher'
echoed his dance and bis war-song, th,
imagination repeats the sad story of hi
oppression and wrong, as his footprint
and Empire recede toward the golden sand
of the Pacific and the setting sun.
Overlooking the mouth of Indian Cave
the top of the mountain is embelisheC
with some handsome improvements, cot
tage style, commanding views either Eas
or West, forest gilded and picturesque il
limitless extension.
The faithful and fiery steeds reaching tn
point of the descending road. dash for
ward with acceerating speed, and sool
the impatient eye catches, with its Ugh
swift vision, snowy white as the ALPINE
heights of Switzerland, the clustering cot
tages of Mammoth Cave, GROWING tn
| Graan Riuar Maintains the hnnn hnunl