The Portland daily press., 1868-06-04
Miscellany.
A Strange Story-Discovery of a Cavern
i'm the Palisades.

A Strange Story-Discovery of a Cavern
i'm the Palisades.
The New York Metropolitan Record has
correspondent who writes to that journal to
say:
am the discoverer of an immense cavern
in the Palisades of the Hudson, fully one mile
in length, and at least half mile wide, with
vaulted roof higher than that of Trinity
Church, supported by innumerable pillars,
which must have been erected by the hand of
with innumerable side recesses, ante cham
bers, and long winding passages of the most
wonderful construction.
Ruins OF what have evidently been affairs,
erected thousands of years ago, are abundant.
together with the Wondering bones of beings
OF enormous stature, as belonging to a race OF
giants that formerly inhabited the earth. The
floors of this remarkable cavern are as smooth
and hard as granite, though covered with the
deep dust of centuries Here and there
lower deep is discemible through the all per-
vadlng gloom, with spacious steps leading
thereto. From these mysterious cavities the
sound OF rushing waters falls upon the ear,
With other reverberations OF a strange I'M
earthly character. The cavern, it is manifest,
is not, like the Kentucky cave, a freak of ma
ture, but as already conjectured, the work of
man, in some early period OF the worlds his
tory. Cabalistic signs cover the bases of some
of the pillars, while figures, bearing a close re-
semblance to sphinkes, deaths heads, and
mummies, as if of Egyptian design, adorn va
r1ous portions OF the wall and roof 1t is GER
tainly passing strange that the existence of
this remarkable subteranean palace flor it
richly deserves the name) should so long have
remained profound mystery, lying as it does
close 70 the most populous city in America.
Its grassy root, even now, constitutes the ia
vorite playground of thousands of unsus-
pectins school children, as well as the favor
lite resort OF innumerable picnic parties on
summer afternoons Its mode of discovery
Dy myself was as follows: Wandering along
the pahsade ridges one afternoon last sum-
mer, for recreation and study sat down to
rest myself under the shadow of a tree I'M
mediateIy afterwards a couple of rabbits
darted past me, and the endeavor to capture
them brought me to small crevice in the
hill partially concealed by clump of shrub
berry. Into this crevioe the animals darted.
and roofing up the shrubbery in order 10 dis
lodge them, Judge of my surprise on discover
ing an opening spacious enough to admit of
the entrance Of a mans body. A feeling of
lear at trst crept over me, and looked
around to see if any person was near, to help
me examine the place; but not soul at the
Time was within calling distance; and so.
e.. L
resolved 10 look in-not, however, without
some serious misgivings as to the possible
presence OF some huge anaconda that might
deprive me OF my head. Gradually MUSTER
ing courage, in L went, and to nv surprise
discovered that the further went the wider
grew the aperture. My courage, however,
mad been severely tested, and after making
such observations as the darkness and close
atmosphere would permit carefully clos
ed tle entrance tn fba
solving to return the next day TO pursue INV
explorations. My first impulse was to com
munlcate the secret to some friend in whom
L could conflde; but the reflection that the
cave might contain hidden treasure. which in
that case would have to be divided. persuad
ed me that 1t were best to keep the discovery
private. The next day was stormy and did
not 60, but, providing myself with dark Ian
tern, on the following morning | renewed
my research, with what results, exciting NV
wonder and amazement, you are already in
formed. From that day to this my explora
lions nave beell on an average once a week.
unless intermitted by ill health. Every sue
ceeding visit reveals something new. and the
marvels OF to day are quite thrown into the
shade by the yet more startling discoveries
winch break on the eye and ear Tomorrow
"A remarkable circumstance which I have
forgotten to note is, that the atmosphere in
the body Of the cavern is perfectly pure
though have not been able to discover any
outlet or inlet for ventilation, apart from the
orihce through which have obtained ingress.
My theory is, that the rushing water in the
sub-eayern furnish the means of renewing the
atmosphere. There are small.pools of salt
water mbedded in the floor OF the cavern.
put no fish inhabit them. For that matter
indeed, no signs OF animal life are visible
In all that dark, deserted mansion a de atb-
like silence reigns, broken only by the wall
OF the before mentioned unseen waters in the
recesses beneath.