The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-06-11
A STRANGE STORY.
DISCOVERY OF \ CAVERN ON THE pA11sAp

The Metropolitan Record has a correspond
ent who writes to that journal to say:
81 am the discoVerer of an immense cav
ern in the Palisades of the Hudson, fully one
mile in length, and at least half mile wide,
with yauted roof higher than that of Trim
i!y church, supported by inuumerable pii
lars, whicu must have been erected by the
hand of man many centuries since, and fur
nishcd with innumerable side recesses, ante
chambers and long winling passages of the
most wonderful construction.
Rains Of what have evidently been altars,
erected thousands of years ago, are abun-
daRt, together with the mouIderiDg bones of
beings o. enormous stature. rs Belonging to
d race Of giants that formerly inhabited the
eartA. The floors of this remarkable cavern
are as smooth and hard as granite, though
covered deep with the dust of Centuries
Here and there lower deep is disceTnible
through the ali-perYading gloom, with spa
Slols stone steps leading thereto. From
these mysteTiUes cavitizs tAs sound of rush
lug waters. fan upon tAe ear; with other re-
YerCeratiGps of strange, unearthly Charac-
tea. The cavern, it is maAfe.t, is not, like
the Kentucky cave, freak Of nature but as
RNrSady copJeetured, the work of man in
sutnS early period Of the worlds history
the pillars, while figures bearing close re-
ssmblance TO the sphynxes, deaths heads,
and mummies, as if of Egyptian design,
adOrn various portions of the walls and roof
1t ls certainly passing strange that the exist
euce Of this remarkable subterranean palace
(hr 1t richly deserves the name) should have
10 long remained profound mystery, lying
os Il does close to the most pOpulous city in
America. Its grassy roof, even now, cCuSt-
tstes the tayorite playing ground of thous-
auds OF unsuspectlng school children, as well
as the iavoriUe resort of iunumerabIe picnic
parties on summer afternoons Its mode Of
discovery by myself was as follows: Wan
doriug along The Palisade ridges one after
noon last summer, for recreation and study,
1 sat down to rest myself under the shadow
OF tree. Immediately afterwards couple
of rabbits darted past me, and the endeayor
10 capture them brought me to small ere
vice in the hill, partially concealed by
clump Of Shrubbery. Into this crevice the
animals darted, and roofing up the shrubbery
IN ordsr to diSlodge them, judge of my sur
prise on discovering an opening spacious
enough 10 admit Of the entrance Of mans
body. a feeling Of iCay at first crept over
me, and looked around to see if any person
was near to hel p me examine the place; but
not a soul at the time was within calling dis
tanco and so, after recovering my self pos
session, l resolved to look in-not, however
without some serious misgivings as to the
possible presence of some huge anaconda
that might deprive me OF my head, Grad
ua-ly mastering courage. in ! went, and to
nay surprise discovered that the further j
went the wider grew the aperture Nv
courage, however, had been severely tested,
and after making such observations as the
ri i
nit, groped back TO the light of day and
carefully closed up the entrance to the place,
mentally resolving to return next day to
pursue my explorations. NV first impulse
was to communicate the secret to some
friend in whom could confde but the re-
fection that the cave might contain hidden
treasure, which in that case would have to
be divided persuaded me that it were best
to keep the discovery private. The next
day was stormy, and did not 60, but, pro-
viding myself with dark lantern, on the
following morning l renewed my research,
with what results, exciting my wonder and
amazenent, you are already informed
From that day to this my explorations have
been on an average once week, unless in
termit:sd hg i'll health. Every succeeding
visit reveals something new, and the mar
vels OF to-day are quite thrown into the
shade by the yet more startling discoveries
which break on the eye and ear tomorrow
a remarkable circumstance which [ have
forgotten 10 note is, that the atmosphere in
the body Of the cavern Is perfectly pure,
tkQugh | have not been able to discover any
s4tlet or inlet for ventilation, apart from the
oriGcs through which l obtained ingreSs-
Ny theory Is, that tae rushing waters in the
sub-eavern Furnish the means Of renewing
4hs atmosphere. There are small pools of
RIA WstSr inbe9ded in ths AoOr Of the cav
arA, But no fin iahabis thsm. For that
3Aat4sr, indeed, no signs Of animal life arc
risibA- In ell that dark, desertsd mansion,
: ae<tk-liks silence reigns, broken only by
zle WAii OS the bsiorS mentioned unseen wa
.sSS n the TScssses SenSath."