The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-06-19
J, VA. FRIDAY MORNING JUNE I9 1868.

almost perpendicular wall at the lowst
dome. 1 tried to save myself, and dug
my fingers into the earth and stones,
but to no purpose. l could get no hold,
and i'm an instant was hurled Just be-
yond the sharp edges of the overhang-
Ing rocks, twenty, thirty, or perhaps
forty feet, in the lake that formed the
floor OF the dome. -
/ Down, down sank, impelled by the
force Of my fall; the light, which enter
ed in some strange manner from below,
almost blinded me, but / could find no
bottom; the lake must have been i'm
mensely deep. The water was thick
and Shiny, filing my mouth, ears and
nose; and such an age did it seem be-
fore again came to the surface, that |
feared my body, being Of the same spec
itic gravity, with the water, might re-
main underneath, and be stranglcd by
the filthy flood.
When again reached the air, threw
myself upon nv back and painted to re-
gain breath. My head was dizzy from
the fall, and the sudden shock had taken
away my strength, and it was with a
desperate effort that managed to swim
ashore. ellI4
climbed upon a jagged rock, and
wringing my wet clothes, looked around
me. Ifthe view from above had been
grand and magnificent, that from below
was imposing and awe inspiring. A
round and above me meeting in an ap-
eX, hundreds of feet over my head,
lowered piles OF huge, ragged rocks,
projecting irregularly over one anoth-
er. The walls of this tremendous am
phitheater blazed with gems and erys-
tails, though the rainbow was no longer
to be seen; and in the basin where l
stood, masses of quartz rock lay, as If
aeaped together by a subterranean con-
vulsion-and grains -ofpure gold spark
led and glittered from thousands of ere
vices ! sa
Truly had come upon wealth in a.
bundance, but in somewhat uneXpect-
ed manner. | was far below the place
where entered the cavern, and could
not see it. seemed to myself like a
mite standing in the midst OF so much
grandeur and space. Above me on the
left, the rocks proi ected to considera-
bic distance, forming great shelves, with
clefts and caverns innumerable. To
these mounted, hoping to stumble up
on the passage out of the cavern.
AS proceeded along those miracu-
parently well trOdden either by some
animal or human being. Filled with
wonder and curiosity, struck into it,
and followed its windings till they ter
minated in niche or grotte, with an
inner and smaller natural closet in The
rock.
The place was evidently tenantcd, for
there were prints of footsteps on the
. 4 10 n hon
of straw, stubhle and small twigs, SEEM
ingly the bed or nest of some beast while
some bleached bones and rabbit skins
and the feathers of fowls lay around in
the corners and hooks in the rock.
The light shown in but dimly, giving
the place weried, unnatural appear
ance, suggesting the thought that was
in the den of the famed demon, said by
Jem to i,.habit the cavern. Itook, how
ever rational view of the matter, and
concluded some wild beast had its lair
there.
had no time for longer survey, for
my attention was arrested by an object
in motion in the great cave below me-
l saw figure emerge from dark en-
trance, and climb nimbly, springing
from rock to rock in the direction where
was. ...
It was a strange creature, resembling
n long-bodied gorilla, in appearance, for
which at first took it, but rs 1t ap-
preached me, L could see that its fea-
lures were that of man, though the
expression was indeed that of q satyr.--
1t was entirely naked and covered with
coarse hair on every pr. of its body
The teeth were hooked and projecting;
the eyebrows bushy and heavy, and the
eyes rolling with q satanic CLEAN. It's
limbs were long, small and honey as
skeleton; and the fingers, toes and nails
long, and looked like claws. 1t was
frightful object, and thought was a
bout to encounter a demon in reality
1t was coming directly toward me, and
was already within hundred feet. |
could not escape, and l shrank with II
shudder from facing the monster.
saw the little niche in the grotto, and
had just time to get within its protec-
ton when the creature came into its
den. could see its every movement,
and was in great danger of being seen
by it myself as it scratched and dug
among the straws and t'vigs OF the
ground, evidently arranging its couch
for nap and uttering incoherent
grunts.
1t had barely stretched its ugly length
on the heap of the rubbish, when the
echoes of the cavern reSOunded to a
loud, ringing shout. The creature leap
ed to his feet; uttering a wild, answer
ing cry that startled the air.
Looking in the direction of the sound,
l saw my two companions just emerg-
ing from the mouth ofthe DEVILS Path
way, standing almost on the very spot
where had fallen a few moments before.
They were struck dumb with astonish-
ment, at bcholding the monster who had
answered their call, and did not no:ice
the treacherous turf beneath their feet,
slipping downward, faster and fast0r as
it ncarcd the edge off the overhanglng
cliff. How | wanted TO cry out and
warn them ftheir impending doom, but
norror, anda regard for personal safety
stified my voice. A second more, and
they discovered their situation, Just i'm
time to give one desperate clutch at the
slippery, jutting rocks, as with yells of
mortal terror they plunged down into
the depths of the cold lake below.
When at length they came to the sur
face, saw that Jem's strength had
nearly failed him, and his companion
had fainted. would have given a
world to have plunged in and helped the
poor fellow as he struggled with the
flood. inch by inch, supporting his COM
panion with one arm. just as he was
slowly nearing the shore, L saw the
monster, who at their fall had left his
den and made for them, come upon the
scene, and reaching out its long arms,
selze the unresisting and exhausted
men, and pull them upon the rocks. L
goblin like creature, but soon saw it's
purpose. Looking at them and feeling
their flesh for moment, it again seized
them. one in each hand. draWpinr them