Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-09-30
alatrral History.
HOWE'S GAVE.

From the heights Of the Catskils W,
have varied our summer ramblings by yis
to Howe's Cave, and four mile excursion
under ground. This cave is second in OK.
tent only to the great Mammoth Cave IN
Kentucky. 1t is richer aud more wonderful
than that in the beauty and variety Of its
stalactte aud stalagmite formation. 1t is
located in the town Of Cobleskill, Schoharc
county, N. Y, thirty-cight miles west Of AL.
bauy, on the line Of the Albany and susque.
hanna railroad Directly over the entrance
to the cave large hotel has been erected
known as the Cave House. This is but a few
rods from the railroad station at which all
trains stop.
The visitor descends two or three flights
Of stairs aud is then introduced at once into
the cave. All are equipped with torches,
and ladies are provided with costume very
much after the Bloomer fashion. For about
sixty rods there is Il moderate ascent, through
a rocky passage-way, which varies from six
to nine feet in width, and eight to twelve feet
in height Tho sides Of this passage-way are
comparatively even and regular. When first
discovered by Mr.. Howe, it was nearly filled
with clay, gravel and rock deposits. His
| first entrance could be effected only with great
difficulty Thousands Of tons OF this materi.
al have since been removed by the action OF
water brought to bear upon it, aud by much
hard work besides on the part of the discov-
erer. 1t is with peculiar emotion that one
starts upon this several miles Journey, liter
ally into the interior, hundreds feet below
the surface Of the earth. The query is in
voluntarily suggested whether we shall ever
again see the daylight
Suddenly we are ushered by the guide
into the first large chamber, which has been
named the Subterranean Lecture Room This
chamber is about one hundred feet long, aver
ages in width thirty-hye to forty feet, and is
from ten to twenty feet high. There are as
yet no stalactites or stalagmites visible. But
upon every side are abundant evidences OF
the action of water upon the limestone rocks.
The general direction of the cave is north
northwest from the entrance.
4" Leaving the Subterranean Lecture-room
we pass from one to another, through long
succession of remarkable rocky chambers and
passage-ways which we have not space in this
letter to attempt a detailed description Of
In outline there is almost endless variety.
Few of the passage-ways are inconyenently
small and narrow. One section perhaps a
mile from the entrance, called the Harlem
Tunnel, scarcely varies from a straight line
for over thirty rods. This portion is about
twelve feet wide, little narrower at the top,
and about seven feet high. Passing on
through several large chambers, some con-
tanning many stalactites and stalagmites OF
very curious shapes-and some very beauti-
ful-we come to a large chamber called Mu-
sic Hail. The sides and rocky arches of this
hall present a great variety of cayates, and
smooth surfaces, which front in many direc-
tions, giving very remarkable effect to
sound The reyerberatng echo here surpass-
es anything Of the kind to which we have
ever listened. Every one who enters this hall
is either involuntarily moved to song, or
quckened with desire to hear others sing.
4 small stream of water, clear as crystal,
runs through this hall.
"On leaving Music Hall, about two miles
from the entrance, our Journey on foot is in.
terrupted by the Stygian Lake. We have
the novel pleasure of subterranean trip il
fat-bottom boat of about one-fourth of a
mile The water is from two to sixteen feet
deep. II is very pure and Transparent. From
the rocky roofing of this subterranean lake,
like icicies hang thousands of stalactites, OF
great variety Of sizes and shapes, the finest
in any portion of the Cave One of the
largest ones very much resembles and is call
ed the Harp, and if you strike it gently in
different parts you may easily fancy that it
emits musical sounds, the echo of which is