Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-07

"Vslley Of Humiliation, where both
ladies and gentlemen found it easy to
affect the Grecian bend.
Anon we heard, far in the distance,
coming, as it were, from the very bowels
Of the earth, soft strains of music. Now
high and clear it came, and now hoeted
away into indistinctness. At last, sud :
denly emerging into wide hall, we saw,
seated on the rocks. group of fiddlers.
"a dance, a dsncel' was the cry. and
soon we we're gsily tripping the light
fantastic on the rocky floor of this
Plutonic ballroom. eAp3 '
Answering the guide call, we descended
steep stairway and through q narrow
passage, reached the "Gothic Chamber" !"
whose lofty proportions were strongly
suggestive Of some old cathedral, and one
would not have been much astonished to
see white, stolid procession, with cross
and incense, appearing through the dusky
vistas of these dim, mysterious aisles.
Adjoining the Gothic Hall" was the
Methodist Church, where Bill, mounting
the rocky pulpit, informed us that relig-
ious services had been held in 1872,
by Methodist preacher, for the benefit
of the laborers in the saltpetre works.
Again taking up our march, we heard
the far off music. The musicians art
consisted 10 so placing themselves that
the echoing roof and labyrinthine wind
ings of the cavern repeated and softened
their strains almost to enchantment On,
on we went, over rocks and sleeps, until,
reaching another narrow stairway, we de-
scended into the second circle" and
with our minds full of the terrible crea-
tions of Dante's brain, half expected to
be there received by
Minds grinning with chastity feature"
and to hear begin the rueful wailings of
the lost. But all was silence, and anon,
the voice of the guide called out, BE
careful on the right The river Styx p
We stood to gaze. The inky waters lay
there below us so pitchy black as to re-
feet no ray from our lamps, and we
we're only assured of its presence by the
dull splash of a loosened pebble from the
bank. Further on we reached Lake
Lethe," where boat awaited US, and we
could not but think of that grim old ferry
man, Charop; but once embarked, on
those waters Of forgetfulness, the present
only lived, and delightful enough it was,
and only too short-lived the joy OF prox-
unity in those shades to the fair compan-
ion whom | assisted into the rocking
boat
Now, through "Purgatory," laba-
rynth Of ''rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs,
dens and shades of DEATH" we came to
the shores of Echo river. Pausing here,
we heard again soft floating strains
of music. Nearer coming, the ear
discerned full orchestra. Grand organ
tones we're there-the rich accord of
sharp, psaltery and lutte and swelling
louder and clearer, we saw at last emerg-
ing from the shadows boat containing
our t.eo fddlers Such are the wonders
of Echo river. Now ourselves embark
ing, we made the cave resound with
laugh and song, and felt that with such
company we could almost consent to
aoat on into eternity. But quarter of
q miles voyage brought us to Silli-
mans avenue, and debarking, we
took up our march through toilSome
maze of rocky pathways mile and a
quarter in length. Here were cacareous
formations in every variety of fantastic
grouping. Stalactites of purest white,
catching the CLEANS Of orr lamps, trans
formed these gloomy recesses into IT5tor
types of the enchanted palaces of Eastern
story. The walls and ceilings hung in
clusters Of purple saa cgber grapes, or
shoue in magnificent relief OF white ILL
iesi intervening these was perfect chaos
Of rocks and pitfalls which made itneces-
sary to heed each moment tbs warning
ory Of the guide, Bill pointed out to Us
numerous fsneIsd resemblapces. The
"Giant's Cotin," standing solitary 10
vault like chamber looked indeed like
sareophagus Of departed greatness, and
a hinge rock called the Great Western"
bore 90 remarkable resemblance to the
stern Of great sh;I ss to suggest the
Of art. 81 intervals We say
hinge cairns piled up by some deyoted
SURVEYORS 10 memory OF their departed
friends. We did not pause to examine
the inscriptions on these.
Reaching, at last, q snow-encrusted
hall dedicaied to Washington, we found
boz ntifpl lunch spread out on table
rock. Having quickly done ample
Justice to the Wanda, We marched on
through gorgeous corridor dedicated to
the late lamented Prof. Clesveland, whose
walls and roof glistened as if set in dia-
monds. The Star Chamber, the Last
Rose of SPINNER and the Diamond Room,
all we're beautiful. The cliffs of the
Rocky Mountains we're hard to scale, but
we we're well repaid by the grand view
we obtained from the summit. A lofty
semidoms extended far above US, aud
below widened into q terrible abyss.
Here were all the elements of grandeur.
Lofty nights and unfsthomable depths,
with rocky cliffs overhsnging and man
tie of darkness envelopiug all. Sitting
there we talked of the terror of losing
our light in such a place, and the more
fully to realize this horror, after testing
the quality of our Lucifers. we extin-
guished eli the lights. Then was dark
ness visible" heavy, thick eimerian
darkness. 1t seemed to enclose aud
weigh upon us with an oppressive force.
The ladies begged for light, and its re-
appearance was greeted with an enthu-
siasm not inferior to that Of the Eastern