Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-03-18
Remarkable Dis;ccveries.

We have the pleasure tosdsy OF laying
before our readers the result oil one
OF the most thrilling and profoundly in>
teressing seoterraneous exploring expe>
ditisns ever attempted on this continent.
Ii is nothing less than an underground
passageway under Rock Islaad the pres
ent elite OF the United otxtes Arsenal. and
the discovery Of antiquarian relics of the
rarcst and most interesting character.
The entrance to n large csya, as our
home Readers are doubtless aware. is visi>
bic from the ferry landing, As well as from
other portions Of our city Bordering on
the river bank, and although some ten fl.
in. diameter nj the entrance, il gradually
diminishes in size until some twenty five
feet are reached, when il is with difficulty
that person can effect entrance by
crawling through the apra,are, bI. when
once fairly through there is DO difficulty
in standing erect.
Uutil the recent discoveries were made
by ,he party OF enterpnslng explorers,
representing an eastern scientific society,
this cave has never been known to be
over one hundred and twenty feet in
depth, and has possessed no more than
ordinary interest, except as having been
thought by the stern old Sack warrior,
Black Hawk, to have been the chosen
abode of the Great Spirit that presided
over their destinies. BGt upon close ex-
animation Of tue terminus of the darkest
and most intricate recesses, . narrow
cavity was discovered in the rock, and,
by the aid OF torch forced into it, an in
terror apartment was found, upon cnter>
ing which, The party were enabled 10 ex>
plore the subterraneous passage TOR dis
lance Of nearly aae thousand feet. The
main passage MAS some six feet. wide and
about nine in hight and is evidently a
natural cavern, though Ia several places
are evidences of its having been widened,
as chisel marks can be distinctly seen on
the walls-besldcs numerous small recess
es ut regular intervals Of fifty feet which
bear traceso OF having beeh hewi out Of
massive Slid rock.
The second corridor, leading from the
main one. is very eX,ensive-canlaining
six ponderous pillars enwreathcd with
gorgeous decorations. Beyond this is a
shorter chamber in which is the entrance
| to the SunctuBa S0nctorunt, and which
contains one of the grsndest collections
/ Of curissities ever discovered on this con-
tinent. 1t contains huge pedestal in the
center constructed Of solid copper, upon
which is erected magnificent shrine
which, with its unique inscription, de-
notes the antiquity OF its devotees. Sur
rounding it are the colossal figures of the
twelve worshipers, in kneeling posture,
and quite contiguous to them is the syms
metricsl though di-inutive figure Of an
Indian maiden, Nth s countenance of sur
passing beauty, and sll,.ngly marked fes>
tures, itidlcSive of s0eep thought and
wondering surprise, poiSt:ng with one
hand to the expressive word engraven up
on, the wall-SheQk-lndieating thereby
| that tie end Of their destiny and race is
near at hand 'kboye them all, upon it's
projecting and crescent shaped root, arc
arranged In systematic precision, cross
bsws, arrows and other warlike implies
| ments-reminding one of the ancient
sons OF Pefsia and Greece.
The.atmosphere OF this apartment was
almost unfit,to sustain animal liie--being
damn. heavy and very impure. The