The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-07-18
Correspond, nce Of the Richmond Tispa'cb.
A VISIT to the Cave Of the Fountains
i'm Augusta CouMfy-SGTe Account
Of It's Subterranean Wonders.
STONE CUUECH, AUGUSTA, VA, }
IrIlxy 1Ith 1S-D

STONE CHURCH, AUGUSTA, VA,
July 18th, 1905
| have lust returned from visit TO one Of
the greatest natural cilriosties of which
Virginia can boast, and feel sure that the
tourists now among the mountains seeking
health or pleasure will thank me for calling
their attention TO it. | allude to the Cave
of the Fountains, formerly called Weast's,
after the discovcrer, but renamed as above
by its present proprietor, MIR. Elias Perkey,
owing to the fountains which form its dis
tinctivc feature. 1t is about seventeen
miles from StarlntOn, and is situated in the
same range Of hills with Madison's and the
worId-renowncd Wcyer's. Cave, which last.
in the opinion of many, it equals if it does
not surpasS in beauty and extent.
The fountains from which tho cavern
takes its name arc four in number, and
are of perfectly clear aud cold frcestOne
wafer, beautiful to the eve and delicious to
the taste. The tirst-Pan's Punch Bowl
can only be approached on hands and
knees. 1t is an almost circular basin nearly
hidden by an oycrhanging rock, whose con-
stantly- y-dripping stalartitcs furnish cOpiOus
supply Of Natures purest beverage. A few
yards further on is the FAIRIES Bath. a clear,
limpid pool in limestone bed. Near by is q
winding stairway of rocks leading to the
Fountain of the Great Deep, said to be as
dark and deep rs the famed lake in the
Mammoth Cave. A stone flung in by the
guide was heard for two minutes and 4
half falling, and still falling, and. if the VERA
cious person who dropped the stone is to be
believed. has not yet reached bottom. Last
Of all, nearly three quarters of mile from
the entrance of the cave, are Queen Mab's
Water Works, series OF tiny tanks. five
in number, from eighteen to twenty inches
in length, twelve inches in width, and about
twelve inches in dcpth-all artislically built
hy the hand of nature.
The whole cave is studded with Statactites
and stalagmites. many of which have as
sumed the most fantastic shapes. In Per-
keys or Monumental Hail. i magnificent
chamber, with a ceiling eighty or ninety
feet in height, the visitor having IN ego
quick to detect rescmblances, disccrns Il
grand organ with tastefully arranged dra-
perry and pipes, the whole having a most
imposing aspect. Here, also, is seen st.
Johns or John KnoX's pulpit and stalag-
mitic monuments bearing the names oil
Washington. StoncWall jackson, Marshall,
and other distinguished Nirsinians. The
guide also points out dark rcccsses of vary
ing depth known as Joseph's Pit, the Black
Hole of Calcutta. the Devils lar.or, and
the Devils Bake-ovcn. Tho two latter,
strange to say, were named by Presbyterian
clcrgymen. whose acquaintance with Plll-
to's Dominions are mirthfulIy commented
upon.
In another apartment huge stala@mitcs OF
irregular form, grouped together in wild
confusion, are not mapprnpriately styled
the Ruins OF Babylon. and in another Il
SlMrry concretion resembling Il colossal
hrcast-plate, sparkling brilliantly rs the
light of the torches falls upon it, is called
the Shower CT Diamonds. One group OF
chord, and >killl'illy touched by another
Stallctitc in ;he hands of the guide, gave
forth music that was really delightful to the
ear. Not far OIL is Grandfather'S Icc-house,
with iloor paved with crystal blocks and
across the way is the bleached body Of Il
Murdered Man, dropping helplessly into i
dark abyss.
Tablet Rock. which forms one of the
walls of IN immense chamber, is inscribed
with the names of hundreds of scribblin.
| visitors. 4 narrow dctile, through which al
| must squeeze who would see the beauties oi
the cave, is called the :" Fat Mans Misery"
and hole through which all must crawl is
yrcpt the Lazy Mans Dread" But
neither time nor space permit an enl,mcra.
tion. and certainly not IL description of all
the stony rcScmhl;rnccS pointed out by our
guide. suffice 1t to say that snch names as
| Pompey's Statue, the Spread Eagle. Gi-
rard's Couniing-room, Jc!lerSOn's Tobacco
Burn, Covcnintcr's Retreat, Rip RapS, the
Cathedral. the O.rc'S Lounge, and the like,
| though the resemblance was occasionally
hard to discover, were generally most ap-
propriately applied.
| A tour of the cave, with an inspection OF
| half the wonders hidden in its dark apart.
mcnts and labyrinthine rccesses, would
consume hours, and the time would be well
spent. Your correspondent spent three
| hours under the earth, and felt fully repaid
| As one of our party said, ''Thc sight was
worth q trip across the Atlantic
Before closing this hastily-written let
| ter | mIlst say that although dscov.
| cred in 1855, the Cave of the Fountains
has never been thoroughly explored, and. for
sixteen years it was for some reason closed
up by the proprietor of the farm, which il
lIndermines. While Weyer's Cave has just
ly been lauded in Biographies, gazetteers,
and periodicals, for the wonderful works o
nature which it contains, the fountain has
never been fully described, and somebody
ought to undertake the work. Mr.. Perkcy,
the present proprietor, is determined tt
keep it thoroughly in order, and visitor:
will find him most accommodating gentle
man. NOSE.