The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-10-13
WHOLE No, III.
NIcKAJAcK CAVE.
A Tennessee Wonder.

III 3ljaf A Tennessee Wonder r 1s- q Il
One of the most remarkable curios-
tiles in the West is an immense cave
about twenty miles from Chattanooga.
1t is called Niekajack Cave, that name
being romantic corruption of the
original Niger Jacks Cave A
correspondent of a Cincinnati paper
gives the following description of it:
The cave is probably the largest in
the State, and to explore it for. even
but short distance is enough to sat
isfy one that it is grand, gloomy and
peculiar It's mouth is about one
hundred feet wide and near forty feet
high. 1t is arched overhead with
pure granite, which presents a pure
surface some fifteen feet high. The
first two hundred feet of the cave is
large room arched overhead, and a
portion of it having smooth floor of
dirt. It is a very popular place for
balls, picnics and Fourth of July as
sembIages, the temperature always
being delightful. .o.,,. 81, a., ~,
Out from the mouth of the cave runs
large stream of water as clear as
crystal. At the mouth of the cave the
stream runs along one side; but fur
ther in, the cave is contracted to the
exact width of the stream. This occurs
some two or three, miles from the
mouth, and thence'onward the tourist
has to go in q canoe, if he goes at all.
Few care to 60 further as u the most
daring has only been six miles. No
man ever found the end. isr.eF 8. 10,
Tradition tells of large number of
interesting affairs connected with this
cave. Dead men, and dead mems
bones, have been found in its gloomy
recesses. During the war, and after
the fall of Nashville, Cheatham's COM
mand encamped Oh. the bank Of the
river near the cave for a few days.
Shortly afterwards the country was
occupied by the Federal army, and a
regiment of Indiana troops encamped
at the same place. A few of them
were one day exploring the cave, and
when some two miles from the mouth
they stumbled over the bodies Of three
men. 1t was rebel Lieutenant and
two privates. They were locked in
each others arms, and it is supposed
they had lost their lights and wan.
dered around in the. ink-black dark.
ness until exhausted, and then lay
down to die. If 1 mistake not, those
men who found them belonged to the
62nd Indiana mounted Infantry.
About year after this six or sever
soldiers equipped themselves to ex
plore the cave. They went in one
morning and have never been heart
Of since. But their absence is now
accounted for upon hypothesis othel
than that they were lost. AT the tim'
a vigorous search was made but NJ
traces found, and it was supposed the.
had become bewildered in the man.
labyrinths of the cavern, and hat
never been able to find their way out
But now it is believed they remained
in the cave until night, and then slip
ped out and deserted. Such a course
would almost insure their escape, a
their officers would believe them Il
be lost in the cave, and, of course
look nowhere else for them, At al
events, the mystery has never beer
cleared up, and people livinl
about the cave aver that unless thu
soldiers had recourse to the stratagen
to desert they were lost, and thei
bodies may be found in the cave.
1 -sEslf ID 81 = Z - e