Connecticut western news., 1872-08-09
Singular Ice Caves.

The landlord whe could walk few rods from his door, entering an an opening in the side of bluff, and ind stored therein quantity of clear, beautiful ice ready for use, without any of the trouble expense of buying, would no doubt think himself lucky individual. Yet this is just precisely what MT. Thomas Botsford of the Sam's roint Mountain House, Ulster County, New York, does daily, having for the past few weeks supplied himself with ice from the caves recently discovered in the side of the bluffs near his house.
 It would seem that these caves have been comparatively unknown, even by the oldest denizens of the point, although far surpassing the famous caves above Ellenville in extent, capacity and beauty. The bluffs for long dis tance south of the Point have been broken up by some mighty convulsions of pature, into series of crevices, which penetrate them in every direction, form ing numerous large caves, often sev ral hundred feet in length and of unknown depth, with frequent openings in the top of the bluff. Owing to the rough nature k and trees. these caves are not readily &C., cessible from below, but on the bluffs very easy provision could be made for affording excursion parties sight of their wonders without any such rough clambering as we were compelled to undergo. In times, these caves will be considered one of the greatest wonders of the Point.
 Beginning at point several hundred yards south of the Mountain House, the party found a nearly perpendicular open ing into the bluff down which streaming sunlight revealed gloomy and mysterious cavernous depths. This was descended with considerable difficulty, when, at a depth of 100 feet below the surface. the cave was found to open in several direc- tions, extending one way in 0 gallery several hundred feet in length. Tue width was several feet, the walls rising perpendicularly nearly to the surface, where they close in, except at infreqnent places, holding at times immense boul- ders in their rocky jaws. Into the depth and gloom of this gallery we followed our guide until further progress was bar. red by deep pit extending down toward the bowels of the earth directly across | uLc UOUbOLn u tu0 CdNOs AO C"l1IhS sunlight, however, showed an exit few this cavern sent the reverberating echoes rebounding along the rocky walls. From the deepest portion of the cave conver- sation was held with one of the party through small opening in the top. A small quantity of ice was found ill the cave. Two or three other large caves were explored without finding more ice. Finally an opening was found through which ascended heavy mist, resembling smoke. A long and deep cavern was discovered, the floor of which was com pletely paved with thick ice, smooth and clear. Here 'slide" of several hun dred feet was afforded, and large chunks of ice broken off and hror git out of the cave, In another cuve large masses of ice were found covered with snow, and the novel pleasure of @ snow-ball in July enjoyed. Another cave had trickline Till of ice water running through it, al which the exploring party stopped and refreshed themselves
 Language would fail to describe the wonders and beauties of these caves, ir which we spent upward of two hours. Their extent, we believe, no human being at present has any knowledge of The walls are in most cases smooth an6 perpendicular, with no hanging frag ments apparently ready to fall at au, . breath on the heads of those who enter as in the case with the "ice caves" above Ellenville. At places large chambers open in the rocks, affording opportunity for the immaginative to weave fauciet resemblances to the homes of bandits - Port Jeruis Gaoetts.