Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-03
JULY FRIGIDITY.
Snow RaIIing Ina July-The wonder
fui Ice Caves of Ulster County, New

From the Ellenville On. " Press.


From the Ellenville IN. ~ Press.
The landlord WHO could walk few rods
from bis door, enter an opening In the side
of the bhtf; and find stored therein a
quantity of clear, beautiful ice, ready for
use, without any Of the trouble of
securing, carting, storing, or the daily
expense of bag ing, would no doubt consid-
er himself lucky individual. Yet that is
just precisely what Mr. Thomas BottfOrd,
of the Sans Point Mountain house, does
daily, having for the past few weeks sup
piled himself with ics from the caves re-
Gently discovered in the side of the bluffs
near his house.
These caves have been comparatively
unknown even by the oldest deniaens Of
the point, although far SURPRISING the fa-
nous caves above Ellenville in extent,
capacity, and beauty. The bluffs for a long
distance south of the point have been
broken up by some mighty commissions Of
nature, into a series of crevices, which
penetrate them in every direction; forming
numerous large caves, Cften several
hundred feet in length and of IN
known depth, with frequent openings in
the top of the bluff. Owing to the rough
nature of the ground, covered with huge
rocks and trees, these caves are not readily
accessible from below, but on the bluffs
very easy provision could be made for af-
fording excursion parties a sight OF their
wonders without any such rough Chamber
ing as we were compelled to undergo. In
time these caves will be considered one of
the greatest wonders of the point.
Beginning at a point several hundred
yards south of the Mountain house, the
party found nearly perpendicular opening
in the bluff, down which streaming sunlight
revealed gloomy and mysterious cavernOus
depths. This was descended with con-
siderable difficulty, when, at a depth of
100 feet below the surface the cave was
found to open in several directions,
extending one way IN a gallery
several hundred feet in length. The
width was several feet, the walls
rising perpendicularly nearly to the surface,
where they close in, except at unfrequent
places, holding, at times, immense boulders
in their rocky jaws. Into the deph and
gloom of this gallery we followed cur guide
until further progress was barred by deep
pit extending down toward the bowels of
the earth, directly across the bottom of the
showed an exit few hundred feet distant.
A pistol fired in this cavern sent the re-
verberating echoes rebounding along the
rocky walls. From the deepest portion of
the cave conversation was held with one
of the party through small opening in the
top. A small quantity Of ice was found in
the cave. Two or three oher large caves
we're explored without finding more ice.
Finally an opening was found through
which assembled heavy mist, res6m-
bling smoke. a long and deep
cavern was discovered, the floor
of which was completely paved with thick
ice, smooth and clear. Here a "slide'' of
several hundred feet was afforded, and
large chunks of ice broken off and brought
ont of the cave. In another cave large
masses of ice were found covered with
SNOW, and the novel pleasure of SNOWFALL
in July enjoyed. Another cave had trick
ling rill of ice water running throughit it, at
which the exploring party stopped and re-
freshed themselves.
Language would fail to describe the won
ders and beauties of these caves, in which
we spent upward of two hours. Their ex-
tent, We believe, no human being at pre-
sent has any knowledge Of. The walls are
in most cases smooth and perpendicular,
with no hanging fragments apparently
ready to fall at a breath on the heads of
those who enter, as in the case with the
stice caves above Ellenville. At places
large chambers open in the rocks, afOrding
opportunity for the imaginative to weave
fancied resemblanees to the homes of ban
dts.