The Hickman courier., 1872-08-24
Snow-RaIIing In July.

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The landlord who could walk few
rods from his door, enter an opening in
the side of bluff. and find stored there
in & quantity of clear. beautiful ice,
ready for use, without any of the trou-
BILE of securing, carting storing, or the
daily expense of buying, would no doubt
consider himself lucky individual Yet
that i just precisely what Mr.. Thomas
Bottsfor,h, of the Sans Point Mouu-
tain House. does daily. having for the
past few weeks supplied himself with ice
from the caves recently discovered in the
side 0Ses'-- bluffs near his house
These caves have been comparatively
unknown, even By the oldest denizens Of
the Point, although far surprising the
famous 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 convul
sions of nature into a series of crevices,
which penetrate them in every direction,
forming numerous large caves. often sew
eral hundred feet 10 length and of un-
known depth, with frequent openings in
IN top of the bluff. Owing to the rough
nature of the ground, covered with huge
rocks and trees, these caves are not read
lily accessible from below, but or 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 un-
dergo. In time these caves will be con-
sidered one of the point.
Beginning at point several hundred
yards south of the Mountain House. the
party found nearly perpendicular open
ing in the bluffs, down which streaming
sunlight revealed gloomy and mysterious
cavernous depths. This was descended
with consi Ierable difficulty, when at
depth of 100 feet below the surface of the
cave was found to open in several direc
tions, extending one way in gallery
several hundred feet in length. The
width was several feet, the walls rising
perpendicular nearly TO the surface, where
they closed 10, except at unfrequent
places. holding at times immense bould-
ers in their rocky jaws. Into the depth
and gloom of this gallery we followed |
our guide until further progress was barr
ed by deep pit extending down toward |
the bowels of the earth, directly across
the bottom of the cave. The streaming |
sunlight, however, showed an exit few
hundred feet distant.
A pistol fred in this cavern sent the re-
verberaiing echoes reboundiDg along the
rocky walls. From the deepest portion
of the cave conversation was held With |
one OF the party through small open
ing in the top. A small quantity of ice
was 10 the case. Two or three other large /
caves we're explored without finding more
ice. Finally an opening was found
which heavy mist, resembling
smoke. A long and deep cavern was
discovered, the floor of which was CON-
pletely paved with thick ice, smooth and
clear. Here "slide" of several hundred
feet was afforded. and large chunks of ice
broken of aud brought out of the cave.
In another cave large masses of ice were
found covered with snow Another cave
had a irickliDg rill of ice water running
it, at which the exploring party
stopped and refreshed themselves.
Language would fail to describe the
wonders and beauties of these caves.
in which we spent upwards of two bours
Their exteutwe believe no human being
at present has suy knowledge of. The
walls are, in most cases. smooth and per
pendicular, with the hanging fragments
apparently ready to fall at breath on
The heads of those who enter, as in the
,ase with the lice caves" above Ellen
Vile. At places large chambers open
10 the rocks, sffording opportunity for
he imagination to weave fancied resem-
olances to the home of bandits. Never
heless an exclusion through these cool,
cy retreats, is highly delightful.