Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-28
"A NEW MAMMOTH CAVE.
Thirty Miles Reneath the Earth-A
Subierranean River One Hun.
dred Acres of LaGe-WOnderful
Waterfalls,

waterfalls
During the latter part of the war a
cave was discovered near Pineville. Nc
Donald county, Missouri, but the time
were so unsettled beyond careless, SUI
perfcial examination of the more hr-
cessible portion ofit, no general explor-
atoms have as yet been made.
Mr., c. G. Carpenter, a gentleman re-
siding in Pineville, in company with one
or two of his friends, gives the following
as the result Of an expedition made last
week in search of the wonderful ~
The location Of this new subterranean
wonder is sixteen miles southeast Of
Pineville, Mcdonald county; the en-.
trance is on Sugar Creek, in ravine
bearing the suggestive title Of Bar
Hollar." You make your entrance into
the bowels Of the earth through vol
canic fssure seven feet wide by twenty
in length. You soon lose sight of day
light, and find yourself in a long en-.
trance hall fully one hundred yards
in length, which terminates in the bat
room, SO named by. the explorers from
the thousands Of bats that swarmed
within its dark and hidden recesses;
they few about in swarms, making ter
rible noise in the arched roof above.
The room has three sides, each with an
aperture opening into smaller cayerns
or side rooms. The dimensions of the
room were taken by Mr.. Carpenter, and
found to be fifty by one hundred feet,
The ceiling about twenty feet from the
floor.
Passing from this room, a walk oi
about four hundred yards, through a
spacious hall, and we find ourselves in
the museum, so called from the number
of strangely shaped stalactites found
there. The room is in the shape oi
horseshoe. Nature most certainly in
tended this room fer a church, since the
roof is arched in purely Gothic style,
with dome and columns, and to finish of
and make it complete, pulpit near the
the center. The walls Of this magnif'
cent cavern are one hundred feet high,
but one of the most remarkable features
about it is fountain of pure water four
feet in diameter. Turning northward
we find aroom sixty feet wide, and filled
almost full of glistening formation Of
stalactites, which hang in curiously
formed pendants from the roof.
To the south Of this is room which
should be named the bottomless pit
since it apparently has neither bottom
sides nor roof. The darkness within
this place is appalling. Turning to the
east the party walked distance Of
about o quarter Of a mile when they
came to a flight of natural steps, forty
or fifty in number, terminating III wide
platform which formed the entrance to q
mammoth hall, supported by Corr nthiar
pillars of various thickness, and endless
in number, all white as snow, and glis
tening as though studded with millions
of diamonds. The hall is probably two
hundred feet in width, and communi-
Gates with a number of passages
leading off in various directions, none
Of which have been explored.
Proceeding on their way, the explor-
,ers found river of running water, com
ing no one knows from where. 1t is
about fifty feet wide and three feet deep.
The party followed its course down
stream to the falls, where the water goes
roaring over precipce into the dark
ness below. The party retraced their
way to the mammoth hall, crossed the
river and proceeded on their way. They
passed room after room of endless
shapes, and full of natural curiosities.
Miles of cayerns were passed through,
each having outlets in others, and all
dark, but all full of beauty when lighted
up with torches or lamps. A lake of
pure water was soon reached, which was
at first supposed to be river. Here
rude boat or dugout had been brought
by fugitive during the late war. He
had explored the lake, and went north
ward until he thought he was coming to
a waterfall when he returned.
Further explorations on the lake de-
veloped the fact that the noise was made
by huge waterfall, where the waters
came pouring in from above. The water
falls distance of sixty feet. The lake
is circular in shape, and has no visible
outlet for water. 1t is about one hun
dred acres in extent. There were eight
or ten dark passages found upon the
banks Of the lake, leading to all direc-
tons, but the. guide accompanying the
party lost his courage and re-
fused to 90 further. The party were
then about eight or ten miles from their
starting point. They were in the cave
hours. Mr.. Carpenter says
that there is another entrance to the
cave thirty miles away, which old trap
pers and hunters say leads to the lake.