Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-04-18

A CURIOUS CAVE Staunton has many Places
of interest in its vicinity to attract the curious
| visitors in search of novelty, but none to exceed
| that wonderful freak of nature known as the
.'Cave of Fountains" Starting from here the
visitor goes l6 miles over road which passes
| through rolling country, covered with the
| ver.lure Of spring, and, going through Two OF
three villages, reaches large comfort ,ble look
ing hotel, whose swinging sign Fountain Cave
inn, tells him he is at his ,uTneys end. with
a guide, armed with box Of calcium strip
tight, be wends his way to the top OF The hlil,
from which there is the lovllest view even IN the
mountains OF Virginia, and descending into lie
cave. he witnesses scenes that puzzle as well as
Iastonish him. The first dazzling flash OF the
stcium light shows what is called the panel
Hall !" an immense room, the ceiling of which is
laid off in panels, about two yards square, each
panel Separated from the other by perfect
fringe pending about six inches ofgIittering sly
lacliles Going on with The guide, the Whlte!lgh
reveals scene alter scene as beautiful. On one size
of large hall are immense clusters OF perfectly
formed grapes glittering as the light tails on
{ them, and not far off is II helmeted stone warrior
standing guard over the fruit. Here is gar
den ofperiectly formed beets aud radisIes; 'heie
q mountain pass over which an army is passing
IN maLtles of snow, from a higher cliff
stone sentinel stands on the perilous edge, gaz-
'ns down on lhtm and hanging against The
Vail, and standing out in bold relief, is the
shostly Fl ure Of executed spy in shroud and
tiI,
against the walls ); immense towers with futed
supt'orls, and one tower leaning at d fear in-
spltins angle row of tobacco leaves, strung
ora-yrick with a regularity that would satisfy
+, 4 Southside Vlrginian wells, down t The bot
tom Of which is fresh fallen snow gliltefng in
the light snow banks of which has a d. G.
OF st. Bernards with head thrown back j n the
which. when struck, run the scale almost per
leclly and lastly, the "Foun ains'' a range
Of weird looking baths separated BY stone walls
and into which there is d continual dropping OF
WATER giving a deceptive imitation OF II frog.
We said lastly, bat it Was not all for in return
ing, the guide made all stop fo. a surprise, and
he gave tito us The light ,shed up and show
esl our party surrounded oy gltttring walls
itty feet high, ornamen,ed BY pillars of all
conceivable architecture and covered in with a
roof that glitteled with stars, the recollection
Of which almost temrts beholder 10 return af-
ter he has left the Cave. We don't remember
the name of the al. for nam. s are of very liz
lie importance, bnt if the guide intended that
l'st scene for the purpose of leaving pleas ut
recollection of the visit, he fully succeeded.
We have only given general idea of this re-
narkaole place and ave not tried to enumerale
every attraction, which would be tedious The
proprietor, Mr.. E. Pi,key, is tnnnelling to
extend the cave, already about mile long, into
another which he believes adjoins it He has
ATTENDED to one great desideratum il this cave,
aud Il at is the arrangement of steps and other
conveniences for the visitor ho is not wearied
to death by the inspection. The visi tor returns
to Staunton by the Valley pike, after de-
lightfu ride through more villages, having had
enjoyable day and witnessed one of he most
renal kable freaks of nature in this country