Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-10-05
LOST IN A CAVE.

Nhiso the prVprietof OF tho NrN NstAt saNe
was engaged with student Of Cornell
University. named Dixon. in examining
enc Of the side chambers of the cavern
for rock crystals. on Thursday, they en-
tered . long, narrow hssure. terminating
in a large, irregular chamber where
they were soon busy in searching fer the
treasures After a while Mr. kohler.
having duties to attend 10 at the Cave
House. informed the young scientist that
they would step for the tlme. and return
to prosecute their search at a future
period. The latter. however begged tc
be permitted to continue his investiga.
tion then and by himself. asking hi:
guide to call him at dinner hour. The
latter, reluctantly cOnsenting, retraeed
his steps and soon emerged at the mouth
of the cave.
At noon Mr.. Kohler entered the cav.
ern to invite his visitor to dinner. As
he crept through the narrow shaft con.
Meeting the two chambers he was sur.
prised to find no light at its extremity,
and on arriving at the spet where he
left Dixon that gentleman was not 10 be
seen. Surprising his guest had passed
into a chamber at the other end of the
passage, he proceeded to explore. Here
all was darkness; but there fell upon
his ear deep. heavy groaning which
guided him TO creviee. where, beneath
the light of his uplifted lamp. he dis
covered the almost unconscious form OF
Mr.. Dixon. His whole body had been
thrown into violent perturbations Of
painting and gasping. With some diff.
Guilty he was extrieated and brought in
to the Illuminated passages, and from
thence into the open air, where. after a
short time, he was restored to conscious
ness. and gave the following account Of
his adventure
''SOon after kOhler. my guide. had
left me stumbled and fell and put out
my lamp. | then attempted to reach
the niche where had placed my match.
es, but could not find the spot. and ]
gave up the search. This mishap con.
fused me greatly. so that l lost all bear.
ing of my position, and in the darkness
knew not which way to turn. Stepping
carefully, in order to avoid the yawning
chasms which l had seen. I began Il
feel around the dark, damp walls for th'
aperture through which we had entered
After time | emerged into what wai
certain was the intermediate chamber
but soon came to where the solid walls
barred my way. This surprised me very
much, and l attempted to retrace my
steps only to find that | was then where
[ could neither advance nor retreat.
became now thoroughly startled, and ;
strange feeling of awe came over me, al
though 1 well knew that in any even
my guide would return in few hour
to search for me.
Around me was a thick darkness
darker than darkness itself, where, shu
in by walls of stone in the bowels of tn,
earth, no sound of the outer world could
reach me. L heard nothing but the drip
drip of the water, percolating through
the rocky roof overhead. In spite of al
my philosophy and reasoning. my hear
became overcome with its instinct of ter
ror and horror. and to dispel this terri
| bic incubus, and also in the hope o
bringing assistance, | commenced shout
ing with all my might. Ny voice, how
ever, appeared TO rebound from the sol
| id walls and sent back no echo, whil'
the dismal thought that none but my
self heard the sound struck me with fear
After this horror of great darkness fel
upon me, and all had ever read Of mel
being lost in the Mammoth Cave, or o
being buried alive in their shrouds o
starved to death in dungeon, came ul
before my imagination. Cold perspira
tion gushed from my forehead, my brail
reeled, the air appeared to become thicl
and irresistible, and these are the las
emotions | recollect How long 1 con
tinued thus / do not know, but il seem
ages TO me, but | suppose it was speedi
~ followed by the swoon in which | wa
found by Mr.. Kohler on his arriving a
noon"