National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-14
ANOTHER MAMMOTH CAVE TEN NILES
UNDER THE BLUFFS.

VINO mas explored cave AT II annlOaI, WIiLes
the following description to that journal:
In all the works on physic al geography which
have fallen under our notice not one makes
the least mention of the wonderful formation
near Hannibal, Missouri, although thousands
upon thousands have visited 1t, and it has been
known for at least fifty years, and every visitor
has gone away wondering and questioning why
the world has not heard more about 1t. It is a
cave only Sc cond in depth, (and perhaps first,
for It has never been fully explored TO any in
the world. A day spent not long since in trav-
ersing its endless galleries was filed with as
constituent and wonder.
The entrance to this cavern is about two
miles below Hannibal and one-nalf mile west
of the Mississippi river. The opening, which is
fifteen or twenty feet high and about ten feet
broad, is probably fifty feet above the level of
the river, and faces toward the north. In COM
pany with q small party, members of the press,
and guild e, we entered this opening into the
bowels of the earth, carrying our torches high
above our heads. This main gallery, near the
entrance, varies from ten to twenty feet in
height, and comes together over the top in an
acute arch. tn g walls all through the cover
ing are q soft white sand stone.
In some places the gallery was so narrow
that we had to turn sideways to pass. The
guide rushed on at fearful rate of speed, and
the first word we heard from him was, "Look
out for wells You don't want to fall into
them" Sure enough, right in front of us were
two round holes. very like well, indeed, but
they had no water in them.
After going at a rapid pace for some time, the
hall sometimes wider and sometimes narrower,
we came upon he
DEVILS BACKBONE"
so the guide said. He must have had huge
one, if this ever belonged to him. 1t is petri-
fed now into solid limestone, is about forty
feet long, and lies in the middle of the hall,
with pathway on each. side, and has, indeed,
aside from its size, a close esemblance TO a
spinal column.
After making an exami nation of his majes-
ty's lost vertebre, we started on. The next
thing that attracted our attention was a cor
ridor running at right angles with the one we
were following. Here we held consultation,
which course to choose, and finally decided to
take the right hand, deeply regretting that VIC
could no. spend month in this wonder of the
world, so as to see it all. The guide said we
would have to take a much longer time than
that, if we wanted to see 1t all, for party once
spent month in the cave and did not find the
end of half the galleries. He pointed to some
arrows on the corners of the galleries under
which was written tout" and said that it was
that party which had put those signs all
81 ha for a a. had hoo
Starting down this gallery toward the west
Chat was the last we knew about the points of
the compass) we coon came to
GRAND ROOM
fully fifty feet high and two hundred feet long.
Overhead, fastened to the ceiling, were ten
glistening diamonds which sparkled
in the light of our torches like stars IN mid
night sky.
Turning to one side we saw low opening,
perhaps two feet high, and the missionary of
the Chicago Times" on his knees trying to
crawl through. He came back complaining
that the cuticle had disappeared from his
knees (perhaps he was unaccustomed to the
position.) The next feat he tried was to climb
up the side of the cavern and knock down some
Of the crystals which were sparkling being on
the walls and dome
When he was almost lost to sight among the
lodges above, we heard a fearful cry of
"BATs! BATsP
And, looking above, sure enough, there they
were by the thousand. Expressing great sur
prise to the guide at the number, he said "that
there were none here in comparison with BAT
Aney,' where they were so thick that one
could hardly wade through them" We did
not 60 Il. "Bat Alley"
Passing along the gallery for some distance,
where it became somewhat narrower, we saw
finger oflimsstone fully fifty feet long, fastened
at one end to the roof, and stretching out IN
supported. The stone all around it was very
soft sandstone, so soft, that we could write on
it with the large end of our pencils.
As we passed along huge powders blocked
mp the way, and
GALLERIES SHOT OFF IN EVERY DIRECTION.
Several Of these had names written on them,
and their length given in figures, as for ex-
ample: Low passage, 125 yards; Fleming ave-
nue. (named after one of the exploring party
mentioned above) 1900 yards. Travelling on
and on We came at last to large room,
around the sides of which there were regular
series of shelves. There was no name on it.
We called it the dry goods store. ...
The next place that attracted our attention
was
MYSTIC FOUNTAIN,
q beautiful side grotto, in the back part of
which the water was constantly and silently
dripping down, in most places the walls and
ceiling are perfectly dry.
Leaving Mystic Fountain. we wandered of
into Rogue's Gallery, which had many dark
looking side passages, and mysterious hiding
places, and ends in long, narrow fssure in
in the rock, fifty feet high end fourteen inches
wide. Near the end o. this gallery the guide
picked Up an indelible pencil which some one
had dropped.
Striking off into some Of the side pas
sages, we soon found ourselves in very large
opening, with smooth, clean bottom, which is
known as No. 10.
Everywhere in the cavern. the walls and
every accessible place on the ceiling, was
covered with names.
There are thousands upon thousands Of
these autographs. Among them are A. Lincoln,
1884, and Mark Twain. By-the-way, Mr..
Clemens used to reside in Hannibal.
ROBBERS DEN,
room 500 feet long, and fifty feet wide, is
a cosy place, and in early days was q nice re-
treat for criminals. Horrible stories are told
about It. We passed the mouth Of q gallery
labeled Lost Gallery. The guide Informed US
thst several attempts have been made TO ex-
plore it, but as yet no one had succeeded in
finding terminus to It. As we Travelled along
we noticed several passages on which was an
arrow, and marked beneath "To the Parlor."
At last we wandered into what is called Big
Gallery, which was huge affair, and after fol-
lowing it for some time turned of at narrow
passage and in few moments stepped into
THE PARLoR."
Here we took our scat upon the "sofa, J" and ii
is indeed very much like sofa, except In its
proportions, (every thing in here is on the giant
order) and attacked our lunch. few miles Of
travel under ground had sharpened our sppe-
tites, until we were prepared to dispatch any
amount Of sandwiches.
To the right of US as we sat on the sofa was
the sand piano, huge piece Of sand stone fifty
feet long, exactly in the shape of that instru-
IUaS -fo1a "a tx.,k Of tan