Litchfield enquirer., 1874-09-24
Lost In a Cave.

A correspondent of a Reading paper, l writing from Virginville, Penn says: While tho proprietor of the Crystal cave was en- gagged with student of Cornell university named Dixon, in examining one of the side chambers of the cavern for rock crystals,
 on Thursday, they entered long, narrow Assure, terminating in large irregular chamber, where they were soon busy in
 searching for the treasures. After a while Mr. kohler, having duties to attend to at the Oavo House, informed the young sci enlist that they would stop for time and
 return to prosecute their search at future
 period. The latter, however, begged to
 be permitted to continue his investiga-
 tion then by himself, asking his guide to call him at dinner time The latter, re-
 luctantly consenting. .retraced his steps and
 soon emerged at the mouth of the cave. At noon Mir. Kohler entered the cavern to invite his visitor to dlnner As he crept through the narrow shaft connecting the
 two chambers he was surprised to find no
 light at it's extremity, and on arriving at the spot where he left Dixon that gentle
 man was not to be seen. Snpposing his guest had passed into chamber at the other end of the passage, he proceeded to explore. Hero all was darkness; but there full upon his ear deep. heavy grooming, which guided him to a crevice, where, be- heath the light of his uplifted lamp, he discovered the almost unconscious form nf Mr- Dixon. His whole body had been thrown into violent perturbati0ns of pant ing and gasping. With some difficulty he was extricated aud brought into the illu- minated nassages, and from thence into tho open air, where, after short time. he was restored to consciousness, and gave the following account of his adventure:
 ''Soon after Kohlar, my guide, had left me stumbled and fell and put out my lamp. 1 then attempted to reach the niche where had placed my matches, but could not find the spot, and gave up the search. This mishap confused mo great iy. SO that lost all bearing of my posi- tlon. anei in the darkness knew not which way to turn. Stepping carefully, in order to avoid the yawning chasms which had seen. began to feel around the dark, damp walls for the aperture through which We had entered. After 8 time I emerged into what l was certain was the intermediate chamber, but soon came to where the solid walls barred my way, This surprised me very much, and I at- tempted to retrace my steps only to find that was then where l could neither ad- vance nor retreat. became now thorough ly started, and strange feeling of awe came over me, although we'll knew that in any event my guide would return ill Q few hours to search for me.
 Around ne was thick darkness. dark CT than darkness itself, where, shut in by wallis of stone in the bowels of the earth. no sound of the outer would could reach nc. heard nothing but the drip, drip, of the water, percolating through the rocky roof overhead. in spite of all my philosophy and reasoning, my heart be- came overcome with it's instinct of terror and horror, and to dispel this terrible in- cubus, and also in the hope of bring assis- tance, l commenced shouting with all my might. My voice, however, appeared to rebound from the solld walls and sent back no echo, while the dismal thought that none but myself heard the. sound struck me with fear. After this horror of great darkness fell upon me, and all I had ever read of men being lost in the Mann moth Cave, or of being buried alive in their shrouds or starved to death in dungeon, came up before my imagination Cold precipitation gushed from my fore head, my brain reeled, the air appeared to become thick and irresistible, and these are the last emotions I recollect. How long continued thus do not know, but 1t seemed ages to me, but I suppose it was speedily followed by the swoon in which I was found by MT. Kohler on his arriving at noon." -.se.- -a-