The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-08-26
Il LEGEND OF THE CUMBERLAND
lClarksyille, Tenn. Letter TO the Louisville
Courier Journal !

I N0SaACi -7UuI
The world contains among its common
mass of beings large proportion of cred
ulous people who stand agape to swallow
everything as it comes fresh from the
!, ps of the narrator, and no matter how
impossible it may be they believe and
".nwardy digest" all they hear and relate
1t to others as though it were as true as
Holy Writ. The incredulous on the 9TH
sr hand, doubt all they hear. and ha' dly
believe Shat they see with their own
eyes. There are, however, those of an
sther class, sort of go.between, who be-
lieve all they hear that is at all plaus ble
The story am about to relate may be
| believed or not eelieved-iust as t1e
reader chooses; but | am assured by the
old lady from whom [ heard the narra-
tive that she received it from an old gen
tieman whose veracity was never doubt
ed.
! THE STORY
dates back into the early history Of Ten
nesSee and kentucky, when the Indians
occupied large portion Of this section of
country. Between Clarksville, Tenn and
/ Eddyville, Ky, on the Cum berland river.
here is cavern which can only be en-
tered by diving into the water. and which
/ has no other light than that reflected by
the bottom of the river. The exact spot
Is now unknown, although some of the
Oldest citizens in the neighborhood have
an indistlnct recollection Of having heard
| Of the cave in their boyhood. It was &C.
cidentally discovered by a young Indian
chief, while one day diving for his gun,
which he had dropped from his canoe in
! 20 the river opposite the cave. The In
/ dian youth who discovered it for a long
time kept the secret to himself, and would
of EN- resort TO it in his lonely hours,
where. by the aid of his flint and piece
OF dry wood, he would kindle fire and
enjoy himself IN looking at the magnif;-
cence of the scene as the light reflected
! back millions of beams from the numer-
Gus stalagmites and stalactites of gigantic
! size and fantastic forms. and displayed
| to his vision hundreds of avenues, grottos
| ana cataracts, unsurpassed for their won
/ de-.ul appearance. In order to carry dry
wood into the place to furnish light for
! his Investigations. ne would carefully sew
/ It up in skins, to keep it from coming in
contact with the water as he Owed into
the cave. The cave was about fifty feet
I
course Of time this young son Of the for
/ est became enamored with a beautiful
! daughter of one Of the backwoodsmen in
| he settlement by the name of Rober.son
/ The girl, contrary 10 the wishes of her
parents, rcciprocated the feeling, which
OF course put the parents on their guard,
ana the daughter was placed under the
strlctcst surveillance. But ''love laughs
at locksmiths.' and on one occasion. as
the guard was Withdrawn, on account of
an unexpected attack from some unfriend-
| ly Indians proving in the neighborhoOd.
the gil was induced by the lover to 20
with him to his beautiful retreat, which
he doubtless described to her in as str;k-
ing language as did Claude Melnotte his
/ palace by the Lake of Como to the fair
| Pauline. He related to her the dangers
surrounding the entrance to the cave, and
persuaded her to place implicit confidenc
| IN his courage and knowledge of the To-
ca ", and obey his instructions to the
le e. The young chiefs name was
Wal4ahalla and the girls name was
AGNES ROBERTSON.
| In those days the daughter of back
woodsman could SWIM. ride, and handle
gun with all the deSterity and skill o.
Their fathers and brothers. Arriving at
the place the lover disappeared BENEATH
the surface of the water and the maiden
| quickly followed him, to find the cavern
surprising even the magnificence and
grandeur portrayed to her mind in tbs
native tongue of her Indian lover. Here
he informed her she must remain as his
| prisoner until he gained the consent other
parents 10 their union. Wallahalla then
! departed to return soon after with
| dried venison, corn, wood, the rough
cooking utensils of those aboriginal times,
and bedding and such articles as were
necessary for her comfort. He then babe
| hcI adieu, threatening her with death if
she dared to leave the cave during his alb
sence. Returning to the settlement,
! Wallahalla found that the place had been
! attacked by the foe and the village burnt
to the ground. The parents of Agnes
mouIned her as dead, or lingering in a
captivity TO which death would be pref
cradle. This was providential to the
lovers. The young chief was loudest in
his lamentations over the lost girl and at
the war dance of bis tribe swore the dir
/ est vengeance against her captors. All
the male portion Of the settlement. to-
2elnef with the friendly tfiOe 10 y hlch
/ the young chief Wallahalla belonged.
started in pursuit Of the foe to rescue the
girl from her certain fate Of death or de-
graduation. After long and tedious
arch they came upon the enemy in the
nelghborhood Of where Metropolis City.
H.. now stands. A furious battle was
fought. in which the attacking party.
headed By young Wallahalla, dealt death
and destruction to their foe until their
ammunition was exhausted. At this mo-
ment the enemy was re.enforced. and the
attacking party vas compelled TO retire
across the Ohio % the spot upon which
Paducah now stands.
The father Of Agnes Robertson was al
most crazcd with grief at the loss of his
beloved daughter. II his great agony he
published to the troops the following an
nouncement: