Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-06-15
at the expense of daylight. One of these


| gloom, another died in the. hotel to
which he was. removed. ,.........s,.. +
Directed by the guide to look upward
as we enter the Star. Chamber, we can
hardly persuade ourselves that we are
not looking out into a midnight sky.
The illusion is perfect, yet it is only a
ceiling of black gypsum, seventy-five
feet high, studded here and there with
points of white limestone. As the
guide gradually removes the lamps it is
impossible to describe the wonderful
effect. The starry heavens assume adj
ditional brilliancy, comet is plainly
discernible in the distance, and then a
heavy cloud passes over the mock sky.
The lights are gone; we sit in dark
ness, five minutes possibly-it seems
hours. 1t is a felt blackness stretch
out one hand and we grasp it; it seems
to have weight. We feel oppressed;
we fancy it is not unlike that awful
darkness which preceded the utterance
of the grandest words ever spoken,
''Let there be light" Soon the lanterns
CLEAN in the distance the guide is ap-
preaching by another way. A won
drous flood of light breaks it we can
compare it to nothing but that glorious
brightness which sometimes shines in on
a human soul, dispelling the deepest
gloom. Reluctantly we turn away, feel
ing that if the Star Chamber were all of
interest the cave contained the pictures
of its wonders and beauties had not been
oyerdrawn.
The short route, being only six miles,
is easily completed as early as p. m.
the day of the arrival, and the tourist
does not experience the anticipated IA
tigue. The bracing air renders a long
walk possible without WEAKNESS, and,
invigorated by nights rest, he is ready
for the long route at an early hour the
following morning. For mile at least
he passes over the route of yesterday
until he reaches Giants Coffin, huge
stone sarcophagus, forty feet in length,
and so closely resembling the object
which gave it name as to cause him to
explain in solemn and awe-struck tones
tia coffin!"
Next comes the dreary deserted cham
Der, a flight of steps called the Steps of
Time and Side Saddle Pit. Soon, after
passing'mi curiosities, we stand on the
Bridge of Signs, and look into the Bot
tomless Pit Does the name make you
shudder? The pit is horrible, indeed,
but it is only IT'S feet deep, though sup
posed to be b0tt0mEsSs when discovered.
Above it rests Shelby Dome, sixty feet |
high Both the dome and the pit have
been cut out of the solid rock by water
holding carbonic acid in solution, and |
they are still charging. Fat Mans |
Misery holds a prominent place in the |
of every corpulent tourist. We |
do not find, as we have preferred to |
imagine, that there is a single spasmodic |
squeeze and then Great Relief, but the |
chamber so named is fifty yards ahead.
narrow tOrtuous channel we |
force our way, sometimes enduring an |
up-and-dOwn as we'll as a lateral pres
sure, the ceiling more than half the dis
lance being only four feet high. At no
point, however, is the appearance of
grotesque party more ludicrous, and no
where are their ridiculous positions the
occasion of greater merrlment.
Grand, gloomy and awful IS the Dead
Sea, which is passed much later, and
scarcely less so is the Red Styx when
viewed by the aid of Bengal lights from
the natural bridge, which spans it thirty
feet above. Soon Lethe, quaint placid
axe, is reached and crossed. The
guide stands in the PROV of the
BOAT and rows it carefully to the oppo.
site shore, and by the lanterns steady
light. Now Great Walk is reached,
which leads directly to Echo River. We
standon the shore of the ozark river"
md even before embarl1ing novel and
peculiar emotions are experienced. Our
ooatman pale { p pushes as cautiously
from the shore. A solid wall of rock
about Us, the ceiling SO low for some
distance that the boat is propelled from
above. Everything assumes a weird and
appearance. We might fancy
our fellow yoyagers to be inhabitants of
another planet. 1914.
The boatman chants his rude melo-
lies, and the echo is perfect. His party |
ing "The Beautiful River" pausing
It the close of each line to catchtbe re-
rain. 1t comes waited back as softly
nd sweetly, as if from the spirit world, |
et so distinctly that the mellow soprano
nd deep, rich alto, can be easily dis
The distance from Great
Walk to Silliman's avenue is three
ourth's of mile. Here we cast anchor,
tep ashore and hasten on our journey.
u this avenue and the pass of Ell Ghor
here are scores of curiosities to many of
7hich we cannot ever allude.
Among these are Cascade Hall, receiv-
~ its name from small cascade which
ais into it from the ceiling the Sea
erpent. a winding creyice cut in the
ock. overhead by running water; the
-reat Western, mammoth steamship;
hanging Rocks; the Shy Chamber the
rown; Corinna's Dome, and Hebe's
pring. ....-...-.r
In Martha's Vineyard hundreds of
listers of purple grapes hang from
out vines, and the visitor can hardly
g dissuaded from attempting to pluck
lem. Washington Hall is next entered,
.hich has an interest peculiar to itself,
being the usual dining room of par
es who go beyond the rivers. Here
le ravenou5 appetites, caused by the
racing atmosphere and long walks are
ppeased with generous supplies of pro
ision from the basket which the guide
aries. ~. -@.-..-r-- . .s--..... s-..- -, FIJI.
After passing through the Snow Ball
DOM, Clevelands Cabinet is entered.
his is w0ndrously beautiful in its
hole extent of two miles. Sometimes
10 inerustations are massive and grand,
gain delicate and fragile, assuming
Tery conceivable form. Here are ex.
lisite ornaments, fitted to adern the :.
atelY columns of some magnificent / =
inple there is a perfectly formed pas d
on flower, lily or cactus, a rare. exotic f..
cluster of white roses. Some. of the :.
Iriosities to which names have been .
ven in this cabinet are Rosa's Bower, =
be Cross, Mary's Bower, and. the. Last 8
0se of Summer. s, ,..- ....--.. RI -.' :
Beyond Cleveland,s Cabinet rises the 3
0cky Mountain one hundred feet high, s
ID formed of rocks which have fallen 8
on above. The ascent is toilsome in 81
G. extreme, yet the grandeur of Gro z
MS Hall which is at the termination. .
the Long Route, and the. glimpse of S
e terrible Maelstrom amply repay the q
aveler though he, be footsore and =
cary. ~. ~ .s..l fs.ss.ss =
We had soon reached the innermost &
IT i