American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-19
Discovery of a New Mammoth Cave
in Kentucky.

ABOUT the middle of the past week, two
young men named White, while idly
wandering in large tract of wild, dense
forest, in the southeastern part of our
county, discovered what they supposed to
be n sink-hole or fox-den, and with that
idea proceeded to explore it. After little
trouble in making their way through the
entrance, the cave flor such it proved to
be) became large enough to admit of their
walking upright. They had proceeded in
this passage probably $50 yards, when
they emerged into large and picturesque
gallery, the beauty and grandeur of which
will rival that of the old Mammoth itself.
The room, according to their calculations,
is about $50 by 100 feet, and abOunds in
all the varieties of the stalactites and
stalagmites. But tits not the things that
we naturally expect to find in caves that
l wish to mention particularly, but the
curious remains that were found therein.
In the northeast corner of the first gallery
flor there are five, of which will here
after speak, about five feet from the
ground, they noticed some strange charac-
tiers, or hieroglyphics, neatly carved in
the wall, which, upon close observation,
proved to be the head-rock of vault. A
few minutes prying served to loosen this
and disclose to view the interior of an in
closure in the solid rock of about five by
three human skeletons, which measure
eight feet seven and half inches, eight
feet five inches, and eight feet four and
three-quarter inches in length, respective
ly. The heads were laying toward the east,
each body parallel to the other. Beside
them laid three huge-what looked to
be-swords, but were SO decayed that
upon being touched they immedi-
nj he nj h,,t
finding nothing that would serve to throw
any light on the question as to who and
from whence they are, they closed the
vault, but in doing SO knocked their torch
out, which they shad contrived before en-
tering, leaving them in anything but a
pleasant predicament. After searching
some time for their lost treasure, they
concluded to try to escape by feeling their
way out, but in this they made the matter
worse. They stated that after leaving the
first large room they struck good sized
branch, and continued following it until
forced to turn into another passage-the
stream disappearing suddenly in huge
gulch-which led them into
another spacious hall, the size of which
they believe to be quite as great as the
first. Out OF the second opening, and
through what they conceive to be three
others similar, at least in size, their way
seemed to gradually ascend, until their
hearts were made glad by the discovery of
light ahead, and finally emerged from
their ugly confinement through a hole
about midway the cliff of Russells
Creek, having been confined in their
subterrancan discovery over thirty
eight hours. The whole country there
about is rife with speculations concerning
the interesting discovery, and numbers Of
citizens will visit it as soon as The Messrs.
White finish their work Of rendering the
entrance less difficult to pass.
The above is a correct account and may
be relied on, as the young men are of un-
impeachable veracity--COlunbfa (Ky.)
Cor. L0uisoille Courier Journal.