The New York herald., 1878-10-19

to do So The ceiling OF this chamber seemed 10 be
composed OF the soest sponge. interarded with cius-
ters OF diamonds Immense slabs hanging from me
ceiling OF different thickness, about two ieet vide
taperng 10 tour i've inches. twelve and fifteen
eei long almost as thin sword blades and Of beau
IiiuI buh color, added 10 the beauty OF the scene
When struck by any hard substance they gave out
musical sounds similar to sounds made by bells. Our
guides proposed to Us to cross the lake over small
bridge they nad recently constructed, but we de-
cned, the structure looked rather fragile and took
another route to The vaults bsyond.
THgArRE
Retracing our steps through several rooms and
led us several other rooms ana over several
beautiful little streams oil mpld water TO the edge Of
few yares we found place 10 cross. aud suddenly
found ourselves In The vetibue as II OF arce theatre
On every side OF US we're beautiful white columns ana
pillars, looking they mad been sculptursd from
the wbitest marble. few steps further brought us
into the auditorium OF shs theatre. In all my life
never saw grander structure above ground Three
tiers Of galleries seemed to stand out before US; we
seemed to be In the orchestra circle with the pit al
pail seemed TO obscure ths scene. II looked ter
riby grand. We could not help recalling those
powerful and beautiful lines OF Poe on tihe Worm"-
'.0nce upon gala nighs," &c. Moving around our
socaed theatre We selected different posilion, and
paralelea brillancy seemed 10 burst upon US. From
every corner and crcvice OF ths chamber sparkied
tcrs rubes, emeraids, sapphIes dazzled our eyes,
wh!le blue aud BUT colonnades mounds OF silver aud
bronze. huge clusters OF iccies scme twenty feet IN
length, appeared, aud again The front OF organ.
nearly large as the great organ a. the Centennial.
striking the slabs with my cane the most msiodous
sou nds came from them, and echoed and re ecnoed
through the hundreds OF small chambers contained IN
the cave.
THE SKELETONS CHAMBER.
Leaving the chamber walked through a brilliant
corridor and found ourselves in = room with low
cciiing anu less brilliant than some Others, and here
some what TO our horror and greatly surprise,
candles flashed upon the perfect potrhsd skele-
ton OF a man In kneeiing posture, with head thrown
back II he had died IN agony and IN prayer. Ssvs
raj medical gentlemen have examined II and have
come TO the conclusion tnat must have been there
fnrr hat In he n koiA nj
is NO doubt; IL - perfectly formed throughout; the
knees have grown to the rock IN the floor Leaving
small SKIN (which had been hastily constructed Tor
the parpose) what is called Muddy Lake, body Of
water three or four ieet deep and about thirty IN
length.
Here we disembai Keu and walking through q long
corridor fouud ourselves IN probably the most I'M
mense chamber IN the world The propr etors have
endeavored to measure in rough way, ana ind u
area ot At least eleven acres, but tnis
may be u low estimate. We renewed our candles an
walked through IL for several hours aud yet did not
see the half OF II. From this chamber as Tar d s.
covered, there are dozen outlets NJ least leading IN
many different directions. will not at
tempt description OF II IN this letter, as
II would take up too much OF your valuable space.
will only say mat IN maenhcence II tar surpasses any
OF the rosms / nave described. Who're the explora-
Will end II hard 10 tell, rs there may be miles
suberranean connecting with these still
unex plored. After finishing some necessary work
abo the parts already discovered the owners intend
making vigorous Researches IN every direction.
No doubt thousands OF objects OF interest are
yet undiscovered Many persons are Of the opinion
that this cave the dwelling place Of human beings
centuries and tcat other skeletons aud relics will
be found upon thorough estgation. In the knowi-
cage OF the Oldest Inhabitants now living in this
ton sucn cave existed In their lime or was spoken
Of by their ancestors.
OPPOSITION TOLERATED.
In comparisou 10 Viewers Cave near Stanton,
Weyers Is as Lursy 10 Ne. YORK city comp ired TO
tnia cave. Besides the champers have described
took hurried glimpse OF several others, which re-
semDled the interIor OF chapels, castles, amphi
theatres, &c In several rooms l found most OK
quisits capopics, rssem bling tho one already de-
scribed, and found pyramid re-
semDllng nine loavss Of iruit cake, with large pine
thrones and beautiful fountains and still
another facsimile OF baptsmal font
Most OF all these things appear 10 be
natural formations, yet Ia some Instances
man has been concerned IN their constr uclion
The whole Is mass OF gorgeous spiendor, with prob
ably no equal IN America In the world. Luray Is
pleasant llLtlc town Cf some eigat hundred iEnab-
Itants. II - the county seat OF Page and quite .
tbriving htIe place II 10 pcturssqucy situated and
commands u view of both ranges OF mountains.
There railroad through this county, though the
roadbsd OF the Shcnandoah Valley Railroad is graded
through Lurny and far up as the Shenandoah Iron
Works. tweniy miles above. portion OF the road Is
they expect 10 complete 1t 10 this point
within year. lie nearest raj. road com ication
~ present Is at Newmarket, Va sixteen miies from
here the other side OF the Massanutton Mountain
by Baltimore and OHIO Railroad daily three O'Clock,
connecting with stage, which delivers Its passengers
in Luray every evening at seven O'Clock. The ride
over the mountains 10 magnificent Al the top the
traveller has OF the Valley OF Virginia. ana Edn
bur2b, Mount jackson, Newmarket and other towns
Valley, WIN Luray. sAarksviile, Alma and several
Other villages in view.