The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-11-23
Our @lio.
THE LUKAY 0AVERNS.
A Wonderful Work of Eatu7e-Lofty Cham
bers and Tinted Walls.

- "SANSAAA WIN VI 1dLUE6 Lofty OQal0-
bers and Tinted Walls.
A marvellous chain of caverns, as vet
only partially explored, have been discov-
ed near Luray, Page county, Va. Innu-
merable springs have been found, tracks
Of animals, and at the bottom of preci-
pice, fifty feet deep, the skeleton of man
was found. The following is a portion of
the description of the New York HeraId's
correspondent:
As soon as We had gotten fairly into the
galleries we passed through succession of
monster rooms, the galleries forming their
floors and the dome of the main chamber
taking the place of ceilings We then
reached point where we were Obliged to
ascend thirty feet into another gallery, and
as we we're working our way along we
stopped to look at slender column, whose
base commenced some twenty feet above
US on the side of slope, and behind it we
recognized what seemed to be a large
opening in the shape of doorway From
our feet to the column was mass of white
formation and perfectly smo5h. We
struggled up over it and reached the col
umn, which actually stood in the centre of
an opening five feet wide by ten in height,
leading into the handsomest room yet dis
covered. The floor was perfectly white,
and not ripple or ridge on its smooth
surface. The room was circular, sixty.two
feet in circumference, surmounted by a
dome of the most delicate buff, and walls
of the same color. One cluster of pink
stalactites hung from the centre of the
ceiling, and in the middle Of the cluster
pure white one dropped some two feet
lower than the others. The walls were
futed and fretted all over, but of the same
solid color, without any variation. This
will hereafter be known US the Bridal
Chamber.
In the centre Of the pure white floor
were two springs in diamond shape, their
outer edges barely touching each other.
They contained in their basins white
messy substance, sparkling like crystal.
Opposite the door on the other side was an
exit, two by three feet, and leading in a
downward course. Crawling through, and
STOPPING all the way, We descended little
gallery, some fifty or sixty yards, then up
ward u longer distance, and emerged again
into the upper gallery, some hundred yards
above the Bridal Chamber, aud at large
spring containing tower in its very cen
tire, which rose mp some fifteen feet above
the floor level. In the rear of this little
tower, commencing at height of twenty
feet and dropping distance of twelve,
was the handsOmest piece of drapery in
the whole of the caverns. 1t was a beau
tiful curtain an eighth of an inch thick
aud six feet in width, hanging in the most
graceful folds, with three borders-one of
red, one of blue and one of brown. It
looked like a beautifully embroidered lap
robe. A single candle made it almost
transparent. | would walk any time half
day to see its equal. The hand of man
could not construct so rare and beautiful
an ornament. Looking down from this
point into Giants Hall we had masuifi-
cent view as far as our candle light would
reach. On the cornice of huge column,
some distance upward, our lights shone on
perfectly formed bust of man.
i was wonderful curiosity. We voted
it nShakspeareis bgstg 4 few feet fur
Their brought US to an immense column,
probably twenty feet or more through the
thickest portion Of 1t. We found large
aperture in its side and, entering very
easily, We were in contracted space, sew
rral feet in width. Finding some small
lodges in the shape of steps we gradually
assembled the inside, aud finally came out
at the top. We were now between eighty
and ninety feet from the floor of "Giant's
Hall, and yet it seemed the dome was
forty feet at least aboYe Us, We had
nearly reached the roof when one of the
party, in trying to get footing, displaced
4 rock, which went bounding down below
us.
THE QUEEN OF CHAMBERs.-A mo-
ment after mass of stones and dirt rolled
down from above, nearly covering us and
disclosing an entrance to the queen of
chambers. Shaking our selves out of the
dirt and stones, we all entered the cham
Der, which was of pure white, frosted all
over-ceiling, walls and floor, all the same
color. The PARTICLES glittered like millions
of diamonds. There were no draperies of
any great size, but what there was were
all pure white and nearly transparent
Here some beautiful specimens were col
lected. From this point, We looked down
upon the lights as We had placed them
below. The candle on the top of the hol-
lou ooiuu,D saar,aI HIS n s,,aol- 81 aro OIL
as if it were several hundred feet under us.
The lights in Giants Hall looked as if
they were miles away. If the rooms be-
low had been properly lighted l have no
doubt the picture would have been one of
the grandest in the world. We could find
no outlet from the White Chamber, but
Immediately to the left of it found another
aperture which led us into narrow corri-
dor, which gradually opened to us as we pre-.
ceeded, and ran off in southwesterly di-
rection. We followed it a long distance,
but our lights commencing to fail, we
hurried back to the White Chamber, where
we fastened string which we unrolled as
we proceeded downward. Upon reaching
the floor of Giant Hall we found we had
played out about two hundred and twenty
feet of string. OF course we would have
to allow for the incline, but taking every
thing into consideration, from floor to dome
at this point would measure over ITO feet.
Workers Underground.
Il is not generally known to what ex-