The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-25
walls Of the cave seemed studded
With mvriado 1T diamonds.
FAIRY ~CE&E.

so
THESE WEI. flashing and sparkling
IN u dazzling i.as> of brliliaucv. blind
ny to the eve. Huge rocks Iuttci
arfl from tn sides and barely seem
q to rest. q hundred feet overhead.
threatening at any moment to plunge
IOwr the shaggy sides and crush u
powder ali beneath them. Large
llake- eighty feet high Ivy fifty wide.
not over ten inches through ii their
tticka-t par -. Iuclniug slightly for
ward and mostly detached. hung from
the walls Ike a half ripped Oft box lid.
md iah up ov.r head light spots
...ulF boz sen where the sunlight
-trl-, lcd family through a natural
window. 600 weakly Id Hume the
dark e,- below hut plainly enough 10
be observed thereforin-
ROCKY CHAMBERS.
Tp1n first entering the cave il FOL-
'ov, q northveeterly course for FORTY
wo feet. then turns uorthwardlv for
100 feet. descending thirtv-four feet
lurirg this turn. bat risin1 again 10
its former level. when it branches Oft
into I've apparently different caves.
;I except one having Il common out
let. three Of them larger than the en-
trance one. the oth-r two smaller. All
six apartments. although separately
partIt toned. connect. either above or
below the partitions. the reporter
having crawled under the dividing
walls of three. finding barely room to
squeeze through. These walls vary
in thickness from one to sixty feet.
To form a correct idea of the APP
pearance and character of the ave cor
Seric~ of cavcs1. imagine d aytrn OF
800 feet log and 100 feet vide. with
a height varying from - to 200 feet.
LIKE HE'LL GATH EXCAVATION.
Divide this cavern into SIX separate
caves as dimcnsioned below. all hav-
ing a common junction of outlet in
>idc and two separate ones ON the
outside of the mountain. the partitions
decreasing in thickness as the point os
junction Is reached. similar to the
'lade OF a wedge. Four OF these lesser
- composing what is considered
the cavern. extend into the mountain.
ywo obiiquely, the other two horizon
tally ut right angles with the side.
The main cave branches off from the
point Of junction almost parallel with
the one leading to the window. taking
IN caSterlv course, first downward 10
feet Il a depth of Is feet. then upward
lgaiu for over , - feet. winding spiral
V. In some places almost pcrpendicu-
.arlv. grow ing gradually smaller until
it obtains an altitude of about 1870 feet
from the bottom. The next largest
follows an east northeasterly course
parallel with the II Just described,
$50 feet. turning to the southeast for
100 feet further.
ROUGH EOAD.
In this the largest flakes are to be
seen and the most dangerous preci-
piceS encountered. il side of Il jag
ged Lowldcr which has to be descend
ed To reach the bottom presenting a
perpendicular face of 60 feet. The
third largest is the one by which en-
rance IS effected. 1872 feet long, and in
some parts 20 feet high. The fourth
largest runs SO feet directly downward,
vary in altitude from 10 to % feet.
The fifth follows a utheasterlN
course 81 feet. height ranging from 10
To 3~ feet. The sixth and smallest
takes a northwesterly course for G3
feet terminate = in the Window. as
shown in the illustration. over 300 feet
from the base OF the mountain, with
an altitude of from Is to 40 feet. This
wind Nv is II feet by / wide. affOrdimg
a fine view of the surrounding
try. There is a little variation in the
average width IF the different apart
ments. Ii some places they are 81
sect wide, while III others only ).
GEOLOGICAL.
Most of the space in breath is occu-
pied by the partitions, the bulk of the
caving rock falling between the north
and south. Little difference is notice
able in the charac er of the rocks.
gray lranite interopersed with seams
of flint and occasional quartz, with
here and there slight layers of mica
forming the roof. sides and bottom.
No spring on stream of water flows
within the cave, but innumerable I'm
gle drops ~percolate through the walls
Of solid rock, presenting the appear
auce OF crystal formations and caus-
- the brilliant sparkling alluded to
alb we. Only two living creatures
w ne found-a bat lizard-the former
looking somewhat lonely, the latter
.ean and hungry. Cold air passes
through all parts with eXperienceable
force. rendering a long stay inside un-
pleasant. The appearance OF all the
rocks Indicate a very recent cOnVul-
sion. the cave having been formed
10y the falling IN OF Il portion OF the
mountain side during the rumhlings
two weeks ago. Their sides are fresh
and bright when not percolated by
water. and no formation of moss or
earth could anywhere be found. Some
portions were explored with great
difficulty. 1t being impossible to scale
some OF the large AMI smooth faced
rocks without a ladder. While stand
ing in the largest branch the reporter
made a narrow escape. \ large rock
suddenly loosened from the roof di-
rectlv over head. fell. striking the cave
bottom within Il Dot of where he
stood. Providentally he heard it roll
ing down and quickly sprang beneath
an immense ledge just 70 the left, or
he never would have lived to describe
the wild beauty of the scene inside.
REPEATED y DISTINCT RUMBLiNG.