The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-11-14

to navigate by small boat, but in which
there is not now drop of water, and no
one can account for its disappearance or
where it went to. A hill is then ascended
and, advancing short distance, the rays
OF the headlight, as it is termed, in every
direction discloses to us nm immense
vacuum with the roof Immediately above
our heads and yawning chasms below on
every side. Away to the right and be-
yond the hill are tiers of galleries fifty
feet from the ground below and over
hanging one of the great chasms. We
took the route to the left and explored
several large chambers full Of stalactites,
both on walls and ceilings, but one Of
which was entirely devoid of stalagmites.
This Is q chamber about one hundred feet
square, and has in it three lakes, which
accounts for the total absence Of stalag-
mites. These three lakes are in reality
| three springs, of which there are nearly
one hundred in the caverns rs far as dis
| covered, and all of them, without excep-
tion, are exqustely beautiful. On the
| left of this route is the "Skeleton's
| Chasm," and view of this is reached
| by very perlous scramble over a slip
perry ridge, on either side of which are
dangerous chasms. This is why the
skeleton was first supposed to be petrified.
1t never occurred to the discoverers that
any human being had within centuries
past penetrated these caverns, and seeing
a skeleton ut the bottom of this chasm
they at once jumped to the conclusion
that it must he petrifed. It turns out
now that the skeleton is the remains of
an adventurer who ut some remote period
obtained access TO the caverns, and in
wandering about exploring them fell into
the chasm and was killed. The bones
are those Of small man, or n boy about
fifteen years of age. have in my pos.
session portion of one of the thigh
bones, which medical men pronounce to
be veritable piece Of human anatomy.
The skeleton is partially embedded in
the mud, half of it protruding above the
limestone incrustation which has formed
or the surface of the chasm. 1t is a
CHASTITY and revolving looking object,
which consider the least interesting of
the numerous wonders to be seen in the
caverns, and will only be visited by those
actuated by morbid curiosity.
THE SPRINGS.
TO the left is another chamber, 80 by
100 feet, full of stalactites, and in one
the resemblance its bed bears to pearls.
1t is very large, surrounded by masses Df
small white formations, and by semi
circle of lovely and white moss. Con-
tinuing our researches We next come to
the Imperial Spring, which is situated on
the top of high gallery nearly surroun-
ded by chasms. The water in this is
nearly six feet in depth and as clear as
crystal. The trough or basin is fifteen
feet in length by ten in breadth and is
filled to the brim. 1t is in the most ex-
quisite little grotto, in shape like small
chapel, whose walls are masses of stalac-
tite pillars as Tound and smooth as poi
ished marble. The Crystal Spring, al
most in sight, is another beautiful body
of water, smaller in dimensions, hnt 9TH
erwise of the same character. Making
q digresson, not from our route, but from
the regular order of this narrative, will
here mention what l conceive to be the
most beautiful object in the caverns, and
that is the queen of springs-the Coral
Cascade. It is located in the extreme
corner Of Giants Hall, and, like the
Imperial Spring, is within the mos:
charming little grotto This gem of q
spring has basi1 somewhat in the shape
of coffin elevated about six feet from
the floor, and crowDing five semicircular
tiers of smaller basins with scalloped
edges and lined by the NEST exquisite
crystal formations, which sparkle and
glitter in the light, surprising in lowell
ness anything ever witnessed. When the
main or Upper trough overfows the other
basins are filled, but the water rapidly
leaves them. The main basin is always
full. Immediately over it is a canopy, as
beautiful sheet of stalactites, the very
| ,,f sicy.,
ty has been appropriately christened the
Cora! Cascade.
THE NORTHERN RANGE.
The Giants Hail is the name that has
been given to this chamber because of its
immensely. The caverns here turn north
ward. Before we reached it the party of
thirty had broken up into squads and
had scattered considerably over this vast
room. When we entered our headlight
cast its rays for great distance, and the
wandering visitors with their caudles
looked like SO many pigmies az they
fitted to and fro among the monster
stalactites and columns with which the
chamber is filled. At some points the
great arched, uneven roof rises to a
height Of 100 feet, from which is sus-
pended the most enormous stalactites
perhaps in the world. Some Of them are
shaped like iccles, but the great majority
of them take the form of curtained dra-
perry, and others assume the most fantas-
tic and extraordinary appearances imag-
Unable. For an immense distance around
the most enormous galleries hang. cast
ing their shadows against the root, leav-
ing the mind to conjecture what must
exist beyond. A rough estimate makes
this chamber eleven acres in extent. all
under one roof, but l am inclined to be-
lieve it is even more than this. In some
places there are great mounds of earth
reaching nearly to the roof, which are
reached by roughly constructed bridges,
and when On the top the tourist has to
walk in crouched position, his back
often itching the rugged bare granite
ceiling which here is entirely devoid OF
stalecta. On the outer edges of these
| mounds are great chasms the depth OF
which are unknown, and are, perhaps, in
some instances unfathomable. 1t is i'm.
possible to convey even the faintest idea
of the magnificence of the chambers in
this great hall. Columns of stalagma ol
the purest white, varying in size from six
inches in diameter to three feet in height
to fifteen feet in diameter and fifty feet
Lin height, are everywhere to be seen. The
lodges of the great galleries are studded
all along with every imaginable subter-
ranean and atsiaa.:.;cai formatiou, sug-
pest,ng to the mind of the bewildered
6eholder hobgoblins and phantoms Of
eyery description. These shapes and
fantasies are magnifed by the great shad.
| nus coat from the constantly moving and