Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-22
NATURAL CURIOSITY
In Arkansas...A Wonderful Cave.

one Of the wonderful curiOsties of
Arkansas, we clip from the Fayette-
vile Democrat
EDITORS DEMOcRAT-LOnging to
steal short respite from confinement,
we wended our way last Saturday from
our little city, set up on its hills" to
wander among hills as yet unsubdued
by man. Leving town and passing
through the fertile and well titled val
ley Of the White river to the south
east, we were soon climbing the noun
tain beyond. Even to him who is not
close observer of nature, her works
of wonder are not devoid of interest.
and native beauty and wildness will
ever attract even him welded to the
formality of art. As we look upon the
huge masses of masonry, stone laid
upon stone with almost the precision
OF art as we peered down into deep
gorges whose Businesses invited as a
retreat from danger; as we viewed the
rugged mountains, whose very stern
ness seemed to bespeak freedom, and
whose towering hight seemed to in
spire to lOftyleleyatiOnI character; as we
looked upon these, and beheld in each
the impress of the Divine Artifcer,
we no longer wondered lthat the Swiss
drew from hisAlpine mother the spirit
of freedom that could not brook the
tyrant's scOwl, and, surrounded by
such grandeur and beauty, the exhi-
bitiOns of his might and love, acquired
those evidences of his own dignity
and of the gretness of his Maker -four
ished as a plant in a genial soil.
Reveling as we went amid these
wild and picturesque scenes, we ar
, rived at the house of mime host, p"
Mr.. Aaron Reiff The sharp morning
air and unWonted vigorous exercise Of
riding gave a keen relish for the noon
day repast that awaited. Who has
not enjoyed the free, open-hearted
country hospitality, so peculiar to our
own sunny Southland? If any have
not, let them try it, and they will find
their own genial charity quickened
} thereby. After dinner our gustatory
relish was further gratifed by wild
fruits of the forest and by the more
luscious fruits Of the wine and 6g
| tree of our host.
Rested and refreshed and equipped
with candles and matches, we set out
to explore the Reiff Cave, led by the
gentleman whose name it bears, and on
r whose land the cave is situated. We
n do not hesitate to pronounce this the
Z greatest natural curiosity of Washing.
ton county. 1t is in the highest par
Z twenty to twenty-five feet from Aool
e to ceiling. White incrustations O.
e carbonate of lime in places line tn,
q walls. and the ceiling is sometime,
4 beautifully studded with stalactitit
= beads Stalactites and stalagmites ar,
e found, as if the builder would prol
the massive roof of this underground
structure. The passage is generally
easy. In only two places for shor
; distances is it necessary to crawl, anC
y these may be excavated. At a dis
; tanee of $50 to 200 yards the cave
n widens into a natural chapel. The
e resonance seems to beperfect, and thC
c music of a single instrument re-echOeC
and strengthened, would be as tn,
multiplied melodies drawn by tn,
y master hand from the harp of a thou
% sand strings. Methinks if the Wal
e deuses could have found such chape
for concealment from persecution theil
zeal and devotion must have beer
= quickened by the heavenly music the
l. would have produced
S, We explored many compartment
n and winding avenues leading off from
the main hail. to each of which inter
est attaches for some peculiarity Oi
marking of nature stalwart masonry
" Peter Mankin informed us that he
r. had by measurement travelled this cave
for more than three miles. Itwas dry
as far as we went, but further in purl
/ ing streams are said to lave its laby
rinths, whose polished sides re-echC
their ripping voices We could no
rid ourselves of the impression that il
d was night, but returned after more
than an hour to find the bright robt
. of day not yet replaced by night
o dark mantle.
Ie 1t is surprising that our people cart
|, so little for these wonders. They &c
= off to visit the Mammoth Cave and
> Yosemite, and yet know nothing O.
the curiosities of their own State. ThC
i lessons of nature, if studied properly
give instruction to be drawn from nc
other source. The bachelor who haC
A., quit the folly of his ways and took hin
T" wife, when upbraided by his boor
II companions, gave his wholesome ad
vice "Go do likewise" To thost
d who are in reachof these natural won
. ders and yet have not seen them, VIZ
: would say in the language of the
u bachelor, go do likewise. -
l. Taking leave Of our host and guide
we retraced our footsteps homeward
,r fatigued but well pleased with the
- day among the mountains" w,
i have been invited out for a fox chase
e Messrs. Editors, and when we 90 again
will ask you to join our party, if YOU
are fond of rural sports. H. NJ. B.
The bad boy who put chestnut bur
under the saddle of the horse of Pas
II tor Deitrick, near Nebraska City
is ought to be severely dealt with. Tn,
Of pastor had been visiting some of tn,
Is church members, and left his hors,
, tied to a tree. On remounting, tn,
l. irritated animal speedily threw hin
ST off, breaking his arm and otherwis,
damaging him. Mr. Deitrick ha
charge of two German Lutheran
churches, both of which will have t,
- give him a vacation of several weeks
id duration.