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

there is not now drop of water, and nj
one can account for its disappearance o.
where it went to. A hill is then ascendec
and, advancing short distance, the rays
Of the headlight, as it is termed, in every
direction discloses to us an immense
vacuum with the roof Immediately above
our heads and yawning chasms below or
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 oi
which was entirely devoid of stalagmites
This is a chamber about one hundred feel
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 as far as dis
covered, and all of them, without excep'
ton, are exquisitely beautiful. On the
left of this route is the Skeletons
Chasm," and a view of this is reached
by u very perilous scramble over slip
pery ridge, on either side of which are
dangerous chasms. This is why the
skeleton was first supposed to be petrihed
1t never occurred to the discoverers that
any human being had within centuries
past penetrated these caverns, and seeing
a skeleton at the bottom of this chasn
they at once jumped 20 the conclusion
that it must be petri6ed. 1t turns out
now that the skeleton is the remains o.
an adventurer who at 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 boy about
fifteen years of age. have in my pos
session a 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
on the surface of the chesm. 1t is
ghastly and revolting-looking object
which consider the least interesting oi
the numerous wonders to be seen in the
cayerns, and will only be visited by those
actuated by morbid curiosity.
THE SPRINGS.
To the left is another chamber, so by
100 feet, full of stalactites, and in one
corner spring called Pearl Spring from
the resemblance its bed bears to pearls.
1t is very large, surrounded by masses OF
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 massesof stalac,
tite pillars as round and smooth as pol
ished marble. The Crystal Spring, al
most in sight, is another beautiful body
of water, smaller in dimensions, but 9th.
erwise of the same character. Making
a depression, not from our route, but from
the regular order of this narrative, / will
here mention what conceive to be che
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 most
charming little grotto. This gem of O
spring has basin somewhat in the shape
of coffin elevated about six feet from
the floor, and crowning five semicirculal
tiers of smaller basins with scallopec
edges and lined by the most exquisite
crystal formations, which sparkle aud
glitter in the light, surprising in lowell
ness anything ever witnessed. When the
main or Upper trough overhows the other
basins are filled, but the water rapidly
leaves them. The main basin is always
full. Immediately over it is canopy, as
to protect the spring, and at the back
beautiful sheet of stalactites, the very
picture of flowing cascade. This beau
'ty has been appropriately christened the
Coral Cascade.
THE NORTHERN RANGE.
The Giants Hail is the name that has
been given to this chamber because of its
immensity. 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 candle.
looked like so many pigmies as they
fitted to and fro among the monster
stalactites aud columns with which the
chamber is filled. At some points the
great arched, uneven roof rises to 6
height of 100 feet, from which is sus
pended the most enormous stalactites
perhaps in the world. Some of them are
shaped like icicles, but the great majority
of them take the forn of curtained dra
perry, and others assume the most fantas
tic and extraordinary appearances imag,
Unable. For an immense distance arounc
the most enormous galleries hang, cast
ing their shadows against the roof, leav'
ing the mind to conjecture what mus
exist beyond. A rough estimate make:
this chamber eleven acres in extent, al
under one roof, but l am inclined to be
lieve it is even more than this. In some
places there are great mounds of eartt
reaching nearly to the roof, which are
reached by roughly constructed bridges
and when on the top the tourist has tc
walk in crouched position, his back
often scratching the rugged bare granite
ceiling which here is entirely devoid o
stalacta. On the outer edges of thes'
mounds are great chasms the depth o
which are unknown, and are, perhaps, il
some instances unfathomable. 1t is im
possible to convey even the faintest ide'
of the magnifcence of the chambers il
this great hall. Columns of stalagma 0
the purest white, varying i'll size from 81,
inches in diameter to three feet in heigh
to fifteen feet in diameter and fifty fee
in height, are everywhere to be seen. Th,
lodges of the great galleries are studded
all along with every imaginable subter
ranean and stalactitical formation, sug
gest,ng to the mind of the bewilderet
beholder hobgoblins and phantoms o
every description. These shapes ant
fantasies are magnified by the great shad