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

interesting COluIIlQ or QOuDlo cOlumn In
the cavens is situated almost in the CEN
tre of Giants Hall. 1t is formed of
colossal stalagnite rising @ distance of
seventy feet and imbedding itself in the
embrace Of monster stalactte dropping
about the same distance, together form
ing grand imperial column. 1t has
been named the Double Column. Not
far from this is another marvel Of this
underground world called the Partition,
which is q wall of transparent stalactn
six inches in thickness, with breadth
of thirty feet and height of fifty feet.
1t is gem of natural architecture, beau
tifully corrugated, and it is perhaps safe
to say that no human hand could con-
struct anything to compare with it, and
certainly human eyes have never seen its
equal above or under ground. In an
other place is curiosity now called the
Angels Wing, which is about ten or
twelve feet in length, white as the driven
snow, and SO perfect in shape that one
could almost imagine the plumage real.
One Column of stalagi.,ite, which attracts
great attention, and which towers up
ward for some forty or fifty feet, has as
sumed the form of some twenty i've or
thirty huge blocks, one laid upon top OF
the other, that at the base being the
largest and the others gradually smaller
to the top.
Many of the draperies ard curtains,
hanging in the most enormous masses,
were so thin as TO be transparent, and
presenting beautiful effect when light
is placed behind them. Some of them
were distinctly marked with red, blue
and brown lines, like graining, others
with every color of the rainbow, and all
of them, when struck, emitted the most
charming musical sounds, every note in
the gamut being produced. Among the
great slabs and draperies hanging from
the domes there are many that are broken
of, some of them near the centre; but
what was most remarkable was the alb
sence of the pieces as broken off. We
could not find the smallest fragment of
the portions that had fallen, though
many of these pieces must have measured
fifteen or twenty feet, and have weighed
several tons. Numerous theories are adj
vanced as to the cause of their disappear
ance, the most probable Of which is that
they fell horizontally and were gradually
covered by the accumulation of earth, or
that they dissolved and became portion
of the earth, which itself is formed from
ages Of dripping. A popularity of some
OF this earth is that where the owners
have been digging it out to make passage
ways it is not heavier than quinine and
is of a light buff color.
The domes covering the galleries ex-
tend in many instances several hundred
feet without any support, and are formed
ofsolid ROCK, resembling granite. Others
are sky blue and others still of brown
and buff color, but all Of hard stone
Some of the great galleries are half way
between the floor aud dome. and in q
few instances nature has made a provis.
ion for their support in heavy pillars OF
stalagmite, which, rising from the
ground, have become firmly knit with
the gallery. These galleries frequently
lead off into other apartments Of all sizes
and which, from their inaccessibility, are
only partially explored.
The atmosphere is pure and balmy, the
temperature standing at 55, while with
ont the caverns it was less than 40 anc
very cool.
UNEMPLOYED.
Many caverns remain at present unex.
plored. 1t is impossible to tell where
they will end, as before remarked
New openings present themselves in all
ulrectlOnS. Ihe owners have been &c
busy trying to make the cavefns com.
Portable for visitors that they have had
little or no time TO prosecute further re.
searches. To-day your correspondent
crawled through new opening with one
of tie proprietors, and we travelled sew
eral hundred yards through various small
chambers and corridors, many of them
with exquisite draperies, and in one @:
them spring fully twelve fee: square.
These openings frequently occur under
huge how:GeTs. wioTo one would not
think the body of man would pass, but
yet these adventurous men drag them
selves through and under and over rocks
and cavities, and are finally rewarded By
finding themselves in other chambers.
The owners OF these caves are untiring
and energetic. and they deserve to make
a success of their great discovery.