Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-11-09

part Oh y1b srm9. w nelnef they arc
the petri6ed remsins sof hppsa beings
or whether figures roughly carved out
Of stone II is hard TO tell. certaiuit is
that they do no, b.Iohgto the natural
formations of the cave. At the further
eud of this room an immense column
fifteen feet in diameter rises from foor
to ceiling spreading out at the top on
either side like branches of huge oak
and forming two yarchvays, through
which we may pass in different dlrec-
tons to other chambers. Passing 70
the left, through the lower arch, we pro
ceed through three or fonr small cham
bers, all covered with thousands of stall
actites OF the most brilliant colors, and
reach room which is almost fac-sim-
lie of an old Roman chapel, supported
on all sides by Corinthian columns of
bronze and blue and white, with cell
ing Of buff.
ORGANIC REMAINS.
To the left stands out in bold relief
from the wall as perfect shaped orGsE
as ever looked at. The pipes are sep
arste,- and 90 distinct that yea, have 70
feel them to dispel the illusion. i clam
bered up on some loose stone and pass
ed my hand between two of the slabs
with my candle; the effect was grand.
Immediately opposite is a most superb
ly shaped canopy of white stone, the
folds looking as soft as if made of fine
cambria.
This canopy, with its draperies, is ful-
ly eight feet from end to end and about
the regular size in other respects. In
the middle of the room is mass Of blue
and buff colored stone which could east
Iy be taken for roughly made alter;the
walls are brilliant with stalactite. From
the ceiling are 200 pendants as white
as the driven snow, looking as if they
had been cut and fashioned from the
purest marble. Leaving this chapel we
pass through large hallway, in which
we find beautiful little spring OF the
purest water constantly flowing; / never
drank better Proceeding a few feet
further We came to trap door in the
floor, and were informed that there
were four small chambers under our feet
Passing on we came into larger room,
whose brilliaDcy was even greater than
any we had yet seen.
AN IMPERIAL CHAMBER.
Everything here was in immense
masses glittering stone of all descrip-
tions. From one side OF the wall, at a
height of FIVE feet, q ledge extended
about three feet, with a width of nearly
the same, and on it, as If sitting in a
chair, was a perfect figure, the profile
OF which we all simultaneously exclaim-
ed resembled Napoleon i. A little to
the right an immense formation Iesemb-
ling an eagle extended two huge wings
over a third of the enclosure, while
further on TO the right were two perfect
anvils, their bases imbedded in the rock
of the floor. This room has been named
"the blacksmith shop Leaving the
ladies at this point we climbed small
hill, wet and rather muddy, passed
through low sfebway and found our
selves in another chamber on the verge
of miniature lake five feet deep, and
so clear that with the aid of our candles
we could discern every stone in the
bottom. This lake is about twenty-five
feet long and fifteen feet wide. In this
room l collected several specimens of
slalactites, and also the most perfect imi-
tation of pieces of sponge | have ever
seen. In the middle Of this room is a
mound of blue stone with polish that
reflected our faces. Masses Of caulifow-
er seemed to be growing oyerthe mound,
and on one side several lunches OF
grapes. One of these lunches was so
perfect ] could scarcely realize that it
was a natural formation. could with
little trouble have cut it of, stem and
all, and was very much tempted to do
so. The ceiling of this chamber seem
ed to be composed of the softest sponge,
interlarded with clusters of diamonds.
Immense slabs hanging from the ceiling
of different thickness, about two feet
wide and tapering to four or fiveinches,
twelve and fifteen feet long, almost as
thin as sword blades and Of q beautiful
buff color, added to the beauty OF the
scene. When struck by any hard sub
stance they gave out musical sounds
similar to sounds made by. bells. Our
guides proposed TO US TO cross the lake
over a small bridge they had recently
constructed, but we declined, as the
structure looked rather fragile, and took
another route to the vaults beyond.
a THE GREAT THEATRE.
Retracing Our steps through several
rooms aud corridors our guides took an
opening to the left and led US through
several other rooms and over several
beautiful little streams of limpid water
to the edge Of a small precipice. Fol
lowing the edge of this precipiee few
yards we found place 10 cross, and
suddenly found ourselves in the yesti'
bule as if of a large theatre. On every
side ofus were beautiful white columns
and pillars, looking as il they had been
sculptured from the whitest marble. A
few steps further brought us into the
auditorium of the theatre. In all my
life i never saw grander structure
above ground Three tiers Of galleries
seemed 10 stand out before us; we seem
ed to be in the orchestra circle, with the
pit az our feet. Where the stage should
have been dark pail seemed TO obscure
the scene. It looked terribly grand
We could not belp recalling those pow