The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-25

3 SteOenSEy- -Dibcovered In Ire 1luo a1tssI,
Mountains In Virginia.
Correspondence Richmond Religious Herald
Having seen nothing in the Herak
relative tU the latest discovery, which
adds another jewel to the crown of Viz
ginia's natural attractions, venture (,
offer the following-prefacing, however
that mere words are inadequate to en-
press isa weird and uuearthly beauty.
Learning that the cave would ho illu
minated on certain day, We resolved {,
be present. Leaving .Culpepper seyera
hours after dark, we enjoyed q night-rid'
TO Sperryville, a distance Of twenty miles
Reaching the foot of the Blue Ridge al
sunrise, We halted ON the banks of clear
sparkling stream for an hours rest and
breakfast. That stream how We bathed
our sleepy eyes, and dipped our drowsy
heads in its refresh;ng waters. And
breakfast coffee, boiling hot, clear,
strong and sparkling; accompanied by
ham, chicken, bread, butter, ETC., etc.
No Sybaxite feast, served on regulation
walnut, china and silver, ever equalled
those cold viands partaken Of from Ma.
ture's table, the ground; with
"Blue quiet above. green calm below"
and the restful stiffness of the fresh,
bright morning, broken only by the twit-
tering of birds and the murmur Of the
stream.
Ascending the mountain, the road
winds IN curves lcroEs its side; on one
hand, steep precipices; on the other,
towering cliffs. Mountains everywhere
peak beyond peak as far as the eye can
reach bet, standing sentinel.like above
the rest, is Mary's Rock, the highest
point on the Ridge Except the Peaks OF
Otter, the huge gray rock composing its
summit outlined in solemn grandeur
against the bright blue sky.
Reaching the summit Of the Gap"
we behold at our feet, stretching away to
the east, one of the finest landscape views
in the world-a section of the beautiful
Piedmont Valley, extending from the
Blue Ridge to Iidewater. Gazing on
this magnificent scene, encirclcd by the
huge arms of the mighty mountains, the
words of Habakkuk, in that grand prayer
of his on Shigionoth, wherein he de-
scribes the power and majesty of God,
thrilled through my mind: "He stood
and measured Che earth the everlasting
mountains were scattered, the perpetual
hills hills di1 ddi3 hh0w'' hh0w.''
Directly. on the road, near the top of
the mountain, stands time-worn,
weathey-beaten house, which sheltered
the infant years of Barbee the sculptor.
Descending the other side, we catch
some lovely panoramic views oftho fertile
Page valley. Under blazing sun; and
famed by q breeze which has lost its
original mountain freshness, We proceed
mp this valley to Luray, 8 pretty little
village which boasts two hotels and three
churches.
Just one mile northwest Of Luray, in
Page county, rises an unpretentious look
ing hill, whose soil is thin and poor,
bearing no vegetation except growth of
sorub-oak and pine, which crests tho top.
On the southeast side of this hill, near
the foot, lies the entrance to the cave,
oven which a twc-Etory frame building
has been erected. From the lower room.
we descend flight of steps fifty feet in
length, walled In on both sidcs. At the
bottom we nsaa through o log. esched
aperture, down moro steps, to platform
ofrack several feet high; from whence
another flight Of steps leads to the floor
Of the first Chamber.
Once there, we "'bout face" and look
iit the entraace, down which the light
filters In dim, blue Faya. On one side of
the opening, strongly outlined against
the dark rock Of the platform on which
they rest, are various groups of minis-
ture statnary, inarble-white, and perfect
ly chiselad; the other side is fanked by
d picturesque pills OF socka. Turning
again, We observe that this chamber iS
long and lofty. Fronting the entrance,
stands large column, reaching from
floor to ceiling, beautifully grooyed, and
bearing the patriotic appellation OF
Washineton'a monument. Behind this
column, @ line of similar formations ex-
tend the length of the room. Passing on
between this line and o wall on our LETT,
we bow to his majesty. the Elephant,
who stands On our path with ears down.
dropping, and o row of lights on his bach.
Head and ah6uldeTa are perfect, even to
coloring. Further on, O monkeys face
looks up at lis witk an expression of pre-
ternatural aagacity. Next comes the
Flower. Garden, an enclosure on our left,
where thousands of staiagraites, fantasti.
eally formed to resemble plants, glitter In
this brilliant light. Now We enter the
AMP, theatre, named because of its
formation. rather than its size, having
long rooted galleries around its sides, and
WElls and ceiling grandly ornamented.
Preparing to descend q flight of stepa.
our attention Ia called to hugo rock on
our right, which distinctly bears the claw
marks OF some animal, made In atsenpt-
ing to climb. Descending tho steps, we
treadss our way through a.ravino and up
another flight, on o level with which
hRnfTa n ynnvv of ffzitss ma y,luy,r, aua froal,