The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-10-16

" iio"io o'er mountain roads. The
next morning we were impatient to be.
hoid the wonders that should be re.
Veaied: A short walk brought us to the
NIL, where a house has been built owe,
the entrance to the cave. tits proposed
to have hotel there; the site is perfect
no one could wish IL lovelier view. A
long flight Of steps led down to the
door through which we passed with ioln
guide, each one provided with candles
with tin reflector. Our first sensation
was OF darkness; we realized what was
the darkness that might be felt.' II
seemed to close around us. and o,w little
candles made scarcely. any impression
upon it with their feeble. flames. After
u While our eyes accustomed themselves
to the strange darkness, and we could
then see dim passages through which
we went, mysterious shapes around us.
we came to an open space the roof was
high above our heads; from it hung
Stalactites great and small, and folds of
drapery like curtains partly concealing
gloomy cayerns black rs night. Stalag-
mites rose like giant columns. fromnthe
ground. Some were of a yellowish,
earthly color; others were white and
gllstening. Here we decided to burn
some of the red fire we had brought with
us. The rosy light flashed over fantas-
TIC forms, giving them new beauty.
The cave was filled with warm, bril-
liant illumination. We gazed around in
breathless wonder at the scene dis
closed, and then the light was
gone, and smoke, dense, suffocating
smoke only remained. There was no
way for it to escape, and so there it staid,
making thick fog. "'This will not do
said the guide; GO no more red light in
here!' So ours was the first and last
| may say just here that after several
hours OF wandering and exploring the
intrlcacies of the cave, when we re-
turned to the scene of our little illumina-
ton, we found the smoke still there. I
hope in time it found its way out, but it
must have been Il work of time. The
farther we penetrated the more we were
entranced, and more wonderful became
the formations. We were allowed to
burn the magnesium wire we had
brought, as that gave but little smoke.
We had our guide to flash it upon what;
ever was of most interest, and by its
vivid light, we saw huge elephants, grin
ming monkeys, the fish market, where
hung rows of fish, looking as if yet wet
with their native water. In one cave
sat an old woman, us though erouching
down and shivering. High up on a
marble pedestal sat a, grand Turk
cross-legged, with turban on his head
and a flowing beard. Near him was
perched an eagle on what looked like
an old dead tree. We saw the Tower
of Babel towering upward in pride, arch
upon arch rising white and beautiful,
and we saw Pinto's Cavern, dark sand
grim, and looked down into its untold
depths of blackness. Then, as we
CROPPED our way along, on either hand
were dim, mysterious vaults that one
could easily fancy must be the abode of
elves and spirits. A little child, the
youngest of the party, started back.
From one of the blacklist recesses APP
preached, or seemed to approach. us, a
tall figure most ghostly in its appear
ance. One arm was extended, the 9th
er seemed to be holding together the
long white veil with which it was envel-
oped from head to foot. An irresistible
made us strain our eyes to
discern the features that it seemed to try
to hide, and yet one felt sure that what
was hidden was horrible.
A few steps on brought us to a differ
cnt scene. An angels wing, white and
beautiful, guarded the entrance to glo-
rious cathedral. Stately rows of col
umns and noble arches appeared, and
ut the farthest end was seen huge or
gan. Suddenly we were startled by
strange sounds that broke the silence
from the organ came strains of unearth-
ly music-for as the guide swept his
hand over the pipes they responded to
his touch and sent forth a weird melody.
Beyond this we found the g dancing
hail." the largest of all the apartments.
1t is difficult to estimate size where ev-
cry thing is so odd and unusual, but this
hall is said to be about the size of the
rotunda of the Capitol ut Washington.
From one of the doorways we see a fair
lady hurrying away, her flowing drapery
of creamy lace trailing behind her in
her flight. 1t is Cinderella fastening
from the ball. BY a strange freak,
which struck us us pathetic, in a corner
Of the dancing hall we find the 'seeme-
tery." 1t has been rallied off as though
to protect from desecration the heayimg
mounds and grave-stones standing up
fight. c 11 SO
A human interest is given to the cave
by tragedy here enacted. Years ago
a poor Indian boy was losti these deep
recesses. What must have been his
feelings of horror and dismay, buried
alive in such avault! We find the foot
print of his moccasin and notice how he
has Slipped a little ON the muddy path
the print has become as hard as stone
and there it has remained to touch
with pity for his fate the hearts of those
Of another race after long ages have
passed and his people have been swept
from the land. Some distance from the
showing how be- had wan
Tered we find where he had fallen. Poor
BOY! he struggled hard, no doubt, for
MS life, but a deep and terrible pit-fall
capped before him; into it he fell, and
here his skeleton now liesahah buried 4