Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-12-03

In lOOklnX aTOuuu you tO"HiuS th'
light which was disperced in different
parts Of the hall, the various small spars
of pillars that were pointing up-others
that had been detached from the roof
and lay scattered about the fioor-and
numerous large blocks Of crystallzed
limestone, produced novel and almost
indescribable feelings. 1t did not re-
auire an imagination unusually fervid to
lken this dim picture OF the aoor. to
The ruins of some great city. with few
of its spires and steeples pointing up
from the moulderIng ruins-or to some
mighty temple, with its shattered and
hi oxen columns and fallen walls. with
lust sufficient Of its material TO show the
sly le Of its former magnifcence.
When VIC bad finished our repast
and collected our forces to push for
ward in quest OF further discoveries, We
concluded 10 call this room Congress
Hall Its magnifcencc being equalled
by nothing within our knowledge. We
now proceeded to tie left Of the en-
trance by which we came into the hall
entered an opening which presented it.
self, and by following rather uneven
and difficult passage, we very soon ar
rived in another room. Here we found
very pleasing subject for admiration.
A large block or projection Of the rock
at one side ofthis room was hung around
with vast number Of stalactites Of
every possible variety OF shape and
size, from the thickness Of one's finger
to that OF your arm, AID slx inches to
tree Or four feet in length. Some OF
the party striking one Of the larger OF
these stalactltes. loud, full sound was
emitted, something like the tone OF a
church bell. Several Of the party then
drawing pieces OF spar across these
stalactiles, alternately and in concert
with each other, 1t produced rude and
not unpleasIng kind Of melody, with
every graduation of note, from the
deepest tone ofthe organ to the finest
note of the flute. This room was
somewhat aptly called the music roenl !;
finding no convenient outlet from this
room, other than the one by which we
entered, We returned to Congress Hall.
After We entered this hall again, and
continued to the right until We came to
the .reat stair Hay BY which we had first
entered, we discovered, greatly to our
surpr sc, that this entrance projected
inio the hall twelve or fifteen ieet. and
was nearly rs many feet from the floor.
YOU can form some idea OF this singu-
lar entrance by supposlng a SCARE box
with It's ends open to be projected thro'
a window into room. This projected
ur funuel part ofthe entrance, appeared
ta be formed by the same process. that
the stalactites and spar had been ; and
its bottom, under which we could all
walk and view it, seemed not 10 be
moxe than nine or ten inches in Thick
ness. Immediately TO the right OF this
passage, commenced what We Yerv
properly called gallery. This gallery
WAS considerably above the level vi the
room, and contained a great quantity
of very brilliant spar. The side OF the
gallery next to tho hall was entirely
open, from which you could look down
into Il.
We left the gallery, and still coniin-
ulng to the right around the hall, we
entered a cavity 10 the floor, and alter
traversing q tolerably long aud difficult
passage, We arrived at q very regular
room, the side walls and ceiling OF
which seemed to be the clear blue
limestone, with a thin chrystalization as
clear as glass. on their surface. We
could reach the ceiling, upon which
many Of US wrote our names with white
chalk,-the day OF the month, year, &c.
The room was called the Glazed Cham
Der. In the passage leading to this
chamber, we discovered, attached to
the side Of the rock, what happened to
be complete and perfect couch shell.
The shape and size-the smoothnes'
and delicate red on the inside, and the
rouyhncss on the outside, with the lit
tie circle of knobs near the top, all
precisely corresponded with the product
of the sea. And it appeared that a yerJ
gentle tap would have detached it from
the rock. Within a few inches Of this
vas pelrlfcation exactly resembling
the human heart. It's colour, shape and
size all precisely correspond. And
near this again, the perfect leg, foot
and talons OF bird, projected from the
rock. These several objects were so
clearly and completely detin d and 50
closely resembled their original, as to
strike the mind even Of the most mat
tentive observer. with degree of as
tonishment.
From the glazed chamber we all once
more returned TO congress- hall, and
continued our discoveries TO the right
around the room. We perceived now
lal a. the arch Of this great room be-
came lower. large stalactites were pro-
iected from it aud reached the floor
t,us forming beautiful colonade or row
of shining pillars in line with the
d rection OF the room, and three or four
feet from its wall, leaving between this
e ,louade aud the wall, beautiful re
cess. In this recess, one ofthe simplest
vet one Of the great wonders Of the cave
uufold.d itself.
This Was a spring Of water, that ap-
peared as clear as ether. This pool ol
l., -. -. Go, d,a anf