The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-25
9adersatt gatelligsaeer,
LURAY CAVE.

LURAY CAVE.
A Description. OF tho Wonderful Cavern
Recently. Discovered In the Blue Rid5e
Mountains in Virginia.
Correspondence Richmond Religious Herald.
Having seen nothing in the Herald
relative to the latest discovery, which
adds another jewel to the crown of Vir-
ginia's natural attractions, I venture to
offer the MISUNDERSTANDING, however,
that mere words are inadequate to e1-
press it weird and unearthly beauty.
Leaning that the cave would be illu-
minated on certain day, We resolved to
be present. Leaving .Culpepper several
hours after dark, we enjoyed night-rlde
to Sperryville, distance of twenty miles.
Reaching the foot of the Blue Ridge at
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 refreshing waters. And
breakfast coffee, boiling hot, clear,
strong and sparkling; accompanied by
ham, chicken, bread, butter, etc., etc.
{. No Sybarite feast, served on regulation
walnut, china and silver, ever equalled
those cold yiands 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 ouly by the twit-
tering of birds and the murmur of the
stream.
Ascending the mountain, the road
winds in curves across its side; on one
hand, steep precipices; on the other,
towering cliffs. Mountains everywhere /;
peak beyond peak as far as the eye can
reach; but, 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 Tdewater. Gazing on
this magnificent scene, encircled 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 the earth; the everlasting
mountains were scattered, the perpetual
hills did bow"
Directly on the road, near the top of
the mountain, stands a time-worn,
weathef-beaten house, which sheltered
the infant years of Barbee the sculptor.
Descending the other side, we catch
some lovely panoramic views ofthe fertile
Page valley. Under blazing sun; and
famed by breeze which has lost its
original mountain freshness, we proceed
up this valley to Luray, 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
scrub-oak and pine, which crests the top.
On the southeast side of this hill, near
the foot, lies the entrance to the cave,
over which two-story frame building
has been erected. From the lower room,
we descend fight of steps fifty feet in
length, walled in on both sides. At the
bottom we pass through low, arched
aperture, down more steps, to a platform
of rock several feet high; from whence
another fight of steps leads to the floor
of the first chamber.
Once there, we "'bout face" and look
at the entrance, down which the light
filters in dim, blue rays. On one side of
the opening, strongly outlined against
the dark rock of the platform on which
they rest, are various groups of minia-
ture statuary, marble-white, and perfect
ly chiseled the other side is fanked by
q picturesque pile of rocks. Turning
again, we observe that this chamber is
long and lofty. Fronting the entrance,
stands q large column, reaching from
floor to ceiling, beautifully grooyed, and
bearing the patriotic appellation of
Washington's monument. Behind this
column, line of similar formations ex-
tend the length of the room. Passing on
between this line and wall on our left,
we bow to his majesty, the Elephant,
who stands on our path with ears down
dropping, and row of lights on his back.
Head and shoulders are perfect, even to
coloring. Further on, monkeys face
looks up at us with an expression of pre-
ternatural sagacity. Next comes the
Flower Garden, an enclosure on our LETT,
where thousands of stalagmites, fantasti-
cally formed to resemble plants, glitterin
the brilliant light. Now we enter the
Amphitheatre, named because of its
formation, rather than its size, having
long-roofed galleries around its sides, and
walls and ceiling grandly ornamented.
Preparing to descend fight of steps,
our attention is called to huge rock on
our right, which distinctly bears the claw
marks of some animal, made in attempt
ing to climb. Descending the steps, we
tread. our way through a.rayine and mp
another flight, on level with which
hangs q row of fish, as plump and fresh
looking as if Just taken from their native
element. Our way now lies through
long hall, fanked by galleries and arches
on either side, every step presenting new
objects of interest and beauty. On the
walls of this hall hangs Titania's Veil, q
dainty, lace fabric, clinging to its support
like mist wreath.
The walk now leads over hill, where
the roof nearly touches our heads; and
then we stand on the brink of Pluto's
Chasm, which is forty feet wide and
seventy feet deep. A railing protects his
maiesty's dominions, and we look shud-
deringiy into the awful blackness of its
depths; but, suddenly, a calcium light
blazes on the scene, thousand brilliant
colors leap to vivid, sparkling life on the
opposite wall, and the awful darkness Is
trans6gured into tender, shimmery sea
of moonlight radiance. So may some OF
the dark chasms of life appear when the
light of Gods providence is brought 20
bear upon them. =,
Turning to the left, we cross the side