The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-30
Que great attraction. No one knows who

oeO BtCet uttIaCtlOu. mo one KNOWS VINO
first discovered it. Probably the man
whose bones lie at the bottom of Skele-
ton Gulch was tFo first one to enter it,
but he never lived to tell the story. Itis
said that the cave was known hundred
years ago, and that there is to-day a map
which was drawn century since. If 80,
1t is funny that the cave ehould have
been forgotten and the entrance closed,
for until prospector0 made the discovery
couple of years or sn ago no one in this
neighborhood knew anything concerning
IT, except, possibly, in legendary form.
One of the proprietors is Jerseyman,
Oelieve. He and his companion became
convinced, from the formation Of the
Land, 80 they say, that there was cave
here. Perhaps they knew something
concerning the map, but however that
may be, they began Q systematic search.
Ihey dug down into the earth and fiual-
lly found e big hole. One of them let
himself down with a rope and found
himself in long passage way. The men
bought the land, but as soon as the orig.
lnal owner discovered what was up, he
considered that he had bsen cheated in
some way, and Immediately began suit
to recover. 1t will take q long time 10
settle tho ownership of this cave, for the
Supreme Court will finally have to do.
eide the question. Just how large the
cave is l don't know. There are parts CT
it that haven't been opened up to visitom
yet. Right over the opening is little
house, where the requisite candles and
lights are obtained, and then, with Guide
Coivin in the lead, you step on to the
stairs and go down dark and steep in
cline until far below the surface of the
earth.
WONDERS UNDER GROUND.
It is possible that some people may
form some sort of an idea what q cave ia
before they visit one. 1t is possible they
may have clearer idea when they como
ont I didn't. 7: ;s wTonddrroils affair.
of course; but just where the thing be.
gins and just where the thing ends, and
where the sides are, if there are any, and
where the centre is, if there il any,
don't know. All know is that with four
or five Others wandered around at tho
rate of mile an hour for three hours,
and didn't know where I was any of the
time. There are stalactites and stalag-
mites on every side, and any quantity of
curious formations of all sorts. You 20
through narrow passages, you go through
passages With high roofs and you crawl
through passages with low roofs. It is
worse than the Catacombe themselves.
You go into large chambers and small
chambers and caverns and gulches and
all sorts of things. They will show you
the Washington Column and the Spectre
Column, which looks exactly like q big
white ghost rising out of chasm. Then
they will allow you to drink lime water
out of the Crystal Lake and take another
drink out of the DEVILS Lake. They
will take you to the Fish Market, where
there is a goodly collection of curious
rocks resembling species of the fnny
tribe. They will show you stony dog
and stony animals of all sorts; leather
made out of stone and whole patch of
potatoes of the same material. They
will take yogto the Natural Bridge and
play tune for you on an organ of stalac-
tites or stalagmites or something or other.
A beautiful Angels Wing fits before
your eyes, and the slender Riding Whip
you want to steal as memento of the
visit. You can look over into the Bot
tomless Pit, and belieye, if you care to,
the story that no one has yet been able
to find its depth. Then you can climb
down into Skeleton Gulch and see the
oones: a good many people don't care
to undertake the trip, as it. Is rather dan
gerou:s, but saw q lady go down into
tho chasm in safety the other day and
then laugh at her companions because
they did not dare to follow her. About
the time you enter the Ball Room you
conclude that you don't know where you
are. 1t is large chamber with yaulted
roof aud plank floor, and everybody that
enters the cave has to como here and
dance. When it is illuminated it is very
beautiful. It is somewhere in the direc-
ton of the centre of the earth, but lust
Ther6 the guides can tell you can't,
The cave is indeed wonderful affair.
There is something new at every turn, and
when the open air is reached you are
about ready to turn around and 20 down
into that dark hole again.