Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-18
THEY WE'RE DEAD.
Fortified Man, Woman and Hog
Found in u Cave.

Cor. Of COurier-J %oUrnal.l
SOMERSET, KY, February IA
sensation has been ahoat in the curl
osity-loying circles OF this place over
the discovery of a petriiied hog and
man in a cave south of this place, near
Tateville, on the Cincinnati Southern.
Your correspondent, doubling the
truthfulness of the reports, boarded
a train and skipped down there to in
.vestigate the affair.
The cave is about one mile from
the railroad. The mouth Of the cave
has the appearance of an ordinary
sink-hole, and the man who has the
hardihood to investigate this under
ground world must accommodate him
self to a considerable shower of water,
and wade through about 400 yards OF
mud. According to instructions, your
cor respondent provided himself with
lights, matches and a pair Of gum
boots, and plunged into the more than
Egyptian darkness of the cavern.
Guided by the faint flicker ofa miners
lamp, we pushed through a cloud Of
bats and waded through about a quar-
ter Of a mile Of slush, came into a large
aud spacious chamber, adorned in the
most artistic manner by nature's
handy artist. The ceiling was studded
with hundreds of white, slender sta.
lactites, while stalagnites raised their
white-tipped heads in silent wonder
through the murky darkness. Amidst
the forest of limestone columns arose
spotless affairs, made aud fashioned by
the yielding touch Of water.
Lighting a bundle of pine knots
hal we had prepared for the occasion.
we placed them in the natural chande.
liers, and their glare, shining on the
dainty formations, made a scene that
was unsurpassed by the most wonder
full trangformations of Aladin's lamp
Passing through the lovely depository
of natures treasures, we came into
the chamber that contained the OBJ.
jects Of our search. The hog lay neal
the center Of the room, and was per
feet in every respect except the loss o
a leg.
The stone man was lying near thu
entrance.
Judging from the stone Ratchet
and spear heads that lay around him
and the formation of his skull, h,
must have been an Indian.
After closely examining the bodie
we passed through this room an,
along a narrow passage of considera
bic length that terminated in a larg
and lofty chamber that seemed to b
the end of the cave, but on closely ex
aiming the wall we discovered a small
%crevasse. Crawling through thi
opening we came to a small ten by
twelve room, but the object that a
once chained my attention was a small
and exquisitely shaped female figure
in the finest state Of preservation
lying about the center of the room
The left hand was pressed under he
cheek while the ether was lying acros
the breast. The ~delicately carge,
lips were slightly parted. The fore
head was low, broad and intellectual
while a finely poised nose gave charae
ter and strength to the well -blende
features. AS | stood above the mar
bic figure that perhaps had lain in thi
silent chamber Of darkness for cehtu
ries, / thought if those sealed eye
eould open and the beautiful liz
move what a strange history the
would tell. What tho sad history {
} her life2 What misfortune oonsigne
her to a tomb in this cave, where tn
coming ages would sweep over the in
perishable monument of a poop
dead, forgotten and unknown.