Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-02
The Lurey CaverHg.
Hickory GROVE. Va, Aug. 81. ISIS

10 the editor Of the Alexandria Gazette:
As The Lursy cavern is at present receiving
much attention from tourists. the following de.
sMiption, takap from volume ca!lsd "Firgin"
ia, its li,iory and suliq allies, pub'ishtd near
~ forty years sg,, may prove Of interest to
your readers. especially. as mn,y are under The
impression that its discovery is Of very recoat
date: y.
about QUO milo west Of The town Of Lursy.
10 Psgs cou1ty. il q oavs which is but little
inferior 10 extent and beauty 10 Wcyel's cave.
It's cptrsuoo is at lhs TOD Of small m 3untsio,
called Cave Hill. and, not bti'g viIy easy OF
access, is not mrcl visited. The most ST ,pdid
apartmcLts 10 l. aro COnerass AID Masonic
Halls. Alter descending, as We supposed,
about quarter Of mil,. the massage became
very smooth and straight, and gradually en-
srEcd until we p:Ic:iyld That We God 10 ironl
of room whose dimensions, from the ! Oh. OF
cur candles, W. c.ud not discover. The en-
lr,rca here. as 10 the room Wa first entered,
Gas ten or fifteen feet above tho level ct tho
fl,cr. Alter fa7 minutes. however, by cling
log to the pref: ions Of spar, which here Up.
psared ike largn ic:cles, the whole party stood
safely uaon the Il ,cr Of this great ro3m. Here
all tho wonder and magUticencs Of Tho subtor-
ransaD world burst upon US at oLoo. We found
that Ee stood IL recm. the area OF whose floor
was equal to quar:rr Of an 6c:e. Immediate.
~ before us. and withia few feGs of tina c:n-
tire OF tho room, aToie VsSl column or pillar in
some degree .comhlalgg Architectural proper
IioDs, aud tuuDi:g up gbsut thirty feel, aud
supporting the dome Of this inmenss hsll. This
column etasds upon block or lu1s p deslu' ,
sbou. three feet 10 hoiIht. aud the shaft. where
it rests upon it. il sbaut tho thickness OF o
mans b)d9. 1t then ssolis gradually uatil it
b: zines. st twenty feet from its base. about
the SIC, OF bsrfel. Wheuoo it continues about
the same s2, until IL gradually eDlargts lalo lis
capital, whore il reaches tho dom,. Strsogo
10 tell, til, vsst c!lunn is almost 81 rtgul iry
flated CT erooved AS il done BY he chissl of tho
sculpOr. About fifteen feet from the main pill
lsr stand two Smaller ONES, ,ut ton feet 10
| height, which. olUs qlanily do not reach the
coit e; aod jIst al this bnss, and nearly be.
| twCeu them, is small poll or basin of wafer.
We peroaiv,d by tho united glare of cur Gln-
dies that tho whole OF tho orch of this immense
hall was hung with tho mtss beautiful sta!ac.
ttcs and vsri: gated with almost ovtry shade oil
coor. 10 scmo pl,oos it was perfectly white,
| then rec gray or yellow, and in others, es tran
| sptraut MI gssI. la looking srouod US towards
The lights. which wcro dispersed 10 differeot
plrts of the hall. tho various nall spars or
| Iil.rs that were poinlit G up-otbors that had
beco detached from the ceiling al d lay scatter
cd abcu. the il,or aud NUMEROUS lsrg, blocks
| Ct o:yR,aIiZ I'd limAstonn produced novel and
slln0st iudoscriblblo le:ling. 1t docs not re-
qurs an naeinalon unusually itr7id to iker
| tEis dim pic, uro CT the foor 10 the uioiature
ruins Of soma sroat city, with fsw Of itsapiret
and scep'ej pjlo!ing M tom the rulLs, or Il
scmo nigh ton Ole. Nth its shattered columns
at laliru walls. with lit enough Of its mato
rlals 10 show tha style nt is IOrmer grandeur
la Mss>nio Hall, about tbree abd q half foot
above Tho level Of tbs floor, is oom plute wsins
CT, with apparent mCudiuGs. aud carv:d VOL
brOkin end d. sx Sss 10 one M
OF tho room stand throo la,g: splis, resemble
oandiesilcks Of mammoth siz,. These Mis-
ircm toe Il ,0r OF tho room with various enlarge
| mems and dtmeChl0us uoil they reach tho lev.
ell CT tho Walot coLipg, when tho spar which re-
aemblts candle set in q c.ntlesiek Fri. sod
up about Two lcof. As il to mhka resemblance:
moro striking. tho osndlcs:icks seem Of brczs
ool)r, Whllo tho candles arc nf clear Hlite
| The cfysta! z.lio1 90 The va | of Ibis room. il
10 baauii!ui waves ned folds resembling dap
orr. Al ono eUd l&rg, spsr resembling ,
BID post, stood in srikog reIiet from the wall
md largo iolda AID waves. resembling Irapery
seem to | / 10 tao rest OF tho bod. here Wa
stocd, uadreds OF feet below the surface, arc
nli half mile from tho entrance. tresdiug 10
| 90 spot. md gazing upon sosots tina. had moi
oncn disturbed slncu tho creation Of tha WoIl l.
Inc falling OF an aIcl. or the rolling of o stone
Into some OF the passages by which no HI d co
ter' q. wonld laVo shut US up forever 10 this
| void Ct etirnal wonders ana slyriaD da,knoss ;