The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-21

Trip ~ Larsy.
N"0NTAIN SCENERY rs vracYxrA-frn.v
CAVE COMPARED WITH wTYER's
lcorresgondence Of the Richmond D,sun,e,.1
LLorp's, Essex COUNTY. va
W. september 20, lss2.
We nave heard 50 much of the ,Irav
cA'e' ID rage county, Va. that we made
w = party from our home. more than a
hundred miles distant, to visit il and COM
I,Ase u VIII Meyers, which we had s.r,,
.ne year btsore. We flied q carriage ana
t"o Dnggies with people, bacrare md
leroFisiofss, and started with the deterrni-
iaiaon 10 rough y. Il need were The e..
st'AEes 70 fredericksburg aud then In chi.
Pef~T courthouse were easy: hut newt
Gay : Journey was long and fafictlinp and
o,eI rocky roads. Going through spcrrv-
,liie-a pretty but primitive little noun
IAN Niliage-we we're struck with the
oe~'HF ana brlliiaDcy Of the flower.
grouped IN tiers before many Of the houSes
aad concluded 10 lunch on the other side
VI anis pace, Where some huge rocks offer
90 tables and seats. II was With some
lear OF rattlesnakes that we availed our-
selves OF these resfing-places. for last rear
uhaef boulder ike these we had sur-
Ialsed radiesnake. and one OF our party
stlil bore The title acquired bv it, slaughter.
A&Fmg refreshed ourselves without nd
venture, We resumed the vehicles. and
here began the real beauty 81 our journey
scene Of Wild grandeur, which rms in
pressed IL sublimity forever on mind and
memory. The maCniheence u Tbornton's
Gap. With IL varying scenery, a. we A.
cended the mountain side. cannot be de-
scflbed, and Mary's K0ck." on a noun
iain 0i The same name. lowered above u
II eyer-shutiDg shape and proportions. A
cool breeze had sprung up after a hot DAYS
Journey, and rs our refreshed horses moved
freely over the winding mountain roads.
shaded 10y magnificent trees. nature seemed
% have combined every attraction for this
drive. destined 10 stand alone in our memo
ries.
Near the mountain-top j. very old
house. inhabited bv q family apparenfly
consisting Of three generations: and on
that peaceful August afternoon imagined
II IN q winter storm. surrounded bv snow
covered mountains and shaken by fierce.
ice-laden winds. A clear ircesione spring
sp0uted out near the roadside. and We
stopped 10 enjoy luxury rarely tasted in
this limestone country. But the shade, Of
night were failing. and we had still more
than ten miles 70 travel 10 Lurav. so that
we could not Encer amid these scenes q
gigantic loneliness, however beautiful they
might Ice. and we pushed on with renewed
vig0r. n the descent o. the mountain now
enabled u % increase our speed. We
bade q prophetic farewell 10 Mary's noun
tain, with il clerv-dcfned rock on the
lofty summit. for in our return journey the
mOuntain-toPs were enyeloped in mists,
and the view. although still Craudlv beau
tiful. was utterly changed. On 70 LUrav
was now The word. and a. We drove into
the-out, kirts q the village the conflicting
claims Of the Rust House and the Luray
Inn were presented 20 our notice.
After comfortable nights rest we re-
paired 10 the cave. which l. not IN
mountain side ike Wtyer's. but appa-
rently eXcavajcd in ~ open held. The day
was 0ppre.sivclv warm. but no sooner had
We descended "a few steps than the damp.
cool armosuhcrc induced "a general dom
nlng q coats and wraps. We were iortu-
na;ciy provided with over-hoes. which
were nearly drawn Oh Try The wet clammy
soil. hut were quite Indispensable. There
was L large party Of explorers beside. our
own. and the guide went IN advance,
while q colCTed man said 10 reside IN TIE
cave. volunteered ll. services % the ioli-
erer- In the rear. Il designated large
mast # rock Dear the entrance ~ Jumbo.
and later on excited general laugh ~
p0iutin- 0ut " Fluto's" instead ~ Plu-
to- " chasm. II would be needless rope
tition 70 enumerate the Weli-knOWn Won
ders Of this celebrated cave. saiu 10 be see
ond only % the Mammoth cave II hentuc-
XIV: but striking a. they are, the st2iaciIic
formations scarcely equal IN our estimation
those II Viewers less extensive caYerns.
There I. 2 vividness and variety q color
inr in the latter. eclipSing the TINS % IL
more northumberland rival, but LtrAy
can boast Of rare beauty IN " iianla :
VEIL The Angels Wing and The
Imperial spring" besides mmy others 100
numerous 20 mention. iuMcrous moi
dent impressed the Imperial >prlng on our
mlnd-. FOR az he turned corner ol rock Ia
behold .ts magic beauties, tall tanner
stepped INTO the spring. and. anna shoL'
Il laughter from the bysiAnders. soou-
uaturedlv suggested that The spot shoulu
henceforTh be called " The Tanner A.
We were more than Two hours tApoTlA4'
even imueriectly, these suoieiraneah MAJ
wells. and some oi our party were more m
messed rs the bones n an lndlan pol lm-
bedded In The rock - one o. Tie caNefhs'
and suggesting hi lonely. unnotlced death
probably caused hv starvation. than by any
natural Phenomena. In the loffy ballroom
whose walls latcly echoed the inspiring
..Gloria I'm Excelsis," sung iy lady VS.
ifor we wished vRinly for some equal!
lifted songstre-s. hut We're fain 70 con'ehl
ourselves with the gratncail0n o. VuI
,-i.n.l organs. Refracing our steps pas'
=. The Saracen's Tent" Sc Frozen foun'
tain - and other subterrancan mary els We
nan>ed 70 moralizc on ." The Fallen cor
nmn." a vast pillar overfhroWn centuries
MO by some natural convuislQn' anu lol
orr own infnitesimal pettiness conquered
with the silent grandeur Of these prrneN'
formations. with i sigh Of mingled re
e-ref and relief we breathed once more In ID
MINER air and returned 70 .. busy III
TT TOUEIsT.
Virginia News.
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