The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-05-20
4 Trip to Mammoth Cave.
by LErHE.

4 Trip to Mammoth Cave.
by LErHE.
Ii vas during the summer of 1859, and
4 merry party Of ns, six in number, we're
estiyating at II delightful Watering place
IN Tennessee. 4 journey to Mammoth
Cave was proposed aud heartily aequi-
escrts in by all Of MS. ". started of pne
fne afternoon and By IL o'clock r. NJ.
had reached Cave City, II small town
where VIC found nothing, inviting except
the stage which halted at the door OF the
hotel the following nornng to take us
to Mammoth Cave Hotel. After beau
tiful ride of seven miles through pictur-
.sqne woods where our attention was
constantly attracted by wild birds, gay
flowers, rabbits anl squirrels dartiltg
1iither and thishcr, our spirited steeds
dashed MP TO the door OF the Cave Hotel,
where We were ushered into comfortable
apartments and stroye to rest awhile be-
fore partaking OF onr MONDAY rerast
preparatory to an afternoon visit to the
Cave. We three ladies were soon aroused
by loud knock ut our door and an old
woman wanted to know ii we would
like to buy airy basket Of peaches :"
We invited her i'll, gave her /. seal, and
while we inspected her wares let her
rattle on in her unpublished back woods
style. She gave a most humorous ac-
eonnt Of the eclipse Of the sun that had
occgrresl abont IA week ,,reyions. After
becoming intensely excited Mt her own
story, she wound up by declaring that
all the chickens had gone to roost it
was SO dreadful dark like" and that lis
she watched the night gather around,
she actually seed stars fall aud !,usti"
This weird gel,ins quite eclirsed the
Nooing god Morpheus, aud after making
our toilets ant! enjoying II suinptuous din
her, We FASTENED to don our fancy COS
tunes to Joiu u party Of twelve who
We're going TO do g Tie Short Route''
1t was verify Il pretty sight as we all
presented ourselves, gaiiF beheckcd in
our gorgeous costumes, to lie guides who
awaited rs 1T the mouth of tile Cave
The weather WAS very warm and for
twenty feet around the formidable look
Ing month we could i;n,i,e the cool,
uniform temperature tShalesi. After
breathing its insigoratinJ air for a while
we entered the chnsin. IL ID soon found
our lanterns most useful e:,ch one OF us
must needs carry one to assist the guide
in throwing sufficient light to penetrate
the truly black darkness" On the
Short Route" which is only five miles
in length, the most noticeable teatnres
were the Giants Cotin, the Stone Hat
where II coi'sumptiye is said to have re-
sided for six months iii hopes of complete
recovery from inhaling the ncyer-vary ing
temperature Of the Cave. the mercury
ranging uniformly at about COG; and
lastly, the Star Chamber. The latter is
perfect representation Of the heavens
on a clear, cold night, richly studded
with brilliant stars. In the midst of the
shining orhs there CLOVIS !, comet which
is most perfect. This exquisite phase OF
nature beggafs description and has to be
viewed to lie appreciated. Having me-
Andercd some ten miles, We f,lud our
selves at nshtfall, again at the mouth
~, II.
assembled into the outer world, am. it
would he difficult to describe the disa
gree;,ble atmosphere that greeted our
lungs as we wendell our way to the hotel
1t seemed as if we We're entering an over,
nf intense heat, and 1T was some time
before we became accustomed to the
change of temperature. We exclaimed
on emerging, that did we live withi;,
reach Of the Cave, we would Dril,l Il
h"nse within close proximity of it's mouth
and spend the summer there.
Alter fegalng ourselves with q tempt
n:s~sHrp.r which, We found ready, W,
repaired to the ball room where, yr.ete,
by livcliest music, We sped on with nj.
merry dance until the I" Sn1a' wee hours
reminded the jewellers that ROSY NOR,
would soon kiss away nights peaceful
siumbcrs, and we hi,d us to our cots
there to dream over our days adventure.
and pleasures
bright aud early on the following day
our party were ready in costume for +:
)annt on 1.-The Long Route" BY II
O'Clock all " as ready, and party o.
twenty-five entered the Cave. Onward
sc wandered, attentive to the explana
ti"ns and descriptions Of our wo,1b,
guides, forcing our way through the Fa1
Mans Misery, STOPPING to conquer til.
IAN Mans Horror, cautiously stealing
over the Bridge of Signs, fearing ane
Trembling lest we make Il falls. ster ant
tumble into the Dead Sea that surge,
beneath it, aud wake to find ours,lyr,
III etefnlfy-tnr once i'll this body u
water, forty feet deep, there would be n,
human power great enongl, TO rcscu,
You: listening with interested car to til,
ticking of Giandfsfher's Clock, which
always. faithful to it's duty, never rin!
down; standing in wonder 1T Napoleon
k"fnnda, throwing stone after stone mt.
the Bottomless Pit and never even hear
ing them afterwards, viewing in mut.
reverence tile Pulpit from which untor
'nna'eiy we did not enjoy the pleasrr
Ut Il sermon, as we were minus Il minis
YpE Dir ltaIia Ii