The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-09-07

Corrinas Dome, and the Black Hole OF Cal
cutta, a dark deep pit. We examine Stella's
Dome, one Of the finest in the cavern and
$50 fifty feet high. After ARRIVING al Hebe's
Spring, the guide invites us up stairs. We
climb ladder, go through hole in the
roof and find another large cavern. We
ask its name, the gnide makes no reply till
he lights his oiled paper. He then says:
Look; do You know where you are?" Yes;
We realize ut once that we are in the
wonderful Martha's Vineyard. Nothing
in the cave will compare with this spot in
beauty, except the Star Chamber. From
the ceiling and walls are hanging countless
nodules and globules that look like punches
OF luscious grapes. Some are white and
Others dark; all we'll shaped and tempting.
No hand is allowed to touch these gems
the eye alone can feast on them. We
could have remained here an hour, but as
the guide commands we march when he
gives the order and soon enter the Holy
Sepulcher. From here we go to WASH
ington's Room, where lunch is served
from the hotel. After dinner we visit
the Snow Ball Room, and see on
the ceiling rocky formations which
greatly resemble snow balls. We then
follow the passage known as Cleavel and
Cabinet-a treasure house of aiabaster
brilliants. In these arches, that span fifty
feet, are limitations of all the flowers that
grow in the garden. The scene is bewilder-
ing and enchanting. We forget we are
in cave but feel more like dreaming of
oriental gardens. For two miles down
the avenue we see little but alabaster
shaped in mimicry of every conceivable
flower. At one place stands arge cross,
entwined with stone rosettes. Clusters
wreaths. garlands, and bouquets decorate
the walls in this crystal paradise Under
the effect of bright lights they shine and
sparkle like so many diamonds. We stop
at all the. finest places in the avenue-Flo-
ra's garden, Vale of Diamonds, Charlotte's
Grotto, cross the Rocky Mountains and
stop in Croghan's Hall, where may be seen
the finest stalactites in the cave. Here the
guide wants to show us another horrible
pit, which he says is twenty feet wide and
one hundred and seventy-fve deep. This
pit is known as the Maelstrom. w. C.
Prentice, son of George D. Prentice,
was the first man brave enough
to undertake to explore its dark recesses
He agreed to be lowered into the pit. A
rope was fastened around his waste and he
commenced the descent into depths never
before seen by man. Half down he encount-
cred waterfall, but, nothing fearing, he
went on till he reached the bottom of the
pit. On ascending, he stopped at IL niche,
disengaged the rope, wrapped it around a
stalactite and followed the opening for a
considerable distance, passing through large
chambers and under high arches till the av-
enue closed. On returning to the pit what
must have been his feelings to discover that
the rope had become disentangled and was
swinging out beyond his reach? A more
timid man would have tainted at the pros
pect and given himself up as lost. Not SO
with Prentice. He tore up his lamp, twist
ed the wires together, making hook,
caught the rope, secured it to his body and
gave the signal to be drawn up. His
friends and the guides had become alarmed
at his long stay, and, the story goes, they
pulled up the rope SO hurriedly that it was
fired by friction as it rubbed the rocks.
This is the end of the Long Route and
we are to return by Purgatory and the Cork
Screw. This way is selected to avoid Fat
Mans Misery and is no improvement on it.
Purgatory is difficult road and the Cork
Screw is almost impossible. To travel il
we must twist around and over rough rocks
crawl through holes. climb one ladder and
descend another, squeeze into crevices and
gerous chasms, until we ascend a great
height and reach the Main Cave We have
not seen all the grand objects the cavern
contains. nor could we were we to visit il
every day for week. The old guides say
that to see every crook and Granny one
must walk one hundred miles.
As Mammoth Dome is but little out of the
way we prevail on the guide to take that
route. This Dome is the largest and grand
stahall ever discovered under ground. To
see all of its grand proportions several blue
lights are necessary. 1t is estimated to be
four hundred feet long, one hundred and
fifty wide and from eighty to two hundred
and fifty high. Down to pool in the CEN
ire the water is constantly flowing from the
top of the dome. Time has wrought elabo-
rate alabaster drapery on the walls. At
the further end of the hall is the Egyptian
Temple, the roof of which seems bourn up
by six powerful columns, eighty feet high
and twenty-five feet in diameter. The col
umns are deeply futed and are veneered
with yellow stalagmite. This chamber is
as great curiosity as are the Pyramids of
Egypt. We now return to the Main Cave,
pass the Kentucky Cliff, the old saltpetre
watts, approach the Narrows and see ahead
the faint CLEAN of daylight. 1t grows
brighter as we advance, till ahead there is
glorious su nburst and the earth GEMS
bathed in sparkling brilliants. The sun is
shining on the rill that is still running over
the mouth of the cave, the trees seem dress
ed in richer verdure than when we left
them, the birds are singing sweetly and all
nature lends acheerfulness to the scene. We
pause at the mouth few moments so that
the change from the atmosphere of the cave
to that outside may not be too severely felt
We then ascend, look at Steven Bishops
grave, whom the headstone says was the first
guide, and turn our backs ON the cave per-
haps for the last time. We have been I'M
der ground nine hours but within that time
have seen worlds of mysterious beauties and
innummerable grand sights.
Some of our readers may like to know if
trip to the cave is expensive. No. The
place is not cursed with such robbers as you
encounter at Niagara Falls. Everything is
conducted in plain, Southern style, and the
prices are moderate. The stage fare from
Cave City, on the Louisville and Nashville
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