Smyrna times., 1883-08-15

| OSSAy bOoANY anu WhiOO W$AohON1
and very often stone, and now and |
then a barbed wire was noticeable. |
Flies are plentiful but mosquitoes oh!
where, oh! where have they gone"
did ask. Most of the timber has
grown up since the war, it being
chiefly oak, chestnut, hickory, poplar,
some beech, pine, but very little maple.
The roads are narrow and quite rough,
hence there is little driving, horse
back riding being very common in
deed and indulged by both ladies and
gentlemen. The scenery down this
valley is grand. The mountains are
constantly in full view; passing as you
do between the Blue Ridge and Allie
ghany ranges.
Arriving at Luray you are i'll the
county seat of Page County, and op-
posite STONY Man" the highest point
of the Blue Ridge in this vicinity.
Here, too, is located the largest tannsry
: in the State, owned and operated by
the DeFord's of Baltimore. The won
derful caverns are about q mile from
the depot, and for 25 cents you can ride
> over and back. A house is erected
over the entrance to the cave, through
Il this, you pass down large stone steps
into the cave. The air at first feels
like that of cold cellar, thermometer
5S0 or co., but you soon get accustomed
to it. AS you stand at the head of the
grand entrance a feeling of awe and
utter amazement possesses you, that it
y is possible for such beauties to be found
IL so far under ground. This entrance is
e 80 feet wide by 100 feet long, and 35
q feet deep or high as you prefer. In
n the centre is Washington's Column, a
'e monster pillar 25 feet in diameter, and
le wonderfully and beautifully fluted
W Beyond this in long, arched, irregular
v space is the Flower Garden, it being an
L. endless variety of stalagmites, looking
10 quite like bed of flowers. Descend
lie ing well built wooden staircase you
" are shown the Bears Tracks, curiou!
IT indentations, very strongly resembling
le the scratches made by an animal hold
lg ing on by its claws. Next is the Thea
IT, tire, looking like great audience hall
q. From this you pass under the Natura
ld Bridge-most appropriately named.
We little in advance on the left is the Fisl
IS, Market; on the side of a projecting
at wall hang hundreds of sheet lik
u stalactites looking very much like row
&c, of fish strung up by the gills. All sort
gh and kinds can be readily seen. Passin
as on, PrOspines Pillar and Spectre Co
,er umn, beautiful white stalagmite fol
ist nation, is seen. Mammoth Tootl
as Frozen Fountain, the latter most fitting
GU ly named, are now passed. A seen
ne more lovely than sculptOrs chisel eve
up wrought, now groets the view, Angel
TO Wing, formation of alabaster whit
'et. ness, 10 feet high and Z feet wide, an
inc flecked all over with feather-lik
hes wrinkles, Beyond lies the Brid
the Chamber, so called on account of ii
us delicate stalactites and stalagmites o
> is curing there, Next you enter Giant
Hall, here you are impressed with
yer sense of grand massiveness. Titanis
Is Veil and Diana's Bath and the Saracen
lch Tent attract especial attention, Y
ne now enter the Cathedral with Its low
ose ly ceiling and walls and hear from Il
the Stone Organ the sweetest strains
ers familiar tunes, produced by strikil
ION, these thin stalactites with stick. Y,
OF are loathe to leave this lovely spot al
anu those enchanting strains, but as y
'Ver pass out YOU see the Fallen COlum
< of This is n nonderous stalaotite over
we feet long and IA feet in diameter a
ana weighs about 400 tons. 1t looks Ii
ugh an immense tree fallen across gult
reat The ceiling here looks like an invert
this forest of massive broken trunks. Dc
sted BILE Column is formed by the juncti
OF of two stalactites and two stalagmit
this massive indeed and about 60 feet hi
with The Lion and Cancels Head are es
PASS appropriately named, as Is also
mia Wet Blanket a most wonderful forr
'ton, ton. Many of these thin white sea
age shawls, blankets or whatever term J
Iost may select, are so thin that can
&C., held behind them can be plainly 81
twas and reveals thousand beauties Will
Kson Some of them are as white as sn
ents' others are most beautifully colored
his the impurities of the soil above, all
Till them beautiful beyond discripti
came Pluto's Chasm is q canyon 75 feet d
they and 500 feet long and varying in wi
Ie ON from 10 to 80 feet; what grand SC
8 up to stand at its head and look down
his deep narrow length. The lowest p,
ester. in the cave is the Ball Room $50
e are below the surface. The Birds
rrlble quite resembles that Of spaTrC
Thrift and contains three perfectly sha
every eggs, Another wonderful ouriosit
Won the Skeleton, supposed to be that o
IDS OF Indian, who, having fallen into
ction. opening, wandered about through
uuIA iaDyilhVhS VII over cOIne
re Is death.
grass In addition to the hundreds of
well dies, that line the walls of all the
K the nues and which greatly add to
Hey ! beauties of the caverns, are the ele
and l lights, whose brilliant rays the n
yether more clearly reveal the indiscrih
'loyed beauties that are above, around
lassed beneath you. The guides also c
racuse reaectors and watch you closer
fields. hawks that you may not rob the
8 well of the smallest bit of its formations
make In Luray Cave you are not reql
chiefly to crawl and and stoop and climb up
his at places and avoid large ponds ef Y
frame as in Mammoth and Wyandotte @
be ten. Those who have seen these Luray
high erns and have seen Others also q
Ieys at worlds caves, say that there are pS