Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-05
uyDER NORTH MOUNTAIN.
rhe Great Cave that Joins Two West
virginia Counties.

HINDER NORTH MOUNTA1N.
| Tn. n.. r.x. that Joins Two West
virginia Counties.
| BIT OF INTERNAL SCENERY AS hhv AALAD o1
THE FIrFUL FLARE OF LANTEhNs-DoAhD
CHAMBERS AND yAULTED GALLERIKs-BATS,
ECHOES, AND SPARKLING srALACTiTH.
Correspondence Of The EVENING STAR
Fort SPRING, W. VA, August u.
I wonder how many OF the readers OF IHE
STAR know what wonderful DTS OF SCENERY
| these rugged mountains near the "hi'e Sui
phur hide behind their rocky screens! re"
know the secret, I imagine, else lons sinoe
would the caves have echoed to the Steps Vi
exploring parties, and the cliffs wouia nave
bristed with artists easels and tourist um-
brellas. As yet, however, only stray specimens
OF either easels or umbrellas have found theif
way here, and my initiation into these
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS was due TO an ARTIST
friend who threw out such enticing
hints that packed up my brushes and coiors,
July sun. or cliff and valley and mountain,
torrent, the canvas of myself and 1riehd couIu
.eii better than my pen, but, TOR the psnehs % %
a cave that lies about two miles oisCan. iIOm
the farmhouse where we are domiclied. our
party starts early ss .ne arIY
Drlstling with lanterns and heavy aipenstocks
The mistress of the farmhouse speeds the part
Ing guests by saying. with q knowing grin;
You ladies II find the road rayther rough
Rough! Well, yes-slightly SCATTER ABOUT iOO
yards of comparative level the road dwndies
down TO a mere sheep-path, that clings dlzzlly
10 steep hillside, or plunges sheer down one
GIN, only to go straight up another, until the
ladies are out OF breath and patience TOO. How
ever, after much scrambiing, we reach the cave
ut last. True, we are somewhat battered and
dilapidated in appearance, and therefore rather
inclined to regard ourselves as heroes and
heroines. The entrance TO the cave is not very
reassuring-a back ground of stern gray cliff. at
the base OF which rocks are piled in chaotic con-
fusion; underneath a boulder that drOops for
ward threateningly, the ground gives place to a
A YAWNING HOLE,
black as night, and whence issues an icy breeze
that makes us shiver even under July sun.
But down we 60, the gents first, the ladies some
what shakily after them, creeping on hands
and knees for about ten yards; then the rocky
ceiling lifts little, and we crouch half-dOuble
until the foremost man straightens up sud
denly with a sigh of relief, and we all do like
wise, for the arched roof is now full fifty feet
above us, and the walls are lost in the sur
| nounces the guide ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, ladies
and gentlemen that the floor is perfectly level,
| from the walls depend stalactites exactly re-
sembling punches of grapes; at the further end
of the room is stand for the musicians;
yonder rocky ledge along the sides forms
seats for spectators, and in the western corner
the stalactites and stalagmites unite to form a
spacious alcove." We do 'observe all we are
told and more too, although the icy tempera-
for any length of time, so we move on, now
and then hearing tinkIe OF falling waters or
Sen9"s dulsd by rocky walls inter
too strong for him; swinging his lantern and
trolling merry snatch of song he makes q
break neck dive over some slippery rocks,
and-goes with sounding splash straight into
dark blush pool, whose edge is wOndrOusly
sSca,lIloped ,t and ST, stained with hundred
light. Luckily for him he catches himself on
the rocks ere he has the full benefit of the
and his best girl is there TO pity him; SO he
doesn't mind it much. Clambering over the
treacherous boulders, we skirt the edge of the
pool, while the dull roar heard some minutes
previous deepens into the rush of mighty
waters careering between cayey banks, out Of
which filter tiny threads trickling down to Join
the swift current beneath. "Heres a 20" saws
W, finding his tongue at las and addressing
the guide; "how in the dickens do you expect a
higher up stream. sir, is the answer 'but,s
with a doubtful glance at the la
fs Dunno t how y %a'frs make mfh high ana
either, but any way we follow him to 1.-The
crossing" half dozen large rocks worn nearly
ing above the swirling eddies, whereat the
ladies unanimously declare that they "never
could get across that place" After much coax
the splashed-up water, and deafened by the roar
OF the stream, we reach the opposite side and
stop, breaking into one general o-h-h-h! OF ad-
miration, then subside into gazing silence For
no swinging of lanterns or fiaring of torches can
enable us to measure the height of
THE VAST DOME
above us; in front the way Is swallowed up in
Cimmerian darkness. the walls near our lam
tern-bearers flash back a thousand gem-like
hues, while at our feet the stream its black sur
face whitened here and there by foam wreath,
careers along until it leaps suddenly with q
deafening roar down steep rocky shelf, and is
shouts ; in my ear, W the irrepressibe, Civ:
ing his girls arm comprehensive squeeze. l
don't quite know whether he means the girl or
the cave, but suppose he means both SO nod
my head as vigorously as the cold will permit.
while the guide goes on to explain that .this
cave extends II miles under North mountain,
forming perfect tunnel with the other mouth
medlately proposes to keep on and come out
on the other side"-a proposition which the
guide fatty vctoes and declares that the lights
will hardly last until we return. So we are
Obliged to retrace our steps, recross Nllicent
creek and Chamber up the opposite side.
LULLABY.
Before we reach 1.-THE ballroom" two of the
lights are out and we stumble along with no
little damage to shins and temper when W.
suddenly breaks out with Fritz Emmets 1ul-
lably. Great heavens! Pandemonium let loose
could not equal the legion of unearthly sounds
that echo back from the cavernOus depths howl
Ing, laundering and reverberating while a
colony OF bats, startled from their holes flap
and wheel around our heads. After that W
subsidized, rather scared at the effect of his own
music, and there was very little said until we
reached the upper air as travel-worn a party as
we never can remember very clearly, our
strongest recollection being OF tumbling into
bed and dreaming all night of mysterious cav
ems, OF stumbling over rocks and of hearing
W. shout his lullaby to an audience of bats
MAJOR.
Comparing Rival Yachts.
COMMENTS ON THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF THE