The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1885-01-16
VISIT To THE MAMMOTH CAVE.

| o. ekRAhg win
out rest' from $50 till 1880. As our
party marched along lamp in hand, I
was reminded of touris. professions
through tho Roman Catacou.bs, At d
still more Of journey through tho
London Dock wine-vauits, the fungus
on this occasion being represented BY
staiaet''e. was also reminded Of the
our''ng banks Of rock through which
tho water rushes at Montmorency Stem.
pes oil 81. AIMS Rocks Of pictures
OF coal mines of Gastave Dorc'a pic-
tnFes OF tie Internal regions Of scenes
described by Milton aud Dante of
tunnels aud smbankments +: of Wal.
psrgis-Night pictures of Egyptian
tomba in the British Museum /: Of roois
anu crypts of cathedrals Of scenes in
"Guy Manneriug." There are roads as
Wide as cathedrAls, pits 200 feet deer,
domes 200 fee: high-that is, M high
Ss Bunker Hill or London Monument
very grand when lighted by Bengal
hres. There ate chasms, ahywep. a
Dead Sea, a Lethe River, an Echo
lsiver with the roof of the cave and
the water Of tho river about two feet
apart, terribly grand when a dozen
p'Stol-shots reverberaie for mile,
around, and very musical when four
notes OF chord are sung and allowed
70 die away, as at tho Baptistry at
lisa. Sometimes tho walls curve and
sometimes decend, and then the sensa.
ton OF The mysterious world beyond aud
to come IN dismal in the extreme. even
with party Of ten noisy people. At
il:3o, midnight, lady wanted TO leave
the cave, aad those who wished to re-
main waited till $50 for the re,nrp Of
The guide and party, wno escorted Il Q
lady ont.
During these three hours my party
wandered about in couples for n few
hnndted yards, and at times the terror
Of darkness aud danger increased tho
suhlimity. A luneh-bask ct and a lamp
near 1t, were spoken OF during these
three hours as home. and there certain
iy was a sonse of safety at that one
spot-a delusion, foolish as il may seem,
We all shared in. We were in reality
an hour and halfs journey from the
caves mouth, without a guide, and
without a boat. and with a river com.
pletely cutting off all hope Of exit. At
this time il was vs:y interesting TO OBJ.
serve that the strata at our feet, twen-
ty feet thick. bad once formed part Of
the roof. Another layer might come
at>any moment, This. then, must have
hoen tho guides cheerful thought when
he warned our party that the dozen
pistol.shots might shake down some OF
the roof of the caye. There are staIac-
tite and stalagmite formations AZ at
FingaPs Cave and Giants Causeway,
and gypsum rosettes and figures like
the ornaments on bridal cake. Some
ct the rocks are semi-transparent /: tbs
walls and roofs are often like thick
plaster, but ofteuer Of solid masonry.
without joint or flaw. Sometimes the
roof is black, and then il appears like
the hrmament, and the passageway
seems open to The heavens. By certain
effects of light the roof may be made
to represent stars, and then the star
chamber is the most perfect illusion in
scenery j have ever witnessed. The
guide, colored man, is an excellent
ventriloquist and imitator of cock crow
ing and sheep-bleating. In an artistic
way he made the change from starlight
to rosy sunrise by the effect of light and
rural sounds. There is no sense Of
fatigue in the journey, the impression
al the time being that you are passing
from ball to hall of ever-varyirg char
acters. The difference between the
frosted roofs of gypsum and the black
roofs of oxide of iron cannot certainly
be called repetitions Of the same picture
The walking is easy when compared
with usual rock climbing, and the foot.
ing is generally as safe as when walk.
ing on dry chalk.
The most fascinating view from th,
interior is thai of the sunlight and tree
outside the cave, after the eye he's beer
accustomed to the light Of the oil lamps
the gray rocks, and the darkness, 70
thirteen hours. Why such glory
Why this glimpse of Paradise I? VIII
tnese golden, cheerful beams and tha
lovely foliage ? Is it a holiday G
heavenly beauty on earth, or merel
the usual aspect of the earth which W
do not appreciate at it's full value
similar scene was produced ut Bayreutl
iu Wsgnei's "Ring des Nibelungep
|
when Spring enters Hunding's hat an
greets the loves of Siegmund and Siee
lende.
To the geologist ard chemist this ca,
is as interesting ps to the painter an
the lover of dramatic and poetical e
fects. The guide-books give interes
ino descriDtions of the changes worke