Morris tribune., 1885-06-17
Ny Visit to Mammoth Cave.

MI some one WIN ueSlre 10 20 anu
see it for himself.
But before you so you must make
up your mind to bear with much
that is unpleasant. Do not believe
everything you read in the advertise
ments about pleasant coaches, delight
full rides, unexcelled accommodations
&c. And remember the people you
have to deal with are Kentuckians,
and you are-well, no matter who
you are at home they will show you
that here you are nobody and you
will have to submit to them. But
with your pocket supplied with
money. and your heart supplied with
good humor, you can endure all and
come back the hsppiest person on the
earth.
To begin, we put up at the Cave
City Hotel all night-as I can say
nothing in favor of this hotel, l will
not say anything about it. Early the
next morning our party Of thirty
seven started for the cave, distance
of ten miles. did enjoy that ride
though the roads were bad and the
conveyance none too comfortable.
But the scenery was complete;
pleasant groves rocky cliffs; running
water, tumbllng cataracts, queer,
poor looking houses and the glimpses
| we caught of southern life, all enter
tanned and pleased us.
At ten o'clock we reached the Cave
Hotel and found large, rambling,
bleak-looking old house. The few
rooms into which we were admitted
looked bare enough, but the long wide
verandas and balconies must be very
alluring ON warm summer evenings.
1t was a cold morning, so that our
heavy winter wraps were hardly suf-
ficient to keep out the cold, damp air.
At the very mouth Of this yawning
gulf thrill of awe came over us, we
could see only few yards ahead,
then all was dark and black. Over
the top ofthe cave a small clear stream
pours down in the very centre Of the
caves mouth. The top, where the
water has poured over, is covered
with ice, while the drippings beneath
have built up heap of ice, sparkling
and clear.
I The entrance is so wide that our
whole party could walk abreast with
out being crowded. We soon came to
natural archway called the Narrows.
Here is a small gate which locks up
the cave proper. At this point the
; guide took up the tickets and lighted
the lamps.
AS soon as we passed the Narrows
we felt change in the temperature
Our wraps becoming burdensome we
left them here. The temperature, St
degrees Is delightful, neither toe
warm nor too cold for comfort.
We passed through the cave with
out getting a drop of water on us
Those who persisted in carrying thei,
gossamers found them burden, ever
rubbers were unnecessary.
When we reached what is calleo
the Rotunda we felt we were in Nam
moth Cave indeed, the ceiling is ont
hundred feet high, and in some places
the diameter is one hundred ant
,, sevsnty-five feet. We passed under
:, huge rocky cliffs, they hang there 81
reckless, SO daring, they almos
challenged US the passage.
The old watts and water pipes which
, the guides told us were used in 1s1:
+ by the salt-petre miners, are strewl
all oyer the passage. We picked VI
pieces of white substance laying al
around here and found they tastet
strongly of salt-petre.
The party was now led off into al
avenue at the right. And we stoot
i looking at what seemed to be mos
: growing on the walks of the cave. A
few words from the guide and a littl'
closer examination on our part showed
3 us this so thought moss was, in-steat
millions of black bats. In some
places the wall is entirely covered
with them. They collect here every
winter to avoid the cold weather.
All along these wide avenues W,
see great piles of stone, which have
been piled up and labeled by ths
> visitors to the cave. Nearly every
state in the Union is represented, ant
also many of the foreign nations.
We were interested in noting th'
3 formation of stalactites. They ART
not the size of icicles as I had ex
: pected to see, but are from one foot t.
u FIVE feet in diameter. The formation
= from the ceiling downward is callet
Il stalactites; the formation, caused by
the drippings from the stalactites, ant
J. growing from the floor upward, il
u called the stalagmites.. Many ol
- these have met forming one solid pill
a lar: while many others are now in /,
9 state of formation, SO that putting ou
l. hands on the stalactite we found then
y y dripping wet. Pompey and Caesa
r are the names given to two Of tn
}, largest pillars among this collection
:; "Giant's Coffin" is one of the first o
l many remarkable features Of natur
II which the visitor sees. This is al
g immense gray rock, forty feet long
8 about half as wide and eight feet dee
= exactly the shape ofa coffin.
I Shortly after we left this view W
r stood gazing at natural picture OF
It the ceiling. The stone walls ant
. ceiling are of gray rock except wher
n patches Of gypsum have formed ol
q the surface. This was the pictur
IL drawn. The black gypsum is so ar
u - ranged that three figures stand ou
n prominently. A giant in sittin
i posture. is i'm the art of tossing n chill,