The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-05-29
THREE WEEKS DOWN SOUTH.
Traveller, Describes His Trip to the
Mammoth Cave


Nothing mors readily induces a contrast
between the Northern and the Southern
States than a comparison of the Fails OF Nj
aRara with the Mammoth Cave. They are
both In their way, admittedly, the greatest
natural curIosities in the United States,-or
indeed. in the known world. And it Is not
easy to say which Is the greater wonder. Nj
aRara In ITS awful ma jesty or the Cave in its
profound my steries The former In all its
sublime attributes Is palpable and .aken in
at glance the other in Its mysterious la
bvrinths requiring weeks OF exploration.
Yet Niagara is surrounded by net work
OF raiIroads-the river spanned by suspen-
sion briGRes-a thriving young city growing
up Ia its Immediate ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
hotels and summer resorts abonnd-in short
It Is the Mecca of the Northern States and
an adult don't like to admit that he has new
er visited Niagara. Nay. were now the En-
pire State, in which this wonder is only par
! TALLY located has initiated the means for
making the falls with all their Surroundings
and vicinity a public park-free to all
Behold the difference The Mammoth
Cave is situate in Edmondson county. KY,
near its eastern boundary. The counties
into which the Southern States are divided,
are much smaller than in the North. Ed
monson is a small county-a corn and to
bacco county-of some 5000 Inhabitants,
its county seat Brownsville, with some $50
Inhabitants some IL miles from the Cave.
Travelling by the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad, after crossing Green River few
miles above we arrived at Gave City," at
about 3 p. N. The city consists of four
houses. one OF which was our rendezvous.
From this point the fare is two dollars to
the cave and return the distance some nine
miles, passing through the counties OF bar
Zen, Hart, and Edmoudson. The land Is
rolling and In its appearance Tesemb led the
country in Western Pennsylvania as it did
also in the character and growth OF its tim
Der. Comparatively little of the land was
cultivated, and even that was wretchedly
farmed.
The road was the worst l ever travelled.
Where it was lot steep and rocky it was a
swamp and the drivers took through the
open woods. At one point on our return
the teams were all abreast or nearly so, in
the woods. each trying to head the others
into the main road the passengers. ladies
and all cheering their respective drivers. All
this too OH Sunday MOI ming.
A pleasant young Methodist Clergyman
was of the party, and be could rot resist
the good natured rivalry. We met him fire.
quenty afterwards and always found him
pleasant while his whole demeanor was al
ways in conformity to his sacred calling. He
took down in his tablet the names and ad-
ditions of the whole party.
The drive became wearying Our African
John had destroyed three saplnKs on his
I k,a I l.,
with him and sought information but he
| was yhe most stupid negro l ever met. At
length 1 saksd him. Are we ne near the
cave yet ?' His answer was, wen we get
past the hill t'other side of the other one, de
boss will meet us and tote our pIunder In"
! Another reminder OF our destination was
that at each log cabin we passed little bare
legged Africans would ball us with shells,
/ flowers, etc, all Of course from the Nam
moth Cave
We reached the House" about five p. NJ.
and soon after had plain country supper.
There we're % at table-all candidates for
the Cave. The bdilding is queer. antique
looking structure a temperance house.
there being no licenses granted In Edmond
son county. We bad two walters at our Ia
ble-One a youth of some twenty, (white,)
| and not less than seven feet hiph-the other
( older but about the same altitude. may
/ say here of the house, that though homely
/ It was clean and CONFERENCE.-The landlord
/ polite and fairly intelligent. and the charges
/ not too high.
! The descent into the cave was, as 1t uni
| formly Is. at seven O'Clock and the agent oc-
| cupied his Office preparing and Issuing tick
| cts. He issued none for the '1ong route as
! that route is impracticable after the spring
/ rains. But there is "short route" and "a
/ ''shorters" for which tickets were respect
lively three and two dollars. We took the
latter as il cOTresponded with our ability 10
travel. as we'll as our finances.
Then there was a flutter of preparation.
Our number was 81. one third ladies'. Many
or the parties, especially the ladies had a
prepared wardrobe for the Cave but the
aRen: demonstrated their uselessness: and
recommend low hats and a cane for each
visitor.
Thus equipped and with some dozen
lamps we followed our guides to the mouth
of the cavern. some two hundred yards dis
tant
But here l must take a long breath / am
as reluctant to enter upon the details of ouI
visit. as 1 was to enter this fearful chasm or
this Saturday evening. So 1 shall defer the
exploration till my next paper.
TRAVELLER.