Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-06-11

/ TOOmS, Is Ten lccJ lhlChi anu -
named The Rock of Gibraltar
One or two candles placed upon
this rock, produce fine effect,
particularly if every other light IS
extinguished for it shows you the
arch, spreading out with beautiful
regularity, until it is lost in the
surrounding darkness, and lmagi-
nation, supplying the deficiency of
vision, peoples the dark recesses
with hosts of matterless phantOms.
You leave this splendid apartment
at the S. w. extremity, by a rough
and narrow, but high passage,
running at the foot of the Pyramids
of Egypt and Cleopatra's Needle!
At the end of this passage. in a
recess to the right is another spring
or reservoir, similar to the one in
the Lawyers Office. a descent
of eight or ten feet brings you into
the Diamond Room, which may be
considered as forming part of
The Church, a long, irregular room
more lofty than any that we have
yet entered. Its length is one
hundred and fifty-two teet-its
breadth from ten to fifteen-and
it's height fifty At the farthest
extremity, a beautiful white spire
shoots up to a considerable height,
which is appropriately styled The
Steeple, and has no doubt, sug-
gested the name of the room.
Nearly opposite to the centre of
the Church, is recess of consider
able extent and elevation, which
forms a very good Gallery; in the
rear of the Gallery, and in full view
from below, is n great number Of
pendant stalactites several feet
long and of various 5izes, ranged
like the pipes of an organ, and
bearing a striking resemblance to
them. II these stalactites are
struck by any hard substance, they
send forth sounds of various pitch
es, according to their sizes, and if
a stick be rapidly run along several
of them at once, a pleasing variety
of notes is produced. This forma-
tion is called the Organ.
Passing under the steeple, which
rests on an arch elevated not more
than ten feet, you enter the Dining
Room. This room is named from a
long natural table, that stands on
the left, and is not quite as large as
the church, though its height is
sixty feet. But for the sort of wall
which the steeple makes, it might
be considered as a continuation Of
the church. A little to the left of
the table, you will see small unin.
vlting opening If you are not de-
TERED by its unpromising appear
ance, we will enter and see whittier
it will lead us. Proceeding only
few PAGES you will suddenly find
yourself in an immense apartment,
parallel to the dining room, ex-
tending to the gallery in the church,
With which it communicates. This
is Jackson's room, and is rather
uninteresting on account of its ir-
regularity, but 1t leads to one that
deserves notice. Directly opposite
to the little passage which con
ducted you hither, is large open
ing; passing this, the walls con-
tract until only narrow pass a few
feet long, is left, which conducts
you, if not to the most magnificent,
at least to one of the most beauti-
ful and interesting portions of the
cavern. The is but one apartment,
and that is small, but the Garden
of Eden, for so it is called, derives
its beauty from the singular ar
rangement Of the immense stalac-
tites, that hang from the roof, and
unite with the stalagmites which
have assembled from the floor to
meet them or in few words, 1t
seems as if at some former period,
a sheet of water had poured down
from the roof and by some wonder
ful operation of nature had become
suddenly petriied. This sheet is
not continuous, but strongly resem-
bles the folds of heavy drapery, and
you may pass among its windings
as through the mazes of labyrinth,
and the light of a candle shines
distinctly through any part of it, =
a portion of the floor of this room
is composed of beautiful fine yellow
sand the floor of most, if not all
other portions of the cave, is stiff
clay, with very few indications of
sand.
We must now retrace our steps
to the Dining Room, for there is no
other place of egress; but as we
return, let US make q short digres-
sion to the LETT, into small passage
that does not appear to extend
very far. BE careful There is o
deep hole just before youl-now
hold your candle above your head
and look through the opening.
which is large enough to admit the
body of man; you will see deep
unexplored abyss,
"Where the footstep of mortal has never
trod,"
No man has yet ever ventured
into this forbidding place, for it
can be entered only by means of o
rope ladder but it is my intention
if my courage does not fail me, to