The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-04
ACURIOUS CAVERN.
Interesting Description of a Kentucky Cave
-.Adyentures of fan Exploring Party.

VI an
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A Princeton. Ky., correspondent,
writing to the Louisville C6urier-JeuraaI,
saws: The COaFfcF-.IOUfndl of to-day con-
tains an account of John VerhOeff'
experience in the saltpeter cave near
this place. Believing that All accurate
; description of the beauty OF this wonder
nI western Kentucky wonid be of some
interest, Your correspondent has, pos
sessed himself of many facts in regard
to II. and from personal observation can
give an accurate description.
Situated moi more than mile from
Princeton. in the remote corner Of the
farm Of Mr.. X. B.Ralrlil1. il the entrance
OF what Is generally known as .'Saltpe-
ter cave" Although the cave Possesses
considerable local reputation, ,oIn knowl-
edge OF it is SO little in keeping with lis
extent and grandeur that the writer vf
this has deemed it but 4 dntv to record
what he conceive5 TO be the greatest
wonder OF its kind in western Kentucky.
Your correspondent not long ago. in
company with several friends. mad. i
day ; visit in partly exploring these hu-
mid caverns. We reached the cave
about 10 A. NJ, aud found the descent
easy. At the entrance of the cave there
are three passages. We chose the
middle one. After passing over diffi-
cult and t0rtuOus route OF fifty yards on
all tours, We found ourselves in cham
ber of considerable dimensions. The
11oor OF this was as smooth and clean as
II the roller and broom had been but
recently applied All this place. how
ever, We could find no evidence OF eal-
carious formations. Al the end OF this
chamber we came across what is known
as the Devils Coal-hola This was
an entrance that looked like dormer
window propped up before us, and which
could only be approached by q side-way
difficult Of descent, and down which
lew OF US cared To venture but one or
two, however. did look IN. and, seeing
no bottom. retrcated i'll haste We now
commenced our first climbing, and with
little difficulty. reached another cham
Der considerably higher than the first
1t was here that We encountered the first
ba1s, which seemed not in the least dis
turbed. AT the end Of this high-domed
and sparkling chamber. which dimlv
presented IFS beauties by the feeble light
of our candles. the most notable object
We saw during the trip unvailed itself
To our gaze. This was in the shape of
Il huge pumpkin. with lis corrugated
sides. lis ribs. its shape. and lis color
perfectly resembling the vegetable just
named. There was an opening in The
top. through which. bv clamberinm on
the derhi,-> beyond, We could look We
found il Ia he not only hollow. but lis
walls to be 4 mere cruSt-not more than
an inch or two thick.
We now began to appreciate that we
Were entering u more humid atmosphere
We could hear the tinkling of the drops
of water as they fell about us. and away
in the distance could family hear the
noise of cascades and murmur of streams
pent up between huge rocks. and tor
mented into foam, and then affecting
their escape down some rocky precipice,
and spreading into pools below. Our
journey thence forward was to be ted
ious. difficult and dangerous.
We were to substitute for the smooth,
dry floor precipitous and almost perpen-
dicular banks and dark and yawnino
chasms. We stood On the top of a bank
whose steep declivity threatened To
launch into darkness and destruction
the adventurous individual who should
attempt to descend its CLASSY sides
There was no one in the party afraid. at
least nobody said 50. There was Il
general inclination TO rest and be re-
signed. But when we looked away be-
low us and found an opening in the
wall we commenced descent, which.
ii not very creditable in the manner.
wa- very successful in the end. Peer
inc through this opening. which WAS
large enough to permit the passage of
MANY could see the waters of stream
that struggled through the rugged vast
ness of these cavernouS structures. Just
within this opening, and upon wall 10
the left, We're some striking formations.
They were upon smooth wall and in
successive rows, and represented letters
similar TO those of the English and other
alphabets. We conjured up many things
in connection with this seeming caba-
listic display, and prepared 10 make the
descent to the waters below. This all
save the writer esSayed IL do by climb
ing down bank that seemed almost
perpendicular. The writer climbed
around to the top of an adjacent bank,
and. having carefully adjusted himself.
shot like a meteor down the slippery
bank, and landed twenty OF thirty Ieet
below the Others OF the party. We found
the stream here 10 be six on eight 1eet IN
width and probably two feet deep We
crossed this stream and after ascending
i long and steep bank, stood once more
III 4 chamber larger and more beautiful
than anything We had seen. Ii was
here we saw the first evidence OF staldt-
itic growth.
So lar we had seen no stalagmiteS.
Here We discovered Il fountain of cool,
clear water. which rested in basin al
most perfectly square. On all sides. be
Gond the beautiful plateau on which We
stood. could be seen hideous chasms and
nnmberless dark openings. assures and
passages; whilst above us. one after the
other. like manv-storied house OF
granite. appeared chamber after cham
ber. in soft but clustering array. until
they diminished from the lurid rays OF
light and faded away in the distance.
We here saw evidence of those who had
preceded us sixty years ago.
Before and during the war this cave
was rendezvous for refugee slaves.who
have often been tracked through these
innumerable wildernesses OF passages.
With our limited knowledge We endeaV-
ol ed to study the wonderful process go
ing on. seeming 10 transform everything
into SIone. First there was the ordinary
mud; above this was Il thick, tough,
granulatei clay, which could be knead-
ed III the fingers like dough. Then came
a crustaceous formation, dry and brit
tie. and then the hard stone itself. After
resting by the pool awhile, We prepared
TO 90 onward. We had to cross Il ridge,
not much wider on the top than fence
rail, and whose sides reached almost
abruptly into darkness. Beyond this
narrow passage we lost all traces Of our
former explorers. We had now been
nearly four hours in the cave, during
which time we had travelled rapidly.
We prepared TO return. and our back
ward journey was performed without
any noticeable occurrence.
Comparatively nothing is known on
the beauties and natural wonders within
these caverns and it would take weeks
to fully explore the different and numer-
Gus avenues and their varied windings,
All who have taste for curious gifts
OF nature, and who can suffer the in
and loCS Of Tina shoTIl1