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

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called the Giants Causeway, you
can look down into the Dining
Room, on one side, and Jackson's
Room on the other.
Great caution is necessary in
climbing this height, lest too much
confidence be reposed in the pro-
jecting stalagmites, that offer a
convenient and seemingly a secure
foot hold to the incautious adven-
turer. Itmust be remembered that
they are formed by droppings from
the roof, and are generally based
on the mud. BY cautiously de
scendlng the ledge a few feet on
the opposite side to that which we
ascended, we shall be enabled to
reach with ease, the room which
has already been attained by the
rest of the company, who have been
less adventurous than ourselves
and passed through the opening al.
ready pointed out, in ascending the
Causeway.
This room, or perhaps 1t should
be called passage, is denOminated
Tie Wilderness, from the rough
ness of the pathway, and is only
ten feet wide, but it rises to the
immense height of ninety or one
hundred feet AS we come along
the Causeway, and look down upon
our right, we shall see our company
forty or fifty feet below us, while
our eyes can scarcely penetrate
through the darkness, to the cell.
ing above our heads. Upon the
very verge Of the rock on which we
are standing, are several beautiful
white stalagmites, or rather col
umns, grouped together, among
which one stands pre.eminent.-
This is BOnaparte with his body
guard, crossing the Alps The ei.
feet il peculiarIy fine when viewed
from below.
Without descending from our
dangerous elevation, we will 90 on
our way little further. Proceed
ing only a few PAGES from the EN-
peror, you find yourself upon an
arch under which your company is
passing, which is very approprl'
ately called The Natural Bridge /;
but it should be crossed with great
caution-if at all-for foot hold is
insecure, and there is danger of
being precipitated to the floor be-
meath. Retracing our steps nearly
to Bonaparte's statue, we will de-
scend an inclined plane on the left,
and by a jump of six feet, rejoin
our friends at the end Of the Viii
derness.
You are now upon the lowest
level of the Cave, and at the en-
trance of the farthest room. This
is Jeherson's Hall-an extensive
and level but not very elevated
apartment. Before describe this
room, we must diverge a little and
visit one or two rooms that brapch
off from the main path. Directly
to your right, as you emerge from
the Wilderness, there rises an i'm
mense mass, apparently of solid
sialagmite, thirty-six feet long
thirty feet broad-and thirty feet
high; this mass is beautiful beyond
description; very much resembling
successive stories, and is called the
Tower of Babel The most msgnif.
cent portion of the Tower is on the
back or northern part, but it is
difficult of access, for it is neces.
sary to climb up the surface of the
rock to the height of fifteen or
twenty feet the view however
amply repays you for the labor
For a few moments,yOu can scarcely
convince yourself that an immense
body of water is not pouring over
the precipice, in foaming torrent
30 white, so dazzling is the
eflulgence of the rock, and when
this impression is efiaced, the
words of the pious Bard rush into
the mind, where he describes the
awful effects that will follow the
consummation of all things;
The Cataract, that like a Giant wroth,
Rushed down impetuously, as seized a
by sudden frost, with all his hoary locks,
STOOD still "
One might almost imagine that
Pollock had visited this wonder,
and caught the idea so fOrcibly ex-
pressed above, from viewing this
magnificent scene.
We have already SO much e1.
ceeded our limits, that we can only
look into the large apartment that
occupies the space behind the
Tower, which is called Sir Walter
Scott's Room, and then hasten
back to the main path.
Jefferson's room, that We lett
some time since, is very irregular
in shape, and is two hundred and
thirty.fve feet long, following the
various windings. What is COM
monty called the end of the Cave,
Is distinguished by two singular,
thin, lamellar rocks, FIVE or si1 feet
in diameter, united at their bases,
but spreading out so that the outer
elges are several feet apart ; this
il called the Fly Trap To the left
of the Fly Trap, is large recess,
where you will find a fine spring of
water, at which the weary visitor
4. a