The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-02
VOL. XXI.-NO. IT.

opens out into chamber about fifty feet
every way. Thence is yelling up con-
tinuous draft, proving that the cavern does
not end here. From the right side of the
Coral Grotto very narrow entry opens
into tiny cavern but few feet in height,
which has been called the ''lovers retreat"
though an extremely prickly one, as not a
vestige of the rock is to be seen save where
its delicate coverings has been trampled
upon by Philistine feet. Gazing out
dreamily through half-closed eyes we may
easily imagine ourselves in some ocean
grotto, and involuntarily listen for the echo
Of mcrmaid's silvery laugh and the soft
sough of the murmuring sea. That we
may not spend more time in this lovely
solitude-and what more perfect solitude
can be fancied than that of fairy grotto
15C feet below the surface of mother earth?
we pass out of the Coral Grotto and
throug ii chamber, one side of which is
entirely covered by an immense chocolate
colored fall, and enter large crypt called
the 'sCrystal Chamber" though unaptly, as
it by no means glitters, though its curious
knobby formations are well worth glimpse.
A HINT TO VISITORS.
It may be mentioned that the guide
does not always conduct visitors cut this
way, as the passage is a rough bne. As
cending along several flights of stairs,
through crypts covered with the most var
led formations, we enter very large cham
Der most unfortunately named the Bar
room, from fact perfectly obvious to all
thirsty visitors. Crossing the Devils CAN
on, which extends across the chamber and
far beyond, we pause to look at great
frozen fall flowing down from source
hidden in the mysterious gloom above.
This is the most beautiful fall in the cavern,
both on account of its size and pure color
of unspotted white. To the right of the
ascending stairs there hangs what appears
to be very large piece of white Grape, about
five feet long by two wide, futtering down in
tumbling folds from the spotless roof of
the passage. This far surpasses the An
gels Wings in its purity of color, for not
the strongest light held behind it betrays
one stain on the whiteness of its pellucid
depths. The airy grace of the "Week's
Washing" as it has been prosaicly but apt
ly named, is indescribable, and we almost
expect that it might be waited up to the
ceiling with powerful blow, but when
sounded it trills forth musical sounds rich
as the notes of a golden bell Passing
along narrow footway, which spans dan
gerous- looking depths, we stand below
what is known as the dome or belfry, down
which Mr.. Mercer terminated an exploring
expedition with a fall of fifty feet. Had
he not before selling out discovered weak
place in that stone flask of the first cham
ber? Quien sa6e9 The belfy, some
fifteen feet in diameter, extends upward to
height of about fifty feet, and the upward
vista-if so it may be called is a remark
able one, especially to those who have al
ways Jagged behind from weariness or
wonder, and can see the long procession
winding up above them among the twink
ling lights Its top is some thirty feet
from the surface, and at or near this point
has been sunk shaft, up which we make
our exit, thirty feet to the left of our point
of ingress, having made an almost COM
plete circle in our winding way below.
PECULIAR FEATURES.
Before we leave the cavern let us make
short resume of its character and pecu-
liarities As has been mentioned before,
it tends directly downward, and if the Wis
itor has glanced down into the precipitous
boulders and cliffs over which the stairways
have been built he will fully realize the
articular popularity. The largest cham
ber in the cave is about 300 by 20 feet and
wide in proportion, and many of the pas
sage ways are extremely narrow and low.
As Murphy's is directly on their way to
the Big Trees, tourists may most easily
stop over an hour or two, which, as may
be realized from the above descriptions,
will not be time i'll spent.
The tourist should, if possible, visit the
cave in the evening, as otherwise the op-
pressive heat and glare of the outside would
cause an extremely unpleasant sensation
after an hour passed in the cool, dim depths
halow