Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-13

ulunI b OOlllH, tHe DOltOlHltss III, tlc
numerous domcs, chambers and av-
enues, including the wonderful Star
Chamber, were all behela with Won
der and admiration. The various
hills were climbed, the ladders scaled,
the declivties descended and the
narrow passages traversed, and when
the crowd emerged at II O'Clock they
were tired and foot-sore and soon
sought their beds. Nick Dransford,
the old colored guide who for forty
odd years has been conducting par
ties through the cave, was the chief
guide, although one or two others
went along. "Uncle Nick" as he is
called, is full of fun and remembers
all the puns and witty sayings he has
picked up for a couple of generations
and the party got the benefit of this
store of humor without extra charge.
A good nights rest and a hearty
breakfast prepared the explorers for
the long route which was begun at
10 80 o'clock Thursday morning.
THE LONG ROUTE.
The party was augmented on this
trip by two very pleasant and agree
able additions in the persons of Mrs.
L. b. Banks, Of Louisville, and Mrs.
Jno. Kilkeny, Of New Orleans. This
route, including some avenues branch
ing of from the main cavern, is
going and returning 20 miles in
length. The party explored all but
one of these avenues and returned af-
ter having walked about II miles.
The long route (the guide insisted
that it was root and not TODO is
much rougher than the short. The
objects on this trip that everybody
will remember are the Fat Mans
Misery, the River Styx, Echo River,
the Internal Regions, the Cascade,
the many narrow, slippery passways,
the steep hills and deep gorges along
the route and last but net least the
Cork-Screw, which is narrow crew
ice which winds around and up
through what seems 10 be a solid
rock three hundred feet high. The
point in the long route from which
Nthe ascent is made is 300 feet below
the main cavern into which the as
cent is made, about a milo from the
entrance. The old saltpetre watts
and the Invalid's Cottage, stone
house about three miles from the
mouth, are objects of interest which
were seen. The ride up Echo river
for three-quarters of a mile is the
most dangerous as well as the most
striking feature ola trip through the
Cave. The river is 800 feet below
the surface of the earth. In places it
is 40 feet deep and in wet weather
overhows a large portion of the Cave.
1t is crossed in boats that hold about
u or IA persons and in some
places the ceiling overhead is so low
that occupants of the boats have to
bend down with their heads so low
that, as some one remarked, it
would be impossible for a
man TO get his shack up"
if he wanted 10. Again the
channel widens and rises into great
archway of solid stones, down which
the splash of the oar is echoed and
re-echoed OR into the distance.
About 2 o'clock the party suddenly
came upon dinner of good things
which was spread upon big fiat
rock not far from spring, about
seven miles from daylight. The hum
cry pedestrians needed 10 second in
vitation TO get to eating and the way,
fried chicken, hard boiled eggs, sand
witches, picked cake and fruit dis
appeared was marvellous. This lunch
was sent ahead by the accommodate
ing landlord at the hotel and pre-.
pared in the cave without extra ex-
pense to the guests, although the rule
is to let the visitors take their own
lunch along with them for dinner.
After seeing all Of the sights the par
iy returned through the Cork-screw
up rocky inclines, around huge bowl
ders, up ladders and steep flights Of
steps, round and round through q
passage often no larger than a barrel
the company assembled, until at last all
of them, fat and lean, emerged and
climbed down through crack in the
wall TO the level floor of the main
avenue.
Fat Mans Misery was pretty mucl
OH the same order except that it wal
a long passage something like {
' winding sewer two feet wide and
: three or four feet high. We nevel
so fully realized the advantages o
not being numbered with surplus
flesh as while passing through thes,
places. But this article is in DANCE
of getting too long and we will hav
. to bring it to a close, although sever
al columns might easily be filled will
an account of the objects of interest
One of the young ladies had he
. dress set on fire by one ofthe lanterns
but she was quickly put out (not gu
of the cave) before she sustained an
!, injury. Two young gentleman an
u three young ladies got lost with bu
= a single lantern and were found b
one of the rear guides half an hou
. afterwards laundering along in Ii
I" dark. A boat sprung leak just 4
: it showed off at the river and befol