Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-01
THE SEAL Bs0KEN.
GREAT LIGHT rHRowI ON POINTS IN
COLONIAL HuToRY.
A Remarkable Discovery Near the Ancient
Capital .. Captain John
Smiths Eaters.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. Mach 81, 1883.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Thursday last, while two gentlemen
from New Kent we've lunting on the
Stonc-H0uSe tract. in tbs county, they
discovered the entraIce to remarkable
cavern, but as 1t was then late IN the at
ternoon an exploration OF its mysteries
was deferred until aJnore favorable time.
When this discoydy became generally
known there was considerable excite
ment among the residents OF that vicini-
", many person. believing 1t was the
omen sesame TO tie cavern in which, &C
corling 20 tradiibn, vast treasures were
stored. Mr. Wider Lane, of this city,
made arrangements with a party to ex-
plore the cave. aad your correspondent
Was kindly invited to accompany him.
Early this morning we started ont,
and were not lont in reaching the Stone
House tract. Hire, in consequence OF
the roughness a the country, we left
the vehicle and pursued the remainder
Of the Journey On foot Expecting TO
find game, We had brought guns with us,
ard soon we wen banging away at the
ducks floating On the stream. As the
report Of our weapons died away,
"Hello :" came shout from the New
Kent side of Ware creek. Lane re-
sponded. and snail boat, in which two
men were seated, glided across the stream.
These were the zen Lane had engaged
TO meet. Mr.. Raddenham IS tsciturn,
middle-aged gentleman. and his features
give evidence th,t ne is man Of courage
and cool determination. James Richard
son, who was famlharly greeted as
"Tupps." is younger man. OF hercu-
lean frame, ana the embodiment of good
nature. Renewing from the boat two
lanterns. hachet, n coil OF rope, and
large ball of Irvine, we started up the
hill. and Tuups, by night Of original dis
covery. led the way. Our course lay
through whist is known rs
"THG pEym's WOODWARD"
A more unmoken country is not TO be
found in this region. The hills rise alb
ruptly from three to four hundred feet,
and the descent is PERCEPTIONS into dark
ravines madf almost impenetrable by
thick underground OF laurel and ivy.
Tall trees of oak and chestnut obstruct
the light, anc in many places we were
compelled U gropc our way IN darkness.
After toilinc up and down the hills for
some time Tgpps halted and appeared to
be lost. Wtwcre then in raylne and
. small stream flowed across our path.
TIE LOST STREAM.
ave never seen this branch be-
fore" said )ur guide, land I've Just
been wondering how 1t gets out OF here.
This did seem O puzzle, for on every
side We could see nothing but hills and
no outlet Tor the water. We followed
the stream. and as we went the waters
rushed mde rapidly and deep rum
bling sound was heard. The underground
now became 80 thick that we were COM
relied 10 clear a path with the Ratchet.
Making our way with difficulty through
tle oozv soil, We found that the stream
descended into the earth through
an opening between two huge
bouldsrs. Retracing our steps We
next reached the top OF one OF the
hizhea ridges, when, TO our qualification,
the srpentine course of Ware creek
could be traced and York river was
plainly seen in the distance. Tupps
then aid he had the "bearings. but 1t
wouldbe impossible for him to find the
cave unless be started for the Stone
House Accordingly We set out for the
creek and after a wesrlsome march as
cendel the tall hill overhanging that
STREAM. The Stone House was soon
afteryard reached, and here, nearly worn
out /, fatigue, we stopped to rest.
THE OLD STONE HOUSE
has suffered much from the lapse of time
and TIE ruthless hand of treasuTe-hunt-
ers. The walls have been thrown down,
the chimney nearly removed, and not
one stone has been left upon another,
except in the foundatiOn-walls, which
appear to sink deep into the ground
All aroind the building deep holes have
been Junk, 10 evidence the labOrs o.
modern seekers for hidden wealth.
There's a local tradition which ascribe'
the erection of the stone house to Black
beard q pirate, who was infamous for hi
cruelies about the beginning of the eigh
teenn century, and who is supposed tC
haveconcealed his ill-gOtten gains neal
this ,etreat. There is. however, no hlsto
neal evidence TO support this tradition
Among Virginia historians there seems
10 bea consensus (that Is the popular
word Of opinion that this is the " For
Of Retreat alluded to by Captain Johr
Smib in his writings as having beeI
erect,d in 160S-'O9. If this be true, 1t ii
amo4 interesting relic of by-gone day
and tae ruins Of the Oldest house bull
bv tie hands Of Englishmen in America
After batting on this interesting spo
for more than half an hour We arose tC
pursn our journey. Tupps got up lazi
" and faced successfully each point o
the compass. When the bearings haC
been obtained he started off rapidly, anC
we followed in Indian file. Following
the ri5ge about one third of mile w
reached q gnarled ash-tree, and here on
guide turned abruptly and commenced
10 descend the hill. We were soon deel
IN the ravine, wandering about in an &c
centric and apparently aimless course
Tupps grunted his satisfaction on dis
covering familiar objects, but 1t was evi
cent be was unacquainted with the direc
route 10 the goal, and for two hours w
pursued the tiresome journey.
THE PORT-HOLE OF---sHROL.
At length our conductor sprang off t
the left with rapid strides and pushe'
his way out Of sight IN a tangled mass o
underground. Soon afterwards we hearC
& shout, and Tupps called out to us
"Come on boys Here's the port-hol
of-sheol. We scrambled over thu
rocks and through the brush to wher,
he was standing, and there sure enough
was the entrance TO the cavern. A larg'
rock had been partially dislodged by TIM
elements Of nature, and the opening 4
the cave was exposed. We were now a
the base of one OF the highest hills, anC
the thick matted branches above us shu
out the sunlight, 50 that objects were un
distnguishable few feet distant. TIL
lanterns were lighted, and on examination
II was found that the mouth o
the cave was two feet wide ant
three and one half feet high
The huge stone vas smooth on the I'm
der side, and had evidently once closes
the mouth of the cavern, but it had beef
undermined 10y the rains and slide'