The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-01

strained to open the door and 1t vanished IN
the darkness. but looking into tho other rooui
he found the woman gone, aud fed from the
spot.
Thus they went on, each tale producing
succeeding one more wierd or gr0tesqGe than
| its predecessor.
Here. and in other places within this upland
area, all that has been characteristic in witch
| craft, sorce,y. and magic were present. Every
thing belonging to the darker fo MS OF ancient
| supernaturalism is prevalent among these
people, whose minds are, so to speak, tatioocd
all over with somber superstiions.
With them the struggle for existence is too
arduous, life contains too few pleasures, ami
their culture is of too exclusive character, 10
permit the farer creations of fancy to peno-
trato and perpetuate themselves Only the
pIian.oms of fear impress them permanently,
and in this way it is that fount and murmnring
stream, aud howery alp. and shadowy wood.
come to be untenanted by those bright spirits
which haunt them in happier lands.
Although many of the more tragic and bode-
full forms of old TeutoEic superstition survive,
,nymph, sylph, and fay have wholly passed
away, and not even a gnomc or kobaid Is left TO
guard those treasures which the numerous caves
of this country are popularity supposed to con-
tain. These harbor only demons aud vengeiul
wraths Of the dead. There is large and but
partially plored cavern opening into lonely
| ravine along whose course small afilnent OF the
Tennessee debouches into that river ust below
the mouth of Hiwasee 1t contains many re-
| mains of men and other animals, although
none of them, so far as was discovered, were
fossils.
The working party On this occasion consisted
of the three sons Of q gigantic old man. which
latter would by no means enter this excavation
He sat at the mouth of the cave, aud said that
once in the ignorant temerity OF his earlier
days he had carried away some skulls from
grotto within, and that the consequences had
effectually cured him of any desire to repeat
such an act of sacrilege in the solemn accents
of conviction, be told that when he went to bed
the night was mOonlit and calm, but that the
roaring of mighty wind awoke him. He
looked out; the moon was high, bot not a leaf
stirred, not bough swayed. Still, the tempest
swept around his dwelling with great and
terrible sound, mingled with which were
shrieks and inarticnlate lamentations, while
troop of shadowy forms. whirling as if within
the vortex of cyclone cleaned and disappeared
as he gazed. Falling upon his knees he prom
sed restitution and besought forgiveness.
At the peep of day all those relics which he
had brought from the cave were carefully re-
stored to the place whence they had been taken,
after which those to whom they had formerly
belonged disturbed his rest no more.
Another great cavern opens upon the Hi
wasee at the base of an overhaning precipice,
so that it can only be approached by boats.
Passing through lofty and regular portal Of
white limestone, one ascends for abont so yards
and then arrives at a poiygonal cham Der, where
the main corridor divides. Taking the right
hand passage, which runs parallel with the
river, the avenue pnr5ueS its course through
various enlargements of different dimensions
gives off other pathways, and is connected with
side recesses, carved in every variety OF fan
tastc form by the action of acidulated water,
to which the entire excavation owes Its origin
Continuing along the chief shaft, whose
vaulted roof gradually descends, further prog
is finally arrested, as it at first appears, by
q wall which seems TO close the gallery. 1t Is
pierced near the floor, however, by an irrogu-
larly-oval opening of small size aud whoever
passed through this without proper precautions
would go to certain death. swift, deep SUBJ
terranean stream, flowing from lofty cavern
ON the left, sweeps onward beneath vaultings
which almost touch its breast. and would bear
away the unwary explorer who set foot upon
its steep and slippery brink. forever This OBJ
stacle is crossed by long sapling. partially
trimmed, and proceeding onward few hun
dred yards the end of the cave is reached. At
its extremity large number of crumbling
human bones scattered over the floor
Concerning the fate of those who once ami
mated them the place keeps its own secret.
They most probably died there, though under
what circumstances Of despair or resignation,
under what conditions OF violence or prolonged
suffering, never can be known. But the cavern
is haunted by its former inmates. Pale, waver-
ing lights, like the fires of st. Elmo. geam
amidst its gloom; unearthly voices echo in its
avenues awful faces rise from the dark stream
and stare at the stranger, and grim specters,
who warn the intruder Of coming death, glide
silently through the gloom.
Much that was of scientific interest, and
some things of Importance, we're discovered in
these caves but of this the Inhabitants knew
nothing. Apart from buried treasures aud
Ind 5,,fa fhnry, hot rnun
except in SO far as they might serve as places
of deposit during the transit of contraband
spirits. The surplus of their fruit and grain
is often taken by the highlanders TO the secret
still aud there manuf featured, mostly on shares.
Then the liquor is frequently transported. with
proper precautions, to the bank OF some stream
of sufficient depth, the barrels are slung on
either side of "dug-out" and weighted until
they sink beneath the water, and as great a
distance rs possible is made during the night.
When day breaks these canoes are laid up, and
they and their cargoes concealed in cayerns Or
elsewhere.
Under fortunate circumstances-that is to
say, in the majority of instances-this mode Of
procedure brings the smugglcrs safely to their
market. Generally people are not too curious
about these wandering craft, and 1t is by no
means safe to inform upon their occupants.
For example, while resting one day during
the ascent Of that many named peak in the
smoky AOHnBaifS OF GrcOrgia, whose Sumfnib Is
crowned by cyclopean stone-works which are
absurdly attributed to DcSoto, because his line
of march lay within view. the guide related
this agreeable reminiscence of the doings of
some white Caps" and who heard
him talk could have doubted that he belonged
to the party. Pointing out tree at some little
distance from bvonac, hs said that there
was "a mean white man " who formerly lived
in the valley below; that this cuiprit was
generally detested, and that he came to be sus
pected of having denounced a number OF gem
tenen, friends of his. who had made apple
brandy without going through the formality of
getting license. In consequence he COM
planned. The before. mentioned exemplary
characters suffered much inconvenience. with
some loss and were naturally desirous of re-
warding this spy according to his deserts.
They watched for him, he said, and when an
opportunity presented itself the suspect was
seized one night in bed. His WIFE, he observed
parenthetically, appeared to be much distressed,
but they brought him up there to the tree in
dictated and fogged him with hickories till he
tainted. Shortly after it appeared that they
had punished the wrong person; likewise the
man himself became i'll and soon after died.
That was an uBtoward circumstances which APP
parently impressed the narrator little. not at
all his object was to show the energy and de-
cis0n of these regulators, and the prompt
manner in which such offenders might expect
to be dealt with.
True in this particuIar case thew had made a