The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1893-12-01

A men VINO frequent this part oil
the State at certain seasons of
the year return telling marvellous
stories of dogs lost in cayerns and of
wounded game escaping in rocky grot-
tos. Hunters following wounded deer
into these recesses in the mountains
have found themselves lost in the May
windings of underground galleries.
Recently party of st. Louisans, in
Guiding a writer for the Republic,
visited recently discovered cave in
Camden County. The entrance, says
the writer, is about fifty feet from the
river, and the little stream which flows
from it reaches the water of the river
by beautiful cataract some twenty
feet from the mouth of cave. The en-
trance to the cave is about six feet high
and five feet wide and is overarched by
an immense ledge of limestone. The
sides of the entrance are curiously
carved by the falling water from the
bluff above, and here and there in the
crevices maidenhair ferns wave their
fronts in the cool breeze. For at least
fifty feet the passage continues with
the same dimensions at the entrance.
At the end of the passage we seemed
to enter into a world, sunless, moon
less and starless. The light from our
torches was unable to penetrate the
darkness in any direction. Soon, how
ever, TO the south the darkness broke
and rocky shelf pushed itself out in
to the light Then another and an
other until the south wall stood out in
outline on our right. Then the cell
ing came into view, and finally the
north wall became visible.
We were in the grand auditorium, n
room seventy feet high, 125 wide and
800 feet long. The walls and ceilings
consist of rough limestone, and the
effect of the light from the torches is
marvellous. Shadowy galleries oc-
cupy the sides, and straight above the
vaulted roof seems wrought and builded
rather than natural The floor is of
fine polishing clay, rather sticky, and
in many places can be seen "wallows, -
made by bears, which used to infest
these underground castles. At the
end of this room the cave becomes
much narrower, yet retaining the same
height as the auditorium, and the
grandeur of look upward, revealing
precipice on precipice overhanging the
narrow passage, led one Of the party
to name it 'The Covered Canon" This
passage, appearing to have been caused
by the action of water, winds its way
into the heart of the bluff in an east
erly direction. We travel on, peering
into the billowy darkness ahead OF
glancing with enthusiasm at the weird
shadows on the lofty ceiling, when inn
mediately in front of us, and Gppar.
emily fifty feet from the floor, q ghostly
figure seems to be balancing itself il
midair. We find ourselves in another
large room, circular in shape and
arched with an immense dome, from
the center of which, like rich drapery
thousands Of white stalactites hang
One Of these, at least twelve feet long
and Enthusiastically wrought, is the ghost
which we had seen. From the floor
arise to the height of fifteen feet rich
stalagmites in various shapes anC
figures. The outer rim of the dom,
is upheld by massive columns of crystal
the surfaces of which shine like marble
The walls also reflect the dim light
and each crevice seems jeweled re
cess into which one would need onl,
to reach hand to become immensely
rich.
Leaving the beauties of this won
derful room behind, the party pusl
ON with eyes ready for new specters
A walk of perhaps two minutes, the
the roof begins to rise and the wall
diverge. To the left mighty column
of onyx twenty feet in diameter seem
to bar the way. Its massiveness is ex
celled only by the beautiful tints @
its surface This marvel is called tn
Onyx Temple, resembling in its state
illness and grandeur some of the an
Gent cathedrals. The onyx from thi
room is said by experts who have eS
amined specimens of it to be the fines
in the State. This seemed to be til
end of the cave and half Of the party
after securing some fine specimens
started for the entrance. They ha
scarcely passed from view around
turn in the cavern when one of til
remaining number found a small ope1
ing at the right side of the column.
Before us was the grandest sight "
had yet beheld. "The Grand Dome,
exclaimed the leader, and indeed
was. Seventy feet above hangs an in
mense stalactite resembling in I'll
weird light of the torches group {
; carved candelabra. Elegant tapestr
of stalactitic rock hangs in such grac,
full ease that it almost seemed to moy
as the smoke from the lamps slow
rosa toward IL Below rises an onv