The Press., 1894-08-23
(Southbridge Press.) IN THE DOMDANIEL CAVERNS.

IN THE DOMDANIEL CAVERNS.
 This delightful, drowsy, dreamy sum- mer is gliding through sunny days and moonlit, philandering nights, on the bree- zy green hills of Woodstock. Mere ex- istence famed by zephyrs, is blissful enongh, but life needs variety to give rest and ideas to it, and activity is the proper caterer of them. Fancies are bred by what we see and feel. A drive or a tramp along the Breakneck, or Bigelow or Kin ney passes of Union, or the Woodstock ponds, through the gorges or canyons to the west of us, or a climb over Hatcher, or Coatney or Phillips hills in Woodstock, or Sky, or Snow, or Bald, or Stickney, in Ashford or Union are full of stimulus and the champagne of life. These regions are all the parks we need. They are safe tonics, and a basket lunch with the earth or a rock for table, in these Valambro- sias, oblterates all memory of Delmon- icos or Sherry's, and sends the crimson current tingling along our veins. Of course no one with the thirst for scenery WILL IOES6L bllo HUH either Fisk or Lebanon or Leavens hills, or the drive along our nearby lake of many isles, and alphabet consuming name in Webster. But now another candidate for fame and visitation appears. It is not far from Mayland Park, at the foot of Mashapaug pond, and seems to have re- posed within depths of the forest unfre- quented by any one but lumbermen and sportsmen, and years ago by boundary commissioners and engineers. It lies just south of the state line, little west of the outlet from Breakneck pond where it runs north into Massachusetts. The better access is via. a lumber track which opens from the Breakneck pass to the east, about a mile and half east of Mash paug village, which takes the explorer within twenty rods of the top of the "Cat Rocks.' The opening is by large pine on the right and recently erected post to the left of it. The grading of the track is not as easy as Ian old shoe," and cov- cred carriage should be modest about en. tering the thicket. From where the cart track ends, the way must be found by guide, or by your skill in discerning blazed trees and bent bushes. On the top of the rocks one comes upon the continuation northerly of the Breakneck gorge and looks down upon an abyss of 200feet, and upward to heights towering several hum dred feet above where you are. This craggy formation was an important point in the contentious of the contagious states Cor colonies) over the proper boundary. But this importance was heeting con- pared with the evidence here afforded of cyclopean convulsions of nature, whether from erosion, seismic force or glacial ac- tion an expert alone can tell. It may be that these innumerable masses of rock are but the dropping of moraine from continental glacier that came grinding along the surface of New England cons ago, marking old shores, cutting out the gorges, and leaving, on elevations, me- mentoes of it's terrific and remorseless power. Whatever may be the cause, one can imagine the Titans here piled "as on Pelion" to scale heaven, that these boul- ders were thrown about as boys do snow balls. Most of mother earth which we see seems to be in eternal repose as if
 'from the beginning" But here are the visible evidence of upheaval, of violence of resistless movement which has con- verted this locality into dens and cavernS and recesses most wild and horrid, where for centuries reptiles crawled and hissed and ferocious beasts had their lair. Here primeval man may have sought a covert from elemental storms, or from enemies of his own kind or the outlaw, a secure harbor of refuge. It is the most remark able scene in Union, where there is so much remarkable scenery. If to the five miles square of Union enough could be added to take in the ponds of West Wood stock, the Lead Mine mountain region, the Roaring Brook and Hedgehog moun- tain portion of Stafford, and the Westford notch, or canyon to the south, and se- questered as a reservation, it would afford more pleasure and interest to the people of southern New England than the dis | tant reservations of Yosemite and Gel- lowstone parks and Colorado canyons, | which we would by no means underprize | for their stupendous character. There | fore 1 suggest to your readers that those | loving something new or adventurous should assist in blazing better pathway and practical approach to the caves and corridors of the "Cat Rocks" of the Breakneck gorge.