The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-01-03
SALTPETER CAVE.
THE OLD COUNCIL CAVERN OF
THE CEEEOKEES.
In 1t the Ind ans Held Their Fest
walls and Dances and Sang
Songs Of Pace or Made
War Medicine.

L. cent scenery. Her IaluIlah
4 falls, mineral springs, and
mountains are famous, yet
that place deserving most honorable
mention is, perhaps, least known
Saltpeter cave. Our newspapers and
magazines have devoted thousands of
columns to the beauties and wonders
of Mammoth cave, and people from
every part of the civilized world have
journeyed to see its famous labyrinths
and strange rock formations, yet few
know that Georgia possesses a cavern
whose vast depths and extreme gal
leries and chambers have never been
explored. saltpeter cave is even
grander than Mammoth, AMI in point
of access, beauty of its marble and
limestone statues, forms of animals,
monuments, stalactites, and stalag-
mites, and quality OF minerals, is SUI
perior to any known cavern. Here
the Cherokee chiefs celebrated their
festivals and victories and performed
their peace and war dances. The In
dian legends and superstitions regard
ing this cavern would fill books.
Colonel Mark Hardin, of Atlanta,
the owner of the cave for more than
thirty years, very kindly gave us per-
mission to enter the cave upon request,
writes correspondent of the Chicago
Herald. Our party left Atlanta over
the Western & Atlantic railroad, and
in two hours we arrived at Kingston,
where we were met by a good team.
A charming drive of thirty minutes
brought us to the Gillian springs, on
the Etowah River, well known to song
and story. Another drive of fifteen
minutes took us to the foot of Gave
Mountain. A more beautiful spot
could hardly be pictured--spreading
oaks, chestnuts, willows, and hav-
thorn, grass as green as well-tended
lawn, and the Cave Mountain and
cliffs rising hundreds of feet.
We formed merry party as we
neared the main entrance by shady
and well-worn path up the mountain
side. Two minutes later cry ahead
brought us to the spot. There, thirty
yards in front, was the yawning cav
ern--grand, magnificent, sublime
with lofty and rugged cliffs rising
above. Great oaks shade the entrance,
while ferns and flowers fill every
crevice of the cliffs. That peculiar
feeling of awe and reverence filed us
as we gazed. Not word was spoken
for some seconds. Finally we were
brought to our senses by our guide
calling from below. He had entered
the cave and lighted our torches. Oiled
rags, lightwood and colured Bengal
lights were distributed.
The entrance to the cave is some
sixty feet high aud almost circular
As we descended to the bottom OF the
first incline the rock roof became more
elevated and the cavern broadened.
At the foot we were directed 80 look
back. This weird picture can only be
approached by the works of NJ. Gus
tnve Dore illustrating Millions s'Para-
disc Lost" The diverging rays of
light make the distance look doubly
great. Hamp, our driver, standing
near the entrance far above us, looked
no larger than manil1in. Fifty yards
more and our bright Bengal lights re-
vealed the famous 'Indian ballroom"
where, in past centuries, the Chero-
KEGS celebrated their festivals and
victories. This chamber is tremen.
dous, the arched ceiling rising far
above, while the floor, once as smooth
as a lake, is perhaps 75x100 feet.
Next passing through a natural arch
way we entered the council cham
ber." This chamber is perfectly
round and about thirty feet in diane
ter, with circling ceiling fifty feet
above and level floor beneath. The
sheets Of concerted stalactites and
stalagmites give the elfec. of magnif-
cent drapecies.
Pressing forward through intricate
lsbyrinths, by stone images of every
conceivable form, and many interest
ing galleries, we at last reached the
"organ loft, with "Atlas's pillar" and
s'Virginia spring" near By. Our
guide assembled into the loft and with
a nlallet struck the stalactites, which
were found in tune for near two
octaves. The cor gan loft" holds the
finest and largest number of stalac
tites and stalagmites ever found in
one place. The effect of our Bengal
lights on these beggars description.
''Atlas's pillar is twenty-five feet in
circumference and supports the iron
of the loft. Having taken drink
from the ''Virginia spring" we pushed
on by downward incline to the ''lion
chamber" where huge lion stands
out in relief from the marble wall.
Here two routes were offere the
upper leading miles and miles to no
one knows where, while the lower
leads to the ''little entrance. We
took the latter; visiting on our way
out the ''bat chamber" Whispering
gallery" ''pillar of Lots wife, >"
s.panther's den," ''bottomless pit, :"
forests of slender and graceful stalac-
titles, and chambers, pits, domes and
smaller galleries too numerous to de-
scribe in limited space. We finally
arrived at "Jackson's spring." the
elephants head" perfect in shape
and trunk, the cold woman in hoop
skirt and the "black bottle" The
latter is twelve feet high, and so well
proportional that New Yorker,
wishing to place it in Central Park,
offered $500 for it. From here short
walk took US into daylight by the
little entrance under the natural
bridge" and only 200 yards from our
starting point, main entrance. Dur
ing century these are the only en-
frances ever found. We were two
hours in the cave and had not once
doubled on our route, which formed
q gigantic horseshoe.
Whites Georgia Statistics and
Sears's s:Wonders OF the World some