The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-08
In MAMMOTH CAVE.
ExhilaratiDg Effect of the Cool aud
Gernlless Air

John IL. Proctor. formerly State Geolo-
gist OF Kentucky. writes Of Tho Nam,
mcth Cave OF kentucky" for the March
Century. the article having many striking
Illustrations by Castagne. Mr.. Pro,tor
says:
. The entrance to Mammoth Cave is
reached by descending II picturesque path
way leading from the hotel down the hi l.
side over jutting moss and fern-covsrsd
limestone cliffs into b, autlful glen ex-
tending from the top of the hill down to
Graon kiver, which Is 19i feet bt low the
mouth of the cave ana about raj IA n lie
distant. II the weather is warm as wo
near the entrance we stop into braciug
cool, pure air. yelling up from the cave
and flowing down the glen beneath the
stratus Of lighter and warmer air. have
stood near the entrance, and extended one
hand into temperature Of % degrees,
while the other haro was extended into
cool flowing river of air with tempsr-
ature uf about 90 degrees TIE air within
tho cave has uniform temperature sum
ner and inrsf;; of 54 degrees The cave
NAV be said TO breathe twice year-iu-
haiing during tie winter and ext aling
during this summer. This trsath Ing of the
cave, and tie purity of tho dir anu its free
dom from germs, are among the most in
teresting problems to bs studiec. By
what process the air in the cave becomes
sterilized remains to be determined.
But our faithful negro guide has counted
the party, selected the r.quisits numter
of lamps. and given the word. and we
follow him In single Ile down the rude
stone stei 5 into the vestbule Of the cave.
Turning, We look up at the beautiful
effect of daylight which we ara leaving,
and admire the delicate cascade falling
from the overbanging arch at the en-
trance
Hore our lamps nre lighted and we en-
TER tAis siient mysterious, changeltss
abode Of eternal nieht, where the heat of
summer and the cold Of winter, ths storms
and thundurs of the outer world, never
penetrate. A few hundred yards, ard We
fesl tho peculiar sensation OF emerging
into exTanoing space. We catch only
glimpses of white limestone projecting ont
OF black shadows of the far-away wall,
ard ceiling II an immense, almost circular
room abat 10 70 high. which our guide
Ir9claims { Rotunda.
We note the peculiar musical effect of
the human volce. Years ago II was NY
good fortune to herr celebrated Ger
man musician sing in this Kotunda.
went far away in one of the great avenres
aud sat alone in tho darkness and list
enod while the grand anthems rolled
and reverbeIated through the lofty corri-
dors In msjt stic waves Of melody. ]
could then appreciate the inestims ole
privilege OF the few who heard Jenny
Lind slug here, and who in the Star
Chamter heard member of her party
reudsr on his violin the prayer from der
Ere schultz"
when the Rotunda is illuminated we
note tho perfect clearness Of the atmos-
phere, the freedom from dust particles of
any kind; and we soon lSarn that no.
where in the cave viii sven dust rise
upon our shoes. We note slso the ex-
hilaratirg effect Of the air upon the
members OF our party. 1t is believed that
tho air has become oxygenatod by chem
ical procsss: certainly, from its purity
and dryn,ss. IL enables one TO undergo
exercise for hours without a sens, of
fatigue Hero before us is evidence OF
tho wonderful dryness of the air. The
sllfpeter vars erected in 1912, and the
tin bers which have remained In their
present. position since then, show no evil
dences of decay. la these watts the salt
meter was lenchcd from the nitrous earth
auounding in the upper and middle dry
avenues, anu used for the manufacture
Il aunpowder. Tee war of 1912 was
fought. on tho American side, with gun
powder made from saltpeter taken from
caves. and Mammoth Cave supplied the
greater part. one wonders how, in the
absence Of germs and OF Gecay, the earth
rccomes charged with Nitrogen. IL has
been claimed that nitric acid in the at
mosphere, continuing with tho limestone,
ror,iN pi,rats of calcium, and the disin-
tegrated waste from the walls and ceiling
Yields the great supply Of nitrogen
abonnding In the cave
It requires n day ard bali 20 make the
regulation journeys tbrouga the cave:
on. nall "A day to what is known 90 the
short Rout. and an entire day to the
Long or nlver Route. But that by no
means \ hausts { q ol,jfcts ot iuttrest. ard
one may s1cnd deys in visiting avenues
ara chaiutc cfs and Gomrs MT in'luded IN