La Junta tribune., 1915-08-28
MAMMOTH CAVE.
Wouders Of the Star Chamber-Ihe
.ll,ng Route"-Ftnzie OF Four
Delightful Days.
by Mis-. Mildred Field.

wide. sixty feet high. and several
hundred feet long. The ceiling II
coated with manganese dioxide. ana
through this background emerge
hundreds OF brilliant white stars.
made by the effiorescence OF the
sulphate OF magnesia. These are In
visible at first, and the magnificent
archway sweeps above US In mid
night blackness. Long benches are
ranged against the right hand wall
on which the guide seats us, while
he collects our lamps and vanishes
with them behind jutting rock.
Then comes the marvellous illusion.
The roof seems lifted TO an immense
height. Indeed, We seem to gaze
from canon directly up TO the star
ry sky. Cloud shadows are thrown
across 1t by skillful manipulation. A
meteor shoots across the vault We
beheld the mild glory OF the Milky
Way. Suddenly the guide breaks In
upon our eSclamations OF delight by
saying, Goodnight. will see you
again In the morning." He plunges
into a gorge. We are In utter dark
ness. The silence is so perfect that
We can hear our hearts beat. Pres
entity a glimmer comes from another
direction, like faint streak OF
dawn. The aurora iinges the tips
of the rocks; the horizon is bathed
in rosy glow; a concert OF cock
Growing, the lowing OF cattle and
other barnyard sounds. answered by
the barking OF the house dog, seems
to herald the rising sun: when the
yentriloquiai guide appears. swing
Ing his cluster OF lamps and asked
how We liked the performance. OF
course. our response was hearty
encore. The guide now tells US that
the second route ends here. He then
piloted us back to the mouth OF the
cave and to the hotel. Those who
have witnessed the wonders OF the
Star Chamber will never forget It's
charm.
Familiar now with the features OF
the iirs, part OF the Main Cave We
trudge along rapidly ON Route No.
Three. Till the guide cries Halt"
We seemed to hear the measured
ticking OF an old-fashioned clock.
We found the natural umepiece TO be
but tn. dripping OF water into small
basin hidden behind some rocks.
Fastening ON To the Star Chamber.
We resumed our explorations OF the
Main Cave. The Grand Gallery
sweeps 10 the rish,. and the starry
canopy changes To "mackerei
sky" caused by the scaling off of
the black deposit on the ceiling. thus
exposing th. white Limestone. This IL
the Floating Cloud Room. As We
looked at th. fl.ecy masses that seem
to floa, along. we noticed a stout oak
pole iut,ing from an Inaccessible
creNic.. when. why how and by
whom IL Was placed there remains
another of III. many mysteries of the
cave. Curious objects w.r. pointed
out To ~ as ~. walked through Proc
'.r's Arcade aud Kinncy's Arena.
lofty and symmetrical .nlargcmcnts
OF IN. passar.wAys. The Whale IL
an enormous rock seventy feet long.
and a Tilted .iAb of iim.ston. 4. the
Devils Looking Glass. Presently Il
begins Ia snow. aud our shouts made
the flakes fall faster. Waving
lamps and lighted fire balls Increase
the storm. Seeking an explanation
~e found that the ceiling H. crusted
with native Epson salts. whose crys-
tails are thus di.lodsed. a. well a.
more silently BY the growth Of nsw
crystals. falling as saline snow tiii
the brown hedges are ~hi,en~d by
mimic sao~ drists.
We neat find ourselves In one Of
the most spacious rooms In the Cave.
being shaped liked the letter 7. IL
length is about see feet and lie
width amout sso feet. The c~iiisg
10 quite level throughout. but the
fioos IL irregular. causing the space
het~sen the roof aud floor 10 van
from ten 10 forsy.fsse feet. With
several chemical fires isaited at dis-
ssa' pcints simultaneously. The II.
feet is superb. Rsssed cliffs divide
ehss enormous area. maktag . sort es
great Island. beyond which By cllmb.
Ing through the so-caiied chimaeys.
&c reached the Black chsmbssp
above. extending for several hundssd
feet The ~aiis and domes os these
are coated With black OXIDE
of maasanese and enormous rocks
lie scattered In the widest discord.
Returning 10 wriehrs itosunda and
takinG the other arm Of the r. ve