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diff --git a/old/51187-0.txt b/old/51187-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 50ca335..0000000 --- a/old/51187-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1206 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's A Visit to the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, by John Wilson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: A Visit to the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky - -Author: John Wilson - -Release Date: February 12, 2016 [EBook #51187] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VISIT TO MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by the -Library of Congress) - - - - - - - - - - A VISIT - TO - THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY. - - - BY JOHN WILSON, - - THE SCOTTISH VOCALIST. - - - EDINBURGH: 1849. - - - - - A VISIT - TO - THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY. - - - Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, May 20, 1849. - -We left the City of Rooks, as Nashville is called, on Thursday morning -at half-past four, and travelled ninety miles to our place of -destination for the night, which occupied 19 hours. The stages in this -part of the country lose a great deal of time needlessly by stopping for -meals a great deal oftener than people require them. During our ride we -had breakfast at 21 miles from Nashville, at a place called Tyree -Springs, and that was acceptable enough; but before it was well digested -we had to stop for dinner, and then again for supper, in three hours -more; and as the people in this last hotel, which was at a pretty little -town called Bowling Green, did not wish to be at the trouble of making -one supper for their own boarders and another for the coach travellers, -we were compelled to “bide their time” though not any of us wanted -supper at all, and here we lost an hour and a half. In our journey we -were interested in the day time by the great variety of wild flowers we -saw, and after dark by the crowds of fire-flies in the air, in the -trees, in the fields. We reached Bell’s,[1] where we were to stay for -the night, at half-past 11, where we might have had another meal, but we -did not like. Bell, a civil old fellow, is famed for making a kind of -Atholl brose, of old peach brandy and honey, which we had a tasting of, -and then went to bed; but Mr Bell’s brose I shall never taste again, for -although it is pleasant enough to taste, yet I could not get the -disagreeable flavour of the peach brandy out of my mouth the whole of -the next day. After a capital breakfast, Bell sent us in a four horse -stage to the Mammoth Cave, a distance of eight miles, over one of the -roughest roads I ever encountered; but what we have seen in this -wonderful place amply compensates for any trouble or difficulty we may -have undergone. I am really quite at a loss how to begin to give you the -least idea of the place, for it is almost beyond description; at all -events I feel quite sure that any kind of description given in writing, -by any mortal man, cannot afford to a stranger the smallest notion of -the wondrousness, the sublimity, the awfulness of this cave—this -stupendous work of Nature. First let me tell you, however, that it -contains 226 avenues; at least that number has been discovered, for -there are more than that; forty-seven domes, eight cataracts, pits -innumerable, and eight rivers, only three of which have been explored. -It was first discovered by the whites in 1802, and during the last war -with England immense quantities of saltpetre were made in it, the -remains of the utensils for the manufacture of which are still to be -seen at a short distance from the entrance, and even the marks of the -hoofs of the oxen the miners used can be traced in the ground. It is -only about ten years since the curious began to visit the cave, and -every year the visitors increase in number, and they must continue to do -so as the wonders of the place become more talked of. About the end of -June is the time for crowds coming, and there is ample accommodation for -more than two hundred people in a very comfortable hotel, with an -obliging and intelligent host, named Mosher. There is no other visitor -here at present but ourselves. Having given you so much preliminary, I -shall endeavour to give you an inkling of what we saw during our - - - - - FIRST DAY’S VISIT TO THE MAMMOTH CAVE. - - -The necessary alterations having been made in the costume of my two -daughters, namely, the petticoats being shortened, and trousers being -donned—pants, I ought to have said, for trousers are never named here, -and breeches are never made—and caps being placed upon their craniums, a -gentleman, who accompanied us from Nashville, and myself, having been -provided with coats that had been coats once, and low-crowned soft hats, -we set off for the cave. We were fortunate in getting the services of -the favourite guide Stephen, to whom we had a letter from a lady in -Nashville. He is an active, intelligent, attentive, capital fellow, and -after walking some 200 yards through an avenue of shady trees, we found -him near the entrance, with his lamps ready to light, his flask of oil -on his back, and one basket of provisions. We descended by about thirty -rude steps to the entrance, where our lamps being lighted, we bade -farewell for a while to the light of day. In a very short time we come -to a wall that had been built by the miners, and in which there is a -door-way, inside of which we are fairly in the cave. The temperature of -the cave is always at sixty, and when the temperature out of doors is -higher, the air rushes out at this doorway, so as to blow out the lamps, -if the command of the guide is not obeyed to keep your lamps before you. -At first one cannot see very well—the eyes are not yet accustomed to -penetrate the darkness—the lamps only tended to make the darkness more -visible. By and by we get more used to it. The “Church,” as it is -called, is the first apartment where we make a halt. It is very large, -with galleries round it, and a projection of rock at one side, called -the pulpit. Being told by the guide to put our lights behind us, he set -fire to a Bengal light, and then we were struck with wonder and awe at -the splendour and the vastness of the rocky apartment. For size, Exeter -Hall is nothing to it. During the season service is performed in it by -some of the clergymen visitors, and the effect must be very sublime, to -see each worshipper sitting with his lamp, listening to the Word, -joining in prayer to the Lord of all, and singing his praises. Each -person enters with his lamp, of course, but on coming to the church the -lamps are all placed together, so as to make one general grand light. -The church is in the “Main Cave,” which is five miles in extent, and as -we move along we see the marks of the action of the water upon the rocks -in every part. The average height is 50 feet, its width 100 feet; at one -place, however, it is 340 feet wide. We leave the Main Cave, and enter -the “Gothic Avenue,” where the first apartment we come to is called the -“Haunted Chamber,” from two mummies having been found there by the -miners in 1809. They were in a sitting position, and clothed with -deer-skins. One of them is now in a museum in New York; the other was -burned by the museum in Cincinnati taking fire. The friend who was with -me being somewhat of a utility sort of a person, wishes everything to be -made proper use of, and suggested that the cave would be a capital place -for keeping meat, vegetables, &c., when he was told by Stephen, much to -his satisfaction, that the hotel people used it for that purpose. We go -along farther, and soon find ourselves in the “Register Room,” which -has, or rather had, a beautiful white ceiling, but it is now -considerably defaced by many persons wishing to immortalise themselves -by writing their names on the roof with the smoke of a candle. They must -have had the candle attached to a pretty long pole, for the roof is -high. I. B. of old England is one of the names; I suppose John Bull is -meant. There is also a Mr John Smith—it does not state where his locale -is, but it is not unlikely that it was Mr Smith of the United States. -After passing “Vulcan’s Forge,” so called from the stone resembling very -much the refuse of a forge, we come to the “Gothic Chapel.” Before -entering it, however, Stephen takes our lamps, and leaves us in the dark -for a time, while he goes and places them on the stalactite pillar in -the chapel. He calls out to us to “come on—there’s nothing to stumble -over,” and we advanced towards the chapel. How splendid! how beautiful! -The stalactite pillars are all opposite to each other, as if they were -really supporting the roof. It reminded me of the crypt under the -Cathedral at Rochester, in Kent, excepting that here the pillars were -translucent. About ten or twelve feet high are the pillars, and the -stalactite formations are still going on in some of them. It has been -ascertained, it seems, that it takes thirty years to form the thickness -of a wafer, then how many times thirty years must it have taken to form -these pillars! It was a solemn scene, the stillness was indeed quite -awful. I broke the silence by singing Luther’s Hymn, while those around -me stood like statues. We came next to what is called “Napoleon’s -Breastwork,” an immense block of limestone, that has evidently fallen -away from the roof at some time or other, and now lies in a slanting -form. It is about 60 feet long, 20 feet to the top, and looks over into -a deep ravine. Now we come to his Satanic Majesty’s “Armchair,” which is -the name given to a splendid stalactite column in the centre of a -chamber, and which on one side forms an excellent seat. The back is -round, and like one of the old fashioned chairs stuffed, and covered -with silk. You may have an idea of the size of it when I tell you that -it takes three men’s arms to go round it. Not far from it is another -stalactite formation called the “Elephant’s Head,” from its exact -resemblance to one—the eyes, ears, and trunk, are perfect—some -barbarian, however, has defaced the trunk. Now we approach the “Lover’s -Leap,” where any hapless swain may have an opportunity of getting rid of -all his earthly cares by taking a dismal leap of 50 feet, but no one has -yet been desperate enough to do it. We descend to the left of the -“Lover’s Leap” and presently enter an extraordinary passage in the rock, -called the “Devil’s Elbow;” it is about three feet wide and twelve high, -and leads to the lower branch of the Gothic Avenue. The stone of the -passage bears evidence of water having rushed through it with tremendous -force, though how long ago it is impossible to ascertain. One of the -guides got a terrible fright here some time since, by a gentleman who -was gifted with ventriloquial powers. He had arrived at the hotel in the -evening, and requested a guide to accompany him to the cave. While they -were standing over the “Lover’s Leap” he made a cry for “lights and some -water,” which seemed to come through the “Devil’s Elbow” from the -apartment below. The guide, fancying it was some one of his companions -whose lamp had gone out, called out to him to stay where he was and he -would come to him immediately; as he was descending by the Devil’s Elbow -the voice came from another part in front of them. He returned, and was -ascending again to the Lover’s Leap, when the voice once more came -through the Elbow, at which he became considerably alarmed, and it was -with great difficulty the gentleman could prevent him from running -fairly off out of the cave, and leaving him in the lurch, which perhaps -he deserved. On their return to the hotel the guide told the landlord a -woful story, in the midst of which, however, he was stopped by some one -coming in to say there was a maniac about the grounds, when they went -out and heard a voice calling out for some tea and bread and butter. -“That’s it!” he said, “that’s the same voice that was in the cave.” The -ventriloquist made the landlord aware of the trick, and the mysterious -affair ended with a hearty laugh at the poor alarmed guide’s expense. As -we enter this part of the Gothic Avenue, we come to a basin of beautiful -clear water, called the “Cooling Tub.” It is about six feet wide, and a -stream of the purest water is falling constantly into it from the -ceiling, which is here about thirty feet high. In various parts of the -cave there are streams of this description, and the sound of this -falling water is the only thing that breaks the awful stillness that -constantly reigns. After passing “Napoleon’s Dome,” which is about sixty -feet in height, we come to another little pool, called “Lake Purity,” -the water in which is delicious to drink, so pure that no disturbance -can thicken it. Now we retrace our steps to the “Main Cave,” where at -almost every step we take some new wonder is opened up to us. We are in -an apartment called the “Ball Room,” for it is frequently used as such -by the visitors during the season. The floor is smooth and level, and -continues so for several hundred feet, so that there is plenty of room -for a large party. There are spacious galleries above, too, formed by -the ledging rocks; and there is an orchestra, capable of holding twice -the number of the Philharmonic Band. As we go along gazing in wonder at -everything, the eye suddenly rests on a nice little niche in the wall, -just like the niche that is at the door of a Roman Catholic Cathedral -for holding the holy water. It has been formed by the trickling down of -the water, and is called Wandering Willie’s Spring; as I have -considerable regard for all Wandering Willies, I partook of the water of -his spring, and can vouch for its purity and refreshing qualities. The -“Standing Rocks” that we by and by approach, are immense blocks of stone -that have evidently fallen from the roof, some of them twenty feet long, -and six or eight feet thick, and many of them even larger, and what is -something remarkable, it is the thinnest part of the stone that has sunk -into the earth. The next very prominent object we come to is the -“Giant’s Coffin,” an immense block of limestone that has evidently -fallen away from the side, and which perfectly resembles a coffin, but -may well be called a giant’s, for it is sixty feet long and about twenty -feet thick. It has the curved lid which I have observed in the -fashionable coffins in the south, and which I heard an auctioneer, who -was selling some by auction, recommend as being much more accommodating -than the plain lids, for the person could turn round whenever he felt -inclined to do so. At some distance beyond this, perhaps 150 yards, the -cave takes a gigantic turn, called the “Acute Angle,” or “Great Bend,” -which the guide illumines by one of his Bengal lights, and displays to -the astonished spectator one of the most wonderful sights that ever -mortal eyes beheld. It has the appearance of a vast amphitheatre. It -must be about seventy feet high. In front of us is the great cornerstone -or bend, and on each side the avenue looms away into unfathomable -darkness. The Bengal light dies, and we trudge along to the right, with -our lamps in our hands, single file, with Stephen at the head, and ere -long he says, “Stop, we are now in the ‘Star-Chamber.’” Wonders will -never cease, for here is something more wonderful than anything we have -yet seen. How can I convey to you an idea of it? Let me see. It is as if -we were at the bottom of a deep ravine or pass, about sixty feet wide, -and one hundred feet high, the top of the ravine being terminated by -jutting-out rocks, and above those projecting rocks we see the blue -firmament of heaven, as it were, with the stars shining above us. The -rocks at the top are white in many places, and cloud-like, which shows -the starry firmament to greater advantage. The stars are formed by the -sparkling gypsum in the dark limestone, and a more complete optical -illusion dame Nature never called into existence. We felt as if we -should never tire gazing on this, and expatiating to each other upon its -wonders. Stephen asked us how we should like to have all the lights -extinguished, to try the effect of it in that way, which we readily -agreed to; but not a particle of anything could we see. There was, of -course, not the smallest ray of light—there could not be, for we were -two miles from the mouth of the cave, and 170 feet below the surface of -the earth. I put my finger close to my eye but could see nothing. When -no one spoke the silence was awful. I don’t know what the others were -thinking of in the midst of this total eclipse, but I could not help -thinking, now, if Stephen should have forgot his matches we shall be in -a fine _fix_. I spoke to him of this afterwards, when he said he should -soon have got lights for us if he had forgot his matches, for he knows -the cave so well, having been a guide in it for thirteen years, that he -could have forced his way to the mouth. This Star-Chamber is one of the -most pleasing sights in the cave. Not far from it are the remains of -some small houses that were built some years ago for consumptive -patients. The air is so pure and the temperature so equal, that they -enjoyed very good health while they remained in the cave, but as soon as -they went above ground they became as bad as ever; the idea, therefore, -of making the cave an hospital for consumption has been abandoned. I -forgot to say that while we were admiring the wonder of the Starry -Chamber we sang a sacred trio, the effect of which was beautiful, for -everything was so still—no interruption by whisperers, or those persons -who are not aware that it is the height of rudeness to speak while any -one is singing—the voices sounded large and full. The sublimity of the -scene could not altogether withdraw the attention of our utility friend -from the things of this earth, for while we were gazing in astonishment -on the scene around us, he asked me whether, as I came from London, I -had ever seen a work on the art of brewing by fermentation, and without -yeast! The Star-Chamber was the extent of our walk in the Main Cave -to-day. We returned as far as the Giant’s Coffin, behind which we -entered an avenue, and descended some 12 or 14 steps, then through a -very low and narrow passage into the “Deserted Chambers,” which we got -to by crawling some part of the way on our hands and knees. The first of -the Deserted Chambers is called the Wooden Bowl, from the fact of a -wooden bowl having been found in it by the miners some years ago. At a -short distance from this bowl we stopped to dine, sitting on the edge of -a large flat rock, which we used as a dining-table. Close by there was a -spring of clear delicious water. We enjoyed our repast amazingly; drank, -in the pure, unadulterated water, to all our friends round St Paul’s; -had some songs after dinner, then resumed our walk. Our attention was -first directed to the “Sidesaddle Pit,” which is about 60 feet deep; and -to prevent one’s having a chance of falling into it, it is railed round -by spars of sassafras tree, on one of which are two sprouts, which made -their appearance about a month ago, and are looked upon with interest, -for there is no other sign of vegetation within the place. The ceiling -here, from water oozing through the stone, is just like honeycomb. A -little further on we come to the “Bottomless Pit,” a frightful chasm -with a fragile wooden bridge across it. A piece of lighted paper thrown -from the bridge into the pit, shows us the depth of it, which, from the -water to the top of the dome above us, is 280 feet. As we found that the -splendid dome over head had no name, we called it St Paul’s, and -insisted that Stephen should henceforth call it by that name, and no -other. - -As we go along we see on the roof of the avenue the most beautiful -stalactite formations—rosettes, &c., in innumerable variety; there is -indeed here a mixture of the sublime and beautiful. We come to the “Wild -Hall,” well named from its appearance, go through the “Arch,” which is -one of the most-beautifully formed natural arches that can be seen, -return through what is called the Labyrinth, and go to “Gorin’s Dome.” -Much as we had seen to astonish us, we were not prepared for the -magnificence of the scene we were now to witness. Stephen placed us at -an aperture about the ordinary size of a window, told us to lay down our -lamps behind us, then he left us. By and by we discovered him on a point -a considerable way above us, and he lighted one of his Bengals and -unfolded the wonders of the dome to us. It is nearly 300 feet in height, -and we were standing about half way up. The sides of the dome are -fluted, and have the appearance of having been polished, for the water -is still trickling down. It is utterly impossible to give any idea of -the splendour of this place when lighted up. We had not seen half enough -of it. We called for another Bengal light, but Stephen had not one more -left, so we were obliged to leave, which we did, expressing our -determination to visit the dome again in our next ramble. - -We had now been five hours in the cave, and as we had more than two -miles to walk to the mouth, we set off on our homeward route, and passed -again some of our old acquaintances, the Giant’s Coffin, the Church, -walked a little way down “Audribow’s Avenue,” and finally we saw the -light of day glimmering before us, and as we drew nearer to the mouth I -thought the sun never shone so beautifully before, and that the green -grass and the foliage of the trees, in fact the whole face of nature, -was more lovely than ever. When fairly out of the cave we felt as if hot -air was being blown upon us, so oppressively warm did the atmosphere -feel. And so finished our first day in the Mammoth Cave. We returned to -the hotel, spent the evening in thinking over and talking of the wonders -we had seen, then went to bed pretty early, to prepare ourselves for -being up betimes to start upon our second day’s ramble. - - - - - SECOND DAY’S RAMBLE. - - -To-day there were three grand points of the cave which we hoped to -visit, namely, the Chief City or Temple, the Mammoth Dome, and the Fairy -Grotto. We entered about seven o’clock, after a capital breakfast at the -hotel, and passed over a good deal of the ground we visited yesterday. -We left Audribow’s Avenue on our left, came to the Church again, which -we could not help taking another look at, went on through the Main Cave, -passing the Giant’s Coffin, coming to the Great Bend, then entering -again the Star Chamber, through which we passed, and came to the Salts -Room; here there are layers of salts in the sides of the chamber, and -from the roof they hang in crystals. They taste very pure, and not at -all unpleasant, and are used medicinally by the people in the -neighbourhood of the cave, when they can coax any of the guides to bring -them a supply. By kindling a fire in this apartment, or putting all the -lamps together so as to create a tolerable heat, the salt comes down in -flakes like a fall of fleecy snow. As we trudge along the Main Cave (so -called because all the other avenues branch off from it), the mind -cannot but be filled with awe while contemplating the wonders of this -immense tunnel. It is as if we were walking through the bed of a river, -and the ceiling, generally about sixty feet high, looks something like a -cloudy sky; indeed, one part of it is called the Floating Clouds. Soon, -however, our ceiling becomes very low, and our road very rough; we are -compelled to crawl a considerable way on our hands and knees, and are -not at all displeased when we reach the Banquet Hall, for here there is -plenty of room to stand up, the ceiling being 40 feet high, and the -width of the apartment about 700 feet. We were very glad to sit down -too, and Stephen went to a distance and lighted one of his Bengal -lights, which showed us the glories of this immense apartment. While we -were resting here Stephen sang some negro songs very well—a merry fellow -is Stephen, and has a good voice. One of his ditties pleased us very -much—it was about uncle Ned, an old nigger, who died long ago, and who -had no wool on de top ob his head, de place where de wool ought to grow. -I sang my poor friend Rooke’s song of “My Boyhood’s Home,” from Amilie, -and then we resumed our journey, passing by two cataracts, each of which -falls about 50 feet. Our road was very difficult, indeed, and -exceedingly toilsome, notwithstanding the fact that one can undergo a -great deal more fatigue in the cave than it is possible to do in the -open air; but when we reached the point at which we were aiming, our -toils were amply repaid by the magnificence of the Chief City, or -Temple. This dome is 120 feet high, the roof being of smooth solid rock; -it is 300 feet across, and 960 feet in length. In the middle of it is a -large heap of stones called the Mountain, up which we clambered to see -this immense area of darkness illuminated. It is impossible to conceive -anything more sublime than this rocky hall when lighted up by the -Bengal; and it is as impossible for words to convey to one who has never -seen it the least idea of its magnificence. But the light went out too -soon. “Another Bengal! another Bengal! Stephen!” was the cry that -immediately burst from every one. “Ah!” said Stephen, “I knew that would -be the case.” He then formed a light not quite so brilliant as the -Bengal, but which lasted longer, and in whose softness there was more -awe in contemplating this vast place. We remained here a long time, -sometimes in dismal silence, and sometimes breathing forth a sacred -song, or one of a serious character, for one of any other description -would have been quite out of place. Moore’s “Oft in the stilly night” I -sang very softly, but it sounded immensely in the silence; and, if I may -judge of the effect of it upon Stephen, it was very solemn, for he said -it made him cry. He sang us no more nigger songs till we were fairly out -of the Temple. We turned our steps now towards the Fairy Grotto, the way -to which is also very difficult—a great deal of crawling again under low -ceilings, but which is generally got over very good-humouredly, each -one’s mishaps causing a hearty laugh to the others. When you reach the -apartment you discover that it is not inaptly named the Fairy Grotto, -and are soon rapt in admiration of the beautiful stalactites before you. -The lamps are placed in the pillars and other parts of the grotto, in -the same way as at the Gothic Chapel, and the effect is very fine. The -stalactites were once whiter than they are now, for the smoke of the -lamps has darkened them not a little. While admiring the endless variety -of stalactite beauties before us, one cannot help feeling sorry that -visitors should be so barbarous as to break them off, for they but -rarely can get a rosette or anything else whole; they therefore spoil -the beauty of the grotto, without being able to carry away a -satisfactory trophy of their destructive deeds. The stalactite -formations are still going on in the grotto, for the water is constantly -oozing through, and many a crystal drop may be seen hanging from the end -of the bunch of beauties already formed. There are some thick massy -pillars, some stalactites and stalagmites not yet met—the stalagmite is -the formation on the ground caused by the dropping of the water from the -stalactite, which hangs as it were from the roof; many of them are -beautifully and fantastically shaped, and the effect of the light -shining through them is rich in the extreme. After feasting our eyes on -this splendid scene, we left the Solitary Cave, and entered again the -Main Cave, and when we got as far as the Giant’s Coffin, we once more -dived down behind it into the Deserted Chambers, and passing through the -Wooden Bowl, we regained our dining-hall of yesterday, and finding -ourselves quite ready for a repast, we again dined here, and drank of -the clear delicious spring, and after a long rest and chat, and some -music, we set out on our further travels. We soon came to the Bottomless -Pit, and our new-named St Paul’s Dome, and passing on entered the Valley -of Humility, so called from the visitor being obliged to stoop very much -while walking through it, for it is only about four feet high; a short -avenue takes us to the Winding Way, otherwise called the Fat Man’s -Misery, a most extraordinary freak of nature. It is 109 yards long, and -about 15 inches broad, and of solid rock. It widens about three feet -from the ground, so that one has play for his arms; but it keeps -constantly winding, there being not more than two or three feet straight -at a stretch, and must perplex very much any tolerably stout person who -finds himself winding through it. Although it is called the Fat Man’s -Misery, yet it has sometimes proved the fat woman’s misery too, for a -very stout lady, if there is such a thing in the world, got into it -once, and stuck fairly. The appendix, to her quite unnecessary, of a -bustle, was squeezed out of existence; and in winding her way, she -nearly winded herself; she breathed fast, but stuck faster; she, being -so great, became greatly alarmed, and her friends were compelled to haul -her through till they got into Great Relief, which the avenue at the end -of the Winding Way is very appropriately called, and which she frankly -confessed was the greatest relief to her that she had ever in her life -experienced. In the avenue of Great Relief we saw the point to which the -river rose in January last, which is fifty-six feet above its usual -level. In going along we come to two routes, one of which leads to the -river, where we intend going to-morrow, and another to the Mammoth Dome, -whither we now steer our course. We come first, however, to the Bacon -Chamber, another curious freak of dame Nature; the ceiling is low, and -has the appearance of being hung with canvass covered bacon hams and -shoulders, so curiously has the action of the water formed these stones. -There is another curious formation in this chamber. In a part of the -ceiling there is the appearance of a stratum having dropped out for -about 20 feet, about one foot broad, and the same in height, and the -vacuum is in the form of a serpent. Our next place to gaze at is the -Bandit’s Hall, a wonderfully wild looking apartment of great magnitude, -the floor being covered with rocks of various sizes, that have evidently -fallen from the ceiling. It was like being among some wild rocky -mountains, with the sky far above us, and when lighted up was a -magnificent spectacle of wild rugged scenery. Now for the Mammoth Dome. -We sincerely hope it may be something worth looking at when we get to -it, for our way is the most difficult, tedious, and toilsome that we -have yet encountered; by this time, however, we were getting quite -expert at creeping, and going sometimes in crab fashion, sidewise on our -hands and feet. At last we emerge out of a hole, and find ourselves -standing on the brink of a precipice, and hear the falling of water from -a great height, and by the dim glimmer of our lights we see that there -is something before us awfully grand and stupendous, and this is the -Mammoth Dome! But we do not see it yet as we shall see it; we must -descend 20 feet by a crazy-looking ladder, on which human foot has not -been since last summer, in order that we may see the dome in all its -glory. Well, we are down, and not a very easy task it is to get down; -and we are standing there enjoying a kind of shower bath, while Stephen -goes upon a height to light up—and when he does light up we forget the -water that is showering down upon us—we forget everything but the grand -scene before us. We look on the vast space lighted up, and we see the -sides of this immense dome, or tower it might be called, for it is -nearly four hundred feet high, fluted, polished, here pillars, there -capitals of the most elaborate description, as if the cunningest hand of -the cunningest craftsman had been there—ay, and has he not been there? -It is something like Gorin’s Dome, which we saw yesterday, but much -larger. It may well be called the greatest wonder of this wondrous -place. Stephen must give us another Bengal. Again we gaze in -astonishment at this unparalleled wonder, and see beauties we did not -see before. The light fades and dies, and again deep impenetrable gloom -holds its sway. We ascend the ladder to our old ledge of rock at the -mouth of the hole by which we must return, and feel thankful when we -find ourselves safely at the top of it, take one last look at the dome, -and then retrace our steps. When this dome was discovered in 1842, a -lamp was found at the bottom of it, which puzzled the finders not a -little as to how it could have got there. Inquiry was made of an old man -who lives near the cave, and who worked in it when a boy at the -saltpetre factories, and he remembers of a man being let down by a rope -to look for saltpetre, and that he dropped his lamp. What a situation to -be in! Dangling at the end of a rope in the dark, with perhaps a vacuum -of 300 feet below him! We now set off for the mouth of the cave, and had -to go over the same rough ground we traversed before. Having been nine -hours under ground to-day, and some of our party being heartily tired, -we were very glad to see the light of heaven again. - - - - - THIRD DAY’S RAMBLE. - - -Although we had a day’s rest yesterday, it being Sunday, my eldest -daughter was not sufficiently recovered from the fatigues of Saturday to -encounter another day’s journeying in the cave, which might perhaps be -more fatiguing than any we had yet undergone, and so my youngest and -myself sallied forth, both of us being very anxious to see the ferlies -across the river. It has been doubtful for some days whether we should -be able to cross the river, for, like all the rivers for a considerable -time past, it has been so high that there has not been sufficient room -for a boat to pass between the river and the rocky ceiling above. -However, Green River, which flows at about half a mile’s distance from -the mouth of the cave, has fallen considerably since last night, which -affords some hope that the river in the cave may also have fallen, and -Stephen assures us that he will get us to the other side some way or -other, if we should go through Purgatory, which he suspects we shall -have to do. We take an additional guide with us, named Alfred, in case -his services may be required. We trudge along the Main (and at a pretty -smart pace), till we reach the Giant’s Coffin, behind which we again -descend, and go through the Deserted Chambers, pass the Bottomless Pit -and again get into the Winding Way, through which having winded, we -leave the Bacon Chamber on the right, and take the passage to the left, -which leads to the Dead Sea, which may be seen by looking over a -precipice, and sending a blazing piece of paper to the regions below. At -eighty feet distance it reaches the still water of the Dead Sea. We -journey on through avenues till we reach the River Styx, which we cross -in a boat, then we walk a little farther till we get to Lethe. We sail -along it in our frail bark till the water becomes so shallow that we can -go no farther. Echo River is the great one we have to cross, and as the -guides are uncertain about the state of it, they leave us till they -ascertain by what means we are to get to the other side. It was no very -delightful situation for solitary helpless individuals to be left alone -in a boat in the middle of a river so far under the face of the earth, -and with no sound of anything near us save the trickling of invisible -waterfalls, and nothing with any sign of life but gnats that fluttered -about our lamps, and now and then a large cricket with immense long -legs, but there was no “hearth” for it to be on, nor did it chirp. In -this river are the eyeless fish; there are two kinds of them, neither -having the least resemblance of a place for an eye, for, of course, they -have no need of eyes. The solitariness of such a scene can scarcely be -conceived. However, we must not think of it; we sang and chatted. The -echo was magnificent, and sounding chords afforded us some amusement. -The four notes of the chord, sounded by one voice, continued to sound -altogether for a very long time, and at length died away by almost -inaudible sounds. After being in this lonely situation for an hour, we -were cheered by hearing the voices of the guides, singing at a long -distance from us. As they came nearer we discovered that it was “Auld -lang syne” they were singing, and I am sure I never heard that favourite -air with greater pleasure or satisfaction. At length the glimmer of the -lamps is seen in the distant darkness, and the guides approach us, -awakening the echoes with “Oh, Susanna,” “Old Uncle Ned,” and other -negro ditties. We learn that we cannot embark at the usual place, but -must go round by Purgatory Avenue. They have to carry us through the -shallow water about fifty yards, till we come to walking ground, then we -reach a ferry which we cross in a boat, and Alfred takes the boat -through the archway at the usual place for embarking, to meet us at the -end of the avenue; for we hear the water splashing against the ceiling, -and we cannot go that way. He must lie down flat in the boat, and get -through as he best can. We reach the point of the river where he had -come to, and there is no sign of him. We wait patiently for a time, and -at length the awful silence is broken by the sounds of his voice, -singing to let us know he has got through in safety. The effect of the -solitary lamp on the water is astounding. We now all embark, and sing -our way down the Echo River for about a quarter of a mile, when we get -out, and walk again for some distance, then cross the river again, on -Stephen’s back, and at last we are fairly on the other side. The river -was discovered in 1839, and first crossed in 1841. As we go along, -although we are fifty or sixty feet above the river, marks of its recent -rise are visible, for the sand is very wet, and our road very slippery. -The avenue in which we now are must have been filled with water to the -very ceiling, and our path is an awfully wild one, strewed with immense -rocks that have fallen from above, and the ceiling is like a dark -midnight sky. The walls are beautifully ornamented with rosettes, &c., -of stalactite in great profusion. We are now in Lillyman’s Avenue, and -have come to a bend, something like the Great Bend on the other side of -the river. This bend resembles exactly the stern of a large ship, and we -see it as if we were in the water looking up at it. It is called the -Great Western. The avenue, which is two miles long, is terminated by an -apartment called Ole Bull’s Concert Room, for here the great violinist -discoursed eloquent music to a large party whom he accompanied into the -cave some years ago. We now enter the Pass of El Ghor, which is two -miles long, very narrow, that is, it averages a breadth of six or eight -feet, and a height of about fifteen or eighteen. There is a -singular-looking place in it called The Hanging Rocks, which are immense -blocks of stone rent from the roof, and hanging as it were in air, ready -to annihilate any half-hundred people that may venture under them, but -fortunately they don’t. We leave the Pass, and enter Spring-side, when -we ascend a ladder about fifteen feet into a place called Mary’s -Vineyard, one of the most extraordinary freaks in the whole cave. It -looks as if all the dark coloured grapes had been collected from half -the vineyards on the Rhine and deposited here. The clusters are perfect, -and the formations are still going on. It was lighted up with a Bengal, -and the effect of it is indescribable. We pass on to Washington Hall, or -the Spar Chamber, as it is sometimes called, a large and beautiful -apartment, where the walls and roof are covered with beautiful -ornaments, and by and by we reach the Snow-ball Room, which has the -appearance of there having been a formidable battery of snow-balls -directed against the roof, many of which are beautifully formed, like -large white roses. We proceed to Cleveland’s Cabinet, which is about two -miles in length, and filled with stalactite beauties, various parts of -it being distinguished by particular names, such as Mary’s Bower, a -beautiful part—St Cecilia’s Grotto, Charlotte’s Grotto, Mary Reedie’s -Festoon, &c., the walls of the whole for several miles being covered -with rosettes, Prince of Wales’ feathers, tulips, lilies, &c., and often -we see a piece like a richly carved Corinthian capital. We must not -forget the Diamond Grotto, where, by holding your lamp behind you, a -never-ending profusion of sparkling diamonds is seen among the -stalactite beauties. Many beautiful specimens have fallen on the ground, -and many have been knocked from the place where Nature deposited them by -the ruthless hand of some visitor. We brought away some specimens with -us, but they are very brittle and very heavy, which makes it difficult -to procure many. It is said there are rats in this part of the cave, -though it is difficult to imagine what they can support themselves and -their families upon, for they cannot exist on the beautiful ornaments by -which they are surrounded any more than the California miner can live on -the gold he finds; but sometimes they get a chance for food. It is not -long since two young men came from New York with the determination of -exploring the cave. They took provisions with them to last for three -days, and had Stephen for their guide. They had their blankets with -them, and after one day’s exploration, they fixed on Cleveland’s Cabinet -for their sleeping chamber. When they got up in the morning, and went -for their basket to breakfast before setting out on their travels, they -found every particle of food gone, and they had a trudge of eight miles -to the mouth of the cave for a breakfast. The rats are different from -the usual species, they leap something like a rabbit, and are very -seldom seen. Beyond Cleveland’s Avenue, we came to the Rocky Mountains, -an exceedingly difficult place to travel over, then get to the Dismal -Hall, a gloomy-looking place, about 100 feet high—Sereno’s Arbour, well -worthy to be visited, and Medora’s Spring, are at the farthest extent of -the explored part of the cave, and here we are nine miles from the -mouth. We now returned, and saw on our way the Snow-ball Chamber lighted -up with a Bengal, which, if possible, increased its beauty. We stopped -to dine at a little spring not far from the foot of the ladder by which -we descended from Mary’s Vineyard, and, after resting for a time, we -entered once more the Pass of El Ghor, and continued our way looking -with regret for the last time upon the many wonders we had already -explored. As we approached the river we found the walking as bad as -ever, but we got over safe. As Alfred was carrying me along the Styx on -his back, he stepped upon a quicksand, and sank considerably, which I -not liking, and being quite ignorant as to where he was likely to sink -to, I jumped from his back, in spite of Stephen’s shouts to “hold on to -him! hold on to him!” It afforded me a hearty laugh, for the water -scarcely came to my knees, and the exertion of clambering over rocks, -and walking along on the rough road, soon made all dry. Once on this -side the river, we trudged on nimbly through the Fat Man’s Misery and -the Valley of Humility, and getting into the Main Cave from behind the -Giant’s Coffin again, we were not long in seeing the light of day. I -nearly forgot to mention, that as we were sailing up the Echo River on -our way home, Alfred, the guide, caught two of the eyeless fish. They -are small, about a finger’s length, one of them like a minnow, and the -other something like a shrimp. There is not the slightest appearance of -eyes about them. We heard also the sound of a voice at some distance, -which Stephen knew to be that of one of the guides, and when we got up -on the walk about fifty feet above the river, we saw at a great distance -three individuals standing beside the river, their lamps beside them. -The effect was awfully sepulchral—they looked like beings of the nether -regions. By the by, the place through which we traversed to the spot -where we saw them, is called the Infernal Regions. The visitors soon -joined us, and we left the cave together. They had only gone to the bank -of the river. It will be long ere we forget our visit to the Mammoth -Cave. The season not commencing till about the end of June, we had it -all to ourselves, and enjoyed it much; but even when there is a crowd of -people there, it must add to the amusement to meet parties as one -rambles through the cave, though one would scarcely get into such a -place for amusement. It fills the mind with thoughts something deeper -than amusement. No accident of a serious nature has ever happened in the -cave, for the guides are very careful, and every precaution is taken to -prevent accidents. Very soon after the river was discovered two young -gentlemen, accompanied by two young ladies, went to cross it. They were -full of spirits and too full of fun, for despite the guide’s warning -that the boat was very crazy, they, in getting into it, upset it. Their -lamps were all extinguished, and their matches lost. Fortunately the -guide got them out of the water, and placed them on some rocks, where -they were obliged to remain for several hours, till the people in the -hotel sent to see what detained them so long in the cave. They were in a -terrible fright, and no wonder. Another gentleman who had left his -party, in his ardour to examine some particular point, lost his way in -attempting to rejoin them, and wandered about shouting till his lamp -went out, when he sat down, and he was thirty hours alone before they -found him. There is no danger if the parties keep together and with the -guide, but to attempt to find the way oneself were a useless task.[2] We -left the Mammoth Cave Hotel at six in the evening, and had a pleasant -ride to Bell’s, at eight miles distance. The road is through the woods -and very rough, but will be smoother by and by, when there is more -traffic on it. Mr Bell has improved it very much this spring, at his own -expense, for he has the conveying of all the visitors from the house to -the cave, and very reasonably he does it. As I before mentioned, he is -an obliging and attentive old man, Mr Bell, and if you get into his good -graces, he will not be sparing of his peach brandy and honey, though he -very wisely takes none of it himself; and perhaps he may take you into -the garden, where he will show you something that will strike you as -being very singular, if you are an Englishman. In a corner of the -garden, under a quiet tree, you will see a neat tombstone, which will -tell you that there the old man’s son lies, and two of that son’s -children, and perhaps he may tell you himself that he is conducting the -house and farm for the benefit of that son’s widow and surviving child, -whom he wishes to see comfortably provided for before he be laid in the -quiet corner beside his son. After spending five hours at Bell’s we got -the stage for Louisville, ninety miles distant, over a road that is not -of the best, and to make it worse there is a storm brewing, the -lightning is flashing, the thunder is roaring, the rain is coming down -in torrents, and the fire flies are whirling in the air in myriads. - - -_P.S._—This description of the Mammoth Cave, if it may be called so, was -written to a private friend, and not intended for public -perusal—therefore, gentle reader, be not disappointed at not having -discovered finely rounded periods, or any attempt at high-flown -language—be contented with a plain chat about one of the greatest -wonders of the world, and if you can manage to come across the Atlantic -to see it, do so—you will not then be disappointed, I promise you, -however imperfect may be my description. - - - - - SCOTIA’S DIRGE: - BEING - VERSES ON THE DEATH OF JOHN WILSON, Esq., - THE SCOTTISH VOCALIST, - Who died at Quebec on the 9th July 1849. - - - Auld Scotia now may sigh aloud, - Her tears in torrents fa’, - Her sweetest harp now hangs unstrung, - Since Wilson’s ta’en awa’. - He sang o’ a’ her warlike deeds, - An’ sons that gallant were— - Her hoary towers, an’ snaw-clad hills, - An’ maidens sweet and fair. - - His was a harp o’ thrillin’ sound, - Could pleasure aye impart; - Its melody o’ bygane days - Gaed hame to ilka heart. - Its strains could bring remembrance back - To youthfu’ days at school; - Or mak’ us sigh for Scotia’s wrangs, - An’ Flodden’s day o’ dool. - - He sang o’ beauty’s winsome wiles, - In mony a leesome theme, - An’ gather’d by his artless lays - A never-dying name. - While heather blooms on Scotia’s hills, - An’ burnies join the sea, - His aft-applauded “Nichts wi’ Burns” - Will ne’er forgotten be. - - Ye gentle maids! a tribute pay - Frae ’mang your Western bowers, - An’ strew the minstrel’s lowly grave - Wi’ summer’s balmy flowers! - Then rest thee, minstrel! Tho’ thy harp - Can noo nae mair be found, - The lovers o’ auld Scotia’s sangs - Can ne’er forget its sound! - -Gourdon Schoolhouse. - W. J. - - - - - Footnotes - - -[1]Bell’s house, when we leave the road, is midway between Nashville and - Louisville, and 90 miles from each city. - -[2]In St Louis I saw part of a panorama of the Upper Mississippi, which - a French artist named Pomerade has been engaged on for some years, - and which he has nearly finished. It is beautifully painted, and must - prove very interesting, for he has introduced Indian scenes, customs, - &c., and has also machinery which sets the steam-boats agoing, &c. He - intends to have four views from the Mammoth Cave as drop-scenes; if - he succeeds in giving anything like a faithful representation of - them, it will add much to the _eclat_ of his picture. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Created an original cover image, for free unrestricted use with this - eBook. - ---Silently corrected a few typos. - ---In the text versions, included italicized text in _underscores_. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Visit to the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, by -John Wilson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VISIT TO MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY *** - -***** This file should be named 51187-0.txt or 51187-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/1/8/51187/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by the -Library of Congress) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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