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text-align:center; } -dl.biblio dd { margin-top:.3em; margin-left:3em; text-align:justify; font-size:90%; } -.clear { clear:both; } -p.book { margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; } -p.review { margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:80%; } -dl.undent dt { margin-left:0em; text-indent:0em; } -dl.undent dd { margin-left:4em; text-indent:-3em; } -dl.undent dd.t { margin-left:5em; text-indent:-3em; } -dl.undent dd.t2 { margin-left:6em; text-indent:-3em; } -dl.undent dt.r { text-align:right; }</style> -</head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -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) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div id="cover" class="img"> -<img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="A Visit to the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky" width="500" height="791" /> -</div> -<div class="box"> -<h1>A VISIT -<br /><span class="smallest">TO</span> -<br />THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY.</h1> -<p class="tbcenter">BY JOHN WILSON,</p> -<p class="center"><span class="smaller">THE SCOTTISH VOCALIST.</span></p> -<p class="tbcenter"><span class="small">EDINBURGH: 1849.</span></p> -</div> -<div class="pb" id="Page_3">3</div> -<h1 title="">A VISIT -<br /><span class="smaller">TO</span> -<br />THE MAMMOTH CAVE OF KENTUCKY.</h1> -<p class="jr1"><span class="small">Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, May 20, 1849.</span></p> -<p>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,<a class="fn" id="fr_1" href="#fn_1">[1]</a> 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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_4">4</span> -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</p> -<h2 id="c1">FIRST DAY’S VISIT TO THE MAMMOTH CAVE.</h2> -<p>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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_5">5</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_6">6</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_7">7</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_8">8</span> -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 <i>fix</i>. 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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_9">9</span> -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.</p> -<p>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, -<span class="pb" id="Page_10">10</span> -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.</p> -<p>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.</p> -<h2 id="c2">SECOND DAY’S RAMBLE.</h2> -<p>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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_11">11</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_12">12</span> -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, -<span class="pb" id="Page_13">13</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_14">14</span> -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.</p> -<h2 id="c3">THIRD DAY’S RAMBLE.</h2> -<p>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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_15">15</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_16">16</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_17">17</span> -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 -<span class="pb" id="Page_18">18</span> -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.<a class="fn" id="fr_2" href="#fn_2">[2]</a> We left the -Mammoth Cave Hotel at six in the evening, and had a -<span class="pb" id="Page_19">19</span> -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> -<hr /> -<p class="tb"><i>P.S.</i>—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.</p> -<div class="pb" id="Page_20">20</div> -<h2 id="c4">SCOTIA’S DIRGE: -<br /><span class="small"><span class="smaller">BEING</span></span> -<br /><span class="small">VERSES ON THE DEATH OF JOHN WILSON, <span class="sc">Esq.</span>, -<br />THE SCOTTISH VOCALIST, -<br />Who died at Quebec on the 9th July 1849.</span></h2> -<div class="verse"> -<p class="t0">Auld Scotia now may sigh aloud,</p> -<p class="t">Her tears in torrents fa’,</p> -<p class="t0">Her sweetest harp now hangs unstrung,</p> -<p class="t">Since Wilson’s ta’en awa’.</p> -<p class="t0">He sang o’ a’ her warlike deeds,</p> -<p class="t">An’ sons that gallant were—</p> -<p class="t0">Her hoary towers, an’ snaw-clad hills,</p> -<p class="t">An’ maidens sweet and fair.</p> -</div> -<div class="verse"> -<p class="t0">His was a harp o’ thrillin’ sound,</p> -<p class="t">Could pleasure aye impart;</p> -<p class="t0">Its melody o’ bygane days</p> -<p class="t">Gaed hame to ilka heart.</p> -<p class="t0">Its strains could bring remembrance back</p> -<p class="t">To youthfu’ days at school;</p> -<p class="t0">Or mak’ us sigh for Scotia’s wrangs,</p> -<p class="t">An’ Flodden’s day o’ dool.</p> -</div> -<div class="verse"> -<p class="t0">He sang o’ beauty’s winsome wiles,</p> -<p class="t">In mony a leesome theme,</p> -<p class="t0">An’ gather’d by his artless lays</p> -<p class="t">A never-dying name.</p> -<p class="t0">While heather blooms on Scotia’s hills,</p> -<p class="t">An’ burnies join the sea,</p> -<p class="t0">His aft-applauded “Nichts wi’ Burns”</p> -<p class="t">Will ne’er forgotten be.</p> -</div> -<div class="verse"> -<p class="t0">Ye gentle maids! a tribute pay</p> -<p class="t">Frae ’mang your Western bowers,</p> -<p class="t0">An’ strew the minstrel’s lowly grave</p> -<p class="t">Wi’ summer’s balmy flowers!</p> -<p class="t0">Then rest thee, minstrel! Tho’ thy harp</p> -<p class="t">Can noo nae mair be found,</p> -<p class="t0">The lovers o’ auld Scotia’s sangs</p> -<p class="t">Can ne’er forget its sound!</p> -</div> -<p>Gourdon Schoolhouse. -<span class="lr">W. J.</span></p> -<h2 id="c5">Footnotes</h2> -<div class="fnblock"><div class="fndef"><a class="fn" id="fn_1" href="#fr_1">[1]</a>Bell’s -house, when we leave the road, is midway between Nashville -and Louisville, and 90 miles from each city. -</div><div class="fndef"><a class="fn" id="fn_2" href="#fr_2">[2]</a>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 <i>eclat</i> -of his picture. -</div> -</div> -<h2 id="c6">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> -<ul><li>Created an original cover image, for free unrestricted use with this eBook.</li> -<li>Silently corrected a few typos.</li> -<li>In the text versions, included italicized text in _underscores_.</li></ul> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -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-h.htm or 51187-h.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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