72 Stupendous Cavnn 



The mouth of the cavern is in a small hollow, about five feet 

 below the surrounding surface of the earth — you then descend 

 sixteen feet and a half into a room about sixteen by twenty feet, 

 and eight feet high, and behold in front of you a large flat or 

 table rock, twelve or fourteen feet square, two feet thick, and 

 elevated about four feet from the bottom of the cavern, the roof 

 over-head covered with stalactites, some of which reach to the 

 table rock. On your left hand is an arched way of one hun- 

 dred and fifty feet, and on your right hand is another arched 

 way, six feet broad at the bottom, and six feet high, which 

 leads into a large room. Passing by this arch about twenty 

 feet, you arrive at another, which leads into a hall ten feet 

 wide and 100 feet long, from five to eight feet high, supported 

 with pillars and arches, and the sides bordered with curtains, 

 plaited in variegated forms, as white as snow. Near the mid- 

 dle of this hall is an arched way, through which you pass into 

 a large room, which, like the hall, is bordered with curtains, 

 and hung over with stalactites. Returning into the hall, you 



!)ass through another arch into a number of rooms on the left 

 land, curtained, and with stalactites hanging from the roof. 

 You then descend about ten feet, into a chamber about twenty 

 feet square and two feet high, curtained in like manner, and 

 hung over with stalactites. In one corner of this chamber, a 

 small mound is formed about twelve feet in diameter, rising 

 three feet from the floor ; the top of which is hollow and fi^ill 

 of water fi-om the drippings of stalactites above, some of which 

 reach near to the basin. 



Descenduig from this chamber, and passing through an- 

 other arch into a hall, by the side of which you see another 

 basin of water, rising about four inches from the floor ; formed 

 in the same way, but the shape, size, and thickness, of a large 

 tea-tray, full of the most pure and transparent water. 



The number and spaciousness of the rooms, curtained and 

 ]:)laited with large plaits, extenduig along the walls from two 

 to three feet from the roof, of the most perfect whiteness, re- 

 sembling the mtjst beautiful tapestry, with which the rooms 

 are embroidered; and the large drops of water, which are 

 constantly suspended on the points of innumerable stalactites, 

 which hang from tlie roofs above ; and the columns of spar 

 resting on pedestals, which, in some places, appear to be 

 formed to support the arches above — the reflection of the lights, 

 and the great extent and variety of the scenery of tliis amazing 

 cavern, — form altogether, one of the most pleasing and interest- 

 ing scenes that was ever beheld by the eye of mortal man. 



Its discovery immediately drew to it great numbers of peo- 

 ple from the village and surrounding country, who were making 



great 



