THE MAMMOTH CAVE. oe 
at 
letter contains several facts that will here 
anticipate their regular onict, and will again 
be adverted to :— 
“ Guascow, Ky., Feb. 9, 1868. 
“W. Stump Forwoop, M.D 
“ DEAR SIR: 
“Tam in receipt of yours of the 27th ultimo. 
You desire all the information I can give re- 
specting the date of the discovery, the early his- 
tory, the operations of the saltpetre miners, etc. 
of the Mammoth Cave. 
“This part of Kentucky was peopled and 
settled in the latter part of the eighteenth and 
early part of the nineteenth century. The 
Mammoth Cave is situated on the south side of 
Green River, and not far from its banks. It 
was discovered in the year 1809, by a man 
named Houchins, by running a bear into it. 
The entrance was small, although there was a 
large ‘sink’ at the mouth. This is not the 
original mouth or entrance: the original mouth 
is about one-fourth of a mile north, or north- 
west, from the present entrance. It is a deep 
hole, perhaps fifty feet across at the top, and was 
doubtless the site, years, years ago, of one of 
those large springs so often found near the 
south bank of Green River. There is a spring 
