KENTUCKY. 



547 



are commoni} in the shape of inverted cones, 60 or 70 feet in depth, and from 60 to 300 

 feet in circumference at the top. Their sides and bottoms are generally covered with wil- 

 lows and aquatic productions. The ear can often distinguish the sound of waters flowing 

 under them, and it is believed that they are perforations in the bed of limestone below the 

 soil, which have caused the earth above to sink. The common people imagine them to have 

 been huge v^^ells, at which the mammoths of former times quenched their thirst. Sometimes 

 the ground has been opened, and disclosed a subterraneous stream of water at the bottom of 

 these cavities, and in one instance a mill was erected over the invisible river. Considerable 

 streams disappear in several places and afterward rise again to the surface, at some distance be- 

 low, having evidently flowed through these subterraneous channels. 



7. Face of the Country. Kentucky presents a waving and diversified surface, without be- 



would be impossible to preserve an open liglit. It is 

 c;illed tlie mouth, as fiir as this place, on account of its be- 

 ing the extent of the influence of Haylight, which here 

 appears lilte a small star. Formerly, when the cavern 

 was first discovered, this part of it was nearly filled with 

 earth, which has been recently manufactured into salt- 

 petre. 



" Having prepared ourselves with a sufficient quantity 

 of provision, oil, and candles, and taking 2 persons as 

 guides, we took our last view of the daylight, and pro- 

 ceeded forward, closing the door behind us. Immediately 

 we found ourselves in thick and almost palpable darkness, 

 the whole of our 4 lights spread but a feeble radiance 

 about us. Such is the height at this place, that we were 

 hardly able to discover the top, and to see from one side 

 to the other, was utterly impossible. From this place e.x- 

 tended several cabins, or as travelers have named them, 

 rooms, in different directions. This part of the cave is 

 called the First Hopper. The soil at the bottom of the 

 cave is very light, and strongly impreirnated with salt. 

 The sides and top are formed of rock. We proceeded for- 

 ward, passing several rooms on our right, and one on our 

 loft, until we arrived at the Second Hopper, a distance of 4 

 miles from the mouth. About 1 mile in the roar of this, 

 was pointed out to us by our guide, the place where the 

 celebrated mummy was found, in a sitting posture, by the 

 side of the cavern, enveloped in a mat, and in a complete 

 state of preservation. 



" We ne.xt entered the room denominated the Haunted 

 Chimber. It is nearly 2 miles in length, 20 feet in height, 

 and 10 in breadth, extending nearly the whole length, in 

 a right line. The top is firmed of smooth, white stone, 

 soft, and much resembling the plastering of a room. 

 There is a small quantity of water constantly, though al- 

 most imperceptibly, falling from above, which, in the 

 course of ages, has worn from the stone at the top, some 

 beautiful pillars, which extend to the bottom of the room 

 They have the appearance of being the work of art. In 

 one of them there is formed a complete chair, with arms, 

 which has received the name of Arm Chair. By the side 

 of this, is a clear pool of water, strongly iinpregnated with 

 sulphur. The sides of the room are likewise elegantly 

 adorned with a variety of figures, formed from the stone 

 at the top, and coming down upon the side of the cavern, 

 like icicles in the winter, from the eaves of buildings, the 

 reflection of our lights upon them forming a most brilliant 

 appearance. At the end of this room, we descended a 

 kind of natural staircase, to the depth of near 300 feet 

 in many places, affording only room for one person to 

 proceed. Here we found a beautiful stream of pure 

 water, winding its way along between the rocks. The 

 situation of this part of the cavern is rendered really aw- 

 ful, from its being associated with a variety of names that 

 travelers have given it. The portrait of his Satanic Maj- 

 esty, is painted here upon the rocks, and a large flat stone, 

 resting its corners upon four others, is called his Dining 

 Table. A short distance from this, is a place said to be 

 his Forging Shop. On the whole they are admirably cal- 

 culated to frighten the cowardly. We returned to the 

 main cavern, and resumed our course, climbing over rocks 

 that had evidently fallen from above, and passing a num- 

 ber of rooms on our right and left. With much exertion, 



we reached the place denominated the Six Coiners, in 

 consequence of G rooms or caverns here, taking different 

 directions. iNot having time to examine the.se, we proceed- 

 ed to the first water fall, about 2 miles further, over a lev- 

 el plain. The tracks of persons who might have pre- 

 ceded us for ages, were as plainly visible in the sand, as 

 when first made. There is no air stirring that would 

 move the slightest feather, or prevent the impression of a 

 footstep from remaining for centuries. 



" We now directed our course to the Chief Cit}', about 

 one mile further. A large hill situated in the centre of the 

 cave, would have exhibited a most commanding prospect, 

 if the darkness had not obstructed our vision. One of us, 

 however, standing upon the top, with the lights stationed 

 at different parts of its base, obtained a novel and interest- 

 ing view of the cavern. There is an echo here that is 

 very powerful, and we improved it with a song, much to 

 our gratification. We starled forward again, traveling 

 over a plain of 2 miles extent, and about the same distance 

 over the rocks and hills, when we arrived at the second 

 water-fall. The water here dashes into a pit below of 

 immense depth. A circumstance occurred here that had 

 nearly proved fatal to one of us. Tlie sides of the pit are 

 formed of loose rocks, and we amused ourselves by 

 rolling them down, in order to hear them strike the bot- 

 tom. Such is the depth of it, that a minute elapsed 

 before we could hear them strike, and the sound was 

 very faint. One of our party venturing too near, for 

 the purpose of rolling a large stone, started the foun- 

 dation on which he stood, and was precipitated down 

 about 20 feet, with the tmnbling stones ; but, fortunately, 

 a proji'Cting rock saved him from destruction. This put 

 an end to all our amusements ; and, being much fatigued 

 with a travel of 24 hours on foot, and seeing no fairer pros- 

 pects of finding the end, than when we commenced, we 

 concluded to return. We accordingly took up our line of 

 march, returninof the wav we came. After being 42 hours 

 absent from the light of day , we again found ourselves at 

 the mouth of the cavern, and gave ourselves up to a re- 

 freshing sleep. 



" There are a number of pits of great depth, in different 

 parts of the cave, which made it necessary to be very 

 careful in exploring it. There is danger, also, of taking 

 some unexplored room, and becoming so lost as not to be 

 able to find the way out. This is, however, obviated, by 

 the precaution that has been taken as far as has been ex- 

 plored, to place the figure of an arrow at the entrance of 

 every room, pointing to the mouth of the cave. Care 

 should always bo taken to preserve the light, as it would 

 be impossible for any one to find the way back in darkness, 

 further than the First Hopper. We found the names of 

 ladies inscribed at the furthest points we reached, and our 

 guide remarked, that the}' were the most courageous visit- 

 ers he ever had. For 3 miles from the mouth, the sides 

 and top of the cavern are covered with a remarkable quan- 

 tity of bats, hanging down from the top in the form of 

 bee hives, from 2 to 3 feet thick. They are in a torpid 

 state, and are seldom known to fly. There are about 20 

 different rooms that have been discovered. This vast 

 cavern is apparently hollow beneath, from the sound that 

 is made by walking through many of the rooms." — JV'. E. 

 Weekly Review. > 



