ALEXANDER WILSON. 
lxxxix 
height of twenty or thirty feet, presenting all the most irregular 
projections of surface, and hanging in gloomy and silent horror. 
We passed numerous chambers, or offsets, which we did not 
explore; and after three hours’ wandering in these profound regions 
of gloom and silence, the particulars of which would detain me too 
long, I emerged, with a handkerchief filled with bats, including 
one which I have never seen described ; and a number of extra- 
ordinary insects of the gryllus tribe, with antennae upwards of six 
inches long, and which, I am persuaded, had never before seen 
the light of day, as they fled from it with seeming terror, and I 
believe were as blind in it as their companions, the bats. Great 
quantities of native glauber salts are found in these caves, and are 
used by the country people in the same manner, and with equal 
effect, as those of the shops. But the principal production is 
saltpetre, which is procured from the earth in great abundance. 
The cave in Warren county, above mentioned, has lately been 
sold for three thousand dollars to a saltpetre company ; an indi- 
vidual of which informed me that, from every appearance, this 
cave had been known to the Indians many ages ago ; and had 
evidently been used for the same purposes. At the distance of 
more than a mile from the entrance, the exploring party, on their 
first visit, found the roof blackened by smoke, and bundles of half 
burnt canes scattered about. A bark mockasin, of curious con- 
struction, besides several other Indian articles, were found among 
the rubbish. The earth, also, lay piled in heaps, with great 
regularity, a‘s if in preparation for extracting the saltpetre. 
“ Notwithstanding the miserable appearance of the timber 
in these barrens, the soil, to my astonishment, produced the 
most luxuriant fields of corn and wheat I had ever before met 
with. But one great disadvantage is the want of water ; for the 
whole running streams, with which the surface of this country 
evidently once abounded, have been drained off to a great depth, 
and now murmur among these lower regions, secluded from the 
day. One forenoon I rode nineteen miles without seeing water ; 
while my faithful horse looked round, but in vain, at every hollow, 
with a wishful and languishing eye, for that precious element. 
These barrens furnished me with excellent sport in shooting grouse, 
which abound here in great numbers ; and in the delightful groves, 
VOL. i. g 
