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Southern Sketches

Southern Sketches image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
February
Year
1892
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A i ) a, with the Niágara Falls and the Yellowstone Park the Mammofh Cave stands, as one of the lluve most notable wonders of the United States. Kaeh is unique, mpiessive and strange. Alter the Aim Arbor meeting, i lie editorial excursionista went Miüih by the Michigan Central aii.l C. II. & I). roads to Cincin nal i. Thence into Kentucky, to its írreat cave. We were ia'two special Pullmans, started on a long tour of recreation and sightseejiftg. Arriving there, we were not hl' the Scotchman who had travall the way f rom home to see ave. but would not iro into if, wíh-11 he discovered that it was i we iiriiied ourselves i Luterns and plunged in at in the evenin-i-, out, oí' the -olt rnooiiliiílit, into I he bowels oí liie quiet eartíi - uto tlie awí'ul d;rkness. A greal wind, always blowinjr nit oí' the moutb, extinguished many of the lanterns, but inside was á refreshing atraosphere, olear. and welJ fitted for Ihe exertion oí tramping. The long avenues of Mammoth Gave stretch awayior 150 miles, usiialiy seven or eight yards wide aujl high, frequeiitly broadeniiií out nto vast rooms, eacli havifig iis name and legend. Öne is the Brida! ( 'hamher where a runaway coni l(' were once married, after le ■ l 't .H-lared that she would never nriarVy i,, , . of the earth Another was the Methodist Church, where the old I time itinerariei oí' that denomina non used to preach to the minéis. Still anoUier had a rude stone house where íifteen oonsuniptives lived a long time, thinking that by finding a place oí even temperature the year round, tliey wou ld keep off the dread monster. At Jast one died; they lost faith in their asylum, went away and all Boon were gathered to their father5. Huge piis abound, where four score years agp, during the war of 1812, miner.s made salt petre bv digging up bkeuitrouseartb Thus they supplied the Wation 's anny even though the precious salt had to be carried through far-stretchtng forests, over streams and moiiiitains to the sea coast. The path though narrow is dry and pret tv smooth, winding imong the rocks, many of which are pnea up as ínonuments by the tourists o f the various status, each one being inscribed lo some state, society or popular hero. Save in one place called the Oorkscrew, one does not have to crawl, and it is very infrequent that the traveller. even has to hend over. But the Oorkscrew is a terror to fat people - in í'act only slender or medium sized folks can wiggle up through the narrow crevices of the focks. i ne quides offer tvvo routes- the snort one of about tour hours walkinir, and the long one of haps sixieen miles, rakiug eighl honrs. Bol h routes were fu ken by the Michigan party, the long one on the day following öur midnight stroll. ïhen we rowed on the rivera Styx and Lethe ; sang and hollowed for the echoes ; ate lunch eon a hundred i'eetbelowdaylight, ind imasdned we were in another vvcrid. A vast river runs through the lower of' the three levéis of the cave, whifh drains the otherparrs and evidently has an nndergronnd connection with the (íreen river, since it vises with its IVeshets and falle with its dry seasons. Here are tliose strange eyeless tish and other litsli with sightless e ves. 1 bey gather their rood by feeling with long lilamenis floating out around their heads. Their sense of touch strangely answers for eyesigbt. No one visits the cave without entering the Star Cliamber, with ts high ce'Uing above the visitere, who are wondering why it is calltd by such a name. Soon the guides exiiiiguisli ali uur lumjw and we are lelt m h,e cmdltloii ui ilie iravellei-, uuacculonied u.i ridiug on a u-uti, . iviien the cais sudilein; ín.i-a iutua tunnel, jumpeu up uiiu'ej_iu "Byjiiumy '. niy e es arepiuoui. ' It wao une ol those lonesoine j nesses wliere you ca.i eej n. i,. guide, aller niucknigiy u" goüduiglit," went cnvay a.ia we coiiiiolied uurseives üj sí iií tij -: - " JJarkneas ue over uie, My rest a stone." But aiter a little we heard Jus vou;e saymg " look up." ín the lugb vauiteü ceiJing stars seeniet lo oe coming out, uatil the wnoie was iuniHious. tsiuciy n vva.-, a straiige efiect, caused by the ligln ueiijg tJirown on the rooi' wlucJi was covered wilü little átalactites, ïke liiu ceiling oi' the Light (Juard pariors. As tne Jight struck those puints it reñected Jikd starüght, nalving a singular counterleii ol jature. Tiie good hotel at the entrance lias íts üinnig room directl.) aboye oue ol tue large rooms oí tiie cave, and Ule owners contémplale run mug duvva an eievator siiaít and iiaving their dining room below, vv'Ueie it ís aice and cool. SJoaie Uay they will light maiiy oí tiie iüng daí-k passages by eieetncily. lt 18 a vvoiiderñil place vvelJ worth gomg a loug way to see, tor ítiü truiy remarkable.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier