The Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

LOCATION.

The Mammoth Cave, is situated in Edmonson country, Kentucky, ninety-five miles south of Louisville, or half way between Louisville and Nashville; and i accessible by a good turnpike road, or by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which passes within seven miles of the Cave; where, at Bell's Station, at which there is a fine hotel, kept by Mr. G. M. Proctor, there is a line of stages running to the Cave

The Cave Hotel is capable of accommodating between four and five hundred visitors. The rooms are furnished in the best style, and the table is not surpassed by that of any hotel in the Union. Attached to the hotel is a magnificent ball room, which is fitted up in the most approved manner.

The scenery in the vicinity of the Mammoth Cave is almost without a rival. Green River, with its towering cliffs, is but a few hundred yards from the hotel, and afford good fishing, and pleasant boat excursions, which, together with the magnificent grounds, promenades, and so forth, attached to the hotel, conspire to render a visit peculiarly attractive.

ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE.

The entrance to the Cave is one hundred and ninety-four feet above the Green River, and is about twenty-five feet in height, by about thirty in width, over which may be seen at almost all seasons a mist or fog; which, when the external air is warmer than that of the Cave, is produced by the condensation of the moisture of the former by the reduced temperature of the latter. On the contrary, when the temperature of the external atmosphere is less than that of the Cave, the moisture of the air of the latter is condensed in a similar manner. When the temperature of the outer air is the same as that of the Cave, no fog or cloud is observable at its mouth.

The entrance to the Mammoth Cave, at an early period of its history, was situated about half a mile from its present location, constituting what is now called the mouth of Dickson's Cave. This cave terminates within a few feet of the mouth of the Mammoth Cave, but there is a present no direct communication between the two. The voice of a person at the end of Dickson's Cave can be distinctly heard at the entrance of the Mammoth Cave.

The present entrance to the Mammoth Cave was formed, and its communication with Dickson's Cave cut off, by the disintegrating action of the water of the spring which discharges its contents from the ceiling at the mouth of the former; and which caused the Cave at this point to fall in—thus establishing a new entrance, and shortening the length of the Cave by about a half mile.

RESPIRATION OF THE CAVE.

The Mammoth Cave breathes once a year. That is to say, in summer, or when the temperature of the external air is above that of the Cave, the current sets from the latter to the former. In other words, the Cave is the entire summer in making an expiration. On the other hand, when the order is reversed, or the temperature of the outer atmosphere is below 59 degrees, the Cave makes an inspiration, or draws in it breath, which it accomplishes during the winter. The respiratory mechanism of the Cave ceases to operate, or, to carry out the metaphor, it holds its breath, when the mercury in the thermometer stands at 59 degrees in the outer air, which is the average temperature of all parts of the Cave, winter and summer. Hence it is frequently observed in the spring and fall, that there is no motion of sir in either direction at the mouth of the Cave.

On entering the Cave for a few hundred yards, in summer, when the temperature is at, or near 100 degrees, the air rushes out with such force as frequently to extinguish the lamps. Passing into the Cave for about a half mile, however, the motion of air is barely perceptible at any time, from the fact that the Main Avenue enlarges so rapidly that it plays the part of an immense reservoir, where a current of air from any direction is speedily neutralized. If a current of air blows from without inwards, and is below 59 degrees, it does not pass more than a quarter of a mile before it is brought up to that point. Air above the average temperature of the Cave never blows into it.

Thus it will be observed that a change of seasons is unknown in the Mammoth Cave; and day and night, morning and evening, have no existence in this subterranean world. In fact, there is an eternal sameness here, the like of which has no parallel.

In many parts of the Cave time itself is not an element of change, for where there is no variation of temperature, no water, and no light, the three great forces of geological transformations cease to operate.

HOW THE MAMMOTH CAVE WAS FORMED.

The agencies concerned in the formation of the Mammoth Cave may be divided into chemical and mechanical.

There can be no doubt but that the solvent action of water holding carbonic acid in solution was the primary agency concerned in the formation of the Cave. Thus the limestone or carbonate of lime, which constitutes the strata of rock through which the Cave runs, is not soluble in water until it combines with an additional proportion of carbonic acid, by which it is transformed into the bicarbonate of lime. In this way the process of excavation was conducted, until communications were established with running water, by which the mechanical agency of that fluid was made to assist the chemical.

The mechanical agencies concerned in the excavation of the Mammoth Cave are trifling when compared to the chemical.

They are instance in the transportation of gravel, sand, and clay from one part of the Cave to another, and in the abraded appearance presented by the rock composing certain avenues. Thus, it is possible to tell the direction which the water ran in most of the avenues, and the rapidity of its motion, by observing the points at which gravel, sand and clay are deposited, and the order in which they come. For example, the points at which gravel is deposited indicate a rapid current: where sand is found the movement was slower, and where clay occurs the water was almost or quite stationary.

Before the mechanical agency could have exerted any appreciable influence, the chemical must have been in operation thousands of ages.

The loose rocks that are scattered on the floor of many of the avenues have fallen from the walls and ceiling, but in many instances the points from which they were detached are indistinct, from the fact that the rugged surface from which they have fallen is either smoothed by the action of water, or covered by crystals of the carbonate or sulphate of lime. In those parts of the Cave where no rocks have fallen, the floor presents the appearance of the bed of a river, and is covered with gravel, sand or clay, according to the rapidity of the flow of water at the time of the deposit. No rocks have fallen since the discovery of the Cave.

SANITARY INFLUENCES OF THE CAVE.

At the entrance of Audubon's Avenue small cottages were built fifteen years ago, for the residence of persons afflicted with consumption, under the impression that they would be benefitted by a uniform temperature. The idea that consumptive patients could be cured by a residence in the Cave, must have resulted from a total misconception as to the nature of phthisis, as it is well known that the absence of light will develop the scrofulous diathesis, and cause a deposit of tubercles in the lungs. The truth of this position was established in the cases of those who resorted to the Cave for relief; inasmuch as three of them died there, and the majority of those who remained any considerable length of time, died within periods varying from three days to three weeks after leaving it. Those patients who remained in the Cave three or four months presented a frightful appearance. The face was entirely bloodless, eyes sunken, and pupil dilated to such a degree that the iris ceased to be visible, so that no matter what the original color of the eye might have been it soon appeared black.

Although persons who are affected with consumption are rendered much worse by a residence in the Cave, they need not be deterred from making short excursions in it, for when not carried to such a degree as to occasion fatigue, they are always attended with advantage. On the other hand, patients affected with inflammatory affections of the bowels, such, for example, as chronic dysentery and diarrhea, are always benefitted and sometimes cured by trips in the Cave. Over excitement of the brain and incipient insanity would undoubtedly be benefited by a Cave residence. Here absolute silence, can be obtained which cannot be had anywhere else, and which is the great desideratum in brain affections. It is surprising how rapidly the night influence is felt in the Cave, and which is indicated by pallor of the cheeks and yawning, an irresistible tendency to sleep. Persons who first visit the Cave, are not, as a general thing, thus affected, because of the novelty of their situation, and the many objects which attract their attention. This tendency to sleep is not due to any impurity of the atmosphere, for the proportion of carbonic acid is even less than it is in the outer air, but is referable solely to the complete silence and total absence of light. It is perhaps the only place where a person can count the pulsations of his own heart by listening to its beat; in fact, the pulsations of the heart of another person can be counted at a distance of several feet.

Thunder is never hear in the Mammoth Cave, and a gentleman who was in it at the time a shock of an earthquake was experienced on the surface of the earth, did not perceive it.

THE LOST.

A person lost in the Mammoth Cave, without any hope of escape, would undoubtedly die in a very short time. That this is the case, the history of those who have been lost in it would seem to prove.

Thus, on one occasion a gentleman wandered from his party, when by some accident his lamp was extinguished. In endeavoring to make his escape he became alarmed, and finally insane, and crawling behind a large rock, remained in that position for forty-eight hours; and although the guides repeatedly passed the rock behind which he was secreted, in search of him, he did not make the slightest noise, and when finally discovered, endeavored to make his escape from them, but was too much exhausted to run.

In another instance a lady allowed her party to get so far in advance that their voices could no longer be heard, and in attempting to overtake them, fell and extinguished her lamp, when she became so terrified at her situation that she swooned, and when discovered a few minutes afterward, and when discovered a few minutes afterward, and restored, was found to be in a state of insanity, from which she did not recover for a number of years.

Not a year passes but the guides have to go in search of persons who have been fool-hardy enough to leave their party, and who in every instance become speedily bewildered, and when discovered are in the act of crying, or at prayer. In such cases the guides are overpowered with kisses, embraces, and other demonstrations of gratitude.

The proper course for persons to pursue when lost in the Cave is for them to remain in the place where they first became confused, and not to stir from it, until rescued by the guides. They will not have to wait more than from three to ten hours from the time at which they should have returned to the Hotel.

EXTENT OF THE CAVE.

There are about one hundred and fifty avenues in the Mammoth Cave that have been explored, many of which, however, are never entered by visitors, and which, consequently, we have not attempted to describe. The total length of all the avenues has been estimated at one hundred miles, which probably falls far short of the actual distance. It must not be supposed, however that the Cave has been fully explored, for there are hundreds of avenues that have never been entered, much less explored, many of which we have every reason to suppose are as large as any that have been examined.