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In my progress up the valley I was attracted to Madison's cave by Mr. Jefferson's description, but had some difficulty in obtaining directions where to find it, other than those contained in the Notes. Maps of Virginia I could no where meet with, though I made diligent inquiry, except the old one of Fry and Jeffreys, which I saw at Fravels in Woodstock; so it was not until I arrived within twenty miles of the cave that I could ascertain its location, and I there learned, for the first time, that another cave had recently been discovered near it, and so far surpassing it in extent and grandeur, that Madison's, had ceased to be an object of curiosity.

I found the cave to be in the North East corner of Augusta county, very near the Rockingham line, two miles from Port Republic, a little town at the confluence of the two branches of the Shenandoah,* a little out of the direct route from New Market to Staunton, thirty miles from the former place and seventeen from the latter, increasing the distance between the two places three or four miles, but more than compensating the traveller, (putting other considerations out of the question) at this season of the year, by the superior quality of the road. This place may be visited from Charlotteville, on the other side of the Blue Ridge, thirtytwo miles distant, by a turnpike road through Brown's gap. To Richmond is one hundred and twenty miles. I think you would prefer the route by Brown's gap as Monticello would then be in your way.

The hill, in which the caves are, presents a perpendicular front of two hundred feet in height to the South branch of the Shenandoah, looking North-eastwardly towards the Blue Ridge, three miles distant beyond the river. Its front along the river is about half a mile; in the road it declines in height as it recedes back until its dissolves into the plain. Of Madison's cave I shall say but little, Mr. Jefferson's description of it being ample. It derives its name from the father of the late bishop Madison, who resided near it, and who was famed for his hospitality, his convivial disposition and his practical wit. It has been known sixty

* Pronounced with a full accent on the first and last syllables—“ Shannondore."

or seventy years and is now little visited as a curiosity. The earth in it affords salt-petre in the proportion of from two to four pounds to the bushel. Two thousand weight has been manufactured here within the two last years. The earth when brought out, is, at the mouth of the cave put into a plank gutter which conducts it to the margin of the river, where it is thrown into vats mixed with wood ashes, water is passed through it and this is evaporated to a salt by boiling. The lakes of water which are found at the extremity of the cave, have been navigated by a boat and thoroughly explored since Mr. Jefferson wrote. They are thirty or forty feet in depth, and further bounded on their extremity by rocks, so abrupt that a footing can no where be had, limiting for the present all discoveries in that direction. I advised the proprietor to put fish into these lakes, which he promised to do, so that visitants may probably, in a few years, add fishing to the entertainments afforded by the excursion.

Madison's cave, as you know from Mr. Jefferson's description, has its entrance about two thirds of the way to the top of the hill, immediately over the river. The mouth of Wier's cave is parallel to it in the same hill, two or three hundred yards further up the river. Madison's cave penetrates one hundred and twenty yards; Wier's nine hundred. This last was discovered in February 1806, by the man whose name I have taken the liberty of giving to it. Of this cave I propose to give you some faint idea by a brief description, which must necessarily be very imperfect. But in some measure to obviate its deficiences, and aid your comprehension I shall furnish you with a map of the outlines of its course and apartments, incorrect no doubt, but bearing some resemblance to what it would represent, and the best I am able to offer. The letters in the plan will be referred to in the course of our route. The index points to the entrance: the arrows mark the descent in places where it is most considerable.

The cave is of solid lime stone, sometimes ascending, but more commonly descending in its course; narrow and low at the entrance, but increasing in height as you advance, until it becomes eighty or ninety feet high. Water is constantly dropping from the top and dripping down the sides; but not in quantities sufficient to affect the light or incommode visiters. This forms stalactites of

every possible form and of every variety of beauty. The colours are for the most part white, but sometimes red, occasionally variegated. It is not every where that stone is formed by this percolation of the water. Sometimes it finds little basins formed to receive it, and again there are sinks through which it falls and disappears.

The entrance is closed by a door two feet and a half or three feet square. You grope through a narrow passage until you reach the anti-chamber, (A.) whose arch twelve or fifteen feet high is supported by stalactite pillars in the centre. On the left is a recess, difficult to traverse on account of the huge masses of rock which are every where thrown rudely about. From the anti-chamber you enter a narrow passage, creep in one place, and incline your body to the left between two sheets of rock in another. Descending some hewn slips and a wooden ladder, you come into Solomon's Temple, (B.) On the left is a large fluted column called Solomon's pillar, and on the sides of the apartment are curtains of stone, exactly resembling drapery, descending in wavelike folds from the ceiling to the floor. This is twenty-five feet high. A recess on the left, containing a few basins of pure water, is called the bar room. Going forward you ascend a ladder and find yourself on a steep, narrow rock, from which you look back and see the various beauties of the temple to great advantage. By another ladder you descend into the curtain room, (C.) which is profusely ornamented with a great variety of beautiful drapery. There is such elegance and regularity in those ornaments that if seen in small detached portions, it would be difficult to persuade one they were not works of art. The curtains usually descend from the arch to the floor on the sides of the cave, and are from five to six feet in width, and from half an inch, to two inches in thickness. They hang from six to twelve inches asunder and are commonly very white and transparent. As the drapery in this apartment is the most remarkable, though it is found in lesser quantities in every part of the cavern, it may be well here, once for all, to take notice of two forms that most frequently occur in every place. The explorer will see the best examples of each in the sofa and gallery presently to be mentioned. At the upper edge of the valance where the depending part commences, there is a cord

on running round each; from this the curtain descends; in one, an indentation of semicircular cavities, about two inches in chord, parallel and uniforma; in the next instead of cavities, there is precisely the same form of projection, and the order and proportion of both are as regular and exact as if they had been produced by the chissel of the artist.

The Tambourin, or Music Room, (D.) is next. This abounds with stalactites similar to those in the preceding rooms, but they are plain, finer and more variously toned, and the room is better constructed for musical effect. The tones produced by striking these leaves of stalactite are various, sweet, and full, and if the powers of each were ascertained, a skilful hand could draw music from them, that might charm an Eurydice not to leave, but to remain in a cavern.

You now ascend a natural and well formed staircase, with row of bannisters, running across the passage, and then, descending a ladder, enter the Ball Room, (E.) which is one hundred feet long and the arch fifteen or twenty feet high. The floor is smooth and level, and the sides ornamented with curtains, colonades and various resemblances to household furniture. Betsy's sofa is remarkable for its elegance, and resemblance to art. The floor has evidently been lowered in time, some of the columns are ruptured and dissevered in the middle of the shaft, and do not meet by some inches. Others have fallen, and lie in ruins.

The curious explorer now comes to the most straitened passage in the cavern (F.) and which was for some time the boundary of the discoveries. The way, though enlarged beyond its original dimensions, is steep, narrow and difficult. He must creep on all fours, and, on account of the descent, must go backwards. He is covered with mud; fatigued with his posture and exertions; and it is well if his head and back escape a rude contact with the rough stones above him. At length he regains his feet, looks back upon the narrow aperture by which he entered, reflects that he is almost a quarter of a mile from the regions of upper air, carries his candle with more steady hand, and feels himself entombed. Knowing that our corpulent acquaintance Mrs. T******** had visited this cavern I asked my guide if she passed these straits. He assured me that she did; that " she crept and tumbled

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and slid along like an otter, and got through without any difficulty; and what was more," he added, "no woman ever yet stopped half way: they always went to the extremity."

Descending some steps hewn out of the rock called Jacob's ladder, you enter the Vestibule, (G.) the arch of which is about the same height as that of the temple. On your left, as you enter, a horizontal sheet of stone, a foot thick and twenty feet in diameter, projects from the side of the cave, about midway between the floor and the ceiling, called Mary's gallery. This is a striking object from its rich ornaments. Connected with this vestibule is the Saloon, (H.) Returning and entering a passage on the left, Washington's Hall, (I.) the grandest part of the cavern is opened to your view. You stand at the entrance; the guides go forward and arrange lights at certain distances: the long level floor rings beneath their tread: you see them at a hundred paces distance: and hear their voices resounding from the arch that rises sublimely eighty feet over your head. Every drop of water that falls rings in your ears. On your right is a row of stalactites that resemble human statues. In the centre, before the entrance of Lady Washington's drawing room, is one of noble mien, apparently in the habiliments of an ancient Roman, that is called Washington's Statue. You gaze on the whole scene and listen in silent rapture. At length you are aroused from the enchantment by being told by the guides that you have still much to see. Lady Washington's Drawing Room, (K.) is next visited-a handsome and spacious apartment. Just within the room, on your right is a large bureau on which many names are inscribed. I conformed to the general custom by engraving the initial letters of one that I could always call to remembrance without an effort. In this apartment a rock of immense magnitude has fallen from the arched ceiling above, and converted into a heap of ruins a number of massive columns that were standing near it. In Washington's Hall, a column two feet in diameter has fallen, probably from the ceiling of the floor which certainly has a cavern beneath it. The Diamond Room, (L.) is next, and derives its name from the sparkling brilliancy of its walls. The Enchanted Room, (M.) has a wild variety which by the help of a vivid imagination, may be transformed into a new creation. Here, in one place, an im

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