THE REMARKABLE CAVES--WYANDOTTE AND MAMMOTH.--Wyandotte Cave is in
Jennings township, Crawford county, Ind., near the Ohio river. It is
a rival of the great Mammoth Cave in grandeur and extent. Explorations
have been made for many miles. It excels the Mammoth Cave in the
number and variety of its stalagmites and stalactites, and in the
size of several of its chambers. One of these chambers is 350 feet
in length, 245 feet in height, and contains a hill 175 feet high, on
which are three fine stalagmites. Epsom salts, niter and alum have
been obtained from the earth of the cave. The Mammoth Cave is in
Edmondson county, near Green River, about seventy-five miles from
Louisville. Its entrance is reached by passing down a wild, rocky
ravine through a dense forest. The cave extends some nine miles. To
visit the portions already traversed, it is said, requires 150 to 200
miles of travel. The cave contains a succession of wonderful avenues,
chambers, domes, abysses, grottoes, lakes, rivers, cataracts and other
marvels, which are too well known to need more than a reference. One
chamber--the Star--is about 500 feet long, 70 feet wide, 70 feet high,
the ceiling of which is composed of black gypsum, and is studded with
innumerable white points, that by a dim light resemble stars, hence
the name of the chamber. There are avenues one and a half and even
two miles in length, some of which are incrusted with beautiful
formations, and present the appearance of enchanted palace halls.
There is a natural tunnel about three-quarters of a mile long, 100
feet wide, covered with a ceiling of smooth rock 45 feet high. There
is a chamber having an area of from four to five acres, and there are
domes 200 and 300 feet high. Echo River is some three-fourths of a
mile in length, 200 feet in width at some points, and from 10 to 30 in
depth, and runs beneath an arched ceiling of smooth rock about 15 feet