Fremont Journal

A Visit to "Red Cave," Kentucky.

The following account, by "Red Stick," of a visit which he made to the Red Cave in Kentucky, was omitted from his last week's letter for want of space for it in the Journal. As it will undoubtedly be interesting to some of our readers, we publish it now:

Mr. George Wood, Munfordsville, Ky.,
December 18th, 1861.

Since I wrote you last, I have visited a new Cave, which is situated two and a half miles from here, and is the largest one this side of the Mammoth Cave. As I stated before this is a cavernous country—and that there is not much else than caves. This one is called Red Cave.

Myself and four others started out a few days ago, dressed in our best clothes which were poor enough for the occasion. At 1 o'clock we reached the subterranean passage, lit our solitary candle, and placed the descending ladder in position. The entrance was of sufficient size for a man to walk in without stooping, and we descended the descending cliffs of rock for 600 feet, where we commenced an ascent. We entered a room, from which there were 27 exits, or passages, for further explorations. This room is 38 by 72 feet wide and 193 feet in height, down the stone walls of which the dripping waters had congealed into small columns of stone. The scene in this room was grand, and we stood for a long time looking at the wonderful and magnificent works of nature. The arches were admired for their perfect masonry. For three-fourths of a mile we followed the direct passage, which was 200 feet in height, while we walked about 30 feet above a stream of water.

Our candle being very near used up, we returned to the rear room, where we ascended the stone stairway, and found that five chambers stood one upon another, varying in height from 15 to 21 feet. We again descended, and started in another direction, and found a stone pit about 50 feet in depth, and 24 feet in diameter, and from its bottom a passage, or exit, but time prohibited a descent. Another change of direction to the right, and we went into the dismal passage. We had probably not gone over 500 feet when the air became cold and seemed to be under the influence of some evil spirit, for we had not gone 50 feet farther when our candle, without any visible agency, despite our efforts, ceased to burn. This of course compelled a retreat, and we went to the base of a stone column, which was 73 feet in height and 48 feet in diameter, and examined the sculptured work of nature. We found a pure spring of cold water, and it aided in giving us strength to search for knowledge under difficulties. We had to depart, for our candle was no more. We regained the entrance with torn clothes and bleeding hands, for the experience of cave adventurers is sometimes sad. We left 15 passages unvisited.