ited to name it I called it Powell Cave,
in honor of the most ardent admirer of caves in that county, and to whom
I am much indebted for valued assistance.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Editor of the county news-paper.

CHAPTER V.

OTHER STONE COUNTY CAVES.

GENTRY CAVE.

The cave nearest to Galena, and the first visited by us, is Gentry Cave,
situated a mile and a half from town. We started in the mail coach, but
that vehicle met with a misfortune by no means unusual in that region,
the total wreck of a wheel. Having only that morning arrived from the
rich agricultural portion of the State where no surface rock can be
found, we were pleased enough with the prospect of a walk in such
charming spring weather, and set out with a cheerful certainty that the
rough place in the road would soon be passed. But the school of
experience is always open for the reception of new-comers and we were
admitted to full duty without question.

The topography was nearly as broken, in its way, as the natural "piking"
spread over it, and very beautiful with the dense forests lighted by the
slanting yellow rays of the afternoon sun. The way leads up to the
"ridge road" which is at length abandoned for no road at all, and
descending through the forest, more than half the distance down to the
James River flowing at the base of the hill, we come suddenly in view of
the cave entrance, which is probably one of the most magnificent pieces
of natural architecture ever seen.

Rounding a corner by a narrow path, we step onto a covered portico
ninety-seven feet long, with an average width of ten feet. The floor is
smooth and level, as also is the ceiling, which is nine feet above,
supported by handsomely carved pillars and rising in a gray cliff
projecting from the slope of the hill above, out to the brink of the
more abrupt descent to the water's edge ninety feet below. Between the
pillars are three large door-ways into the cave. The comparison
suggested is an Egyptian temple, and the idea is continued within, where
there are no chambers as in other caves; but instead, the entire
interior is a labyrinth of passages winding about in every direction
among an uncounted number of low massive pillars, some supporting a low
ceiling and others connected by high arches, the highest point being
estimated at sixty feet, but appearing to be more, because the enclosed
space rising to a dome is so narrow that the point of view is
necessarily directly undern