DESCRIPTION OF THE GROTTO AT ADELSBERG IN CARNIOLA, WITH A TOPOGRAPHIC DIAGRAM AND THE REGULATIONS AS WELL AS THE TARIFF FOR THE USE OF VISITORS.. TRANSLATED FRO! TIIE GERMAN, WITH. ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS, BY EMANUEL EDELES, SWOEN INTEEPEETOE FOE MODEEN LANGUAGES TO THE- IMPERIAL COUET OF APPEALS, AND PROPRIETOR. OF A COMMEECIAL EDUCATIONAL. MODEL ' ESTABLISHMENT AT TRIESTE m&r TRIESTE PEINTED BY THE AUSTRIAN LLOYD'S \ 1869. DESCRIPTION OP THE GROTTO AT ADELSBERG IN CAHMOLA, WITH A TOPOGRAPHIC DIAGRAM AND THE REGULATIONS AS WELL AS THE TARIFF FOR THE USE OP VISITORS, TRANSLATED FE03I THE GERMAN, WITH ADDITIONAL SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS, BY EMCAJNTZEL. EDELES, SWOEN INTEEPRETOE POE MODERN LANGUAGES TO THE IMPEEIAL COUET OP APPEALS, AMD PEOPEIETOE OF A COMMEECIAL EDUCATIONAL MODEL ESTABLISHMENT AT TRIESTE - TRIESTE PRINTED BY THE AUSTEIAN LLOYD'S 1869. iOWU $.0%. loos' Edited by ttie Administration of Hie Grotto at Adelslierg. INTRODUCTION. The circle of Carniola is one of the most interesting portions of the dominions of Austria. Its bare and calcareous mountains are grand and striking, and their geological structure is peculiar. The waters of subterraneous rivers issue from their recesses, and the lake of Zirkmtz*) is celebrated on account of the *) Czirknitz (Zirknitz) a market-town in the circle of Adelsberg, duchy of Carinthia, in Illyria. It lies on the Brohitza, contains 2-10 houses, and about 1300 inhabitants, who are occupied in-fishery, and in salt and tile-making: 45° 38' N. lat., 14° 25' E. long. Near it is the singular lake of the same name inclosed within limestone mountains of very grotesque outlines. The lake in dry seasons is from 12 to 15 germ, miles in circumference, and when quite full about 2-4 germ, miles; its entire area is then about 63 square miles. Its form however is made very irregular by numerous bays, eapes, and islands. At the foot of the Yavoring, which rises on its southern bank, the peninsula of Dervoseck stretches far into the lake; on the west is the island of Vorneck on which is the village of Ottoek, the inhabitants of which cultivate millet and vegetables. While passing over the more shallow parts, the rocky bottom ol the lake presents a very dark appearance, occasioned by numerous funnel-shaped cavities of various dimensions. All these cavities have peculiar and for the most part significant Slavonian names; such as Kottu (the kettle), Betschek (the tub), Reitie (large corn sieve), Vadonos (water carrier) &e. Its depth, compared with other lakes, is inconsiderable: the cave of Reseheto, de deepest part of the whole lake is at the lake' s mean height only 56 feet — 58 engl. ft. Vadonos 50 — 52 engl. ft. Nelka Bubnazza 45 = 47 engl. ft.; Kottu 3S — 39 engl. ft.; the others are from 29 to 6 — 30 to 7 engl. feet deep. The lake is remarkable for great variation in the height of its water which is owing to the nature of the limestone rooks. The bottom of the lake especially of the funnels, is full of clefts and fissures, through which the water passes at forty different openings into subterranean caverns and channels, and reappears under the form of the Bistriza and Baronniza in the valley of Laibach. During the dry season, which generally occurs in autum, the bottom of the lake is covered with luxuriant herbages, which is made into hay. Only a very small'portion, however, is susceptible of cultivation ; millet und buckwheat are sown, which ripen in six weeks; but as the waters of the lake frequently do not subside for three, or even more years, the sowing and harvest are of course very irregular. The lake abounds in fish, chiefly pike and the Cyprinus tinea, Lin. they are caught in pits, at the rising of the lake, with drag and small-nets, and are sent alive to Laibach and other places, or dried. The lake is also frequented by numerous aquatic fowl, which, like the fishery, form an important means of subsistence to the inhabitants. In the environs of the lake, which are exceedingly picturesque, are nine villages, twenty churches, and two castles. 4 singular fact that at stated times it suddenly becomes dry, its contents being drained into the bowels of the mountains, and after the lapse of a certain period, they again issue into their usual basin. The borough Adelsberg, in the district which overhangs the Adriatic, properly called Adelsberg (eagle-peak), in Slovenian Po-stojna, which has lately become celebrated throughout the world on account of its marvellous grotto, lies in the province Carniola, at the principal passage over the Julian Alps, 1757 feet above the surface of the sea midway between Laibach and Trieste, in straight direction from each of both capitals five miles distant. The imperial high-road leads across the whole length of the place, the southern rail-way runs along the east side of the bordering slopes; Westward the river Poik (Slovenian Pivca) winds its way through the deeper parts of the glen, until its influx into the subterraneau galleries; north-westward rises over the borough, the Schlossb rg (castle-peak, slov. Sovic) 2130 feet =z 2208 engl. ft. high, and on its summit are towering the ruins of the ancient stronghold Adelsberg or Adlersberg, incinerated by a flash of lightening in the year 1689, like the remnants of a forsaken eyry on the brow of a barren rock. Adelsberg numbers in all 215 houses; towards the middle of the place, on a height stands the new castle, which had been newly erected after the conflagration of the old one, and in some distance, also somewhat rising above the other buildings, the not insignificant parish-church built in 1777; a quarter of an hour from the borough is to be seen the terminus, the highest among the railway-stations on the mountain-range called Karst, elevated 1859 feet above the sea. The number of inhabitants reaches about 1900, their occupation consists in husbandry, in employing themselves on the railway and high-way, besides they gain their subsistence by several other means. The political authorities in Adelsberg are: an I. R. captaincy of the district, a court of limited jurisdiction; the clerical: an office of deanery; the institutions of instruction and charity consist: of a chief normal school, library and Slovenian Citaonica (reading-club) and a hospital. Further there are for commerce and intercourse the railway station with an imper. telegraph-office; the principal inns are "zur ungarischen Krone,, (the Hungarian crown), zum "L6wen„ (the lion) and finally Leban's brewery and hotel. The borough Adelsberg has always had a certain importance on account of its beautiful situation. At the time of the ancient Ro- 5 mans the Schlossberg wore, like a crown on its brow, a stronghold, which completed the fortification of the Julian Alps ; the borough Porreston (affined witli the Slovenian name Postojna) in the province Carniola, mentioned by an ancient Geographer, stood probably here. In the middle age the castle of Arisperch, afterwards Aresperch, Arlsperch and finally hj weakening the sounds called Adelsberg, appears first- as the property of the markgrave of Istria, and since the year 1230 under the Patriarch Berthold as an appendage appertaining to the church of Aquilea. In the castle resided as feudal tenants, and at the same time as proprietors in the borough and environs, the lords von Arisperch or Arenperch, among whom we find mentioned as the first, Hermann von Ariperch in 1149, and as the last Guarin von Arensperch in 1332 ; now and then there are to be met with the counts von Gorz in the year 1326, and the Herren von Stegberg in 1335, as proprietors of the castle. In the year 1371 the Arch-Dukes Albrecht (Albert) and Leopold of Austria purchased the-manor and the borough Adelsberg of Johann (John) von Stegberg, and mortgaged the same in the following year to the Count Hermann von Cilli. After the year 1403 the trustee creditors followed each other in rapid succession, till finally, in the year 1616 the emperor Ferdinand II, yielded the property of the manor, by sale, to the prince Hans Ulrich von Eg^enberer. The incessant danger of war, which partly from the Turks, partly from the Venetians, threatened the inhabitants of Adelsberg, caused them to be also the Captains for the tracts of country on the banks of the river Poik, and of the mountainous region of the Karst. The fortified castle withstood in fact at any time the Turks, but the borough and its neighbourhood were terribly exposed to depredation, pillage, devastation by fire, and murder during the years 1522, 1528, 1559, 1560 and 1564; the Venetians got in 1508 the castle into their powei\ but kept it only a short time under their dominion. In the year 1722 the Imp. exchequer bought again the manor Adelsberg of the last possessor Franz Baron von Wolkenberg, for the benefit of the Karst-stud, and since then the manor continued alwaj-s to be a property of the state; in 1749 the alpine meadows and the flat land of "the valley, however, were separated from it, for the use of the stud, and aggregated to the estate Prestranek. When Carniola was divided into Circles, Adelsberg G became, in the year, 1748 the residence of the bailiwick, for the circle of Inner Carniola, and remained such until the recent political regulation in the year 1850; since then existed here for a short time a Captaincy of the district. The place has suffered in the last time very much by conflagrations, the most destructive happened in the year 1731 and 1802, both of which consumed the whole borough with the parochial church. During/ the French wars, great misfortunes befell Adelsberg, it remained there, however, also during the foreign domination an intendancy which established a gymnasium; during the Italian wars in the year 1848 and 1859, Adelsberg formed an assembling-place for the operating divisions of the armies. Adelsberg, however, owes its universal renown neither to its political nor to its social history, but solely to its marvels of nature which there are hidden under the surface ot the earth, to its amazing caverns and grottoes with their extraordinary stalactites hanging down from the immense vaults, and partly rising as stalagmites from the ground*). The region of the Julian Alps, between the Birnbaumwald (forest of pear trees) and the Schnee-berg (snow mountain) does not only generally distinguish itself, by its formation of the Karst, showing every where rounder mountain-tops, deep dells, tray-like valleys, vertical funnel-shaped cavities and hollow trees, but there are to be found on small superficies in considerable quantity and great extension, dry grottoes and caverns containing flowing water. The most renowned among them is the grotto of Adelsberg; *) Stalagtite and Stalagmite. Stalactitie carbonate of lime occurs chiefly in long masses suspended from the roofs of caverns in limestone rocks. Stalactites appear to be continually forming; water containing carbonate of lime held in solution by carbonic acid, trickling through crevices in the roofs of the caverns, gradually during its exposure to the air loses its carbonic acid, and consequently deposits its carbonate of lime; the water passing over the portion first deposited gradually adds to it, and eventually gives the carbonate of lime its great length and stalactitic character. The flatter deposits, called stalagmites, are formed on the floor of the cavern by the water there depositing that portion of its carbonate of lime which is not seperated during the formation of the stalactite. The Stalactite is sometimes met with reniform and tabular, and in other imitative shapes. The fracture is sometimes lamellar, occasionally fibrous, the fibres diverging from a centre, with a pearly or silky lustre, and sometimes resinous or waxy. The colour varies from white to greyish, brown, red and yellowish white, opaque, but frequently translucent. The Oriental alabaster, mucli employed by the ancients in statuary and the formation of vases, appears to be of stalactitic origin 7 a quarter of an hour north westward from the borough, and be-, ginning precisely where the river Poik rushes into its subterranean bed; its principal galleries extend to 1630 Hatter in length (10,142 engl. feet, or 3381 yards'") the lateral grottoes measure 860 kl. — 1783 yards, and the smaler-grottp measures 420 kl. = 871 yards. The Magdalena grotto (slov. Cerna jama) one hour northward from Adelsberg in the midst of the forest, is in its oblong circumference measuring 260 kl. = 540 yards, it is here where the greatest number of that wonderful fish called Proteus is found**). The Poik-Cavern (slov. Pivka jama) a quarter of an hour north-westward from the Magdalena-grotto, is a perpendicular shaft 34 kl. z= 70 yards deep, and on its bottom is an aquatic cavern which has been explored to the extent of 650 kl. — 1346 yards, through which the river Poik continues aorthward its subterraneous course. The grotto of Nussberg, one hour and a half distant southward from Adelsberg, near the Castle of Nussdorf, 72 kl. = 149 yards in length, was, accoidingtoa tradition, once open till Prae-wald. The grotto, of Luegg near the rock-castle of the same name (slov. Predjama) two hours northwestward from Adelsberg, consists of four dry grottoes 960 kl. = 1991 yards total in length, and one water grotto, into the depth of which precipitates the Lovkarbrook, reappearing again to broad daylight beyond the mount Nanus, near Wippach. At the other side exists the grotto of Planina, southward from the borough of the same name, not far off from the ruined castle Kleinhausel; it divides itself in. the interior into two branches of caverns and has been explored as far as 2800 kl. =£ 5807 *) 1 klafter of Vienna ~ 6 feet, and 1 foot of Vienna =± 1,0371 engl. feet, 3 feet =: 1 yard. **) Laurenti's name for one of the genera of Perennibranchiate Batrachians, namely, those Batrachians which preserve their branchia throughout life, whereas the Caducihranchiate Batrachians only possess them during their early or tadpole state (Frogs). The Prote is anguinus described by Cuvier, lives in the subterranean aquatics in Illyria, especially in the Grotto of Magdalena at Adelsberg, many hundered feet below the surface of the earth. Sir Humphry Davy, in his "Consolations in Travel, gives a very graphic description of finding this singular fish. It is more than a foot long, of the size of a human finger, with a tail vertically compressed; both of its jaws furnished with teeth; the tongue with but little motion, but free in front, the eyes exces-'ively small and hidden by the skin, as in the Kate-Mole (Spalar); the ears covered by the flesh, as in the Salamander; its skin is smooth and whitish. 8 yards; the river Poik appears here again on the surface of the earth, one german mile in straight direction from its influx into the subterranean galleries, and receives after its conjunction with the waters of the lake of Zirkniz the appellation Unz, but disappears again an hour northward from Planina, and appears another time on the surface near Upper Laibach, as the river Laibach, flowing into the river Save. The caverns through which the water of the lake of Zirkniz flows down, He an hour from the railway-station of Rak&k: and half an hour from the borough of Zirkniz; the principal entrance to them begins with the Karlouza-grotto which has been explored to the extent of 250 kl. = 518 yards, it opens near Eakek twice to day-light showing here two natural rock-bridges, and issues by various outlets into the valley of Planina. The Golobina-grotto, westward from the town of Laas, accessible to visitors as far as 54 kl. = 111 yards ; the waters of the valley of Laas, happening occasional inundations, flow through the same into the lake of Zirknitz. The Kreutzberg-grotto at the fort of the mount Kreuzberg ^cross-mount), distant one hour northward from Laas, on the whole measuring 330 kl. = 684 yards, contains a great deal of bones belonging to animals living in caves. Somewhat nearer towards the sea-coast is to be found the Hek.a,-grotto near S. Kanzian, three quarters of an hour distant from the station of Divaza; it appears in the shape of two funnels of from 50 kl. = 103 yards to 80 kl. = 165 yards deep precipices, and at the bottom is a water-course, explored to the extent of 4S0 kl. = 895 yards; into this cave rushes the river Reca, appearing again to day light after a subterraneous course of five german miles near Duino under the name of Timavo, and flowing into the sea. The Trebitsch-grotto, between Sesana and Trieste, an abyss 172 kl. = 356 yards deep, at the bottom of which the river Eeca can be followed as far as 190 kl. = 394 yards. The grot'o of Corniale one hour southward from the terminus of Sesana, consisting of several caves in connection among them, and in straight direction 150 kl = 311 in length. All these grottoes are more or less remarkable; the grotto of Adelsberg, however, excels any other in wonders of nature and comfort for visitors; its beauty and astounding grandeur surpass the most renowned grottoes of the world, except two, which outbid it in length but not in the wonderful, almost dazling 9 variety of its phantastic formations, viz. in Europe the grotto at Agtelek or Baraclla in the vicinity of Rima Sombath in the north of Hungary, 3062 kl. = 6350 yards long, and in North-America the Mammoth-cave in the state of Kentucky. The Mozocha-cave near Blanslto in Moravia is rather a deep ravin or chasm, 65 kl. rz: 134 yards long, 75 kl. = 155 yards deep and 27 kl. = 55 yards wide; in its depth flows a brook called Punlcova. The cave in the Frauenmauer near Eisenerz in Upper Stiria has 2000 kl. ■= 4148 in length and intersects the whole mountain. The grotto at Adelsberg with its front-part till the great dome was already known in antiquity; a lateral branch of this part.; styled "the old grotto, „ contains dates of years deriving from former visitors, up to the thirteenth century. The greatest and most remarkable part of the grotto, however, the Ferdinand's grotto, from the great dome up to the "Calvary„, was discovered as late as 1818, and its lateral branches were only in the following years explored, measured, described and rendered accessible. Nobody was more deserving in this difficult task than the Cashier of the district Joseph Jersinovitsch von L6-wengreif, Esqr. By an Imp. resolution, dated April 27th. 1848 the grotto has been declared a property of the manor of the estate of Adelsberg; however, instead of being superintended by the Imp. office of administration, it stands under a special guardianship of its own. The revenues of the same, consisting in the entrance-money paid by the visitors, are in virtue of the imper. resolution, to be employed in the preservation of the grotto, in order to keep it always in good condition, to put into execution the necessary repairs and new works, and for embellishing and enlarging it continually. The actual political Chief of the district at the time is always the president of the Commission, being assisted by four gentlemen who are appointed by lot. The first description of the grotto was published by Count Franz (Francis) Hohenwarth in the year 1830, for which the Engineer of the Circle, Aloys Scheffenrath provided the engravings of several views of the grotto. In 1833 the grotto has been measured according to the practice of miners by the Chief-ward of the pastures, Johan (John) Fercher; this survey has been en- 10 tered by the said Schaffenrath in the official register, and lithographed in 1834 at Vienna. In the same year appeared at Laibach by Aloys Schaffenrath a special description of the grotto, which is still to be had in an augmented and improved edition, both in german and Italian, printed by Schiiber at Adelsberg. Since 1851-1853 this grotto had been scientifically explored in every direction by Dr. Adolph Schmidt, the result of this investigation was published in 1854 at Braumuller's at the expence of the imp. academy of science at Vienna, and is illustrated by many diagrams and drawings. An extract from this rather extensive work has been published by the author through the editor Grerold at Vienna in 1858, in the german and french tongues. Further descriptions of the grotto appeared by P. Radicas Esqr. in 1861 at Trieste, edited by the Austrian Lloyd's and in 1863 by Dr. Ethl H. Costa at Laibach, the latter also in the Slovenian tongue. Photographic views of the different parts of the grotto have been taken by Mariat at Grratz in 1866 by means of the Magnesium-light, wherefore he was rewarded by His Majesty with the gold medal. The area of the grotto-fioor has been surveyed and drawn by the imp. apprentice of -public works, Rudolph Degen. The new grotto, in commemoration of His and Her Majesties' visit, called the Grotto of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth, extending from the "Tombv to the uLaibol„, has been made accessible in the year 1856. Through the peculiar care and zeal of the imp. Captain of the circle, the formerly narrow passage leading to the mouth of the cave, was improved into a spacious Plateau and planted with shadowy trees, the new natural and majestic entrance in the grotto totally freed by clearing a rotten and crumbly gallery, the narrow and but with difficulty accessible lanes were widened, many troublesome stairs removed, the corridors, and parallel sideways levelled and rendered accessible, and finally in the year 1863 the magnificent Manana Grotto, dedicated to Her M. the Empress, and the second ingress to the dancing-hall, by establishing accomodate path-ways, opened to the public. In order to facilitate the approach of carriages to the entrance of the grotto, especially on certain holy-days, when there are feasts in the interior, and the number of visitors is very great, a neatly levelled road is just about to be constructed, which will be adox-ned with every kind of trees, so that the tourist will be able to enjoy a pleasant ride or walk between two 11 rows of beautiful lime-trees, exhaling an aromatic and sweet scent and protecting him from the burning rays of the sun. It is already more than fourty years that every "Whit-nionday there takes place a great feast in the grotto, called the grotto-feast, on which occasion the interior of the same is illumined by ten thousand stearine-candles. Above 4000 people, who are conveyed hither by special trains and coming from every part of the world, are to be seen walking to and fro, and enlivening this subtarreneous solitude, the grandeur of which leaves an indelible impression on the amazed mind of the visitor. Besides, there are during the whole year occasional pleasure trains, and grotto feast, when the grotto, though less splendidly brilliant, offers, nevertheless, a beautiful sight, being illumined by 6000 flames. Single Visitors are almost every day arriving at Adelsberg, and not seldom it is opened twice a day to introduce them. It has just been determined by the Administration of the grotto to publish a new Tariff with considerable cheaper Charges for Visitors, in comparison with the former-ones; it follows at the next page. °£33£>= 12 REGULATION for visitors of the Grotto. 1. The Grotto may be visited at any hour of the day and in any season, on applying to the Grotto-Cashier of the day, who after having received payment of the entrance-money and the illuminating-charges, 'will directly arrange everything relative to the purpose. He keeps also an album or register, where all the visitors enter their name, character, and date. He is likewise bound to deliver a specified bill, and receipt of the charges, paid into his hands. Besides the said Cashier, nobody is allowed to receive whatever fee or drinkmoney, the attendants of the Grotto are, in consequence strictly forbidden to ask or claim anything, in any way. or manner. 2. Striking of stalactite or stones within the Grotto is also strictly prohibited. 3. The Entrance-money for each person is 70 kr. (cents of a florin). Children and servants pay indistinctly the same price. 4. The visitor of the Grotto is always attended by a guide of the Grotto, if a special illumination is desired, a certain number of illuminators too accompany the visitor into the grotto. Each of the guides and illuminators are entitled to a fee of 80 kr. (cents of a flor.) for every visit. The illumination with miners' lamps, and respectivly in the new Grotto with stearine-, candles and candelabres are, however, at their own charge. 5. A litter requires 4 carriers, 2 of whom are to relieve the other 2, while the latter have to carry the lights. Each of them receives f. 1. 50 or consequently together f. 6. 6 Less than two guides are not allowed, and for every four persons one guide more is required. A party above 20 persons 13 must be accompanied by special superintendants, who are sepe-rately to be paid for. 7. The Grotto can be visited also without an express or special illumination, as the miners' lamps of the guides are quite sufficient for the purpose and every danger bein excluded by the same. This kind of illumination is gratis, as stated in N. 4. 8. At request an express illumination can be arranged. The same consists in stearine-candles, which are disposed accordingly, either only in the principal places or along the way. It is of three different kinds, viz. little, middling and grand. The number of illuminators is in proportion of the number of candles to be lighted. 9. The little illumination costs f. 2 and requires but one illuminator; it consists of 156 flames, of which 52 are to burn at the "Dome,,, 26 in the "Dancing-hall,, on the way thither and back, '26 upon the "Belvidere,, and 26 on the "great Calvary.- 10. The middling illumination costs f. 4 and requires 2 illuminators; it consists in 410 flames, of which 104 are to burn at the "great-Dome,, , 52 in the "Daneing hall., on the way thither and backwards, 12 at the "little Calvarys 52 upon the "Belvidere, and the rest on the "great Calvary,, and elsewhere. 11. The grand illumination costs f. 12. 60 kr. and requires 6 illuminators. It consists in 1800 flames, which are distributed in such a manner, that all the way long there is ohne flame burning every 472 yards, and besides, that the principal places have the double of the middling illumination. 12. To light torches, electric light, Bengalfire and any other artificial illumination or materials producing smoke, is strictly forbidden. 13. Magnesium illumination, however, is allowed and on asking for, the Grotto-Administration charge themselves with the necessary arrangement, being the same provided with Magnesium-ribbons from 1 foot in length upwards, which are sold according to the tariff here annexed. 14. The following Tariff shows the carge.s for a visit to the Grotto, including Entrance-money, guides and illumination, according to the number of persons composing the party. 14 of Charges for Visitors to the.Grotto at Adelsberg; viz., Entrance-money, guides, and illumination, according to the number of persons composing the visiting-party. Number Without 111 •u. mi iuatioii of persons composing special little middling grand illumination with 156 lights with 410 lights wilh 1800 lights the party fl. nkr. fl. | nkr. ' fl. nkr. fl. nkr. 1 •2 30 4 30 6 30 21 __ 2 3 — 5 — 7 — 21 70 3 3 5 70 20 5 70 20 7 9 70 20 22 23 40 4 90 5 5 90 .7 90 9 90 24 60 6 6 60 8 60 10 60 25 30 7 7 8 30 SO 9 10 30 50 11 12 30 SO 26 27 — 8 50 9 9 50 11 50 13 .50 28 20 10 10 20 12 20 14. 20 28 90 11 10 12 90 40 12 14 90 40 14 16 90 40 29 31 60 12 10 13 13 10 15 10 17 10 31 80 14 13 80 15 80 17 80 32 50 15 14 16 50 16 18 50 IS 20 50 33 34 20 16 70 17 16 70 18 70 20 70 35 40 18 17 40 19 40 21 40 36 10 19 18 19 10 60 20 21 10 60 22 23 10 60 36 38 80 20 30 of the GROTTO AT ADELSBERG. The way to the grotto diverges in the bo-rough Adelsberg, near the Castle, from the high road, ^g grott0. before the parish church, leading to the foot of the barren ScMosaberg; and its ramification, bordering northward the valley of the river Poik, offers to the eje, in opposition to the meadows irrigated by the same river in its serpentine course, the dreary picture of a solitary landscape of the Karst. Not far from the village Gross - Ottok, a quarter of an hour distant from the borough Adelsberg, opens among the oblique sloping strata of the rock a yawning chasm, into which darts the river Poik, flowing down from the station St. Peter. In by-gone times there existed a far more spacious cave, 50 Kl. = 103 Yds. nearer to Adelsberg, into which the river poured its foaming waters; this entrance, however, was, in consequence of an earthquake in the year 1590, burried beneath the precipitating rock. A recently discovered aperture in the declivity of the rock, and surrounded by an iron railing, bears witness of this mouth of the grotto in times of yore. The ingress to the real and accessible dry grotto is somewhat higher, 10 Kl. = 21 yds. above the surface of the sea, and in front of it spreads a spacious terrace ,planted, in a park-like fashion, with various 16 trees and shrubs. There are now two entrances. One of this openings seems, from its regular appearance, to be the work of Nature, while the other aperture has none of this regularity, but is broken into jagged shapes. The old one is above the opening of the water-cave, it is insignificant and low, and is shut, by a plain grated gate. The new entrance opening rather towards the interior, at the extremity of the above mentioned terrace, shows in the beginning a porch or entrance hall of 4 Kl. = 8 ?/2 yards in width and 5 Kl. === 11 yds. in hight, and is shut towards the subterraneous galleries by a nicely wrought gothic shaped grate-door." The external view of this entrance, conveys already to the visitor's mind, some idea of the grandeur and admirable beauty of the prodigious works of nature, hidden in this mysterious re-r cess, the visitor hearing the waters rushing beneath, along their subterraneous bed. The principal gallery of the grotto, extends itself in its chief direciion, from tu a it n(jSOuth-west, t° north-east. Near the" „Tomb" it di-direction vides itself into two branches, one of them taking first the grotto.a north_westward direction, and turning at the „Bel-videre" towards north-east, protrudes towards the „ Calvary", the farthest and highest point of the grotto, whilst the other branch takes first an easterly direction, continuing afterwards towards north-west, and converges at last at the foot of the „ Calvary" with the first mentioned. The „Calvary" itself can be ascended from two sides, westward from the lateral grotto, diverging near „St. Stefan" (St. Stephen), and eastward from the so called „Port or gate of the Calvary" ; both ways of ascension, however, meet on the summit of the eminence. The external surface of the earth over the galleries of the grotto, presents a ridge of a rocky mountain, first steeply rising, later ascending by degrees and at last falling off in a sudden descent, and running in a parallel direction with the subterraneous hollow spaces, for above half an hour's length, towards the north. The deepest point at the influx of the river Poik into the wet-cave is 1631 ft. .= 1691 engl. ft., the entrance of the dry cave 1691 f. = 1753 eng. ft., the basis of the Calvary in the interior 1692 ft. = 1744 engl. ft. and its top 1824 ft. = 1891 ing. ft. above the surface of the sea; the most elevated points of the mountain-ridge, running along the grotto over the same, are where the „Dolinski Verh" begins 1980 ft, = 2053 engl. ft. and towards the extremity of the „Kozji Verb" 2050 ft. = 2125 engl. ft. above the sea. Within the grotto leads a commodious, generally spacious, dry and even foot-way to the accessible parts; to the lower and to the more elevated parts of the „ great dome, dancing hall and Calvary-hill" lead flights of stone-steps; along the edges of ravins, abysses and precipices, the ways are protected, either by parapets of stone or by iron railings; wherefore every danger, hardship or fatigue in visiting the grotto are excluded, as the crumbling of stalactite or stones is never, and the trickling down of drops very seldom to be feared. The temperature within the grotto is at all times pretty the same, maintaining itself between + 7 to -j- 9 Reaumur (= + 15,75 to 20,25 Fahrenheit) therefore it is advisable in the hot season, to cool one's self properly before entering the grotto. The following is a detailed description, as far as description can go, of the single parts composing the grotto. 2 18 1. Sites of the grotto which were known anterior to the year 1818. Entering by the opening towards the north through the gate-door, one steps into that part of the grotto that was ever known and at any time visited. At first the passage presents itself like the drain of a mine, but widens gradually and gets higher; turning towards the east, the last light of the day, glimmering through the entrance, disappears by degrees. „while as you advance, the murmurings of the stream „and the distant gleams of daylight die away altogether, and the silence and darkness of ancient night „reign around." Such is the entrance to the cavern of Adelsberg. The visitor then proceeds along the passage above described, which gradually widens, until it opens into an immens cavern, or rather there are two caverns, for it is crossed by a ledge of rock, which does not rise to the roof; at the point where the descent is the least abrupt, a flight of 13 stone-steps was cut, which lead the visitor over this ledge or rock-vault, forming a natural bridge, beneath it the river Poik pursues furiouly its course and rushing along with heavy and indistinct sounds, issues on the right. The darkness is oppressive and impenetrable, and the lights, which are too feeble to pierce through the obscurity, only render it more striking. Bridge. This natural bridge is connected with a second, which hangs loftily suspended over a narrow and deep precipice, a path leads to the bed of the Poik streaming below, here the river flows steadily along in a well indented channel, and it enters the mountain at the opposite wall of the cavern. Over this enormous vault 19 one arrives at the „Balcony", the most appropriate Grand Dome, point to admire the total view of the „grand Dome*. The grand ,Domee (which is also called the „ Grotto of Neptune") is the most spacious of the cavern. It measures 15 El. = 32 yds. in height, 24 Kl. == 50 yds. in width, and is 82 Kl. = 170 yds. distant from the entrance. Through this immense cave, whose vault is formed by overhanging huge masses of grey rocks, flows from south to north the river Pork, forming in its winding course an S; within a little distance eastward, it disappears -in a crevice of the rock, and after a winding subterraneous course of several hours, issues again from a cavern near Planina to day-light, taking the name of jjUnz". Beyond the above mentioned natural bridge, Avhich leans against the easterly wall of the large Dome, rises the first monument that has been erected by the active investigator Joseph von Lowengreif Esqr. (to whose adventurous spirit are due the most impor- Franeis-tant discoveries in this cavern,) on H. M. the Emperor Francis I., visiting the grotto. ' . The inscription upon the marble slab runs thus: PMNCIS I Emperor of ^k.ust;ria the just, the kind, the wise, stood on the 16. Mai 1816 here and inspected this subterraneous recess. Joseph knight von Lowengreif I. R. Cashier of the Circle, with the sincerest sense of loyalty and respect, made this known unto his contemporaries and posterity.. 20 Artificial- From this monument leads the artificial gallery, ga ery. ]jjaste(i in 1857 through the perpendicular side-wall of the j,Dome" to the ^Ferdinand's grotto". The execution of this gallery has been performed by order of the Imp. R President ol the Circle and counsellor Valentin Murnig, through the Engineer Euuike. Its length measures 28 Kl. = 58 yds. its breadth 1 Kl. = 2.074 yds. At its end it widens into a platform or terrace, whence one enjoys a beautiful general view of the whole great „Domeff. Ascending three steps you arrive into a vestibule or entrance-hall, where the Ferdinand-monument occupies . the left side of the foreground. Until 1818 the grotto was but known and visited till here and not farther. In order to arrive from the Francis-monument hither, it was, before the year 1856, necessary to descend to the bottom and to pass the river Poik. As, however, the latter through long and heavy rains was some times swelling to such a height, that the wooden bridge which spreads over it was entirely under water, . the entrance to the new grotto remained for weeks inaccessible. At present the visiting of the other places has been rendered quite independent from the height of the water in the river Poik, by means of the recently constructed gallery. However, in order to get a distinct idea of the stupendous grandeur of the ,Dome", it is advisable to choose the former usual way, for descending to the dreary shores of the roaring river Poik. Bridge over Before reaching the Francis-monument, a flight the Poik. 0f 23 steps leads you down to a little landing-place, where at your left you behold behind a railing, a dark chasm, at the brink of which a path, 2 yds. wide, leads you to the „old grotto", which, because of its 21 difficult and troublesome access is but seldom visited* Proceeding farther along over 20 stone-steps, you arrive at a second resting-place, where you perceive the lofty arch of the above named second natural bridge; on descending further 33 steps you meet a paved dam or dike and the bridge over the Poik, 14K1. = 29 yds. long and 1 Kl. = 3,074 yds. broad. From the middle of this bridge, one enjoys a general view over the admirable hall of „fhe great Dome" in its circumference, also from below. After having descended 89 steps, the way leads you over 82 stone-steps, provided from one side with a railing, and on the other shut up by rock-walls, to the monument of the Emperor Ferdinand, where you can get also by the shorter way through the artificial gallery. The so called „old grotto" is on the whole Old 100 Kl. = 207 yds long, in several spots very narrow gr0 to' and low, and has two extremely narrow passages. Among the stalactites are the read cascade, and a second water-fall worth seeing. Remarkable is the hall H u of names, wherein have been inscribed a great, many of names, names and dates since the thirteenth century; the oldest date is of the year 1213; the next following are of 1290, 1300, 1305, 1317, 1313 and 1412; inumerable are those after the year 1508. 2. Spaces of the Grotto which have been discovered in 1818. a. The Ferdinand-grotto. The new grotto, also called Ferdinand - grotto, Ferdinand-was discovered in 1818 by the guide Lucas Cic, on monument-making the preparatory arrangements for the reception 22 of the then prince Imperial Ferdinand. It begins at the second monument, dedicated to the same Ferdinand I., as Emperor, when he inaugurated this grotto •by his visit on the 17.*Jj- August 1819. The monument bears the following german inscription: In dieser Grottenhalle, Wie Zauber anzuschau'n, Wo aus dem Tropfenfalle Sich m'acht'ge Saulen bau'n, Trat ein aus fernem Land Manch hoch Erhab'ner schon, Vor alien Ferdinand, Der hohe Kaisersohn. The following is a translation of the same: To this enchanted mystic hall Of marvels, built of stalactite, Where drops like diamonds trickling fall, And brilliant columns rise with might, — So many came from foreign land That power, scepter, crowns had won; The best of them is Ferdinand Our Cesar 's highborn princely son. August 17. 1819. Hueber sculpsit. Lowengreif posuit. Shambels. Passing along near the grey pulpit of stalactite, the regular way branches into a hall 4 El. = 8 7;, yds. high, in which the white and grey stalactites in their phantastic forms imitate the sward, wherefore this place is generally known by the name of j,the shambles." From this place you can get into a beautiful Side-grotto, side-grotto, of various colours. The path leading into 23 it is narrow, low, sometimes rising sometimes descending, but always easy, and bordering a great quantity of columns which are entirely insulated; and sometimes losing their columnar form, they are interrupted as it were in the middle, twisting, dividing or spreading themselves out into inumerable shapes. Remarkable is there an antique representing a head. English Farther on you arrive at a low hall, called the „English garden". The enormous clustered columns of stalactite that seem to support the everlasting roof, 6 feet high, from which they have only originated, as well as the stalagmite, are of the finest brilliant white. The further you advance, the more striking grows the aspect, the columns appear more massive and the Rain- forms more diversified, and following a passage you see an apparently heavy shower of rain formed by thousands Diamond- 7. .-,, i • • . mine, ot capillary tubes; continuing your way you arrive at the diamond-mine, which well lighted affords a charm ing, wonderful sight. Over a dry naturally solid ground you proceed along among white and grey phantastic formations, sometimes dilating into a broad thin plate, almost transparent in the light of a lamp, sometimes this plate curving itself round in a circular form, or the descending part tapering to a point, which restsTlie dolPQil1-on the broad surface of the ascending stalagmite, and you stand before the so called dolphin (or rather the Hon), behind which there is southward a little indifferent side - grotto, which is never visited. — Proceeding Mushrooms, a little farther uphill, one comes to a row of stalactites ressembling festoons of sausages and mushrooms; this formations as well as the read stalactite in a Throne, white field are very remarkable. Advancing still, the visitor beholds the so called „Throne", the upper 24 part of which is glittering and sparkling with a vivid glare. Here ends the series of beautiful formations of this not insignificant side-grotto , its extremity is 187 Kl. = 388 yds. distant from the entrance to the grotto. If you return by the same way back to the „ English garden" and from thence to the shambles, you arrive again at the principal entrance, which has been recently widened and paved. — This entrance leads to a stalactite, which has a striking resemblance ;atue of the^^ a statue representing the holy virgin with the oly virgin. . . . . . child; this formation is worth seeing, it affords a beautiful sight, especially in the shade upon the wall behind, if the lights are properly arranged. Now the hall opens again to the height of 30 Kl. = 62 yds., the stalactite is of a dazling white, and the huge overhanging bulk of stones of the lofty roof presents itself in gothic-shaped strata. — The floor is generally dry, the hall spacious and ventilated. The road continues broad and high and leads Cascade. Jou through a place, where a pure, gentle breeze of day is breathing, to the „Cascade", a magnificent mass of white and grey stalactite. — On the same spot is to be seen a swarthy stalagmitic ledge 5 feet high and 11 inch, in diameter; on account of its pe- . culiar likeness to the well known legendary „ Stock im in iron. Eisen" at Vienna, it is called the stock in iron; in this spot the hall reaches again a height of 30 f. = 32 eng. f. The most beautiful formations follow each other, and mounting 3 steps you arrive through a wide cavern into a very extensive hall 32 engl. f. high, full of ad- 25 mirable fragments of rock and towering masses of immense stones. Further on you pass over a very costly dike or dam from one side provided with a railing and on the North-light, other borderding on the rock-walls, between read and white stalactite and stalagmite, where you enjoy a perspective, which properly illumined and seen from the top of an eminence 32 feet high produces a beautilful effect, very like an aurora borealis in its languid whitish appearance. From this dam you come to St. Peter's chair. Here °t. JPeter's you mount 15 steps and you enter a magnificent hall, passing again by the so called gaol; descending about T]ie j 26 steps opens before you the immense „ball-room" or „hall of tournaments"'. At the left of St. Peter's chair leads a smooth path through the Tunnel, on your Tunnel way you meet a great quantity of marvellously shaped figures of a snow-white stalactite, and through a lateral grotto, likewise beautifully adorned you enter also the ball-room. Just before the entrance of the Ball-room or latter is a smaller hall running parallel with the ball- tournaments, room 16 feet high and 9 yds. broad, where many stalactites like diamonds cut into angles are glittering, and calcareous petrifications abound. The „ball-room" is 591 yds. distant from the entrance to the grotto, it measures 31 yds. in width, 52 in hight and its vaulted ceiling is 43 engl. feet high; its floor is smooth and horizontal, in its ___.___ interior one breathes the purest air and in its vicinity is fresh and potable water to be found. Close to the entrance of the „ ball-room8 on the right is a comemorative slab, its latin inscription is intended for eternizing the gratitude due to two deserving men who first distinguished themselves, by making this grotto celebrated, the one by exploring it in 26 every part and rendering it accessible and the other by making it known to the world through his descriptions. It runs thus: PROTECTORIBUS MEIS, CULTIVATORI MERITISSIMO JOSEPHO JERSINOVITSCH EQUITI DE LOEWENGREIF, ET DESCRIPTORI ING-ENUOSO D&- ADOLPHO SCHMIDL MDCCCLXV. This most spacious and most regular of all the caverns in this grotto, whose roof is not visible owing to its great bight, is used as a bait-room by the peasantry of Adelsberg once a year, viz., on "Whit-Monday, the festival of their patron saint. On this occasion assemble there from 2000 to 3000 people. Candles are lighted in rustic chandeliers, formed of wooden cross stuck horizontally on the top of the pole. Here many hunde-red feet beneath the surface of the earth, and a mile from the light of the day, the music of the Carniolian resounds through more magnificent halls then were ever built for monarchs. The flames of the uncouth chandeliers is reflected from the stalactite walls in a blaze of ever-changing light; and amid its dancing refulgence, the village swains and village beauties wheel round in waltz, as if the dreams of the Rosi-crucians*) had at length found their fulfilment, and *) Rosicrucians is the name of a secret society whose existence became first known to the public in the 17th. century by means of several publications which have been attributed to John Valentine Andreae, a German scholar born at Herrenberg in the duchy of "Wurtemberg, who after studying at Tubingen, became a minister of the Lutheran church, and in course of time was made almoner of the duke of Wurtemberg and abbot of Adelberg. He was a man of mystical turn of mind, who had conceived the idea of effecting a general reform of mankind. The reader who wishes to investigate this obscure object may consult Ch. Murr: On the True Origin of the Rosicrucians 1803. Buhle thinks that the Rosicrucians are but a branch of the Freemasons. 27 Gnomes and Kobolds really lived and revelled in the bowels of our globe. Leaving the ball-room and taking to the right, you pass through a row of columns of a brilliant white colour, among which you behold a very high one detached from its other half, leaning against another similar column, and representing the belfry of Pisa.'"') The belfry Passing along, you arrive at a hall 26 feet high, and ornamented with graceful white and grey stalactitcal concretions which hang from the canopy above and surround you everywhere. A smooth way leads you to the „little bell", and through strata of rock covered The little with white stalactite, where the lights reflected from beU-the brilliant or transparent calcareous gems create a scene which almost looks like one produced by enchantment, — you enter a cave, which by degrees closes itself. From this cavern a widening and high gallery The large leads by the „Altar" to the „large bell". It consists e ' in a singular piece of stalactite; the guide preceeding the visitor uses to strike it with a bell-clapper of the like material, whereupon it produces a vibrating dismal sound which reminds that of a metallic belfry-bell. The Chapel, By a strange coincidence stands close to it the chapel Altar an •> a r organ. with the altar and the organ. Proceeding farther on among averhanging masses, you reach an artificial pier or mole 24 EH. = 50 yds. in length, which leads you across infinite groups of pillars 26 engl. f. high, to a chasm where a chandelier or lustre of stalactite is The worth seeing. Another pier or dam 10 Kl. = 21 yds. "hanper. **) The Belfry of Pisa is a round tower, cased with marble, 190 feet high, which deviates from the perpendicular Hue about fourteen feet. It was erected in the latter part of the twelfth century by the architects William of Inspruck and Bonnano of Pisa. 28 long, leads you along before a huge mass of white stalactite measuring 5 Kl. = 11 yds. in circumference, over the same rises a large hall. The next formation The water bears a striking resemblance to a fountain-head, spout. being a brillant mass of white stalactite, from whose middle rises a read coloumn like a jet of water. At the left oi this place is a narrow and low hollow or clift, through which one arrives at a late- Side-Totto. ral grotto 45 Kl. = 93 yds. in length, its floor is smooth and as it were sown with diamonds, the walls yellow like wax; there you reach after some time a pit or cavity which forms the end of this branch of the The cave; on account of its colour it is styled the wax-room. wax-room. Following the chief way you arrive at a spot, called the moon-shine, where the guides, by means of Moonshine an artificial illumination from above, try to imitate the rising of the moon. — The next remarkable stalactite is known by the denomination of the charcoal-kiln. Here Charcoal- the visitor enters a vast horizontal grotto, of an ever-changing iridescence; the air you breathe is pure, and the trickling of falling drops adds to this scene a pecidiar charm. One of the most admired formations Virgin Maria.is the image of the virgin Maria, 460 Kl. = 954 yds. distant from the chief entrance. The pillar - shaped mass 36 engl. f. high, which in its formation has riot yet reached the stalagmite beneath it, appears to be divided in two parts. At the top of this column is to be seen a parallelogram 3 inches deep in a white field, called the „image of the virgin Maria", whose graceful forms attest the wonderful and mystical powers of nature. .Organ-pipes. Further on are the Organ-pipes, formed by se- veral rows of thin stalactites connected among themselves, so as to imitate the pipes of an organ. 29 The next formation is 500 Kl. = 1037 yds. distant Mummies. from the principal entrance, it reminds strongly upright standing mummies, its colour is ruddy-white, changing into grey, the soil is undulated and if well lit it affords a beautiful sight. At the right of these so called mummies and precisely under the biggest of them, is a passage that lies close to a smooth path at the left. A solid, dry floor leads the visitor along to the „Tomb«, which lies 520 Kl. = 1078 yds. The Tomb. distant from the entrance. It is an overhanging mass of stalactite, which by its peculiar formation resembles strikingly a sepulchral monument, this space is 28 feet high and is adorned by magnificent columns that seem to be rather the work of a sculptor than of accidental natural secretion; on the left of the „Tomb" rises anm, ; -, • n , • n i t /-m t i „ The Obelisk msolated piece oi stalactite, called the Obelisk". b. The Grotto of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth. At the „Tomb" you leave the Grotto of Ferdinand, that extends itself farther eastward, and through which one returns later to the same spot. Now, turning to the left, you come to a nice side - grotto, which was opened to the public when His and Her M. Francis Joseph and Elisabeth added lustre to the grotto at Adelsberg by honouring the same by their visit, on which occasion this part extending till to the „Calvary" received the above mentioned name. The fragments of rock fretted with cornices of the purest read stalactite, partly insulated partly projecting from the white walls, fill the visitor's mind with admiration, some times they are so regularly arrang- ed, and so nicely clustered together, that one believes to he -walking up the nave of a Gothic cathedral. In a distance of 16—33 yds. from the entrance to this branch of the grotto the gallery begins to straiten, and closes itself almost entirely after a distance of 36 Kl. = 74 yds.; this narrow passage has been recently widend by art. Behind this defile one arrives into a hall 17 yds. high and 19 yds. broad where the white stalactite begins to appear covered with a read stratum or crust. Mounting 3 steps provided with a slender railing, one arrives at a slight eminence, on which rises a flesh-coloured column 7 yds. in height. Very remarkable are here the beautiful draperies at the back-wall, then." everchanging colours from a dazling white to a mild rosy red afford a delightful sight. Walking along about 38 yds. one arrives at a spacious hall which deserves to be inspected in all its details and which, on account of the imposing stone groups, is named the „little Calvary1. Now you come to the new opening or cut by which two caverns that formerly were blind side-grottoes have been joined together, so that the whole forms two combined grottoes. This cut has been opened in 1856 and is $0% engl. f. long, 6% engl. f wide and 6y2 engl. f. hi-h. Behind this opening in a distance of 29 yards on the right of the path, descending a step, you come to a snow-white pillar 3 ft. in diameter and 9 '/„ ft. high. The white curtains in its vicinity are also not to be overlooked. Proceeding still further 31 yards, you perceive, after having passed through a magnificent row of sparkling pillars, above you on your left, some SMOYi-white draperies, of which the thickness is not 31 above 4 lines. From hence the vault begins to sink, and after a distance of 29 yards it is but 5 feet high. After having mounted 5 steps, you see above your head a cluster of capillary tubes of calcareous spar representing a shower of rain. Four yards farther at Rain. the right one sees in a niche a group, resembling two sleeping maidens. Their heads are white and the ear- sle.ePins , maidens, ments red-brown. Here widens the hall gradually and reaches by and by the height of 15 yards by 9. The enormous masses are wedged in among themselves, forming an ogival arch, while the walls are coated with marblelike stalactite, its colour changing from a dazling white to a dark brown, aud whose glitter may well be compared with that of the purest rock-crytsal. Farther on the gallery widens, reaching at last the size of a hall 17 yards broad and 42 yards long, into which are branching several side-grottoes, one of them leading g^g grott0. to the Loibl, but offering nothing particular worth seeing. The way turns now to the left and the visitor walks under a broken peg-shaped stalactite, formerly measuring 9Y2 feet in length, called the sword of Sword of Damocles; from hence you step into a path, rich in amoc es" manifold interesting formations, 56 yards distant from the newly opened grotto-branch whose mouth opens within a spacious cave. The way stretches in 3 turns uphill where you reach one of the most interesting points of the grotto: yftie Belvidere" 400 yards from „the Tomb" and 1478 Belvidere. yards from the principal entrance. It consists of a blunt cone 13 yards in circumference with 5 steps hewn in its side and leading to its smooth summit. A monument has been raised there by subscription 32 through the initiative of the aulic counselor Count And-Monumeht ofrew Hobenwarth, in commemoration of their Majesties, and'Elisabeth!$fe Eniperor Francis Joseph aud the Empress Elisabeth's visit there, on the 11th. March 1857. It is a blunt pyramid of indigenous black marble. Hind-grotto or From the Belvidere eastward stretches a sepe- ° rate branch 327 yards long, called „the hind grotto or grotto of Pluto'"")". Sixty two yards off the „Bel- Dropping weliyidere" stands the Stalactitic „Do;dpping-wellM. Toilsome, over a black-grey tinselling ground goes now the way; the irregularity of its surface, the magnitude of the awful masses broken in pieces composing ■ the sides of the cave, and which seem torn from the bosom of the mountain by some great convulsion of nature, their dark colours and their shades, form a singular contrast with the beauty, uniformity and grace of the surrounding stalactitical concretions. One of the most singular among them is that glittering blunt cone of ruddy stalactite. Its basis at the right is under water, on the surface it has the shape of a basin 2 yards in breadth; and from the ceiling, 62 feet high, amidst a rather narrow cave, trickles incessantly a thread of water into the basin, while the overflowing liquid is falling down in sparkling drops at the sides of this ever increasing cone. The investigating philosopher is here admitted by nature to witness its myterious *) Pluto (DXoutwv) more frequently called by the Greeks Hades (A;jo7jc), aud by the Romans Orsuc and Dis, was the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, and the deity that presided overbite region where the departed souls of nien were placed. His wife was Persephone, called by the Eomans Proserpina. Pluto is represented by the ancient writers as a gloomy deity, inexorable to the prayers of mortals. and hated by the human race above all the gods. Pluto is supposed to be connected with the Greek word signifying wealth (jiXoutoc), since the precious metals are found beneath the earth's surface, below which the abode of Hades was generally placed. 33 never ceasing and everlasting creations. — After having admired that hall in its multiform figures and productions, and tasted its potable and restoring water, the visitor should not neglect to examine the extreme end of the gx-otto hitherto known: the basin on hist left, and on Extremity, his right that part called „the Tartarus." Continuing Tartarus, your peregrination, you see before you two very projecting cupola-shaped vaults, where the white overhanging calcareous masses entirely cover the read walls; there you observe at your right a steep and toilsome side-way leading over crashed fragments of stalactite axxd rock. At your left, leaving behind you chasms^ clefts Side-gallery. and precipices, this pxincipal gallery begins to straiten, by degrees it gets also lower, the uncouth, and unequal path grows loamy and slyppery. — Climbing up . and down, through brown and grey curtain-shaped formations, you reach at length a spot; originally called „the Basin". „ The Basin. The upper diameter from one edge to the other measures 25 yards and its depth 11 yards. Its inner sides are of stalactite and smooth like plate-gla s, and the water it contains rises often, after heavy x*ains, over its brim, flooding this region till to „the dropping well". Leaving the „Basin" you walk through a nai'row passage, which leads you over a deep precipice to aLateralbranch ■ t , i r ,i i , ■ -A ., °f the river sxde-brarich of the subterraneous raver „roik". p0jk. The above mentioned lateral gallery on the x-ight is a cavern awful to behold., very spacious, sometimes very lofty, sometimes very low, very scarce in stalactite, the dai*k masses of x-ock surrounding you, appear to be the wox-k of demons who might be imagined to from the centre of the earth, and to have 34 fixed in this place their horrible abode, hence its Tartarus, name „ Tartarus *)". In fact it is a bare, dreary wilderness ; an ap-"parently insolated cleft filled with water. These two extreme caverns, excluding the side Grotto, and following only the Chief Route through the Grotto of Ferdinand, are 1200 El. = 2488 yards distant form the principal entrance, on taking the apposite way through the grotto of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth the distance from the chief entrance amounts but to 871 Kl. =z 1806 yards. Let us now return to the „Belvidere'f. Walking from here eastward one arrives after a distance of 62 yards at the „Her?nitu, a stalactite 5 feet in height, quite The Hermit hisolated on the top of a mountain. Seventy one yards from the ^Hermit" rises the mount Loibl, whose sum-Mount Loibl mit forms a Plateau or terrace. Twenty one yards from the mount Loibl, branches at the right a side-grotto into the principal gallery of the grotto of Francis Joseph ; on the left is another side grotto, called the Lowengreif-grotto. From the mount Loibl one descends by 8 Avind-ings and curves to a horizontal embankment 9 feet high .and 7 feet broad, from which, turning round and looking back, you behold the entire declivity of the *) Tartarus was, according to the notions of the Greeks and Romans, a part of the lower world, Homer regards it chiefly as the place in which the gods were punished. Hesiod adds that Tartarus is surrounded by a brazen wall and triple night; the roots of the earth and the sea hang down into it. In later times Tartarus designated that part of the lower world in which the shades of the wicked were punished, and the ideas then formed of it were more awful than in earlier times. According to Virgil's description, the road into the lower world was divided at a certain point into two roads, the left of which led into Tartarus, which was surrounded by a triple wall and the fiery river Phlegeton, and was closed with an adamantine gate. At its outer side Tisiphene kept watch, and at the inner side the fifty-headed bydra. Rhadamanthus was the judge in Tartarus, and at his command the furies scourged the shades of the wicked. 35 whole Loibl, representing a magnificent cascade. This Cascade spot is 42 feet high. Taking to the right of this dam, you arrive at an opening, where the water flowing abundantly down from the Loibl disapears underground. After heavy rains the water rushes with such a violence through the roof of the grotto, that the Loibl offers the spectacle of a torrent. Mounting again from this pier by two windings, one arrives at a flight of 10 steps, which lead to a plateau or terrace where you perceive on your right a beautiful colonnade with towering masses of stone. Among this gigantic blocs emerges one, that bears on its top a small stalactite, having on each side another; on account of its likeness with the bust of St. Stephen it bears the name of that saint. This St Stephen, point is 220 yards distant from the „Belvidere" and consequently 2026 yards from the principal entrance. At St. Stephen's one leaves the grotto of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth, and turning to the left one enters the recently opened grotto which runs noithward and is styled the grotto of the Empress Maria Anna, through which the beautifully ornamented way leads westward to the summit of the ^Calvary". water-/11 Upon an even way, protected by an iron railing, leading to a pier form 6 to 7 yards high, and passing near a stalagmite measuring at its basis 4y„ yards and ending at its upper extremity in two slender pillars, you reach after a distance of 25: yards a landing place of sveral steps. Here you behold above you sundry cupula shaped formations, among which you perceive one imitating a glittering water-fall of a dark blue colour. At your right you see two columns of 8x/a yards in height; of a particular beauty is the second, being of B, , a glittering brown-yellow colour and ornamented by many Curtams. 36 nicely dented points or flaps. Walking somewhat downward farther, at a distance of about 15 yards, one sees at the upper part of the left wall, a great deal of curtains and formations in the shape of enormous hoary icicles, called the black curtains; on your right 6tands a column of a darkbrown glittering colour, whose extremity is cupula-shaped and channelled. By a way bordering the left wall and constructed like a pier protected on its right as well as at the beginning by an iron railing, you reach at a distance of 25 yards a dazling white pillar 6Va yards in height, measuring at its basis 31/,, feet and at its extremity 51/,, feet in diameter and terminating like a cupola. The diamond. The beautiful white of this pillar as well as its manifold dented ornaments are very remarkable and the whole grotto cannot muster a second of like beauty, wherefore it was justly styled nthe diamond". Close to this pillar stands another column above 61/, yards high and seemingly propping the roof, its colour is yellow grey, and its ornaments are likewise hanging ., down in dented flaps. At the northern side of this Column with ,__.-, . . a front-roof column is to be seen a very mterestmg formation, viz. one representing & projecting roof or & penthouse this roof is 5 inches thick, 5x/2 feet broad, and the projection measures 3 Y2 feet, at its extremity it has a nice drapery. Before leaving this spot it is worth the while to-cast a glimpse behind you, and you behold the above described wall with all its groups ; this view, especially if the illumination at St. Stephen's be well disposed, is really grand and of a charming effect. Walking along about 16 yards farther, you come by a smooth way to another column of a considerable size with many outrunners or shoots at the southern side, which bear a strong resemblance to the 37 roots of a tree, wherefore it is known under the name Stamp with of the large stump with the roots or the perennial root. It is above 6x/2 yards high and is at its basis of a grey colour; the upper part is yellow and its extremity is very spriggy and full of sprouts. Opposite this pillar at the right wall may be seen another front-roof, over which the stalactiticale formation appears to be spread like a figured linen-cloth /ort~ted. folded in many plaits and trimmed with lace. It iswith draperis called, the front-roof decorated with drapery. The grotto measures here 15 yards in breadth aud the half in height. In a distance of 37 yards from this stalactiticLarge pavilion creation stands at your left the large pavilion, a real tent measuring i1/^ yards in diameter and as much in height; from one side it is closed, from the other open and provided with a nicely framed front-roof, at the upper end it runs out in a point, having instead of a knob a little group of yellowish white pillars at its top. The ceiling of the grotto is in this place white, and ornamented with brown poliphonous *) stalactites of every size in the shape of icicles. Not far from the large pavilion, the grotto begins suddenly to highten, for we are arrived at the foot of the Calvary. The even path begins to rise too, running The rather towards the right while at the left there is am0ur l yawning dry precipice 11 yards deep and 13 wide, beautifully ornamented with graceful yellowish white images. The upper part on the left side of this chasm running along the swarthy wall, is furnished with nicely framed pins and curtains, while the right side glitters with several beautifully channelled brown pillars. This is the ^mourning-hall.* *) Changing of colours. 38 At the end of the above described hall, 61 yards distant from the large pavilion, you reach a little hill, on its top you enjoy a wonderful sight over the part of the grotto you left behind. This spot is 170 yards distant from St. Stephen's, |The agaric on the right may be seen two beautiful stalactites of asparagus ^ considerable size^ which are named the agarric*) and the gigantic asparagus, on account of their affinity with the shape of those plants. The latter is at the same time the way-mark, that reminds the visitor to divert his steps from this part which runs out still 176 yards farther into the grotto without affording anything worth seeing, and to take rather the way leading to the right up to the Calvary. d) The Calvary. The Calvary The Calvary is the most stupendous and most northerly part of the grotto. It consists of a hill rising insolated from three sides, and leaning only at the north-side against the surrounding ridge of mountains, which contains not merely single formations, but hun-dereds of columns, among which not few of colossean dimensions and from the purest milk-white changing through all shades and gradations into dark brown colours. It is the most sublime, the most amazing of all subterraneous marvels of creation ; no other grotto in the world can show a spectacle like the Calvary. Since its discovery it bears this name, originating evidently in the idea or impression which this forest of columns conveys to the beholder's mind to see before him the petrified people upon the Golgatha, reminding the passage of the Gospel: „and when they *) Agaricus is the generic name by which all the species of mushrooms properly so called are collectively kneon. 39 were come to the place called Calvary there they crucified him ... and the people stood beholding-" The perpendicular height of the Calvary from its basis to the summit is 45 Y2 yards or 137 ft., and from the summit to the ceiling there are further 19 yards, so that, from the highest point of the roof to the foot of the mountain there is a distance of 64 yards. The whole space of the grotto above the Calvary measures in its entire extension from south to north 222 yards and from west to east 213 yards ; indeed an immense width for a cavern! The ascent to the Calvary at the western side, Precipice, from the grotto of the Empress Anna-Maria is the steepest; an awful chasm full of immense bristling fragments of rock and rubble-stones constitutes the lower half of the declivity, the way however, which leads to the top in several zigzag windings, is easy, comfortable and safe, the scarped walls serve to prop the damming, and iron railings protect the wanderer. From the giant-asparagus serving as guide-post, one reaches by two zig-zag turns the first summit; inu-merable fragments of rock coated with calcareous stalactite surround you all allong the ascension from every side and above you in wild confusion, here and there ornamented with single salagmitic groups of every size. — On the top of the said first summit may be seen on the left of the winding way a graceful formation and like petrified water spurting forth and The sreat ,,. -, . ,. . , • n • t i torrent. tumbling down in every direction by infinite little cascades in a yellowish and milkwhite gush; this part is called the great torrent. Amidst the light-coloured overhanging stalactites you may perceive one of a larger size and of a glittering brown colour, whose shape is very like an oblong giant raisin. Giant raisin. 40 The ascent to the second esplanade is less steep, and consists likewise of two, though smaller zigzag windings, ornamented with different other beautiful Pigeon and formations. Next there are on the left side of the parrot path two nice ones ; the pigeon aud the parrot. Farther up you see, also on the left the most colossal group of columns changing in colour from milkwhite to Petrified forestorange; it is the petrified forest. — An extremely fine, glittering, circular column rising like a steeple towards the lofty vault, marks the highest point of the second platform, it stands on the right side of the curve of the The Beacon, way and is known by the name of the light-house at Trieste. The third ascent rises gradually and is surrounded by an infinite number of smaller stalagmites, many of them are of a dazling white. Upon the summit Noah's ark. ]jeg a nUge block called: Noah's ark; the travellers have covered it with names written in pencil, which have resisted the moisture for many years. The large The last point of this marvellous spectacle is the large altar, a triangular eminence, ascending towards the right lateral wall of the grotto, coated white sta-lacite on a brown back-ground, aud furnished with very fine formations above. — From the altar farther to the right branches an insolated grotto of 139 yards in length, in which is to be seen a hill sparkling garden with small glittering stalactites, and which is called „the magic garden." — The summit of the Calvary is 2223 yards distant from the principal entrance to the grotto, and its elevation above the surface of the sea is 18.,1 ingl. ft. Descending from the summit of the Calvary, one turns to the right, towards the easterly part. Walking amidst many small stalactites, you arrive at the foot of the third platform; here you meet again 41 the ligth-honse, and towards midway there is a pillar in the shape of a cross; farther below you see on a Cross. plateau the figure of a man carrying a woman uphill. Man Carrying From that plateau you enjoy a bird's eye-view over a womau-the second platform in its refulgency of magnificently checkered stalactitic masses, among which a group of columns in the shape of clustering stalks or trunks oi uncemmon beauty and size, it- is called ..the dome of The dome of Milan. — At the foot of the second plateau you perceive on the right side of the wav the greatest sta- Tlie "^est ° J ° column lactitic column of the whole grotto, 11 yards in height; further a beautiful stalactite called St. Nicolas, aud a St. Nicolas very strange formation representing a skull. The skull Stepping now upon the lowest and first plateau, from which the way down is rather steep, you find yourself in a spacious hall with immense fragments of Gate t0 llie rock and stalactite of the most variegated colours and multiform shapes. — At last you have reached the foot of the Calvary, where two enormous and several small read and white glittering Stalagmites form the gate of the Calvary. — This point is 42 yards from St. Stephen's, 1818 yards from the principal entrance on the route to the grotto of Ferdinand, and 833 yards from the Sepulchre. After having descended the Calvary and turning to the left, one comes back through the hind compartment of the Ferdinand-grotto to the Tomb, which jrel^naiia-part has been left aside on oru' former peregrination. OTOttO At a distance of 34 yards you find in this a;rotto- English kitchen branch first the English kitchen, where the grotto grows wider and higher; 70 yards farther you reach Avenue the avenue of columns that crosses the way, at the end of which may be seen „the fox." At a distance of further 108 yards lies on the right the toilsome passage. 4 of columns. The fox. Toilsome 4-2 passage, where you must ascend a steep and nai-row track of 66 yards, intersected by several flights of steps with landing places Instead of this troublesome passage there has recently been constructed at the left an even and convenient way. s Following the same you arrive at at place where there is an overthrown column ornamented by garlands of foliage 8'/2 yards by 6, beautifully channelled and , crossing the path, so that the way leads beneath it; it Subverted ° i ' \ . "■-, . . column, is called the subverted column. This hall is 75 ft. high and its many mighty overthrown columns, upon which new enormous perpendicular stalagmites are towering afford a dreary and awful sight to the beholder of this wilderness. Farther off from the „toilsome passage„ or from the ^subverted column" one sees on the left-some hoary-rock-walls aud heaps of broken-off fragments superposed in strata, while the right side is ornamented by the most diversified shades of stalactite, among which a pillar very remarkable for its having been in times of yore dazling white, and which at present is coating itself by degrees with ruddy calcareous secretions. Geographical A little farther is the so called geographical map. map The same way leads you into a spacious hall of rock. Grotto of tltew^ere on ^e left, above you opens an entrance, pro-arch-duke vided with an iron cross-barred gate, to a side-grotto 0 ■ v called „the grotto of the Arch-duke John. The same contains highly appreciated formations in all their primeval, peculiar splendour. Especially remarkable are the Gothic hall the low passage, the little curtain, the large dome, the black and the read hall. The permission to visit this hall is but granted on a special demand to the purpose. 43 Proceeding farther opens on the right a side-grotto 331 yards in length, but void of any interest. Passing along you find on your way the TurkishTurkish sabre sword, oue of the most remarkable stalactites, unparalleled in its kind. It hangs down from the ceiling quite insolated, measuring at the upper part 8 in. and below 5 in breadth, while ist thickness is moderate. After a distance of 148 yards you reach the „Fish-placeli a very picturesque compartment, where Fish-plaee you see the flat-fish, the lobster, the golden fleece, the sleeping lion, and the great water-fall, all very remak-able. In a distance of 7 yards may be seen the The grotto-guard, a pillar the extremity of which has some ^atcl"man likeness with a human head. Further 34 yards off you The reach the riding-school, in the middle of the same riding-school stands a stalacmitic stock or stump in the shape of a pillar as they use to be in riding-schools. Opposite this pillar looking from the entrance is to be admired the stupendous curtain. This extremely beautiful formation is 9 Y2 ft. high, 4 lines thick, and 1—3 ft. projecting from the wall; its brown and read striped brimming, its ondulated, pointed hem or border, its dazling white and trans- Curtain parent, natural, I might say, esthetical arrangement of folds cannot but fill with wonderment the amazed beholder. — Opposite the curtain are some petrified outlets or conduits on a grey back-ground, called the hen-coop, and the thatch. At the issue of this hall you may see an insolated rock with a hole in the TI]e midst of it, this is the so called „confessional.u A confessional little farther stands the cannon-column, 1244 yards distant from the entrance. It is white and glittering 19 ft. high, giving a vibrating sound like brass on The cannon striking it, and measuring 6 yards 4 in. in diameter. 44 stalagm column Particularly remarkable is the - following calcareous The read sea incrustation, which is called „the read sea:" Rugged, craggy rock-walls amid white and grey stalactite form a gallery, in which rises the „high the short Cypress":, 18 ft, high and 18 in. in diameter. Next to cypress it stands the ^little Cypress." The frills Twenty one feet farther you se'e the very pro- perly named shirt-frills, a beautiful lusus naturae or sport of nature, it is 1037 yards from the entrance, white and of a clear transparency, brimmed with a nice edding, and remarkable for its gracefull hangings and folds of the drapery. The peculiar stratification of that wall is not less interesting. Massive Leaving the frills you preceive on your right the most powerful staglamitic mass of the grotto, measuring 21 yards in circumference, consequently about 20 feet in diameter, by a height of 16 feet. This colossal mass cannot but exite your astonishment, if you consider that after accurate observations, the calcareous incrustation produced by the falling drops, amounts at the utmost to merely one cubic inch every year. After a distance of 31 yards you reach again the „Tomb , where you turned before to the grotto of Francis Joseph and Elisabeth. On your way back, you pass again through all the places you have already seen during your visit in the grotto of the Emperor Ferdinand. Such is the grotto at Adelsberg after running about six miles into the earth, in which the scene of wonderment terminates with what it began, with water; tor a small subterraneous lake, deep, clear, cold and dead still, prevents all further progress. It has not been passed; it would _ therefore be too much to say DIAGRAM of all the ramifications li~!h. Guttmaan Trieste. Tit'intpxeltfctjlez- (fathoms) 7 - 2,67fyz.yards. u MFlRODNfl IN UNIUERZITETNR KNJI2NICA 00000384401 The tall the she cypres I1SSSSP The fr Mass stala colru t*airi.xwn. t\ A00000384401A vS< ^ ----------------------------------------------. --- NRRODNfl IN UNIUERZITETNR KNJI2N1CR ?g 0 601 921 I CGBISS ff ■a. —