as to render the top almost invisible from the light of the torches. Stones thrown up can barely reach it. At the bottom of the first room, as it is usually called, the rocks close in on all sides, except the entrance, and a few feet through which the visitor must pass half bent, if he desires to proceed farther. After going in this way for twenty or thirty feet, the opening again becomes suddenly large and extensive on all sides, and a steep and rugged ascent has to be encountered for eighty or one hundred feet. Here, if it were not that the cave is in the side of a mountain, it could not be very far to the surface of the earth above, as it is now ascended a distance nearly equal to that which was descended in entering, and it is also some distance to the rock overhead. But the visitor is now in the heart or centre of the mountain, where no ray of light ever found its entrance, except that of the torch or lantern of exploring man. At the top of this ascent a road branches off to the right and left. Both are circuitous, and lead into various rooms of different sizes and shapes. The one to the right leads by a difficult and sometimes dangerous route, to the longest room in the cave. From this there is a small and narrow outlet, scarcely of space sufficient to proceed erect, of about one hundred and fifty or two hundred feet in length, and leads to another issue, though small. There are in this cave some twenty or thirty rooms of different sizes and forms, and generally connected with each other by apertures sufficiently large to admit of easy access; but in some places, though rarely, the visitor must gain his way on his hands and knees. Some visitors, of more enterprise and perseverance, have taken in poles, by which to ascend to the rooms overhead. The continual drippings of the lime and saltpetre have, in many of the rooms, formed beautiful columns and pillars, by concretion. Many of these, from the different shapes which they have assumed, are interesting curiosities. These pillars are, in a state of nature, almost as white as marble; but the frequent visits to the cave, and the visitors using pine for torches, they have become smoked black. Several years ago, considerable quantities of saltpetre were manufactured from the dirt dug out of this cave, and the signs are yet visible, but no operation of the kind is now going on. 302 CHATHAM COUNTY. THIS County forms the southeast corner of the State. It is a portion of what was once called Savannah County, for in 1741, by order of the Trustees, the Colony of Georgia was divided into two counties, one of which was called Savannah, embracing all the territory north of Darien. It was laid out in 1758 into St. Philip's and Christ Church Parishes, and Christ Church and a part of St. Philip's were formed into the County of Chatham, which name was given in honour of the celebrated Earl of Chatham. Length, 28 m.; breadth, 15 m.; area square miles, 420. Extract from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 1,915; families, 1,979; white males, 4,794; white females, 4,367; free coloured males, 296; free coloured females, 426; total free population, 9,883; slaves, 14,018; deaths, 385; farms, 132; manufacturing establishments, 13; value of real estate, $4,890,750; value of personal estate, $5,828,388. The chief streams are the Savannah, Big and Little Ogeechee. The smaller are, St. Augustine, Vernon, Pipemaker, &c. The face of the country is flat, interspersed with many swamps. The country has a large portion of fertile land. On the Savannah River, the bodies of tide swamp lands are extensive, and are cultivated upwards of twenty miles from the brackish marsh up the river, and are considered the most valuable lands in the State. Many of the rice plantations have a picturesque appearance. The annexed cut ex hibits a view of Mr. James Potter's plantation on the Savannah River SAVANNAH is the seat of justice, and the largest city in Georgia. It is situated on the southeast bank of the Savannah River, on a high bluff forty feet above low-water mark, twelve miles in a direct line from the ocean, and eighteen miles by the course of the river. It is in north latitude 32 degrees, 4 minutes, 56 seconds; west longitude 81 degrees, 8 minutes, 18 seconds from Greenwich; and 4 degrees, 6 minutes, 54 seconds, west longitude from Washington City; 158 miles E.S.E. from Milledgeville, the capital of the State. The city contains the following public buildings, viz.: two Episcopal churches, one Roman Catholic, one Lutheran, one Independent Presbyterian, one Presbyterian, one Unitarian, two Baptist churches for whites, three for coloured people, one Hebrew Syna gogue, one for Mariners, one Methodist Church for whites, one Methodist for coloured people, Court-House, Jail, Exchange, Female Asylum, Armoury, Arsenal, Guard-House, Market-House, Academy, Hall of the Georgia Historical Society, Institution of the Sisters of our Lady of Mercy, United States Barracks, Savannah Poor-House and Hospital, Hall of St. Andrew's Society, Custom-House, Athenæum, Masonic Hall, Odd Fellows' Hall, Powder Magazine, Bank of the State of Georgia, Planters' Bank, Marine and Fire Insurance Bank, Central Railroad and Banking Company, Savai Bank. There are in the city about 45 charitable societies. Many of the private dwellings are beautiful. This institution was organized the 17th September, 1801. Mrs. Ann Clay was called to the chair, and the following ladies elected Managers, viz.: Mrs. Elisabeth Smith, Mrs. Ann Clay, Lady Ann Houstoun, Mrs. Margaret Stephens, Mrs. Hannah McAllister, Mrs. Frances Holcombe, Mrs. Jane Smith, Mrs. Margaret Hunter, Mrs. Phebe Mosse, Mrs. Sarah Lamb, Mrs. Susanna Jenkins, Mrs. Ann Moore, Mrs Rebecca Newell, Mrs. Mary Wall. Mrs. Elisabeth Smith was elected First Directress, and Mrs. Ann Clay the Second. Mrs. Jane Smith and Mrs. Sarah Lamb, the Secretaries, and Mrs. Margaret Hunter, Treasurer. The compiler has been politely favoured with the following account by JAMES O. MORSE, Esq., Civil and Mechanical Engineer, of NewYork, the gentleman who designed and is engaged in constructing the works, with whom is associated H. R. Worthington, Esq., of the same place, the patentee and builder of the pumping apparatus: THE SAVANNAH WATER-WORKS were commenced in the winter of 1852-3. A brief description of this important public work will perhaps be deemed interesting. The supply is obtained from the Savannah River, the water of which, though turbid in its appearance, (rendered so by the minute particles of clay held by it in suspension,) is nevertheless of remarkable purity-inasmuch as it contains no soluble impurities, the sources of the river being in regions of a primitive formation. The water is taken from the river above the city, and received into a reservoir located on the low lands west of the Ogeechee Canal. In order to free the water from the earthy matter it holds in suspension, this reservoir is divided into four compartments, rendered distinct from each other by partitions faced with masonry. Into any or all of these compartments, or basins, the water is admitted by means of iron gateways; the contents of one basin, therefore, can be used while the process of sedimentation is going on undisturbed in the others. Each one of these basins is made to communicate, by means of culverts of masonry and iron gateways, with a chamber, or "pump-well," of masonry, situated underneath a building which contains the boilers and engines of the pumping apparatus, by means of which the water is forced into the city. |