* Mammoth Cave National Park * Mammoth Cave, KY * 07.23.2022 *
Mammoth was quite unique from the other caves we have toured. It’s carved from underground rivers, cutting through soft limestone deposits. The rock above is not that porous, so there are almost no familiar stalactites or stalagmites. We passed through huge caverns, but as you work your way deeper into the belly of the cave the passages get tighter. On the Historic Tour we learned of the many uses for the cave over thousands of years. My favorite use; once the cave was home to a Methodist church and the preacher would preach for hours on end. I trust the congregation appreciated the cool temperatures. But the preacher had a captive audience as he was the only one with a lantern. Well played pastor, well played. It also once housed huts for patients with tuberculosis, a good concept, but ultimately no effect. They have mined gypsum as well as saltpeter that was used in the War of 1812 to make gunpowder. In 1838, at age 18, enslaved tour guide Stephen Bishop was charged with exploring the cave by his owner, Franklin Gorin. Franklin was a lawyer, who wanted to turn the cave into a tourist attraction. Bishop, using ropes and a flickering lantern delved deep into the cave exploring unknown tunnels, caverns, crossing pits blacker than night, and sailing on subterranean rivers. A blown-out lantern meant profound darkness and silence in total isolation. Getting terminally lost was a true possibility for this adventurous soul. As a slave I can only imagine the freedom he felt when deep beneath the surface. We found his tombstone on a hike to the river Styx in a forgotten by time graveyard. The belly of the earth never gets old to me, exploring its nooks and crannies, mold and dust, its’ lost souls and rich resources and its’ scurrying rats and salamanders with no need for eyes. How can I understand how to walk in the light if I have not crawled in its’ darkness?
