The Palmetto Herald, 1864-07-28

for it seemed to me that tiiat was tiie one by which I had come. And on I went?on, on; and by-andby I had the peculiar satisfaction of being otfnvinced that I had made another mistake. I stopped and pondered; and at length I resolved that I would take some path and follow as long as I could. I was now in a small chamber, the walls and ceiling of which were only of dark rock, and which had three outlets. I chose the one that I had fancied would lead me aright, and pushed on. I had heard of people's being lost and dying amid the interminable labryinths of these vast caverns, and it is not strange that thoughts like these made me a little uneasy, to say the least. But on I went, sometimes thinking I must be right, and at others that I was wrong. I passed through four more chambers, one of them as large as any I had'entered, and finally I struck into a low, narrow passage, which had a gradual descent. After tiaveliing this some distance I stopped. The way was very descending now, and often I had to step down from one crag to another, sometimes letting myself down by hands where the perpendicular

length our host bade us stop. "We were now upon a broad table rock, with a perpendicular descent of some hundred feet upon one hand, and upon the other the mountain still towered up above us. We hitched the mules to some dwarf place that grew out from a fissure in the rock, and then having taken our torches, we prepared to follow our leader. These torches were huge lamps, made to hang on wooden handles, something after the fashion of the torches carried by engine men. Each of us took a torch, a loaf of bread, and a flask of wine, and then set out. For a distance of twenty rods or more, we climbed up a steep ascent, and here we came upon another table, only much smaller than the first. Upon this, standing close in to the side ot the mountain, was a huge detached rock, and back of this we found the entrance to the cave. It was a rough, jagged aperture, -some ten feet in diameter, with only a scene of darkness beyond. Montallo entered first, and we followed. For a distance of about twenty feet we passed through a tunnel not varying much in height from Kn AnfminAA on/1 n A/v? 4kln mvao

straight as I was going, yet it had slightly radiating branches going back. At length the flow became rough, and while I held the torch above my head, and looked only upon the floor to see xthat my footing was sure, an intervening spur caught my light and threw it from my honu. For an instant the fallen flame quivered with its^expiring throes?and then I was in utter darkness. I groped about until I found my torch, and then I turned to make my way back. My eyes were of no more use than was my lighted torch; but I fancied I had not gone far, and that a tew moments groping would lead me to my companions. But ere long I felt that something must be wrong, ana then I remembered that I had my apparatus for lightning cigars with, and atter a while I managed to relight my torck Strange that I had not thought of thi$ before. However, the way was once more light, and I pushed on, and ere long I came out into a large apartment, and was upon the point ot calling for my friends when I discovered that T tv-qb in a rJor>p whpra I hflH nnt

at a time about tfceir haunts without ef- j feet. To a stranger a>i account of the escapes they have made would be incredible. Sometimes they are here, and sometimes there; but the moment a party of soldiers heave in sight, they are nowhere !" That evening Montallo entertained us with an account of Dalmarto's exploits, and I was glai he did, for thereby I was enabled to go to bed a happy man. The loss of my propcitv seemea as nothing, for I could only feel thankful that I was alive. On the following morning we had an opportunity to look about, and never did I find myself In a more charming spot. Montallo's place was in a deep, wide valley or vale, with noble mountains upon slopes on both sides. From his place it was only about thirty miles over across to Genoa, and as he could carry all his wines over upon mules, his extensive vineyards were profitable. He kept a dozen men at work most of the time,

with a rough, uneven lioor, ana upon every hand were piled up heaps of booty. There were many bales of dry goods, many casks, and in 6kort every conceivable thing that travellers could carry across the mountains. Upon one side I saw a huge chest, which I tried to move, but could not. It was lirmly locked, and I supposed H contained what of money and jewels the bandits had to store away. I opened my portmanteau and found my property untouched, only my gold was missing. But I waited not long here. I took my portmanteau, aud had resolved to take it off, when the thought occurred to me that if the villains should return and find any thing missing they might take alarm and make off with their most valuable booty, and furthermore, as ray portmanteau was but little compared with the gold I had lost, I put it back where

besides the muleteers. He was a wealthier man than I had supposed. Two days were spent in wandering about the premises and visiting his extensive wine vaults, and on the morning of the third day he proposed to visit the great cave of Castclio. "It is a great place," said our host, " and a place which no one has yet fully explored. It was accidently found some J rears ago by a poor peasant, who had ost some goats, and was up there searching tor them. But come, you shall see for yourselves." At seven o'clock we mounted our mules and set out, and after travelling some six miles along a winding path among crags and clitfa, we began to ascend a mountain. It was a tedious ride up the rough, circuitous path, but we manaeed to take it pleasantlv. and at

We had first met Michael Montallo in Genoa, and as a warm intimacy sprang up between us, and as he promised us any amount of pleasure, we accepted his invitation to visit him. He had gone on a few days in advance to prepare for our coining. We were fortunate in our horses, for we obtained two noble ones, and their keeper assured us that if we started betimes in the morning we should k&ve no difficulty in reaching St. Stefano before night. We started early?only half an hour after the sun was 'up?and as the road followed the bank of the Taro nearly all the way, the ride was a delightful one. It was only three o'clock when we reached Compiano, which was only ten miles from Montallo's residence. After leaving this place we left the river, and

raymem in van a my in Advance. A limited number of ADVERTISEMENTS received at Twenty-live Cents per Line, JOB PRINTING executed neatly and promptly. AN UNDERGROUND STORY. From Milan we went to Parma, and having spent a week in the latter city, Ward well and myself bought horses to carry us to St. Stefano, the man of whdtn we bought them pledging himself to buy them back at any time within ajnonth, if we did not injure them, only deducting a moderate price for their use. St. Stefano is at the head waters of the Tafo, and distant from Parma some five-andforty miles. It Is ncstly away at the foot of the Appcnines, and we had been invited hitherto by our friend Montallo, who owned an extensive vineyard there.