The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-05-02

torchos above aud below. At the foot oithls ladde
was large cavernous chamber, from which irregna
passages led off in different directions 10 deposits O
sources Of water DR. Cabot and myself, attended b.
AIbino took one Of the passages indicated by tie IN
dian Moving on by slight ascent over the rocks
nj the distance of about seventyfvo feet we came Il
the foot of third ladder nine feet ong two or three
Steps beyond another FIVE feet high, both OF which W.
had TO go and six PAGES furthcr,a filth, descending
and Is feet in length little hey ond we descended
another ladder eleven feet long, and yet little Tar
Their on we came TO another-the seventh-the length
and general appearance of which induced us to pause
and consider This long ladder was laid on narrow
sopinc face of rock, protected on enc side by per
pendicular wall, bu, on the other open and precip
tous. Its aspect was unproptious, but we dctermn
ed TO 20 on Holding by the side the ladder next the
rock we descended, crashing and carrying down the
loose rounds so that when we had got TO the bottom
we had cut Off all communication with Albno; he
could not descend, and what was quite as nconveni
ent we could not get back.
It was now too late to reflect. We told Albino &c
throw down torches, and go back for Indians and
ropes to haul us out. In the meantime we moved OF
by broken winding passage and, at the distance o.
about two hundred feet, came To the top of ladder
eight feet long at the foot OF which we entered low
md sitting passage; and crawling along this on our
hands and feet, at the distance Of about three hun
dred feet, we came to a rocky basin full Of water
Before reaching it torches had gone out, and
the other was then expiring From the best calcula-
ton can make which is not far out the way, we
were then fourteen hundred feet from the mouth of
the cave md at perpendicular depth Of fonr hun
l.,d and cnat Ac be sunnOsn6 IynN
black with smoke, grimmcd with dirt, and dripping
Precipitation. Water was the most pleasant specta-
Gle that could greet our eyes, but did not satisfy
us TO drink it ony-we wanted a more thorough
benefit. Our expiring torch warned us to forhear,
for in the dark msh never be able 10 find our
way back to upper earth; hut trusting if we did not
re appear in the course of the week, Mr. Catherwood
would come to our rescue, whipped off our scan
ty covering and stepped into the pool 1t just
large enough to prevent from interfering with each
other, and we achieved bath, which, perhaps, no
white man ever before took ut that depth under
ground,
The Indians call this basin Chacka, which means
agna colorado red water but this did not
know the time, and did not discover it, for 10
economist our torch, we avoided faring it, and it
lay on the rock like an expiring brand, admonshng
that it better not to rely wholly on our friends
in the world above, and that 1t would be safer to look
out for ourselves. Hurryng out we made rapid
toilet, and cropping way back with our torch just
bidding farewell. reached the foot OF the bro
ken ladder, and could go 10 further Abino return
ed with Indians and ropes We hauled ourselves up
and got back to the open chamber from which tho
passages dverge; and here the Indians pointed out
another, which we followed, till it became lower
than any we had yet explored; aud according to DR..
Cabot's measurement, at the distance Of four hun
dred and one PAGES, by mine, three hundred and
ninety. seven, came to another basin Of water -
This, as we afterwards learned, is called Pucucha,
meaning that it Gibbs and flows like the The In
dams say that it rccedes with the south wind, and
increases with the northwest; and they add that
when they 90 to it silently they find water but when
they talk or make noise the water disappears. Per-
haps it is not so caprcious with white men, for we
found water, and did not approach it with sealed lips
The Indians say, besides, that forty once lun
ted- this passage, and that now they do not allow
the women to go to it alone.
In returning we turned offtwce by branching pas
sages, and reached two other basins Of water; and
when got back to the foot of the great staircase
exhausted and almost out, we had the sas(ac-
ton Of learning from friends who waited to hear
report that there seven in all and we had mis-.
sod three. All have names given them by the Indians
two Of which have already mentioned. The third
is called Sallab, which means spring; the fourth
Akahba on account OF its darkness; the fifth, Choco
ha from the circumstance Of its being always
the sixth, Oohiha, from being Of milky coior the
seventh Chinaisha, because it has insects called
Ais. 1t was matter of some regret that were
not able to mark such peculiarites differences
might exist in these waters and particularly that
were not provided with barometer and THERMOMETERS
ascertain the relative heights and temperatures.
For four five months in the year, this is the sole
and only watering place Of one of the most thriving
villages in Yucatan, containing population Of sever
thousand souls; and perhaps this surpassed in
wonder by the fact that, though for an unknown
length of time and through great portion of thu
year, files OF Indians, and women, going GU
every day with cantaros their back, and returning