The Shasta courier., 1854-08-19
A Subtcfrnncaa Fars discovered rkrougk
the sierra NeYnda

the Sierra Neyada.
We take the following from the Marines.
I Cdrea;cle of the 5th inst. 1t may all be true
but II sounds as il somebody was romancinr:- -
We publish the annexed extract from n lrtte,
| received a few days since, written by an old
friend, whose explorations in different parts n;
California hive greatly assisted i'll developing
her immense resources. Should this subterrn.
| mean pass prove as practicable for a rajlros,;
route as our correspondent anticipates, the
whole subject will receive an impetus scarcely
dreamed of by the most ardent Imagination.
Haviny heard Mai s.
! speak of very large and long ttnt was
somewhere near the head Of the Yo-Semilv Val.
| ley, aud as the mammoth caves at Marble
| Springs, formed IN the Immense marble LEDGE
that traverses the gold region of California. are
| more or less. connected by assures, it occurred
70 ne that there might be q subterrarean pas,
through the Sierra. The hostility of the In
uians prevented my acting upon the idea at tho
time, but 1t was not forgotten. and as soon as
/ the benehcent Influences of Lieut., B--'s adj
ininistratiou Of Indian affairs had extended 10
tnat region, stimulated by desire TO render Inv
name rs illustrious as some Of our distinsuisbed
Caifornia travellers, and ct the benefit nv
country, after amply providing for the uuderta.
klng commenced my exploration.
had observed while out against the indiana
I
dlsappeared at Or near certain point at the,
head OF the valley, and although we examined
every rock and bush in the vicinity, we .wers
unable 10 obtain any clue 10 their hiding place
On our return from the expedition the cave was
mentioned 10 me incidentally, and | at ouca
concluded that II was the secret haunt of the In.
ulans | accordingly directed my attention 10
this point After having searched for three DAYS
without the slightest prospect of success a,teu.
ding our efforts, resolved to adopt another
plan but accident or fortune, ACCOMPLISHED
what no plan could have done. Clamber,no
among the uiil-dewed and mossy rocks at the
base OF the lofty Cliff, | had become 80 durtv
that It BECAME necessary for NE to bathe The
Idea OF taxing shower bath struck my tancy
and at once repaired to the fall which cy.
ceeds i'll height that OF the celebrated fall OF the
Hlmalaya; ordinarily, one cannot approach
uearer than one hundred yards of the falling
body OF water, owing to the spray or mist that
hovers over and around the caudron :" but Mt
this time there Tna strong breeze blowing up
the valley, sweeping aside the mist that had
hitherto prevented my nearer approach | VIVA
about dlvestlng myself of my garments, when
gust OF wind, stronger than any that had pre-.
ceded H. exposed to my astouiShed and ioyful
sight the long-sought cave My abluions were
forgotten; | hurried back to my party, and
made knowS the wonderful and fortunate dis
covery.
The rest of the day was devoted TO the props.
ration of torches and on the following morning
after hasty breakfast, we commenced cur cI-
ploraton Of the cave.
We had no difficulty in entering it, although we
were thoroughly drenched by the sheet of wa
ter, back Of which, protected By shelving rocks.
was an open space, leading to the cave. | have
not language TO describe the feeling of awe
with which was struck upon entering the por
tails OF this grand and glowing structure, made
by no mortal hands All that had read of In
my boyish romance, all that vivid and erratic
imagination had conceived of subterranean
world was tame and commonplace compared
with this sublirnely stupenduous work of nature
But to proceed With lighted torches we eau
uously commenced our march, admirng the
giant stalactites that reflected in maenified rays
the light from our torches. We had proceeded
but shost distance, when we observed what
appeared to be trail. worn in the rock. We
at once decided TO follow it. We had followed
it but a short distance, when, passing through
{ bed Of dust, we discovered Iudian tracks re.
Gently formed We at first were startled at this
discovery, bat alter little reflection we de
cided that III auch place tracks would remain
apparently fresh for years-and then, after our
fears had subsidized, we were encouraged with
tue idea that the tracks would facilitate our ca
ploralion. We We're correct in our suppositiou
for had we not followed the trail made by the
Egyptian darkness. But l cipaIe-accord-
ingy we followed On, cheered by the hope Of
soon again emerging into the light Of day. Or
one thing We wero nssured-that there was ali
inlet as we'll as aR outlet, for a strong current
of air was meeting MS, and our torches burned
bright aud rapidly-too rapidly, for our stock OF
fat pine was diminishing very fast. ihoushs
of sending Mike back for q iresh supply. when
turning sharp angle of the passage, we me,
face to face two tall and manly looking Indians.
Language cannot express the astonshment and
rage that were depicted on their countenances
upon beholdlng us, end had it been in their
power, e would have been doomed 10 ineviia.
bic destruction. But after a while ascerrained
that of them spoke little Spanish and wit,
some difficulty made them understand lhut We
had been diI ected through fhe mysterious pass.
sse by the Great Spirit. They then told me
IN broken Spanish, that we were scarcely hal:
way through the pass-tlat little further o,.
waa immense chasrn, but that it was bridgct;
by logs--which we found petrifed-and that
there were other passages whit b led into lakes
and rivers, bu: without any known outlet. They
said that this pass was only known to their
tribe and ourselves: it had been mentioned 70
Major -, but had never been shown to
nimi that they were the great medicine men Of
their tribe, and were returning from visit TO
the iiite tribe at the eastern end of the pass
They then gave US Of their torches, bid US
good bye. aud departed. We congratulated
each other on our good fortune, and continued
our march in high spirits. We found the chasn
a yawniug abyss into which had been thrown
many victims of savsge cruelty. for at the bot.
tom by the aid OF torch thrown down, we dis
,overed the bones of many human frames VS.
ound nothing mere TO obstruct our passage er.
,ept few massive buulders which we howeye.
passed. and on the morning Of the fourth duy
ye entered tie village of the white indiana.
VIarrors WoMES.-~It has been well ,a;d
hat the siytaous woman is an an angel in dr,,
,oods and glory. She makes sunshine. i,lus
Ky, and happiness. wherever she goea. Her
path Is one oi delicious roses, perfume and
beauty She il = sweet poem ,rr;.,an :; -