Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-14
A Subterranean Pass Discovered Through
the Sierra Nevada.

the sierra Nevada.
We take the following from the Mariposa
Chronicle of Saturday. 1t may all be true,
but it has an air of romance:
We publish the annexed extract from a let
ter received few days since, written by an
old friend, whose explorations in different parts
| of California have greatly assisted in develop
| ing her immense resources. Should this sub
terranean pass prove as practicable for rail
road route as our correspondent anticipates,
! the whole subject will receive an impetus
scarcely dreamed of by the most ardent imagi-
nation Having heard Major s.
speak of very large and long cave that was
| somewhere near the head OF the YoSemity
Valley, and 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
| to me that there might be subterranean pass
through the Sierra The hostility of the In
dams prevented my acting upon the idea at
the time, but it was not forgotten, and as soon
j as the beneicent Influences of Lord BIS
| administration of Indian affairs had extended
| to that region, stimulated by desire to render
| my name as illustrious as some OF our distin-
| guished California travellers, and at the same
time benefit my country after simply providing
for the undertaking, l commenced my explo-
ration.
had observed, while out against the In
dians in 1851, that some Indians we were pur-
suing disappeared at or near certain point at
| the head of the valley, and although we ex-
amined every rock and bush in the vicinity, we
were unable to obtain any clue to their hiding
place. On our return from the expedition the
cave was mentioned to me incidentally, and
at once concluded that it was the secret haunt
of the Indians accordingly directed my at
tention to this point. After having searched
for three days without the slightest prospect Of
success attending our efforts, 1 resolved to
adopt another plan, but accident, or fortune,
accomplished what no plan could have done.
Clambering among the mill-dewed and messy
rocks at the base of the lofty cliff, had be-
come so dusty that it became necessary for me
to battle. The idea of taking shower bath
struck my fancy, and l at once repaired to the
fall, which exceeds in height the celebrated fall
of the Himalaya; ordinarily, one cannot ap-
| proach nearer than one hundred yards of the
falling body of water, owing to the spray or
mist that hovers over and around "the caul-
dron;' but at this time there was q strong
breeze blowing up the valley sweeping aside
the mist that hitherto had prevented my nearer
approach. / was about divesting myself Of
my garments, when a gust of wind, stronger
than any that had proceeded it, exposed to my
astonished and joyful sight the longsought
cave. My additions were forgotten-I hurried
back to my party, and made known the won
derful and fortunate discovery. The rest of the
day was devoted to the preparation of torches; ;
and on the following morning, after hasty
breakfast, we commenced our exploration Of
the cave.
We had no difficulty in entering it, although
we were thoroughly drenched by the sheet of
water, 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 when entering
the portals of this grand and glowing structure,
made by no mortal hands. All that had read
| ofin boyish romance, all that vivid and err
ratio Imagination had conceived of a subterra-
mean world was tame and commonplace COM
pared with this sublimely stupendous work of
nature. But to proceed: With lighted torches
| we cautiously commenced our march, admirinp
the giant stalactites that reflected in magnifed
rays the light of our torches. We had pro-
ceeded but short distance, when we observed
what appeared to be a trail, worn in the rock.
We at once decided to follow it. We had fol-
lowed it but short distance, when, passing
through bed of Dust we discovered Indian
tracks, recently formed. We at first were star
L
| ton, we decided that in such a place tracks
would remain apparently fresh for years.-and
then, after our fears had subsidized, we were en-
couraged with the idea that the tracks would
facilitate our exploration. We were correct in
our supposition, for had we not followed the
trail made by the Indians, we would have been
left in more than Egyptian darkness. But
anticipate: accordingly, we followed on, cheered
| by the hope OF soon emerging into the broad
| glare of day. Of one thing we were assured
namely, that there was an inlet as well as an
outlet for a strong current of air was meeting
us, and our torches burned bright and rapidly
too rapidly for our stock of fat pine was dimin.
ishing very fast. thought Of sending Mike
back for fresh supply, when, turning sharp
angle of the passage, we met, face to face, two
tall and manipulating Indians.
Language cannot express the establishment
and rage that was depicted on their counter
ances upon beholding us, and had it been in
their power, we would have been doomed to
inevitable destruction. But after while as
certained that one Of them spoke little Span
| ish, and with some difficulty made them nm
derstand that we had been directed through the
mysterious passage by the Great Spirit. They
then told me in broken Spanish, that we were
scarcely half way through the pass-that q lit
tie further on was an immense chasm, but that
it was bridged by logs-which we found petri-
fed-and that there we're other passages that
led into lakes and rivers, but without any out
let. They said that this pass was only known
| to their tribe and themselves it had been men,
toned to Major S., but had never been
shown to him that they we're the great medi-
cine men oftheir tribe, and were returning from
visit to the white tribe at the eastern end of
the pass. They then gave us some of their
torches-bid us good bye, and departed. We
congratulated each other ON our good fortune.
and continued on our march in high spirits.
We found the chasm a yawning abyss, into
which had been thrown many victims of savage
cruelty, for at the bottom, by the aid of torch
thrown down, we discovered the bones of many
human beings. We found nothing more to ob.
struct our passage except a few massive bould.
ers, which. we, however, passed, and on the
morning Of the fourth day we entered the vii
age of the white Indians,
GIENW0OD CEMETEpv