The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-05-31
Number a.
From the Bedford Ind. STANDARD


@ From a private letter. We take the fol-
lowing rather thrilling adventure of a party,
who a few weeks ago undertook an expIora-
non OF Hammers Cave, in this county.
MIrcHEIl. May II, 1858
As have q few leisure moments, Will try
and give You a rough sketch of an adventure
We had yesterday. which. for a while, threat
ened the lives of FIVE persons
For a long time We had been talking Of ex-
ploring Hsmmer's Cave. So yesterday, having
equipped ourselves with everything REQUESTS
for such trip, We started from the mouth of
the cave in = small boat, (there being ten per-
sons IN the party. 1t was necessary to make
two trims with thA 49, .a0 ciaass oelng
the best hands in q boat we were chosen COM
manders. For some time after starting, we
found the water quite shallow. the passage
narrow and very low, but IS we progressed il
became deeper and wider; though we were
we'll supplied with candles. it seemed only to
make the darkness more visible Still We
pushed on. After ascending something ike
three quarters of . mile, We came TO the first
chamber where We left our load and started
back. For some time after leaving the party,
We could near their jokes and merry laugh
ter. gradually they grew fainter until we
were left in silence and darkness. cropping our
way along the narrow and crooked passage,
the only vesnge OF life about us being a few
clusters of bats suspended from the arch above
or silently fitting about us like spirits of ano-
ther world.
After reaching the mouth Of the cave. and
resting awhile, we started with our second
load, the party being in very high spirits.
amused themselves by singing various songs.
which sounded most magnifcent--it seemed
though al orchestra Of fifty persons were
singing instead of four or five. AT last we
reached place in the cave where the walls
We're nearly perpendicular and the stream in
places from five to twenty feet deep. gave
the command for them all to be seated and
remain perfectly quiet We had progressed
in this way for several hundred feet. when
one Of the party exclaimed. "Great God. we
are sinking" In a moment some of the par
ty We're moving and during the excitement
they lost their candles. which left US in total
darkness. This greatly added to misfor-
tunes; it was impossible to find out the cause
of the boat sinking-it was enough to know
that it was so. l could distinctly feel the boat
gradually filing and sinking below US. still
there not a word spoken-everything was
still as death. save the rpiing of the waters. /
could distinctly hear the ticking of my watch,
which was IN my vest pocket
1t is impossible for me to imagine more
awful situation. We knew not how deep the
water was, what way to turn. Fate seemed
against us. If We attempted to reach shallow
water by swimming. 1t was more than likely
we would get IN the wrong branch, as we were
not eble to two feet before us Another
thing. we would have been paralyzed with
cold. Fortune favored US in one respect-the
water where sank was not SO deep as we
at first supposed, not being more than four
feet. The moment l struck bottom, setout
tour of observation. Having been in
similar situation once before, l thought it best
to Of he nf oghn In. -
to be much easier to swim by myself than to
have some one hanging to my legs. AT first
struck down stream. but changed my mind
and started back, thinking We much
nearer to the advance party. than to the mouth
of The cave My object was to get light and
then | could be Of some assistance in getting
the rest out L found the boat had settled on
large rock. and the water each side of US
was nesrly ten feet deep. 1 left without say
ing word to the party. and they supposed
me drowned. The party in advance hearing
our cries for help. thought We were trying to
frighten them. Thinking its good joke, they
blew out the lights. We would pass them,
and they could hear our remarks when
found them gone. Striking out boldly, think
ing might find some jutting rock that could
rest myself on. as l went on alternately swim
ming and swinging from rock to rock. l
reacheda very deep wide hole; for few mo-
menus 1 cIung 10 the rocks, peerlng through
the darkness in hopes Of seein, some object
to swim to. but in vain. Being nearly party
zed with cold, shouted several times, think
ing. perhaps. some of the party might hear
me and bring light. You may we'll imagine
my Joy when l heard some one answer me.
and in a few minutes Doc. Shields came around
the point with light; the next moment had
swan over and was once more on dry ground.
The question now arose how we were 70 ge.
oct ourselves; it seemed like jumping out Of
the frying pan into the fire to get out without
a boat-we would have three-fourths of mile
10 swim and wade. l was about starting back
the same way came; with a c.:dd..ea when we
heard some swimming. In few minutes
Clauss made his appearance. They had sue
ceeded in getting the boat TO the surface Of the
water, bottom upwards. and he had volunteer
ed to swim up with it TO some shallow place.
where could right it. In Eve minutes we
had the old boat afioas. and started after the
rest Of the party, who were taking it cool, up
to their chins in water. When the last man
was landed. there were three OF the heartiest
cheers given by the party that ever heard.
We all went hons wiser than started
do not intend giving it up SO; next week l
shall go up with select party. and expiora
every corner Of it, if l have to swim all the
way.