The Union and journal., 1860-01-20
THRILLING CAVE ADVENTURE.

was born and brought up in the neigh
borhood of tho salt-works Of M. My
father was second ongincor, and filled the
situation of assistant. The scene of our min
ing operations, at the time of the event
which am going to narratc, was in the mar
row valley, lying close to the foot of per-
pendicular cliff of rock about one hundred
feet high. On its bare sides neither grass
nor shrub was to be seen, and scarce any in
equality was visible, whereon the foot of the
climber might find resting place. In fact,
it was considered unscalablo for distance of
two miles when it sunk down gradually at
either end to the level ofthe plain. Ascend
ing tho cliff, one bcheld on the summit a
wide plain, stretching off in the distance
from the sharp edge of tho precipice, and
from that dizzy point could look down upon
the works of the miners below, close under
its sides.
Under the top of the cliff which | have
been describing, was strolling listlessly, late
one Sunday afternoon, thinking of strnngc
and sad circumstance which had happened
about year ago in our family. My only
brother, a lad of fifteen, had gone out early
on summer morning to shoot ploycr on the
heights, and from that hour had never been
heard of. When last seen, he was mounting
the cliff from the eastern side, and though
(when alarmed at his long delay we made
immediate search and inquiry, we never gain
cd further information. To speak of our
family distress and my own heart grieving
for my well-beloved young brother, is not now
my purpose but it was the only subject OF
my thoughts on that quiet summer evening,
when all the noise from the works was hush
ed, and the stiffness seemed teniold by con-
trast.
approached very near the edge of the
cliff, was now at the steepest part, and
looking down its smooth sides, l thought
how terrible the fall would be; but my
brother could not have fallen down. In that
case his manglcd body, at least would have
been found.
l was recalled to myself by strange sink.
ing of my feet. My first confused idea was
that the soil had given way from the edge Of
the cliff, upon whose utmost verge | stood,
and that was about to be prccipitated to
the bottom. | became dizzy with horror,
for felt ut once thatI could not recover my.
self, so sudden was the caving in of the earth
beneath me. made one stumble forward,
felt ringing and crushing in my cars, and
then lost all further sensation.
II must have been many hours before
was sufficiently conscious to know that still
existed. Sick and bruised, was long una
bic to raise myself from the PROSTATE position
in which became aware Mt last, that was
lying. II was quite dark, and every portion
of earth or stone that touched was wet,
and n smell of damp salt pcrvaded the close
atmosphere. thought ! had fallen into an
exhausted salt mine, but soon remembered
that had been standing on the edge of the
cliff. TWAS an impossibuity. Then came
the idea that must have fallen to tho bot
tom and the loose earth and stones had fall
en- over me. That, too, soon found equal
ly unlikely. and, after cropping about some
time on my hands and knees (evcry moment
one of intense agony / became sure that my
prison was cave of some extent. Too weak
to move further, lay down and cndcayorcd
to think Of my position. Ii seemed hope
less one. Twas certainly in one of those
caves formed in the salt rocks, and sometimes
found by miners, running far below the
carth's surface. / had no idea how far
had fallen 1t might bc but few feet; II
might be many hundred. And yet I could
find no trace of tho passage through which
had dropped but remembered that had q
case OF matches in my pocket, and it was not
long before I saccccdcdin dragging them out.
though i. was excrutiating pain to my bruis-
cd limbs to move them.
Having no taper, l determined to be very