Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-05-22
THRILLING CAVE ADVENTURE.

was born and brought up in the neighbor-
hood of the salt works Of M. Ny father was
second engineer, and filled the situation OF
assistant. The scene of our mining opera
tions, at the time of the event which am GO
ing to narrate, was in a narrow valley, lying
close to the foot Of a perpendicular cliff OF
rock about one hundred feet high. On its
5sre sides neither grass nor shrub was to be
seen, and scarce any inequality was visible,
Hhereon the foot Of the climber might find a
restin. place. In fact it was considered un-
scalaole for distance of two miles when it
sunk down gradually at either end to the lev
Ell of the plain. Ascending the cliff, one be-
held on the summit a wide plain, stretching
off in the distance from the sharp edge of the
precipice, and from that dizzy point could
Icok down upon the works of the miners be-
low, close under its sides.
Upon the top of the cliff which have been
describing, was strolling Iistlessly, late one
Sunday afternoon, thinking of strange and
sad circumstance which had happened about
a year ago in our family. Ny only brother,
lad of fifteen, had gone out early on a summer
morning to shoot plover 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 "a
lsrmed az his long delay we made immediate
search and inquiry, we never gained further
information. To speak of our family distress
loved young brother, is not now my purpose
hut it was the only subject of my thoughts on
that quiet summer evening, when all the noise
from the works was hushed, and the stiffness
seemed tenfold by contrast.
| approached very near the edge of the
cliff. was now at its steepest part, and look
ing down its smooth sides. l thought how
terrible the fall would be; but my brother
coud not have fallen down. In that case his
mangled body, at least, would have been found.
vas recalled to myself by strange sink
ing OF my feet. Ny first confused idea was
lat the soil had given way from the edge of
re cliff upon whose utmost verge stood, and
lat / was about to be precipitated to the bot
tom. i became dizzy with horror, for felt
al once that could not recover myself, so
sudden was the caving in of the earth beneath
Aie. | made one stumble forward felt ring
ing and crushing in my ears, and then lost
all further sensation.
1t must have been many hours before was
sufficiently conscious to know that still ex-
listed. Sick and bruised, 1 was long unable
20 raise myself from the PROSTATE position in
which became aware at last, that was liv-
ing. 1t was quite dark, and every portion of
earth or stone that touched was wet; and a
smell of damp salt pervaded the close atmos.
Qnere. thought had fallen into an ex-
nausted salt mine, but soon remembered that
had been standing on the edge Of the cliff.
1. wss an impossibility. Then came the idea
nat must have fallen to the bottom and the
loose earth and stones had fallen over me.
That too, soon tonud equally unlikely, and,
alter cropping about some time on my hands
snd knees, (every movement one of intense
asony] became sure that my prison was
cave OF some extent. Too weak to move fur
'asr, lay down and endeavored to think of
Iy position. 1t seemed hopeless one.
vas certainly in one of those caves formed in
'ne salt rocks, and sometimes found by mi
Iers, running far below the earth's surface.
l had no idea how far had fallen it might
oe ont a few feet, it mrght be many hundred
AS yet could find no trace of the passage
shroush which 1 had dropped, but remem-
o.'ea mat had case of matches in my pock- |
81 ana 1t was not long before succeeded in
Tagging them out, though it was excrucia.
''Ig pam TO my bruised limbs to move them. |
having no taper, 1 determined to be very |
SaIeiu' OF the matches, and to improve the |
7"ot. moment of light, during which one |
.u!a last, rubbed it very carefully against |
- so'e OF my boot, then harder, then furious |
out ,t 1t would not ignite Then tried |
'aer with no better success. They were |
a~oaamp-ererything ~o was damp; the match
tseFe useless. With faint hope OF drying |
..s sT IN time, put the box into my breast, |
,,' olttoned my vest over it. What with my |
1,tn qIe IN procuring light, and the pain of |
.'ulses, added to my terror and bewilder- |
an :, VI " mind, suffered intensely. Through |
,ns - became clear to me that instead Of fall |
A. oser had fallen through the cliff.-strange |
n... vas that hollow ground should occur 80 |
''A' 'ne edge without the external wall of the |