Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-03-28
COMPOSITION OF THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

COMPOSITION OF THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VALLEY OF DEATH.-The atmosphere, re-
marks the Scientific american, that we breathe
in its ordinary healthy condition is composed
Of the following constituents: Oxygen 20.6l
per cent; nitrogen, 1876 per cent; car
bonic acid, Oh per cent; watery vapor, LAO
per cent. Now, the oxygen is the important
ingredient which supports life, the nitrogen
being only 4 diluter Of the oxygen the car
bonic acid gas is in scarcely apprcciablc
quantity, and that is produced by the process
of respiration and combustion on the surface
of the earth, by which immense quantities
are continually being formed; nevertheless,
the prOportionate quantity scarcely varies,
for this very gas, which is exceedingly de-
structiYe to animal life, is, as all know, the
principal food upon which the vegetable
world lives, absorbing this carbonic acid from
the air, and GecompOSing II, retaining its
carbon and giving off the oxygen, which is
lust what animals require. The destructive
agency of this gaS-viz.: carbouic acid-on
animal life is well cxcmpliied in certain
places where large quantities are evolved
from the earth, the most striking instance
being the celebrated valley OF Java, which, if
any animal enters it never leaves. The fol-
lowing is an interesting account of this val
lev, given by an eyewitness ave took
with us two dogs and some fowls to try ex-
perimentS in this poisonous hollow. On ar
irving ut the foot of the mountain we dis
mounted and scrambled up the side, about
a quarter Of mile, holding on BY the
branches of trees. When within few yards
of the valley we experienced strong, nan
seouS, su:Foca,ing smell, but on coming close
to the edge this disagreeable odor left us
The valley appeared to be about half mile
in circumference, oval, and the depth from
80 To 50 feet; the bottom quite fiat no rCge-
tation; Strewcd with some very large (appa-
rently) river stones, and the whole covered
with skeletons Of human beings, tigers, pigs,
deer, pcacOckS, and all sorts OF birds. We
could not perceive any yapor or any opening
in the ground, which last appeared to us to
be Of 4 hard sandy substance. 1t was now
proposed BY one Of the party to enter the
valley, but at the spot where we were this was
very difficult, at least for me, as one false
step would have brought us to eternity, see
ing no assistance could be given. We lighted
omr cigars, and, with the assistance Of Il ham-
boo. We went down within Is feet of the bot
tom. Here we did not experience any diff
Guilty in breathing, but an offensive nauseOus
smell ANNOYED us. We now fastened dog
to the end of bamboo eighteen feet long,
and sent him in. We had our watches in
our hand, and in fourteen seconds he fell on
his back, did not move his limbs or look
around, but continued to breath eighteen
minutes. We sent in another, or rather he
got loose, and walked into where the other
dog was living. lie then stood still, and in
ten minutes fell on his face, and never after
wards moved; he continued to breathe seven
minutes. We now tried Il fowl, which died
in a minute and half. We threw in an
other which died before touching the ground.
During these experiments we experienced
heavy shower Of rain; but we were so i'll
tereSted BY the awful sight before us that we
did not care for getting wet. On the opposite
side. near a large stone, was the skeleton Of
4 human being who must have persisted on
his back, with his right hand under his head.
From being exposed TO the weather, the
bones were bleachcd as white rs ivory. |
was anxious to procure this skeleton but an
attempt 10 get il would have been madness"