Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-11-21
THE FATAL DISCOVERY.
BY EMERSON BENNETT.

Il ID kahhSON bENNAEI.
| How did get my first start in life
Well, In a singular manner-a very
singular manner indeed. ! will tel
you.
Let me see! l am now pretty vel
along in years-seventy- seven last
January-what some people call get
ting old--but, somehow, my heart
feels as young as ever. Seventy.
seven with nineteen off. leaves fifty.
eight. Fifty eight years ago in June;
that would carry it back to the year
1909. Yes that is right-that is the
year l went to Port au- Prince, Hayti,
as Captains clerk. The Captain
and not agreeing very well, l lett
him there, and while looking for an
other birth, l fell in with q country
man of mine, who wanted to make q
trip into the interior, merely TO graf
lfy his curiosity.
II have heard he said. ''that the
scenery back here among the hills is
the most beautiful in the world, and
l am ANXIOUS to see it, but do not
wish to venture alone, and SO far
have found no one to be my compan.
ion. Now, if you can spare few
days, and will go with me, l will not
only bear all of our expenses, but
will pay you = reasonable price for
your time"
Pm your man. was my reply.
We Immediately set to work and
procured COOL outfit; rifles, knives,
pistols, tinder. box, wallets, KNAPP
sacks, canteens, and dry provisions.
which we proposed to exc out with
fresh game-and the second day saw
us on our travels into an uninhabited
region.
: ! pass over the first few days of
romantic exploration, during which
we penetrated deep forests and dense
jungles, where vegetation ran riot,
forded numerous streams, descended
into dark valleys. and saw nature in
all her wildness, grandeur and beauty,
with just enough peril from wild
beasts to keep us keenly on the
alert.
On the fifth or six day we discov-
cred the finest scene of ala sue
cession o! precipices. like so many
terraces one above the other, down
which poured, flashed and roared q
succession of cascades, with noun
tain, towering far heavenward on
three sides of the whole, and a
fowery valley on the fourth, altogeth.
err combination Of grandeur, beauty
and sublimity that was really enchant-
ing. We spent the remainder of the
day here, built onr camp fire on one
of the highestledges and slept sound
ly to the music of the many night
and the falling waters.
On the following day we discov-
cred the entrance to q beautiful
srotto, which we Immediately de-
termined to explore. Collecting
some resinous sticks, and binding
them together TO serve for torches.
we lighted one bunch and entered
where (perhaps) the foot of man had
never trod.
The entrance was narrow, little
higher than our heads, and my COM
panion went cautiously forward with
a light, and | cautiously followed.
After getting in some fifty feet, in
4 zigzag course, we suddenly came
upon large apartment, hung with
the most beautiful stalactites, which
dashed and sparkled in the light with
In effect that beggars description,
md we could easily fancy that we
we're in palace of diamonds.
This is worth lifetime of labor
o behold" exclaimed my compan-
on enthusiastically.
Gorgeous far beyond my widest
lreams!' / returned.
This hall was very large, not less
han three hundred feet III length, by
wo hundred in breadth, and in some
places perhaps fifty feet to the roof,
With an even, level floor.
While resting our eyes on the sur
ounding beauties, we gradually
moved on, and came to where three
lark passages led deeper into the
'owels of the earth; the central one
,oing straight forward, and the 9th
rs turning respectively to the right
md left. We took the middle one,
which was about ten feet high. and (
% many wide. /
After advancing few PAGES we
ound that it gradually narrowed,
nd began to descend somewhat alb
uptly, the air becoming damp and ]
leavy. Presently it expanded into a {
ong, low hail of solid rock, which {
ike the first apartment, was black I
nd gloomy, ,affording the widest con- Q
rast. {
On exploring this apartment we t
ound no less than six more passages, s
eading off in as many directions
We selected the largest and still went
onward, though / began to feel lit c
lie uneasy for fear we might venture '
90 far. lose our way, and not be able t
0 get back. c
Don't let us venture too far for 4
be first time" I said to my friend c
y way of courtesy; "for ! have no c
esire to be buried alive" 6
sNOt the least danper' he replied, a