The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-09-06

out just how much of a cave had been
discovered near Vanlue. We gave
the report of the discovery of it last
week, and as a sequel give the pro
ceedings of the exploring party, as
furnished us by DR.. D. II. Pugh:
Seeing an article in your last
weeks issue, in reg ard to the acci-
dental discovery of cave near Van
lue, a party of "explorists," ,"-sev-
en- in number-consisting of the fol-
lowing gentlemen, viz: o. Mungen,
Fred. II. Glessn er, Theo. Mungen,
iG. W. Galloway, Jr., E. R. Barnd,
Robt. Holiday and your correspon-
dent concluded to investigate the
matter
Started on the morning of Septem-
ber I'd, fully armed and equipped
with ropes, picks, spades, crowbars,
lamps, ETC., determined to explore
the unknown, and gaze on the mys-
teries of the sub-terrestrial.
After pleasant ride-in lumber
wagon-of ten or twelve miles, out
the Carey road, in the edge of Wyan-
dot. county, zone of our party espied
a man plowing in field by the road
side and suggested that "this might
be the very field and the identical
man whose horse had made the dis
covery the week previous" and,
sure enough, the surmise was cor
rect. We were not long in reaching
the spot, and after getting the con-
sent of the owner, proceeded to get
ready to descend. In short time
everything was ready--rope, ladder,
light, etc, but, who was to go down
first2 Our ardor began to cool sud.
denly, and your correspondent is free
to say that he, just then thought it
would be fully as safe and rather more
agreeable to hold the rope outside.
But we did not have to wait long, for
friend Galloway doffed his coat and
with lamp in hand, succededed after
considerable difficulty, in reaching a
resting place, about 20 feet from the
surface. But, just here an incident
occurred. A female appeared on the
scene of action, and in language more
forcible than elegant. expressed
herself quite freely in regard to
"cave-seeists," and after charging
our kind host "not to dare to 60
down." demanded why he had not
charged US the moderate sum OF 81
each. On being told that one Of our
number had already descended, she
expressed decided indifference as
to whether he should ever "see light
again" Poor George! But nothing
daunted, others of our party soon
followed, and after reaching the stop
ping place above referred to, pro-
ceeded down an inclined plane
about twelve or fifteen yards in a
south easterly direction, and soon
reached small lake about thirty or
or forty yards in length and an av-
erage breadth of ten yards. Whilst
our tapers dimly lighted up those
glowing, ghostly walls probably for
tie first time, we drank of its pure,
sweet, waters.
We sounded the depth of fifty or
sixty feet but found no bottom
An indescribable sense of dcpen-
dence and awful loneliness and pro-
found feelings of mingled awe and
sublimity take possession of the soul,
whilst contemplating these subter-
ranean chambers hewn out of the
solid rock by the hand of Omnipo-
| tence.
Geologically, this Limestone Ridge
is old, and probably existed as dry
land, when the sold world" was yet
submerged, for the Mississippi gives
unmistakable evidence of having fiow-
ed in the same channel for 100000
years, and Niagara tells tale of mil
lions, so, America is really the sold
world" but, be this as it may, there
are strong probabilities in favor Of
the belief of an extensive under
ground lake, as there is scarcely a
farm in the vicinity npon which there
are not cavernous indications.
Now, if this be true, why not cut
an outlet from the Blanchard through
the prairie, tunnel into this Ridge,
open up these fountains eand, have a
l"living stream" with water-power
the year round, instead Of the dull,
sickly, sluggish thing We now call e
River.
fmust not neglect to state that
two ladies of Vanlue, Miss Rose
Schuyler and Miss Matte Davis. ex-
hibited more bravery than is usually
accorded to their sex, as they des-
cended and traversed the passage to
the very edge of the water.
Hon. VIM. Mungen and C. B. Will
son, also joined our party. The Col.
went down and was delighted with
his trip, but Clogs was willing to take
our sword for il" preferring the pure
air and sunlight to the noxious va
pors and dim light of the cavern"
Why would it not be a good idea,
on the strength of the above report.
for some of our citizens who are fond
of adventure, to form an exploring
expedition, fitted out with boats, ETC.,
and ascertain the exact dimensions,
and outlet, if any, of this wonderful