The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-16
AsUBrERRhyEAN voYAaE.
The story Of West virginia Piowman-
He Brcaks Through the Crn" OF the
EartIf-Fafis into subterrauean River
six Miles in Porty-Etght Hours.

u
lie Rrcats Through the Crust Of the
EnrtIf-FaIls into "a Subterrauean River
six Miles in Forty-Eight Hours
From the Xusie0an tHich) Enierprfse
When we were publishing paper in Lewis
burr. West Virginia several years ago, nSts sau
ruar accident bCfel yopng man there, Whlch We
narrated briefly at the time. A few days ~" We
Glanced TO meet him mere ~ Muskegau, ard nc nHr.
Ss farm rms OF enaTa a " G. Davis in Greenber
county, in 1860 We give his story IN MS own "iuH'
as near as we can rocolect them. .,
III was pioughing on Gen. Davs's farm In 1886
said he, "unsuspicous Of being ON insecure gl0unu'
when suddenly the earth seemed TO all DeneNtn wy;
saw the horses descending hut was too irightrnea
10 ct go the plough handles. The ptch oflhe noiscs
with the Garth gave my fall an impetus, and some,
20 held on instnetivey. What thought when fall;
ng eau hardly tell. tany tate, nd sulne rapIo
mnkigg When landed ls on nc S norse ""GSu '
stantly killed, I was merely stunned and confused.
on recovering myself looked up, and the hole
through which had fallen looked so small con-
Guided I must have fallen full $50 feet. My first
thought to call for aid, but instantly rccaicu
the fact that was at least mile from Gen. Dnyss
house and that there was not the remotcst proba-
h'l'ty that any one had seen my descent INTO 'no
earth.
out my dinner with me. no one would miss me DC.
fore niRltfa While going over these iacts IN my
own mind, heard tue rush Of water near at hand.
and II occurred to me that must have allcn npon
the bed Of Sinking creek which, as you know, falls
into the earth above Frankfort, and DOES NOT come
brier river. To say where was, or TO attempt 70
follow the subterranea passage, was tue next quea
ton. I sometimes took the team to my own tenant
stables and therefore might not be missed for days
so determined TO follow the stream. INVADED In II,
and judging from is depth Of from one % ,h,ee
creek spoken Of. Leaving my dead companion be,
| hind me, followed the stream. For the most part
had pretty easy work Of It, but sometimes came TO
| q deep place, whereI was forced TO swim for con,
siderable distances; again was often precpitaGd
headlone into deep ws,er BY tue preeip'ous nature
! of the rocky bed OF the stream.
| Talk about the darkness Of the gravel The grave
| Itself could not have been more impalpaby dark
| than the passage was following The occasional
| ripping OF the waters was an inexpressiby dear
sound to my cars. Day and night were the came 10
| me. AZ last, wcnred with my efforts, laid down
on comparatively dry rock 10 r.st, and must have
slept for hours. When awoke again took TO the
water carefully ascertaining which way II ran, 50 rs
| not TO lose my labor by retracing my steps. II
seemed to me that the farthcr went the more din
| cult progress became. When h0i gone perhaps q
| mle, came TO place where the areliway narrowed
20 much that had 10 crawl on my hands and knees
| IN the water.
Here was dilemma had not looked for. tried
either bank OF the river. but found no passage.
could swim under water for a con siderable distance
but the distance before me unknown, and
A. last concluded that my fate was equally doubt
iu In returning rs In proceeding, aud plunged bold
ly into the current, and soon found that 1t was sc
| swift In It's confined passage that only needed u
| hold my breath TO go through. In the course o
| twenty or Thirty feet agnn 20, my head above wa
ter and took long breathing spell. hgan the arch
| way above seemed to enlarge aud the bed OF ~,
| stream became more even. I sped along compare
lively rapidly, Keeping nv hands oustrctch TO pre-
vent my running AGAINST the jagged rocks. Wearied
| out, again laid down and slept souudly in my wei
| clothes.
| On awakening, pursued my course down thu
subtrrranean stream aud at last In the long distances
ahead, saw Eimmer that looked very bright In thu
| darkness was then shut In. Nearing this. foun.
That u did not increase in brightness; and when
had gone perhaps n mile, came 10 another placl
where NV path narrowed TO tho very TUNE. nlled b.
tue water. NV case was now become more desper
| ate. conld not possibly retrace my steps, so
| submitted myself to tue current aud was immea
suraby oyeIjoyed to hnd myself rapidly swept int,
| day hgh'. Exhausted and half drowned, l crept on
upon the land and was not long In recognizing tn.
| objects about me- had come out into the Green
brier river, rs knew from the familiar look Gen
DAVIS mill on the bank. on reac ing home foun,
| that had been over forty-eight hours IN maxim.
| my pfrlliou, journey OF sir miles underground
The hole where this man went thtough Is nov
fenced round. On listening one plainly hear IN,
| rush Of water below, and stone thrown down wil
| sometimes be heard to splash in the stream.