The Phoenix herald., 1879-04-02
THE ARIZONA CATAcOMRs.
Discovery and Exploration of n
 Wonderful Cave.

Among some of the wonders of this Wonderland of America" Arizona, which has made it famous, and served to surround this issolatrd re zion with halo of misticism and TO- nance, a description of the recent discoveries of it's catacombs by an ex- ploring party will be ;ead with inter est:
 The discovery was made about one mile cast of Mountain Springs sta ton in the southeastern part of the territory The cave was found to have an arched entrance, about three feet wide and four feet high. Two of the explorers took the lead with candles placed in small board and this fastened to long pole, which was carried so that the light was cast far ahead of them, and dan ger from pits or other obstacles thus avoided.
 After proceeding about one hun dred feet down an incline they came to the two main branches of the cave. Taking the one to the right and leav- ing candles at various points by which to find their way back, there being innumerable chambers branch ing out in all directions, they con tinucd their way through a chamber the walls of which, though present ing the appearance of stalactic for nation, were black and dingy, which was accounted for by the finding of ashes and other indications of fire, evidently very old. Here no doubt was one of the haunts and resting places of the Apaches. Bones of all kinds of animals lay scattered around, no less than two hundred deer antlers being seen, and other evidences of life destruction and feasting. Animals may have done the work but if they must pax.e- to such distance.
 Into this cavern they groped their way, down, down, right and left for distance of 500 feet and yet they found no end. In some places the cave was so small they would have to come down on ''all fours" and creep through, and them suddenly would find themselves in large room, full of gloomy grandeur, still as death and as full of mystery. Their can 1 dies giving out at point about 5OO 1 feet from the entrance, they returned to the light of day for refreshment and more candles. Upon reentering they explored the passage to the left The entrance to this branch is about three feet high, but narrow and irreg- ular for three hundred feet; but pass ing through the aperture, the party found themselves in a large chamber with beautifully draped stalactite ceiling, fully seventy-five feet above the floor. Here was glittering gran deur, with a thousand varied beau ties and fantastic figures. This point is about 150 feet lower than the en- trance. From this chamber the cave or caves, bore upward. There were three distinct passages one above the other, and the explorers taking the upper one, went on and up for dis tance of about five thousand feet, until as they be- licved they were approaching a top entrance, the purity of the air in this hall leading them to the conclusion that there was an exit above. Here again their candles gave out and they were compelled to return, only to be- hold more and varied wonders, caves leading in every direction. Here and there was a small hole in the wall into which the curiosity seekers would
 thrust their torches, only to behold immense SC chambers and shafts without bottoms. Ever now and then the ring of the passageway from theil feet warned them that the floor upon
 which they stood was the roof orcov-
 ering of another subterreanean cave
 or pitfall For five hours they pene
 trated into the dark recesses of these
 wonderful passages, chambers and
 complex catacombs, only to arrive a
 the onclusion that to explore thu o great natural wonders before then would take them days and perhap months. They brought out man,
 beautiful specimens of stalaetites an'
 some fine deer antlers. The curiosi-
 ty of the party is just sufficiently eN
 cited to warrant another expedition
 in short time, and we hope it ma, be soon, as there is no doubt of tn
 existancc of many wonders and beau
 tics in these natural catacombs o
 Arizona.
 The HERALD is the only semi