Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-09
WONDERFUL LIGHTS.
Plants Growing in Dark
Caverns.
Fishes which illuminate the Sea,
and Birds whose Breasts
GLOW with GhOstly RAJ
dance.
Now York SUM-

New York SUM-
While prospecting on a spur Of the
mountains neal Messilla, New Mex
leo, recently one of a party of miners
noticed in wrenching his pick from
the loose rock a cold current Of air.
Another blow laid bare a cavity, and
a determined assault on the broken
shale soon showed an opening or pas
sage that led into the rock at a down
ward angle of about forty-fve degrees.
The hole was enlarged, and found
sufficient to admit a mans body. Sew
eral lighted pieces of brush were hur-
ried in, aud three of the men, steadied
by a lariat, held by the others, started
down the tunnel under the mountain.
The passage was rough and uneven,
and about four feet high, and after
thirty feet suddenly turned to the left.
A candle was lit, and by its light they
found twenty feet further a large hall,
a hall of pillars; SO completely was it
filed with long, delicate eel
umns, reaching from the floor
upward out of sight. There were
~stalactites hanging from the wall in
endless variety, while from the floor
rose rich stalagmites meeting them
and forming figures of all conceivable
shapes. Water dripped from above,
showing that the work of column
making was ever going on, while a
death like chill did not add to the
comfort Of tile surroundings. The
men we're about to venture into the
labyrinth, when the one holding the
clndle slipped and dropped it.
Nothing could be done but to follow
the lariat back, but as their eyes be-
came accustomed TO the gloom a
curious phenomenon appeared. In
various parts Of the cave luminous
srots of light we're seen. Some near
them gave out itful flashes of flames
while others seemed like moons, glow
ing with a peculiar pale yellow light;
others again were OF irregular shape,
that made the darkness more apparent.
Every move revealed new wonders.
Oval halls of light blazed from behind
the columns, confronting them at ev-
cry step; while as far as they could see,
cleaning and sparkling, the mysterious
lights appeared, making the cavern a
realization Of the old tales of enchant-
ment. One of the men struck at one
of the glowing spots, and knocked it
down. Carefully taking up the object,
that still glowed but gave out no heat,
they felt their way into outer air, only
to find that they had carried an ins;g.
nifcant toad stool, a fungus that lost
its glow in the daylight. The subter-
plant, for such it was, is gener-
ally found in mines, and is known to
science as the "Rizamorpha subterrc-
nea," and is allied to the edible mush-
room.
LIGHTS FROM FLOWERS.
Many of our native flowers, especi-
ally the yellow and bright tinted ones,
such as the ~sunfower, marigold, ETC.,
have often been observed giving out
minute flashes Of phosphorescent light
soon after sunset, while the exhibition
given at times by the Oriental poppy,
probably by the oxidation of some
hydro-carbon it secretes, is extremely
wonderful. Pokewood, at certain
CLEANS with a rich greenish
tint, and explains some of the mysteri-
GUS lights that are often seen by the
believers in ghosts. A Brazilian
plant, the cipo, makes a wonderful
display of py%rotechnics. When bruised
or cut it gives out a milky fluid that at
night blazes with light for hours after.
Certain tribes in the interior use it in
some of their rites. A certain number
of captives taken in battle are decapi-
tated, and their heads tanned by a
secret process that leaves them like
polished leather. The eyes are re-
placed with peccary teeth, bending
outward, while the mouth is also
ornamented in a similar manner,
the head a most ferocious
appearance. The long black hair
is allowed to hang loose, and the
fash around the neck is carefully
drawn together, forming a socket.
Into this is inserted the end of long
pole. The head is then decorated
with fantastic ~tassels Of various kinds,
and a string attacked to the chin. At
nightfall the whole is set off with the
luminous milk ofthe cipo, The pole
is raised and planted, and the head
kept moving by the wind and the lib
eral use Of the string. It's ghostly APP
pearance, glowing with areddish light,
would undoubtedly frightened the
evil spirit, ifthere were any, as that
is its purpose. All who freqnent the
seashore are familiar with the fiery ap-
pearance of the sea at certain times.
Innumerable animals are contrib
uting their vital forces to create the
display, and in the warmer chimes the
seems a mass of living fame.
inch Of its surface is alive with
minute, jelly like creatures that, ac-
cording to some writers, possess a Pc
secretion in glands for this pur-
pose, and in proof of this several of
these animals were placed in clear
water in a glass, which instantly be-
came white and luminous.