Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-02-03
Yeoman's sangre De Christie
Cave.

largest known cave in the Rocky Noun
tains. The Sangre de Christie (prO-
nounced Sande Christie, Spanish
phrase-The blood of Christi range is
the most picturesque range of the
Rocky Mountains. 1t arises near the
Spanish Peaks, and runs nearly north
west course, until its course is varied
along the Arkansas River. It was
while prospecting on this range for the
precious metal. which is in the heart
of these rugged mountains in untold
millions, that l made my discovery.
The early SHOWS falling on the noun
tains prevented my fully exploring it,
so at this writing l am not prepared to
give the full extent Of the cave.
saw on the side of an opposite
mountain what l supposed to be an
opening in the solid rock. Thither l
wended my way, and found my suppo-
sitlon correct. Not having anything
with which to make a torch did not
venture to 60 beyond daylight. re-
turned to camp and told my partners Of
my discovery, but they being Of rather
q sedate turn of mind, it did not seem
to excite them like myself. went down
to the foot of the mountain to procure
pitch pine, with which to make torch
Wight. This took me just half a day,
the distance being some two miles.
Methinks some of your readers, not ac-
.CustOmed to these rugged mountains,
will say that's too thin, to only travel
EoqT Wdiss in six hours; to such only
have to say, come try 1t once. / tell you
its no easy task to make the rate of one
mile an hour up and down these noun
tains, even without a bundle of pitch
lashed to your back. Arriving at the
place of my discovery found my torch
material insufficient; there was so strong
a current of air coming from the cave
that my torch would soon blow out.
went 10 Rosita, and procured lamps
and oil.
This opening | first discovered is by
no means the entrance to the cave. At
a distance Of thirty feet from the en-
trance Informs chamber of twenty by
thirty feet; leading from this is a crack
which terminates at distance of one
hundred feet. When / first entered
this opening was fully convinced that
there was a cave in the vicinity of no
mean dimensions. So began q search,
peering into every nook and corner.
found on the opposite side of the noun
tain a chimney leading to the surface !;
down which | cast several boulders
They would 90 bounding down and
down until lost to hearing. was
finally rewarded in my search. found
small opening just below the first one
mentioned, into which | crawled to
some distance, being satisfied, | could
would surely say Eureka; that is to say
II have found it," | procured the as
sistance Of Mr.. William Largent, an
old miner Of experience, and proceeded
to explore my discovery. For a dis
tance Of four hundred and sixty-slx
feet the passage is through q. crack In
the solid rock, and Is rather difficult to
make; we frequently had to stoop or
crawl. At one point the passage is 80
marrow that man possessing fuller
stomach than / do would have to return
without reaching the chambers, or even
behOlding the form thereof. When
once In the chambers the passage is
open and free. We suddenly emerged
into large chamber, the sight of which
made US wild with enthusiasm. The
walls are as white as snow, with lime
formation. With our lamps brightly
burning, we could see the dome of this
natural temple Of earth, or rather In the
earth, In the dim distance above. A
word spoken In an ordinary tone would
resound almost like shout in open air.
10 this gave the name Of middle
Chamber" TO the right was q passage
leading to another chamber, which if
possible 10 more beautiful than the
Middle Chamber. To this gave the
name Of "Queen's Chamber" Entering
to the Middle Chamber we passed out In
a north west course passing from cham
Der to chamber, all varying in shape
and dimensions, to a measured distance
Of one thousand feet, when we we're
reminded by the diminishing Of the oil
In our lamps that we must return with
out finding the end. On returning to
the Middle Chamber It was some time
before we found our place Of exit. We
were 50 Wild with enthusiasm when we
first entered the chamber that we failed
TO note the place OF our entrance, Mr..
LargeDt was the widest looking man
ever saw while we we're hunting for the
place Of exit, he having known Of three
men who attempted to explore a cave
but failed to return; he thought that