The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-24
A MYSTERIOUS ABYSS.
THE aREArwoNoERs OF NlAILwDEo
Exploring Canon of Danger on the Pacific Coast.
Stories Told OF rs Tsrrors aud inaccessible.
ty-AasnIac.nt tscsusry-Whseltns Rock.
Adventures In thesCaaon.

!
conepOndenoe Qthe InteIl0aIez.
KINGS RIVER CAL, October 15.-It was
on the morning of May Goth, 1888, that
three Of US, my brother Cyrus, Mr.. S. X.
Stephenson and myself, two West Virgin
ians and one Tenneeseean, started on an
exploring expedition from the mouth Of
Twin Meadow Creek down Stephenson
Greek to the San Joaquin River. This dis
trict lies in the northeastern part of Fresno
county, CAL, among the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. Our object was to visit the
mysterious canon, called "Nihilvideo," Of
which spoke in a previous communica-
ton. We had heard so much concerning
this dominion Of mystery, 30 much that
seemed exaggeration and imposslbility,
that we decided to see for ourselves. It
was told us that Just before Stephenson
Creek made its exit into the the San Joa-
quin 1t plunged over precipice, which to
all appearance, was bottomless. At least no
one had ever been down into the pit, and
no one could see the bottom, which was
supposed TO be level with the river, into
which the creek empties. The Indians,
whom Iquestioned on the subject, affirmed
that the place was full OF demons, furies,
hobgoblins and dead mems bones, and
that It was certain death to approach 1t.
/ had seen the abyss from the distance OF
about six miles, on the evening that was
on the summit Of Mount Stephenson, and
from this aud what other reasonable re.
ports could hear, l judged it to be about
eight miles from our encampment on Twin
Meadow Creek. was also oil the opinion
that the deep pit, so much spoken OF, was
nothing more or less than falls or cataract
OF the creek, and the consequent abrupt.
ness and depth OF the canon below. Mr..
Stephenson had been much nearer than |
had and this was his opinion. At any rate
there were three boys determined 10 see
what was and what was not.
MAGNIFICENT SCENERY. $
By sunrise we were moving of down the
creek, with a Henry rifle 10 fight bears
with, and bale Of bread, Of our own
manufacture, tied up in handkerchief,
to serve US for dinner. We calculated to
get back that evening. Itwas a fine morn
ing. The "great mt allows" just beginning
to feel the influence Of spring, and wav-
ing with blue flowers, extended several
miles to the east, in a series Of grassy platns,
skirted with pines from 100 to 800 feet
high. Further on, beyond the green forests,
rose the splendid peaks Of the Slerras,
white with eternal snow, dszzling and gilt
tering ip the sunlight OF morning. Among
them, but in gloomy contrast, loomed the
ponderous dome OF granite, called Bald
Rock. 1t was, should judge, 1900 feet
higher than the plain on which we were,
which was 900 feet above the sea, making
Bald Rock 1000 feet. II Is surely that high.
could distinctly see 1t from Lake Tu.ore,
more than 100 miles distant. On the
morning OF May Goth, It was bare OF snow,
while around It's base all was white. Its
summit was dome Of blackness, protrud.
| ing from ring OF snowdrifts, which entire
ly surrounded 1t.
Such was the scene eastward. But we
are going west. Wepassed through series
OF small meadows, fringed with trs, pines
and cedars, aud there stood face to face
with the long ravine Of Stephenson's creek,
through which we were to pass. The
meadows and level lands were to be left
behind, and henceforward we were to
climb and scramble along narrow ledges,
and over huge boulders, which in places
blockaded the channel ofthe creek. From,
where We were, we could look into the
canon, which was narrow opening be.
tween two gigantic mountains, whose sum
mits, more than 1000 feet above, seemed to
overhang. Mt. Stephenson was on the
left, apd Crane Valley Mountains on the
right. We were now at the mouth Of Bear
Valley. We stood, like Mar,
Before the Trossach's rugged jaws"
We bad now proceeded about mile.
Here level land ended, and we set forward
along the creek, which is about as large as
Wheeling Greek, walking in the channel,
from boulder 10 boulder, or picking our
way on shelving cliffs along It's banks.
WHEELING ROCK.
We had proceeded about one mile furth-
er when we suddenly came to widening
in the ravine, and in It's center was round
battlement OF stone. The widening was
like an amphitheater, and the round dome
OF granite in It's center resembled judges
stand. The creek passed along one side Of
thedeme, and justas It passed, plunged over
precipice, not vertical, but about one
hundred feet high. Thus the dome was in
the center OF the circular area, and the falls
were at the foot OF the dome, which was
more than one hundred feet above the
level Of the creek, above the falls. We
hunted for some time before we found a
passage up the dome. Only one path was
possible, and that barely possible. The
walls were nearly perpendicular and were
composed OF granite, which was cracked,
but not dilapidated. Some scrubby sprouts
OF manzanita grew In the crevices; and,
holding to these with overhands, and
placing our feet as best we could, we scram-
bed up and stood on the summit. The
first thing that claimed our attention was
a huge balanced rock overhanging the cat.
aract. It had originally rested upon wide
base, but Its support had been worn away
BY the action OF rain and frost, till now It
was only as large as small writing-table.
j Upon this rested the rock. weighing, per-
haps, thousand tons. 1t looked like a
breath would topple II over and send 1t
crashing into the whirlpool below. But
three Of US tried our united strength upon
Il and could not bulge 1t. This poised
boulder has something the shape oi the
head Of the Egyptian sphinx near Cairo;
and since this dome had no name, and
since "Wheelingn means "a head" we
agreed to call the dome "Wheeling Rock"
So the Nail city has namesake among the
mountains OF California
From Wheeling Rock we walked of
down the ravine to Nihilvideo, now some
six miles distant. At times we walked
quite distance on smooth, level rocks,
protrudiug from the mountains in the
manner OF shelves, then climbing down to
; another would 90 as much further. On
koth a;daa tba taina raaa ahrpntl, T.,