Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-05
CALAyERAS CAVE.
. sxxrs or UNDERGROUND Won
DERs.
chambers and Passages Of Marvellous
Beauty Remarkable Formations
Hints TO Visitors.

Since It's discovery, ABOUT year ana
. half ego, numberlcss articles on the
marvellous cavern in Cslayeras county
have been published, but a. half the
accounts were psnned before the cave
had been completely explored, and the
remainder expa,ia,e far more upon the
nature OF the surrounding country than
on the subterranesn wonders, these lat
ter were leit almost entirely to the moro
or less profound depths Of the readers
imagination. Ii is to be hoped that
the following article may induce
some few lovers OF natures wonders to
witt the cavern, aud that the uniser-
sal praise which will undoubtedly
follow more general familiarity with
it's mysterious depths may raise 1t to
,he rank it certainly deserves among
The greatest natural curiosiiies OF Csli-
fornis. After walk Of about half an
hour over the bill at whose foot ncstles
the little country town OF Murphy's
Csup. We reach tho entrance OF the
cavern, which is not, as may be sup
posed. in the side Of the hill, but
directly at our feet. And 1t may
here be mentioned that the whole
cave tends downward in one precipi-
tous descent. I. is, so to speak, an i'm
mense staircase in which the dozen
chambers simply take the place OF land
ipes on our downward journey. and are
connected with each other by most dan
eerous passages, which were formerly
absolutely impracticable save with
ropes or ladders. And the chambers
and passages are not hewn out Of the
solid rock, being simply immense clefts
or spaces left beneath the titanic
bould.rs as they fell laundering upon
each other when torn from the noun
tain side by some frightful conyul-
sion in the dim ages OF q distant
past. Descending between immense
boulders by means Of three almost
PERPENDICULAR fights Of steep stairs,
comprising in all some fifty feet. we
enter the first chsmber-one OF the
largest Of all. At the foot of the stairs
y,sns 4 dark cavity, through which q
steer slide of yielding earth leads down
into the gathered gloom. The dismal
depths to hch it gives entry are never
visited SAVE Oy very few adventurous
souls and lovers Of the mysterious.
From the diary Of a young explorer ]
excerpt the following description almost
word for word
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Sliding down the earth with Mercer,
the proprietor of the cave, fouht
myself in a great chamber, whose d.
utnsions must have been fully l00xj0
feet. At its further end we climbed
over immense boulders until | reached
very small hole in the wall, and on
looking down tb'S | could see an i'm
m,nse cleft, sire ching far down until
los, 70 sight II darkness. Squeezing
through this fe, first and sliding down
the steep ledge at an angle Of about
thTty.fye degrees, TO the great detrl-
ment Of my wearing apparel, ! could
lock over the edge Of the ledge where 1t
dropped off precipitstely into a vault
Of great size. whose limits | could
rot reach with my candles dim light.
This vault communicates with the first
chamber in the main cave at the east
eru spd.l | was now some sixty feet
down the ledge, and, gazing down the
ledge below my feet, could see what
appeared to be the termination OF the
cleft, To make certain, threw down
several stones, and my hair rose, as on
reaching what | supposed to be the
Init Of the ledge 20 which | was cling.
ing, they continued 10 echo until lost to
hearing in The black depths beneath
NE. now noticed, for the first time,
that my candle was but about half
an inch long and was comm cling to
burn my fingers, so started to return.
had to make most OF my ascent by
resting my feet on any projection the
steep ledge offered, and by pressing
sgsinst the ceiling with my hands aud
shoulders, and at lergth, after sixty
feet Of this laborious climbing, reached
What | supposed to be the same place
whence | had made my entry; but
imagine my chsgrin when | dis
covered that l had climbed too
far to the right or left, forget
which, and that the only means of exit
was a narrow slit, scarcely nine inches
across. Mercer and bis brother-in-law
broke of few pieces Of rock, thus en-
larging the opening by about an inch,
and a, length, by dint Of prodigious
amount Of squeezing and strainiDg, |
was extrics,ed in an exceedingly muddy
condition. But | was repaid for my
eIertions-those hollow depths are so
dresdfully and delightfully."- gloomy.
THE FIRST CHAMBER.
But let us return to the first cham
ter 1t is about 900 feet long, 60 wide,
and stretches Off toward the east IN
darkness and gloom. The roof for
pApy feet beyond the entrance is hung
with immense pendants of gloomy
moss, which suddenly give way to
beautiful stalactites Of the most curious
forms, some Of which will attract the
eye o. phtc Hoh AuVtA CAV aViNAi@
likeness TO familiar objects. They vary
from tiny needles, but jus. born to
masses like one vast Triton among the
minnows, which depends from the roof
10 the right Of the fourth fight of stairs,
which is about two feet in diameter BY
eight long. But the southern wall Is
especially beautiful, nearly its whole
length being adorned With formations
Of the most diverse character, varying
from thick, massive rolls, which flash
as If studded with diamonds, to thin,
wing-lke curtains of dull white,
hanging down the walls in beautiful
stiffness. These last give forth the
most beautiful tones when struck With
srod, far deeper and clearer than the
notes Of silver bell. At the head OF
the fifth fight stands most singulsrly-
shaped s,alsgmite. Abovethi Is beau
iilul little grotto, which, though difficult
OF access, will well repay glimpse.
Tho night side Of this grotto IS
bounded by . grest white mass, foam
ing out, as it were, like fall OF foam
ms .t.x E.o,,, ,ha cstl,oo If the cham