, 1886-05-23
BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN.
Inc Subterranean Chambers aud the
Hidden OIL Fountain.

heart of the Rocky range is a valley fifty
miles in length by ten in width. A noble
stream, the Gros Ventre river flows
through it stocked with trout. Natural
meadows and agricultural lands occupy
the entire area of the valley, magnificent
pine forests clothe the surrounding noun
%tains, the waters of. the river and its
tributaries carry gold washings, and every
thing possible is offered for a rich noun
tain settlement.
Game of all kinds abound, from the
ferocious and powerful silver tip bear and
savage mountain lion to the timber grouse
and the pine squirrel. The region is the
coming paradise Of biologists, freaks of
nature, and curious strata meeting the
eye everywhere. On the mountain peaks
are found Installations of every variety.
Shell fish of a past age, skeletons of cur
ious birds and bones of gigantic and long
extinct animals strew the valleys and APP
pear upon the mountains. On the broad
surface of table Ike rocks are curious
carvings of strange animals and birds,
with hieroglyphics as strange as the sub
jccts they apparently explain.
Singular and extensive caves are found,
chiefly along the mountain bases. One
Of these was explored by the party of
%prospectors spoken of, with strange and
interesting results. Entering through a
crevicc between two gigantic rocks, the
explorers found themselves in a circular
basin, 300 feet in circumference. and
lofty in height. The floor of this basin
was as regularly paved with broad flag
ging as if done by the hand ofman. From
three parts of the basin arose a thin,
blush vapor, spreading through the I'M
dereround chamber a close, oil like smell.
On investigation this vapor was found to
arise from deep seams in the rocky floor.
One of the party produced a long cord
and attaching to it a small stone, attemp-
ted to gauge the depth of these seams.
No bottom could be reached however.
On the stone being Withdrawn, it was
in every instance, found to be covered
with a yellow, sticky matter of glue like
consistency, strongly impregnated with a
petroleum odor. This excited the interest
Of the party to the highest pitch, and they
made a careful exploration of the cave, in
the hopes of finding a subterraneous oil
lake.
Finally one of the adventures conceived
the idea of following up one of the seams
in the floor of the cave. 1t was found to
penetrate one of the walls OF the chamber.
Other seams were now followed. and at
length one was traced to an opening in
the rocks, large enough 10
admit of the passage of a man.
In the center of this opening, however,
ran the seam, a foot wide, and piercing
far into the bowels of the earth. The
only chance was to straddle, and this was
accordingly done, the adventurous party
slowly and awkwardly shufling along into
the unknown gloom of the mountain
centre.
After POO yards of laborious and eccen-
tric effort, the seam closed, the Plutonian
gangway widened, and the party entered
another underground chamber, larger and
loftier than the one they had just left. In
this apartment there was the same thin
blush vapor, with the petroleum odor
doubly intensified, and in place of the
deep seams Of the first chamber, in this
the part16dnd large pools of a yellow
viscous fluid, edolent of petroleum. These
pools were apparently bottomless, and
careful investigation convinced the party
that their fluid was fully 10 per cent pure
coal oil.
While marveling over their slngu-
lar discovery, still another wonder was
found. One of the party stumbled on a
second opening, and this led into a third
and smaller chamber in the centre of
which was a working, bubbling oil foun-
tain. This was the pure article itself, as
clear as if fresh from the best oil refinery.
In fact it was the product of a natural re
finery, and the most potent forces were
engaged in its manufacture. From deep
down in the bowels of the earth came a
sound as of steady churning, and the oil
mass heaveI and shook at intervals as the
continued product of the natural refining
process was poured into it.
From the ever moving fountain there
led a sort of conduit, piercing the wall OF
the chamber and passing from sight, and
by this the immense overflow of the oil
pool was carried away to be emptied
probably into some subtcrran
can lake fed by scores of such oleaginous
tributaries. Making their way across the
Plutonian gangway into the first chamber,
and from thence into the open air, the
party could scarcely believe the evidence
of their own senses. However, they had
really been there aud the way was open
to 20 again. Realizing that their for
tunes were made when the development
of the country created transportation ia.
%cilitics, they agreed to keep their own
counsel in the matter and await the com
ing turn of fortunes wheel. The pub
liciiy given to their discovery by this arti