Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-08
A MIRACULOUS CAVE.
Visit to the Cavern Sacred to the Memoir
or Mary MaOdalen.

A MIRACULOUS CAVE.
Visit to the Cavern Sacred to the Memory
OF Mary Magdalen.
Having during residence in Northern
Spain received an invitation to join q
friend in visit to cave to which the re-
pentant Magdalen is said to have retired
after her conversion, and in which q
solemn mass is performed on a certain
day in the year sacred to Mary Magdalen,
or ola Madelina,,' as she is there called,
we set of early in the morning on horse
back, accompanied by an attendant on
foot, writes correspondent to the Leeds
Mercury. After leaving the house of my
friend we skirted the mountain side for
some distance, passing through small
mining village called, from its being the
only place in that neighborhood where q
tolerably large number of trees are to be
found, "La Arbolera," we began our climb
to the higher peaks of the mountain over
which we had to pass.
There being no properly defined road,
our path was at one time a mule track,
and at another dry water course, where
the horses had just room to pass their feet
without cutting and where, at times,
they would have to firmly plant their fore
feet and bring up their hind feet with
spring almost sufficient to uuseat an mex
perienced rider. 1t being much easier for
the hardy mountaineers to cl imb on foot,
we were passed by numbers of men and
women dressed in their gay holiday at.
tire, some leading mules or donkeys laden
with provisions for the party, or with
fruit and other eatables for sale. Arriv-
ing at large plateau near the summit
we came across number of people who
were employed at the mines with which
we were connected; so, as a mark of
honor, they formed into procession be-
hind us and commenced chanting a hymn
to LA Madelina," playing an accom-
paniment on their guitars. The effect
was splendid. On the summit of high
mountain, the sun shining in all its
glory, vultures overhead; rugged
peaks as far as the eye could reach
on two sides. and the Bay of Biscay, calm
and blue, and dotted here and there with
fishing boats, on the other; this, with the
gay costumes of the peasantry, made up
q scene the remembrance of which can
only depart with life. Unfortunately the
horse upon which my friend was mounted
was, though a splendid animal. rather
nervous, and being annoyed with the
music, began prancing as we were passing
over a most dangerous piece of rock
which formed a sort of precipice on one
side. Though good horseman, he was
obliged to dismount and request the musi-
clans TO cease playing, as the rolling eye
and trembling frame of his steed be-
tokened mischief. Not being inclined to
dismount-in fact, not feeling in form for
walk of any distance, having been but
few days out of a Spanish hospital-I
gathered up the bride of my horse, and,
touching him up with the spur, he took
me over in safety, and after another ride
of perhaps half an hours duration, we ar
rived in sight of the cave.
Imagine a wall of rock some hundreds
of feet deep and of great width, in which
is the mouth of a cavern as large as the
front of a goods lied house, and which was
approached by narrow. path along the
side of the rock. AS we made our way
nearer we could see the entrance filed
with throng of persons, forming a sight
which any artist might be proud to trans.
fer to canvas, for what with the huge rock,
the bright costumes of the people, the
gaily-caparisoned horses and mules and
the manned beggars, the latter being an
accompaniment to every fete in Spain,
the view was one well deserving the name
of both grand and beautiful.
Having arrived at the entrance we left
went inside, where we were politely salut-
ed by the "padres" or priests in atte nd.
auce. After mass had been celebrated
in small chapel formed in a crevice of
the rock, we watched for a
time the men and women perform a
Spanish dance to the music of guitars and
tambourines, then purchasing some fresh
figs which had apparently been gathered
that morning, we proceeded farther into
the interior. The cave retains its vast
size for a distance of about a hundred
yards, when it branches into several
smaller galleries and was supposed to ex-
tend for miles through the mountain. but
since my return to England have had a
letter from my friend, stating that he and
others have made a thorough exploration
OF the place, an account of which l give
in his own words: "We took five lamps
two packets of candles and a bundle Of
old newspapers, which we tore up in bits
ana scattered as we went along in order
that we might be able to retrace our steps.
We spent two and a half hours side and
explored every branch of the cave to the
end-thus proving false the tales about it's
extent. We brought away goodly collec-
tion of specimens-mineral,v vegetable and
animal, the latter being an enormous bat
opinion being divided as to its being a
vampire" The cave is lined with several
varieties OF ferns and lichens, and
through the middle runs a stream, to the
waters of which tradition gives the merit
of being the everfowing tears of the re-
pentent Magdalen. Within the cave the
stream can be crossed on stones, but at
the mouth is an old rustic stone bridge.
which has very good effect. Not being
able to eat all the figs had bought, they
being OF rather sckly flavor when fresh,
they were offered to a child, who soon dis.
posed of them; and "paying" our way
through the string of beggars, who make
point Of showing their mutilations and
diseases in most disgusting manner, we
threw ourselves down beside the horses.
whilst Angelo, the groom, went to
have dance. On his reioining us
we started for home, but on de.
scending the mountain my companion
again dismounted, remarking that he
had mo desire for a broken neck" and
sure enough there was good reason for
apprehension, but by reversing my posi-
ton in ascending that is planting nv
feet firmly in the stirrups and leaning
well back, being prevented from Shining
forwared by the shape of the Spanish
saddle, moreover, keeping my horse well
in hand, he carried me with many a slim.
and at times a slide for several feet on All
fours on the surface Of some piece of rock.
safely to the bottom, where, as a relief
from the anxiety of the descent, we tried
the two horses in a race across a piece of
nice springy turf, in which / must con-
fess to being the loser, owing perhaps to
my friends horse being fresher through
not having had to carry any one down
the mounta
or cnCII0MEn IONrc-U