The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-07-05

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der thss Cs0es fs~a Tsnoesss~-
A lev dass ago appeared GA the
v~~s@s~r a : Nashville hotel the name
n : gentleman from Marianne. Fla
whsie Il, the city , former 1cqaztnt-
ny.ee. I'M The presence Of Nashville
Hrusrvrf revsgYtsr, asked him concern
fnr sts< famoas "sIeeping cavern, aud
~ answer vas 30 strange that the
BksN.rfas reporter took down the
vhoie story. II Il believed by eTery-
krryy in fhat section II the state.
sand. said the narrator. II am not
prrpared 20 say Il II rot true, a. more
fhafs half the people Ia that town saw
Sbe hero of the story.
Two miles from Mariana, pros
peroas t0wH tn Jackson county,
fJorida. II cavern, or rather mum.
her 81 underground chambers and
uassz~es. known ~ the Limestone
lave" Many square miles Of terri.
tory adjacent i snsserlaid with ere
tsreosIs stratum which has been honey.
comfss.i fsy suhsxrsaneAn streams. How
many miles underground the rSrniflcz'
lions sf Limestone Cave" extend /.
not tnoxn. ~ because Of q singular
Obstacle il has never teen explored
more than half mile from the open
ing.
On April 1. 1874. party OF explorers
consisting of tso gentlemen and five
Iaslies visited the cave. They followed
Che path that led 10 point known a.
1.-THE Spring where bold stream d
cpfd clear water rfished forth from
The rock and flowed in q riyulet fo'
some 50 feet and disappeared under 9
mass Of detached fragments OF lime
stone. When the party rearhesi the
po.nt where the riygiet was lost, and
we're aamirine the myriad reflection.
OF their torches from the crystal
drogss OF water upon the mica shales
whieh Eemmesi the walls and
roof OF the passage. one 81 the
gentlemen ia the party with hi.
cane detached 8 jatting rock par'
tiruEafiy brilliant with mica spangles
from what seemed the solid wall OF
rock. A large mass Of los,sefled rask
followed the fragments With 3 crash
which revsrberaiesi Hundreds OF times
throughout the cavgruous depths.
Then IL was an Astonishing sight met
the eyes ~ The party, which at first
rcf1~stsi them nlotioniess with hog'
~ror aud fright A hitherto unknown
chamber was seen through the aper-
ture, and but fegs feet away. appar-
entity a. usoslos.s.<e- as the stone isoof
on wfifTh IL lay, Was the body Of a
man, clad in the hahilinients OF sol
der will, his inglskct beside him.
One OF the gentlemen recovered his
presence OF mind and entered the
chamber Although no outward sign
of respiration could be noted. the
body did not have the appearance of
being dead The man undertook 10
lift the body, when he noticed that the
Rightly of death was lacking. On be-
ing moved all ~ clothing and equip
ment fell frsm The body. The gentle
man wrapped the body in bis water
proof, dragged IL through the newly
made aperture and left Il in the pas
sage beside the sprsne. The party
then hurricdly left the cave. The la
dies we're sent 10 town by the vehicle
which brought them 10 the cave,
The two fnen then secured the ser
vices OF two stout negroes and re-en-
tered the cavern. They went directly
10 the spring. To their astonishment,
they found that the man supposed 10
be dead was living with half open eyes,
breathing stentoronsiy, while faint
color tingeti his cheek. Examination
disclosed rapid but distinct pulsation.
Til. Mortified men carried the piienoni-
ennn 10 the open air outside the cave
n quickly a. the burden would allow.
They poured brandy down his throat
AMI carried him to neighhofsng cab
In. Here they left him and hurried to
town.
Here the news OF the discovery had
preceded them. aud in little while
every physician in the village and
half q hundred curiosity seekers were
ON their way 10 the cabin. The doc
tors on their arrival administered slim
uiantS, Under their effect in little
while the man opened his eyes and
bsgan moving. Directly he recovered
his strength sufficiently r. talk. bat
the doctors allowed no que tons TO
he asked until the following dav, when
he told his story. lie sail that in
1857 he WAS sent from itensagssla to
Fort Dade with important military
papcrs4 When near Mariana he was
followed bg band III shoctaws. who
hoi gone on the warpatis In sympathy
with their Seminole brethren.
Being hard pressed, he abandoned
his horse. and finding hole in the
ground he squeezed into IL, and fear
ing the Indians would discover his
trail went some distance into the cave,
when he suddenly felt difficulty in
respiration. a feeling OF drowsiness
oyercame him, and he remembered no
further.
IL was hard 90 make the soldier be-
iicvc that 81 years hal passed while
he lay in coma. aud that the fields OF
rice, sugar cane and cotton which dot
TED the landscape were the same viii
slerness through which he had been
chased by the Indians. lie seemed 10
be OF a retiring disposition and With
his strength fully returned disappear
nj AMI ,,..a .,..u.s- nf,..~.... ..i.. hl.s-.I ~