The Red Cloud chief., 1888-06-15
A CAVE.


An Old Haunt OF the JIodoc Indians IN
Northern California.
Tho opening to this wonderful cave
Of caves hes about two miles from the
road leading from Adm to Linkville
and Southern Oregon and some sixty
miles from the former place. 1t is in
Modoc County and about fifteen miles
from the famous lava beds. where Gen.
eral Candy was 50 treachcrously MUIR
dered by the Modoc Indians. Mr..
Spalding lives some two miles from the
entrance tn the caves and was N of
the first discoveries. being attracted to
the spot by seeing steam arising from
the opening. This was during the last
winter. Unlike the lava beds, the
country here is covered with soil that
produces feed for cattle and also =
Struggling growth of juniper trees. The
opening. ~ described. is in a slight de-
preston and presents the appearance
Of an exaggerated badger-hole. just
large enough to admit a man. From
the opening the descent is u gradual
incline for a number of feet, when sud-
denly it energies into a wide passage or
~passaSes-for . number diverge from
this point and the explorer can choose
his own course. the two exploring
parties thus FAR having taken different
olxses Mr.. S~palding's party consisted
of three persons. and they walked in
apparently one direction five hours by
the watch before retracing their steps.
aud were apparently ~ far from the
end ~ when they entered.
For q distance the floor is dry, but
farther in it becomes muddy. a soft
adobe ebay covering the floor. which is
q smooth. solid rock. The floor Of the
ave seemed TO he nearly level. while
the roof in many places reached far
above their heads. while at other places
it came so near the door that they were
obliged to crawl on hands and knees.
Much Of the roof 10 thickly studded
with stalaotitea. At short intervals all
along the route taken by the explorers
openings to other galleries we're seen.
The atmosphere IL opprsssively warm.
and not . single current Of air was met
with to disturb the burning of the can
dies, which arc q necessity to aid in
penetrating the darkness Of the place.
Not an instance Of animal life was met
with, although tracks were
seen in the mud. some Of which were
large enough TO have been made by tho
California lion. The conclusion ar.
rived at by the explorers wss that there
was perhaps a number of openings at
which the animals entered. About
half a mile from the entrance . pool OF
water as clear as crystal and as cold rs
ice was encountered. Near this pool
evidences Of . number Of camp fires
were seen. showing c~Onclusivsly that
the Indians at some time had visited
this place. At ono place a curious
pyramidal-shaped hillock was o
tered. isolated from its surroundings
by an open passage around 3sd over
it. This little pyramid is about fifteen
feet high and perhaps thirty feet
through 1t the base. One agreeable
feature Of the exploration Of this cave
is that no dropping of water from the
roof il met with. From the above it ID
evident that there underlies this wOn-
dsrful section a labyrinth Of caves and
passages which will take time and pa
thence to explore. and which when fully
explored may add much to ethnOlsgy
and other sciences. - San FrGncisco
Call