, 1888-06-07

open cave, where he found his COM
paniun breathless with excitement,
peering into its dark chamber.
| His companion, who was seeking q
convenient spot to fish, stumbled
against u tangled brush and in max
| ing his way out of it he heard II
noise like the rushing of water ever IL
precipice. He proceeded little
further and rs he emerged from the
thicket he came upon huge arched
ledge of over-hanging rock, and
underneath its craggy surface was the
mouth of cave which gave forth the
odor OF pond lilies-and it was at this
juncture that he startled Mr.. Colville
with his fierce exclamation. The
entrance to the cave vas by gradual
incline shore line, and it was fully a
half hour before they could make up
their minds to venture into the bosom
of the cave and explore its hidden
secrets The noise of the tumb-
ling water frightened them
and the peculiarly fragrant
odor OF the pond lilies acted
upon them like the sweet seductive in
huence of fairies showering diamonds
on SILVER screens. a playful feeling
OF hope and fear enveloped them. Col
vile being of daring inquisitive ma
ture venturcd,nto the cave and bade
his companion to follow him. He did
SO, and as they proceeded they
encountered what appeared to
them II long narrow cham
Der which coied about like a snake
and which in turn coiled about other
chambers. About them they could
hear the running water, but owing to
the darkness they could not see it.
AS they proceeded into the cave it
gradually widened. They had been
walking it seemed about five minutes
when they emerged from the chamber
upon II lake OF floating ice. They felt
its cool breath, and all
around them was frosted and
dripping icic cs. About this time their
became thorougly alarmed, Colvilly
felt in his corduroy fishing Jacket foe
match to light them back to the
mouth of the circuitous chamber
they had just emerged from. lie
found one, but when he attempted to
light it, it proved as useless us u tooth
pick. They tried to grope their way
way back, but the mist and
spray and the smoking pinacles
OF ice blinded and confused them.
They stood chained for hours in
frozen darkness, when they CROPPED
their way back slowly and at
last reached what they called
chamber No. 6, which they say must
be ut least three miles long, for it was
fully three hours before they reached a
point which brought them to the
brink of what they called the black
river. CONSERVATION now ever
whelmed them. They could see dim
glimmer of light from the open mouth
OF the cave, but they could not tell
which way to proceed to reach it, and
they dreaded To move, fe ring that
they might keep winding about in the
tangled chambers and perish. What
was to be done? A happy thought
struck Colville's companion, he sug-
gested that they swim back. But
Colvillc was no swimmer, The real
estate man said he would swim back
alone. procure n lantern, and rescue
Colyille He did SO, and whilst he was
swimming his way 20 the mouth OF
the cave Colville was almost paralyzed
with the thought that his companion
might drown. 1t was fully an hour
from that time until the real estate
man appeared ut the mouth ot the
cave with delegation Of Colville's
friends, who volunteered to explore
tue cave and rescue him. When they
walked down the entrance to the cave
the light from the lanterns developed
that Colville was only fifty feet from
where he had first entered He
emerged from what seemed to him the
frozen tomb of death, and has ever
since been stuiiing II club for the man
who talks to him OF mammoth caves.