The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-02
A WONDERFUL GAVE.
An Old Haunt of the Modoc Indians In
Northern California.

Northern CaliforntHs
The opening to this wonderful cave
Of caves lies about two miles from tho
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 Gem
eral Candy was so treacherously muir
dered by the Modoc Indians. MIR.
Spalding lives some two miles from the
entrance to the caves and was one OF
the first discoverers, 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 soilCthat
produces feed for cattle and also a
struggling growth of juniper trees. The
opening, as described, is in slight de-
preston and presents the appearance
OF an exaggerated badger-hole, just
large enough to admit man. From
the opening the descent is gradual
incline for number of feet, when sud-
denly 1t energies into u wide passage or
passages-for q number diverge from
this point, and the explorer can choose
his own course, the two exploring
parties thus far having taken different
courses. Mr.. Spalding's party consisted
of three persons. and they walked in
apparently one direction five hours by
the watch before retracing their steps,
and were apparently as far from the
end as when they entered.
For distance the floor is dry, but
farther in it becomes muddy, a soft
adobe clay covering the floor, which is
smooth, solid rock. The floor of the
cave seemed to be nearly level, while
the roof in many places reached far
above their heads, while at other places
it came so near the floor that they were
obliged to crawl on hands and knees.
Much of the roof is thickly studded
with stalactites. At short intervals all
along the route taken by the explorers
openings to other galleries were seen.
The atm ospherc is oppressively warm,
and not a single current of air was met
with to disturb the burning of the can
dies, which are necessity to aid in
penetrating the darkness of the place.
Not an instance of animal life was met
with, although numerous 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 was that there
was perhaps number of openings at
which the animals entered. About
half mile from the entrance a pool of
water as clear as crystal and as cold as
ice was encountered. Near this pool
evidences of number of camp fires
were seen. showing conclusively that
the Indians at some time had visited
this place. At one place a curious
pyramidal-shaped hillock was encoun-
tered, isolated from its surroundings
by an open passage around and over
it. This little pyramid is about fifteen
feet high and perhaps thirty feet
through at the base. One agreeable
feature of the exploration of this cave
is that no dropping of water from the
roof is met with. From the above it is
evident that there underlies this Won
derful section q labyrinth of caves and
passages which will take time and pa
tience to explore, and which when fully
explored may add much to ethnology
and other sciences. - San francisco
r0u