Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-13

An Old Haunt OF the MOdOc Indians
Near the Famous Lava-Beds.

The opening to this wonderful cave or
caves lies about two miles from the road
| leading from Adkin TO Linbville 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 Gene
raj Candy was so troacherously muir
dered by the ModOc Indians. Mr. Spald-
| ING lives some two miles from the en-
/ trance to the caves, and was one of the
/ first discoveries, being attracted to the
/ spot by seeing steam arising from the
| opening. This was during the last win
/ ter. 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,
as described, is in n slight depres-
| sion and presents the appearance
of an exaggerated badger-hOle just
large enough TO admit man.
From the opening the descent ia a
gradual incline for number of feet
when suddenly 1t energies into wide
passage or plssages-for II number dl-
verge from this point-and the explorer
can choose his own course, the two ex
ploring parties thus far having taken
different courses. Mr. Spalding's party
consisted Of three persons, aud they
walked in apparently one direction five
hours by the watch before retraclng
their steps. and were apparently as far
from the end as when they entered.
For a distance the floor is dry, bnt
farther in it becomes muddy, a soft
adobe clay covering the floor, which Is a
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 1t came
so near the floor that they were obliged
TO crawl on bands 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 atmosphere is oppressively warm,
and not a single current OF air was met
with to disturb the burning of the can
dies, which are a necessity to aid IN pen
etrating the darkness of the place. Not
an instance of animal life was met with, al
though numerous tracks were seen III the
mud, some of which were large enOughIto
have been made by the California lion.
The conclusion arrived at by the eX-
plorers was that perhaps there was a
number OF openings at which the ami
mails entered. About half mile from
the entrance a pool of water, as clear as
crystal and as cold as ice, was encoun-
tered. Near this pool evidences of a
number Of camp-fires were seen, show
ing concluslyely that the Indians at
some time had visited this place.
At one place a curious pyramidal-
shaped hillock was encountered, $50
lated from its surroundings 10y IN
open passage around and over II. 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 il is evident that
there underles this wonderful section
labyrinth of caves and passages which
will take time and patience 10 explore,
and which when fully explored may add
much to ethnology and other sciences.