The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-12

keep my Drain from becoming ulAAyt !
looked over the edge, which hung above
the bottommosL depth. The torrent oil
water in the bottom Of the abyss was in
full view, although the semi'darkness
rendered that view indistinCt, This was
two hundred feet below me, The water
whirled by at a fearful rate, and the roar
was like a storm. The river was con-
fined in q channel not more than two
yards wide, and all was half hidden in
the gloom OF that great depth. When
my eyes had grown accustomed to the
gloom, l could distinguish objects va
guely.
For a long time l could see nothing Of
Mr.. Selbyj but at length my eye caught
him climbing along the edged the water,
so far beneath me that he seemed only q
small child, He had reached the bot
tom Of the abyss, and was STOPPING down
10 drink from the water that flowed
there.
AsPLEHDID SIGHT,
l remained where l was, and in the
course Of half sn hour he returned 10
me, and told me that in the bottom Of
the chasm was the most splendid sight
he had ever seen, The water was clear
as crystal, and cold, and the channel was
cut into the whitest quartz, and all the
walls were polished black granite, seam
ed with veins o fquartz, He wanted me
to go with him down again into 1t, but l
contented myself with leaning over the
rock from where | was and seeing what
l could Of II, Somehow, l never could
persuade myself to go far underground
| have an adherence OF Caverns beneath
the earth, " always made me shudder
to read IN Homer, and Virgil, and Tasso
and Dante OF the doleful glooms Of the
subterranean worlds, and whenever I
find myself entering such In actual ex.
plot, l turn away with horror. l can
climb to giddy heights and look down
u|nconcerned where few a open their
eyes; but when | am placed under the
ground in caves and dens | become a
coward and lose all my courage,
When Mr.. Selby wanted me togo with
him down and, see tho white rocks and
roaring deluges, | refused TO go. / was
already deep enough down In that cleft
rock. The perpendicular walls were
only a few yards apart, facing each
other, and tho jar Of q slight earthquake
would be sufficient to break them down,
and bury US alive, or kill US. IdidN't
like the idea, and refused to 70 down
deeper into tho Chasm. An earthquake
had made it, aud an earthquake might
destroy 1t. never for a moment lose
sight OF the fact that California Is sub.
jeGt to earthquakes, although ] never
have felt a shock hero as violent as the
ono felt in Wheeling, at the time
Charleston was destroyed.
We climbed up from the cave, and
left 1t. The river that flowed through 1t
was a small one, and was u tributary OF
Kings River, l think. At any rate, 1t
flowed toward tho south, in which direc'
ton Kings River was.
INTO a WILDER COUNTRY.
We returned to Prof, Frederick, who
was waiting for US, and was anxious at
our delay. We sat down to talk over
our future plans. The discoveries which
We had mate so far kindled within us a
least wonderful was lila nnaercrnnnS
river. whose channel led along the Vran,
ito caves beneath the light Of day, and
in shadows and gloom forever. We had
not explored 1t lar, but We knew 1t was
there, and VIC had looked into It's deep
further into the mountains, sonethiSv
new was to be iound at every turn,
From the ton Of Tie mountains Tint wa
had passed over VIC could look ahead
and could observe Tint he country orew
wilder and moro desolate. IA Wo Should
climb higher toward the summit.
Prof. Frederick had doubts about tho
possibility Of further advance. INT Mr,
Selby and l had none. We were CERTAIN
that we could climb the highest peaks
OF the ranre,a and we were anxiousto do
It. But Prof. Frederick had A disadyan.
tage to contend against. The high ali.
tude andthin mir madehim LIGHT headed.
and his breathing was diBcpIt. and tbS
travelling iatigued him. lie tbonQht
that we could not 10 further, aIthough
he was willing 10 accompany us Il We
insisted on going. But It wonld be i'm.
possible TO take the horse any further,
It was no use talking Of that, We Ind
reached the UNima Thule, so far as the
horse was concerned. The cliffs that
confronted US might be climbed by men,
but not by a horse. Yet, We were fully
resolved 10 proceed.
It was suggested that ve tic our pro.
visions on outown shoulders, and leave
the horse to pick grass on the edge Of
the lake, and We 10 forward. Prof.
Frederick did not like TO undertake This.
and said that he would remain with The
horse; and Mi. Selby and Icould pro.
coed on foot. But he would notstay In
that canon, with It's crags OF loose rocks
hanging hundreds OF feet above, ready
to fall. Fragments Of rocks all around
the lake showed that It was no ginrcom.
non thing i9r howlders to break from
the heights and fall TO tho bottom Of the
canon.
We had pasIed a small meadow Of pas.
ture land against the side Of the noun.