Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-13
rnE HERnrrrsprAs.s CAVE.
Home OF onswago. Last Of the On
fioras.

ttoras.
Up among the granite boulders, beet
ling cliffs, aud rugged crags that crown
the summit OF the Shawangunk noun
tains in Ulster county, n. l., lies
small lake about ten acres in area. The
Times says Its depths have never as
yet been sounded to their fullest extent,
although many hundreds Of feet of lead
line have been run ont in the effort 10
do 20. Near the shores OF this lake
called in the musical vernacular OF the
Mohican Indians Mohonk, sgnifying
"the haunted pond of the red men -
is a small cave known in times past as
the Hermits Cave, or the abode Of "the
Wizard Of the Ontioras
"Onewsgo, the Ontiora." the wizard
OF the cave, first became known 20 the
settlers, tradition says. during the sum
mer Of 1879, when the settlements along
the Neversink, Minisink, and in the
Wavarsing Valley were rsvsged and
burned by CornplaDter with his Tusca-
roras and Senacas and Proctor with his
horde Of Tories. A few Of the settlers,
under the leadership Of one Bsltus Ter
willager and guided by en- Ontoirs In
dian, fed over the old Indian trail over
the mountains toward Apokeepsing
PoughkeepsieJ. Led by their Indian
guide, they waded long distances in the
beds OF brawling mountain streams 10
throw their pursuers OF their track, and
finally emerged from the bush into what
seemed to be an amphtheatre, incIosed
by PERCEPTIONS and shaggy cliffs. at the
bottom Of which reposed a beautiful
mountain lake.
From this smphitheatre there seemed
to be no way Of egress except 10y going
out the same way they had entered. 1t
was now that the refugees began to muir
muir against their Indian guide, and
they began 10 secretly accuse him OF
leading them into trap TO be slaughter.
ed ct will like rat But the knowledge
OF the Indian - to what he was doing
became apparent. He lei them up to
What seemed to be the impenetrable snd
bald face OF a beetling cliff When close
to the rock he drew back a mass of wild
vines and creepers and disclosed a ere
uGsSc in the rock. Through this they
passed, and after being piloted for some
distance the sound OF purling water met
their cara, and they found themselves in
a rocky chamber Of goodly size, through
which stream OF pure cold water was
flowing. The cave Was lighted by the
suns rays THAI sifted through the ere
vices Of the rocky roof
The Ontiora then told them that there
was an inner chamber that had nm outlet
on tho other side Of the mountain,
through which they could escape in case
they were found by their pursuers The
cave was filed with piles IF skins aud
was well stocked With provisions, aud
the Indian said that it bad been known
! from time immemOrial Ivy his people,
and was said 10 have been the abode of
their great medicine man, Tamerund,
who was almost r8yered ~ a god bv
the Nohicans. The settlers remained
secreted in the cave for several days,
when tho Ontiora brought them the
welcome news that the rowing bands Of
| hostile Indians had lett the country
/ having been badly whipped by a de-
/ tachmcnt of troop. under Colonel Tjerck
/ Beekman at tho Dwarskill in tho Wall
Kill Valley. The settlers then returned
to what had been their homes and soon
rebuilt their ruined babitatIons
Many years after that an aged Indian
appeared at EllenyiIle, and after loiter-
ing about tho village for few days took
Up his abode in the cave. lie gave his
name as Onewago, and said that he. was
| the only living representative Of the On
tiora tribe. Whence he came be refused
to disclose. The aged Indian seldom APP
pearod thereafter, and only when he re-
| Quired some OF the necessities Of life did
/ lie visit the settlements after which he
/ at once disappeared IN the tracsless for
/ est. Some OF the elder people OF the
/ settlements, who had become curious
about the stranger Indian, pretended 10
recognize in him the faithful Ontiora
who had guided them IN safety to the
cave during the bloody days Of tho Rev
/ o'ution. AS he never allowed Il white
man 10 enter his rocky abode it became
/ bruited about that he had discovered the
hidden treasures Of Captain Kidd secreted
| in the cave. one fact had been especially
noted, he always paid for what he bought
/ either in British or Spanish gold.
/ 4 party of adventurous spirits started
one day from a village in the vicinity,
/ determined to penetrate the cave and
| learn the secrets thereof They return
ell, however, horror stricken at what
/ they had seen and declared that the old
red-skin was in league with tho devil
1--WE saw, sail ono Of the adyentu-
rcrs, "an interior chamber, brilliantly
/ Illuminated. ami the figure OF OnewsgO,
standing with uprising arms and threat
/ enIng mein within the portal We forced
our way into the outer chamber, when
/ he exclaimed in an AWFUL voice The
| Manltou OF the Ontioras VIII protect
! his children. IN our fright we dropped
| our torches, and IN an instant all WAS
| darkness. We huddied together with
/ fear, expecting every moment 10 he rid
died with buckshot, when suddenly We
heard a rumblnB, grinding sound all
about US, and at that instant the
very mountain seemed to rock and sway
! beneath our feet. lncessant flashes OF
/ binding light filed the cave, while sui
/ phurous odors poisoned the atmosphere,
aud ono mighty crash OF thunder fol-
lowed another in rapid succession. We
were thrown from our feet fiat upon our
faces, and heard the indians voice COM
manding Us 10 leave the cave. our de-
paitu1e was made with due expedition.
/ As We were leaving the cave mass of
rock, weighing thousands of tons, split
: OF from the side Of the mountain and
crashed into the valley beneath almost
at our feet. II seemed as If the very
mountain had been cleft in twain. 1t Is
only by the mercy Of Providence that
We are returned"
After listening to the tale Of the adj
yeuturers some other parties determined
to visit the scene of their exploits and
go II tnnv bed tod the irnth. Thay