Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-01
A MYSTERIOUS UNDERGROUND RIVER.
The Queer Fossils and Footprints
Found In Its Bed.

lowing bne TtccHb cdIbtil uthcS, SiyS JiS
San Francisco Examiner, has returned.
There were seven members OF the
party, which was headed by James
Bordwell, tho coal burner. who first
strange actions of the waters in the
old quicksilver mine in Rocky
canyon.
Yulupa mountain lies about twenty
miles northwest of FL Verano, and is
the Hottest peak in the range of Sono-
ma mountains. Its sides are very
steep and rocky, and are covered
with a heavy growth or pine, redwood,
mauZanita ana madrona, which, during
the last two years, has been turned in
to charcoal by venturesome Ameri-
cans, Italians and Portuguese.
The trail up this mountain is sinuous
and rough, it being absolutely impossi-
BILE to get within five miles of Rocky
canyon on horseback or without any
kind of conveyance. The coal burners
are obliged to carry the product of their
pits to what they term landing in
sacks and long baskets hung at the
ders, where it is taken in small and
strongly built wagons drawn by
mules 10 the railway stations in the
valley below.
The party OF explorers went up this
trail as far as possible in the saddle
After weary climb of two days they
left the horses in charge of an Indian
boy who had accompanied them and
L. & II. i.
on foot Each man carried n pack of
provisions and heavy stick in his
hand, which answered the purpose of
an alpenstock, and in many instances
these staffs, armed with sharp spike
at one end, saved "a man an unpleasant
and perhaps fatal tumble down the
side of the mountain.
1t was day and nights journey
from the horses To the coal pits, and
the explorers laborcd up the trail with
out sleep, stopping only to unstrap
their packs and lunch on the contents.
1t was "A wild country, and three times
was the progress of the party impeded
by bears, which in each instance were
laid low by bullet from the rifle Of
Bordwell, the guide. The nights on
the mountain were made bright by the
light OF the MOON but the wild screams
of mountain lions, and the weird boots
of owls tended to keep the ghost OF
slumber from the eyelids of the ex-
plorers, who were men unaccustomed
to the strange sounds OF the mountain
wilderness.
The coal pits Of Bordwell were
reached on the morning of the third
day about o'clock. These coal pits
were located on the north side OF
Rocky canyon, which is deep cut
or dctle in the side of the
mountain, running from a narrow point
near the top TO the valley below,
where it broadens out in the proper
tions of a narrow valley, rich in vege-
tation and valuable grazing ground for
stock.
At the head of this canyon are sew
eral ever flowing springs, whose waters
unite, forming stream OF considerable
proportions that flows through the
canyon into the valley, and It last de-
pouches into SOnOma creek. Near these
springs years ago party of Spanish
prospectors discovered and worked Il
quicksilver mine, only abandoning it
when they had penetrated the mountain
nearly 200 feet, and We're driven back
by a resistless flow of water For
thirty years the shaft OF this mine had
stood full OF water until the recent
earthquake, when it gushed out in
torrent as described in "a previous
issue OF the Examiner
When the party Of explorers visited
the shaft on the morning of their arri-
val there were no indications that
water had flowed from its mouth with
in the past twenty-four hours, as the
earth was dry. From within the shaft
came murmur as Of escaping steam in
the distance; a sort OF muiiled, pro-
tracted hiss with now and then "A
swash like the stopping OF waves
against the face OF cliff on the sea-
shore.
When the proposition was made that
the shaft be explored, but four of the
party decided to enter IT, These
were Bordwell, the coal burner, DR..
Ordwell, Charles Westover. IA mer-
chant, and the Examiner correspond
ent. The prospect was rather dubious,
but the party had come long way for
the purpose OF solving the mystery Of
the mine, and il would not do To turn
back with simply having looked into
the shaft, so, enyeloped in suits OF rub
Der and armed with pixies. the party of
four descended into the darkness of
the shaft, each man carrying a Ian
torn.
As the party advanced toward the
bottom OF the shaft the kissing and
smashing became more apparent. and
it at last became necessary for the
members OF the party to shout at the
top of their voices while conversing in
order TO make themselves heard.
The floor or bottom OF the shaft.
which ran into the mountain at de-
cline OF about 10 degrees. was wet and
covered with slime that had probably
accumulated during the years that the
water had stood in the shaft. and lizards
and mud-jumpers glidcd up the slip
perry walls when the light from the
lanterns dissipated the darkness.
About 100 feet from the mouth OF the
shaft DIR. Ordwell struck his foot
against something half buried in the
mud, which upon investigation proved
10 be a portion OF what was presumably
once the jawbone Of some gigantic
IL 4