Telegram-herald., 1889-05-26
IN ToTaL oAsxNcss
-~'< ~ far~s b&ys aa al EzdesEroSRa
I2eyEzzFh "a afrscs-

~i-4 r-cns cara FSr11Fs al TIE Year ro1la
Yl1es le4cec vita rlpeniag grapes, mouth J,
roses AID pouae zr4Eztes feruale 2 = tlaze "A
1loom AMIDST It's SD of sunshine snll
E1eFirg Ike zo-1ea water Uuaer thess
u8o4lLz-a ranges are vast czveras. os ~ !
fsY q whi.h hase bssa catered. asd thess
oa-y partly cxp-oreo.
These caves are the original hazard :
caves cf tie AI2h11sa. IL ahlch ths yvon
cer;gl 'S1e dEelg Gne r 81 Rlxhs undel
tas Io-ltz-a aid through these Gars
rav.les r4ls z clear tparkltIg Ever Il w.
ter 4hs source Cf tbs river. wh-ch fur.
clsAss tie water supply fgr this c..y. Eas
EeTeE besa discovered. A curious fat IS
that Is waters are highest during the cTy
season. This points 20 the theory that u Is
fsd b. ra.n, and thar these rams 60 uci
reach tie river un,1 about four o. nys
mouths AFTER they faA.
Ihis river = inhaoited By fsh and .
+ strange k.ut q crabs ani lcbsters, Ell II
Wfilc1 have 10 eyes Ih-s specsss Cf sguEtic
animals having been bred Ia and inhabited
tbs DARK gan stream for thousands II
years, have never hac any use for eyes,
ana so at-er many generations. that organ
h@i eAt4FeIy disappeared from Their sirgc.-
+ ure.
some friends of mine, two ladies' and
three gentlemen, we1t On an exploring c.
I petition taroagh this cavern. GOT lost ia rs
inaze and were three days beforethey found
tatir say oacz 10 the outer world, writes q
correspondent OF the Omaha Bee NJ
saunders, OF the American Consulate q.
Cape May. thus relates their experience
while In the bowels Of the earth:
"Mr. J. VI. Leroy, Of the Northern Pacific
I - frrrs4r Of Naa IFrr.ss
NJ. Joan Sidney and two laries, Miss Tso-
ster and Mss Gootch, and myself started 70
explore the Fountain Cave. Armed with
two lamps and provisions enough for two
meals, NO started We got through tho
entrance, which is very narrow, with diff
Guilty Going few yards we found il nee
essary to light the lamps. Proceeding we
found on each side Of the main passage
numerous sideways and alleys apparently
hcwn ont of the solid rock
IAN around there were evidence. Of the
caves being Inhabited by swarms Of bats
which constantly kept flying In our faces.
Pursuing our way for n considerable time,
we came 10 spot where the roof OF the
concern, hitherto lofty, slanted down, grad
ually becoming lower and lower until we
were unable 10 walk erect. Finally we
came 70 where the floor was on an inclined
plane ana got more head-rOOm. We then
descended Z steep Hill, at the foot Of which
was dead wall which completely barred
further progress In that direction On the
rght hand narrow passage presented it.
sell just wIdc enough TO permit of our
walking Indian file. The air, hitherto cool
ana bracing, became damp and q cold,
clammy dew settled on our faces. To the
SIDES or the passage clung pale, Shiny,
snake-like substance which TO tho touch
produced shivery sense of abhorrencc
We began to wish ourselves well out of the
undertaking. However, being in, there
was nothing for it but TO 90 on.
We walked up this passage lnce.
should Judge, Of three hundred yards, when
we arrived at an octagonal court, from
which ran eight different passages. the
four main ones being about q width of ff;y
feet, and the four narrow ones about four
feet each. Under our feet could be heard 2
sound as of the running of river and the
violent breaking Of water upon rocks. We
could perceive no mode OF descent, and the
ground under our feet seemed solid.
Being weary. and the ladies' somewhat
faint, TIVE resolved 70 go back, altogether
disappointed with the result of our explora.
tion. However, before starting again we
refreshed ourselves with the victuals we
had brought, and, fortified by a few
draUghts of cape sherry, felt our spirits
rise, and, curiosity as TO the cause of the
sound under our feet getting the better OF
our judgment, we began searching for a
way to descend, and finally found a place
where there were stone steps at irregular
intervals.
"Sidney and l descended, leaving LEROY
and the ladies above. We followed these
steps for about fifty feet. The descent was
very difficult. The light of the lantern
grew feeble. However. we arrived on q
broad platform Of level ground.
THE sound of the water had by this time
increased to that Of roaring torrent, and
on our lett we saw the black, inky stream
rushing past. We sounded, and found the
river very deep and cold Passing alonr 4
the banks the air became heavier stln, and /
the lamp, which had been burning more |
feebly, went out altogether Breathing 1
became very difficult, owing TO the absence /
OF oxygen. In this dreadful place and in
total darkness we were stumbling about
trying 10 find the steps, by which to return.
for hours, until, becoming quite weary. we
sat down and fell into torpid, heavy sleen
How long sc remained in this state do not
know.
ION vakening, with a great effort. we
lroused ourselves, aad finally hit on pas
sage, which we followed. As we went the
! cisc Of the waters became less audible.
md finally we lost the sound altogether
Still, there was no ray Of light; nothing
'ut thick darkness and a noisome, pestilen-
ial air
1--WE Croped about for hours from ono
'assace 10 another amidst n silence deep
nd dreadful The sound Of our voices ap-
cared unnatUraily loud, and ochoing
hrouch the vaults gave the impression
hat The place was haunted by countless
lemons who we're n1ockug our distress.
"0uite exhausted b. exertIon. anxiety
nd vantof food, we sank down in despair.
1yinC ourselves up for lost After time.
owevcr, we determined 70 make another
fort fer life. We found that the l.mn
you'd now keep lighted. This gave Us
resh hcpe and enabled us 70 see our way
bout We made better progress along
10 Carksone passage and soon worc over
1Ted az seeing ny faithful Newfoundland
og jumping and bounding toward US We
new we were saved. Following tie doc.
hIch seemed TO have n correct view # the I
tuation. we soon discovered a streak =
Cht ~ Che entrance 70 tire cave Tho
7irit Of enterprise beng 6amped by three
avs spent i1 the tombs, ,~e resolved % Cur
iHts not lightly % make another attempt
the k1d-~
Fences Made Of Son steel.