Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-01-10
CAVE DISCOVERED.
A wonderful Cave Discovered in Ssuth-
ern Oregon That Rivals All Others.

A Wonderful Cave discovered IN Ssuih-
ern Oregon That Rivals All Others.
Roseburg (Or.) Plaindealer: The
following is an account Of the dis
covery Of a wonderful cave IN Doug |
las county, aboat four miles from
the farm Of NJ. G. Ruckles on the
line OF the Southern Pacific railroad,
and is told rs nearly as possible III
the language Of one OF the discover
erg
"a few days ago while out hunt
ing one Of our dogs scented q track
and followed 1t TO what looked like
coyote den. The dog went in and
reinained quite while. Thinking
he might have been killed by sens
wild animal In the cave, we went
up tothe hole, and while looking
around the mouth Of the cave heard
the dog barking vigorously in what
sounded IKE a large chamber or
trooin 10 the mountain. We at
length called the dog out, but he inn
nediately started back and again be-
gan to bark. Being Of an exploring
turn OF mind, we ventured in,-
/ c,swlfng through the aperture,
which was hardly large enough TO
admit the body Of "A human being.
What wis our surprise, afterspro-
ceeding about twenty feet, TO- y pa
that we were in q large room "
being very dark, we lit .Mbat
matches we had aud could then see
that the room was decorated with
numerals large crystals hanging
from The roof, which from there
fieclion Of the light looked like a
mass Of diamonds. While taking
in all Ills splendor ih silent adn1i'
ration, we could hear the sound oi
running water, but no, having any
thing at hand to explore farther we
,rawled back 10 day light and went
home. Provided with Lanterns We
returned next day and proceeded tt
investigate. After leaving the first
room, we went through
narrow passage-way which lee
to II large body Of water
which appeared to come through
the top of the cave and fall into an
other cave below. Taking up. 9
! s'one which lay near by we threw
IL down the passageway where th'
water was falling, and when l
reached the depth of about twenty
Ave or thirty feet 1t struck asains
what appeared to be the side of th'
cave, making n noise like the repor
Of cannon. When on the verge o
retracing ur'steps We saw smal
hole In the face Of the cave, which
, on closer Inspection, proved to he
: continuation o. the passqgeway
, We were now In and ventured on
After proceeding for about fifty fee
we came to some stone steps. Ale
reaching the TOP of the steps W
, were IN whatappeared TO be sac'e'
hall, for on the walls we could dis
Germ hieroglyphics Of the sun, AM
also people who all appeared TO b
travelling In one direction. Som
were OH foot while Others wer
mounted on what looked like cameli
Right under the sun was a boo
which lay as If II was open, and
. hardly discernlhle, were some chal
acters OF writing of some distinC
. race. Near these were twelve pei
sons In a group, while little wa
In the lead was another person, who
from the position of his extende
arms, looked as II he was urgin
them on. After looking arouhd W
: were led to believe the people VIII
Inhabited this cave ut some past ag
were sul worshlpers. On the tlou
was some pottery, also some speaS
and darts. They looked as If th
wood work had been destroyed b
age. As we were starting on i
search Of further knowledge we wei
all at once surrounded 10y bats, VIII
made II so unpleasant for us that "
were forced To beat hasty retreo
and leave all further researches to