Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-17

1890.
rocky roof, thousand great stalactites
glistened in the dull light like polished
marble hanging therefrem. Far in advance
could be seen family the inner end Of the
"saloon, lit is only little less than shame
full that some unromantic traveller should
have applied to these imposing phantasies
of nature such q vulgar name-its Jagged
and rocky points displaying varied and
beautiful colorings.
QUICKLY CHANGING CoLoRs.
A short walk over the broken floor
brought rs to the center from which the
view of the myriads of stalactites pendent in
great masses everywhere above US like so
many massive icicles was most imposing.
To the right lay great pile Of strangely
shaped, glistening white rocks. To the left
broad openings into the chambers Of the
cavern showed themselves, the atmosphere
about which changed from brilliant blue
to brilliant green hue. and then back
again to a blue with lightning rapidity.
A shallow stream of water, as clear as crys-
tai and of refreshing coolness, flowed with q
quiet murmur along one side of the cham
Der, and lost itself beneath q clump Of
brownish stones. to appear again in an ad-
jacent "salson." ir.t
A whisper, if ever so faint, seemed to per-
meate every crevice of the cavern. and came
back with startling distinctness. Spoken
tones took on all the strength Of shout,
and when once raised my voice to its
hight in an unstinted yell, the sound echoed
and re-echoed with deafening effect for sew
eral minutes. A single pistol shot cracked
out for some time with ear-splitting inten-
sIty, and then slowly relapsed into dull
boom not unlike that of cannon. The echo
had not subsidized when the cavern was
Quilted half hour later.
FIFTEEN GRAND CAvERNs.
Our journey continued through other
chambers, none quite so large, but all gilt
tering with stalactites and presenting the
other distinguishing features of the grand
saloon" The guide informed me that
there were altogether Is Of these SALOONS" f"
but that only few persons had ever ven
tured into the innermost ones. Unmindful
of his statement made when engaged him
to the effect that he knew all Of the cavern
he refused to lead me into them because ne
wasn't sure" and feeling that the fellow
had earned his fee of one peso we slowly re-
traced our steps to the entrance.
felt satisfied as once more emerged into
the open air that my e1ertions to reach Ca
sight of what is undoubtedly the finest
stalactite cavern in the world.
One incident of my visit here is so full OF
novelty that 1 cannot refrain from relating
it. On the evening of the first day on
which inspected the cave 1 found place
to pitch nv hammock for the night in the
little hut of an old Indian family. Before
turning in, however, sat at the doorway
for some time in the fading twilight, and for
want of better companion held one-sided
conversation with Jacks, who lay few feet
distant from me.
was in the midst Of an extended disser-
tation on the successful results of our days
work, and was scoring up not a few credit
marks to my own perseverance,, when sud-
denly out of the gloom about me sounded q
harsh voice.
HUNT FOE VOICE.
"Ratsp
I jumped hastily to my feet and looked
around, ready to extend q warm welcome to
the fellow traveller who had penetrated to
these wild depths. An American felt
sure he must be, for who else would use such
distinctively Yankee expression? Unable
to see anyone about-the inmates Of the hut
had long since retired-I called out:
"Hello, where are you?"
Again out of the gloom came that harsh
voice
"Rats p
Iran around the hut, peered into clump
Of bushes near by, struck light and looked
into the interior of the hut and was on the
point of arousing my host when that harsh
voice sounded, this time louder than before,
'Oh, ratsi ratsI'
One glance backward at the doorway un-
deceived me. There, in q rough, wooden
cage, blinking its eyes and ruf1ing its
feathers as if in friendish delight at my dis.
comfture, sat a parrot. So great was my
curiosity to learn how or where the bird
had picked up that derisive word that I inn
medistely awakened the entire family. That
it had come into their possession a year
previous from a neighboring family now
removed was all the information I could
obtain. It will always remain a mystery to
me, I fear, how Poll removed so far from
civilization, acquired knowledge of that
exclusively American idiom.
GEORGE 7. HARGREAvEs.