Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07

d
almost directly under the levee. Here,
dimly seen in the thick bramble is the hut
or hovel, or whatever one may choose to call
the gloomy habitation of the poor outcast,
as efectuslly hidden from the world, almost,
as if it had been hidden in the Businesses of
an impeuetrable wilderness. Waiting for
death the poor fellow crouches all day long
in his miserable shelter keeping shy of his
few visitors and looking with suspicion
upon everybody who approaches. 1t was
only after considerable persuasion and re-
peated assurances that there were no designs
against him that he consented recently to
peep out of his dirty little den into camera
held by reporter of the California EUening
Bell. The illustration above is from the
photograph then taken. The Chinaman
speaks well in pigeon English and told
rather sadly that the Chinese doctors, like
most Of their civilized prototypes, are not in
the habit of working for their health. He
is sure that they could cure him if he had
80 to pay them and then graphically illus
trated the power of money. Me catchee
ten dolla' catchem heap we'll. No catchee
money China docta no likee me-" As to
American doctors he had very little conf
dence in their ability to do him any good.
under the right eye about year ago. A
Chinese doctor advised him to stop drinking
vinegar, and when he followed directions
the sore healed and disappeared. He soon
forgot himself and resumed the use of
vinegar and the injection again broke out.
The hut ii such it can be called, consists
merely OF three or four common grain bags
held up on short sticks placed in the soft
ground. The sides are made of the same
4 = IL,
by some six feet long and perhaps three in
width. The leper is seen peeping from one
side of the hovel, he having drawn aside one
of the pags for the moment. When the
picture was taken the poor creature was
cooking his breakfast. The fire was burn
ing inside the little low hut and the smoke
had no trouble in oozing through the meshes
OF the bagg!ng. The breakfast" was a very
simple affair, consisting, on this occasion, of
handful of rice, although the unfortunate
wretch said that "iends' occasionally give
him a bit of meat. The rain will play havoc
with the fragile structure. and the leper said
mourniully when the subject was mentioned:
Lain no good-Lain come heap wet" But
he did n Il see how he was going to help
himself and indicated in his simple and un-
certain way that he would have to wait TOR
the sun TO come out before he could dry
himself
The caves of Crawford county, Ind, says
liar writing from Marengo to the St. Louis
Republic, have long been the wonder of
those pleasure seekers who delight in sub
terranean nature, and it is conceded that the
farther these caves have been explored the
greater are the wonders. But the last is the
climax. No discovery will awaken more
wonder than already exists to-day among
the people of Marengo and vicinity by rea-
son Of q discovery accidentally made by
some boys who entered the cave at this place
last Sunday morning with the expectation
OF spending the day enjoying the scenery.
W hen they returned to the outer world,
after three days absence, and reported that
they had discovered new aud extensive addi-
tions to the already known cave. and that
they had seen tribe Of diminutive human
beings, the young explorers were only de-
rlded. But their earnestneSs begaJ conf
dence In a few, aud alter short rest they
returned to the search Tor the 'icave dwell
erS. To-day. after an absence Of nearly
four days, the band has returned, and hun
dreds OF people are iOcking to the spot and
making ready to organize FOR an exploration
on grand scale, to verify the faith which
they already have in the second report.
There is no doubt existing at this moment as
to the truth, and the excitement and crowd
are keeping pace with each other.
These ''cave-dwellers" appear to be the
lowest type of the human family. They are
on an average less than feet in height and
40 pounds in weight. 1t seems that they
run upon all fours when they become tired
of the erect position, though this is doubtless
because they were Fastening or scrambling
over great heaps of stone. They display a
total absence or ignorance OF the most re-
mote excuse ior clothing-not even the time
bonored waistband or breechclout being
called into service. This gives the observer
full opportunity TO note that there is no sign
of a caudaI appendage. The form is not
we'll developed, for, as before remarked, the
average weight is perhaps less than 40
pounds. There is no sign of hirsuteness
about the breasts Of the males, as is found
among the more robust specimens Of man.
kind, and they are little superior to the
female. The heads of all, male and female,
are we'll supplied with long hair so densely
tangled and muddy that color could not be
discerned, but which proves that they do
mot practice the art of ofcombing or hair dress
ing.
There can be no question about the food
of these creatures, for it can be nothing but
fish supplied from the lakes or ponds with
which these caves abound. If they Infested
one of the apartments nearer the entrance,
il might be supposed that the meat of var
mipts furnished part OF their sustensnce,
hut long before their places Of abode is
reached all vestige is lost of such varmints
as haunt caves or seek refuge therein. Time
may prove that there are other entrances to
this subterranean world, and that some Of