The morning call., 1891-06-28
GROTTO OF PONTE-LECCIA.
Most Remarkable Grotto in the Worl
Discovered in Corsica.

Most Remarkable Grotto I'm the World
Discovered in Corsica.
M. Paul Petrie has received from friends
in Corsica a description of a remarkable
grotto which has recently been discovered
there, which, according to scientists, is the
| most remarkable cave in the world. A
party of savants are arranging at present
for an exploration of the cave, which has
already been penetrated to a distance OF 60
kilOmeters. The writer declares, says the
St Louis Republic:
There has been discovered in Corsica q
| grotto which surpasSes in magnifcence and
| size all the grott0s of the world. 1t is situ-
| ated about two kilometerS from the depot of
POnte- Leccia. 1t is difficult of access the
entrance being small, but it opens into an
immense hall whose walls reach 20 meters
| in height. From the front hall you enter,
| through various passages, other chambers
| successfully In indefinite numbers. Indeed,
the grotto of Ponte- Leccia has not yet been
| completely explored. Some tourists have
tried to go through it, but after four or six
or eight hours march they would turn back
and arrive at the entrance completely ex-
hausted, but enthusiastic over the fairy-like
| structures they mad seen. A miner was
sent in to explore the grotto and report He
commenced his journey under the earth pro-
vided with torches of resinous wood and
food for five days, but he was forced to re-
turn because he came upon body of water
he could not cross. lie had made about 40
kiometers without reaching the further end
of the grotto or the second exit that is
| supposed to exist. The second en-
trance would be on the sea, and
situated not far from Cap de la
Revellata, near Calvi. In that spot there
is deep cavern, also unexplored, almost
on level with the sea, known as the Bel
lowing Grotto. because in rough weather
the waves come through it, ana the noise
produced, intensified by the recess behind
| IL, attans great intensity, and can be heard
from very far off. When the sea roars in
the cavern, there can be heard at the en-
trance of the grotto Of PoUte-Leccia sort
of deep roaring, that brings to mind the
| beating Of the waves against the rocks.
| That noise Is well known by the shepherds
| OF the surrounding country, for it Is the
precursor OF tempest If these two caverns
connect, then the grotto of Ponte-Leccia is
| an immense cave, 80 kiOmeters in length.
One thing that contributed to the spread
OF the belief that the two openings are ends
| OF the same cave was the adventure of a
| gOatherd who, losing his flock near Ponte-
| Leccia was surprised to learn some days
| later that 1t had been seen near Calvi, but
| the goats were without hair. 1t was said
that, having no food in the cave, they had.
| according TO a q custom among goats when
hangry, eaten each others hair to fill their
| stomachs. Having entered at one end, they
wandered through the cave until they found
the other exit.
"Two professors Of the faculty Of science
| of Christana have penetrated into the
| grot;o Ponte-Leccia, and the opinion ex-
| pressed by them to explain the existence of
this geological phenomenon corroborates the
opinion previously formed. According to
| them, the formation of the island having
| been brought up first by an Alpine raising,
followed later by an Apennine raising, the
river of Colo must at first have had its outlet
| in the Gulf Of Calyi and the second rising
changed its course and made it run in tue
| opposite direction. The grotto would then
| be the original bed OF the River Colo, car
| ried over by some upheaval of the island.
| Furthermore, in those immense galleries
where the circulation of air Is perfect,