The morning call., 1893-06-18
7 IMPRISONED IN A CAVE.
An Arizona Mans Strange Adventure With Fish

lluD, Inc water III this pool was very
cold. and when | went to get drink some
thing struck me in the face. | of course
jumped, but at once came 10 the conclusion
that it must have been a fish. An investi-
cation proved the pool TO be just alive with
The finny tribe. and there was no way for
them TO get out. This was my chance, and,
in spite of my resolution to die as soon as
possible, | was soon in the pool and suc-
eeeded very easily in catching several with
my hands. devoured them, as l was very
hungry. and ! will tell you that raw fish is
pretty good eating"
Il was now supplied with food and
water, and as the temperature of the cave
was most pleasant and free from draught
;here was no possibility of my dying very
soon. The thought of this did not comfort
me very much. and | resolved not to eat
or drink any more, but TO let myself starve
TO death; and the sooner it comes the bet
ter, | thought. But whenever | got hum
cry forgot my resolution and was soon
making another meal of raw fish.
Il was in The cave for several weeks,
and had it not been for a big fish wan ting
to eat me | would very likely have been
there vet unless my stomach objected to
the fish diet.
"Ihe DAYS and nights seemed awful
long, as all but couple of hours were
darkness. How l passed the time l don't
know. and 1t is strange that did not kill
mSSell, 50 leEIlDiS was Tue eHuleSS IDUHUl-
0ny. | used to lie on bed of warm sand
most of the time. and wnen l got hungry
go 10 my fish pool and get meal. | also
used to swim good deal and would spend
hours diving 10 the bottom in the hope
that | would find tho way out. | suppose
became very expert and got used to being
Without air for 3 long time.
Several times during the hours of dark
ness | had heard splashes in the water of
the large Dgol, but always thought it must
be something dropping from the roof and
wondered if it would be my fate TO be
crushed by some If the falling rock Then
| wished it would, but somehow | man
aged to eat tie fish and drink water, al
though | was getting very thin. But
kept my strength or | would not be tell
ing Won this story now.
Zone day when the light came in
through the crack | was sitting on the edge
of a rock with MY feet in the water. Sud
denly | heard a movement in the water
and saw large BODY move over the sur
tace l looked again and saw the head Of
large fish come above the water and IL
moment later a fin and tail confirmed my
suspicious. l watched the creature which
seemed 10 be playing, for it jumped over
the surface IN a spOrtlve manner. Ii was
monster. shaped something like carp,
with the head of pike, and was over five
feet long, with white stripes around its
BODY.
Il was considerably frightened at my
discovery and resolved TO be very careful
about my swimming and diving, although
all the time was wishing i was dead. |
never went into the water now except
when the light came in, and then was care
full to keep near shore.
"One day had walked a considerable
distance away from where l usually
passed the time and just for something to
DO sat on the edge OF the large pool and
put my feet in the water. While sitting
there | saw ledge running along one of
the side walls that had never noticed be-
fore. There was plenty of light, so |
started to walk along it just to see where
it went TO. 1t didn's go anywhere, but
came to sudden end, and | turned around
to go back. but as the ledge was very mar
row my foot slipped and l fell into tn g
water.
This did not bother me. and | started to
swim ashore. as the ledge was So high that
L could not crawl back. | had not made
many strokes when feeling of horror
came over me. and was startled by ter
rible splash behind me. | looked back and
there was one OF the big fishes had seen.
coming for me as fast as he could | quick
ened NV strokes. but the monster was be-
hiEd ne IN IN oment and L gave self uu
for lost, although l commenced to kick as
soen as ii got near.
The creature did not seem to have much
control OF its jaws, but IL snapped them
furl0usly very close to me. | kept il off
for some minutes, but at last felt a crunch
of jaws il my right foot, and was dragged
beneath the sur ace. / still kept kicking
With The other foot and made the descent
to the bottom as easily as l could in the
hope that | could get a hold of a stone with
which to strike blow that would make
the creature release my Toes so | could 90
TO the top again.
sp,,t D. I
prlsed to see belt of emera ld-colored light
and knew that there must be hole to the
outside.
Il had only been beneath the surface
few seconds wien l saw this and felt that
L was coed for while more. NV kicking
compelled the fish to keen his hold Of my
toes and dragged myself toward the hole
and soon got hold Of a rock near to the
opening and pulled for the hole as hard as
could. In few seconds more | had my
head outside and could look through the
clear water un Til 1t seemed as if | could
see the sky. 1t was kicking ana pulling
1or what seemed ages, when, by AN extra
effort, felt my foot slip from the crea-
ture's mouth, and | slipped through the
mole into he clear water outside and had
10 paddle 10 the top as my breath was about
gone.
'Oh how beautiful the world looked
and now fresh the first gasp of air that 7
drew into my lungs. A few strokes took
me ashore, and | looked aronnd to see
where | was, as the first glance told me it
was not the same place as where went
in.
III was some minutes before was salts
Ted that l was about half a mile above
where | went into the cave. [ stood IN
and attempted to walk, and then was the
first that | discovered that the fish had
kept my toes; but as it got me out of the
hole | did not mind that
he sun was so hot and the road so
rough. as we'll as my being very lame. thai
could not start back 10 my cabin until
night. Va
Il found my clothes just as had left
them. except that bears had been exar1in-
ing ing mem 10 see II man was inside. T.
the house things were unchanged. and I
soon had my foot in a sling. But ii was a
i"ng time getting well. and none of Won
fellows came TO see me. If Won had van
ould have heard how | lost my Toes a
long time ago VIII SpspUs ="
DIDN'T FOOL THE FARMER