The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-11
IN EARTH'S BOWELS.
THE TERRIBLE FATE OF A FLAT
HEAD INDIAN GUARD.
Re Plunged Into a Veritable Mael-
strom-The Body Carried Under.
ground Nearly $50 Miles.

strom-The Body Carried Under
ground Nearly $50 Miles.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
One of the most remarkable subterranean
waterways in the world was recently dis
covered in the northern ranges of the Rocky
mountains in Montana. An accident, which
proved fatal to human life, was the
agency by which the discovery was made.
Two proSpectors, named respectively Phil
Barnes and Pierre Leger, Flathead In
dian guide named Klikat and myself, left
Bonner's Ferry on Aug. Z and struck out in
northeasterly direction, headed for the
4 peaks and canyons IN the extreme northern
4 range Of the main divide of toe Rockies.
4 The purpose of my two white companions
was TO prospect for valuable minerals in q
section of country which few, if any, white
men have entered before. My own object
was to seek diversion and adventure, and
being a newspaper man, to gather facts
hitherto unknown and make them public at
my leisure.
After whipping, pulling and pushing our
pack mules through the almost boundless
wilderness of underground, timber, gloomy
canyons, dragged peaks and drifts of snow,
we found ourselves, on Aug. 2S-according
.
twenty-five or thirty miles of the Canadian
line, and at an altitude of 800 feet The
nights were extremely cold, and the peaks
that lowered above our heads to the east
ward were covered with snow, while the
days were unpleasantly. almost scorchingly
hot, between 10 o'clock in the forenoon and
3 O'Clock in the afternoon.
1t waa noon of the day mentioned above
We had come TO srandstill, unable to ad-
vance, owing to great perpendicular cliffs
ID front OF US and TO the right. On our left
was craggy precipice about eighty feet
high, overhanRing a roaring mountain
stream and extending fully two miles to the
south. Beyond the torrent and it's rocky
bed was still higher precpice. We could
hear the noisy stream as it ran frantically
down the sleeps from the melting snow on
the distant peaks. But we heard still more
than the swash of the running stream.
AS we stood there looking vainly around
Tor some opening by which we might ad-
vance there came to our ears deep, roar
ing sound, alternating in force, stronger
and weaker at intervals Of a few seconds.
1t came in jarring sounds, with a volume like
thunder. For some minutes we listened in
silence. Then suddenly Klikat poke:
Me know what him is, u he said, with a
pleased air of comprehension. Him is
Big Hole-in-the- Water Him heap water
run to hell and put out DEVILS camp fire."
4
do you mean by that, Klikatp
You come look, he said, advancing to
the edge of the preoipice and throwing
himself fat OF the rock with his head and
shoulders hanging over. UGH" he ex-
claimed. Big-Hole-in-the- water heap
mad to-day. Him funny. Water go in
ground; never come out"
Following Kikae's example l cautiously
approached the edge Of the projecting rock,
threw myself on the ground, face down
ward, and peered down from the dizzy
hight. Barnes and Leeer did likewise.
1t was a curious and awe-inspiring sight
that We beheld. Straight down below US
there was deep pool, or lake, sboutaquar-
Ter Oh an acre in area, and inclosed on three
sides by high walls of eternal rock, thus
forming perpetual and insurmountable
barrier to the passage of the water beyond
this spot. The noisy mountain stream
poured great volumes Of sparkling water
into this natural basin and then lost itself.
The water in the pool swung rapidly around
as on pivot. aud constantly drifted into a
steadily accelerated tidal current toward
the center. And here was the startling
feature OF this wonderful stream
In the very center or the deep water was
large circular cavity or depression. funnel
enaped-a great suck hole" in fact-fully
elght feet across at the surface, the water
spinning round aud round, rushing down
force OF gravity was at work in that awful
PIT OF darkness. In the center of this funnel
was great mass of snow white foam, dane
ing and whirling and scattering flakes Of
user around the dark blue rim of the vor-
tex. At intervals Of fifteen or twenty Sec
onls there would be a greater downward
rush OF water, the pillar of foam would dis
appear with the increased speed of the cur
,eut; then the roar would increase in vol
ulne, another pillar of foam would form,
Vouly to disappear a few moments later, as
sue previous one had done. It was grand,
terrible sight
glanced at my two friends, who, like
S5SeH, were electrified by this mighty
freak of nature.
-, could find ledge of quartz with
Mo MOT IN 1t anywhere near by" observed
III Ut; barnes. I'll would erect a stamp mill
tSklt here and drop horizontal wheel into
S uaV boiling suck hole. Great Scott but
'Tulont 1t spin, thought
rr rather thought it would, but at that mo-
il ehI my attention was suddenly and shock
Ky attracted by Khkat, who had been
'tTHg aoout eight feet away on my left.
tbauefe was low, crumbling sound. and
Kt gn mass of shelving rock right under
c r.iSst broke loose aud fell with fearful
''N'u INTO the edge OF the whirinR pool l