The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-09-13

On we hurried, following the tortu-
GUS stream that ran pure and pellucid
from the immense cave which we as
sured ourselves must be just ahead. !
can never forget the effect of the low,
sweet murmuring of that little brook,
loudly audible for the very absence OF
other sounds. We found it terribly
warm work crawling over rough faced
rocks and squeezing through narrow
openings; consequently we every now
and then halted to rest.
can't say how long we had been
foundering about in the sand and
water-for we still held the course of
the stream-when low, roaring reached
our ears. A waterfall we at once sur
missed, certain that miniature but
beautiful Niagara was just before us.
Gathering new energy we pushed rapid
ly forward, and had gone dozen rods
perhaps when the roar, which percep-
tibly gathered volume, seemed to Curl
ously shift itself into position imme-
diately overhead, but we did not expect
sounds to obey the laws of nature here.
After traversing another dozen rods
or so we suddenly noticed that the
swelling brook was running muddy and
bore few twigs and dead leaves on its
hurrying surface. Strangely enough,
we were not in the least alarmed, for
we thought it was merely landslide
ahead, and concluded to push on toward
the goal of our hopes. But as the water
grew rapidly deeper and muddier | sug-
gested that we should halt moment,
and forcing small stick in the bank
just at the waters edge we watched the
rising floods creep up, up about and over
it, an inch perhaps in four or five min
utes.
bud looked up at me. "It's raining
outside" he said, and his face was as
white as sheet.
The horrifying truth burst upon us
simultaneously. Our alright was mu-
tual and our fight precipitous. 1t was
race for life-we must reach the open
ing before the stream could fill it and
cut off our only exit. All along, as we
reiterated, noticed on the low ceilings
trash and leaves deposited, even the
highest points bearing this positive evi,
dence that at times the whole cave was
completely overtiowed. Pellmell over
rocks in water we tore; but hurry as
we would, the muddy, angry waters
still preceded us, swelling and surging
between its narrow banks. Now we
came to an unusually low point and
found the water about our necks as we
stopped to pass along. was in the
lead, and though | set a telling pace
bud in his fright managed to keep up.
Those few hundred yards seemed in
, Vulnerable miles, with the floods swell
ing behind us and the ominous roa
overhead gathering volume. Now ant
, then one of our candles would go out
, and we were forced to stop and rellgh
it from the one that still burned, as GU
, matches were all wet and useless. A
last | stood in the chamber next tn
| fatal barrier.
r What moment of suspense, of dread
v | suffered while waiting for Dud i
g come up! hastily scanned the walls o
h this the highest ceiling available, an
v my heart sank as saw the unmlstak
i able signs of overflow on every side an
overhead. bud soon Joined me, mu
d begrimed and painting. He looked tn
d 6end incarnate dragging himself fort
g from his home of ooZe and filth. But
d did not laugh as my terrified gaze reste
a on his pale and troubled face, you ma
d be sure. l remember feeling grea
@ pity for him, however.
/ Tremblingly we advanced few rod
% and came upon the wall, but, 10, no exi
r was visible! Now it was concealed b
small pool with swift maelstrom tha
h swallowed, with evident gusto, those BIT
:, of wood and leaf which came near il
70 hungry gullet. Weak and overcom
:, with excitement, we sat down on lit
a. knoll, and with the protruding eyes {
70 doomed men watched the steady I
q crawling of the stream, so different fro
~ the song whispering brook of an hour ag
"a The awful silence was oppressive, viii
70 the heavy darkness gathered on evel
m Sue dS IL W eAJlIS uioh pui iOOpiO hS IN
Nd Both of our heads were hatless, and
90 small stream of crimson trickled fro
,o buds forehead-a wound that he b;
received from jutting rock or SOL
40 obstacle overhead.
- The situation was terrifying.
no | was almost certain that death W
.lv inevitable, but singularly enough L
.oyr whole attention was conferred on i
10. miserable companion. | gazed stead
M at him, wondering what his though
oh must be, and if all his past life was HI
.n rying before him in review, as | h
,u often heard it said mems lives would
I'd when death seemed inevitable. Silen
IN and steadily, like some great yellow S
40 pent, the brook crawled into the n
=. row chamber and coiled fold on TO
aot We had already moved back to higl
NV NV ground once, and now it was inching
", W. about our feet again. Our heads w
s nh against the highest part of the rt
~ %. roof, SO it would be better to keep
90 90 places than to move back to a m
o an trying position which would be no sal
''' To my dying day shall never for