Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1897-06-30

d-D NliCt l'itil ftF attempt mas UecE
made to explore il, until Il few weeks
since. the same parties. accompanied
by >urvcyor Zen. II. Griffith. explored
tho nl;ii;l branch about three quarters
of Il nile. The wonderful sights then
seen stimulated them to make another
trip. and on tl3r first Of last week Il
party from Stec!yi!.a composed Of Sur
yeyor Ben NJ. & ii 1ith, Attorney K. d.
Enrrell, WILL Eiil ana Ab. Evans. to-
gethcr with John Eaton and George
X night. made al examination and
survey as far IS their limited time
wnui,l permit, the party being in the
cave eight hours. The first two hum
{rcd yard; Of tht cave was 1rdvcrsed
in Il boat through Il narrow channel in
which lie water is twenty feet deep.
/ The balance Of the distance Wa; travel
cd BY land. Owe: high precipicc>. along
! he edge of dc2p;tHI apparently bottom
less chaSln>. II times along narrow
! hedges barely vi l. enough for Ole per-
son to pass by Elgging the wall where
! a miSStnp Won, have brought dire
/ disaster. and st ti',eS up aud down
cliffs where he primitive Indian lad
der ard rope warc brought in rcIii-
/ :7itioa, anI again along steep clay slope :
! where it was necessary TO dig foot
/ holes to keep FROM slipping into the
unknown gulf b low
! 10 see tie liz hts oi the intrepid cy-
/ rlr!ci> as they e'i}n:n arcd. some Oh tic
/ tup ni Il hig!! elf aud some in the
/ depths far be.O,,'. and enclosed above.
bclo" and Cn al sides by in.pe:ctrablc
;iarkne>s reminded one o: the fabulous
descriptions Of II. Rider ii"gGard' trip
in the cavern of tnc 'Muuatain Of the
Moon" or his visit 10 "She' Many
| and thrilling were Il he liair-brpalstil
ESCAPES. but iiaa!!y and shout scripu,
mi1nlp. fart her han the losing nf
| patches ui cuticlr from the pD~trri0r
! portion of the Hrlto:ny Of several ia>iil
| b2r> Of the party. Which nec;,S>itatcd
i their taking dinner standing up. lie
! most dangerous part Of the cave WAS
passed aud tile fist large room reached.
/ This r"Dll. WIii";: is ;ibpIt 2Uo feet
broad. 100 feet Ii III aui :.D@ feet long.
contains some of the most nia9n!r'rnt
~ta!agnitcs and talactt@, hat it wa;
ever / he privilege Of ElaH IT, behold.
/ In this room also ;,rr vast bed ,t,f gilano
! that vii! some day ba utilized. After
passing through tuiS ru0:a a distant
/ rulnbling and roaring We're heard.
which caused tho~,, Of ,lie party who
were not Initiated into tie mystery tu
! draw back with fear and trembling.
{ a;.d could only be HHr;tln3icd t. 20 for
! ward Nien a>S'!r>-i tilat the noise was
cal,el by tn" falir.: nf the stream al
water over immense Doudcr- down
+ into the depths below. When This
point WA- reached. being 2 distance of
abrnt enc! -!laif raii,' fr,i.i tn entrance.
dinner was p3lt1k'li e. a:id the t.!i.>t
IHcnchcd from tn" clear crystal stream.
! the water oi which could we'll be
Itkcucd to the ''.l",.i;;r Hf the gods.
Alter 4 StiDtt rest tlit ttflN pushed!
forward up an ilnmel:-c hj:l where Oh
looking back :. l!st., lett ii ne foot ap-
pca:nd to b. mi!r- away. This Druugllt
/ the party iiito aftDthcr magnjit-o!.t
room. the wallis and ceiling Of Wilicn
were comp, ,ctoly Irarvd with Stl;.lctitc>
OF all shapes and tile lloof q: wiiit,i was
draurl with smooth onyx. Gn one
side Of tIli, room WAS Il large basin
composed Of the ~;t.!Ic Material. tiiE"d
with pure water. The passage from
! this room t. the ncNs reminded Oai1 OF
the crystal MAJ, as it WAS mad. hy
winding around between >talartitc>
that reached frpm the tlp1r to the c-il-
ing. the space bet Wccn them being at
no place more than wide enough for
that now burst upon thc view elected
cNtt;lnIat ions of :.llaZcnlcnt and de
light. Tie pen OF HAN is Inadequate
to portray the beauties Of Ills vast
chamber. II appcarl-' as though an
army of Gnpncs had cEcrtcd them
selves in forming Fantastic shapes on
walls. floors and ceilings. II mattcrcd
not wi};rIl way one turned, there was
nothing in sight but onyx.
y number II othcr large rnonIs were
visited. al seeming t vie Will! each
other in the ,nayE;iiceuce of tllcir
structure. After drinking from iouut-
aims composed entirely of onyx. the
beauty Of which would defy the art Of
man to reproduce, ilt marty reluctant
l. turned back. ret"tcc1 their steps
and finally reached the surface once
more 10 tind that ti2 sun was sinking.
Il hardly sccmtd 4 possible tnat an cit
tire day had been spent under ground
rs thc ever shifting >cHnc; had 50 oc-
cup:ed their entire attention that the
lapse OF time was scarcely noticed.
The only regret the party had Wa that
their limited time prevented IL more
extensive exploration Us il was very
evident that they had visited ONLY d
very small part II the cave SteclvilIe
"Nirrur''