The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-02

all the roots without disturbing the soil,
One holes and spaccs left would make
far model OF a smaA,caYe. though l YER
iiy believe not merry 50 uncertain and
confusing.
For long ;ime we went on now
walking upright under an archcd cell
i.e twenty 0r thirty feet high, now
crawling through places 50 small that
we had 20 draw ourselves along by orr
elbows: this moment walking on hard
rock. the next on sticky clay, the next on
dry sand. In few places We saw
staIactites. all dripping with water, ana
we passed one pit which We judged, from
a stone thrown into it. TO be az least one
hundred feet deep. or course we soon
lost all sense of direction, but the cave
had seemed TO start the way We had
hoped. ana We had no reason TO think
that its general course changed. We
were certain that we were going down
much more than uD.
We had reached a fine, large room,
and had stopped 10 rest when the Cap
tain looked al his watch, and said:
why Harry. it's three o'clock. We've
seen enough. and | believe were r.eht.
When We 90 farther II ought to be with
a large enough force so that II We come
no 10 those fellows We can take care Il
them as they need to be taken care or
We had left smoke marks on the lower
ceilings as We came along 10 help Us In
getting out, but even with these We went
wrong a dozen times, and at least a halt
q dozen were con pleteiy lost once we
turned mp at the place we had started
from. and had 20 begin all over again.
But 10 last, after vast creeping and
crawling and climbing, we struck into
B. Ia -Ht NJ "a no
The entrance. As we did so We lrst took
notice Of a strange humming sound.
something like swarm OF bees. We
went ON. and soon il became roar.
We stood looking az each other, porpieN-
ed and q little scared. when We caught a
CLEAN Of something through a low arch.
and on running TO il found II was q
stream Of water
All" cried the Captain. KS raining.
and the water is coming down the sink
hole hats all. Let's hurry up and get
our basket before 80 is washed away"
We blundsred along as fast as we
could. my candle going out IN our hur-
~. We caught elmpsss Of our first
bats. dipping and piunging about When
We came up 10 the FOOT OF the steep tun-
mel. We found a torrent of water coming
down IL like p miil-racc. with Al vast ca
taract falling into it at the upper end
wi,h-a roar Ike any Niagara.
Around this wayi' shouted Tho Cap
tain in NY car. and we crept and Stun
bied away up a rock hole till we could
look I'm under the dome where the water
was crashing and boiling. / darted
Through the mist and seized the baske;
and gun, brushing against the rope. down
which a cllnging stream OF water was
coming with a rush. We backed a little
into the room behind us and stood facing
the torrent. though we could see little
with our faint light.
IT'S probably only thunder shower.
and Wen get out after it stops" sold the
Captain close 10 my ear.
lie had scarce got out these words
when there was a crash Ike the fan OF
mountain, and a great coil OF tho rope
splashed down az our feet and something
rolled out Of the whirlpool in front o.
Us.
ITS our log and rope come down."
cried. and at that moment the water
column took a new leap and splashed
over US. drenching us 10 the skin ana
putting out the lantern. The torrent
was running half way to our knees as
the Captain grasped my arm. and we
CROPPED back into the total darkness, like
rats being drowned out at the bottom
OF 4 hole
We fell and stumbled backward till we
got TO a place where the food did not
threaten to carry rs along and where we
were no longer choked by the spray.
Then we felt about on the wall till we
found little pocket In tn, rock into
which we crawled and in which We could
just sit upright The Captain had never
once let go my arm. and now he began to
say in my ear: We'll get out. Harry;
We'll get out Harry" half a dozen times,
as II TO cheer me up. Then he added.
i've been In worse places than this when
followed the sea-" but have never been