Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
of accidents. a compass. knives, instru-

OF accidents. compass, knives, instru-
ments and few provisions
This fs rather an extensive equipment
Tor one man to carry, but everything is
made as light and compact possible. If
the cavern to be explored is an extensive
one, of course 1t Is necessary for me to
take number OF companions. In such
cases we usually take along a collapsible
boat for navigating such lakes or streams
as we may encounter, sacks and craving
tools for securing specimens, iron weights
ana sounding apparatus. Thus equip
pea We are prepared to travel almost any
distance that the winnings of the subter-
ranean passages may lead us, and If we
nave a sufficient supply of telephone tape
we can Keep in constant communiCat ton
with the surface
The Greatest Danger.
THE greatest danger in underground ex-
ploration is from carbonic gas, and were it
not for the time honored test of the light
ed candle this would make the exploration
of subterranean passages almost impossi-
bic. 1t is Aecessary always to carry can
dies and to lest the air with them. For or
binary illuminat ton, however, | use either
electric lights fed by small storage batter
les or else a collapsible mica lantern which
| invented for this purpose. For ascend
ing or descending such heights as may be
encountered in the interior We carry very
light collapsible ladders made in sections
six or eight feet in length.
Perhaps the narrowest escape from
death that / have experienced in the
course of my exploring work occurred in
September. 1898. With a number Of COM
panlonS L entered the great cavern Of Par
dirac, which IS one of the most interesting
l have ever seen, containing, as it does, ex-
tenslVe lakes, a considerable river and
wonderful stala gmite formations. The pas
sage leading to the main cavern was mar
row one with g stream three feet in depth
Moving through 1t. When that was passed,
however. we found ourselves in lofty and
ay IA10- abr How,
lake containing picturesque stalagmite
islands near the center. We spread our
table and ate our luncheon on the shore of
this lake, and then launching our sail cloth
boat set out for further exploration. We
We're foolhardy to the extent of taking
three persons in the light boat, which was
intended for two only, but the glories which
unfolded themselves as we went on made
us oblivious of danger and also of the fact
that the stream coming from the direction
by which we had entered was steadily ris-
ing. That should have warned US, for there
had been signs of rain before we started
and any considerable rise in the water
would cut off our retreat.
AS a matter of fact were intent only
on what was before us and went on,
abandoning our telephone when We reached
the end Of the tape. From the opposite
side of the lake we found our underground
river flowing, and embarking on that we
followed it for long distance. Frequently
we encountered rapids around which we
had to carry the boat, but for the most
part our progress was easy
In Great Peril.
we had advanced more than mile from
the foot Of the opening and were three hun
dred feet underground when at the foot of
some rapids boat was overturned as
we were re-embarIling in it. We were
plunged into the water. fourteen feet in
depth and intensely cold but as we could
all swim we We're able to regain the shore
A 81 " he loss Of n,,st
OF our instruments and the Wetting of our
ma tches and candles.
we found few candles that had es-
capped the water, and after great troubIa
we managed to strike light with the flint
and collect a part of our scattered outfit.
We then observed. what we should have
noticed before that the water in the stream
was rising rapidly.
I'm fear lest we might be cut off, we
started back, but our progress was slow,
weighed down as were with our
drenched garments and compelled to drag
our boat and carry all our equipment on
our shoulders. 1t was a terrible trip and
the steadily increasing depth of the water
struck terror to our hearts. 1t made our
advance more difficult also. The rapids
which we had passed so easily on our en-
ter1ng journey we were now compelled to
toll through against the increasing current
up to our armpits in water carrying our
candles between our teeth and dragging
ourselves forward by means of the project
ing rocks along the side of the stream.
1T seemed an age before we again
reached the shores of our lake. As a mat
ter Of fact, 1t was about three and a half
hours Here we found new difficulty.
The stream flowing in from the entrance
had risen until there We're only few
inches of space between it and the top of
the passageway. 1t hazardous I'M
dertaking to pass through this rushing
stream, where we We're likely to be over
whelmed and drowned at any moment, but
delay was making escape impossible, so we
determined to attempt ii.
We were all men Of more than average
height, and by stretching our necks we
We're barely able to keep our noses above
the water through that seemingly intermin-
able trip, which was really only a matter
of forty yards. Half a dozen times we
went under at some depression in the bed
of the stream, but fortunately we kept our
footing and finally emerged just when our
companions were about to give US up as
lost. There had been a terrible rainfall
after entered the cave, and this was
what caused the water to rise so rapidly
Our companions were alarmed, but could
not warn US, as our communication was
cut off.
Narrow Escape.
''Withn half an hour after we emerged
the water had completely filed the passage
way and was swiring about the entrance
in a foaming whirlpool through which no
human being could have escaped.
This experience was useful to me- for It
taught me never to neglect any useful pre-
tiOii9 anu never " cut myself enDrely
off from the surface for long underground
Journeys. OF course, l have had accidents
from falling rocks, but these have never
been very serious. Once or twice [ have
been nearly overcome by gases, and L have
mad good many tumbleS and drenchings
But L have always been able to get off
without broken bones, and l have come to
the conclusion that if we use all necessary
precautions the work of psychologist is no
more hazardous than many other pursuits
that seem to be less fraught with danger"