Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
Where Speleologists Garry on Their
Investigations,
EXPLORING UNDERGROUND PASSAGES
That Are Often Attended
With Great Peril.
A TALK WITH NJ. MARTEL

Written for The Evening Star
1t Is no uncommon thing for professional
men In Europe to adopt some scientific
hobby as a means of diversion and quite
apart from their regular work. Few of
them, however, have hit upon an occupa-
ton so unique as the one to which Nj.
Martel of Paris devotes his leisure time NJ.
Martel is q prominent and talented lawyer
during nine months of the year. During
the remaining three he is an enthusiastic
devotee of the comparatively new science
of speleology.
Speleoogy, IN its scientific aspects, at
least, has never received much attention
in America, so 1t may be we'll to define the
term at the outset. Briefly, 1t may be said
to comprise the study of the natural re-
cesses of the earth's interior-of caves and
underground streams and caverns. To use
NJ. Martels expression, It mountain climb
ing reversed, and in his opinion 1t Is
much more valuable and fascinating en-
ployment than the scaling of heights.
NJ. Martel is by no means the only :x-
ponent of the new science, although he is
perhaps the most prominent one. In Paris
it has interested a sufficient number of per-
sons to lead to the formation of a society,
the ''Societe de Speleologie," which has
been in existence for some time. NJ. Martel
is its secretary. The society holds frequent
sessions, publishes a review devoted to the
cause of underground exploration and in
summer sends out exploring parties. In
Austria, too, there are numerous clubs or
Ganized for the purpose of cave exploration,
and there are a few underground explorers
in every continental country.
No doubt the Psychologists themselves
would object to the description Of their ia
vorte pursuit a hobby. They insist that
1t should be regarded as a dignified and
important branch Of human research and
he
1t has achieved rs well as to its additions
to the general human stock of scientific
knowledge.
Saved II Town From Typhoid.
One of the most important of these prac
teal achievements was accomplished in
Hungary two years ago under the direction
OF NJ. Martel. A terrible epidemic Of ty
phoid fever ragged through a number Of
towns in the interior, carrying off a great
mGny persons. 1t seemed impossible to de-
tect the source Of the pestilence, though il
was believed to be due to some hidden pol
luton of the water supply.
NJ. Martel was summoned and undertook
an investigation to discover if possible the
source Of the trouble The region was one
of limestone formation and contained many
wells circular pits extending to a great
depth in some instances. 1t was the Gus
tom among the farmers to throw the car
casses of dead animals and other undesir-
able refuse into these wells. Although
none of them existed at the Immediate
source of the water supply Of the fever
stricken village, which was carefully
guarded, NJ Martel found number on q
plateau some two or three miles away.
and by descending into them he established
the fact that they communicated directly
with the underground streams and springs
that fed the water reservoirs.
The result of this discovery led not only
to the abatement of the fever in this par
tcular district but also to the enactment
Of riVprOnS laws fnrhiI6iOp tba 2
dead animals into the limestone wells The
result has been reduction of the death
rate from infectious diseases through d
considerable portion Of central Hungary.
NJ. Martel is the pioneer among those
who have taken up speleology as a serious
study. His interest in the subject dates
back to 1888. According to his own ac-
count he was attracted to it during visit
to Causes in southern France, which is
a district of wonderful tissures and under
ground Caverns. This beginning interested
him in the subject to such an extent that
he has devoted all his leisure time to it
since then and has explored underground
regions in nearly every European country.
During the past summer he visited a num-
Der of the submerged lakes and streams
of Ireland, which country IS remarkable
for the variety of its underground wonders
as for the beauty of its surface scenery.
The Really Unknown.
"The subject" said NJ. Martel, in discuss
ing his favorite occupation in the course
of his Irish trip, sis one that grows upon
a person. 1t contains all the mystery and
fascination Of the completely unknown.
One never can tell what he may find just
before him. Dangerous2 Well, sometimes.
l have had some close calls, as you say.
But If one is ordinarily cautious it is not
more dangerous than other kinds of eX-
plOratiOn.
There is a general opinion that cave ex-
ploraton must be very dirty and unpleas-
ant work. OF course, we must expect some
times to get drenched or smeared with
mud or to meet offensive doors. But on
the other hand there are wonderful and
beautiful sights to behold. One finds re-
markable e.rottOeS with StalagmiteS and
staactites that dazzle the eye under the
reflection of the torches as a cave of da-
monds might do. Think of spreading ones
table and taking luncheon in such a spot,
perhaps by the side of a clear, silent, un-
ex plored underground lake. There are the
wonderful and interesting forms of blind
fauna and strange flowers which one some
times encounters. For instance, on my re-
cent trip to MitchelstoWn, Ireland, in the
great cave there, which is mile and
quarter in extent L found several new
species There Is the joy of floating swiftly
along some underground river far below the
surface on which one knows no other hui
man being has ever passed. Altogether the
psychologist need not lack for delights to
compensate his dangerous or unpleasant
experiences. The only other pursuits TO
which this may be compared are mountain
climbing or the exploring of unknown sur
face regions, and to my mind my work Is
more interesting than either of these"
In the course of his sixteen years of ex-
pcrience NJ Martel has developed an elab-
crate equipment for use In underground
exploration. When he sets out on an I'M
portant trip his outfit is so extensive that
in the little country towns his wagon load
of tents and tackle and rope ladders some
times causes him to be mistaken for a trav-
cling Snowman
How to Go Underground.
IF one wishes to do any extensive
amount of underground exploration" says
NJ. Martel, at is necessary to have spe-
cial outfit. Most underground caverns are
reached by nearly perpendicular descents
from the surface These are usually mar
row and rough and frequently more or less
choked with debris. Therefore the first
thing necessary Is a system of ropes for
scaling the precpitous descents. The ropes
that | use are two-thirds of inch in d.
ameter 1t is necessary to make them large
and strong, otherwise they would be frayed
out by contact with the sharp edges of the
rocks and might give the explorer a fall
i -.li,a