The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
ROPE LADDER RESEARCHES.
A Sort of Cave Exploration That Requires
n Good Deal of Muscle.

Under the inspiration OF f. A. Martel. who
10 now the most famous OF cave explorers, the
lovers OF this sort OF research are developing
great enthusiasm for diving into the depths
OF the earth. Within the past two years Mr.,
Martel, who has done far more than any other
man to fiId out all about the many caves of
France. has been engaged In subterranean
explorations in Algeria and England: and the
crowd Of cave hunters who have followed his
example and methods are diving iato every
underground opening they can find and have
brought to light scores of caverns in the lime
stone regions Of France. They have formed
the Societe de Speleologie and publish the re-
suits OF their underground wanderings in the
quarterly magazine S%peluncd. which. from
cover to cover. contains nothing that does not
relate to caves.
Not a few Of the French caves show no ex-
ternal evidence of their existence save n hole
in the level surface Of the ground. often so
small that a man could not possibly fall
in the underground that ii has never been dis.
covered until quite recently. A peculiarity Of
many OF these openings Is thai instead OF, Civ
may make his way; as at our Mammoth Cave,
there is nothing but, air beneath. them ard
ing for hundreds of feet before it would touch
TIE q mo 19or rr Of the he easeTn: II takes a good deal
abysses.
There are two ways Of making this gloomy
trip and one Of them requires not only nerve.
but an unusual amount of physical strength.
In this case the, explorer depends almost Who'll
and the "scent. in " the Other ""' The IN" muscle nesSen %f
his comrades is called into service to lower and
much fatigue. If the man intends to depend
upon his own muscles he requires a rope lad
ment Of every cav. hunter who exuects to in.
y,estlgate any o., TINS class OF openings. The
distance from the opening to the boltom is
and then the rore ladder is lowered. and after
securely fastening It at the upper end the ex.
cannot easily Be disrlacs ed u" Two "ea" or th pSa
tend TO the orders they may receive from the
explorer. Attached to his waist Is q little tel.
t. recelve I the n messages : : %s over o II and mo i t1 r MneH nu Is
the cord or take. IN the slack as the circum-
stances require. The telephone cord is usually
Which is rare rarely 't over t? s50 feet .n"h IN 'I Iene !tihn''ITi
has been found that IN almost all cases This
pl9rer on the floor Of the cavern.
i Is not SO very difficult 10 descend this
OF an athlete to accomplish the other feat OF
perrendiculhr stair climbing on the swaying
tiipIss iub, s r%pe rests rsats are re-, ne e fiItl try van ana so I'm
the, wal, OF the abyss. or a shelf is found on
which the explorer sits down to regain his
The other. method Of making the descent In
lar ensier for the explorer. He Is scented at
the end of the rope. which is sloTly lowered
~ his comrades. In one ,hnnd hr holds his
lantern. while he manages The telephone trans
mitter with the other. There is not much IA
tigue. but. strange as il may seem. most cave
explorers apIeSr to prefer to use.the ladder. F.!
though sometimes they are over nm hour in
ascending 10 the surface. !
The successful cave explorer nowadays is
usually able to retrace his stems in the dark re-
ceases which he il u ploring and it very seldom
occurs that one Of them IL NOT able 10 return !
without a blunder, This is more than one Wis.
itor in a thousand to Luray Cave il able 10 do. |
The guide there usually gives anyone who
wants the privilege q chance TO conduct the
party back 10 the entrance and usually after
three or four turns In the right direction the
pilot branches on on some path that would
lead him hopelessly astray IL the guide did not
him again On the right road.