The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-03

tHEouSh ana Is not easily torn Dy con-
tact with the rocks. / wear hat of wax
ed leather which 1 have found to be the
best protection against falling pieces OF
rock.
My Jacket contains as many pockets as
1t can accommodate, and in these / carry
small hammer, my signal whistle
matches, a flask of rum, a flint and a
steel and candles, while the repair bag
slung over my shoulder contains an extra
telephone receiver q use portable tele-
phone for communicating with the sur
face, cords. plumb line, a thermome-
ter and barometer, medicines and ban
dages 10 be used In case of accidents a
compass, knives, instruments and a few
provisions.
This is rather an extensive equipment
for one man 10 carry, but everything is
made as light and compact as possible.
II the cavern to be explored is an extern
sive one, of course it is necessary for me 10
take a number of companions. In such
cases we usually take along a collapsibie
boat for navigating such lakes and streams
as we may encounter, sacks and craving
tools for securing specimens, iron weights
and sounding apparatus. Thus equipped
we are prepared to travel almost any dis
lance that the windings of the subterra-
mean passages may lead us and If we have
sufficient supply of telephone tape we
can keep in constant communication 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
lighted candle this would make the explo-
ration of subterranean passages almost
impossible. 1t is necessary always to car
ny candles and to test the air with them
For ordinary illumination, however, use
either electric lights fed by small storage
batteries or else a collapsible mica Ian
tern which l invented for this purpose
For ascending or descending such nights
as may be encountered in the interior we
carry very light col,apsible ladders made
in sections six or eight feet in length.
Perhaps the narrowest escape from
death that l have experienced in the course
of my exploring work occurred in Septem-
Der, 1895. With a number of companions
l entered the great cavern of Pardirac
which is one of the most interesting 1 have
ever seen, containing, as Ii does, extensive
lakes. a considerable river and wonderful
stalagmite formations. The passage lead
ing to the main cavern was a narrow one
with stream three feet in depth flowing
through it.. When that was passed, how
ever, we found ourselves in a lofty and
extensive chamber with a large circular
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 were fooihardy to the extent of TAX
ing three persons in the light Osgood 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 en-
tered was steadily rising. That should
have warned u.s. for there had been signs
of rain before we started. and any con-
IL 10 nVrk
our retreat
"As a matter Of fact we were intent only
on what was before us and went on, aban-
doning our telephone when we reached
the end of the tape. From the opposite
side of the lake we found our under
ground river flowing, and embarking on
that we followed 1t for a 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.
1--WE had advanced more than a mile
from the foot of the opening and were 300
feet underground when at the foot of
some rapids our boat was overturned as
we We're re-embarkng in 1t. We were
plunged into water fourteen feet in depth
and intensely cold, but as we could all
swim, we were able to regain the shore.
A more serious matter was the loss of
most of our instruments and the wettng
of our matches and candles.
I'VE found a few candles that had es-
capped the water, and after great trouble
we managed 10 strike light with the flint
and collect a part of our scattered out
fit. 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 we were with our drench-
ed 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
entering journey we were now compelled
to toll through against the increasing cur
rent, up to our armpits in water, carrying
our candles between our teeth and drag
ging ourselves forward by means of the
projecting 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, it was about three and a half
hours. Here we found a new difficulty
The stream flowing in from the entrance
had risen until there were only a few
inches of space between 1t and the top
of the passageway. 1t was a hazardous
undertaking to pass through this rush
ing stream, where we were likely to be
overwhelmed and drowned at any moment,
but delay was making escape impossible,
so We determined to attempt it.
I'VE were all men of more than average
hight and by stretching our necks we were
barely able to keep our noses above the
water through that seemingly interminabIe
trip which was really only matter of
forty yards. Half 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 rain.
fan after we entered the cave and this
was what had caused the water to rise so
rapidly. Our companions were alarmed.
but could not warn us, as our communi-
cation was cut off.
Narrow Escape.
within half an hour after we emerged
the water had cnr1nLlatal,. ana A. -.