The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-03


proved to be, tenderly embraced each
other, then the other two.
A small amount Of food was given TO
each, which they eagerly devoured.
The horses were then brought around
and they were motioned to mount. They
seemed to be filled with terror at the
sight of the horses and could not b,,
induced to approach them. 1t was
afterwards learned that they had never
seen one before. At last out of all
patience. we seized hold of them and
by main strength placed them on the
horses, while we retained hold of the
brides and led the horses into camp
shortly after dark.
supper being ready, we gathered
around. greatly rejoiced that our ex-
pedition to the cavern had been sue
cessful In restoring Billy to us. What
to do with the other inmates that we
had resuscitated and brought bacl;
with us was a question that puzzled
us. We gave them portion of our
supper and blankets for beds. A guard
was posted as usual to keep watch
through the night while the rest of us
slept.
AS the sun appeared over the noun
tain top the next morning, we were
greatly surprised to see our friends.
whom we had rescued, kneel and, plac-
ing their hands over their faces, bow
their heads down to the earth and re-
main In that position for some time,
muttering to themselves. See" said
Charles. they are sun worshippers."
Professor Smith, as we have preyi-
Ously stated, was a linguist and could
speak twenty-four different languages
and dialects. After breakfast he set
ABOUT the task Of trying to converse
with them, and to learn something
about their history. He met with much
dlinculty, but persevered until the end
OF the third day, when he was able to
understand them quite WELL
Their story. briefly told, was some-
thing like this: They belonged to the
! cliff dwellers and lived about half n
days travel to the west. The people of
Whom they were part We're quite
numerous, but in recent years had been
decimated in wars with the red man,
who sought to exterminate them in
order to possess the country in which
| they lived. Many bloody battles had
been fought and it was question who
would succeed in the end. Their people
| We're not warlike people and only
| Fought to protect their homes and
| wives and children. The spring at
| which we were camped had been
| known to their people for many GEN.
turtles. Its wonderful power of renew
ing life and making an old person look,
| feel and act like a young person had
been guarded with the greatest jeal-
| Ousy for fear that some other nation
| might overpower them and take pos
session of it. The penalty for reveal
| ing the secret to another tribe had been
invariably the most horrible torture
| that could be inflicted. The old the
| sick and the infirm of a branch of their
| people, who lived many moons travel
| to the southeast, near the great waters
| made frequent journeys to their people
| to be healed.
The Sun, the great father of their
people. had given them this spring
when their nation was as numerous as
| the leaves in the forest, and had pos.
| sessed all of the land. A great plague
| had spread over the land and killed Oft
| their people by the thousand. 1t was
| then that they Frustrated themselves
| before the Sun for many days. He at
last heard their cries and caused this
spring to burst forth from the earth,
where none had existed before, giving
it all Of the healing powers that it now
| possessed. Then came the red man and
killed many of their people, and for
| fear that they might discover and pos
| sess this water. they caused 1t to be so
artfully concealed that one might have
walked over it without knowing that
| it was here.
when we last saw it, it was so con-
| cealed Who has uncovered it so that
You people have discovered it?" they
| asked. Surely we have not slept In
| the cavern more than a day? When
we entered the cavern we were in
search of nuts; and are they not in
| season now? A violent storm came up
and seeking shelter by the rock, we
| noticed crevice and crawled through
into the chamber. The thunders hit
| ting the rock. made it settle down, so
that we could not see out. Becoming
thirsty, we found the water in the
chamber and drinking. lay down and
slept until you people walked us up"
They We're one family. The fathers
name was Zoheka, the sons name was
Wahkena, and the daughters, Karna
When the professor had finished CIV
ing a sketch of their history, Charles
| said: 1T must be very plain to all
| thal the water the cavern mas the
| marvellous power of suspending anima-
| ton and makes any one who drinks IL
| appear like one that Is dead. There Is
| no telling how long these people have
| lain in the cavern. / am inclined to
believe that great many years have
| passed since they entered 1t. We have
| one very important duty to perform
before we leave this locality and that
| Is to wall up the entrance, so that no
| traveller in the future may partake of
it's baneful influence"
Yes, we will do that" replied the
| professor, "for we, no doubt, have dis
| covered two of the most valuable
springs on the continent, If not in the
whole world. The water in the cavern
| will become very popular with physl-
clans who have difficult surgical opera
tions to perform, as it would leave no
bad effect. Animation being suspended
in the patient, it is probable that very
little blood would be lost during the
operation, even should it last several
hours. The water from the last spring
| when we have opened 1t up to the pub
lie will be worth nearly it's weight I'm
gold, and will be more valuable to us
than all the mineral in this whole
range of mountains"
CHAPTER w.
Visiting the Cliff Dwellers' Home.
THE professor found Wahkena and