Smyrna times., 1900-04-04
IGRAND GULF CAVERN
A GREAT CAVE THAT is IN SOUTH
WESTERN MISSOURI.

Ordinary COurnge-The Story of
Their PerilOus Journey.
Southwest Missouri is full of strange
earth formations that are called mat
urar' curiosities in spite of their un-
naturalness. The earth is full of caves
and sink holes. One of the most cele-
brated of these is the Grand Gulf, in
Oregon county, about four miles from
Koshkonong 1t is q sort of canyon,
In shape not unlike horseshoe and /
serves the purpose of a drainage bed
in the wet season for - mile area of
hills. The canyon is 900 feet deep, with |
a natural bridge in one place and a
subterranean lake and river that opens
at one end. The river only exists dur
ing the wet season, for the earth at
the bottom of the canyon is porous
and absorbs the water. The lake, how
ever, is full the whole year round.
This cave, containing the subter-
ranean river and lake, had never been
explored to the end till the summer of
1885, when Pat Foley. saloon keeper
from Thayer, with a companion per-
formed the exploit. Foley had made
two trips before into the cave, but had
not been able to secure a companion
courageous enough to persevere in the
enterprise. Each man had weakened
and returned before the end of the
cave was reached. On the third trip,
however, Foley had with him a man
of courage.
The entrance to the cave is wide and
deep. The bed is of broken stones, over
which trickles a tiny stream of water
in the dry season. A hundred feet in
side the cave the entrance suddenly
narrows into hole so small that
man must get on hands and knees to
pass through. Beyond this narrow hole
the entrance widens into large grottO.
There is a steep hill to climb; next the
hill descends sharply into a lake. To
penetrate to the end of this lake it was
necessary to have boat so small that
it could be dragged through the narrow
passage into the grotto.
Foley and his companion built boat
of suitable size and hauled it through
the narrow entrance. They took with
them also n long coil of rope, quanti-
ty of MATCHES, some railroad lanterns
and four torches with cotton wadding
ON the ends soaked in kerosene. The
cave of course is perfectly dark. The
men used their lanterns till they got
through the narrow place, but to their
amazement the lantern flames inside
the grotto slowly grew dim and finally
went out. They tried to light them
again, but the sulphur of the matches
would flare up only to be eXtinguished
Immediately. The reason of this was
that the atmosphere was exceedingly
damp and heavy.
The men succeeded in lighting the
four kerosene torches, and graSping
one of them in each hand they made
their way down the slope to the lake
and stood the torches up between the
rocks. The torches smOldered like hot
Goals, giving out very little flame. The
boat was dragged down to the lake, the
torches fastened at the PROV and stern
one end of the rope tied to a bowldeI
and the rest of the coil thrown in the
boat. When the two men sat down in
the frail craft they found the water
rose to within three inches of the gun
wales. 1t was impossible to use oars
without tipping the boat far enough tC
sink it, so the men were forced to pad
die cautiously with their hands.
They forced the little craft into th'
unknown lake, the smoldering torches
lighting up the blackness for only
few feet around them. Outside it wa
warm summer day, they knew, bu
inside it was like a closed refrigerator
all blackness and dampness and colo
The water of the lake was ice colo
and at every few dips they had to sto
and warm their hands. There wa
nothing to be seen on any side-nOtl
ing but darkness. No sound coul
penetrate the cavern. If the boa
should capsize-as it was likely to d
with the slightest disturbance-the
would be cramped in minute in tn
cold water without a chance of hel
from the outside.
After long and tedious padding I'll
boats PROV was suddenly buried in
bank of mud and gravel. Foley too
a torch and stepped out cautiously
his rubber boots into the mud. Il
found he had come to the end Of IL
lake and that a sharply inclined wa
of rock rose before him. The saloC
keeper climbed up the wall about
feet above the lake searching for
continuance of the cavern. But
could find none. Apparently the ca
ern ended there. He returned to Il
boat, where his companion sat. II
two men made their way across Il
lake and out through the narrow pla
in safety They had been gone
hour, and their friends outside had |
gun to fear an accident had happen
to them.
So far as people know, the cave in t
Grand Gulf has no outlet. The lndii
traditions about the cave are that
was a subterranean waterway mu
used at one time by boatmen, w
used to carry provisions in boats to
Arkansas valley. If this be true, I
river must have hepn stODDed up ma