Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-11-05
MAMMOTH HOLE IN GROUND
WITH MYSTERIOUS DIVISIONS.
WEIRD midland LEGENDS
Picturesque Stone Entrance-Vauted
Chambers Sparkle With Crystals
and Delicate Scroll Work Shin
mers Like Frost-One of the Great
Cavern of the Globe.


cred in the heart of the Providence
mountains, southeastern California,
which is named the Gave OF the Gil
ants" and rivals in splendor ANA
beauty other renowned cayerns of the
globe, if graphic descriptions are to be
credited.
George l.. Berg, who discovered the
cave and explored its recesses, has
taken up his residence in Seattle. 1t
was Mr. Berg's love Tor scenic beauty
which took HIM into the Providence
mountains.
Looking across the Fo Shea pass
from Goldstone camp every evening al
sunset there are outlined on the face
OF the immense limestone cliffs that
form the northern wall OF the pass two
giant masks, formed by the contour OF
the rocks and the evening shades.
One face has the pose of a bearded
giant, with his head and eyes closed
in slumber. The other face is that OF
a low-browed, sallow checked and
sullen Moor, with scraggy chin beard
and mustache, gazing vacantly into
space The great limestone cave
which has just been explored is un-
derneath and back of these sentinels.
The existence of the cave was re-
vealed to MIR. Berg by an aborlgine
known as Indian joe" who lived on
the west slope of the Providence
range. BY markings on the ground he
vividly described the entrance leading
to great depths, where winged mon
sters lived. Describing his exploration
OF the cave with Charles Staubin, Mr..
Berg said:
I'VE found the cave as Indian Joe
had described it. Great spire-like
peaks stand above the entrance, cast
ing long, dark shadows down the
precipitous sides of the canyons. It
was long, hard climb to the large
balcony at the entrance to the cave,
which oyerhangs deep canyon.
Our first trip was stopped by
Geclivities we dared not attempt to
descend without ropes and graphing
hooks, but we saw enough to prompt
q second expedition.
The Sunday following our first
visit Staubin and l, accompanied by
my wife, who is an expert mountain
climber returned to the cave, pre-
pared to see more of it. This time
we were equipped with hooks and
ropes and an abundance of candles,
and fashlight camera
1--WE wound our way through one of
the several Corridors distance of
hundreds of feet, coming on main
hall or grotto that leads due south
The last rays of daylight were soon
left behind, and with miners candles
in our hands we went down a gradual
slope
THE floor was rough and sharp
edged crystals of lime ground beneath
our feet and cut our shoes. The roof
soon disappeared from view and the
walls, too, but they reappeared again
further down to the width and height
of an ordinary door, bringing us out
en- what appeared to be a small bal
NOhg Sul ullll llSlllS GNSulSu llhS d
mockery in the gloom that hung about
us like a pail.
But we were not the only living
things. Attracted by our lights,
shadowy forms crcled around our
heads We felt the flap of their wings
before we discerned the dim outlines
of the bats. These were the EVIL
spirits that had scared Indian Joe
and drove him from the cave. The
squeals of the startled creatures re-
yerberated through the grotto. The
echo of our own voices sounded like
the clang of broken bells and gave us
more of start than the screams Of
the bats
I'VE took soundings of the place by
dropping peoples to see how far we
would fall If we should step into the
dark depths below. We then threw
stones in every direction, and came to
the conclusion that the cavern had the
proportions of vast cathedral
I'VE retraced our steps and found
a winding stairway that took us down
to the floor Of the great grotto which
we. had just left. No cathedral ever
had richer carvings or more beautiful
~ tinted walls than, this dark cave
Strange serrentine forms Of petrifed
SNAKES and lizards OF divers kinds
were incrusted in the walls of what
resembled beds Of delicately tinted
moss, H .auaa .. la
High mosaics or design and pattern
as regular as If fashioned by man
after some geometrical plan covered
walls and pillars Above us hung
great stalactites Of snowy Wilderness.
resembling huge ieicles
We thought Of the museum of the
ruleraof Siam The statues take many
and grotesaue forms. We found many
strange shapes. carved. as. II we're.
by the hand OF nature out OF trans.
lucent stone A candle thrust into a
small chamber Of the vast grotto re-
yealed frost-like tracery OF crystals