Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-01-14

One of the boys can lower the lantern
on a cord"
Il suppose it is safe enough and you
certainly are strong enough to come
up again. Well, try it."
The rope was fastened more firmly
to the oyerhanging tree trunk, which
measured perhaps four inches in diam
eter. Down went Shorty hand over
hand to the ledge. 1t is easy enough
to do down that way, but not at all
easy to come up hand over hand.
Drop the lantern farther DOWN." he
called up. Then he slipped over the
edge of the le0ge, which was nearly fiat
and about four feet in width, and went
on down the rope.
stop! Stop! Stop the light" he
shouted o "Helloa! Say! I'm
right over water. There are rocks off
to the side." We could see his light,
but not Shorty. The ledge hid him.
Presently his head emerged above it.
When he got his footing there, he said:
Pull your light up; it's not very
dark when you are down here. You
can't go down to the bottom of the
rope because it drops right in the mid
die of the water. But I think we can
climb down from this ledge. I'll try
it first"
He found large crannies in the rock
and that it was easy to reach the level
of the water, and that from its shore
went quite a large chamber with a
level floor covered with dry mud. The
roof, or ceiling, varied in height from
three to ten feet.
Shorty climbed up again to the level
of the ledge and said: Come on
down. After you reach this ledge you
can go farther easily. There's a fine
ave below"
; The professor went down first, the
lantern and tools were taken along,
and soon we were all gathered in the
rocky chamber. 1t was not long be-
fore we had explored every corner and
crevice of the whole cave.
Professor, is that a spring." asked
one, pointing to the pool of water.
II think not" answered the pro-
lessor. IL can see no outlet, and the
surface has a Shiny appearance. 1t is
not fresh water"
"Then how did it get here, pro-
fessor?"
Partly through the opening above.
I judge that a large portion Of the
hillside drains into this hole. Notice
this dry mud we are standing on and
all the dry sticks in it. The water
must have been above this level, and
as it evaporated this was deposited.
And notice the water-lines on the
sides. That must be high-water mark
up there" He pointed to a horizontal
line running round just above our
heads. "That is foul, stagnant water.
Don't touch it."
Question after question was put,
which was just what the professor
wanted. The character of the rock, the
probable cause of the cave stalactites
and stalagmites, all were discussed.
We lowered a hammer tied to a cord
and found the pool IA feet and four
inches deep at the side.
While this was going on Jim Har-
land said it would be more romantic
to have a fire, and accordingly we built
one over in a Granny at one side. 1t
was a big pile. We succeeded in max
ing quite a blaze, but the draft was
poor and the cave began to fill with
smoke.
"Put that fire Quit" commanded the
professor. Everybody rushed to do SO,
and there was a hilarious scramble in
scattering the sticks. AS luck would
have it, some of the burning brands
fell into a crevice where they could
not be reached, and there they ignited
something, probably leaves, that gave
off smoke profusely.
Throw water on i'll" yelled some
one, but we had no pail.
Shorty used his hat to carry water to
it, but more and more it smoked.
Boys, we must get out of here as
quickly as we can, or we shall be suf-
located. Get up to that ledge as fast
as you can," said the professor.
There was a mad rush up to the
ledge. The first boy up was Jim Har-
land. He tried to Gimp the rope, but
could. not. He frantically persisted.
Another boy tried to take it from him,
saying: "Give it to me! I can go up!"
81 won't! l won't!" shrieked Jim, in
a panic.
"There isn't a boy here except Shorty
that can go up hand over hand!" and
Shorty was not trying to take the rope,
although the smoke was almost suffo-
eating.
This is bad!" said the professor.
II thought all of you boys could climb
a rope. | wouldn't have let you come
down otherwise. Clough, you try it
first to show them how"
Professor" said Shorty, 81 might
run to the farfa for a ladder, but it
would take too long. I'll go up, and
the fellows that can climb can follow
me. Then I'll pull the rest up"
"Well, up you go, Clough, but be
very careful"
Shorty grabbed the rope and was up
in a trice. No other boy tried to climb.
So Shorty braced himself at the edge,
with his arms over the trunk of the
tree and his breast leaning on it, and
called to lis that he was ready. The
position was a very awkward one, but
by exerting all his strength he dragged
us up hand over hand, one at a time.
The worst difficulty was swinging the
first boy, Jim Harland, at the mouth
Of the pit, SO as to get him ashore"
but after two were up they easily
dra ppad the othare To tho adon