New-York tribune., 1904-10-02

black image that. in the fickering Hight OF tho
torcbes resembles an Indian warriors head
strong nose, high cheek bones and deeply set
eyes stand out clearly from the shadows BE-
yond this is an avenue called Dead Man
Gulch" Uttered with coffin shaped bOWloeIs- *
opens into the Graveyard"
In uuexpected juxtapOsition is a great cham
ber which for another reason than ltS prOAiiii-
ity and order OF approach. has been hai"eu
Heaven" InnUmerable stalact1tess thlrUT "
sixty feet long, depend from its vaulted rooE
Between these hang smaller staiactltes' HoLh
which the light Of torches is reflected In tnou-
sand white points resembling twinkling stars
The sparkling; OF the myriad points OF light IN
the roof suggested the name
The steady drip. drip Of unseen springs ms
given rise to the name Dripping SPrihsS'
which has been bestowed upon an adjoining
chamber. Terminating the passage ledOiiAS
from Dripping Springs is a great hall contain
ing beautiful pile OF hundreds of stalagmltes
tntartu,,ned These form a mass which has been
named columbia Dome" In the queens
Drawing Room" beyond Is heard the roar OK
falling water AS the explorer passes across the
chamber, which is so high that the light from
his torch shines upon percepdbIe rOOI' the
roar grows louder and deeper in tone AV iasC q
gigantic room is reached. and IL is found thar
the sound does not proceed from one large water
fall. as supposed. but from hundreds OF srnau
cascades pouring from hidden assures In 'hs
walls.
Five miles from the mouth are the Crystal
Springs At this point the cavern is crossed
by a small lake. hip deep. which prevents FUR
ther progress for parties containing women Inc
cave has been explored six miles beyond THIS
point but the end was not found
A story is told OF a Frenchman who lost his
life near Dead Mans Gulch" sixty years ago.
He had entered the cave with friend ana the
two lost their way. The oil in their lanterns be-
came exhausted. and after searching many hours
! for an outlet the Frenchman said to his friend
Il am too weak to so any further, and as you
still have some strength left, leave me here and
try to find your way out" Placing the ex-
hausted Frenchman on one Of the many IedSes
of rock at this point. and placing red handker-
chief upon a neishboring bowlder. he set forth
to renew his search for the entrance. Time and
again he cut his hands the needle pointed
staIag1nites over which he fell in the darkness.
and at last. to his intense JOY. he saw streak
OF light gl.uting from a side wall and found
that he was approaching the entrance He
never had been so glad to see the approach OF
daylight before. Hardly had he passed from
the cave than he fell from exhaustion and slept
Toward evening he ayoke and Immediately or
ganized a searching party. Hall after hall was
searched. but no trace of the FrenchInan or
handkerchief could be found hunter from
Kaskaskia came to Red Bud one day saying that
while walking through part Of the cave he had
noticed a handkerchief lying upon one OF the
rocks. SuppOsing that some one had lost tt,
he picked il up and continued upon his tour OF
inspection. but becoming alarmed at the Greae
number OF halls and avenues turned back AS
surinG the men that he could take them to the
exact spot. they accompanied him After going
about "A mile he stopped and said; Here is
where l found the handkerchief" Then the
friend of the Frenchman, who was with the
party. pointed to OF the ledges and said:
There is where placed my friend" An exam
inatiOn of the ledge proved this. The missing
man found there dead