Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-12-23

hospitality was offered the travellers.
AT many of these towns brass bands
and men laden with fruit were on hand
to extend welcome. Three padres
Joined the party. Mr.. Stearns remarks
that there was no lack of padres and
little chance to go wrong with them
in the party.
San Geronimo, town near the
grotto, was the next station. Here
there were feasts, bands, padres and
presidents. When the party left the
latter place for the grotto they were
accompanied by all the local officers
and a party of 65 sight seers. lat the
mouth of the grotto the party was
counted as it entered to guard against
the possibility of leaving any behind
in the cave.
"The entrance to the grotto was
like the mouth of dragon, said Mr..
Stearns. "Just inside there were the
great stalactites hanging from the roof
and giant stalagmites rising from the
floor, forming great rows of teeth for
the great mouth and giving the one
who enters the feeling that he was be-
ing swallowed by this giant monster.
Each of our party had lighted
candle and when we passed from the
light of the entrance it made made
most weird procession. When we en-
tered the first great room we saw
most dazzling and bewildering sight
The room was of immense proportions
and was studded with crystalized stall
actites and stalagmites of the most
fnatastic and beautiful designs. Some
were of dazzling whiteness and others
were dark purple. There were also
great columns reaching from floor to
roof and as perfectly shaped as though
made for a Grecian temple. The floor
was solid mass of beautiful white
crystal. The roof was like the roof
of the Mormon tabernacle, only very
much higher and longer, but it arched
in much the same manner. All of the
roof was studded with the beautiful
stalactites, in many places they formed
great clusters like punches of flowers.
Fro this room we passed through a
narrow entrance into another room
called the pipe organ room. This i'm
ense room is about 8O0X1000 feet and
perhaps 200 feet high. On one side
is geat white column so futed that
it resembles a pipe organ. A native
crawled inside it and when when he
struck the pipes they gave forth res
onant sounds. Besides the organ is an
immense column SO feet high. Stairs
were found on the inside leading to
the top. This is called the pulpit. In
the center of the room is an altar sur
rounded by vessels which appear to be
very ancient. The place was evidently
once used as a place of worship. On
leaving the room we were forced to
pass over the face of a cliff 100 feet
high which we did by means Of a rope
ladder.
"We next entered a chhamber with
river running through it, Here we
found a number of old relics, among
them human bones. Other rooms
opened out of this. In one we found
pit which appeared to be bottomless.
Rocks thrown into it brought back
no echo. The room was as beautiful
as those we explored previously. We
/ finally entered a great room, the moor
of which sloped down for a distance
of 200 feet into a huge bowl, the sides
forming an ampitheatre. We spent
six hours in the grotto after which we
left for refreshments, which were we'll
earned. "
The balance of Mr.. Stearns letter
is descriptive of the country and the
agricultural conditions. In speaking Of
the thrift of the natives, Mr.. Stearns
says: "If we were to cultivate Wash
ington lands in the same way that
these are cultivated and practice the
same degree of frugality we could sup
port population of rs, 900, 900 people.
"A severe cold is working a great