The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-09-27

furnish q field OF research Tor the
scientist and adventurer. While the
short space of one day was as long as
[ ever spent under ground, the con-
ditlons under which this enforced and
unpleasant journey was taken has
sufficed to satisfy any longing l may
have otherwise had for subterranean
explorations. The circumstance which
[ am about to relate occurred in
Southern Kentucky, near the head
waters of Barren River, twenty miles
south of Mammoth Cave.
In 1854 my father moved from
Virginia to Kentucky. where, with
the help of myself and brother, aged
respectively seventeen and fifteen
years, he had built q two-room log
house and cleared several acres of
land preparatory to planting crop.
The spring following our removal to
the new home was characterized by
great amount of rain, and conse-
quently much time was allowed us
for hunting Wild turkeys were nu-
merous, as were also deer and other
large and more dangerous game.
One morning about the 1st of May
awoke early and decided to go tur-
key shooting before daylight, while
the wary gobbler was still on the
roost Quietly taking the trusty
muskpt from the rack over the door
I made my way out of the house
without disturbing the other mem
bers of the family. Outdoors the
moon was shining brightly. and with
out difficulty / found and followed
the path that led down to the spring
and across the bottom to Barren
River Midway between the spring
and the river was narrow strip OF
hog wallow" land, so called from a
series of short undulations resemb-
ling the holes rooted out by hogs in
search of roots
On nearing the hog wallow" my
attention was attracted to what ap-
peared to be a black spot on the
ground and almost directly in the
path. Having been along the road
the evening previous 1 was at loss
to understand the cause of this phe-
nomonon, which in the uncertain
moonlight looked for all the world
like an immense splotch of ink. l ap-
preached cautiously and was almost
at the verge of what proved to be an
all but bottomless pit, when. without
warning and before l could recede q
step to safer footing, the point of the
earth on which | stood gave way and
1 was precipitated feet foremost
nj Wnnl1
never stop? l was not falling, bu,
sliding and rolling down a mud-lined
passage which dipped at an angle OF
forty-five degrees. However, such
was the impetus gained by my frs
plunge that | was shot down as from
catapault. Clutching wildly fol
some means to stay my mad figh
my hands would touch the sides o
the narrow shaft. and once SO small
was the opening that l stopped fo
an instant, but the loose earth givini
away dropped sheer downward
twenty feet into shallow pool o
water.
Dazed and half stunned by the fal
| sat or rather lay there several min
utes before my scattered senses coul
grasp all that had befallen me
Where was l and how far had fall
en-? For a few seconds l could hea
the rumble of dislodged earth as
followed me. but was caught In tn
small passage, finally shutting out a.
sound from above, barring escape b
that way. Then ] did what Nigh
have been expected of boy of m
age Frantic with fear | called lout
ly for help. The reyerberating echoe
OF my own voice told me was in on
OF those vast caverns with which tn
section of the State abounds.
With this discovery came reaso
and began to think.
| had often heard Bob Clary, I'll
old bee hunter, tell of the caves @
Lost Creek, where the bees mac
their nests. and l had seen the pi
on Blackburns Bluff, less than
mile from my fathers house. The
pits were more or less perpendicul
in depth, forty feet or more to Il
bottom and of irregular shape. II
walls of some of these could not
scaled by even the panther or will
cat, while others could with dit
Guilty be climbed. In some of the
had seen the bones of cattle al
sheep, showing where some maura
ing beast had held high carnival.
AS this all came to my mind | to-
courage. II my prison had an o,
let by way of the pits on Blackburn
Blum there was at least chance (
my rescue IL could ever reach the
knew It must be over half a mile
the bluffs, and that distance l m,
Srope In absolute darkness. on
there l could at least behold I
\ blessed light from above, and no
Tor rescue from some outside sour
Thus buoyed with hope 1 began
move cautiously forward on
hands and knees in the direction
what thought to be the larger p
OF the cave. Judging from the sour
emanating therefrom as / shout
from time to time.
The floor OF the cave was har.
most level and made ranid n
gress Losing some OF INV ttm,d
a. ! advanced / had arisen 10
teet and was walking without a,
Guilty had proceeded thus for mr.
ABLY quarter OF mila sssmin
1I.slu...u. =. i.