Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-28

from throwing away lives " in these UNEMPLOYED
abysses in the earth.
Bringing up the rear of our cave-exploring caravan
come couple of bullock wagons laden with our
somewhat elaborate paraphernalia. This includes
ropes of silk and hemp, rope ladders, colapsib1e
boats, crowbars pickaxes hatchets poles, portable
BEDS sacks, baskets of provisions Photographic
apparatus telephones and candles.
Often enough we have been taken for travelling
circus and the village policeman has sternly asked
proprietor" whether l had the Mayors
license Arrived at the mouth, l drive in some iron
crowbars at the surface and put up rope fence,
keep back the inqusitive natives. These are always
a nuisance-a danger to themselves and us.
Sometimes they that devil lives at the
bottom of the abyss Many times has he been heard
and occasionally If persevere with my niqui-
tous Investigations, am told he will have me body
and soul. Once in Spain an old peasant woman
when told her had spent fortune in the scientific
exploration of caves she replied pityingy: We'll,
well, there are fools of all sorts!'
The next thing to be done is to fasten a weight
to line This weight may be a cannon-bal1 weighing
six pounds it is less likely to catch
a ledge. With this measure the depth. To do
this correctly needs great experience for often there
is pyramid forty fifty feet high at the bottom of
the pit formed of stones that have been washed down
by storms.
Then lower the required length of rope ladder,
and prepare to descend l put on a strong webbing
sash the right shoulder and across the body,
and belt of the same material Each has iron
ring A long, thin but strong rope passes through
these rings and is fastened to a stout stick upon
which sit. If the mouth of the pit is small, lay
planks across it and rig up a windass, but
usually we have five or six men to pay out the rope,
under the direction of trusty assistant of my
| a mining suit with plenty of pockets. |
need these for take down with spare telephone
receiver, whistle horn six large candles, several
candle-ends some magnesium wire and a wooden
clip to hold it, matches too, and flint and steel,
flask of rum, several cakes of chocolate, a hammer
two knives, plumb-ine, yard measure two
thermometers two barometers, some pencils, and a
block-note with a compass fastened to corner.
Lastly, and important, is my nedicine-case contain
ing arnica collodion perchlorde of iron, eau de
n6lfSSe ammonia, laudanum cottonwood and tape
bandages. l omit Armenian paper, for the
peasants often throw of dead animals down
the pits to the trouble of burying the and the
odor is intolerable.
Thus provided l begin the descent. Being in a
sort of cradle, cannot very well fall in fact have
sometimes gone down without the rope ladder when
the walls of the pit jagged but the motion is
unpleasant, as you spin round and round and grow
sick and gddy. The principal danger is from falling
stones which detached by the rope the ladder
and pet all the time pull out all the big
meet the way and throw them down Every few
yards stop and telephone to the surface
At first did not the telephone, but now always
do for the loudest shout cannot be heard than
few yards and the sound of the whistle horn
does not travel far Once sent my foreman Louis
Armand down pit of no great depth, and we heard
signal from him, though whistled and blew
horns After two hours waiting went down, expecting
find him dead, but he all right, and had shouted
up to till he was hoarSe. Ever since then l never
allow anyone to go down without telephone.
When l reach the bottom, take a look round, and
if the cave is small and of interest up in
few minutes. If it is large and interesting, my
friend Gaupllat comes down, Louis Armand,
I'll fof