The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-05-02

shark keeping guard outside and only
waiting for the rising of the tide to
enter and seize his victims Such
was the position in which the au-
thor and his companion found them
selves. What happened afterwards
is graphically told In the subjoined
narrative.1
was in San Francisco taking my
late employers advice--a rest. One
morning he had failed to meet his
liabillties-and me. He Just left q
clean pair of heels and little note.
The note advised me to follow his
seeding example, or remain and take
moneyless rest. | acted on the lat
ter; had to.
After a weeks very active crest "
my liabilities were sold to a newly
formed copper syndicate, "The San
Francisco and California Copper
Company. / was to accompany an
other gentleman as a surveyor on a
copper prospecting expedition in
Southern California.
That week one of the Pacific Mail
Company's boats---the City of Pan
anna, think--sailed for Mexico and
Peru, and in her we took berths. In
a few days we were dropped at Maza-
liant, a port on the west coast of
Mexico. From there we crossed the
Gulf of California to La Paz-an
idle-born, listless town, having then
but little, II any, excuse to offer for
a
some over-ripe Mexican "plugs"-a
species of quadruped, or, rather, ac-
tive volcano on four legs-to jolt us
into the mountains. I do not intend
to inflict upon the reader the results
of scientific expedition which had
for its object the examination of the
copper-bearirg rocks in that region;
let 1t suffice to say that during this
metal-chasing trip DR.. Butler, geo.
logist, of Chicago, and myself were
the unaspiring victims of a very
nerve-trying adventure, which .befell
us on the southwest coast of the Gulf
of California.
One sun-bathed morning fifty or
sixty miles south of La Paz, DR.. But
Ter and I found ourselves upon the
coast. He was examining and obtain
Ing specimens of basaltic and irachy-
tic rock. I accompanied him, ready
to take bearings and measurements
of the locality IL necessary.
We had just wended our way
around the foot OF BLUM and rocky
headland when we saw before us a
"U"-shaped inlet, rock-girt on three
sides. About $50 feet across al its
widest part, the cove penetrated sew
eral hundred feet into the rocky
coast. Precipitous were its sides and
sullen its outlines, but its deep and
sparkling waters looked cool and in
titing
In the blank and shrubless cliff
across the inlet we discerned the gap
ing mouth of cavern, with its lower
lip, to the extent OF few inches, ap-
pearing above the waters edge.
II shoul. like to examine the rock
formation of that cavern's interior, "
said the doctor, presently, half to
him Self and half to me. Then, after
a Y 1mentary pause, he added, "But
hgf@ the dickens are we to get there,
,(.5ailey?"
1t could be seen at glance that
there was no land approach to the
cavern. Neither was there any ma
terial around us with which to con-
struct raft. However, it needed no
sixth sense to solve the problem.
II guess there is only one way,
DOCTOR" said I, "and that is to
swim!"
Both of us were fairly good swim
mers and cared little for the watery
strecch tnat separated us from our
object; indeed, the project melted
within us great and pleasant expec-
tations. In tho overweening fit OF
enthusiasm that inspired us we con-
sidered danger o. every sort out
of the question. Accordingly. we
stripped, dived, and struck out with
all the vigor commensurate, with our
high spirits.
Up the other side we crawled, and
together prepared to enter tho dark
unknown. With my eyes attuned tc
business 1 noticed that the cavern
was about thirty feet long and
shaped like trumpet. Inside 1t was
about fifteen feet wide by six OF
seven feet high. Once we were wei
inside, the damp, salt-laden air, to-
gether with the half-lit shadow,
rocks, had a depressing effect upoI
my spirits. Next to a tomb, de
cided, 1t was the most uncomfortabl.
place in which had ever been.
However, in this ocean cubicle DR.
Butler pursued his Investigations fol
1t promised something tangible to ou
business hopes. Meanwhile, accout
red In the unobstrusive costume o
Adam, l squatted on the floor ant
watched him. He fitted from on,
one point to another with business
like zeal. Presently he commence,
to trace towards the entrance a sid
fissure In the rock. So intent was hi
mind on his task, and so glued wer
his eyes to the tissure, that he tool
little heed as to where and how h
placed his feet, with the unfortun
ate result that, moving quickly for
ward he stepped heavily upon
sharp conical point and lacerated on
OF his bare feet severely. Some o
the rocky scale penetrated the wound
and to wash this extraneous matte
from the cuts he limped to the cav
ern's mouth and bathed his bleedin
fOOf IN tha uatar ", urhiob tocJ~ ~