Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-12

and moved about among the people, asking every
one met if there cave in the vicinity.
MANY persons that we spoke to laughed at us.
and one man asked us if we were hunting treasure.
His remark disguised Our inquiries failed to
elicit any information of cave, and after a long,
tedious trip we reached Louisville and, far
knew. were no nearer Wyandotte's cave than we
were when at home.
1--WE seemed so far away from Cincinnati that
felt like returning but after discussing the mat
ter in all its phases concluded to take another
boat and go still farther down the river for four
days journey. If, at the end of that time. we
learned nothing of cave we should make way
back Cincinnati, and should at least have had the
pleasure of the river voyage.
After leaving Louisville Our boat stopped at
several settlements but we learned encourag-
ing until one day we drew up at little nest
of houses the north side of the river. twenty or
thirty miles below Louisville. We had asked SO
many questions about that we had grown to
expect negative answer; but at the settlement OF
which l have just spoken we were told that there
large cave six or eight miles to the north and
east.
WE were almost overcome by the sudden,
v" expected Joy, and hurried back to the boat to
fetch our guns
I'VE remained at the settlement day or two
before found anyone that could direct us to
the cave; but we at last discovered old man
who told us to 60 north till came to creek
and to follow it for six miles till reached
the third house on the south side OF the creek. We
should then be in the neighborhood of the cave, he
said and would be able to learn its exact location
He had never been there; but he had heard from
others that the creek three four miles north
of the Ohio River, and that the seven
miles to the east.
'Balser and 1 bought provisions sufficient to
last us two weeks shouldered our guns and started
out to hunt for Wyandotte's cave, having not the
shadow of doubt in our minds that we should
find it.
I'VE started out one morning early, and, after
climbing some very impracticable hills reached
the creek and then turned eastward. following its
winding course. After several hours very hard
work. we came to the third cabin the south side
of the creek. We entered and asked the usual
questions concerning the We had propounded
them so often that we knew them by rote and spoke
them out a parrot speaks
"A woman at the house told us to go south, to
cross two hills and two ravines and on the north
side of the third hill she said she thought should
find cave She not cave was there;
but she had been told that runaway negroes from
Kentucky sometimes hid in a that said
to be in the heart of the hill She told that they
called the hill Niger Hill
The woman invited to stay for dinner, and
while eating she asked us our reason for
wanting to see the cave. l thought she could not
fail to see the word treasure written on my face.
Baser, who much quicker of wit than l, spoke
I'VE heard that runaway slaves sometimes hide
in a about here, and we have been sent to get
it's exact location
Then l am sorry told you where it is said
the woman; for pity the poor slaves.
"'Oh, so do We returned Balser hurriedly. we
should help them if we could.
YOU'D better not let anyone hereaboutS hear
YOU say that you would help runaway slave. You
would be tarred and feathered,' said the woman.
''Oh, we wouldn't help Them said Balser.
founderng about in his effect to correct his mistake
You see it's this way. We-we-well, you know
we're sorry and the people that sent here just
curious to know what the is like, that's all,
FTER dinner we started south for three hills
\ and two ravines We climbed over one hill and
down into ravine number one. up hill number
two, down ravine number two, and then we looked
IN the rocky side of hill number three.