Evening star., 1909-06-26
FIND AN OLO CAVE OF MYSTERY
MARYLAND MEN EXPLORE
CAVERN NEAR FAIRHAVEN.
Supposed to Have Been the Retreat
of Pirates or Smugglers in
Anne Arundel.

FAIRHAVEN. Md. June Ga spacious
cave, which is believed by the people of
the neighborhood to have been built and
used by smugglers in the early colonial
history of the state. exists in Anne Arun-
del county and has been only recently en-
tered and thoroughly explored by George
W. Emmerich Of West River and W. ".
Billiard Of Baltimore. These young men
are the first persons to have entered the
cavern within the memory Of the oldest
inhabitants Of the locality. and are proba-
bly, the first who have investigated its in
terror In over hundred years.
The cave is located on the farm Of
James Jones, about half mile from Fair
haven. and its entrance, marked by a
large old elm tree, lies at the head of a
small cove which makes in from the
Chesapeake bay some twenty-five miles
south of Annapolis.
English Brick in Arched Entrance.
The arched entrance. six feet high and
four feet wide, Is lined with bricks ex-
actly similar to those brought over from
England and used in old st. James
Church at Herring Creek. which is three
miles distant. Fairhaven is an old colo
NAL port where the bricks were landed for
the construction Of st. Annes Church at
Annapolis. All Hallows' Church at David
sonville and st. James, these being three
Of the Oldest churches in Maryland. and
1t is probable that the bricks used in
the cave were stolen from Fairhaven.
The existence of the cave has been
known to many persons In the neighbor-
hood, but the entrance had, through the
years, become filled up with earth until
there was left only an opening the size
Of a mans head. The fact that the mouth
was partly filled with water and gases,
II,
within and fear Of snakes had deferred
any one from attempting to enter.
Visited by Washington Scientists.
A party Of scientists from Washington
is, said to have visited the spot about
two years ago, but were driven out by
snakes. Many stories and superstitions
and r11mors of ghosts of pirates have
prevailed among the colored population.
The general belief has been that the cave
was used by pirates or smugglers. but
no attempt was made to verify this
theory until Mr.. Emmerich and Mr.. Bill
lard determined to explore it.
After considerable labor Messrs. En-
merich and Billiard equipped with picks
ceeded in making an opening large enough
to permit the entrance of their bodies,
when they were met by q heavy stream
of water which finally subsided until it
selves in long passage.
The brick lining extended back about
fourteen feet from the entrance. and
beyond that the walls Of the passage
clay or fullers earth so hard that it did
not require additional support
Passage 100 Feet Long.
The passage is fully 100 feet in
length. and the marks of tools on the
walls can still be seen. It is built on
a fairly sharp curve ideally arranged for
resisting an intruding enemy.
Pushing on through the mud and
room about twenty feet long and twelve
feet wide. with q perfectly arched cell
ing about twelve feet high. The room.
like the passage. had been cut into the
hard clay about fifty feet below the
surface Of the hill, and needed no sup
port.
Much to the regret Of the adventur
ers, no pirates gold or anything else
was found in the room, but owing to
the depth Of the mud and water no care
full examination of the ground could be
made, and they do not admit that there
may not be something buried in the floor
of the cavern.
They did discover, however, a large
hole filled with loose earth. the bottom
Of which they were unable to reach
with their shovels and which indicated
the existence of an outlet from the cave
TO the other side Of the hill. There are
traditions of the existence Of another
entrance to the cave which time has
concealed. as careful search failed to
reveal it.
Natural Site for Smugglers.
What lends color to the belief that
this cave was not used by honest men
is the fact Of its location. The config-
uration of the land shows plainly that
the cove was formerly of much larger
extent. The channel Is narrow and tor
tuous. and a vessel lying at anchor in
the cove would be entirely out Of sight
Of ships in the bay, while from the
summit of the hill any craft in the bay
could readily be seen.
A more ideal spot for the operations
of smugglers in the early days cannot
be imagined. There are no records of
pirates operating in the vicinity Of Anne
Arundel county. although they are said
to have visited st. Mary on one occa-
sion. Mr.. Billiard and Mr.. Emmerich
are determined to attempt to find the
other passage. If 1t exists and examine
the cave more carefully, with a view Of
solving the mystery.