Mansfield mirror., 1914-10-29

not think any person has ever
eX plored, and I shouted a warn.
ing. AS we could not cross We
had to he content with pitching
pebbles into the hole and on
listening intentlv hear them
fall into water below. This is
the most dangerous passage in
the cave for the reason that from
the time yOu enter it you can
see the light of day before YOU,
which, if your torch should fail,
might lure You to youl death in
the abyss.
Returning TO the main channel
We resumed our exploration
towards the center of the noun,
tain, our path sloping slightly
downward and curving to the
left. We soon entered a large
chamber with an oval shaped
top or ceiling from which hung
stalartites, creamy.white for.
nation caused by the dripping
of water impregnated with bi-
carbonate of lime that shown in
the light of our torches like
icicles, making a beautiful sight
that brought thrills of admira
ton to the lady members of our
party. The floor of this cham.
ber had in time been covered
with stalagmite, counterpart of
the stalactites above, hut all the
best ones had been broken off
and carried away by curio hunt
ers; which left the floor of this
room in a very rough condition
Water was dripping from ceiling
and if let alone possibly in ages
yet TO come there would be
other formations of stalagmite.
Finally leaving this chamber
we entered a narrow hall or pas.
sage to the left, with a low cell.
ing, and soon had to stoop very
low or crawl on hands and knees,
but the floor here was dry and
sandy. One couple refused to
go further while the others were
eager to go on. After instruct
ing the couple to remain where
they were until our return, for
fear they would take the wrong
route if they attempted to go to
the entrance alone, we crawled a
short distance up grade and en-.
tered a wider passage or large
room where the roof was so high
one could not throw a rock up to
it. In this room was a small
lake of pure. cold water that
seemed to have some current
ana led under a tunnel like open
ing at one side. By going close
to the opening one could hear a
waterfall in the distance, but too
far away for our feeble lights to
reach. We skirted the lake to
The left side over the tunnel and
entered a passage with a very
steep decent down path that
circled around until we stood
some 100 feet below and imme.
diately under the lake we had
passed. This is called Echo
chamber" from the fact that by
helloing loudly one can hear an
echo of his voice reverbrate and
rebound throughout the cavern.
Here was a stream of water
running along the right hand
side of the cavern for some dis.
tance losing itself again under
the wall, being fed from assures
in the wall of the room and prob.
ably coming from the lake above.
Numerous passages led from
this room in various directions
and we explored two or three of
them which were short and end.
ed abruptly. At the end of the
last one was a large room the
sides or walls of which were of a
soft formation resembling soap.
stone, so soft that the name of
each member Of our party was
sculptured or scratched upon
its surface. | found my name
where | had cut it ON a former
visit to the room, the date also
being there.
On looking at a watch we
learned we had been in the cave
a little more than three hours,
and concluded to retrace our