Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-23

from the main street. On the slopes of | this mountain the Indian tribes fought ! for the possession of the medical hot l springs. Stone arrow heads are still l found on the mountain slope. The many i health advantages of the city attract i many sick, semi-sick and those that think they are sick to try the medicinal quail ities of the spring. Enterprising men and firms have provided every comfort that money can purchase. All classes can try the healing waters, from the rich to those of limited means. Free tourist camping grounds are provided for those who want to live in their own tents and provide their own meals.
 ! After spending two nights and days 1 in this health resort we retraced our
 route 10 Custer, stopping over night at l Wind Cave. All our party but one wis
 ited the cave. It is a great experience. The cave is very large, consisting of
 series Of long narrow passageways, hay | ing many variations of height and width and opening into irregular chambers l that are gorgeously decorated with na- | lures handiwork. It derives it's name from the current of air, often very swift, blowing intermittently n and out of it's mouth. One of the current stories
 cf it's discovery tells that ranger named
 John Welsh, while stalking deer in 1881, was attracted Dy lOud WelrQ NnlSttln3 | which proved to come from a hole in the rock not more than eight inches
 in diameter.
 We entered the cave by descending
 a flight of more than two hundred wood
 en steps to a path leading to the various chambers. The roof is very ragged, in
 some places very high, in other places
 so low that it is with great difficulty
 we could pass. The chambers are won
 derful. The one called the Fair Grounds
 is said to be the largest underground
 chamber in the world. It is r shaped
 and cover more than four acres, and
 ranges in height from ten to forty feet
 The walls and ceilings of the passage
 ways and chambers are elaborately cov- cred with formations common to most caves which here result in tracery and
 carvings of the most elaborate and sur prising description. The frost work is
 the chief beauty of this cave. Through
 some of the passageways we were more
 than three hundred feet below the en-
 trance. There were great caverns reach , ing out to the right and left of the path. some of which have never been explored. In several places the path was a bridge , over deep caverns mrny feet below. The question naturally arises: How were these caverns formed? We are told that the cave once served as channels , for subterranean waters which now fol- low other courses. The water has dis } solved out the long channels. The cal $ corations of crystals and other forms , are the results of redeocsited calcium 5 carbonate of which limestone consists r After having our picture taken by the guide for twenty five cents we returned
 to the light of day, after more than two 7 hours under ground and having travelled
 more than four miles
 Wind Cave was made national park in 1903 and contains 10000 acres A , game preserve occupies the northwest l corner of the park and was established to provide a suitable location for herd I of buffalo offered to the government l It contains about 4,O00 acres. The pre- serve is enclosed with a woven wire fence eight miles long and eighty inches ] high, and has been stocked with buffalo
 elk and deer. Just before we left, .
 herd of buffalo came around the foot oi
 the hill and we could see them at shor, ! range.
 Our next point of interest was beauti- 4 full Sylvan Lake. It is like a jewel ir S it's frame of gray rock and forest yer. N dure. It is a small body of clear a sparkling water. 6,2O0 feet above ses 4 level. enc of the highest points in tho d Hills and is a delightful resort for vaca ! ton days Many of our party climbed S Harney Peak, while the rest of us en % joyed the walks about the lake. It i. S Ia part of the great Custer State Park # which comprises 61, 460 acres of vii, A land, intersected with splendid road .2 that are being extended each year. W, S found a delightful camping ground in q group of tents that were being erecte, N for campers and workmen o1 the roads