Evening star., 1924-02-13
FRENCHMAN SWIMS
THROUGH MOUNTAIN
Braves Mystery of Brook Flowing
Into Unknown
Caverns.
DIVES UNDER LEDGE
Finds Prehistoric Relics Under
Great Hill.

PARIS, February 13.-Some inter-
esting and thrilling stories are told
in connection with the feats of some
of the unsuccessful candidates for the
grand priX of the Academy des
Sports, but they are overshadowed
by the publicity given to the feat Of
the winner. The prize for 1923. re-
Gently awarded to Alain Gerbault, a
noted tennis player, went to him only
after a spirited debate Of the jury,
some of whose members favored Nor
bert Casteret, student at the Uni
versity of Toulouse.
The prize is awarded annually to
the man or men accomplishing a
sporting exploit in France by a
Frenchman or foreigner, or abroad
by Frenchman alone, likely to re-
progress for humanity. Gerbault won
the prize of making a trip across
the Atlantic In 30-foot sloop.
Flows Through Mountain.
In the region of st. Martory, de-
partment Of the Haute Garonne. a
brook enters the north side Of a
mountain 1900 feet in altitude, runs
through a gulch regarded as impene-
trable and energies on the southern
slope of the mountain. On August
90, 1923, Casteret, a strong swimmer
and expert diver. decided to explore
the brook. Before taking the leap
into the unknown Casteret made his
will. Then, armed only with candles,
adequately protected from the water.
to dispel the darkness of the SUBJ
terranean cavern. the young student
dtved In.
The distance between the spot
mountain to its outlet on the other
side measures three-fourths Of a mile.
For three hours friends awaited In
anxiety at the mouth of the grotto.
Suddenly, dripping, with muddy
with the grim smile Of victory on his
features, the student was shot out
Of the mountain into the arms OF his
exuberant friends.
Ran Against Ledge.
He told a remarkable story Of cour-
age and energy. Fighting against
the current, swimming to the vacil-
lating light Of the candle, Casteret,
in many places Of the grotto where
the water met with the roof Of stone.
had to halt. Ignorant as to whether
the brook, which in the spots as
huee hhuea ppe SPECIFY anf es VI %
rushing water. would again after a
few feet widen and the swimmer find
open air above his head, he had to
decide whether to turn back or to
chance the long swim under water
He chose the latter.
His courage was rewarded, for after
a swim under water, which he reck-
oned at about seventy feet, he emerg-
ed into a dry gallery about 900 feet
long and quite high above his head.
Prehistoric Museum.
In this grotto Casteret declared he
discovered wonderful prehistoric
museum. Upon the walls OF the cav
ern, engraved as IT with sharp instru-
ments or painted. were mysterious
characters, in q language which Cas-
teret had never before seen or heard
of, Statues of clay, some Of them
we'll preserved, depicted animals
which have long since disappeared
from the surface Of Europe. Two of
these, that of bear and a tiger,
which Casteret said must have dated
at least as far back. as 10000 years,
were so lifelike and we'll preserved
that he was of the opinion that the
live animals had become petrified
! with. the clay OF the earth in the
course Of some cataclysm.
Some Of the members OF the jury
argued that while the exploit of Cas-
teret from a spectacular point Of view
did not compare with that of Ger
bault, it had far more value from a
scientific side. They we're overruled