Evening star., 1924-10-06
ANCIENT SKELETONS
THEIR BEDFELL0WS
Soldiers in Hawaii Find
Refuge in Burial Cave of
Native Tribes.

During the recent maneuvers OF
Battery 6, 55th Coast Artillery, Fort
kamehameha. Hawaii. three men
y We're detailed for special observation
service To HIu Hill. where they were
forced to take refuge from a storm
durin" the night, and on waking the
next morning found they had slept
with skeletons in an ancient Ha-
waiian burial cave
Private Mckeag gan of sydney. Nova
Scotia. Il truck driver in the battery,
was the first to discover the charac-
ter of their nights abode, and in the
gray hours of the dawn felt the
bleached rib bones of skeleton
he stretched his arms to draw in the
fresh sea brCeZeS that Sprang up just
before the sun.
Strewn About Floor.
He was horrifed when he noticed
the GhastlinesS of his companion. But,
true to the spirit of the enlisted man,
he did not ShuGder and shrink away,
but examined thoroughly, then went
on about his business az though moth
ing out Of the ordinary had happened.
The skeleton was found to be one Of
many that lay sire n about the fiooI
of the cave. partly - wholly dismem-
brred by the tleme IS
There are known to be many such
burial caves in the islands, although
few of them are known to the touriS;
or even the residents. Their location
was kept secret from the invading
Americans by natives. but the Amer
lean curiosity got the better of the
native superstition and most % the
sacred caves have. To d greater or
lesser degree. been deSecrated in the
interest of science.
Private Mckeagan. the discoverer
OF this particular cave, was but re-
Gently recruited in the States and
sent To the 18th Coast Artillery. Bat
terry 6. ON one of the regular ma
ncuVerS of the battery MCkegan
WAS driving his truck ahead of the
Regular train of supplies drawn by
ten-ton caterpillar tractors.
Heavy rain had been falling at ir-
regular intervals several days. and the
small streams that dash down from
the steep cliffs of the volcanic ranges
We're swollen into torrents and the sod
converted into a huggy marsh. on the
trip il became necessary to ford one
of these streams adjacent to the mar
row-eauge railroad, 50 Well known in
Oahu.
Engine Comes To Rescue.
As was expected. the trucks became
stuck, and would have remained there
all night had not engine of rail-
road lent its assistance and dragged
the trucks To safety on the other side.
But at the second of the small streams
his +. w. d. truck skidded and
crashed headlong into a bridge pier,
where it rested day and had to be
hauled back TO the shop for repairs.
Two days later the guns We're in
place despite the continuation of the
torrential doWnpour. and MCkegan
was detailed 10 spot the shots they
fell farther toward the center of the
island. The detail started out after
supper and was to spend the night in
their shelter -halfS ia name applied to
the small army tents carried in every
pack. But the wet weather made ii
Necessary to haunt additional shelter.
which the burial cave offered, and, its
ghastlineSS unknown, accepted
with pleasure by the tired men.
Had to Run for Lives.
After the firing had been going
for several days, another tropical
downpour started. this time accom-
panied by severe electrical display
rarely seen on the islands. Field tele
phone communication with the special
detail was completely cut of. They
We're forced TO seek safety from the
electricity outside the harbor ranges
on account of the danger of the
lightning