Evening star., 1939-11-16

= EaCn man naQ MS TASK. III was
vital for the men on the two ledges
to cooperate in every movement
of four who elected to explore,
though they had the perilous role.
This is the difference between an
organized conquest of q cave, with
the latest available equipment
with scientific precision-and the
foolhardy attempt of men to probe
underground mysteries without re-
sources. A scientific party takes risks
enough, but at least every possible
precaution for safety follows them.
Found Ledge 40 Feet Down.
Don Bloch, who has had a wide
experience in cave scouting and
didn't seem to care whether School,
house kept, started down the rope
ladder that hung over the abyss.
The most powerful searchlight in
the party failed to reveal the bot
tom. Nevertheless he went on down
to the end of the rope ladder.
Luckily, he discovered q ledge
some 40 feet down, large enough to
hold several persons. He shouted
up these tidings. Three companions
joined him on the ledge. The other
end of the field telephone was set
in place.
With a rope around his waist,
Mr.. Bloch was let down deeper into
the hole, his miners lamp shedding
an eerie light over the Jagged walls.
He found another ledge Of q sort.
The rope ladder was sent down to
him. Dwight Vorkoeper, q blond
youth who thinks nothing of being
suspended over large quantities of
black space, Joined Mr.. Bloch.
Progress Is Telephoned.
Gradually the two worked their
way downward. One would crawl
down the rope ladder, find some
thing below to hang it on-a jut-
ting stalactite or most anything.
The other would follow when the
first found something to stand on.
The one who went second would
steady the ladder with his foot and
help hold it.
The two men on the first ledge
below the jumping-off place began
telephoning the progress of their
comrades, whom they could watch.
LET down on the rope" the man
at the other end of the phone would
be told. Hold it." Or: Take 1t
in slowly" The men on the lower
ledge would carry out these direc-
tions, and, above them, the life
line would be wound about its spool
or paid out. The system was work.
ing.
Three times Mr.. Bloch and Mr..
Vorkoeper lowered the rope lad
der. At last Mr.. Bloch reached a
point below which it could not be
lowered-there was nothing to hold
1t, not even a stray boulder. He
could see the bottom now, but 1t
was still a distance he estimated
at 40 feet.
Finds Huge Cavern.
Standing on lower rung of the
ladder, he began surveying the place
with his electric lantern. To one
side, another pit slanted of into
an unknowable depth. But on the
opposite wall, tantalizingly far from
the bottom, was the thrilling sight
Of huge cavern.
1T may be 100 feet high!" he
exclaimed.
1t seemed to continue indefinitely,
Thus he had proved that the cave
did not stop at the jumping-off
place, but went on-Heaven only
knew how far.
But there was nothing more to
be done. He couldn't reach the
bottom he could see, and the vast
passage opened from the opposite
wall. There was no way to get
into it.
The journey back was even more
difficult. One of the pair had to
be pulled up by his lifeline and
the rope ladder attached anew ss
each improvised base. The last
one would climb the ladder and
the process would be repeated, until
at last they reached the ledge be-
side the two men with the tele-
phone.
Busy With Angles.
Those of us on the highest ledge
were safe enough, but we were
cramped and cold and worried
about our companions dangling be-
low. Mr.. Stephenson and Mr.. Coats
were busy, meanwhile, computing
angles and taking measurements
for the map OF the cave-so far
as they could explore it-which
these notes will produce. An illu-
minated leveling rod is one of the
instruments the society has devised
They have other devices which read
the height of ceilings and measure
the dip Of passage.
Nobody got excited-or, If he did,
he kept it secret.
Eventually the four who had van
ished from our sight reappeared, the
last one pulling the rope ladder with
him. Then there was the plodding
journey out of the cave, the climb
down one mountainous slope and up
another. Night had closed in-the
whole world was almost as dark as
the cave.
1t was o'clock when We emerged
into the frosty night. Two or three
had gone ahead, and dinner sizzled
by camp fire.
Plan Further Conquest.
The speleologists had made excel
lent progress for a single trip. AL.
ready they were planning further
conquest. Next time they will bring
more rope ladder, say $50 or 200 feet
in place of the rs they had. This
should enable them to reach the bot
tom of the pit easily-so they said.
Then they will bring an extension
ladder to shoot up the opposite wall
into the cavern the Bloch -Vorkoeper
crew discovered. Then they'll be
ready to explore this mysterious
passage.
Mr.. Stephenson computed the
depth of the Schoolhouse pit at 14C
feet.