Year: 1867

A Tour Of InspectiOn.--Its Incidents


and Results.


| From the Chicago Tribune1


Those who have already made the
Journey in comfortable trucks, pioneered
by comfortable mules, and provided with
comfcrtcble baskets and bottles, will
scarcely appreciate the novelty and ex-
cltement OF royaye made through the
dismal cavern In a fat t-bottomed boat,
and after the Introduction of Lake Mich
lgan. Let US distinguish, as we say.
Ihe Journey was comparatively easy,
smooth and dry, the voyage was rather
perllous, and, if anything, damp; damp,
not In an aldermanic sense, but damp
externally and searchingly. Such voy-
age never having been made before, and
never to be made again, the historians
may be permitted, with all modesty. to
characterize the adventure as unparallel-
ed, and the four adventures are only too
happy to-day to have the privilege of
recording their experience, instead Of
furnishing material for snail obituaries.
The flood gates at the crib were OPEN
ed a week ago and the water admitted
for the purpose of making preparatory
experiment to test the thorough efficiency
Of the walls. On FRIDAY portion of the
water was pumped out, leaving the tun-
mel over half full, when Mr.. Chesbrough.
desiring to make 9. final examination of
the work. conceived the idea Of boating
excursion delightful idea. He inyi.
ted three members OF the press to join
HIM IN this excursion, and cipating
perhaps a somewhat arduous trip. he
CONSIDERABLY forewarned them to leave
their new spring hats at home. X
AT THE CRIB


the party were received courteously by
Captain Berg, who wore upon his beam
ing countenance, however, an ominous
grin, which was anything but encouraging
under the circumstances. 1t clearly
meant that We were land -lubbers, and
the prospect OF pleasant catastrophe to
the adventurers appeared to amnse. not
only him, but all the hands on the crib.
They took our dimensions, inquired if
our lives were insured, and kindly volnn-
| teered to convey our last messages to the
girls we left behind-ali Of which pleas
antrles were received in good part, while
1t was understood that they were prepar-
ing to lower us gently down the shaft in
the old way. Having been in the tunnel
on former occasions, there was nothing
appalling IN the prospect Of another de-
scent We did not calculate on the fact
that the hoist was no longer in operation
This was rather startling discovery, and
presented the matter in quite a new
light. Captain Berg with diabolcal
composure, conducted us to the mouth of
the yawning abyss, and pointed out the
only method by which the bottom could
be reached-a perpendicular ladder down
the side OF the cylinder To recoil from
such step was not unnatural To re-
treat would have been unmanly. To re
gard the proposal as a joke was poor
subterfuge There was the laddcr-no
joke, but a wet. Shiny, horrible reality.
First, quoth the Captain, needless OF
the wan looks Of the party ''you go down
the first ladder so far. Then you get
over to another ladder, and take care you
don miss the steps. Then you GO straight
down. An echo from the abyss seem
ed to answer straight dowil.' Another
alternative was offered, to descend one
by one BY means of a rope which daugled
over the mouth of the shaft, suggestive
of unpleasant scenes. and this being the
safest mode of conveyance the proposal
was unanimously adopted At this mo-
nlent Mr.. Chesbrough appeared ready
equipped for the voyage. in the erise of
an ancient mariner, a broad brimed SOU
waster Oh his head, a rubber coat upon
his back, and his neither limbs protected
by pair Of high boots The other mem
bers of the party inwar.llv commended
themselves to the care OF the saints, and
prepared to follow their leader.


: Each looked to and sky and plain


As what he ne 'er might see again.


he assured In some measure by the
ni, <,f r I
/ who very soon disappeared in the depths
by means OF the ladder, we resigned our
selves to fate and to the rope.


i THE DESCENT


was not exactly what Captain Berg would
have called a straight down" process,
yet it was preferable to the ladder. 4
moose was formed at the end Of the rope
which afforded a tolerably secure seat
though to see an individual who hae
committed no crime, hanging IA thas de
ploTable position over such a gloom,
abyss, was rather humilating. The frs
sensation was decidedly striking serie.
OF rapid whirlings which produced /;
temporary giddiness, followed by an un
| expected blow on the head from some
projection. From below came hostile
growl, dashing and dripping of water





sense of cold wet iron. Once below the
| flood gates where the water was kissing
and sputtering as if eager to make rush
upon the victim, the sense of wetness
gradually increased, and when deposited
at the bottom of the shaft plunge into
the ':sumph' could have added nothing
to our condition. Four times the rope
was lowered, and the party at last found
themselves at the beginning Of their voy-
age, standing under pelting shower
bath, which in few minutes had nearly
half filed with water the frail bark to
which we confded our fortunes


FLAT-BOTTOMED BOAT.


! was the very worst boat that could
possibly bave been selected for such a
purpose, and the voyagers very soon had
occasion to deplore the necessity of en-
i ploying it. The slightest movement had
the effect of tipping it over, and the
result was that when we started, each
one having to sit in the bottom, we were
comfortably immersed half way up in
water. There was an unanimous protest
uttered against the boat. but that proved
of little avail, so, steadying ourselves as
well as possible, and each holding a
miners lamp in his hand, we left the
shaft and shot swiftly into


| THE TUNNEL.


! The only means of propelling the YES
sci way by pushing against the walls, and
this was very unsteady process, fraught
with danger to the boat and her little
crew The water at the crib end was
exactly half way up the sides of the bore,
gradually deepening, of course, as we ap-
preached the shore For time it was
comparatively plain sailing, and by the
aid of the lamps we were enabled to ex-
anime minutely the condition of the
cement. which was the principal object
of the voyage. Not flaw could be dis
covered, with the exception of a space
here and there between the bricks, where
| a., ,r,r, e,,,l,o bo ~ hoop ,v,<ro1uooJ fo hold