The Wonder Island Boys: The Mysteries of the Caverns Part 8

CHAPTER VI

THE GRUESOME FINDS IN THE CAVE

Another week had thus pa.s.sed by--seven days of unceasing toil. The Professor again brought up the subject of the cave. The subject did not need any argument. It fell on willing ears.

"How shall we take the boat around?" was the matter which interested George.

"Sail it around, of course," was Harry's view.

Both looked at the Professor. "If we sail it there, which will be an easy matter, how can we haul it up the sides of the cliffs? From my present recollection the mouth of the cave is fully thirty feet or more from the water line. The air pocket is not over eight or ten feet. At any rate, it is much lower."

"Then why not haul it around on the wagon, and lower it down the walls?"

"That seems the most feasible plan."

They now knew what preparations were needed for the exploration. Two lamps had been taken before, and one was lost in the cave. Since that several more had been made, so that three were provided, together with a supply of matches.

When the wagon was ready the Professor brought out several boards, and deposited them in the wagon. The boys looked at the boards inquiringly, as the Professor turned back from the wagon. "Oh, yes, the boards; we want something to write on so that we can chart the cave. We must not be caught as we were the last time."

"But how can we possibly chart the cave when we have only one boat?" And George laughed at the idea of making a plan of the interior by standing at one point.

"You measured the height of the falls without going to the top, if you will remember."

He had forgotten that. But the boat was at last secured in the wagon, and proceeded to the cliffs. It was fortunate that the team could be taken to a point directly over the mouth of the cave, and in a little while the ropes were attached to it and slowly lowered, Harry taking the precaution to follow it down and to dislodge it from the steps which appeared in its path.

The team was then securely hitched, and taking all their implements, such as lamps and boards, together with two of the guns and an ample supply of ammunition, descended to the entrance. The boat was at the mouth, and it was suggested that a preliminary survey of the interior should first be made, in order to ascertain how far the boat would have to be carried before reaching the water.

The lamps were lighted, and the boys led the way. After pa.s.sing the point, about two hundred feet from the mouth, and at almost the identical spot where the water was found at the first exploration, the water glistened before them. Returning toward the opening a loud beating sound was heard, which at first startled them. It was evidently at the mouth of the cave. It sounded like the beating of a stick against some hard substance.

The nearer they came to daylight, the more distinct were the sounds. As heretofore explained, near the entrance the cave made a turn to the right at an angle, so that when at a distance of fifty feet from the opening it was impossible to see daylight, except what little was diffracted from the angle at the turn.

This angle was reached, and the beating, rather irregular, was plain enough to cause some alarm. The boat was beyond the open mouth and at one side, so that it could not be seen by anyone within the recessed walls.

All stood still, while the beatings continued. Occasionally there would be a cessation, to be repeated again. Whatever it was it was not far away. The Professor whispered: "Get the guns ready; we must take some chances."

Cautiously the company moved forward; the end of the boat first appeared in sight, and as George peered beyond the projecting point of the ledge, he threw up his hands and burst out in laughter. Angel was in the boat, imitating Harry in the building operation. The sudden appearance did not startle him in the least, nor did he stop beating his lullaby, after he noticed the broad smiles that greeted him.

With an eye to every advantage, Harry had attached to the sides of the boat, amidships, two short standards, about three feet high, on top of which two of the lamps were mounted, so they would be out of the way, and thus give them freedom to handle the oars and the weapons, as well as afford them a better light, than if carried by hand. The Professor was much pleased with this arrangement.

The boat was not particularly heavy, but it was a task to drag it over the uneven floor and along the tortuous path which had to be taken by their burden, but when the water was reached they were repaid for the labor by the ease with which they could explore the interior.

Before starting the journey the Professor, as usual, uttered a few words of advice: "One of us must sit in the bow, one at the stern, and the other amidships. The one at the stern must propel the boat, as we cannot row through many of the places, and as the water is not deep, that will not be a difficult task. The ones at the bow and amidships should have the guns, and if there is no objection, I will take my place on the middle seat, where I can best take the observations on the way. The other places you should decide between yourselves."

"I am willing to take the bow, if Harry agrees." Harry sanctioned the arrangement, and when the lamps were securely fastened, Harry pushed the boat forward through the cavern. It did not take long to reach the slight turn which led to the large chamber, which was over one hundred feet long.

On the way to the chamber Harry had an opportunity to measure the depths of the water, and at intervals the Professor would call out for the depths, as he was making notes of the descent formed by the floor to the chamber. The oars gave a pretty fair idea, showing that the floor was only about five feet lower at the chamber than where the boat was launched.

Reaching the chamber Harry was directed to steer it to the right and skirt the wall going to the left, so that every part of it could be examined.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 13 THE TREASURE CAVE_]

"I have another reason for this careful examination," remarked the Professor, as he was intently engaged in making notes on the board tablets. "It may be likely that the chamber has more than one outlet and if so, we must explore it also. Of course, I am most interested in the outlet to the south."

A circuit was made until they reached the outlet to the south, which Harry had discovered when the light on the ledge disappeared. The water throughout the cavern within the chamber was not over eight feet deep, and at the outlet to the south he could not touch bottom with the twelve-foot pole they carried. This outlet was contracted, and, judging from the width of the boat, could not be more than eight feet across, but it gradually widened, and the waters became shallower as they advanced.

George, who was in the bow, held up his hand as a warning. "Stop!" was all he said. All peered forward. The lights threw their beams forwardly through a broadening channel, beyond which appeared to be white forms ranged along the opposite wall.

"What depth have you, Harry?" asked the Professor, without seeming at all concerned.

"About five feet."

"Move straight ahead, until I tell you to stop."

The pole was thrust down and the boat moved forwardly fully fifty feet before a halt was called.

"I think we are now in the middle of this chamber. Before exploring it let us make a thorough examination of its characteristics."

"Look at those wonderful icicles hanging from the roof!" George gazed on them with wonder and admiration. Harry, on the other hand, with the utilitarian idea in his mind, inquired: "Why couldn't all that chalk be utilized for making plaster?"

"That product is used in the arts, but it costs too much to transport it from the places where it is found in its natural state, as science has found a much cheaper way of producing it from limestone."

"Are all these rocks limestone?"

"Beyond question. Only a few of the caves so far found are in any other formation than limestone."

"What kind of cave are those?"

"Where they have been produced by volcanic action. There the walls are of volcanic rock."

"Why is it that these underground channels are formed in this way?"

"They are formed by the erosive action of the water wearing out the softer portions of the rock beneath a harder roof or wall. This action is brought about by carbonic acid acting on the rock and producing what is called carbonate of lime, and the stalact.i.tes and stalagmites found in all these caverns are of that material."

"What is the difference between the two names you have just mentioned?"

"Stalact.i.te means trickling or dropping, and as applied to these formations it means conical or cylindrical accretions of the carbonate.

Stalagmite is the term used to designate the calcareous formations found on the floors of caverns, which are usually the droppings from the roof."

"Where are most of the caves found?"

"They occur most frequently along rocky sh.o.r.es of open seas, as in this case. Some of them are celebrated for their great extent, others for their gorgeous interiors, like this chamber. Some show the most beautiful draperies, or veils; in some cases portions of the ceiling have representations of magnificent inverted candelabra, and what appear to be carvings in the purest white."

"In what parts of the world are most of them found?"

"It does not seem that any portion of the world has a monopoly. The most celebrated are the grotto of Antiparas, in Greece; the Adelsberg caverns in Carniola, and the Mammoth in Kentucky. The latter is the largest in the world, the windings of which extend forty miles and through which is a subterranean river. In the river are eyeless fish, and fish with eyes, but sightless. Others are the Luray, in Virginia; the Wyandotte, in Indiana; Weir's, in Virginia; the Big Saltpeter, in Missouri, and Ball's, in New York. Of seash.o.r.e caverns, the most famous and remarkable is Fingal's, on the coast of Scotland. Extensive caves are also found in the Azores, Canary Islands, in Iceland, in various portions of England, France and Belgium. Many of them are of immense value to the paleontologist."

"In what way are they of any use?"