WEST SHORE.
THE JOSEPHINE COUNTY CAVES.
AMIDST the wildest, most rugged and picturesque
regions to be found along the Siskiyou range of
mountains, are situated two of the greatest natu
ral wonders of which Oregon can bonst. Tliese
are what are known as the "Josephine County Caves."
Of these caveB there are two the upper and lower.
The entrance to one is about 100 yards distant from
the other. Both subterranean openings are in the side
of a lofty and heavily wooded mountain. To reach
tliese caves is a task requiring much physical endur
ance and which cannot be accomplished without great
labor and fatigue. Several years ago a man named Elijah
Davidson visited those regions on a hunt. One day
lie wounded a bear, and the animal being sorely pressed,
took refuge in the mouth of one of the eaves, David
son pursued the bear and killed it; but in doing so,
he made the discovery. In looking along the side of
the mountain, he also found the entrance to the other
cave. So far as is known, Mr. Davidson was the first
human discoverer of these natural wonders. No one
ever claimed to have known of their existence prior to
that time. Even the early Indians were never known
to speak of them to the pioneers. Notwithstanding
the caves were discovered over three years ago, but
very few persons have explored them.
Persons visiting these caves usually proceed by rail
to (irant's Pass, on the line of the 0. & C. From
(irant'B Pass, the caves are about thirty miles distant
in a southerly direction. For about twenty miles the
route leads over a rough country, but, for that distance
there is a very good mountain wagon road. For ten
or twelve miles before the caves are reached, it lieeomes
necessary to abandon the wagon, and to proceed for the
remainder of the journey on foot and by pack horses.
At that iwint, all signs of human habitation disap
pear. Along the first portion of the journey, a few
houses are scattered at wide intervals. After leaving
the wagon road, the narrow and tortuous trail leads in
toward the very heart of the great Siskiyou mountains.
The last portion of tho journey calls for Imth wind and
muscle. Away the trail goes, rig-nigging up the side
of a very high and precipitous mountain. Finally, the
summit is attained, and then comes the no less fatigue
ing labor of descending. If one thinks he will never
reach tho crest, the descent seems equally long.
Reaching a deep and densely timbered canyon, an
other lofty and rugged mountain confronts the jaded
traveler. But to reach and explore tho caves, it is not
necessary to climb the mountain. Some distance
aln.ve the bottom of the canyon, the openings are found
"ii the south face of tho mountain. Each entrance is
sutliciently high to admit a person without stooping,
and is probably eight feet wide.
TDK KNTHANCK
Shortly after entering, one is compelled to proceed
slowly and cautiously on hands and knees for a little
distance. Then he enters a elianiU'r that is probably
ten feet high. The walls of this rock room are very
white almost dazzling at first glance by tho un
steady, fitful glare of torches and lanterns. Stalac
tites are first seen here, and so weird and unearthly
are the surroundings that the explorer who has been
fortunate enough to have read Ryder Haggard's "Sol
onion's Mines," cannot resist the temptation to cast fur
tive glances about in the encircling line of gloom, to
discover the mummified remains of kings, preserved
liencath such droppings.
host with wonder, tin- explorer wanders from place
to place through these great and small vaults chiseled
out by the Titanic forces of nature; dragging himself
through passage ways scarcely large enough to admit
a human body, while with toes and fingers he works
along, or stands Wwildcred in the midst of rooms that
reach' far overhead, and are swallowed up in dark
ness that glowers aloft. Hero lie sees a Wautiful H
of crystal water, surrounded by a delicate, translucent
formation in the shape of a bowl. In color, the Ik.wI
in as white as the virgin snow, while each crystal is
0,lol)(?, projecting at right angles with the main por
tii.it for alK.ut an eighth of an inch. One peculiarity
of these crystals that disapMints one is the fact that
they change rapidly from sparkling white to n dull,
yellow hue, after Is'ing exs.sed to the sunlight.
An explorer gives the following description :
"It would require days of constant work to explore
nil the passes we found, whereas our time was limited
to twelve hours. We entered the mouth of the cave at
twelve, noon, and did not emerge until midnight.
During those hours wo examined first the Urr cave