A WONDERFUL CAVE.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 57, 22 June 1908, Page 8

A WONDERFUL CAVE.

THE MOTUHPr FIND. | ;/ a »j A pajjby of gentlemen, including Mr i ,Talbot, (secretary -of* the*"'-Wellington Rugby Union), visited the' new cave of. wondrous beauty thairwas recently clis-, at Motupipi, Nelson, and re-, 'turned enthusiastic about: their:' trip (states the 'Dominion'). The cave is on an elevation of about 1000 ft, on the southern watershed of Dry' River. The climb is. a stiff one fpr those unaccustomed to hill work ; but-' for the most part is in open co'uhtryy•about* one,.half-mile being round a steep; limestone face, terminating in; dense bus]? for about a quarter of' a : mile, through' wKicK travelling is slow and difficult. So dense is the bush' and Undergrowth that the cave cannot-be seen, more-than a few. feet distant. The first sight that greetsvthe ; visitor. is a towering precipice'of limestone, about one and a-half chains long, and 30ft to 40ft high, hung with stalactites varying in size from that of a n.-'f-.-il.' in :: nWn's body.'thc-ontcr ones ,w!.if<- j.jii] \}\;< inner ones shaded : with 'ni.'iiiv cokns, hhho of them being niosb-cuvi't'e-i. The mouth of the eavo is a huge upcii chamber over Jooft long, by 40.Pt to 60ft deep, the ceiling, and iloor 'dipping into the bill in a. spilth-western direction, meeting at an .angle of about lo degrees. :; •

Between 10 and .lJL..a*m. the sun shi. es into the cave, imparting- beautiful colorings to the already magnificent stalactites. The-'floor of-this chamber is composed of huge.solid blooki of grey limestone, which'*have the••appearance of being water worn. L-some places basins have formed in which are found perfectly smooth, round; and oval stones varying in size from marble* •to eggs; in others clear water. o

- The huge' stalagmites . take queer shapes'; in fact, ■ anythi%.?ifie- visitor '.cliboses to imagine.' The-'footing is good, and one feels perfectly'safe descending the steep incline. On' reaching .-. tbe, bottom acetylene lamps become . *., necessary, the cave taking k tjiirn to the 'northward, and hai ; r6wtfig into a '•banjbor :12ft'.ividb by abduOft to 10ft; continuing for'-about 40ft, the. ~-■ foci juid sides bung with beautiful stalactites, the. floor covered witli 'stalag- ' mites, and a .limestone; formation resembling coral. ■ ; '-"*—*''*'-—' Here a rope becomes necessary to en-able-the visitor to descend a further 30ft, •_. ithft visjtfor further 30ft, where another chamber continues for nearly two chains; resembling the one .. '. J us * left above in many respects; but it • : is- here the 'finest, formation is seen. Visitors cannot move in the chamber :■■■. without destroying some of the coral • formation with'which, the floor of the iw. cave is covered.. ,'.'' "•'■ It.is :understgod that an'effort'will be made to induce the Tourist Depart ment/.to.assist in making a track to the new cave, which is, ouite possible with a.-little ..outlay, anc[ when com- ••'•'-•• pleted the cave is; sufficient-inducement t3 warrant the expectation of a farge" number of people visiting it. ~....*,.-,'-| : " THE HEART. EATERS. 5 r? ' .■i > .'.' . The police of Pittsburg are .dovotjigj their attention to a fresh gang '"of* blackmailers who have grouped \hem- , selves together under the forbidding title of "The HearV Eaters,", it,is believed, conected.with the n')Tf jft-" oiis "Black Hand Society/' to the operations of which their own tear a striking resemblance. Several Pitfoburg : residents have received letters written on paper bearing the sign of a bleeding heart transfixed by a dagger, demanding tho .immediate payment, d large sums of money,' the senders of the missives -vowing' that, failing such payment, the recipient, will- be. murdored, ><nd their hearts-eaten by'the members oi the society. ' ' '■•••■'.- In. Abyssinia, the and its contents belong to the wife. The custom is not unknown in New Zealand, only we don't make any fuss about it. *■■* . * ■