UNDERGROUND CAVE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 36, 26 January 1932, Page 8

UNDERGROUND CAVE

PETRIFIED VEGETATION. NORTH AUCKLAND DISCOVERY. The discovery of an underground cave in the North Auckland district is described by a contributor, “5.H.," in the “North Auckland Times.” Camped on a ridge which appeared to run north by west, “S.H.” states that he awoke one morning to hear the boom of water dashing over stones far beneath the site of his camp. He descended a precipice for about 300 feet before he met with any trouble, and eventually by sliding and using much care he reached the bottom of the gorge. v Through the gorge flowed a stream, and the trunks and boughs of trees piled to a height of ten feet along its sides testified to the force of a torrent in winter. Following the stream for about a mile, “S.H.” came to a wall of rock, and found that the stream flowed through an opening iu it. By stooping, he was just able to enter the opening and found himself in a vast cave. With the aid of a small electric torcl he followed tho course of the stream well into the eave. He came upon a rock, as large as a house and weighing probably hundreds of tons, in the middle of the vast cave. It consisted of a mass of timber and leaves which had at one time grown in the forest, but had now become the hardest rock. Ferns, kauri leaves, and every species of leaf to be found in i the bush was there in one great conglomerate. Even tho birds which had built their nests away back in tho ages were represented, for he discovered n nest in which were nine eggs. After viewing for an hour this wonderful sight. “S.H.” proceeded farther into the cave, but found nothing more of outstanding interest, and returned home. About a fortnight later he went once more into the eave, nnd with the help of a small axe cut tho bird’s nest out of the petrified timber, and since then ho has cut out other portions of the conglomerate to show people interested in his find.