A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

West Coast Times, Issue 281, 17 August 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

A TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.

(From the Indianapolis Herald.) Tho following is a letter in which an account of an exploration of the celebrated "Dead Man's Cave," situated near LeaA'en worth, is given. The exploring party consisted of Major Trockinorton, of Louisville ; Captain Holcraft, Sheriff Swayne, Dr E. 11. Hawn, and Lyman E. Knapp, Mr Jesse Brandon, of Nashville; and the Herald's correspondent. The party proceeded to the subterranean river which Hows through the cave, when, says the letter, a consultation was held on the bank, to determine whether an attempt, should be made to cross it in its present, swollen condition. " The boat was launched, aud Captain Holcraft, Dr Hawn, and myself entered, the doctor playfully remarking that some men who were destined to die another death could never be drowned. We found the passage much easier than we expected. Captain Holcraft took the oars, while I grasped the tiller, and the doctor held aloft the flambeau. A few vigorous strokes, and with a sensation of relief, wo felt the keel grate upon the pebbles of a sloping bank on the other shore, in still and quiet water. A lusty cheer from the doctor made tho cavern ring, and informed the rest of the party that the passage had been safely accomplished. Captain Holcraft then returned, and soon afterwards brought over the remainder of the party. Continuing the exploration, they came tc a place where was discovered a deep circular hole, apparently almost bottomless. Stones dropped into its gaping mouth would be hoard sullenly plunging from side to side, until the noise of their descent was lost in the abyss far below. Mr Knapp, being the lightest of the party, was let down by a strong cord a distance of some thirty yards, when he vigorously signified that he had seen enough by jerking the rope. He was drawn up, looking paler than usual, and declaring that his curiosity had been amply satisfied. Mr Knapp said that, after descending a distance of fifteen or twenty feet, numerously winged things apparently bats, flitted constantly about his ears, viciously snapping their mandibles together with a devilish sort of twitter. One o these, cold, clammy, and inexpressibly nasty, alighted on his face and inflicted a severe bite. Mr Knapp nearly fainted witH disgust, and declared that

if the rope had not been tied under his arms he should have fallen. The party entered a new (•avail, which suddenly narrowed. Mr Knapp, going first, passed through the opening on his hands and knees, and entered another large chamber. Dr Hawn attempted to follow, and became inextricably fixed in the passage. He could neither get forward nor back For three hours the party worked incessantly, but all to no purpose. We sl'iit back to the river and got the iron stake with which the boat had been | fastened, to use as a crowbar. With i thib the doctor might have been extricated, but here a new calamity manii fested itself. One by one the lamps had j burned out, until barely enough oil was left to light us on our way back to the river. The thought of being imprisoned in that living tomb was too terrible to be endured, for we knew that without light we could never find our way back. A panic seized the party, and hastily leaving the doctor and Mr Knapp to their fate — for the doctor's body effectually blocked up the way against Mr Knapp's return — we rapidly retraced our steps, crossed the river, and returned to the town. A supply of oil, tools, &c, was procurred, and although fatigued almost to the point of disability, we returned to the cave, determined to rescue our comrades or perish in the attempt. The river was crossed, and we proceeded to the grand chamber whore we 'had taken our lunch, accompanied by numerous citizens of Leavenworth ; but search as closely as we would, we could not find the gallery in which the Doctor and Mr Knapp were entombed. In vain we explored and shouted, until worn ovit and fainting. All to no purpose. Nearly three days have passed since we first entered the cave, and during all that time it has been full of people uselessly hunting for the two unfortunate men. One after another of the various galleries leading from the grand chamber have been explored and blazed with chalk-marks, but still the missing men cannot be found." Mr Knapp has since been found. He wandered about the cavern, and was at last fortunate enough to find an opening in an old sink-hole, where he was found by a hunter fifty-six hours after he was left by the party in the cavern. Dr Hawn has not been discovered at last accounts.