1895 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CaLTURE. 



635 



we stoD at the 900-foot station. Here we crawl- 

 ed out of our skep and explored the under- 

 ground world. Mr. S. and the superintendent 

 kept up a running talk about shutes, stopes, 

 veins, high grade and low grade, etc. The 

 stretch of landscape is not very extensive in a 

 mine. Tunnels run in various directions, and 

 at different elevations from the main shaft; 

 and here we found the miners at work with 

 the aforesaid lamps on their hats. The drills 

 were churning away with rapidity, operated 

 by compressed air. After working the drill 

 it escaped and kept a supply of fresh air in the 



■?■*••' 



regulated cellar. Instead of the potato-barrel^ 

 and apple-bins they have a good substitute in 

 now and then a few boxes of dynamite; and I 

 wish to say to my Prohibition brethren, that I 

 here found a place where prohibition is asuc- 

 cess. The owners of the mine prohibit smok- 

 ing, and the use of any spirituous liquors. They 

 think dynamite is quite elevating enough for 

 all intents and purposes. 



We returned to daylight via the wire-rope- 

 and-skep route, and with Bro. Schaeffle we 

 returned to Murphy. This town also has a 

 hole of its own in the ground, inside by nature; 



CALIFORNIA REDWOODS. 



mine. Some of the side tunnels were several 

 hundred feet in the rock; and as we explored, 

 the little cars of ore would squeeze past us. 

 The men seemed to be perfectly contented, and 

 quiet. I don't know whether they sing much 

 in a gold-mine or not; but probably not, as 

 their music has not much chance to expand. 

 Bro. Wilder and I supposed we could see gold 

 sticking out in chunks; but we saw not a sign 

 of it. It is so fine in this rock that a magnify- 

 ing-glass will scarcely reveal it. 



Although we are down 900 feet, we have the 

 same feeling that we experience in a well- 



or, in other words, Calaveras Cave is considered 

 a wonder. Mr. S. led us into this, which is 300 

 feet deep. The chambers were not large: but 

 the stalactites and various formations were 

 interesting. In the chrysanthemum-room we 

 found beautiful white formations, in shape 

 resembling the above flower. A thin curtain- 

 shaped stalactite, when its various folds were 

 struck with a stick, gave forth musical sounds, 

 and a skillful operator could ring out a melody! 

 This was called the " organ." This hole in the 

 ground is also, in a certain sense, a gold-mine, 

 for the owner of it exacts tribute from visitors,' 



