204 DISCOVERY OF THE LUEAY CAVE. 



Knowing something of this cave, in the summer of 1878 Mr. B. P. 

 Stebbins conceived the project of a more complete exploration of it, with 

 a view of making it an object of interest to tourists, and he invited the 

 co-operation of the brothers Andrew and William E. Campbell. These 

 gentlemen declined to go into the old cave, but were ready 'to engage in 

 a search for a new one, and it was finally agreed to form a "company" 

 for that purpose. 



Together they went ranging over the hills on both sides of the valley, 

 across the fields and in and out of the abundant and tangled woods, ex- 

 amining every depression, peering into all the dark corners, stooping 

 under rocky ledges from which the rattlesnake had first to be expelled, 

 enlarging holes whence scared foxes darted in dismay or drew their skins 

 into a minimum of bulk, hiding their bushy tails and skulking at the 

 uttermost end of their half-natural burrow. They parted thickets only 

 to find that they did not hide the coveted prize, which, unlike most 

 objects of eager searching, would have an increased value in proportion to 

 its hollowness ! Nearly four weeks spent in fruitless search had their 

 only effect in exciting the astonishment and ridicule of the neighborhood, 

 when, returning one August day from a long tramp, the men approached 

 home over the hill where Euffner's Cave was. In the cleared land on 

 the northern slope, a couple of hundred yards or so from the mouth of 

 the old cave, was a sink-hole choked with weeds, bushes, and an accumu- 

 lation of rails and loose stones, which, for generations back, farmers had 

 been accustomed to toss in there out of the way. It occurred to them 

 that this suspicious hollow was worth investigation. Clearing away some 

 of the rubbish, they fancied they felt currents of cool air sifting up 

 through. Laboriously tumbling out the bowlders, Mr. Andrew Camp- 

 bell was finally able to descend by the aid of a rope into a black abyss, 

 which was not bottomless, however, for ho soon let go of the rope and 

 left his companions on the surface to their conjectures. Becoming 

 uneasy at his long absence, his brother also descended, and together the 

 men walked in a lofty passage for several rods, where their progress was 

 stopped by water. Returning, they told Mr. Stebbins what they had 

 seen, and all agreed upon a policy of silence until the property could be 

 bought. Then they went home and dreamed of " millions in it." Such 

 was the discovery of the Luray Cave. 



Dreams are but a "baseless fabric." The property was bought of a 

 bankrupted owner, at sheriff's sale, but upon an intimation of its under- 

 ground value, one of the relatives of the original owner sued for recovery 

 upon an irregularity in the sale, and after two years of tedious litigation, 



