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klafters [95 m] through this narrow cleft. been sufficient to turn two mill wheels. We hung our wine bottles in it and the There was a wider opening next to it but it The stream ran downwards over the open- _ wine was soon cooled. did not stretch very far. First of all we ing. We were curious to know where this While we refreshed ourselves at the came upon a wide space like a hall for stream came from or to find its spring, as it fountain we heard a loud noise in the cliff dancing. When we crept in we found so was so icy cold. However we could not where the stream ended. Our leader was many bones that the first of us had to pile follow it. Our leader got stuck there ina bold enough to climb in but got stuck and them up in one place to make room for us _ cave; he had to be pulled out otherwise he became drenched. When we came to his to enter. The bones were very large as if would have died. The same happened to rescue with lights, one of us—called from giants. me and I felt very weak afterwards so the Burckstaller—was struck on the head. We We then reached a very narrow hole and apothecary gave me a restorative. thought the object had been thrown by a had to squeeze through on our stom- female figure. Burckstaller was very achs. At 200 klafters [380 m] one comes into what seems like a beautiful spacious palace big enough to hold about 100 horses. It is lined at the top very handsomely with "grown" stones [speleothems]. There are eight or ten "grown" pillars and good seats at the sides. Here we found two skulls which, to our surprise, were enclosed by the rock and we could hardly hack them out with our tools. Each person took a piece, one the cranium, one the superstitious, so perhaps it was a ghost. We did not see anything else. It was very strange that the dripping water, which falls into this mountain in 60 places, freezes into a very hard, even rock and into translucid stone. From some caves, a white salt-like substance trickles out; it looks like glass a took it to be saltpetre. In ac rock, one of our companions found a strong, grey, curly hair which he assumed was from a beard. All of us teeth, etc. There were many passages between the south and were curious to find out more about the here and everywhere in the mountain; west point, we found a "ghost" and would have faced further s f th lored. All the caves . . adventures and da s. But we lost th and passages were full of big bones. _— fountain with four stone passages and caves where we saw the We searched for about an hour for a hole pillars around it and "ghost" and were forced to climb to the sur- leading further in. At last our leader found face with the rope and soon reached day- one and we all followed him. The other there seem to have been light again. Just then a cuirassier with two On the other side, tunnels met now and then in the mountain. seats there at one time. horses passed the entrance of the cave and We were still amazed by the sight of this we called to him to come in. But on seeing palace. us he rode away hurriedly. We all looked After 150 klafters [285 m] we came discoloured and were terrified at each across a very narrow cave, finding it diffi- other's appearance. We looked like cult to squeeze in. There we heard a corpses and startled the guards at the strange roaring, crackling and rustling. entrance. More than one of us wished he had stayed But thanks to God, nobody was hurt. at home with his wife. Suddenly the cave Praise be to God now and for ever. Amen. widened so that we could walk side-by- This has been written down by Berthold side. We took counsel and decided to go Adjoining this wide cave was ahand- Buchner, who took part, and is attested by on and find out what these wild sounds — some triangular vault. There we founda the Treasurer of Amberg. oo were. Our leader went in front again. stone sculpture. It resembled a deity seated (Source: http://www.gci-net.com/users/V/ Arriving at another wide space, we _ ona throne with a straw wreath on its head. _ vrartist/1535caves.html) examined it carefully. It looked like a The straw was black and very brittle. A chapterhouse, with pews on one wall anda __ few of us took some straw home. Editor's Note: gallery overhead. It was difficult to get up We found another stone sculpture hang- The following source information was there and I stayed down below. In all the ing from a high wall. We left a light burn- also posted at the above website: | caves we found many bones. We came toa __ ing in front of it. At 200 klafters [380 m] _ found this story in History of Cave narrow vault where we found a skull bigger we found loose soil with a great many Science; The Exploration and Study of than we had ever seen before. When we _ bones. Limestone Caves, to 1900 by Trevor R. tried to squeeze it through the narrow open- We crept and walked on, following the Shaw, Second Edition Published by the ing it crumbled like ashes. Through a nar- rope and at 250 klafters [475 m] we came Sydney Speleological Society, 1992. row entrance we got down further, about to a most wonderful palace and tabernacle. The call letters, here in the University of 200 klafters [380 m]. There was more and On the other side, between the south and Arizona Library are: "GB 601 A4 S54 more roaring and rustling till we came west point, we found a fountain with four 1992 Science" (Science Library). It is upon a fairly wide opening where an enor- stone pillars around it and there seem to _ interesting that this cave appears to be mous waterfall was rushing down between have been seats there at one time. The almost "off limits" in a military training two rocks with such a force it would have fountain was very cold. area. Adjoining this wide cave was a hand- some triangular vault. There we found a stone sculpture. It resembled a deity seated on a throne with a straw wreath on its head. The straw was black and very brittle. A few of us took some straw home. We found another stone sculpture hang- ing from a high wall. We left a light burn- ing in front of it. At 200 klafters [380 m] we found loose soil with a great many bones. We crept and walked on, following the rope and at 250 klafters [475 m] we came to a most wonderful palace and tabernacle. On the other side, between the south and west point, we found a fountain with four stone pillars around it and there seem to have been seats there at one time. The fountain was very cold. Editor's Note: The following source information was also posted at the above website: | found this story in History of Cave Science; The Exploration and Study of Limestone Caves, to 1900 by Trevor R. Shaw, Second Edition Published by the Sydney Speleological Society, 1992. The call letters, here in the University of Arizona Library are: "GB 601 A4 $54 1992 Science" (Science Library). It is interesting that this cave appears to be almost "off limits" in a military training ran area. 62 = NEXUS JUNE — JULY 2005 On the other side, between the south and seats there at one time. www.nexusmagazine.com