Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/318



AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT EXPLORATION OF THE "OREGON CAVES" 1

By WM. W. FIDLER

Two years ago Mr. E. J. Davidson, one of the most ad- venturesome and successful mountaineers and hunters of this region, while in pursuit of a deer he had wounded and was following with his dog, accidentally stumbled upon the discovery of what he took to be the mouth of a cave, and which conjecture has since proven to be correct. The discovery was made on the spur of a mountain familiarly known out here as "Old Grayback," and on the side that is drained off toward Sucker creek or Illinois river. It was not till July 5, 1877, however, that an attempt at ex- ploration of this subterranean cavern was made. Then the discoverer, in company with his brother, Carter David- son, and James Nail, undertook to penetrate its mysterious and marvelously beautiful apartments. Aided by pitch light, they were able to penetrate only two or three of the most accessible chambers, which intensified without satis- fying their curiosity; but their supply of illuminating ma- terial having become exhausted they were compelled to desist. It was on the strength of the report made by these parties, and at the desire of the discoverer of the cave, that, in company with a party of ladies and gentlemen of Williams creek, the writer visited this spot where Nature "thrones sublimity" in glistening if not in "icy halls." But to describe the trip fully I had best commence with the commencement.

Our party consisted at the start of but six, to-wit: Miss Eudora A. Godfrey, Miss Margaret Davidson of Port- land, Mr. Julius Goodwin, two boys and this deponent. We traveled up the right hand fork of Williams creek to its head, thence across one or two streams that run westerly into Sucker creek, then up a large mountain that puts out

1 For naming and reservation of the Oregon Caves, see this Quarterly, Vol. XX, p. 400.