Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/321



EXPLORATION OF THE OREGON CAVES 273

able specimens as souvenirs of their very hard and for the ladies dangerous journey. Many of the prettiest things, however, were spoiled in breaking them off. Some were like a mule's ear in shape, only three or four times as large and in places perfectly transparent. The ears of many of the animals were represented on the walls, together with many varieties of vegetables. These attractions, though, will rapidly disappear as the place becomes frequented by visitors.

We named the cave, in honor of the finder, "Elijah's Cave." It is situated in the southern part of the county, about 15 miles southwest of Williamsburg, or say 37 miles in the same direction from Jacksonville. A better route than the one we traveled can probably be found, when sightseers can reach the cave without roughing it as we did. It is a sight, however, well worth many times the trouble we encountered in reaching it, to anyone who has a particle of admiration for the sublime and beautiful. Yea, "beautiful are all the thousand snow-white gems that lie in these mysterious chambers." July 26, 1877.