Page:The Selkirk mountains (1912).djvu/126

112 DESCRIPTION OF THE CAVES.

Gopher Bridge Series: The Caves are divided into three sections: the Gopher Bridge Series, the Mill Bridge Series, the Gorge Series. Let us now approach them from the Upper Valley. As we have seen. Cougar Brook, leaving the little lake-bed, flows in a succession of small cataracts through the open alplands. At the end of half a mile or so, without warning it drops into a cavity and 450 feet further down quietly re-issues from the underground, having dropped 30 feet on the way. The overground between this entry and exit is named Gopher Bridge from being a special habitat of the little Parry marmots abounding in the vallej Directly opposite the first place where the brook disappears, two cataracts tumble down the mountain side and uniting flow parallel to it when they also disappear to join the main stream underground. On the map they are named Gopher Falls and Gopher Hole.

The group under Gopher Bridge was at first entered through the opening marked "Old Entrance" on the map, at one time the entrance of the stream itself, but a natural dam gradually forming there, it forced its present entrance. (See map). The "Old Entrance" involving much squeezing through narrow cracks and wriggling over dirty rocks, a more commodious vestibule was made by enlarging a small natural opening half-way between it and the stream's present entrance.

Mr. Wheeler's first visit was by the "Old Entrance" and he took observations by the light of gas lamps and magnesium wire. Coming to the place directly over the torrent he describes what he saw:

"Standing on a ledge that overhangs a black abyss, the eye is first drawn by a subterranean waterfall heard roaring immediately on the left. It appears to pour from a dark opening above it. Below, between black walls of rock, may be seen the foam-flecked torrent hurtling down the incline until lost in dense shadows. Overhead, fantastic spurs and shapes reach out into the blackness, and the entire surroundings are so weird and uncanny that it is easy to imagine Dante seated upon one of these spurs deriving impressions for his Inferno. As the brilliant light gives out. the thick darkness makes itself felt and instinctively you feel to see if Charon is not standing beside you. This subterranean stream with its unearthly surroundings is suggestive of the Styx and incidentally supplied the name Avernus for the cavern of the waterfall."

From the new entrance, called on the map "Gopher Bridge Entrance," a small passage joins the underground way of the brook and by following along its edge the Cavern of Avernus is reached. On the way several small chambers are passed, originally potholes carved out of the rock by the Avaters, but since much distorted in shape owiiiir to disintegration of the cleavage planes.

The Mill Bridge Series: Emerging from under Gopher Bridge. Cougar Brook pours down a rock-cut for 350 feet when it again disappears in a spectacular whirl of spray. It re-appears 300 feel further on after having dropped 85 feet. The overground here is called Mill Bridge from the noise of underground waters resembling a mill in operation. The rock-cut is but 8 or 10 feet wide and is named the Flume from its likeness to a mill-race. Its upper half presents a succession of cascades, and the sides show curious small