Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

CAVE EXPLORATION 351of water. Somebody should carry a cup, as you mayhave to catch drip-water.Let another man bear acold-chisel and a small hammer for collecting specimens,marking passages, and cutting nicks for handholdand foothold. If there is any likelihood of descendinginto a lower galler}^, take about fifty feetof Alpine rope (to be had of some camp outfitters).Large cavern chambers cannot be illuminated withlanterns. So go provided with strips of magnesiumribbon. Do not try to use this ribbon as a substitutefor flash-powder in photographing: it willshow the most freakish bolts of lightning in yourpictures. Satisfactory interiors, in caves, can onlybe taken with a wnde-angle lens, as the range isnearly always short.Cave Measurements.—In estimating distancesbeware of "cave miles." It is almost impossible tokeep from overestimating distances in labyrinths un^derground, unless one trails a cord behind himwherever he goes. A cave mile, when tried bytape-line, generally proves to be only a few hundredyards long. Heights, depths, and w^idths are alsovery deceptive by lantern light.It may be asked. How are heights of cavern domesmeasured?They used to be "measured" by timingthe flight of rockets made for the purpose, but suchexpedients were very inaccurate. The only easyand reliable way that I know of is by sending uptoy balloons with cord attached. There are nodraughts in the interior of caves, and this methodcan be depended on, no matter how high the vaultmay be.Descending into Abysses.—Do not be afraid offire-damp, unless you are going down a sink-holethat may have been sealed at the bottom. The airof a true cave is purer and more invigorating thanany to be breathed on earth. One can work withlessfatigue in a cave than in the open air.The chance of finding caverns that no one elsehas explored is now limited, in our country, mostly