The Big Cave: Early History and Authentic Facts Concerning the History and Discovery of the World Famous Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico

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Title: The Big Cave: Early History and Authentic Facts Concerning the History and Discovery of the World Famous Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico
Author: Long, Abijah, Long, Joe N.
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Big Cave: Early History and Authentic Facts Concerning the History and Discovery of the World Famous Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico" ***

Transcriber Note

Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_.

[Illustration: Abijah Long]

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

THE BIG CAVE

_by_
ABIJAH LONG

_and_
JOE N. LONG

Early History and Authentic Facts Concerning
the History and Discovery of the World
Famous Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico.

CUSHMAN PUBLICATIONS
2440 East 4th Street
Long Beach, California

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

by Mrs. Abijah Long, Joe N. Long, Mrs. Lou M. Wood, Mrs. Kaye I.
Williams, Ira B. Long, Mac A. Long.

_All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any
form without the written permission of the copyright owners, except by
a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages not to exceed 300 words
in connection with a review in a magazine or newspaper._

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 58-13784

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition 1956
Second Edition 1958
Third Edition 1961

_We Dedicate_

_This Book to the Millions of Visitors who will
Follow our Father's Footsteps as They Come
to See and Enjoy the Mighty Wonders of the
Carlsbad Caverns._

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword 11

PART I THE DISCOVERY _by Abijah Long_

1. We Move to Carlsbad 15
2. A Big Cave Is Discovered 19
3. A Business Venture Appears 24
4. The First Guano Is Mined 30
5. Life at the Camp 38
6. The Big Cave Is Explored 47
7. The End of the Beginning 53

PART II THE FIRST 60,000,000 YEARS _by Joe N. Long_

1. The Beginning 59
2. Life Enters the Caverns 64
3. The First Fifty Years 74

PART III THE BIG CAVE TODAY _by Joe N. Long_

1. From Above 91
2. From Below 107

Bibliography 127

PICTURE CREDITS:

ROBERT NYMEYER, FRONT COVER, BACK COVER, PAGES 68, 90, 92,
94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 112, 114, 116, 118,
120, 122 AND 124.

NEW MEXICO STATE TOURIST BUREAU, PAGE 110.

COVER PHOTO--Totem Poles in the Big Room
© by Robert Nymeyer

_FOREWORD_

(By the family of Abijah Long)

Prior to my husband's death in 1934, several of us had asked him to
write, in his own words, the story of his early life, especially after
moving to Carlsbad at the turn of the century.

He was reluctant to write of his experiences in connection with the Big
Cave, as it was called in those days. But after considerable persuasion
on our part he did sit down and write what happened in those early
years following our move from Texas in 1901.

Since many historians today appear confused as to the actual beginnings
of the Carlsbad Caverns, my children and I felt his words should no
longer be for us alone, and we have therefore made them available in
this form for all to read, and thus to know and understand more clearly
just what happened during those early days of the cave's discovery.

My husband was always a very honest, though not always a prosperous,
man. He was as good as his word, and in return he expected everyone
else to be the same. At times, when he was forced to borrow money, he
left only his word of honor and his promise to pay as collateral.

Nevertheless, we wanted to verify the facts in his story, and we
have spent two years in tracking down many of the men who shared his
experiences and in asking them to verify the incidents described.

We found many of them still alive and living in and near the charming
community of Carlsbad. We found the people of Carlsbad friendly and
courteous in every respect, and always eager to help us in our endeavor.

In gratitude for the kind assistance which met us everywhere, we
wish to give our thanks to the friendly people of Carlsbad who so
unselfishly assisted us in verifying my husband's account, especially
the following:

Colonel Thomas Boles
"Dee" Harkey
Mrs. Simmonds of Happy Valley
Mr. and Mrs. John Queen
Johnny Forehand of Black River Valley
Mrs. Mary Queen Montgomery
Arthur Hoose
Wayne Crowder of Albuquerque.

We wish, also, to thank Robert Nymeyer, photographer of Carlsbad, who
furnished the photographs of Carlsbad Caverns which we have used in the
text.

Photographs of the lunchroom were furnished by the New Mexico State
Tourist Bureau, Santa Fe, New Mexico, for which we are grateful.

We are also greatly indebted to various staff members of the National
Parks Service who have made valuable suggestions to improve the
technical accuracy of the manuscript.

It is our hope that persons interested in the Big Cave, now known the
world over as the Carlsbad Caverns, will be enlightened as to the early
history of the cave as told here for the first time by the cave's
first owner, our husband and father, Abijah ("Bije"[A]) Long, and its
subsequent development as described by his eldest son, Joe N. Long.

Mrs. Abijah Long
Joe N. Long (Jodie in the story)
(Mrs.) Lou M. (Long) Wood
(Mrs.) Kaye I. (Long) Williams
Ira B. Long
Mac A. Long
(Mrs.) Anda M. (Long) Brubaker.

Carlsbad, New Mexico
November, 1956.

[Footnote A: "Bije" was a nickname for Abijah. (Long "i" as in
"hide.")]

Part I

THE DISCOVERY

_By ABIJAH LONG_

We Move to Carlsbad

The distance from Goldthwaite, Texas, to Carlsbad, New Mexico,
is slightly less than 400 miles--just a good day's drive in an
automobile today. But in 1901 the automobile was something we heard
about--something we read about, and friends of mine told of having seen
a horseless carriage up in Dallas. People who did much traveling went
by train or horse and wagon--or, they walked.

So when our family talked of moving West--talked of trying life anew
"somewhere else," the question of how to go was considered. Train fare,
we soon found, was much too high for us at the time. And with all our
worldly possessions the freight charges would be excessive.

The answer--a covered wagon.

It was hard for my mother to leave Goldthwaite, and my wife was a bit
fearful of the future in a strange land, but father and I thought our
future was brighter if we tried anew somewhere else.

Besides my cousin, there were my two children, which completed our
party of seven. Heading West over the vast expanse of open Texas
prairie, I felt something of the thrill those early pioneers must have
felt, although the fear of trouble was not present, for being ambushed
by Indians was a remote possibility.

Just the same, there was an air of adventure in the journey, for none
of us knew what the future held in store for us. We dreamed and hoped.

We completed our journey to Carlsbad, a distance of almost 400 miles,
without any serious mishap. Oh, there were the usual little troubles of
a sick horse which slowed us up one day, and an occasional steep hill
which required we not only get out of the wagon to lighten it, but all
help push as well.

Carlsbad had a population of less than a thousand in 1901,[B] and
although Carlsbad was the legal name, having been officially changed
two years before, everyone called the town by its original name, Eddy,
and it was, and still is, the county seat of Eddy County.

[Footnote B: Population in 1950, 18,000.]

The primary activity in and around Carlsbad in those days was ranching,
with a growing interest in mining of various kinds. I noticed many
people continually coming and going and thought that, since I would
have to get busy at something pretty soon, I would try the hotel
business.

So, shortly after my arrival, I took over the Schlitz Hotel, which was
located near the railroad station at the corner of Canyon Street and
Mermod Avenue. The hotel boasted a dining room, and a large part of the
business came from many of the railroad workers, who, it seemed, always
had a good appetite and who liked good food and lots of it.

That wasn't the only trouble I had, and after a few months I found I
didn't know enough about the hotel business to make a go of it, so I
gave it up. The name of the hotel was later changed to Bates, and some
time after that it caught fire and burned to the ground.

The saloon business in those days was always good. Ranchers and miners
would come into town after a rugged week in the hills and spend much
of their pay for liquor. It looked to me as though this would be a
profitable enterprise and I decided to give it a try.

My wife didn't like the idea at all and told me so in no uncertain
terms. However, I kept at it for a while in spite of her pleas.

One day I took my small son down to the saloon to show him off to the
boys. That did it. That was the abrupt end to my venture in the saloon
business. My wife set up such a howl that in order to keep peace in the
family I decided to give up the saloon. Her opinion was always best for
the family anyway, and of course I was aware of the fact that this was
not the most desirable environment in which to raise children.

So, what next? I had by this time acquired a few mules and thought I
might be able to use them in some way. I learned that the Joyce Pruitt
Company of Carlsbad was expanding its operations and was in need of
additional help in doing some freighting.

I made a deal with them to do the necessary hauling and soon was quite
busy.

One of the biggest of my expenses was for food for the teams, and I was
anxious to cut down the feed bill as much as possible. As a result, at
the end of each day I would take the mules out to pasture and let them
rest and graze.

At this particular time I had the teams grazing near a place known as
Donahue Springs, now known as Oak Creek Springs. Water from the springs
was a necessity for the mules, and we used the water ourselves, as well.

While the mules were grazing there wasn't much for me to do and I
used to explore the countryside wondering what else might lie in the
vicinity. Others came to Donahue Springs for water since in that arid
country water was not as plentiful as we wished it might be.

One day a man by the name of Sam Evans and a Mr. Brown and myself were
exploring the countryside just to see what we might discover in the
area. Hunters and miners in that section were always telling of some
unusual find and anyone who went out of town kept their eyes open in
search of something that might turn out to be valuable.

I suppose that is why Brown, Evans and myself were searching--just
looking around to see what we might uncover.

At one spot there appeared to be a hole or cavity in the ground and I
called to my buddies, "Hey, come over here. There seems to be a hole in
the earth."

In that rugged country a hole in the ground isn't exactly unusual,
but this one seemed to lead to quite a large empty space beneath it,
and the tone of my voice must have told the others it was not just an
ordinary hole, because they both came over to where I was right away.

"What do you make of this?" I asked as they both gave the hole an
appraising glance. The three of us were puzzled because it wasn't just
a hole in the earth, but rather seemed to be the opening to a large
cavity underneath.

"What do you suppose this is?" I asked again.

"Any large animals around here that might have dug it?" queried Brown.

"Possible," I reflected. "Let's have a look."

I was eager to go below and learn more about this mysterious opening
in the earth, but it didn't seem to me that Evans or Brown shared my
curiosity. We looked for animal tracks in the vicinity, but couldn't
find any.

"Who'll go in with me?" I received no response. It didn't matter. By
now I was so curious that I decided I would go in alone, if necessary.

I went to my wagon and got a lantern and a ball of large fishing line.
Then I picked up all the rope I had, including the rope I used with my
mules, and hurriedly went back to the mysterious hole.

I'll admit I was quite excited, and by now Evans and Brown were, too,
although it seemed to me they tried to hide their enthusiasm. Perhaps
they were just a bit afraid of what might be down there in that strange
cavity, yet didn't want to let on that that was so.

I, too, decided to play it safe, so I took the lantern and tied it on
to the end of the rope and lowered it into the hole. All three of us
bent over the opening and looked in to see what we could see.

As the light of the lantern showed on the sides and bottom of the hole
I could see that it was a large one. I particularly wanted to see if
there was any damp in the cavity, but the light didn't reveal any.

By this time I was eager to go below and explore our discovery. "Who'll
go with me?" I asked. No response.

"Well, then I'll go alone," I declared.

And with that I fastened the rope around my waist, made sure it was
securely fastened to the ground a few feet outside the opening, and got
ready to go below.

A Big Cave is Discovered

The three of us talked over the matter of my descent and several safety
precautions were formulated. About this time I decided I would be much
happier about the whole thing if I could persuade one of the others
to go below with me. At least one should remain on the surface at all
times in case anything should go wrong.

"Sam," I said, "how about you coming down with me?"

He seemed to want to see what would happen to me first, I guess, so I
then asked him if I went first would he follow. He said nothing.

"We'll only stay down for a short while," I assured him. "Perhaps a
half hour or so."

Sam did not like the idea of going down in such a place. I told him it
was easy, so I made arrangements to go down into this cavity and I did.

After getting down in there I could look back out and talk to him, so
I finally persuaded him to come down, which he did. That left Brown on
top.

We prowled around in there for some time, exploring the cavity, being,
as I remember, 75 or 100 feet deep.

When we got ready to climb out of our descension, Sam said to me: "How
are we going to get out of here?"

[Illustration: A portion of the author's original manuscript.]

I told him that was easy. He said, "Go ahead."

"No," I said. "You go first and then I will come out. It is easy for
me."

Well, Sam made a trial to go out, but made a complete failure, coming
back down the rope in spite of me, and said, "I guess we are in here
for good."

I told him I could go out in less than two minutes.

He said, "Let's see you." So, out I went.

Sam would not try any more, so I sent Mr. Brown to Carlsbad to get a
rope long enough that I might make a rope ladder out of it and lower it
down to Sam.

Carlsbad was 28 miles away and, of course, travel was very slow with
horse and wagon. I knew Brown wouldn't get back before the next day.

I called to Sam: "I'm sending Brown to Carlsbad to get enough rope for
a ship's ladder. You'll be able to climb that all right and get out."

"How long do I have to stay down here?" was Sam's retort.

"Until he gets back with the rope," I answered. "Probably tomorrow."

"You mean I have to stay down here all night?" Sam's voice quivered
with fear.

"Unless you have some idea of how to get out," I replied.

I brought my wagons and mules over to the hole and proceeded to get
ready to spend the night there. In spite of Sam's anxiety he said he
was hungry so I got some food from one of the wagons and lowered it
down to him on the end of a piece of fishline. He still had the lantern
with him. I don't know how much he relished his meal, but of course he
had no choice; so, by the light of the lantern he ate his supper, such
as it was.

Above, I fared somewhat better.

Sam was quite scared, and he remained squarely below the opening,
which, by the way, was not over two feet in diameter. He had no desire
whatsoever to take the lantern and go exploring by himself. I really do
believe he meant it when he said he thought he was in there for good.

I didn't sleep much that night, and I don't think Sam slept at all. No
matter how much I kept reassuring him that as soon as Brown returned
from Carlsbad we would get him out, he still thought he'd never see the
light of day again.

Early the next morning, before the sun was up, Sam was calling me and
asking if Brown had returned. "Not yet," I replied, "but he will,
probably some time before noon."

I, too, was getting a bit apprehensive, for I felt just a bit guilty
about Sam's predicament, since I was the one who had persuaded him to
go below--against his desire to do so. In order to slightly calm my
nervous tension I decided to take a short walk around the area in hopes
of making the time pass more quickly, for I now knew that I, too, would
welcome Brown and the rope he would be bringing.

I didn't stray too far from our campsite and was looking around when
low in the sky I noticed a large number of dark objects. They seemed to
disappear on a hillside.

Curiosity got the better of me. Knowing there was nothing I could do
until Brown returned, I decided to investigate.

As I came closer I noticed the dark objects were bats--thousands of
them. They were, indeed, disappearing into the side of a hill--into
an opening that was much larger than the one which at the moment was
holding Sam Evans a prisoner.

Having spent the night in search of food, they were now returning at
sunrise to spend the day in what appeared to be a huge cave.

I was almost awe-struck at the sight of so many of these little flying
mammals, for I had never before seen anything like it in my life.

As the brightness of the dawn increased the stream of bats subsided,
and in a short while only a few remaining stragglers were entering the
mouth of their home.

Where could all of these bats go, I wondered. There must be an
exceptionally large cave inside to hold so many of them.

I never have cared much for bats, but I was interested in seeing where
they lived. As I approached closer the whole side of the hill seemed
to open up. There, certainly, was an opening to something even larger
inside.

Well, of course, I wanted to go in, right then, but I knew it would not
be safe to go into such a strange place alone. I had no idea of what I
might find, or what trouble I might encounter.

By this time the sun was well off the horizon and I thought perhaps I
had better get back to Sam and console him lest he think I had deserted
him. I looked up the old dirt road towards Carlsbad to see if I could
see any signs of Brown returning, but all was quiet.

I reasoned he would spend the night in Carlsbad and get an early
morning start for the return trip, which would get him here a little
before noon or so.

"Sam," I called out, "how is everything down there?"

"Get me out," he pleaded. "I've had all I want of this. I'm never going
into a cave again."

I was quite excited about the larger cave I had just discovered and, of
course, I wanted to tell Sam all about it, but when he said he never
wanted to go into a cave again, I figured maybe he was in no mood to
listen, let alone share my enthusiasm.

The best plan, it seemed, was to get his mind off his predicament so I
tried to get him to talk about other things. He kept talking about how
dark and cold it was down there in the hole, and when would Brown come
back so that he could get out and why was he so foolish as to listen to
me in the first place.

All this time I was eager to return to the new, big cave where all the
bats were, yet I didn't want to leave Sam alone any more as I could see
he was getting madder all the time. So the morning dragged on for him
and for me as well.

Every few minutes he would call out to me and ask me to look and see
if there was any sign of Brown. I had to keep saying no, but to say
anything else would have raised false hopes, and I just couldn't do
that.

About noon I noticed a cloud of dust on the horizon in the direction of
Carlsbad, and as I watched it I could see it was getting bigger. That
meant Brown was almost here. When I told Sam, he suddenly came to life
again. I guess he felt like the condemned man who has just received a
pardon.

Brown had gotten the rope, and we made a ship's ladder for Sam. We
quickly lowered it through the small opening in the ground, and I never
saw a man climb a rope ladder so fast before. Sam was mighty glad to
see the light of day again.

Now that this ordeal was over I couldn't contain myself any more. I had
to tell Sam and Brown of my discovery, and I wanted them to explore it
with me. Certainly there was adventure ahead.

A Business Venture Appears

"Early this morning," I began, "while waiting for you to return,
Brown, I took a walk around and noted a lot of bats going into a large
cave,--a really large cave. Let's go have a look at it."

Sam didn't need to say a word. I could tell from his expression and his
disappointment that he had no desire to go into any more caves, even if
the entrance was on the side of a hill where he could safely get out.

"Not me," he exclaimed in no uncertain terms. "Damn your cave. I'm
going back to Carlsbad, and the quicker I get started, the better."

Sam would have it no other way, and since I felt partially responsible
for his feeling the way he did, I decided to take him back to Carlsbad.

However, I couldn't get my mind off the new cave. I had to know what it
was like inside. So, I made immediate arrangements to return.

I didn't want to go alone, so I inquired around and found two men who
said they would be interested in going back with me and explore the
cave.

The three of us set forth on the 28 mile journey to Donahue Springs,
Andy Fairchild, a fellow I knew only as Lynn, and myself.

[Illustration: Andy Fairchild]

[Illustration: Jacob "Jake" Lynn]

They kept asking me about the cave, and I told them all I knew about
it, that thousands of bats apparently made it their home, and that the
entrance was quite large. That was all I could tell them because I had
returned with Sam and Brown without even looking inside.

When we arrived at the spot both Andy and Lynn were quite excited.
The cave was deep enough so that a rope ladder would be necessary in
order to reach the bottom. I had brought back the same rope ladder we
had used to extricate poor Sam, so we didn't have to waste time making
another.

We soon had it securely fastened outside the entrance and then I said,
"Well Andy, would you like to go first?"

"Heck, no," he replied, backing away. "You just went into one cave and
said it was an interesting experience. Why are you afraid to go into
this one?"

For a moment I thought I had another Sam on my hands. Then I realized
he was right, and also that I had instigated this cave hunting party,
so why shouldn't I lead the way?

If I backed out now, there would be no cave exploration, so, without a
further word being said, I began to lower myself into the mouth of the
cave.

Down, down, down I went. As I looked up I could see two heads peering
down at me. They both wanted to make sure I reached the bottom safely.
A moment later my feet touched a pile of rock on the floor of the cave.
It was so dark that I couldn't see anything except the dim outline of
the nearest wall.

"How ya' coming?" Andy shouted down at me.

"I made it all right," I replied. "Come on down, and bring that torch
that is in the back of the wagon. It's black as night down here."

Lynn ran to the wagon to get the torch as Andy prepared to come down
the ladder. He came down more quickly than I did, probably because I
had blazed the way and he knew it was safe.

Before I knew it, Lynn had entered the opening and was coming down the
ladder. In my excitement I forgot to ask him to remain outside for
safety's sake. If the rope ladder should slip or in any way become
insecure, we could never have gotten out and would surely have died in
the cave.

But my attention was certainly not on safety at that moment. I was much
too excited about what we would find.

We lit the torch, but the cave was so large that the light of our one
torch didn't help much.

Our first concern was whether or not a bear or some other wild beast
might attack us. We searched the floor of the cave for tracks, but not
a sign of man or beast did we see. The floor of the cave seemed devoid
of any evidence of any walking creature having preceded us into this
mammoth underground cavern.

Occasionally a bat would sail by, missing us by inches.

With the dim light of the torch we looked around and were struck
speechless by the immensity of the great cave. We inched along over
the floor of the cave which at times was rocky and difficult. We
encountered large boulders and had to climb over them.

"What do you make of it?" asked Andy

"Biggest thing I ever saw underground," I answered. "Seems like we're
suddenly in another world. Notice that peculiar odor?"

Lynn, who had been the most quiet of our trio, spoke up. "Animals of
some kind," he said. "But I wouldn't know just what."

As we proceeded further the smell became stronger and more pronounced.
Our caution increased, for I know all of us expected at any moment to
see some animal lunge out at us. We kept our eyes open and, with the
torch held above our heads, were able to see several feet ahead of us.
Beyond that the outline of any object was too dim for us to definitely
make out what it was.

The animal odor was getting stronger. We were definitely nearing
something, but just what I didn't know. As a result of this uncertainty
we slowed our pace, stopping every few feet to listen for any sound,
yet nothing did we see or hear.

At any moment I was sure we would see two moving balls of light race
toward us, which would indicate the eyes of some wild animal, but as we
progressed further inside the cave our fears were unfounded.

Finally the smell became quite pronounced and at the same time we came
upon huge mounds of something which was unlike the rest of the floor of
the cave.

I glanced upward, and on the walls and ceiling of the cave I had the
answer to the smell.

"Bats!" I exclaimed. "Millions of them. This is where they live. And
those mounds beneath them are the result of their living here. Why,
there's enough fertilizer there to ..."

I didn't finish the sentence. As far as the eye could see, which wasn't
too far in that dim light, there were piles and piles of guano, which
is the commercial name for fertilizer created by animals of this type.

Now our fears were ended, as we felt relatively safe from bats, even
though there must have been millions right there over our heads. Now
they were asleep, but shortly after sunset we knew they would suddenly
come alive and head for the cave entrance, where they would fly off
into the night in search of food.

By morning they would again form that black, funnel shaped cloud I had
watched previously as they re-entered their home--a home that must have
been theirs and theirs alone for countless centuries--if the huge piles
of guano at our feet was any indication, and it surely must have been.

In places these piles of bat deposit reached almost to the top of the
cave. Later we found that this guano reached almost a quarter of a
mile in length and stretched some 75 feet in width. Some of the piles
later proved to be over a hundred feet deep!

Even the crudest calculation would have shown that there was enough
guano here to merit the cost and trouble of getting it out of the cave
and selling it commercially. At that moment I decided to stake a mining
claim on the cave.

We felt that for one day we had seen enough and were ready to head back
to the entrance and call it a day. The bats were apparently the sole
tenants of the cave, for we saw no evidence of any other living thing
ever having invaded its dark, vast interior.

Lynn headed up the ladder first and I asked him to go to the wagon and
get four small cloth sacks for me. When he dropped them through the
opening, Andy and I went back to where the guano was and filled the
sacks. I wanted to have the guano tested to make sure it was of good
enough quality to make my contemplated mining operation worth while.

It would be silly to go to all the trouble of getting this guano to the
surface and into Carlsbad, only to find that it was of inferior quality
and not worth the cost and trouble of extracting it.

"How are you going to get this stuff up to the surface?" Andy asked as
I was filling the sacks.

"By Ned, I don't know, but there's a way, and I'll find it."

As we wound our way back to the rope ladder, Andy and I each had two
sacks of the guano, one in each hand. We made it up the ladder and out
into the open again.

"Now I'm going to do something about marking this place, to show I've
been here." A short distance from the entrance to the cave was a mescal
pit, possibly left by Indians.

"Here, Andy, give me a hand," and with that we began gathering several
large stones and placed them one on top of another until we had a pile
some four or five feet high. This would have to serve as a marker until
the claim could be completed.

"Well, what do you think, Lynn? Was it worth the trip?" I asked.

"Didn't know there were so many bats in the world," he replied.

"The size of that cave is unbelievable," was Andy's comment. "How big
do you suppose that cave really is, anyhow?"

"That's anybody's guess. Maybe we saw it all today, and maybe we saw
only a small part of it," was my humble answer.

"Bet that entrance is a busy place at sunrise and sunset," Lynn
observed. It was clear to see he was more interested in the millions of
bats than the size of the cave. "I'd like to get more torches and see
more of that bat cave."

"Some day we will," I replied. "Right now we're heading back to
Carlsbad. I'm not going to waste any time filing a mining claim."

And with that the three of us climbed aboard the wagon and headed down
the hill.

The First Guano Is Mined

News spreads fast. Soon everyone in Carlsbad had heard about the big
cave that Lynn, Andy and myself had been describing. Many of the people
thought it was just a story we had cooked up and wouldn't believe us.
Of course it was known there were caves in the Guadalupe Mountains in
that area of the state, but no one thought the cave we described could
be as large as we claimed it was.

My first job was to take care of my claim and I promptly attended to
this important matter. I got the necessary papers in Carlsbad and
returned as soon as I could to the big cave. I filled out one set
of papers and placed them in the monument Andy and I had built. The
duplicate set was taken back to Carlsbad and filed with the County
Clerk.

Now everything was all set for me to begin operations. The guano, I
learned, was commercially acceptable, which meant that I would have a
market for the product, and that my time in bringing it out of the cave
would not be wasted.

It took me several weeks to get all the details straightened out and
find a crew of fellows who were interested in working on the job. It
was more than simply going to the cave, taking out the guano, and
hauling it back to Carlsbad.

[Illustration: Abijah Long's original claim to the Carlsbad Caverns]

[Illustration: Amended Notice of "Big Cave" Mining Claim (Handwritten)]

[Illustration: Ammended Notice of "Big Cave" Mining Claim]

AMENDED NOTICE OF BIG CAVE PLACER MINING CLAIM

Notice is hereby given to all whom it may concern that A. Long, a
citizen of the United States, over the age of twenty-one years,
located what is called the "Big Cave" Placer Mining Claim which is
hereinafter particularly described on the 28th day of March 1903
and thereafter to wit: on the 16th day of June A.D. 1903 filed the
notice of the location for record in the office of the probate
Clerk and office Recorder of Eddy County, New Mexico. Which notice
was recorded in Book 1 of Records of Mining Claim at Page 149,
and whereas, appears from said notice, as recorded, that the same
is defective, in the fact that it fails to properly describe said
Mining Claim as located. Now therefore for the purpose of amending
and correcting, said location notice, I the said A. Long do hereby
give notice that I located that certain Placer Mining Claim of
ground in accordance with the Statutes of the United States, and
the laws of the territory of New Mexico, the said 28th day of March
1903 in the County of Eddy, territory of New Mexico, which is by
me called the "Big Cave" Mining Claim and which is particularly
described by meets and bounds as follows, to wit: Beginning at a
stone mound erected by me at a point about 20 feet west of the
entrance to what is known as the Big Cave. Situated about in a
Southerly course from Walnut Canyon and about one mile therefrom
and about 25 miles in a southeasterly course from the town of
Carlsbad, and about one mile in a southeasterly course from the
Donahoe Springs, in the foothills of the Guadalupe mountains. From
said stone mound, running north 300 feet to a stone mound, which is
the northwest corner of the claim, running thence east 1500 feet to
a stone mound, which is the northeast corner of said claim, thence
South 600 feet to a stone mound, which is the southeast corner of
said claim, thence running west 1500 feet to a stone mound, which
is the southwest corner of said claim, thence north 300 feet to the
place of beginning. Covering in all about 20 acres of land. Said
claim contains valuable deposits of Petroleum, Oil Clay, Building
Stone, Guano, Phosphates, and other kindred substances situate in
the Eddy County Mining District. This amended notice is made by me
this 19th day of November A.D. 1903.

ABIJAH LONG

Filed for record November 19th 1903 at 3:20 o'clock P.M.

W. R. OWEN, Probate Clerk and Recorder.
By N. CUNNINGHAM, Deputy.

[Illustration: Charles Hannsz

Supervisor of transporting guano to Carlsbad]

Much work had to be done before we could even touch the guano. The
road up the hill, if it could be called a road at that time, had to be
cleared and widened and in places leveled because it was so steep.

I had hired eight or ten boys in Carlsbad to assist in this work, and
it was all carried out under the supervision of my brother-in-law,
Charlie Hannsz. It proved to be no easy task to remove the large
boulders, dig up thickets of cactus and other desert shrubs, and make
the roadway smooth enough to allow heavily loaded wagons to pass
smoothly.

At best the road was not very satisfactory, but it was the best we
could do, so we had to use it.

Now that the road was done, the next part of the operation could begin.
Since the entrance to the big cave was some distance from where the
guano was located, I tried to figure out some way of making that haul
much shorter.

On one of my trips into Carlsbad for supplies I heard of a man by the
name of Victor Queen who might fit into our company. As a result I
looked him up, since I had heard he had had mining experience.

"Had any experience mining guano?" I asked him.

"No," Victor replied. "But it doesn't matter much what you take out of
the ground--the problems are pretty much the same."

"Well," I explained, "we have to haul this guano quite a ways to the
exit, and I think there must be a way to abolish all that trouble."

"Can't you sink a shaft right over where the guano is located?" he
suggested.

[Illustration: Victor Queen]

[Illustration: J. H. Lockhart]

"It might be a tough job to tunnel down," I mused.

"Just use a bit of dynamite," was Queen's solution.

"I've never used the stuff, and I sort of hesitate to experiment. What
do you know about it?"

"Used it in Mexico quite a bit. Saves a lot of digging time, and
there's no need for danger if a man knows what he's doing."

"Believe that might be our answer. How about joining us?"

Next day Victor Queen was deciding just where to dynamite a hole
through to the guano. He was assisted in this powder work by Arthur
Sinclair and Johnny Forehand. Among the others who were loyal workers
were John Queen, Victor's brother, Wayne Crowder, and John Lockhart.

Blasting the hole proved to be no easy task, but eventually we achieved
our goal. This first shaft was sunk in 1903, and it seemed then that
the major part of our effort had been completed.

Getting to the guano was one thing, and getting it out was another.
When we got the shaft sunk we found we would have to build a platform
underneath in order to more easily raise the guano from the floor of
the cave to the shaft entrance.

What appeared to be a simple job at the start proved to be rather
difficult and perilous, but under the supervision of Johnny Forehand
and Arthur Sinclair the platform was completed and it turned out to be
a good job.

Once again it seemed that the actual mining of the guano could begin,
but again we had miscalculated. Attaching a pulley and a rope to the
top of the shaft, we lowered an iron bucket, shoveled it full of guano,
and the first load came out.

At this rate it would take forever to get a pay load to Carlsbad. We
had to find a faster method.

[Illustration: Wayne Crowder, Sr.]

[Illustration: John Queen]

[Illustration: J. F. Forehand]

By this time my finances were dwindling fast, and in order to continue
I found I was compelled to seek outside assistance. Many people
hesitate to have anything to do with a mining operation, figuring there
is too much risk to merit any financial backing. But with us the mine
wasn't guesswork because we could see the guano and knew there were
many tons of it waiting to be brought to the surface and shipped to San
Francisco.

As a result, I soon made a contract with the Ramsy Brady Company of
Carlsbad whereby they would assist financially in the backing of the
undertaking in return for a half interest in the profits.

With that important detail out of the way I was ready once more to give
my full attention to extracting the guano which had so far remained in
the big cave in spite of all our endeavor.

Now we were ready to complete the final stage of our operation.

Since the iron bucket was much too slow, we decided some quicker means
must be found. We held a consultation and several ideas were suggested.
The best seemed to be to build a track out of 2×4 lumber and construct
a small car or wagon to run on this track. Matt Ohnemus of Carlsbad was
assigned to this job, and he built us a strong and sturdy car which I
was sure would serve us well for a long time.

It was similar to the hand cars used on the railroad, except that we
were forced to use wooden wheels, the iron variety not being obtainable.

Our system was now changed. We would scoop up the guano in shovels and
place it in sacks. Eight or ten sacks could be loaded onto the car and
hoisted to the surface.

The sacks, of course, were sewed across the top before being placed on
the car. Johnny Forehand proved to be a master at sewing these sacks.
He was fast and accurate, and many of the other fellows learned to
speed up their sewing by watching Johnny.

I was really quite fortunate in having acquired such a fine bunch of
fellows to work on the operation. They all seemed to adapt themselves
quickly and well to any job assigned to them, and furthermore they
seemed to take an interest in their work.

One of the big reasons for this was that all the men knew there wasn't
too much work in that section of the state, and therefore they were
eager to keep the jobs they had. Also, the cave seemed to possess a
certain degree of mystery for the men and they felt a certain amount of
daring and adventure connected with the whole operation.

Working with guano can't be classified as a glamorous operation. The
very nature of the substance--bat deposit--has a rather disagreeable
odor and it takes a while to get used to it. Also, there wasn't much
circulation of air in the big cave with the result that the smell had
been bottled up there for centuries and we were getting the full effect
of it.

From time to time fellows would quit or leave for one reason or
another, and whenever a new man started in he would comment on the
odor, and then we were conscious of it, but otherwise we grew so
accustomed to it that we didn't notice it.

The men were human, and just like men everywhere, I guess. They worked
hard during the day, but during their off hours they liked to partake
of the pleasures men normally like.

Of course we were 28 miles from Carlsbad, so the fellows couldn't go
that far to spend their evenings. They were, therefore, forced to
provide their own entertainment in our own camp.

Life in and around the big cave was never boring. There was something
happening every minute. New men, it seemed, were the target for pranks,
and my boys soon became adept at staging them!

Life at the Camp

New men were always nervous about going into the cave. A mine is
one thing, but a cave! And people back in Carlsbad were continually
enlarging their yarns about the adventures we were having in the "big
cave" some 28 miles away. As a result, all new men who came to work had
illusions about this mysterious cavity in the earth where bats dwelled
by the millions.

The boys thought new men were fair game--for anything. Take for
instance the time a new man came out to work at the cave and the boys
decided to have some fun.

They asked the tenderfoot if he would go down into the cave for a
shovel, and the man obeyed. As soon as he reached the bottom, a voice
boomed out of the darkness: "What are you doing down here?"

The man, not knowing anyone else was underground at the time
was so scared he could hardly talk. Finally he uttered, "Why, I
have--a--well--I have come to get a--a shovel!"

"Now lookee here," boomed the voice again. "I've lived in this cave
nigh on to 50 years, and now you guys think you're going to take it
away from me. I'm going to kill you!" With that a gun fired at close
range.

The new man, scared out of his wits, fairly flew up the ladder and
headed for open country, as fast as his legs would carry him. As far as
I know he is still running, for none of us ever saw him again.

Another time we had a young Mexican boy working in the cave sewing
sacks. One day he got upset over something and suddenly decided to
quit, saying, "Me voy, me voy!" (I am going, I am going.)

It was really nothing serious, and we pleaded with him, trying to
explain to him that the matter was not important, that we liked him and
wanted him to stay as we needed him. Furthermore, it wasn't easy to get
men to remain at the cave.

Our pleadings were of no avail, for he started out and we couldn't stop
him. He jumped on the car and began to pull the ropes and in that way
propel himself to the top of the cave.

Ropes in those days were not too well made and they wore out fast. He
didn't know, and, in fact, we didn't either, that the rope on the hoist
was ready to snap.

Up he went, almost to the top, and then--snap. Down came car, Mexican
boy and all, right smack into a waiting load of guano. He was covered
from head to foot--just a leg sticking out.

He didn't move, and we were sure he had been killed. We started digging
and soon uncovered a very much alive but very scared little fellow. The
guano had cushioned the fall.

Apparently he thought we somehow caused the fall to prevent his escape,
for he never tried to run away again, and soon became one of our best
workers.

Incidents like this were not good for the morale of the men. The
pranks, of course, were harmless as far as danger was concerned, but
natural risks were always present.

Sometimes the pranks were meant to be harmless, and they were to the
men, but it worked a hardship on us who managed the mine. I remember
one day Victor Queen, who at that time was in charge of operations, had
to go to Carlsbad for supplies.

"Johnny," he said to his brother, "I'm leaving you and Wayne Crowder in
charge while I'm gone. Keep the men busy. I'll be back as soon as I can
make it."

Wayne was a good worker and always reliable, but like lots of men he
enjoyed a good laugh and often went to long ends to get it.

"Johnny," he said, "you engage the Mexicans in conversation. I'm going
to fix up a ghost and we'll have a little fun with them."

While Johnny Queen was talking to the Mexican workers about everything
he could think of, Wayne made a large paper man, then tied a string
to it and dangled it from the roof of the cave in a dimly lit section
which hadn't been explored too much.

The Mexicans were quite superstitious about the cave, and Wayne knew he
would get quite a rise out of them when they saw this ghost-like figure
rising out of the semi-darkness.

He didn't have long to wait. Signaling to Johnny that the scene had
been set, the conversation stopped and the Mexicans were sent into the
cave in the vicinity of where the ghost had been rigged.

Panic broke loose. Every Mexican in the group quit, scampering out of
the cave and heading for Carlsbad. They were scared. But so were Johnny
and Wayne. They knew how hard it was to get men to work in the cave
and, with this mass exodus of workers, they would be in for a hard
lecture from Victor when he returned and found what had happened.

They pleaded with the frightened men, but it was useless. They had seen
that white figure with their own eyes. They had heard the cave was
haunted; now they knew that what they had heard was true. Come back
to work? Not in that cave! Some picked up their belongings, while the
others were in too much of a hurry to get out of that section of the
country.

When Victor returned and learned what had happened, he nearly fired
John and Wayne on the spot. Needless to say, John and Wayne had learned
their lesson, and they were much more careful about what they tried on
the workers in the future.

On one occasion a man by the name of Priest came out from Carlsbad to
see the cave and learn how guano was being taken out. The boys were
always ready to oblige anyone like this, so they told him to get on the
car and they would take him down.

The car hadn't gone very far when the steel cable on the drum slipped a
bit and the car suddenly dropped about a foot.

Priest was so frightened he began to pray. The boys thought that was
quite an incident, seeing a Priest pray on a cable car going after
guano, and they always got a bang out of telling it.

That car contributed its share of incidents at the cave. One other time
we had just received several hundred empty sacks and were preparing to
send them below where the men could fill them with guano.

Generally the workers in the cave would walk the ladders when they
wanted to go into the cave or come out. But this time there were three
boys who decided they would get a free ride as long as the car was
going anyway with the sacks. So they jumped on.

Sitting gaily on the sacks they appeared ready for a thrill, so they
called out to the whim man, "Let 'er go!"

He did.

The boys were asking for a fast ride, so he decided to give it to them.
He forgot to take into consideration that the weight of the several
hundred sacks plus the weight of the three boys was too much for the
car, and as it gained momentum in its downward plunge the brake gave
way.

The car was now falling freely of its own weight, and in an instant
would crash at the bottom, totally wrecking the car and possibly
killing the three boys.

I happened to see the whole thing, being right there at the time, and
before I could think what was happening I had instinctively grabbed a
4×4 timber close by and rammed it into the whim.

Smoke billowed from the 4×4 as it hit the whim. The car slowed up just
as it hit the bottom.

From our position at the top of the shaft we couldn't tell how hard the
car had landed, nor could we tell if anyone had been badly hurt.

Just as I was about to call down, I heard one of the boys call up,
"Can't you take it a bit slower? We'd at least like to have a little
conversation on our way down."

I knew from that jesting that there couldn't be too much damage,
otherwise he couldn't joke about it. We soon learned that no damage
had been done since I had injected the 4×4 into the whim just in time.
There were a few bruises, but that was all.

Life at the cave was somewhat rugged at first because we didn't have
many of the comforts of home. At first we would sleep in the wagons,
then we brought out some canvas tents from Carlsbad and this made
living much more comfortable.

As operations continued I had hoped to build some sort of small house
and move my family out to be there with me. But my time was so busy in
the early phases of the operation that I had little time to think of
anything but getting the guano out of the ground.

[Illustration: Artist's conception of Long's move to Big Cave area.]

After a while things became more or less routine and I could then
think of some more permanent living quarters for myself and family.
My brother-in-law, Charlie Hannsz, also had more spare time now that
the roadwork was done and the initial construction chores had been
completed.

Since he was a fine carpenter, I let him have the job of building more
permanent living quarters.

We found the most satisfactory type of housing was what we called tent
houses. These consisted of boxing plank for the floors, with the wood
also extending about half way up the side or wall of the house. The
upper half of the wall was canvas, as was the roof.

These houses were relatively easy to build, and served our purpose
adequately. After the first house was completed, we built another for
my father, A. B. Long, and my mother. Then we built another for Charlie
Hannsz and his family, making a group of three houses.

My wife made our place quite comfortable inside. She was an immaculate
housekeeper and she had the knack of knowing how to make our little
tent house look like a home. I felt quite contented living there.

The food problem was a difficult one, for all our supplies had to be
brought out from Carlsbad. At first my wife did all the cooking for
the men, but this job soon became too much for her, especially as the
operations at the cave grew and more men joined the force.

Eventually the men had to make other arrangements for their meals.
Most of them did their own cooking, or they would divide up into small
groups and take turns cooking for the rest. The Mexicans would cook
their own meals off by themselves as they seemed to prefer a different
menu from the rest of us.

This section of the state was good for cattle grazing and this was
quite an industry in itself at the time. There was a man by the name of
Simms who had quite a herd near the cave and sometimes during the night
we could hear these animals near our camp.

One morning, as the boys were entering the cave to go to work, they
discovered that one of the cows had fallen into the cave. In trying to
reconstruct what had happened, it looked as though one cow had hooked
another, causing one to fall into the cave.

[Illustration: Artist's sketch shows family cabins set up near cave's
entrance.]

The boys butchered the animal right there, carrying the cow out piece
by piece. I have often wondered if Simms ever knew that we were
enjoying fresh steaks from one of his herd!

Often on evenings or Sundays the boys would get together and hold what
they called a Kangaroo Court, thus helping to pass the time away.
First, they would select one of their number to serve as judge.

Then, from the group, one of the fellows would be selected for some
misdeed he had committed while on the job that day. After the testimony
was heard, his fellow workers, who served as an impromptu jury, would
decide the verdict, which was most always "guilty," and the judge would
impose the sentence, such as requiring the guilty culprit to take a
small pail and a coal oil lantern and go back into the deep recesses of
the cave alone and return with the pail full of water.

Entertainment during the evenings varied, depending upon the mood of
the men and what their particular likes and dislikes were. Card games
were always popular, and a hot game of poker was the favorite with most
of the men.

Many times after they had finished a busy day in the Big Cave they
would roll out a tarpaulin, deal out the cards, and proceed to have a
gay time.

More than once these games would last all night, or until one man would
win all the money and the rest had no more cash to play with.

Johnny Queen must have been lucky at love because he certainly wasn't
lucky at cards. In practically every poker game he would soon lose
all his money and would be out. On cold nights the fellows found the
playing not very comfortable, and after a while they got the bright
idea of asking Johnny to build a fire for them, since he was only
watching anyway.

This Johnny did, using sotol[C] for fuel. Sotol is a type of desert
plant that grew in the area around the cave. With a warm fire to
comfort them, the games would go longer than ever.

[Footnote C: Sotol--a desert plant (dasylirion) having a stiff stalk
and crowded leaves.]

Johnny, however, couldn't understand why he should gather fuel and tend
fire while they enjoyed all the fun, so he got the bright idea of
charging the players a dollar. They were glad to pay. Needless to say,
there were many nights when Johnny ended up with more money than most
of them did!

The Big Cave Is Explored

After the mining operation had been under way for some time I found I
wasn't so busy and had a little free time to myself to sort of rest up
and think of something besides getting the guano to the surface and off
to the Hawaiian Fertilizer Company of San Francisco.

More and more I began to wonder just what this Big Cave was like beyond
our immediate area. Many of the men also wondered, and often suggested
that some day we form an exploring party and see what it was like.

We decided to do just that. A day was decided upon and the necessary
preparations and precautions were made. Of course, we had no idea of
what lay ahead of us, nor how far our journey would take us, and I
reasoned therefore that it would be better to carry too much with us
than too little.

First of all I rounded up all the available lanterns that weren't
otherwise in use. Then I got all of the candles we had, a supply of
matches, and all of the cord in the cave. We had a lot of cord because
it was the cord we used to sew the guano sacks.

We also carried a supply of food, for we meant to really go a great
distance. Of course no one had to go, but most of the men wanted to
see what mysterious wonders lay beyond the site of our immediate guano
operation.

Fortunately there were a couple of men who didn't seem interested,
preferring to remain outside. This was all right with me, for if any
unforeseen emergency should arise, we could depend upon them to send
for help.

We decided how long we would be gone, and I told them that if we were
not back by a certain time, they were to organize a search party and
come looking for us.

I told them that we would light the candles and place them at intervals
along the way, and also we would string the cord along the entire
distance, both methods being used in order that we could easily and
quickly find our way back, as well as to assist a rescue party in
following our trail should such prove necessary.

With all of these precautions being made, the suspense of our
undertaking grew, and the men were quite excited and eager to get
started, yet I was in no hurry to proceed until I was sure everything
was in readiness, for although we were to be gone only a matter of
hours, no one knew what lay ahead and I preferred to be well prepared
for any emergency.

So, at our appointed hour our journey of exploration began--the first
journey into the Big Cave--the first time Man had ever set eyes on its
matchless wonders. How little we knew then that in the years that would
follow millions of others would enter this cave to view the beauty and
grandeur that Nature had been in the process of creating for countless
centuries.

At times the going was pretty slow due to the uneven floor of the cave.
Big boulders often had to be moved to one side, and when they were too
heavy or were too well lodged in the floor to permit moving, we had to
climb over them.

Generally the direction of travel was downward as the Big Cave seemed
to go deeper into the earth. We were going in a westerly direction and
the cave seemed to take on a maze of large connected rooms.

We would enter one and then, as we would pass out the other side, seem
to enter another.

Many times we stopped in bewilderment of the beauty that lay before us.
The fellows in the party often kidded about the trip and were pretty
much in gay spirits, but as they would enter these magnificent rooms
which man had never seen before, they became very quiet, letting their
eyes soak in every detail that the light of our lanterns brought out.

We all seemed humble amid God's handiwork, and I noticed many of the
roughest men in the party became suddenly reverent as though they might
be entering some great cathedral.

I never knew exactly how the other men felt about all this strange
exhibition of beauty, but I could see it had some effect upon their
lives. A rough bunch of men usually don't say much about this sort of
thing.

As for me, I wondered if anyone on the outside would believe our
stories when we told them what we were seeing. Actually, I felt it
was a big dream, and that I would soon wake up. I had heard of caves
before, but I had never heard of anything this large or filled with as
much beauty.

All of us felt that each turn would be the end and we would be able to
terminate our trip and return. But each time we would discover a deep
shadow which would turn out to be another tunnel or entrance to another
large cavity or room, often more colorful and appealing than the one we
were leaving.

At times there would appear to be no further trail. The boys would
flash their lanterns around and find an outlet, sometimes so high above
us that we couldn't reach it without a ladder. Then we would find
another on our own level and we would be on our way again, leaving a
world of beauty for another fully its equal.

In one place we came upon what looked like an iceberg, but of course it
was a rock formation. In another we came upon a green pond of water.

Everywhere we saw stalactites formed through countless years of the
dripping of water, each drop leaving behind its minute portion of
calcium or other chemical composition which eventually forms the
pendant. The fellows constantly referred to them as icicles, since they
resembled them so exactly.

Underneath many of the biggest ones were the stalagmites, the "rising
statues" formed by the drips from their counterpart above. Every one, it
seemed, had a style and shape all its own.

The colors were in a class by themselves. We saw all the colors of the
rainbow, from pale pinks to deep maroon--from pale sky blue to dark
purple. Many had a softness which no artist could duplicate. Others
were as bright as a Mexican cafe, and the Mexican members of our party
took an extreme delight in seeing these vivid hues. Apparently they had
missed, in America, the bright colors which are so abundant in their
homeland.

Almost any formation known to man could be seen as we inched our way
along. Castles, monuments, animals of all sorts, a gremlin, the devil,
a bridal veil, totem poles, all of these and hundreds more were easy to
visualize everywhere around us. And with but a little Imagination we
could see many more.

It was time to turn back, and I could feel the reluctance of the men
in the party to do so, but if we did not arrive back at our appointed
time a search party would start after us, and I saw no reason to create
false fears with those on the outside.

The return trip was much faster than our trip in, simply because we
knew what to expect. Also, we did not stop so long to look at the
magnificent splendor, and also because the candles and string told us
exactly where the trail led.

It was interesting to note, however, that as we would enter a room from
the opposite direction from which we had originally entered it, it
appeared much different, sometimes so much so that we thought we had
not entered it previously. Of course, the candles and string proved we
were wrong, but the difference in perspective was amazing.

When we finally arrived back at the entrance the members of the party
spent hours telling the others what we had seen. It was interesting to
hear the different descriptions from the men and to see how each man
had noted something different yet of course we had all been along the
same route.

After this we often took trips into the cave and would explore
different rooms and tunnels which we hadn't seen before. It seemed that
there was no end to this maze of underground caverns.

Accidents were relatively few on all of these trips, and I think it was
because the fellows all realized that if any of them got hurt it could
be serious. The trip back would be a hardship on those who might be
required to carry an injured man back to the entrance.

When my young son, Jodie, (Joe N. Long), was about 5 years old, he
began to take quite an interest in our conversations in which we would
describe the many incidents that took place daily in the Big Cave.

[Illustration:

Abijah Long Joe N. (Jodie) and Andrew B.
Long Long

(Taken about 1904)
]

Finally Jodie asked my father to take him into this big hole in the
ground. We didn't think it safe to take such a small child into the
cave, but Jodie kept insisting.

However, Jodie won out. One day his grandfather led him to the cave
entrance, the one where visitors now enter, and took him inside. From
that day on we were besieged with all kinds of childish questions.

The incident is worth mentioning because, as far as I know, Jodie was
the first child ever to enter the Big Cave.

We never did see any forms of life in the cave, other than the millions
of bats which made it their home, but on one of our trips into the
inner chambers the boys found a large bone. They brought it out to
examine it more carefully. It was much too large to be a human bone,
and when the boys tried to break it they found it was very hard,
resisting for a while the blows of their sledge hammer.

The bone apparently was in a state of semi-petrification. We all
speculated as to how it could have gotten into the cave, and every man
had his own theory. Some said an animal must have fallen into the cave,
such as Mr. Simm's cow had done, but lived to stumble on into the cave
where he starved to death.

The fellows thought this theory unlikely because if it were true, other
bones would have been found at the same spot.

Another theory was that a cave man centuries ago had killed some wild
beast and had taken a leg of meat into the cave where he made his home.
Meat and man had long since ceased to exist, but the bone remained.

At least we couldn't offer any sound reason against this theory, but it
seemed almost fantastic to accept it.

The only other theory which seemed at all plausible was that some wild
animal, such as a bobcat or lynx, had at some time lived in the cave
and had brought in the leg of a deer or moose and left it there after
having eaten the meat from it. However, there were no tracks of any
kind in the Big Cave, hence that theory had little support.

How the bone got there still remains a mystery.

The End of the Beginning

After the guano operation had been going on for some time I could see
that it wasn't turning out to be as profitable as I had originally
thought it would be. With the vast quantity of guano under ground, and
with our efficient method of extracting it, I wasn't able to realize
what I felt was a sizeable profit from the time and effort involved.

Of course there were lots of factors that entered into the operation
which do not meet the eye. For instance, when the guano was brought to
the surface it was filled with moisture, and I was paying the freight
charges to San Francisco by the ton.

Yet when the guano arrived in San Francisco, the Hawaiian Fertilizer
Company would pay only for guano that was dry. So, when I found I was
paying freight on unwanted moisture, I stopped that in a hurry.

I built a series of drying racks or platforms in the western section of
Carlsbad and let the guano remain there until it had dried out. This
kept a pay load from reaching market and was one more operation which
ate into the profits.

The freight to San Francisco at that time cost me $9 per ton. The
guano was $2.25 per unit, $1 for phosphoric acid, and $1 for potash per
ton.

One answer would have been to find a closer market, as that would have
cut down the high cost of freighting, but there was no other market, so
we were forced to continue sending the guano to San Francisco.

With some products the manufacturer sets his price, based on cost of
production, but with us we had to accept the market price at the time,
or else not operate.

When these problems were becoming more complex and I couldn't see any
good solution, a man by the name of Patterson who lived in Carlsbad
offered me $500 cash for my equipment and the work I had done at the
Big Cave. I immediately accepted his offer.

And then, what did he do but turn right around and hire me as foreman!
So, for some time after that I continued the operations at the cave,
but of course not as owner.

It seemed as though the extraction of the guano was not intended to be
a paying proposition, for the Big Cave changed hands many times after
that.

Little did any of us know then that the Big Cave, known in later years
as the Bat Cave, would some day be worth millions as a sight-seeing
attraction and would completely dwarf the income derived from the guano
operations.

Of course that eventually came about, beginning in 1923. President
Coolidge proclaimed the area Carlsbad Cave National Monument in October
of that year, and a great amount of publicity during the years that
followed prompted thousands of tourists from all over the world to come
to see what some writers have termed "The Eighth Wonder of the World."

* * * * *

Former Owners of Carlsbad Caverns

1905--Santa Fe Railroad. (Owned east portion over Bat Cave. 40 acres.)
1906--C. F. Hagan sells one half to H. F. Patterson of Carlsbad.
March 26, 1906--T. W. Teague of El Paso.
April 19, 1906--The El Paso Guano Fertilizer Company.
April 21, 1908--G. M. Cooke.
September 12, 1909--J. D. Lanford sells to Carlsbad Guano Fertilizer Co.

T. A. Blakely held a patent to the east wing of the Carlsbad Cave,
where the guano beds were worked extensively. In 1942 the Government
purchased this tract from Mr. Blakely.

[Illustration: Letter from U. S. Congress recognizes Long as cave's
discoverer

PHIL. D. SWING COMMITTEES:
11TH DIST. CALIFORNIA IRRIGATION AND RECLAMATION
PUBLIC LAND
FLOOD CONTROL
EXPENDITURES IN THE EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.

December 24, 1930.

Mr. H. F. Shepherd,
Deputy in charge,
United States Customs Service,
Calexico, California.

My dear Mr. Shepherd:

This will acknowledge your letter regarding Mr. Abijah
Long who is the original discoverer of the famous Carlsbad
Caveren in New Mexico.

Sincerely,

[Signed: Phil. D. Swing]

PDS:DCM
]

Well, that's my story! That's how it all began. I'm glad to see that
the Federal Government has taken over supervision of the Big Cave
and has made it available to people from every land in order that
they might enjoy its unsurpassed beauty which first greeted us 'guano
miners' back in 1903. It is gratifying to me to have been a small part
of the early history of the Big Cave, now more appropriately called
"Carlsbad Caverns" and known all over the world.

I am also grateful for the privilege of having known and worked with
these men, many of whom grew with Carlsbad and turned out to be
prominent citizens of the community.

Times may change, but the great caverns will remain for countless
centuries to come, just as they have been for years without number.
Now, in the hands of the government, their preservation is assured, so
that your children and my children and their children after them will
be able to witness, unmarred and unchanged, these wonders of God's
handiwork.

And you'll be thrilled just as we were, when you see them for the first
time, and you'll marvel, as we did, that anything in the world could
exist, so strange, so large, so utterly beyond description.

Man may build his temples and his shrines, but as you stand there,
a mere midget in any of the several mammoth rooms, you will feel a
certain humbleness come over you, and you cannot help but feel closer
to your God.

Part II

THE
FIRST 60,000,000 YEARS

_By JOE N. LONG_

The Beginning

How old are the Caverns? When did they begin to form? Are they growing
larger today? What changes, if any, are now going on?

These are questions which everyone who becomes interested in the great
Carlsbad Caverns wants to have answered sooner or later.

To some of these and many similar questions the answers are difficult
to obtain, for when the Caverns were being created no man was around
to watch the process and to report his observations first hand. As a
result, we have only the word of geologists and other scientists who
have specialized in the study of the earth, its formation, and the
changes that have come about through the countless ages since our world
began.

No one knows how old the Caverns are. All man can do is to estimate,
and he bases these estimates on a study of conditions he finds within
the cave itself, in the surrounding countryside, and from a general
knowledge of the earth and how it has evolved.

Probably the area itself began to form about 200 million years ago,
during the Permian period of geologic time.

The area at that time is supposed to have been either an inland sea
or a shallow extension of the ocean. During this Permian period the
earth's surface was changing. Mountains were rising and the waters were
receding, thus greatly enlarging the land areas. Amphibian life was on
the wane, and reptiles began to appear.

Great thicknesses of limestone deposits were made during these
countless centuries, some in the form of a reef now known as the
Capitan limestone. Contemporaneous rock behind the reef is called the
Tansill formation. It is in these rocks that the Carlsbad Caverns are
located.

Since Permian time geologists think the seas may have risen again
and covered what is now New Mexico, leaving sediments that have been
largely removed. About 60,000,000 years ago, during the Cretaceous
period when coal was being formed elsewhere in the world and dinosaurs
roamed the earth, the land was uplifted, perhaps producing cracks and
crevices in the limestone.

Geologists at one time believed the Caverns were caused by the action
of water as it flowed down through the limestone, dissolving as it
did so minute particles of the stone. Today, however, that theory has
been discarded, since a more careful and detailed study indicates the
Caverns to have been formed by phreatic solution, their development
resulting from a two-cycle method of creation.

The Caverns can be said to be a natural cavity in the earth formed by
the solution of rock by subsurface waters. Actually, there are two
great geological processes involved in the formation of the Caverns.
The first came about as the water hollowed out the underground
chambers, and the second took place when the formations of stone were
created in these underground openings.

To be explicit, we can only say that the Caverns are large crevices
or cracks in the limestone which have been enormously enlarged by the
constant solution of the rock into the underground water which filled
these indentations.

In order to understand just what the two-cycle method means and how
it can exist, we must first understand the two conditions under which
these operations of nature can take place.

Water, as it seeps downward into the earth, tends to seek what we shall
call its own level. This would be a point where everything below is
saturated with water, the water table of the region. Above the table
water works downward due to its gravitational pull. Below the table
there is only rather slow movement of water.

The area above this point is known as the vadose zone, and below this
point the area is the ground-water or phreatic zone.

Any farmer who has ever sunk a well knows how important it is that his
well reach below the water table if he is to be assured a continuous
supply of water. Well owners also know that the water table can rise
or fall due to any of several natural causes, such as an abundance
of rainfall for a few seasons, or any great lack of rainfall for an
extended length of time. When the water table goes below the lowest
reaches of the well, no more water can be pumped, and it is necessary
to extend the well further into the earth until it again goes below the
water table and reaches into the saturated area where water is abundant.

The water table is not constant around the world, even though water
seeks its own level. The water table might be high in one section of
the country, low in another. It might be kept high by an abundance
of rain, or remain low due to outlets such as springs or underground
seepages.

The vadose-water area also varies, and the effects created by the rise
and fall of the water table in one section of the country, for example,
might be vastly different than the effects in an adjacent territory.
This explains why any action of underground water in one area is not
necessarily duplicated in an apparently identical area close by.

With an understanding of the two water zones, and the demarcation line
between, we can more readily comprehend just how the Caverns were
formed.

Geologists are now pretty well in agreement that the enclosing rocks
of the Caverns were located in the ground-water zone under saturated
conditions. As we already know, large cracks existed in the otherwise
solid limestone.

Then, for many, many years the ground water dissolved the limestone,
enlarging the cracks bit by bit, until the huge Caverns were formed.
At this point the water table was lowered, and, in time, the Caverns
ceased to exist in the ground-water zone. Following the lowering of
the water table, the Caverns were nothing more than empty holes in the
earth. Now the second phase of their "growth" was to begin.

When the ground water could no longer continue its constant gnawing
action on the limestone, the Caverns had reached their maximum size.
From now on they would begin to fill up again.

The second of the two cycles consisted of mineral deposit brought about
by water seeping downward from the surface, carrying lime for the
secondary formations which are today one of the great features of the
Caverns.

Water in the vadose zone, seeking the ground-water level, would seep
into the top of the many rooms and galleries. Each drop contained a
minute portion of limestone.

Some drops would remain on the ceiling, where the moisture would
evaporate, leaving a tiny ring of limestone deposit behind. As these
limestone deposits accumulated they formed a pendant mass resembling an
icicle which is called a stalactite. Drops falling to the floor would
produce deposits known as stalagmites.

Sometimes the stalactites and stalagmites would join and a solid pillar
would be formed.

In the rocks enclosing the Caverns are various deposits of other
minerals such as iron oxide which are often carried in minute
quantities within the seeping water and deposited on the stalagmites
and stalactites. These minerals are responsible for the many different
colors that may be seen in many places within the rooms of the Caverns.

Some of the formations have a very live and transparent appearance,
looking somewhat as though they might have just been given a thorough
coat of wax. Actually, these formations are still active. That is, they
are still covered with water and the age-old process of depositing the
small particles of carbonate of lime contained in the water is still
going on. In cave parlance they are "alive", that is, they are still
growing.

In the Carlsbad Caverns today about 10 per cent of the formations are
"alive". Water is seeping in around them and working its wonders. It is
this presence of water that gives them the polished, radiant look.

When the water no longer reaches the formations, they "die", i.e., they
no longer continue to grow. They lose their sheen and lustre and take
on a powdery appearance.

Geologists differentiate the two primary effects of seeping water
in the creation of the formations in caves. Those that are created
by water dripping from above, as in the case with stalactites and
stalagmites, are referred to as dripstone formations. Those created by
the flowing of water over a surface are called flowstone formations.
In some rooms of the cave, formations made of flowstone are quite
abundant. This is to be found mostly on the floors of the rooms, or on
walls where a large volume of water is present. These formations have
been referred to as masses which resemble ice that forms on a cold
winter's day near a stream of water. Others have described them as
"cascades frozen in stone."

An additional phase of the cave's development has been described by
geologists as the period of collapse. During the centuries when the
entire area was saturated with water, limestone blocks on walls and
ceilings were weakened by solution, later to crash to the floor,
leaving the room larger than ever. This collapsing continued after
the cave became "dry" but ended once stability was achieved. Park
naturalists tell us no rock has fallen within the cave for thousands of
years.

So ends the first stage of the history of the great Carlsbad Caverns,
their gradual growth and formation over periods of millions of years.
Man was still centuries away when their beauties were being created.
But were other forms of life inhabiting them?

Life Enters the Caverns

At the time the limestone beds were beginning to crack, which we noted
was some 60,000,000 million years ago, the huge reptiles and other
prehistoric animals were playing hide and seek on the surface above the
site of the developing Caverns. At that time the cave hadn't yet been
formed--the underground seepage of water was just beginning to find the
crevices below the gypsum and rock salt and begin its erosion which was
to continue slowly for so many centuries.

Recent forms of life seem to have a more or less direct bearing on the
bat, and scientists remain quiet on what forms of life, if any, used
the cave for their domicile between the earliest times and the arrival
of the bat.

At least, the nocturnal creature is a sure resident, for he still makes
his home there, and in numbers running into the millions.

But when did the bat first inhabit the cave? That is difficult to
answer, except to say that it was several thousands of years ago.

How can scientists be so sure the years are so many? There are several
ways in which they have been able to establish that the centuries have
been numerous since the bats first discovered this haven.

One of the best is by the guano deposits found on the floor of the
cave. Observations have shown that the excrement from the bats
accumulates at the rate of approximately one-half inch per year. Thus
25 years is required for a foot of the substance to materialize. This
would indicate it would require about 1,000 years for 40 feet to
accumulate.

Unfortunately, the exact thickness or depth of the guano deposits was
not carefully measured when my father first discovered them, but I have
heard him describe them many times as being at least 100 feet deep in
places. That would be almost conclusive proof that the bats had been
living in the cave for at least 2,000 years!

It should also be remembered that as guano ages and dehydrates, it sort
of packs down, so that although a half inch of guano might be deposited
in a year's time, several years later this guano will have decayed and
packed down to half that thickness.

This would extend the time to far more than the estimated 2,000 years,
but just how much is extremely difficult to estimate.

Also, the amount of guano growth varies with the years, for when
insects are plentiful, bats gorge themselves and the guano deposits
are much greater than in lean years when their food supply is low,
sometimes to the extent that the bats will go elsewhere for one or two
seasons, at which times there is no guano accumulation at all.

At one time, during an exploration of the cave some years ago, a
scientist discovered the remains of a bat sticking out of the side of a
stalagmite where it had undoubtedly fallen from its perch above, having
perchance died of old age.

With no disturbance to blow its remains away, it rotted there and the
stalagmite grew over it, so to speak. Scientists, estimating the rate
of growth of stalagmites, were able to calculate approximately how long
ago the bat had fallen. The head and wing bones were barely discernable.

It is also known that the bats have moved around in the cave, for their
tiny skeletons have been found in remote sections at points where the
bats are no longer found clinging to the ceiling for their daytime
sleep. Such findings indicate one of two possibilities; one, that some
bats might have gotten lost in the cave and died there, away from their
normal resting place, and, second, that previous openings have since
been closed, due to various earth movements, forcing the bats to use
new openings and thus change their location within the cave.

Scientists place little credence on the former possibility because bats
seldom get lost. They can find their way in any dark cave or passageway
and know how to get out the same way they went in.

The second possibility is the most likely, that centuries ago there
were other openings to the cave through which the bats entered and
spent the daylight hours. As old age overtook them they would die and
fall to the floor. Then, as subsequent earth movements closed the
openings, the bats would find new doorways to their daytime abode.
This also accounts for large quantities of guano which were found in
portions of the cave where no bats were to be seen sleeping on the
ceiling above.

There are eighteen species of bats to be found in New Mexico, and
thirteen are known in the Carlsbad region. In the United States as a
whole, scientists have classified over 251 varieties of these winged
mammals.

Of the thirteen found near the Caverns, eight are known to have made
use of the cave at one time or another. Old skeletons have been
found in remote sections of the cave which have been identified as
those of the Large Pale Bat (_Antrozous pallidus_), wing bones
of which were found in one of the innermost rooms; the Big Brown
Bat (_Eptesicus fuscus_), a skull and wing bones having been
discovered in an inner room; House Bat (_Myotis incautus_),
several skull fragments of which were found in one of the lower rooms
of the cave; Red Bat (_Nycteris borealis_), two old skulls of
which were found on the floor of one of the deepest rooms; Cave Bat
(_Myotis velifer_), evidenced by imperfect skull fragments found
deep in the cave; Great Hoary Bat (_Nycteris cinerea_), largest of
the northern bats, possessing silvery grey fur and not normally a cave
dweller, but wing bones were found in the cave, indicating they may
have lived there at one time, and the Little California Bat (_Myotis
californicus pallidus_), whose presence was indicated by a skull
picked up amid the dust and debris of a low, inner room.

The chief resident of the caves for centuries has been the Mexican
Free-tailed Bat (_Tadarida mexicana_), also sometimes called
the guano bat because its species is especially noted for the huge
quantities of commercially excellent guano it produces.

The Free-tailed Bat is distinguishable from the northern bats by its
extended tail which reaches about an inch beyond the interleg membrane,
by its short fur, and by a strong odor not found with other species.
They also possess short, stubby ears, will weigh between 10 and 12
grams, and prefer caves more than most any other species.

The life of the bat is somewhat of a mystery to the average person,
partly because they seclude themselves during the day in places
relatively safe from discovery, and venture out at night when humans
are not around and couldn't very well see them if they were.

Bats resemble the ordinary field mouse in appearance, except for their
large, expansive wings. They are mostly insectivorous, living almost
exclusively on insects they catch while in flight, chewing their prey
into the finest bits with their sharp teeth. A bat will eat enormous
quantities of food between sunset and sunrise, and on the basis of
only two full meals a night will consume an amount almost half its own
weight.

Their diet consists of beetles, flies, and other flying insects, most
of which are enemies of civilization; thus the bat is economically a
valuable animal.

They leave the mouth of the cave at dusk, heading first for a drink of
water at the nearest available spot, then spend the night in search of
their food. As the sun's rays begin to appear in the east they fly back
to the cave where they dig their tiny claws into the ceiling and remain
there sleeping until the sun sets in the west and the cycle starts all
over again.

Due to their habits they have few enemies, the great horned owl being
one. Very wide awake at night, he often catches an unsuspecting bat,
chews the flesh, letting the bones drop to the ground where they remain
as evidence of the owl's dinner.

The mating season is normally in March. Along about June the young are
born, with this species only one to a female, although in some species
a litter of four is born.

The single baby will weigh a fourth as much as its mother. Upon birth
it clings to its mother's body night and day until it is strong enough
to fly by itself, remaining tight even while the mother flies into the
night in search of food.

[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER

The famous bat flight--a nightly occurrence at the Caverns.]

The habits of bats vary in respect to their living quarters. When
insects are abundant, the size of the bat population increases, having
been estimated at times to be as high as 7 million in the Carlsbad
Caverns alone. As the supply of insects decreases, so does the number
of bats. Where they go, and whether or not the same specific bats
return in times of insect plenty is not definitely known.

One of the first surveys of the bats in the Caverns discovered that the
number seems to grow in the fall, indicating that the cave was used
primarily as a home principally for hibernation during the winter.

More recent observations indicate that, at the present time at least,
the bats winter somewhere else and live in the cave only during the
summer months, going elsewhere to spend the winter. Recently several
thousand bats were banded by naturalists and of those which have been
returned, one came from Jalisco, Mexico, some 800 miles south of the
Caverns.

If both observations were correct, and it may be assumed that they
were, for both were made by naturalists, then the habits of the bats do
change, but what prompts these changes is still a matter of speculation.

Other matters of speculation are just how the bat flies so accurately
in the dark, darting swiftly past innumerable objects yet never hitting
one of them. Scientists call this phenomenon "echolocation," a sort of
sonar principle by which the little mammals let out a high frequency
squeak and judge the distance of objects by the time required for the
echo to bounce back to their sensitive ears.

Another mystery is how they find their way unerringly back to the cave,
in the early morning as well as after a sojourn to some other area of
the world, and how they know when the supply of food has increased to
the point that it is sufficient for them to return.

Visitors to the cave often wonder how the numbers can be estimated.
7,000,000 is a lot of bats. This has been reduced to a relatively
simple calculation. Cavern authorities counted the number sleeping in
one square foot of space, found between 250 and 300 could squeeze into
the area. The number of square feet of ceiling space occupied by the
sleeping creatures was then multiplied by the bats per square foot, and
the estimate was reached.

Life in the cave, it seems, has been governed by the bat, and even this
little fellow can hardly be said to live there. Actually, he only
sleeps there winters and during the day. He can't live in the cave all
the time since there is no food there for him.

Are there any living creatures that dwell in the cave all the time?
Only those that can find food in the cave, and since the eternal
darkness prohibits photosynthesis which is vital to all growing plants,
other animals or insects would find a food supply almost practically
nonexistent, at least any form of plant food.

Yet there are cave crickets. One species was found which was entirely
new to science, and they named it after the Caverns, calling the
species _Ceutophilus carlsbadensis_. Their eyes do not seem to
function, apparently depending upon their long antennæ to guide them.

But what do they eat? The contents of their stomachs have revealed bits
of insect remains which they have scavenged from the piles of guano.
Thus the cave crickets depend upon the bat for their existence.

The cave worm, actually an insect's larva, and a small spider also make
their homes in the cave. How long these insects have lived in the cave
is anybody's guess. Naturalists think the first few crickets may have
fallen into the cave and remained there due to the abundance of the
food supply, living peacefully and multiplying at leisure.

But this cricket's Shang-ri-la lost its comparative safety one day,
maybe centuries ago, when a cave mouse is thought to have fallen in.
He found the crickets abundant and tasty and, since he couldn't climb
out, stayed in his new subterranean home. Maybe later Mrs. Cave Mouse
met the same fate and together they became parents and grandparents of
litters who have lived in the cave ever since.

The cliff mouse also lives his complete life cycle in the black depths
of the Caverns, and together with the cave mouse they have a carefree
existence, for none of their natural enemies live in the cave.

Any herbivorous animals which might have fallen into the cave would
soon die, for the only vegetation to be found in the cave, aside from
a certain amount of mold, exists in scant proportions near the cave
entrances where there is some light and a little moisture. Thus only
carnivorous or insectivorous animals or insects could exist in the
vegetation-free depths.

Of the animals which occasionally frequent the cave, the cacomixle,
commonly known as a ring-tailed cave cat or even just "ring-tail," is
perhaps the best known. This slender raccoon-like animal doesn't spend
all his time in the cave, for he is able to crawl in and out, but he
does raise his family in the cracks and crevices of the walls, and eats
an occasional cave mouse or guano bat. Outside he eats fruit and other
small animals and insects. Apparently they have never been too numerous
in the Caverns.

The only other animal to have made the cave its home is the great
horned owl. His nests have been found in considerable numbers near the
entrances where he has been living for countless years in comparative
safety. But, like the bats, he ventures outside in search of food, and
spends his nights away from the cave, so at best he, like the ringtail,
is only a part-time resident.

So the cricket depends on the bats, the mice on the cricket, and the
ringtail on the mice. Thus is the life cycle within the great cave.

But when did man first visit the Caverns? That question is indeed
problematic and may never be definitely answered. The early Folsom
people have been traced to an encampment site some fifteen miles south
of Clovis, New Mexico, which they occupied some time between 10,000
and 15,000 years ago. Chipped stone dart points associated with a
post-glacial species of bison have been found imbedded in the earth in
rock strata going back that many years.

These wandering hunters were known as "Bison Nomads" and it is not at
all improbable that they knew of the cave and frequented it. They could
have been the first humans to have entered it.

Then, approximately 2,000 years ago, or at about the beginning of the
Christian era, the Basket Maker Indians began to roam this southwest
area of the continent. They may have been the physical descendants of
the early hunters, but from a standpoint of culture they are credited
with having brought agriculture from some focal point in Mexico much
further south.

The Basket Maker Indians lived in this area for some eight centuries,
and archæologists mark three distinct periods of their civilization.
The Basket Maker I people did much hunting and probably roamed the
hills and valleys while the maize was growing, moving on to new areas
after each harvest. The Basket Maker II group built simple dwellings,
lived in caves, and grew numerous vegetables, including squash and
beans. The Basket Maker III group established permanent villages, fired
pottery, and elaborated on weavings established by both of the earlier
groups.

The Basket Maker Indians are definitely known to have visited the cave,
for their pictographs have been found on the entrance walls. What is
more, skeletons have been found in the cave, some buried in baskets!
These were found on shelves in the walls. Other skeletons were found
buried beneath piles of guano far back in the cave, together with bits
of pottery and broken arrow points.

As to how much the Indians used the cave remains speculative. Some
archæologists believe the cave was used mostly as a tomb, while others
think the Indians may have lived in the cave for a certain length,
basing this observation on the bits of pottery and other remains found
along ledges within the walls. These, they point out, definitely were
not buried with a body.

Most likely the cave was used for both purposes, for it served the
Indian well as a place of refuge and defense, and it appears that the
living quarters were located within a close radius of the entrance.
Any more extensive use of the rest of the cave would have left more
evidence, archæologists say.

But that was well over a thousand years ago. How about recent times?

Several authorities mention the fact that the existence of some form of
bat cave or hibernation den was known to ranchers in the Carlsbad area
as early as 1880-90. Great swarms of bats would rise out of a mound in
the earth at dusk and go winging their way into the horizon. At sunrise
they would return.

Was this the present Big Cave? Southern New Mexico contains numerous
bat caves and many were known at this time. The existence of a new one
didn't seem to overly excite the ranch hands, for exhaustive research
has failed to reveal any positive knowledge of the existence of this
particular cave as such prior to the time my father noticed the bats.

Millions of pounds of guano had been taken out of the various bat
caves in this area by late 1900, and if anyone had stumbled onto
this particular cave prior to my father's discovery, they would most
certainly have immediately taken out a claim and proceeded to mine
the guano, for there was so much of it that it assumed gold mine
proportions.

The fact that my father was the first to take out a claim seems proof
enough that he was the first to actually find the cave and, realizing
its economic potential, did what any other person would have done,
simply, take out a claim. It was the first ever recorded for this
particular 20 acres and his claim may be seen today on pages 149 and
152 of Book I in the Eddy County Courthouse at Carlsbad.

The First Fifty Years

The discovery of the Carlsbad Caverns was not an earth-shaking event at
the time. Its true value as a spectacle was to wait almost 20 years.
Had it not been for the huge quantities of guano, my father and his
friends might not have been especially interested in the cave, that is,
sufficiently so to explore it further, since there were so many similar
caves in this particular area of the State, and the discovery of one
more didn't unduly excite anyone.

But because the guano looked like a worth while business proposition,
the cave got more than casual consideration.

My father knew it was larger than some of the others in the area, and
he gave it the title "The Big Cave." It was also referred to as "The
Bat Cave" because of the millions of bats which would fly out of its
mouth each evening, only to return in equal numbers the following dawn.

In those days it was primarily a guano producing cave and, except for
occasional explorations by the guano miners and their friends, there
were no extensive trips into the underground chambers by scientists.
Only the commercial aspects of the fertilizer producing activities were
recognized.

The guano was shipped to California distributors and was largely used
in the fruit orchards there. The operation was not too profitable, as
my father found out, and after he sold his equipment to Mr. Patterson
the property changed hands many times. In 1906, for example, there
were three different owners, and there was some splitting of ownership
whereby an owner would sell a part or half his interest.

Also, there were other sections which were owned by independent
operators. Prior to 1906 the Santa Fe Railroad owned 40 acres over the
east portion of the cave.

By around 1912 the bulk of the guano had been removed and activity
around the cave ceased. There were little spurts of renewed interest
from time to time, but there was actually little news about the cave
for several years.

In later years people have often speculated as to whether or not the
great Carlsbad Caverns would ever have been discovered had it not been
for the attention caused by either my father's discovery quite by
chance, or from the dark clouds of bats which emanated from the cave
each evening.

We know now that even if those two events had never occurred--even if
there were no opening on the surface of the earth, if there were no
habitation of bats, the great cave would have indeed been discovered.

And historians now like to think that the cave was actually discovered
twice. The first, as we know, was when my father stumbled upon it quite
by accident back in 1903. This was the discovery of the guano beds, the
beauty and grandeur of the Caverns being secondary at that time.

Then came what historians have since called "the rediscovery!"

And it, like the first discovery almost 20 years before, came about
quite by accident!

At the end of, and immediately following, the first World War, around
1919 and 1920, the United States Government Commission of Reclamation
was constructing several dams along the Pecos River some 20 miles east
of the site of the big Bat Cave. The purpose of the dams was to impound
river water for irrigation of the surrounding agricultural lands.

But for some strange reason the dams didn't seem to be doing any good.
The water seemed to disappear underground. The Commission felt it was
useless to consider the construction of any more dams in the area until
the mystery could be cleared up.

They took the matter up with the U. S. Geological Survey, and again the
question was unanswered. It seemed strange that the water could not be
held and used to irrigate the surrounding farm lands.

The U. S. Geological Survey said they felt the problem was of
sufficient value to merit a complete investigation. They would, they
said, send a party to the site to see if they could unravel the riddle
of the river's strange behavior. They advised that no more dams be
constructed until the source of the trouble could be determined.

The assignment was given to Dr. Willis T. Lee.

He pondered the situation and knew from experience that there were
several possible solutions, yet he couldn't do much more than hazard a
guess as to what the trouble might be. He also knew that when nature is
concerned he might stumble onto an entirely new reason.

Before he left Washington, Dr. Lee had reviewed all the available
information on the geological formation of the earth in the area and
was quite well informed on its composition.

Now, on the land itself, he began to study the situation from every
angle. He found the limestone strata throughout the entire area were a
bit different from that which he had previously seen in other parts of
the world.

Gypsum and salt are soluble in water, and when the dams were built
they obviously raised the water level several feet above its natural
contours or limitations. The water would then find its way into these
alternate layers and would seek lower levels, dissolving the rock salt
and gypsum as it did so. With nothing to hold it behind the dams, the
water would disappear into the earth and reappear again many miles
below the spots where the dams had been built.

While Dr. Lee was in the vicinity, he decided to have a look at the
famous Caverns of which he had been hearing so much, and was promptly
invited to see these underground wonders since he was so close to them.
He knew of the existence of the many bat caves or guano caves in the
southeastern part of New Mexico, but had not suspected they contained
any real beauty. Now, for the first time, he was to learn otherwise.

Prior to this the United States Land Office had sent Mr. Robert Holley
to survey the Caverns, and by the time Lee visited these underground
chambers, Holly had surveyed some three and a half miles of their
interior. It was Holly's report which brought about the designation of
the area as the Carlsbad Caverns National Monument.

Dr. Lee was enthusiastic in his description of the great Caverns as a
thing of immense size and beauty. Here was something that had been kept
a secret long enough, he felt, and the government should do something
about them.

His report was the spark that set off a chain reaction. Now, for
the first time, national magazines began to publish reports of this
huge, fabulous cave in southeast New Mexico. In the latter part of
1923 several articles appeared based on Dr. Lee's descriptions of
the underground wonders. Now, at last, the world was learning of
the existence of this fairyland of unmatched scope anywhere in this
country, perhaps in the world.

But prior to this time the National Geographic Society had become
interested in Willis Lee's findings. Certainly this was worthy of the
Society's attention. Accordingly, they set up a grant of $16,000 to
finance the first full scale exploration of the Caverns. They selected
Dr. Lee to head the party.

Dr. Lee's mission this time was much different. He wasn't concerned
where the underground waters were going. Rather he was set upon finding
and reporting the scenery about which he knew the world would want to
hear.

His subsequent report in the National Geographic Magazine (January,
1924) marked the first full scale description of the Caverns, and for
the first time the public saw a series of pictures of the beauty of
this underground wonderland and read something about the various rooms,
their gigantic size, and the extent of the formation.

Dr. Lee's party didn't find a smooth paved road from the town of
Carlsbad to the site of the Caverns. By contrast, the 28 miles of
hilly, bumpy, dusty road were covered by automobile in about two
hours. The road had been used primarily by the fertilizer companies in
transporting the sacks of guano to Carlsbad for shipment to California.

At this time there were several dwellings at the entrance to the cave,
an engine house and two hoisting shafts.

The exploring party engaged Jim White as a guide to accompany them
below. At this time Jim White probably knew the Caverns better than
anyone else, for he had lived in the vicinity of the caves for more
than a dozen years and had served as a guide for many persons who had
made trips below to behold the beauties to be found there.

Jim had talked of the cave and its marvels to anyone who would listen,
and for years had tried to stir up some enthusiasm for the wonders
that lay beneath. He had explored much of the cave and could talk
intelligently about it. Obviously, he was the best guide that Dr. Lee
could have found.

The descent at that time was not a very glamorous undertaking. Dr.
Lee's party entered, two at a time, by standing in an old iron guano
bucket and letting the "elevator" engine slowly lower them more than
150 feet below the surface. The wire rope fastened to the bucket ran
over a pulley at the top of the derrick and was manipulated by the
engine. Dr. Lee was apprehensive of the contraption, but it never
failed his party.

In that early and historical excursion into the great Caverns, Dr. Lee
noted the weird, eerie effect the shadowy forms, high ceilings, and
irregular floor and walls had on his group. They found it difficult to
believe what they were seeing. Below, the opening above them became but
a speck of light.

They noted the great distance from wall to wall, the many alcoves, the
roughness of some walls, the polished smoothness of others.

Some distance from the foot of the shaft they came upon a large pit
some 150 feet deep which they called Yeitso's Den. The name was later
changed to the Devil's Den.

This part of the cave was much as the surging waters of the past
several million years had left it. Travel was slow and dangerous. Steep
walls had to be climbed and it was necessary to cut steps in the stone.
The forward progress was indeed tedious in those early days.

Dr. Lee's report to the National Geographic Society was filled with
descriptions of the colorful stalagmites and stalactites, the beautiful
formations of flowstone and dripstone, and the subject matter to be
seen in the formations all around them. He was equally impressed by
the "chambers of unbelievable dimensions," some of which were "several
hundred feet wide" and ceilings "so high our lights won't touch them."

He measured the smallest of three rooms which he entered after his
journey down the main corridor, which he describes as "slow and
laborious." The room measured 160 by 140 feet. "The middle room was
three times this size, and the first room was even larger," he said.

He noted the "curtains" formed of onyx created by the deposit of lime
carbonate dripping from above. The ceilings were found to be covered
with curtains of these stalactites which had grown together during
the ages. At times they met with stalagmites to form solid pillars of
seemingly carved formations.

At times the floor was rough and covered with fallen blocks of stone.
In other places it was quite smooth and flat, obviously the result of
years of solutive action by water. Stalagmites do not grow in areas
covered for any length of time by water, such as an underground pool.
In one place the stalactites were so slender and numerous that Dr. Lee
referred to them as resembling "a porcupine in posture of defense."

Dr. Lee's group gave names to many of the rooms and formations, many
of which have since been changed. But one which has stuck with all
explorers, both before and since Dr. Lee's excursion, is the Big Room.
This underground colossus impresses everyone who sees it, and Dr. Lee
hesitated to estimate its dimension. "Over half a mile long," he said
at that time, "with a ceiling some 200 feet high."

Big as the room was, he felt it was equally remarkable for its numerous
dripstone decorations, their variety and size. Some, he noted, rose to
50 feet in height.

He found some stalagmites were still "growing," for they were darker in
color than those no longer alive, indicating the presence of water and
continued growth. As the supply of water ceases they become lighter in
color, almost powdery.

One of the largest he described were the Twin Domes, which he said were
more than 100 feet high and some 200 feet across at the base. They
are, today, much the same as he first observed them and are one of the
favorite formations of all cave visitors.

In the light of Dr. Lee's primitive torchlight, the base showed up
a dark green, with the grooved pillars light cream in color, both
glittering and sparkling as the light struck them.

Other interesting observations by the party included the location
of extinct seeps on the floor of the big room, the basins of which
were up to about 50 feet in diameter, pedestals of onyx resembling
toadstools and so called by the party, and an underground series of
chambers through one of which flows a stream of clear water.

Dr. Lee's party was unprepared for the vastness and extent of the
Caverns. Although his group had come prepared for a sizeable task, the
job overwhelmed them. Although they mapped much of the underground
passageways and rooms, they could see much was left undone.

But what they had done was enough to prompt the United States
Government in declaring the site a National Monument. On October 30,
1923, Secretary Work announced that President Coolidge had proclaimed
the area a National Monument.

Now it was official. If the government proclaimed it as a National
Monument, it must be worth a visit. So thought many people throughout
the land as they read about it in the many national magazines that ran
descriptions of the Caverns based on Dr. Lee's findings.

My father's original holdings consisted of 20 acres. Now that the
government had taken over, the size was increased to 700 acres.

Spurred by Dr. Lee's first exhaustive article in the National
Geographic in January, 1924, people began to travel to this underground
land of wonders. Diplomats, governors, people of all walks of life
wanted a first-hand glimpse of what had been found.

There were no adequate facilities with which to accommodate them. Silk
hats in guano buckets didn't look exactly right. Improvements were in
order.

Dr. Lee reported how preliminary his work had been. More exploration
was needed, and as a result he returned to the Caverns in the spring of
1924 in order to further extend the work he had started when he first
saw them.

Exploration began the middle of March and lasted for six months, during
the heat of the summer when it was as high as 115 in the shade--and, as
Dr. Lee says, there was no shade. Yet inside the cave it remained about
56 degrees, which is constant the year around. During this time the
party played host to the Governor of New Mexico, the Governor of Texas,
the Director of National Parks, and many other high ranking dignitaries.

Dr. Lee and his party set up their camp at the mouth of the Big Cave,
using tents and the rough board shacks left by the fertilizer company
years before. Their closest source of water was a spring about a mile
away and their supply had to be carted by horse or burro.

While working in the cave the members of the party used kerosene
torches, but upon discovering that these gave off more smoke than light
they abandoned them in favor of gasoline lanterns.

In order to safeguard themselves, they would unravel balls of twine as
they explored remote sections and passageways. In this way they could
always find their way back to safety. Some of the members of the party
were hesitant to wander far from the well-worn trails, apparently
afraid of the unknown and admitting their weakness. Others allowed
their curiosity to dominate their fears and were continually searching
for new finds.

The party obtained its supplies from Carlsbad, about 28 miles away,
and during the summer months the fruits and vegetables were kept in a
special "refrigerator" in the cave where the cool, even temperature was
put to constructive use.

The party's first task was to improve the various trails. Large rocks
were pushed aside and, where this was not possible, safe ladders were
constructed when the obstructions could not be circumvented.

On Dr. Lee's previous trip he did not explore the many small chambers
and rooms leading off of the main halls and central areas. This time he
made these deviations his specialty. Numerous nooks and corners were
explored and mapped. Only those that for reason defied access were left
alone and kept their secrets sealed within.

The entire party was amazed at the ornate beauty they found all around
them. Many of the rooms were being seen by scientists for the first
time, who would subsequently describe these colorful wonders so that
all the world would know.

Of the Dome Room he later wrote "from the arched vault hang pendants of
ornate character and on the wall are sheets of delicately colored onyx
resembling portieres looped back in graceful folds. One is impelled
to touch these folds before he is convinced that they are cold, hard
stone."

In another chamber Dr. Lee noted how some of the stalactites would ring
when struck lightly with a stone or metal instrument. One that was
broken revealed a small trickle of water within. It was, said Dr. Lee,
excellent drinking water.

Further on the party found a large hole which was 100 yards across and
almost one third that deep. Onyx marble was to be seen all around, on
the walls and the ceiling which was some 200 feet above the floor of
this indentation.

Climbing down a wire ladder, Dr. Lee and his associates found several
"fountain basins" many of which had a crust of onyx which resembled
somewhat the ice that forms over a small body of water in the winter
time, after which the water recedes leaving the thin sheet of ice
suspended in air.

Other unusual formations were the many pisolites, small, spherical
bodies of hard stone which jewelers call "cave pearls." Some were
immovable while others were loose, probably never having been able to
fasten themselves due to the continuous agitation caused either by a
flow of water underneath them or from water above dripping down around
them. These "cave pearls" grow from a tiny beginning through hundreds
of years by the constant deposition of minute quantities of calcium
carbonate left by the dripping or flowing water. Those still active
are moist and glistening. The dead ones are pale, with a powdery, dull
look. Because of the fact that these "pearls" resembled eggs in nests
of stone, the room was called the Rookery, a name which has remained
ever since.

In places where water drips at just the right frequency, the water will
splash to the surrounding walls, leaving as it dries there its small
particle of calcium carbonate. In places it hardens to form funnel
shaped vases. In other places it dries too rapidly, leaving a soft
powdery accumulation.

Still another formation was the "helictites" which are certain types
of stalactites which didn't know which way to go. They appear to defy
the laws of gravity, for they may start in one direction and then dart
off in another direction. Such formations were caused by certain types
of crystallization. Some chemicals will "grow" upward as they dry and
expand, and this is probably one explanation, although it may not apply
in every case.

By the early fall in 1924, when Dr. Lee and his party had completed
this second thorough study of the Caverns, he was most enthusiastic
about what he had seen. His observation at that time describes the
underground wonders exceptionally well. Telling about the exploration
in September, 1925, issue of the National Geographic, he said:

"The Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico, is the most spectacular of
underground wonders in America! For spacious chambers, for variety and
beauty of multitudinous natural decorations, and for general scenic
quality, it is king of its kind."

The party had covered a total of some 23 miles, which they had
patiently mapped and surveyed, photographed, and described. The
"rediscovery" had now been completed--and in grand style. The next
descent into the great cave was to be by the public itself, and in
ever-increasing numbers.

In order to meet this onrush of sightseers, improvement of the
interior of the Caverns and the approach from above ground was deemed
necessary. Now that the area was a National Monument, the Government
gave its attention to the area. Because of his great interest in, and
knowledge of the Caverns, Dr. Lee was appointed the first custodian. He
served without pay. Jim White became an unofficial guide, later being
appointed a park ranger by the National Park Service, finally becoming
chief ranger.

Now, with some system of procedure mapped out, improvements began in
earnest. All of the major trails were greatly enlarged and smoothed
over so that their passage by the public would be safe. Lighting of the
halls and chambers was also begun, although most of the illumination
was furnished by the lanterns carried by the guides and members of
touring parties.

In 1927 the Government could see the Caverns were beginning to take
hold as a show place, a vacation mecca, and additional help would be
required. They sought a man who could take complete charge for the
Government. Someone suggested a man who was at that time in charge of
the volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands, Colonel Thomas Boles. Here, they
felt, was a man who could do what was necessary at the great Caverns,
and as a result Colonel Boles was appointed the first Superintendent in
that year.

During the cave trips at this time everyone carried a box lunch, for
a full scale trip below required the best part of a day. With the
increasing attendance the government decided an underground lunchroom
would be an added convenience for the visitors.

[Illustration:

CARLSBAD CAVERNS

WITH SURFACE SUPERIMPOSED
]

Accordingly, in 1927, a suitable room over 700 feet below was selected
for this purpose, one of the guiding factors being that it was located
approximately at the point where the visitors passed at noon-day.

Picnic tables were set up and box lunches provided cafeteria style
to the hungry travelers whose appetites were heightened by the brisk
journey in the ever-cool atmosphere.

As interest in the Caverns continued to increase, the Government
realized the site was worthy of more than simply a monument rating. The
matter was taken up before Congress two years later, and on May 14,
1930, Congress voted to make the area a National Park.

It is also significant that it was at this time that the official name
became the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the big caves being named
for the town of the same name some 28 miles northeast and which has
always served as the chief supply point for the vicinity.

The surface area was also enlarged at this time and was extended to
include several more acres. On February 21, 1933, it was enlarged to
include more than 10,000 acres.

It was at this time that the greatest improvement yet to be made at
the Caverns was undertaken. This was the installation of the elevator,
which was completed in 1932. The lift is 754 feet and shortens the
walk-in trip by about one and three-quarter hours. The elevator
lets its passengers out at a point adjacent to the Big Room and the
lunchroom. Installation of the elevator made it possible for elderly
people and those who were not physically capable of walking in through
the natural tunnel corridor to view the magic wonders of the great
subterranean fairyland. As soon as it was completed, a great many more
people came to see the great Caverns.

Walking into the Caverns is a thrill within itself and, since the trail
is downhill, few people find it much of a chore. Going out is something
else again, and the great majority of people who walk in are glad for
the opportunity of taking the elevator up to the surface 754 feet above
them.

In 1939 the Park was extended to include some 49,000 acres, and
within this area are 30 other caverns, some of which have been quite
extensively explored while others are relatively unknown. In the main,
most of them are similar, though none begin to compare with the
Carlsbad Caverns in size, and the details and formations often differ
as well.

Three years later the Government purchased the east wing from T. A.
Blakely. This was the section lying for the most part over the guano
beds which in previous years had been worked so extensively. The
purchase of this last segment put the entire known area of the great
cave in the hands of the government.

In 1946, Colonel Boles, the park's first superintendent, who had served
through 19 pioneering years, was transferred to Hot Springs National
Park. By that time he had spoken to well over 2 million visitors, many
of whom were world famous. He says he has made over 5,000 complete
trips through the Caverns and on each "I saw something I missed
before." Much of the early progress was due directly to Colonel Boles'
leadership and foresight. Today, having retired from the National Park
Service, he makes his home in Carlsbad, where he serves as public
relations counsel for the Potash Company of America.

Donald S. Libbey followed Colonel Boles as Superintendent of the
Caverns and he in turn was succeeded by R. Taylor Hoskins. During the
first eight years of his office, Supt. Hoskins says almost 3,000,000
people paid to see the limestone creations which many have tabbed "The
Eighth Wonder of the World." Those who make the underground tour come
away feeling that appellation can't be far from right.

Though the government spent some money years ago in improving the
Caverns and preparing them for visitors to see in safety, the returns
on that investment are now counted. Although the park receives somewhat
over a quarter of a million dollars appropriation from the federal
government each year, it returns almost twice that amount, the sum
being obtained from tourist fees and similar income.

Yes, these first fifty years have indeed seen many changes within the
Caverns. Nature's work has been protected and left intact, but the
lights, the lunchroom, the elevator, the improved trails, and the many
other improvements have been made by man for man's enjoyment of what
the ages have bestowed--what the centuries have given him to see and
enjoy.

Already people from the four corners of the globe have beaten a track
to the Caverns' door, to behold in amazement and wonder and awe. Many
millions more will come in the years ahead, and their children in the
years after that. Here, some 700 and 1000 feet below the surface of the
earth they will marvel at the work of the centuries--that began some
60,000,000 years ago.

Part III

THE BIG CAVE TODAY

_By JOE N. LONG_

Visitor's Center Building--Completed in 1958]

From Above

When the traveler finally decides to include a visit to the Carlsbad
Caverns in his itinerary, or perhaps make a trip to the Caverns an end
in itself, he procures a map of the Southwestern United States and
searches for the little town of Carlsbad. Far down in the southeast
corner of the state of New Mexico he will find this colorful little
community, resting serenely some 40 miles north of the Texas--New
Mexico line, about a hundred and sixty miles east of El Paso, and about
a hundred miles northeast of the Mexican border.

Carlsbad is now a thriving little city of approximately 20,000 people,
situated on the banks of the Pecos River at an altitude of slightly
over 3100 feet. It is often referred to as the potash capital of
America, and the growth of the potash mines has had a direct influence
on the increase in population, which has been quite rapid in the past
few years.

Carlsbad was settled in 1888 and at that time was known as Eddy. In
1906 the Government purchased what remained of a private irrigation
system which had been destroyed by a flood of the Pecos River two
years before, and developed it into the Carlsbad Reclamation Project.
This assured adequate irrigation to the surrounding fertile lands
and reduced to a great degree the danger from subsequent floods. As
a result, agriculture flourished and has continued to be of prime
importance in and near the area. The soil is especially adapted to the
growing of alfalfa and cotton.

Air view of the entrance and surrounding area.]

The visitor can reach Carlsbad by air, rail, or automobile. Continental
Airlines provides daily airplane service to the Carlsbad Airport, and
connections can be made with nearby cities on all of the major airlines
flying through this section of the country.

The Santa Fe Railroad operates regularly scheduled trains to Carlsbad
from Clovis, connecting with transcontinental trains to Clovis from
coast to coast. The Southern Pacific connects at El Paso, as does the
Texas & Pacific, and the Rock Island.

But there is little doubt that the great majority of visitors come via
the family automobile. From U. S. Highways 60 and 380 to the north
the motorist turns south on Highway 285 through Roswell and Artesia
to Carlsbad. Here Highways 62 and 180 intersect, going from Carlsbad
to Whites City, 20 miles south of Carlsbad, where a turn-off on State
Highway 7 takes the traveler seven miles to the Caverns' entrance.

Airplane passengers and those coming by train will take the same motor
route from Carlsbad, since it is direct, and the only route from that
city. Special busses known as the Carlsbad Caverns Coaches make the
trip at frequent intervals, and also operate from El Paso, which is
about 145 miles away.

As the Caverns-bound sightseer heads toward his objective from Carlsbad
or El Paso, he will find himself in the heart of the desert. There
is hardly a tree that is more than head-high. Visitors seeing the
desert for the first time will marvel at the yucca and sotol along
with other less majestic desert vegetation. The stately yucca points
its bloom skyward and is a thing of beauty in the spring. Among its
grass-like leaves are often found mockingbirds, thrashers or cactus
wrens, who like to build their nests amid the security afforded by the
spine-tipped bunching of the limbs and branches. The uppermost point of
the sotol sometimes reaches as high as 15 feet in the air, while the
yucca, often referred to as the Spanish bayonet, occasionally looms to
25 feet. Indians used its leaves for baskets and its roots for soap,
and the sotol served the Indian as food, both cooked and raw, the crisp
rich centers tasting much like celery hearts.

Cavern Entrance]

There are several other species of cactus, and to the newcomer
these will be a new experience. Besides the Devil's Head and the
branching cane, one sees the thousand-headed cliff cactus, the large
leaf "prickly pear", various kinds of mescal, and numerous smaller
varieties. The octopus-like ocotillo, spreading its fingers outward to
the sky, is numerous, picturesque, and unforgettable.

The traveler who is fortunate enough to make the trip during the
spring months will be extra rewarded by seeing this desert flora in
bloom. Every color of the rainbow will be noticed, but primarily the
desert blooms of cacti are for the most part quite pronounced in the
lighter, soft colors, especially in the light pinks and yellows. A few
give forth edible fruit, and many are known for their ability to hold
moisture, often a lifesaver to man and beast.

What trees there are will be found mostly along the banks of, or
adjacent to, small streams or rivers which supply them with the water
their roots must have. Besides several species of oak are the black
walnut, black cherry, New Mexico maple, junipers, Mexican buckeye,
the small green ash, an occasional pine struggling for existence, and
numerous mesquites. There are also several nut and berry trees which
have long been helpful in preserving the wild life that inhabits the
area.

Desert wild flowers accentuate the land in spring with their dots of
red, yellow and blue. In places they are so thick as to resemble a
crazy quilt of many hues and shades.

Although the area gives the impression of a barren wasteland to the
inhabitants of less arid regions, there are many forms of wild life
which for countless centuries have made the area their home. Although
the Red man's arrows and the white man's bullets have reduced the herds
of wild game which once roamed the hills and valleys, there are still a
sizeable number which may occasionally be seen.

Among these are the gray mule deer, still found in the narrow gulches
and on top of rocky ridges, jack rabbits which continue to multiply and
dart rapidly hither and thither, being most noticeable at dusk, rock
squirrels which dwell primarily in the rocky cliffs, and numerous kinds
of rats which seem to have little trouble eking out an existence.

Occasionally an antelope is seen, but the great herds of buffalo are
now almost entirely gone, as are the mountain sheep, the Merriam elk,
the bear and wild turkey. The latter two were sacred to the Red man and
were protected during his inhabitation of the Western United States,
but the coming of the white man left no bird nor beast in safety.

Statue--Green Lake Room]

Along the banks of the nearby Pecos River one may see geese and
ducks, and occasionally one can find a crane, a heron and perhaps a
soft-shelled turtle. Scaled quail are in the vicinity, as are Mearns or
fool quail. Buzzards, several varieties of owls, swifts and flickers
are a few of the many wild birds which dot the countryside.

On the ground there are several kinds of snakes and lizards. There are
several varieties of non-poisonous snakes such as the bull snake, the
Mexican black snake, the coachwhip, the ring-neck, and several species
of water snakes. Three poisonous snakes are found, the black-tailed
or "Texas" rattler, the prairie rattlesnake, and the large western
diamond-back.

Lizards are quite numerous and will be seen by any traveler who keeps
his eye peeled along the roadside from which they suddenly dart,
running swiftly to the other side of the highway. There are several
species which consist of the rough, scaly rock lizard, the smooth,
slender whip-tail, the brilliantly colored collared lizard, and the
bar-tailed lizard. There are several smaller species including the
horned lizard, often referred to as a horned toad. Scorpions and
spiders are numerous, and there are many other smaller insects that
inhabit the area and serve as a source of food for the birds, reptiles,
and small animals.

As the journey to the park continues the visitor passes by small adobe
shacks which may serve some cowboy or sheepherder as the necessary
shelter while tending his herds. Range cattle are numerous and
occasionally several goats will be seen. An old prospector or "desert
rat" who can't stand the hustle of city life may perchance be found
out on the dry, arid wasteland hoping for a find within the hills or
neighboring Guadalupe Mountains which by now are quite plainly visible
to the west.

Stretches of the land are alkaline, white as though touched by the
fingers of Jack Frost, and now and then a dry lake reveals only the
sodium given up as the water evaporated and left its soft white lining.

Beyond, the Guadalupes loom up a deep purple on the horizon, darkened
by the foliage of pine trees that populate the peaks of this mountain
range which reaches a height of almost 9,000 feet. It is the first
mountain range to be encountered by the traveler coming from the east
after having journeyed across the flat plains of Texas and the other
midwestern states.

Along the trail in the King's Palace]

For the visitor who is coming from El Paso, the Guadalupe Range must be
crossed, and the pass is located next to Guadalupe Peak, the highway
reaching an altitude of 5,288 feet at this point. Guadalupe Peak is
the highest mountain in the Guadalupe Range and it is also the highest
point in the state of Texas.

It was near this spot that the Butterfield Stage passed on its way from
St. Louis to San Francisco. The famous trail passed the southern tip of
the Guadalupes near Guadalupe Peak, coming this far south in order to
avoid the snow covered Rockies which made winter travel impossible and
summer travel difficult. In 1857 the Butterfield Stage brought mail to
the little settlements in southern New Mexico, giving the people there
a more frequent contact with the rest of the world. The Butterfield
Line was discontinued four years later, yet the history of its brief
existence lives on in the minds of New Mexico residents today.

The Guadalupe foothills are covered with shrubs and hardy vegetation,
growing above the limestone, shale and gypsum below which are harbored
numerous caves similar to the Carlsbad Caverns. There is Deep Cave,
appropriately named by Carl Livingstone, its discoverer, and Slaughter
Cave, also known as New Cave, which is one of the best known. It has
been explored and contains many beautiful and unique formations. Some
of the cavern sequences in the motion picture "King Solomon's Mines"
were filmed in New Cave. Difficult access to its entrance keeps it
closed to the public.

McKitterick Cave is located near McKitterick Springs, some 18 miles
west of Carlsbad, and holds fond memories for many of Carlsbad's
older residents. They recall how, as long ago as 1885, the gay young
blades would take their ladies fair on a trip to the cave as a form of
amusement, leaving early in the morning and packing a mid-day lunch.

Others, not as famous, are Hidden Cave and Cottonwood Cave--part of
more than thirty in the area well enough known to have names, and
only a few of more than a hundred smaller caves which perforate the
foothills in the area. Many of these are located within the park
boundaries.

Under the Guillotine--King's Palace]

At the edge of the boundary, the traveler arrives at the turn-off
point to the Caverns' entrance. If the journey is made in winter, zero
temperatures can be expected at the coldest times. In summer the desert
heat may reach 100 and often does. Winter or summer, the route is open,
for the Caverns never close, being open to the public the year 'round.
In winter the sandy soil may be buried under a blanket of freshly
fallen snow, the air with a light snap and crystal clear 'neath a warm
winter sun. In the summer months a bluish desert haze often filters
down on the surrounding countryside, but it does not stop even the
slightest breeze from whipping up a soft funnel of dust from the dry,
parched earth, or sending a tumbleweed rolling along a haphazard path
towards an undetermined destination.

But the traveler's destination by this time has almost arrived. Highway
No. 7 leads seven miles up Walnut Canyon road through rocky mesas
covered with choice examples of desert flora, and well they might be
nice, for now, inside the park boundary, park laws protect their safety
and no one is allowed to touch them. They live their normal lives
secure and aloof from man's sometimes destructive inclinations.

The visitor is now within the more than 45,000 acres that constitute
Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The paved highway that leads to the
Caverns' entrance is indeed a decided contrast to the wagon wheel trail
followed by Dr. Willis Lee and his party of explorers which first
covered the route by automobile in 1923. His engine was overheated and
steaming after taking two hours to make the trip from Carlsbad.

Now, at last, at the entrance to the famous Caverns, the visitor is
excited at the thought of what he is to see, but few anticipate the
real treat that is in store for them underground.

Here, at an altitude of 4,350 feet above sea level, is found the
natural entrance to the cave. Park regulations are studied in order
that no bounds may be overstepped. No living thing may be touched or
disturbed, thus assuring protection and perpetuation of plant and
animal life within the park. The walls of the Caverns may not be
touched, defaced, scratched or marred in any way. Canes or walking
sticks may not be carried except upon permission of a park official,
who will decide if such cane or stick is necessary for the owner to
make the Caverns trip.

No dogs are allowed in the Caverns. They may be kept in the kennels
provided for the purpose at a nominal charge. Cameras may be used
on the surface, but within the Caverns they may be used only on the
special photographic tour, full information concerning which may be
obtained from the superintendent's office.

King's Palace]

There are no accommodations for camping or overnight lodging within
the park, but motels are available at Carlsbad and smaller communities
along the highway in either direction from the Number 7 turn-off.

Tiny children will not appreciate the beauties of the Caverns and
their lack of interest will detract from full enjoyment of the trip by
their parents and older members of the family. Accordingly, the park
service maintains a day nursery where children may stay during the trip
of their families below ground. The charge is $1.50 per day, which
includes lunch.

Before going below the visitor should make certain his clothing is
adequate. The temperature in the Caverns remains at a constant 56
degrees the year around. The winter visitor is usually well equipped
with proper clothing, but the summer visitor, dressed for the hot
summer temperatures above ground, may become quite chilled after a few
moments in the sudden change of some 30 to 40 degrees. Consequently,
warm clothing should be worn for the Caverns trip, which should include
a medium weight coat or sweater plus heavy skirt or trousers. High
heeled shoes are not recommended for the journey, and a change to the
low heeled variety is strongly suggested.

The trip through the Caverns requires approximately four hours, and
a box lunch may be taken if desired, but the added inconvenience it
imposes is hardly worth the trouble since a large lunchroom with a
capacity for serving 1,200 people per hour has been established in one
of the rooms below and each tour stops 40 minutes for lunch at this
spot.

And now, armed with all of the essential information concerning the
park, the Caverns, and the regulations concerning the forthcoming visit
to Nature's fairyland, the visitor is eager to get on his way.

Park rules prohibit anyone entering alone or without a guide. Trips are
conducted every day in the year, beginning hourly in the summertime
when the tourist season is at its height, and being less frequent
during the winter months.

Children under 11 years of age are admitted free when accompanied by
an adult who will be responsible for their behavior. The admission for
adults is $1.50, including tax, and with the ticket in his hand the
visitor waits for the next tour to begin.

Sheet Stalactites--Queen's Chamber]

As the guide collects the many sightseers together who will form his
party, the enthusiasm for the trip within each individual mounts to a
high tension. At his beckon the members of the party move toward the
natural entrance--ready to begin an experience not quite like anything
they have ever seen or known--an experience that will linger in their
memories as long as they shall live.

A view of the Caverns is just ahead!

A park ranger briefs the party on the early history of the Caverns,
describes its geological aspects, and reviews once again the rules
visitors must observe on their trip below. Then, as he flicks a switch,
the first section of the black hollow in the earth becomes illuminated.
With a swish of his flashlight he directs the members of his party to
follow.

The trip through the Caverns has begun!

Elephant Ears--Queen's Chambers]

From Below

Of several ways to enter the Caverns, only two are permitted today by
the National Park Service. One is through the natural entrance and the
other is by elevator which takes the visitor rapidly down 754 feet to
a spot adjacent to the lunch room and the famous Big Room. The true
adventurer--the visitor who wants to really see the Big Cave from the
beginning, much as my father first saw it, will prefer to enter through
the natural opening with the regular tour. Visitors not in the best of
health will go down by elevator, but they will miss much of the fun and
excitement.

As the tour passes into the mouth of the natural opening the warm
sunshine soon gives way to the yellow incandescence of the man-made
light which illuminates all the passageways and underground chambers.
The cool cave air is soon felt, and the warm coat or sweater is already
appreciated. The guide points out the important features that should
not be missed, and answers questions from members of his party about
the cave, its history, formations and development.

Visitors today have a sloping paved trail to follow--far easier than
the rock strewn path the early explorers crawled over in their thirst
for a view of what lay below. Steep climbs have been eliminated by
sharp switchbacks which lengthen the walking time but make the descent
much easier.

Draperies--Papoose Room]

As the tour continues, the descent begins to steepen and the walls
change in both composition and texture. Solid rock predominates,
appearing much darker than around the entrance. An occasional pale
color is noticed in the illuminated areas, and a few moments later the
first stalactite is seen hanging from the ceiling.

Shortly the tunnel divides and the party will follow the trail as it
leads to the left. The guide points out that to the right is the Bat
Cave, that portion of the Caverns where the millions of bats live and
where the great guano deposits were found. It extends over a half mile
back in an easterly direction and is not a part of the tour.

At this point the trail levels somewhat and the visitor finds himself
in the Auditorium, a large room where the Ranger pauses for a brief
explanation to the group. Members of the party will be surprised at
how well the guide's low voice can be heard, a phenomenon due to the
excellent acoustics of the room.

All eyes are absorbed in the ever-changing spectacle that is unfolding
before them. Next comes a low ceilinged passageway, followed by a clear
pool of water from which rises a lone column. The formations along the
way are getting larger with each step, the coloration is more vivid,
and the variations are great indeed.

Formations at times suggest the ancient cliff dwellings found at Mesa
Verde, and one wonders if the early Indian did, by chance, ever inhabit
them. Suddenly, as the descent drops rapidly, the ceiling is some
125 feet above and the visitor finds himself at the Whale's Mouth, a
formation with slender stalactites enhanced by clever lighting which
indeed does resemble the interior of that sea-going mammal's jaws.

As the ceiling rises still more, the party enters the Main Corridor, a
tunnel almost a mile long which leads directly to the most picturesque
rooms of the Caverns. The descent is for the most part uneventful and
rapid, and the guide points out some of the unique formations along the
route such as the American Eagle, which has a wingspread of 12 feet,
the Baby Hippo, others resembling sea foam and waves, and the three
Little Monkeys perched well towards the ceiling overhead.

[Illustration: The Lunchroom ]

Along the walls of the Main Corridor one may see small openings which
reveal an inky blackness that may cover up some mysterious room or
hallway. Someone in the party asks the guide about it. He explains that
there are many such openings in other rooms of similar nature, but
since they have nothing different to offer from what is already being
seen, the Parks Department has not opened them to public view.

Have the Caverns been fully explored, someone asks. No, he replies. To
date about 23 miles have been mapped and surveyed, and many openings
into large chambers are known to exist, but their size is unknown.
Perhaps even larger rooms lie close by. No one knows.

The formations continue to change in size, shape, and contour.
Stalactites hanging from the ceiling look as though some little elf
might have hung them there the night before, using a spindly stalagmite
to stand on as he did so. The visitor has been so absorbed in what he
has been seeing that he is startled to hear the guide announce that
the party is now 600 feet below the surface. That is further than the
Washington Monument is high.

The most picturesque portions are now to begin, he says, but the first
of them will require some climbing. For that reason, those not quite
up to the task may take a short cut to the lunchroom which is a brief
jaunt to the left. The rest will head on past the Iceberg, the largest
"loose" rock in the Caverns, which is estimated to weigh about 200,000
tons. It once "fell" from the ceiling, but the fall was gradual. The
delicate stalactites grew later. The ceiling at this point is some 358
feet above.

If the visitor thinks he has seen something up to now, he is due for
a surprise, for a few moments later the winding pathway leads to the
first of the many scenic rooms for which the Carlsbad Caverns have
become so famous. Appropriately named the Green Lake Room, this first
of several similar chambers is breath-taking in its beauty. Its name is
derived from the small green pond seen to the right of the trail, which
is fed by drip water from above, a pool so clear its depth is easily
seen.

On the ceiling above are huge masses of stalactites, at times so thick
as to form curtains of stone, varying from reddish brown to a light
grey, intriguing in their staggered form and defying description by
even the most talented poet or writer. On beyond the pool the visitor
marvels at the Veiled Statue, a pillar of dripstone which resembles a
frozen waterfall and which began its existence about 100,000 years ago.

The Painted Grotto--Big Room]

Many visitors have said at this point they have had their money's
worth. This one room alone was worth their whole trip. Actually, they
aren't yet quite half way, and there is more to come.

Continuing on past the Frozen Waterfall and the Bashful Elephant, both
named for the effect they give, the traveler enters the King's Palace
which, to some, is the most ornate of the many chambers the entire
Park has to offer. Thousands of stalactites hang from the ceiling, at
times resembling stringy mosses hanging from the limbs of trees. Some,
appearing to hang at a slight angle, give the impression the "stone
moss" might be swaying in the wind. Underneath there is a noticeable
scarcity of corresponding stalagmites, and geologists think the floor
at this point was at one time covered with water, which would prohibit
the formation of the "floor icicles."

The eye roams over ever-changing forms with no two quite alike, and the
immensity of the room alone is sufficient to remind man what a small
mortal he be, after all. At the far end of the Palace are seen two
pendants, stalactite and a stalagmite which come within a fraction of
an inch of kissing. Now dead, they will never touch; hence the name,
the Frustrated Lovers. And, as though they might have been the King
and the Queen, they are found at the small passageway that connects
the King's Palace with the Queen's Chamber, another room of similar
shapes and decoration which do indeed remind the visitor of the ornate
finery to be expected in Her Majesty's domicile. The countless rows of
stalactites look like driplets of finely woven lace, stretching over
much of the ceiling not unlike the frills of a canopy one might expect
to find adorning the Queen's bed in her castle.

One unique and different formation is known as the Queen's Draperies,
which are found at the southwest side of the room. They are a form of
massed stalactites grown together so evenly that they resemble a huge
drape from which the wrinkles haven't been ironed out. But the unusual
feature is the ability of this stone to absorb light and reflect it
moments after the light has been extinguished. These portieres are the
highest in the Caverns, being slightly over 40 feet. Throughout the
rest of the room one feels as though he must have interrupted Mother
Nature while she was busily experimenting and trying to decide what to
do next, having left behind her first efforts for the world to see.

The Chapel or Dome Room in the Big Room]

The paved trail continues through a low, rocky passageway at the
far end of the Queen's Chamber and presently the party finds itself
in the Papoose Room and in one of the lowest spots in the Caverns,
approximately 875 feet below the surface. Here the stalactites have
grown together in such a way as to resemble huge curtains of stone
which appear much like a sheet of lava which has slipped through a
crevice and then hardened.

Here, too, are numerous needle-like points protruding down from the
ceiling as though sharp pointed pins had been pushed through from
above. Areas on the floor remind the visitor of a growing rock garden,
yet there is not a green leaf anywhere to be seen. Nevertheless, few
gardens offer any more beauty or color than these gentle formations
along the edges of the Papoose Room, smallest of the scenic chambers on
the trail.

Here the party must retrace a few steps, returning through the King's
Palace, leaving this time by the eastern end, entering a small
passageway which leads to a series of sharp turns and switchbacks made
necessary in order to climb the rather steep grade ahead.

It has now been an hour and 45 minutes since the visitor left the outer
world behind, and the up and down climbing has done its part towards
working up an appetite. But if that hasn't been enough, going up this
zig-zagging hill should complete the task and make anyone ready for
something to eat. Appropriately enough, it has been tagged Appetite
Hill, and uses 60 feet to accomplish its task.

A moment later the party passes by a room of rocks which looks as
though it was noon hour at a rock quarry, and the workmen had scurried
off at the abrupt blow of the whistle, not caring in what manner of
disarray they left their chores. But in this case it was Nature's
workmen who left--untold hundreds of years ago--never to return.
Labeled the Bone Yard, it features an alcove where the formation
resembles a huge sponge--rock eaten away or dissolved by the continuous
action of water which, at times, resembles bone formations.

After having seen the more colorful scenic rooms, many visitors give
this spot scarcely more than a fleeting glance, but geologists find
here exacting evidence as to the Caverns' beginning. After the Swiss
cheese effect was created the water was in some manner diverted and, in
the absence of drip water, no stalactites or stalagmites were formed.

Altar in the Chapel--Big Room]

A few steps more and the visitor finds himself in a huge room with a
massive rock formation hanging from the ceiling as though it might fall
to the floor at some prearranged signal. Huge boulders dot the sides
of the room, between which are many narrow white benches and tables.
In the center of the room are long aisles which carry the visitor past
waist-high counters on which have been placed hundreds of box lunches.
Yes, this is the famous lunchroom, 754 feet below the surface of the
earth, and just about the most popular room for those who have been
hiking for the past couple of hours.

The guide announces there will be a rest of 40 minutes--ample time to
eat a noon-day meal and rest a couple of tired feet. It seems that no
matter how many people enter the lunchroom, the line past the counters
never stops or is held up. Designed to accommodate 1200 an hour, as
many as 2000 hungry sightseers have been clocked picking up their lunch
and beverage in that time. The lunchroom is operated by the Cavern
Supply Company under the supervision of the National Park Service.

Visitors who took the easy way into the Caverns, via the elevator,
arrive at the lunchroom as their first stop. From this point they
continue their limited tour of the Caverns pretty much on one level.

With so many people in this one huge room a long way from the outside
atmosphere, someone asks the guide if the air doesn't become stale and
musty. No, he replies, the air changes naturally every 24 hours. How
much longer does our tour last, another wants to know. This is the
halfway point, says the guide, and we have about two hours more.

Here many a traveler pauses a moment to absorb what he has seen--the
beauty, the magnificence, the grace and charm. Mother Nature does her
work so well--so thoroughly. But the guide said there is more. How can
there be more--how can anything match what has already been seen? Man
is indeed a humble creature, the tiniest detail in the great heavenly
scheme. Great though man's work may be, God's work is ever greater.

The rest period is over. It is time to go on. In a moment the party is
once again assembled in the main passageway section which connects the
many rooms, and turns to the left past "hanging mosses" and honeycombed
fissures into the famous Big Room, largest underground chamber known
anywhere, and unsurpassed in length, width and height, variety and size
of formations, number of colors to be seen, and value to geologists due
to the many finds that have been made.

Temple of the Sun--Big Room]

Here the remainder of the 4-hour tour will be spent. The trail around
the perimeter of the room is one and a quarter miles and, although many
sections and alcoves are actually under one huge roof, the visitor
usually feels he is in a series of separate chambers. One reason is
that the big room is shaped roughly in the form of a cross, the length
of the "staff" measuring some 2,000 feet while the "cross-arm" is
slightly over half that length. 2,000 feet is almost 4/10 of a mile!

Two hours is not enough to see everything the big room has to offer.
Many small formations are not seen but must be discovered. Every
visitor sees something new--something no one else within the party has
noticed, for the formations are countless and the resemblances they
offer are equally as numerous.

The elaborate indirect lighting system has been designed to reveal the
largest, most beautiful and ornate of the spectacles to be seen, but
a flashlight aimed in a dark corner is likely to reveal formations
resembling a Mermaid, Frog on a Toadstool, Queen's Necklace, Weeping
Willow Trees, the Petrified Forest, and countless others, limited only
by man's imagination and his ability to seek them out.

But the larger formations which have contributed to the fame of the Big
Room include Giant Dome, Hall of Giants, Rock of Ages, and the Temple
of the Sun.

No two people see quite the same thing when they enter the Big Room.
It is so huge and there is so much to greet the eye that at first
everything is taken in but no one thing is seen. Then the eye begins
to settle on one formation at a time. One of the first is the Hall of
Giants, so named for the size of its principal formations; the huge
Giant Dome, a massive, light grey stalagmite flecked with tinges of
orange, stretching upward some 62 feet above the ground, making it the
largest upward growth in the Caverns, and behind it the Twin Domes,
similar in structure and formation, though not as high and therefore
not as old.

As the party continues one listens to the whispered observations of the
members. Looks like the inside of a great Cathedral, says one. Oh, no,
answers his companion, too eerie and spooky for that!

The beauty continues to defy all description. The color in the Big
Room, too, is appealing to the eye, no doubt enhanced by the deft use
of colored lighting. No, says the guide. Only plain light bulbs are
used in the thousands of feet of wire strung throughout the Caverns.
Any color you see was put there by Mother Nature herself.

Temple of the Sun--Big Room]

Creeping along the north side of the Big Room the party passes by
Fairyland, a group of fantastically shaped stalagmites recalling the
fairies from childhood tales as they go about their sprightly tasks.

Next to be seen is the Temple of the Sun, named for the many colors
found shimmering on its sides and base. It is a huge stalagmite from
which hang many stone icicles from a dozen or more layers, the curtains
of icicles pink in color mounted upon a stone base of blue.

Thousands of inverted spires rain down from above, and on the ground
the crinkly rock formations resemble pop-corn in color and appearance
although not hardly in flavor! This same pop-corn formation is seen in
other parts of the Caverns and geologists say this condition resulted
after stalagmites had grown to a considerable height, following which
the cave was flooded for thousands of years with water, the excess
lime from which accumulated in the tiny globules which give the bubbly
appearance.

Further on is the Totem Pole, a tall, slender stalagmite whose parent
stalactite never had time to form due to the rapid rate of the dripping
water. Standing pretty much alone, it sticks out like a large suhuaro
cactus stalk against a cloudless sky. The outside "skin" is about as
rough, but the spines are missing. To others it resembles a group of
men's hats thrown carelessly into a pile, one on top of the next. What
it lacks in color, it makes up for in its unique appearance.

The floor of the Big Room is a reddish brown color, and at this point
the visitor sees numerous rounded mounds of stones, looking much as
though a stalagmite might have gotten a good start only to be engulfed
in water and be polished down to this semi-globular formation. That is
probably just what happened, leaving these half-buried basketballs to
remain in exactly that fashion for eternity.

A sudden right turn brings the party to the famous Jumping Off Place,
which in reality is one of the entrances to the Lower Cave. The trail
passes midway between floor and ceiling, approximately 150 feet in each
perpendicular direction. Here the floor of the Lower Cave approximates
900 feet below the surface.

An easier entrance provides access to the cave which may be entered by
those who care to do so, although it is not a part of the regular tour.
Lower Cave shares honors with the Papoose Room as being the two lowest
points on the underground tour. Also, they are the furthest west. Here,
with the limit reached, the pathway begins its return trip.

Giant Column and Twin Domes--Big Room]

On once more, lily pads, huge boulders, and clusters of flowstone along
the walls greet the visitor as he heads for Mirror Lake, a small,
crystal-clear pool that is well named. On beyond is the Bottomless Pit,
a dark hole with mysterious implications that received its name from
the first explorers who thought the title would intrigue all who saw
it. From the trail the light of a spotlight has trouble in penetrating
the depths of the pit, adding to its ghostliness. Actually, the pit
has a bottom some 140 feet below the rim where the visitors pass,
but unlike many other attractions of the Caverns which were named by
those who first saw them, the name of the Bottomless Pit has remained
unchanged. Other of the Caverns' features have been renamed two or
three times within the past few decades.

As the column of silent visitors marches silently along the return
trail the Big Room takes on a new look. Indeed it does not appear to be
the same room where the party entered slightly over an hour ago. All
sense of time and direction are lost in the myriad of decoration, light
and shadow, gigantic, often grotesque formations, and the serenity of
this underground heaven.

Passing quietly ahead the traveler pauses at the largest "living"
stalagmite within the known part of the Caverns, the Crystal Spring
Dome. Generally dry, this part of the Big Cave is moist, and water,
dripping slowly from the ceiling above, is still depositing its minute
quantities of calcium on the mighty Crystal Spring Dome as it has been
doing for countless centuries.

The Crystal Spring is perhaps 20 feet high and resembles a bushy
Christmas tree laden with snow, its branches drooping under the massive
white blanket. The dripping water is depositing its lime at the rate of
about 2½ cubic inches a year, although this rate varies depending upon
the amount of moisture descending from the ceiling above, and also upon
the amount of lime contained in the water.

This constant application of moisture keeps the white, plump stalagmite
glistening all the time, and the excess moisture, unable to evaporate,
forms into a small pool at the base of the dome, known as Crystal
Spring.

Rock of Ages--Big Room]

In an adjoining area is the celebrated Rock of Ages, a gigantic
stalagmite, stately in position and dramatic in location, thought to
be one of the oldest forms in the Caverns, although its exact age is
not known. For years it marked the end of the Caverns Tour, and an
impressive ceremony conducted by the guides consisted of a short talk
followed by the singing of the old favorite, "Rock of Ages." No visitor
could ever forget this inspirational ending to a breath-taking tour of
God's underground handiwork. The Rock of Ages became almost a symbol of
the Caverns tour in the minds of those who had taken it. But, as the
crowds of visitors increased, the park officers found they could not
continue this service.

Its discontinuance brought protests from former Caverns visitors who
had remembered this final closing gesture as the high point of the
tour. Rippled layers give the Rock of Ages a shape all its own, and it
marks the end of the journey through the mighty Carlsbad Caverns of
today.

It is now nearly four hours since the traveler entered the big natural
opening to the cave some 700 feet above him. His sweater feels good,
though he isn't as cold as he had first supposed he might be, for the
constant walking during the 2¾ miles which the full trip requires has
kept him relatively warm.

Before saying good-bye to the Caverns he likes to pause a moment at the
entrance to the Big Room and look back, for one last glimpse of this
largest known room in the world, man-made or otherwise. Above him some
285 feet is the bedecked ceiling, the highest point in the Caverns, and
suspended by the longest unsupported arch known in the world!

The human mind can't quite believe it, yet there it is. And as the
visitor slowly turns to thoughts of the return trip he revolves in his
mind the beauties he has seen.

He will find the elevator takes him quickly and safely 750 feet upward
to the surface where the warm sunlight appears exceedingly bright to
human eyes, which, in the intervening hours, have become accustomed to
the gentle illumination found in the Caverns' otherwise inky blackness.

Within his own mind the visitor knows he will never forget the
indescribable sights he has seen, but how can he tell others of the
size, the intricate design, the scope and beauty that he has witnessed?
Pictures help, and these may be purchased at the souvenir stand near
the entrance. Views of all the better known formations in color are
obtainable, as well as booklets telling about the history of the
mammoth Caverns and how they were formed millions of years ago.

Man enters the great underground fairyland a bit apprehensive and
sometimes skeptical as to what he will see, finding it hard to believe
all he has heard of the Great Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico. But
some four hours later, as he once again greets the light of day, he
recollects how Man has been responsible for some pretty remarkable
shows, it is true, but now he is convinced that Mother Nature herself
puts on the biggest, the most colorful, and the most spectacular show
of all!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

National Parks Folder on Carlsbad Caverns
New Mexico, The American Guide Series
Animal Life of the Carlsbad Cavern, by Vernon Bailey
National Geographic Magazine, January, 1924; September, 1925;
October, 1953
Science American, October, 1900; December, 1923
Science, December, 1923; November, 1924
Sunset, May, 1924
Mentor, August, 1925
Literary Digest, November, 1924
The New York Times, October, 1923
Natural History Magazine, December, 1947
Bulletins of the U. S. Geological Survey

[Illustration: The famous bat flight--a nightly occurrence at the
Caverns.]

* * * * *

Transcriber Note

Some text was moved to avoid paragraphs being split by illustrations.
Transcriptions of the text for images of printed documents are
provided to assist the reader. As a handwritten and typeset version of
Amended Notice of "Big Cave" Mining Claim were presented and labelled
the same, "(Handwritten)" was added to the caption of the first image
to distinguish them. Several transcribed copies contain typos as given
in the original.

*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Big Cave: Early History and Authentic Facts Concerning the History and Discovery of the World Famous Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico" ***

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