Mr. Wheeler’s Exploration and Description of the Caves.
“Up to this time, only the Gopher Bridge series and the Mill Bridge series (see [map]) had been explored. It was not until a day or two before the close of the survey, August 4, that an attempt was made to penetrate the huge opening seen at the north end of the bottom of the gorge. On the date named, the writer descended by means of a knotted rope, and was followed by Deutschman. The stream was then at high water, and pouring into the opening with a tremendous rush and swirl of waters. Although the creek was crossed by wading waist deep in the icy torrent, it was found impossible to penetrate more than a couple of hundred feet into the depth. Later in the month Deutschman, alone and unaided, penetrated this opening and worked his way across the stream, discovering what is now referred to as the Gorge series, or the series of passageways reached by the opening from the Gorge. And here the writer begs to say a word or two concerning this remarkable man. The work of exploration he has done without assistance, shows a character utterly devoid of fear. The descent into depths of blackest darkness, lighted only by the dim rays of a tallow dip, without a rope or other aid except in a case of direst necessity, requires more than courage; it requires strength of purpose and power of will far beyond the ordinary degree. For, added to the thick darkness, there was always the fierce vibrating roar of subterranean torrents, a sound most nerve shaking in a position sufficiently uncanny and demoralizing without it. Huge cracks had to be crossed, and precipitous descents made in pitch darkness, where, it is safe to say, a misstep would have instant death, either suddenly or through disablement. Now that ladders are placed and ropes set, and the sure path pointed out by this intrepid guide, it is difficult to realize how in the first place the passage could possibly have been made without.
Typical Alpland—On Mt. Abbott about 1 mile south of Glacier.
“The first visitor after Deutschman to the Gorge series was a Mr. Lang, of Golden, B.C., who very nearly met with a serious accident when climbing up the rope from the bottom of the gorge to the floor of the valley, 80 feet above. He had nearly reached the top when his strength gave out, and he slid back down the rope, arriving at the bottom in a much bruised condition, but fortunately with no bones broken.”
Mr. Wheeler furnishes a splendid detail description of the various series of caves, and it is thought well to reproduce this description in extenso:—