Page 170.]
[Illustration: Looking out of White Onyx Cave. Page 171.]
It is surprising that in all these heavy beds there is no line or
tint, or slightest trace of color anywhere, while the other Onyx Cave,
so near as to suggest connection, has a gorgeous variety of rich
coloring.
The view looking out from the entrance of White Onyx Cave is wonderfully
fine, and equally so whether the rain falls or the sun shines, a timely
shower giving us an opportunity to enjoy both.
Before leaving the ranch, a promise was made by Mr. Sidey to write a
short description of the other cave, which he kindly did, and it is here
given. He says:
"In trailing a deer I came across a hole on top of a long divide. On
throwing a rock down the opening, I could hear it rattling against the
walls until the sounds gradually died away, but there seemed to be no
bottom to the hole, and I resolved to come again prepared and make
explorations. After the snow had gone my twelve-year-old son, Ray, and
I, mounted on our trusty horses, Bonnie and Dee, equipped with ropes,
candles, hammers and a pocketful of matches, set out to explore the new
cave. It was a beautiful, bright spring morning, and after an hour's
hard climbing over fallen timber and rocks, we reached the summit of the
mountain. A search of half an hour revealed the opening which was barely
large enough to allow me to pass through.
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