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Show CALIFORNIA'S QUEER CAVERN. A Wonder of the Pacific Coast Which ITaa Never Been Explored. On the north side of Table mountain and near its top is an opening in the lava that has since its early days been known as "the lion's den." It was so named from the fact that for years it was the lair of a band of ferocious California Cal-ifornia lions that, when the country was largely devoted to sheep raising, made mighty depredations upon the flocks and caused the owners much annoyance an-noyance and loss. When pursued the animals would seek refuge in this den and no hunter would dare to enter it. The ground about tho entrance was covered with the bones, -and remnants of sheep and other animals. With the increase of population the lions have gradually disappeared, although as late as last spring two of the animals were seen to enter the cave. Oroville Mercury Mer-cury says no known man has ever penetrated pen-etrated this cave to its fullest depth. The month is about four or five feet tiigh and three feet wide and the open--ing descends with a sharp decline for about two hundred feet. Further than this it has never been explored. - Now, however, a party of young men have made arrangements to explore it, and, if possible, penetrate to its bottom. That it is of great depth is certain, for one can stand at the opening and heave great stones down the declivity and the sound will gradually die away in the distance. The young men have procured pro-cured several hundred feet of ropes, torches and ladders and will thoroughly explore the cavern. What adds a peculiar interest to the expedition and gives zest to the explorers explor-ers is the well-known fact that- in the heydey of his career as a bandit Joaquin Murietta and his band of faithful followers fol-lowers made the recesses of Table mountain the base of their operations in this section. From there they would swoop down on the miners, and then, laden with gold dust, retreat to the mountains. Search as they might, the officers could not locate them. It has been supposed by many this same cave was where the famous outlaw secreted himself. It may be, too, that deep down in the bowels of the earth Joaquin Joa-quin hid the greater portion of his ill-gotten, ill-gotten, but nevertheless just as potent, wealth. . |