DORAY GUDA CAVERN, 2nd

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Another mine [–>Doray Guda Cavern, 2nd], which the natives believe to be a natural cavern (BUCHANAN, F 1807, 2: 41) gave access to a dry, man-made, estimated 30 m long iron ore mine. SITUATION: Relatively lower down than this convulsed surface (BUCHANAN, F 1807, 2: 41) which hints to the lost –>Doray Guda Cavern, 1st. MINE DESCRIPTION: … another mine, which the natives believe to be a natural cavern, and into which, not without some reason, they are afraid to enter. Indeed, none of them have attempted it; for they are persuaded that it extends a great way into the earth, which made me curious to examine it. The miners have evidently wrought into this part of the mine from the westward; and until they came to the ledge of earthy quartz, or hornstone, before mentioned, they have carried on a regular face of considerable width and depth. This ledge cutting off the mine, they had by the side of the ban'en rock made a horizontal cavity into the hill, and thus formed a cavern about fift feet [15 m] long, twelve feet [3.7 m] high, and nine [2.7 m] wide, it is probable, that they had then met with some obstruction; for under this they have formed another mine, which cuts off the communication between the ground and the first mentioned cavern. … We soon came to a place where a bed had been formed in the sand by some of the tiger kind; and having advanced about 100 feet [30 m] we reached the end of the cave … The sides of the mine consist partly of the ore, and partly of the rock already mentioned, which is much intermixed with the Caricul [note 1], or brown hæmatites. The place is perfectly dry. It is probable that the work was deserted when the poor people in the higher mine suffered (BUCHANAN 1807, 2: 41-42). CAVE LIFE: Chiroptera (note 2), Hystrix, Felis indet. conf. tigris: As there were evident marks of the feet of a large beast of prey at the mouth of the cave, I took the precaution of making a Seapoy [note 3] fire 'his musket into it; and, nothing but a largeflock of bats having appeared, I went in, accompanied by two armed men. We soon came to a place where a bed had been formed in the sand by some of the tiger kind; and having advanced about 100 feet we reached the end of the cave, where another wild beast had formed its bed. This, therefore, was probably the usual haunt of a pair of leopards. We found also a porcupine's quill; but were uncertain, whether the animal had fallen a prey to the leopards; or whether, protected by its prickles, it ventured to shelter itself in their company (BUCHANAN 1807, 2: 42). feet [15 m] long, twelve feet [3.7 m] high, and nine [2.7 m] wide, it is probable, that they had then met with some obstruction; for under this they have formed another mine, which cuts off the communication between the ground and the first mentioned cavern. … We soon came to a place where a bed had been formed in the sand by some of the tiger kind; and having advanced about 100 feet [30 m] we reached the end of the cave … The sides of the mine consist partly of the ore, and partly of the rock already mentioned, which is much intermixed with the Caricul [note 1], or brown hæmatites. The place is perfectly dry. It is probable that the work was deserted when the poor people in the higher mine suffered (BUCHANAN 1807, 2: 41-42). CAVE LIFE: Chiroptera (note 2), Hystrix, Felis indet. conf. tigris: As there were evident marks of the feet of a large beast of prey at the mouth of the cave, I took the precaution of making a Seapoy [note 3] fire 'his musket into it; and, nothing but a largeflock of bats having appeared, I went in, accompanied by two armed men. We soon came to a place where a bed had been formed in the sand by some of the tiger kind; and having advanced about 100 feet we reached the end of the cave, where another wild beast had formed its bed. This, therefore, was probably the usual haunt of a pair of leopards. We found also a porcupine's quill; but were uncertain, whether the animal had fallen a prey to the leopards; or whether, protected by its prickles, it ventured to shelter itself in their company (BUCHANAN 1807, 2: 42).