-65-
They had been eating lunch when, without
warning, a strange cry drifted up from the pit. It was an eerie groan.
"My God! That sounds like a woman
crying," whispered a startled workman. The voice ceased, then broke
through the darkness again like the anguished moan of a dying woman.
"There can't be nobody down here but
us," said a youth, pressing close to the others. His spine tingled with
fear. A louder moan roared through the cave, floating eerily out of the uncanny
chasm. It was followed by the sound of heavy, ominous breathing.
"Something’s alive in there,"
shouted the first worker. "Boys, Let's get to the top."
The panicked workers left their tools on the
edge of the chasm. They grabbed their lanterns. It was a frantic, fearful group
that clawed, ran and crawled into the welcome light of the outside world.
The crew was adamant. They would not return
into the cave. Stories spread throughout the region about the unknown
"phantom" or "ghost" in Buck Hill Caverns ...The
superstitious mountaineers listened and nodded. Ghosts, spooks and haunts were
common knowledge. Everyone knew these things existed. Alarmed men refused to
accept any price to explore, map and open the cave.
"There's something prowling around down
there. I ain't going in," was a standard reply.
It may prowl yet today in those mysterious
caverns." (Note: I’ve been in contact
with a man who lives near this cave. He says that this story is a very
compressed version of the whole legend. He also stated that he knew of a man
who has in his possession some letters concerning this legend. The whole story
can be found in the book "THE PHANTOM OF BUCK HILL CAVERNS", by J. P.
Fo1insbee.)
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