langcliffe
Well-known member
April 24th 1935:
"We had dinner at 3.30 p.m. and set off for Gunner Fleet at 4.15 loaded with the tackle I had brought. We entered the cave at 5.0 p.m. and as I was going along I got a terrible headache, by the time I got to the first chamber I was feeling as though I could not carry on. We collected two boxes full of stalactites and tied some larger ones to a plank, then Mr. Simpson took a photograph and we worked through to the second chamber, by that time I was feeling quite fit. He then set to work cutting out stalagmites, he broke two off and packed them, then we worked them to the entrance, they were very heavy and we were glad when we got them intact to the entrance chamber. We then worked the boxes of stalactites through and we returned to the second chamber. Mr. Simpson was then working at the 4 feet ?mite? I went to help him while Longbottom took the camera forward, we used the hacksaw. The ?mite? itself was on a loose stone and when we tried to break it the boulder rocked. When we had nearly cut through it broke off and we packed it and worked it forward. It was not heavy and I carried it most of the way. We got to the entrance at 10.0 p.m. and loaded up. We left the two shorter stalagmites and I took the box of stalactites and the camera. We walked back with our head lamps going to show the way; on arriving at camp we had a good supper and got to bed at 11.30 p.m."
Those were the days, my friends....
"We had dinner at 3.30 p.m. and set off for Gunner Fleet at 4.15 loaded with the tackle I had brought. We entered the cave at 5.0 p.m. and as I was going along I got a terrible headache, by the time I got to the first chamber I was feeling as though I could not carry on. We collected two boxes full of stalactites and tied some larger ones to a plank, then Mr. Simpson took a photograph and we worked through to the second chamber, by that time I was feeling quite fit. He then set to work cutting out stalagmites, he broke two off and packed them, then we worked them to the entrance, they were very heavy and we were glad when we got them intact to the entrance chamber. We then worked the boxes of stalactites through and we returned to the second chamber. Mr. Simpson was then working at the 4 feet ?mite? I went to help him while Longbottom took the camera forward, we used the hacksaw. The ?mite? itself was on a loose stone and when we tried to break it the boulder rocked. When we had nearly cut through it broke off and we packed it and worked it forward. It was not heavy and I carried it most of the way. We got to the entrance at 10.0 p.m. and loaded up. We left the two shorter stalagmites and I took the box of stalactites and the camera. We walked back with our head lamps going to show the way; on arriving at camp we had a good supper and got to bed at 11.30 p.m."
Those were the days, my friends....