"Sirs:

"Norman Finley, a neighbor of a good friend of mine, told me about an experience he had which was rather unusual. He and a couple of other fellows were hunting down in the Big Bend country. I don't know whether you are familiar with the Big Bend or not, but there is no more wild or desolate area in the country. Rugged, mountainous, cut by canyons, there are innumerable parts of it which have never known the foot of man.

"It was in one of the most desirable areas that Finley and his companions found themselves. They had driven about ninety miles southwest of Marathon, Texas, a little town of about 700 people, at the foot of the Del Norte Mountains, 4000 feet high, and had then gone on afoot. The dirt road just petered out and they couldn't get their car further. They were hunting deer but had no luck. Just as they were about to call it a day, Finley spotted a mountain lion. He snapped a shot at it and knocked it over. But the lion just rolled over on his feet and started to leave those parts.

"Finley and the other fellows took after him, since it was obvious that he was wounded and not making very good time. They managed to keep him in sight for about a mile and were sure they had him when he ran into a box canyon. The lion, however, started up a faint trail up one side of the canyon to a small cave they could see about a hundred feet from the floor of the canyon. They followed him up this trail, but when they got to the cave--there was no lion!

"The cave was one of those dished-out affairs that are so common in the southwest. Eroded out of the face of a cliff and cup-shaped. The only access to it was by that trail. But this cave was a bit queer. It had a sand floor and was just about big enough to park twenty cars in it. On the cliff edge was a low STONE WALL. This in itself was not too unusual, because such caves have sheltered Indians for thousands of years.

"The thing that did make it unusual was that in the rear of it was a perfectly round hole. It was obvious that the lion had ducked into this.

"They approached it rather cautiously and tossed some stones in it to see if they could stir him up. But there was no response. They could hear the stones rolling and bouncing down an incline and the sound just got fainter and fainter until it died away altogether.

"They then approached the hole and peered down into it. It was perfectly round--also it was about four or five feet in diameter. They couldn't see very far down it, but it appeared to descend rather sharply and at a steady gradient. The fellows gathered some dry grass from the canyon floor and made some torches. The incline of the bore was too steep for them to climb down so they tossed the torches down it. They just slid down further and further and disappeared into the gloom. They never did see or hear of the lion again.

"At first they thought they had stumbled onto some old Spanish mine workings. But there was no sign anywhere of a dump that always goes with a mine. By all rights there should have been some sign of the earth and rock that had come out of that hole--but there wasn't.

"When they inspected the hole itself more closely, they were amazed at it's symmetry and at the consistency of the section of the bore as far as they could see down it. The fact that the bore was perfectly round puzzled them, too. If it was a mine shaft, it most certainly wouldn't have been round, but instead would have been flat on the bottom. The fact that the shaft extended straight and unwavering as a rigid pipe was cause for further amazement. Since the fellows had no rope with them, which would have been needed to descend the shaft, as well as lights, they scratched their heads awhile and then left.

"Finley wanted to go back with equipment and see how far down the shaft went and what was at the bottom of it. But ranchers are busy people and he never went back. In the meantime he got pretty well broken up when a horse threw him and he now lives in Fort Worth while he has someone else to run the ranch. We talked rather idly about having a look at his cave someday. He says he knows exactly where it is and could find that box canyon with his eyes shut. So far we haven't done anything about it. But we may either this summer or next when we get time to go down to Big Bend.

"Finley told me this story about a year before even you heard of Shaver so you can be sure he wasn't influenced by the 'Shaver Mystery.' In fact, I don't believe he has ever heard of the 'Shaver Mystery,' even to this day.

"E. Stanton Brown., 4931 Bryce Ave., Fort Worth 7, Texas."

*******

Another letter, dated Jan. 1948, appeared in 'AMAZING STORIES' magazine also confirming that strange 'para-speleon' phenomena exists in the western part of Texas. However the artifacts described in the following letter seem to involve areas north of Big Bend, not far from the Guadellupe Mts. and the New Mexico border. Perhaps this account is a partial confirmation of a subterranean connection between areas BELOW the Big Bend of Texas and the Guadellupe range of southern New Mexico - northwestern Texas. Quoting from the letter:

"Sirs:

"Since I have been an interested reader of AMAZING STORIES since my high school days (1929) when A-S was a bigger magazine, I feel like one of the family when I read the letters in the discussion pages. The temptation has arisen many times to write a letter to you concerning some hotly discussed matter, but something has always prevented me from getting at it. However, the October Issue pushed me too far, and here goes.

"The mysterious cave Mr. E. Stanton Brown spoke of in his letter is not exactly news to me. In 1938 a party of six of my friends and myself spent seven months in that area of Texas, and upper Mexico. We were testing an electronic instrument that we had developed, and needed lots of space and some mineral deposits for the various tests. So, we got rather well acquainted with the Big Bend country, and the Figure 2 Ranch north of there. We arrived there in January and camped IN THE SIERRA BLANCAS, storing a lot of our equipment at the town of Van Horn. By March we had gotten deep into the rugged country and as I recall, it was about the middle of March we stumbled onto this cave (or a twin) that Mr. Brown speaks of in his letter. Everyone was so dumbfounded by it that we spent the better part of the rest of the month in making a thorough investigation. We penetrated the shaft to a distance of 870 feet and at about 650 feet found some very finely executed writing on the right wall at eye level, IN WHAT RESEMBLES CUNEIFORM. At 800 feet one of the party fell over a cloth lying in the dust, and upon closer examination, it was found to be part of a blue shirt, of fairly recent manufacture; indicating that someone else had been this far in recent times. This and an empty pint whisky bottle dated 1897 was all we located to indicate recent occupation. Of course in a country where desperadoes such as Black Jack, Billy the Kid, etc., hid out where they could and the more solitary the better, such a find was not too surprising.

"At about 780 feet the floor dips more sharply downward and at near 900 feet progress is very hazardous due to moisture and increased slant downward. We carried rocks from the opening, and rolled them from the point where we could no longer walk, but they simply faded out with a rumble after a few seconds. We tried rolling flaming yucca stumps to see if, perhaps, we might determine more about the bore further on, but this proved to be futile, since the stumps burned poorly at best, probably due to bad air. It was very stuffy and hot after the first 300 feet from the opening. We held a powwow to try and figure out how we could go further down, but the only thing would have been lots of lariat ropes, or a long steel cable, and neither was available nearer than some 50 miles.

"If Mr. Finley had taken the time to go hunting up in the Figure 2 Ranch territory he might have run across another, and to me more interesting, cave than the Big Bend one. About 62 miles (north - Branton) from the town of Van Horn you go through the salt-flat country, where the Salt Wars of the old west occurred. Westward, some 8 or 9 miles from the road is the Apache Canyon country, and as rugged as anywhere on the face of the globe. In an offshoot of Apache Canyon to the south, is an almost impassable gash called Hell Canyon. The walls of this canyon rise precipitously for at least 1000 feet and top out on Apache Peak on one side and an old Indian ceremonial ground on the other side. More desolate country would be hard to imagine. Coyotes and mountain lions are plentiful, and panthers no novelty. I have seen as many as 34 deer in a herd down below on the grassy ledge sloping down toward the canyon floor. Of course, further up toward the box end of the canyon it was much too rugged for deer, but a few mountain sheep are seen, (it was) in the wildest part of the canyon that the other cave was found, in fact we almost fell into it. The high grass about the opening hid the dished out entrance.

"We were at an elevation of approximately 7000 feet and going was tough, especially with a pack, and we had stopped to rest when one of the party remarked that it 'sounded hollow' when any of us talked. Of course, we all yapped away at the same time trying to figure if this was so, and sure enough it was. Further investigation located the hole some six feet to the left of where we had stopped. It was roughly oval in shape, some 30 by 18 feet; and bridged in the center the short way by a natural rock arch heavy enough to support an elephant. In the center of the arch were 3 deep grooves caused we hazarded, by rope passing over the arch. We spent several hours in investigating the surrounding terrain to see if there might be any other entrances to the cave, but found none. It sloped sharply from the opening down about 200 feet, and then the bore disappeared, curving upward. We succeeded in getting down to the first level, by tying all our ropes together, and subsequently investigated a lot of it.

"Threading through the soil were long stringers of quartz, but oddly enough at the same time there were chunks of rock as big as a piano that were solid masses of seashells. Quite a lot of pottery both broken and whole, was found. The most interesting thing was, however, that the farther we went the colder it got. Also there was a sound of either rushing wind or water, which got louder the lower we went. We came upon two human skeletons not over 500 feet from the entrance, but they must have been very old, as the bones crumbled at the touch. Everything was covered with a deep dust after passing the bend and no indication of any living thing having passed there was ever noted. It was very dark and depressing, and the chill was very penetrating. When you consider that the outside temperature was near 100 degrees, you can imagine how we were dressed. We had three flashlights, one a five cell, and after a while it was all that was left that would give a decent light. Down at what we estimated as 1200 feet from the opening we came smack up against a smooth stone wall. That was it. The end. None of us would admit it was natural, it was too smooth and perfect, and look as we would we could not find a single flaw or crack in it. It was of a marble-like texture and some eight or nine feet high in the center and around eleven wide. By placing our ears to the rock surface THE ROARING ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAME MUCH LOUDER, AND THE ROCK WAS QUITE COLD TO THE TOUCH. There was natural marble near there, in Marble Canyon, where marble was once taken out in large quantities, and so the rock was native rock, I'm sure. Since the remaining light was all we had except matches, we voted to get back to the opening as soon as possible, and after a hard struggle upgrade we got back to daylight and held a conference. We decided to bed down and talk it over further the next day, as it was getting late.

"However, the next day we were inclined to look foolishly at each other and claim it was all our imagination thinking there was anything strange on the other side of the barrier, and it was just another one of those many caves in the country. Carlsbad is just 65 miles north of there, AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS NO DOUBT HONEYCOMBED UNDERNEATH.

"We finished our experiments and left, late in July but I have never been able to forget the caves, and THE ODD SOUNDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BARRIER. Or for that matter, the barrier itself, for it was too perfect to be natural, I believe. Or, maybe I've just read too many AMAZING STORIES,' and am inclined to wild ideas. As the Mexicans say, Quien sabe?

"Some day I'm going to write you a ding-how Scientifiction on something-or-other, and then place it and my rejection notice among my souvenirs. Maybe then I can go on reading AMAZING STORIES in peace, without wanting to dash off a dinger.

"K. A. Gookin., Carmel Radio & Sound Service., Box 1865., Carmel, California."

(Note: It is unlikely that the writers of the two letters which we have just quoted would be able to be reached at the addresses given. We've merely given them as they appeared in AMAZING STORIES magazine in the late 1940's. - Branton)

*******

At this point we will mention several miscellaneous items connected with paraspeleology, speleanthropology, subsurface phenomena and related subjects:

A researcher by the name of Frank D. Adams has written on the result of his personal scientific experiments which may prove that giant cavities exist in granite at depths of more than 11 miles, conclusions which have also been supported by Louis V. King, a mathematician who calculated that, at normal temperatures, a cavity would exist at a depth of between 17.2 and 20.9 miles. The authors' findings are also supported by the recently discovered "16 Rouse Belts" which give planes of fracture penetrating the globe.

Dr. Ron Anjard, in an article in the Summer, 1978 issue of PURSUIT Magazine, claimed personal knowledge of 44 underground cities beneath the surface of North America, six of which are alleged to be on the West Coast. His information allegedly comes from anonymous American Indian sources. When we relate this to the large number of migration legends (to and from cavern realms) which exist among the native Amerindians, then we may conclude that certain tribes still retain intimate knowledge of underground civilizations related to them via distant ancestral links. Some of the elders of these different tribes, others have suggested, may in fact maintain present contact with several of these cavern civilizations. There are some indications that some such 'tribes' literally moved underground as a result of the encroaching Anglosaxon civilization upon the America's. Similar allegations are made in relation to South and Central America as well.

Interviews with survivors of a mine explosion in Dec. 26, 1945, known as the "Belva Mine Disaster", appeared in the Dec. 1981 - Jan. 1982 issues of newspapers in Pineville, Kentucky and elsewhere. The interviews revealed that some of the trapped men saw a "door" in one of the walls open, and a man dressed like a "lumberjack" emerged from a well-lighted room. After assuring the men that they would be rescued, the strange visitor returned to the room and closed the door. These "lumberjack-like" entities have been described by miners on other parts of the country and in other nations as well. There seems to be some confusion as to whether they are physical or paraphysical entities. A somewhat similar incident allegedly took place several years ago near Shipton, Pennsylvania. Of the three victims of this particular mine disaster, only two were rescued. However both described a similar para-physical encounter with strange 'men' who entered the caverns and gave light to the two trapped miners and told them that they would be rescued. They were uncertain whether the entities were humans or supernatural beings however, as much of their collective "hallucination" contained both physical as well as supernatural elements. The bluish "light" which illuminated the room, they said, was real, but other holographic-like visuals that appeared on the walls, when touched by their hands, either disappeared or revealed solid rock behind.

R. L. Blain-Sanders, in an article titled 'TUNNELS AND CAVERNS BENEATH NEW YORK CITY,' which appeared in the Fall, 1981 issue of SHAVERTRON, described the author's knowledge of a large triangular system of tunnels utilized by a 'Masonic lodge', deep below the surface of New York City. Could this have any connection to the other 'rumors' to the effect that cavernous regions exist below Manhattan? For instance, in 1962 Con Edison, while drilling a test hole in the north of East River Park, New York City, broke through to open space about 200 feet below. Also, there are the allegations of Morris Doreal that the Church of St. John the Divine in New York was built over ancient tunnels leading to a dome-shaped city abandoned by antediluvian 'Atlanteans' and later, apparently, re-established by post- deluvians. Then we have the accounts of thousands of people who have literally and mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth in and around New York City.

Raymond Bond, in an article titled 'SUBTERRANEAN SAUCERS - GLOBAL NETWORK OF UFO BASES', which appeared in SAGA'S UFO ANNUAL 1980 (Brooklyn, N.Y.), described caves within Mt. Sombrero in the Tampica area of Mexico, from which sounds resembling those made by 'hydroelectric generating equipment' can be heard. Also, inhabitants of the interior of Mt. Kilimanjaro were also described. Kilimanjaro is one of the highest peaks in Africa.

Bob Borino, in his article, 'UFO BASES FOUND IN ANTARCTICA' (Globe, Jan. 18, 1983) quotes from certain scientists who believe that a subterranean UFO Base is located beneath the strange 'Polynya Sea' in the Antarctica's Weddell Sea region.

Malcolm W. Browne, in his article 'UNDERGROUND TUNNELS THREATEN TOWN IN HUNGARY'S WINE COUNTRY' (NEW YORK TIMES, Nov. 8, 1967, p.2) tells of over 60 miles of ancient tunnel systems of unknown origin and purpose which have been discovered beneath the town of Eger, Hungary, some of which have collapsed. The civilization which built the tunnels must have been fairly advanced in engineering and science in order to create such a subterranean system.

Karl Brugger, in his book 'THE CHRONICLE OF AKAKOR' (Boohi Tree Books., Delacorte Press., N.Y., 230 pp), gives the history-- as given to the author by one of their chiefs--of the Ugha Mongulala tribesman, whose ancestors were allegedly part of a vast empire which covered South America in ancient times. Some of these ancient people, the chief claimed, left the planet in aerial vessels to explore other parts of the solar system and beyond, leaving behind vast subterranean cities beneath the Andes mountains and western Brazil. In 1971, due to the constant encroachment of white settlers or invaders into their territory, 30,000 survivors of the Ugha Mongulala allegedly escaped to this ancient system of underground cities, consisting of 13 separate subterranean complexes all connected by tunnels, one of which is said to extend to Lima, and others of which are located throughout the Andes Mountain range of Peru.

Michael Burke, in his article 'GREEN THING SPARKS RUMORS' (THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH, New Kensington, Tarentum and Vandergrift, PA., Mar. 5, 1981 issue) described a small creature, allegedly 'half humanoid - half dinosaur' which was seen emerging from a sewer tunnel in New Kensington. A group of children chased the infant or young dinosauroid creature, one of them momentarily grabbing it at which point it let out a squealing or screeching sound, and then slipped from his hands and escaped back into the sewer tunnel. This incident took place some miles west of Dixonville, PA., where in 1944 several miners were killed or turned up missing as a result of encounters with 'alien' creatures in one particular mineshaft there. Any connection?

SAGA Magazine's 'UFO ANNUAL - 1980', P.4, under the heading 'CAVE MARTIANS', described a bizarre encounter with subterranean creatures which seemed to have consisted of some type of automaton-like forms, perhaps on a reconnaissance mission from an underground civilization. The story involved a tunnel near Xucurus, Argentina(?), some 90 miles from Buenos Aires. The tunnel was discovered by agriculturist Gerardo Cordeire, and found to contain nine connecting passages and strange inscriptions on the walls. From it's entrance "men nine feet tall, green, with antennas on their heads, and square legs" were seen to emerge, and which, according to HUNDREDS of witnesses from the town and nearby locals, resembled enormous "portable radios."

Dr. Earlyne Chaney, in an article titled 'ODYSSEY INTO EGYPT', in her occult-oriented magazine VOICE OF ASTARA (May, 1982) tells of a discovery she and researcher Bill Cox was shown in Egypt. These were two tunnels, neither of which had been fully explored. One was in the temple of Edfu between Luxor and Cairo in the ruins of El Tuna Gabel; and the other near Zozer's Step Pyramid at Cairo near Memphis-Saqqarah, within the tomb of the Bull, called "Serapium". The Egyptian government sealed both tunnels because of fears of certain archaeologists who alleged that they "lead too deeply down into the depths of the earth," and because they found the earth to be "honeycombed with passages leading off into other depths," and the possibility of explorers becoming lost. If such labyrinths do exist, then it may explain one story which alleged that men dressed like "ancient Egyptians" have been seen deep in unexplored tunnels near Cairo, as well as possible confirmation of the story which appeared in Nevada Aerial Research's 'LEADING EDGE' Publication to the effect that the U.S.(?) Government secretly maintains a huge base within a cavern of tremendous size (several miles in diameter) beneath the desert sands of Egypt. Could this tie in with the vague references to a subterranean society(s) referred to by certain people 'in the know' which is/are known as the 'Phoenix Empire' and/or the 'Gizeh People'?

Articles in the WASHINGTON STAR-NEWS, July 25, 1973 and Aug. 15, 1973, tell of the discovery of an unexplored network of ancient, artificial tunnels during construction of a parking lot in Crofton, Maryland. Subsequent construction covered the tunnel entrances before the system could be completely investigated.

Leon Davidson, in an early issue of 'FLYING SAUCERS' Magazine, spoke of a large network of "underground tunnels in the California desert, at Camp Irwin, near Barstow." This may tie-in with an item related by a Los Angeles municipal water director, as related in an early issue of Richard Toronto's SHAVERTRON letter-zine, stating that this water director knew of 5 large underground rivers which ran beneath the Mojave desert, and that die-traces showed that at least one of these emptied into the Pacific ocean through openings in the continental slopes (One source stated that such a river exited in the Gulf of California. Other sources speak of a "Kokoweef" river-system which is alleged to lie below Kokoweef peak just east of FORT Irwin, which looked- -according to it's alleged discoverer, a Mr. Earl Dorr, and a few "Indians" who also claimed to have been in it--like a "Grand Canyon" underground. It allegedly consists of a river chasm generally 500 ft. wide and over a thousand feet high-deep, sided by steep tiered-shelved underground cliffs, huge stalactites and cataracts. Also, the alluvial sands on the 'beaches' along the river, which allegedly hold a large percentage of gold dust, are said to be several feet deep. The entrance to this cavern was allegedly dynamited shut by Mr. Dorr to protect anyone else from getting to "his" gold. There is in fact evidence that Dorr did dynamite shut the lower level of 'Kin Sabe' cave in Kokoweef Peak, and there are present-day attempts to break through into this underground system. The water of the river allegedly rose and fell with the tides, suggesting that a very large body of water might exist upstream, that is if Dorr's account as well as the accounts of the Indians were not fabricated). The municipal water director, according to the SHAVERTRON article, spoke with a man who claimed that he was hired several years ago by the government to look for water sources for Ft. Irwin. He alleged to have explored an old mine in the area and found that deep down, the shaft intersected with an ancient earth fault or chasm- like cave which continued horizontally for a considerable distance. This government employee followed the chasm and allegedly emerged onto the bank of a huge underground river-cave over a quarter of a mile wide! The tremendous water flow-- possibly originating from the waters that apparently disappear beneath the Great Basin, the Nevada and Mojave deserts?--could have 'fed' the water needs of all of Southern California.

Paul Doerr (not to be confused with Mr. DORR referred to above), in issue number 6 of his Newsletter 'UNKNOWN', related the tradition concerning a race of human giants which, according to stories in the Carolinas islands and especially Papua, allegedly went underground in ancient times. Once inhabitants of a lost island-continent called "Chamat," they will, according to legend, one day emerge. This legend is wide-spread throughout Malaysia, which incidentally contains the largest "officially recognized" cavern chamber, the "Sarowak Chamber" on the island of Borneo in the Malaysian islands. It is said to be 230 ft. wide by 980 ft. long and nowhere less than 270 ft. high, large enough to easily hold within itself the two previous contenders for the world's largest OFFICIAL chamber - Carlsbad's "Big Room" in New Mexico and the "Salle de la Verna" in the Pierre Saint- Martin caverns in France. Yankee stadium could fit in one end of the Sarowak chamber with room to spare! The same issue of 'UNKNOWN' also reports on the discovery of massive caverns in Toulumne Co., California, by three Oakland miners. The caverns were so extensive that a man would have to "take grub for a week, and plan to explore for a month."

The 'BOOK OF DYZAN', which has been translated from ancient manuscripts, tells of intellectually sophisticated humans from an ancient earth-born society who abandoned the surface of the earth, "depriving the impure human race of their knowledge," and leaving in flying craft to rejoin their land "of iron and metal."

'FAR OUT' Magazine's April, 1982 issue carried an article titled, 'BOTTOMLESS PIT FOUND ON THE OCEANS FLOOR'. The article tells of a huge man-made opening in the ocean floor between Panama and the Galapagos Islands, which scientists say receives a constant flow of ocean water which is being sucked through the hole and into the crust beneath the ocean floor.

Raymond A. Fowler, in his book 'THE ANDREASSON AFFAIR' (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. 1979) gives an extensive description of an abduction experience of one woman who was taken by the "Gray-type" aliens and later returned to her house.

These creatures, according to Fowler and Andreasson, had the ability to travel between stars, but her account seems to suggest that their ORIGINAL point of origin is within a cavernous subterranean realm.

For instance, here are some quotes given by Betty Andreasson concerning her abduction:

"(The aliens had) Large, wraparound... eyes (which) stood in stark contrast to less prominent facial features: holes for noses and ears, and fixed, scarlike mouths. They wore shiny dark blue, form-fitting uniforms... Their three-digit (reptilian?) hands were GLOVED."

The creatures seemed clay-like, "...They're scary," Betty said, "I don't see any hair... (their heads were like) an upside-down pear... I didn't even see a nose."

She described an "eye slit" and said that the creatures took her from her house and into some type of craft. After a while the craft apparently connected to some type of dock somewhere on or below the earth, beyond which was a tunnel.

She was put into an enclosed chair-like transparent container which filled with some kind of fluid, and was then taken through a "...subway tunnel... it's like a track we're going on... walking, gliding--or something."

She said that her willpower seemed mesmerized by powerful influences beyond her ken.

"We would pass other tunnel openings. I could tell that there were other tunnels there... passed out of the tunnel into a place where the atmosphere was a vibrating red color... like infrared light... there are buildings--square buildings with openings... In the red part... there wasn't any vegetable life... we are coming to where there are some beings! And they've skinny arms and legs and kind of a full body. And their eyes can move every which way, and they can climb just like monkeys. They climb up quickly and swiftly and down and around and in and out of windows. They are all over the place!"

Betty and the two alien creatures that abducted her approached a circular membrane and passed through it without resistance into a place with a greenish atmosphere. She looked down upon strange plants, a mist-enshrouded sea, and a distant complex of buildings. The sheer vastness of the alien realm overwhelmed her senses. The place reminded her of "some legendary underground kingdom."

She continued, "There's a lot of different stuff I'm seeing... plants are different. It's like, uh--long stems that come out in loops and the different colors. But they are green! Other similar elevated tracks (like the one she was on) criss-crossed the area."

They stopped to let something go by. Betty just watched, dumbfounded. Later she found nothing in her vocabulary to describe it...

"I don't know what it is! It is something like--I can't ever explain it... I'm seeing a pyramid--it has one big flat side and the others indent, sort of. We are going over it, high in the 'sky'... There were (high buildings) like, you know, a lot of science fiction. Big cities with all these different bridges all around... I don't remember seeing any activity. It was too far away. That was way over to the side there, way over to the side. The pyramid was closer than that... When we reached the destination, we went through the black tunnel (following which she was taken through some type of occult ritual in which she had a vision of a 'Phoenix' bird which was consumed in fire and then emerged from the ashes in the form of a worm which began to grow slowly into the 'bird' shape. Mr. Fowler suggested that this may have been a feigned 'religious experience' orchestrated by the aliens in order to play on her emotions and gain Betty's assistance)...

"They seemed long," speaking of the tunnel which she was taken through. After the occult "initiation" or ritual she was taken back the way she came, "It felt like pressure or something on my head," speaking of the strange force which glued her to the escalator-walk contrivance, "My head was hurting and heavy from it, whatever it was... I COULD HAVE BEEN INSIDE THE EARTH... SOMEHOW I BELIEVE WE WERE IN THE CENTER OF THE EARTH." (or so claimed Betty Andreasson - one of the most famous of all UFO abductees)

She retraced with the two alien kidnappers the way back through the greenish cavern where the mist-covered sea was located, "the sea was off to the side, and there was mist, and then it had that narrow land and it did finally go onto some kind of surface and was going up... It (the underground sea) seemed very dark, but it was green--very, very dark. It was choppy. After it had cleared, it looked smooth, sort of smooth glass... I'm going back on that thing (the track), and, ah, I'm stopping..."

The two creatures retraced their original path via the 'black' track they had traveled on earlier. Betty began speculating out loud concerning the heaviness that she felt in her legs. It seemed as if the force that kept Betty glued to a position just above the track was also responsible for causing her severe physical discomfort.

"I think maybe why my feet are like that--I must be, uh, glued to that thing, because there are no railings and there's nothing holding me in. And I'm just gliding along that thing, and it's not very wide... And that green and blue-colored atmosphere, it's just beautiful (the underground land was very beautiful in some parts, but the alien creatures themselves which had apparently taken control of these areas at some time in the past, were described by Betty as being frightening-looking)... The green atmosphere was the sky, and then it was also blue... and green and blue were mixed. It was bright, bright green--emerald green--and then it was like blue... I don't remember any shadows."

She also claimed to have seen some crystalline structures, as well as the pyramid structure once again, "there's that pyramid again. Ah, it has the white on the edges. And that (sculptured) head and those bridges, or something or other. I don't know. There was--uh, there was water that was very choppy when I was going, like a big sea. There was land, but it was, if you call it a horizon, it was like there was mist all around... I saw the color of the--fish, bird fish... Off to the side there is some kind of--something like a city or something. I don't know what it is. It is too different than I've ever seen before. I just can't explain it... And we are still going through that red atmosphere. We're coming to the circle again. And it's like a mirror. We're going through something like a mirror."

In an instant, they were plunged into darkness. Once again, Betty glided along the dark rock-hewn tunnel, "And we are going along this dark tunnel and, uh, we're just gliding along. And just keep going and going and going, it seems like. We are in there a long time, it feels like... They (the aliens) have powers. THEY CAN MAKE YOU THINK ONE THING AND YET MEAN ANOTHER. I DON'T LIKE THEM CONTROLLING MY WORDS!" Betty said during one "regressive hypnosis" session DURING WHICH time an alien force began taking control of her mind and spoke through her in a mechanical voice.

During this session she said: "They have powers. They can control the wind, the water and even lightning... They are (using me), and I don't know how they're doing it... They travel freely. They travel freely throughout the whole earth." When she was asked by one therapist if they traveled INSIDE the earth, Betty replied, "Since the beginning of time... some come from realms where you cannot see their hiding place. Some come from the very earth... there is a place on this very earth that you don't know of."

In the book 'THE ANDREASSON AFFAIR, PHASE II' (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ., 1982., ch. 6-8) Mr. Fowler reveals even more connections between Betty Andreasson's abduction by the "gray" manipulators and a subterranean cavern region.

Apparently, as in the case of many abductees, she was being manipulated by the creatures from a young age. One encounter took place at the age of 12 with a small hominoid creature WHICH EMERGED from a HOLE in a mountain near Westminster, England.

During another abduction experience later in her life she was allegedly taken to huge caverns in which she saw a crystal "museum" or computer containing records of past events, etc., as well as underground mountains, valleys and enormous "icicles".

Janice Goad, in an article titled 'CAVE LEGENDS OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS' (which appeared in the TECH TROGLODYTE, a National Speleological Society affiliate, Vol. 12, No. 2 issue), revealed several accounts of strange caves and unusual stories surrounding them. Among these accounts are those concerning "Devil's Slide Cave," six miles southwest of Tazewell, VA., and "Stoven's Cave" in Kentucky. From both these caves strange, unusual sounds have been heard to emerge.

Walley George, in his article, 'PILGRIMAGE TO THE DEVIL' (FATE Magazine., Aug. 1957., pp. 38-52) tells of a cave in a mountain 5 miles south of Ojinago, Mexico, which is believed to be the home of "devils". According to the account, many "witches" who have fallen under the control of these creatures make regular pilgrimages to the site.

Virgil T. Godwin, in his book 'BIZARRE SHAVER' (Published by the author., Salem, OR 1982) tells of Mr. Godwin's contacts with a subterranean race, his experience with "UFO's", etc. The author, of gypsy background, allegedly had connections with UFO occupants, Sasquatch, etc., since he was a child, and has allegedly taken 1000's of photographs of their aerial craft, and has appeared on talk shows and has claimed continuous contact with the UFO occupants. The occupants are said to be a race of about 8 foot tall humans who live in tunnels and underground cities centered below Lincoln County, Oregon., with at least one (probably more) connected subterranean colonies beneath other parts of the Western Hemisphere, one of these being within certain caves in or near a canyon in the central region of Baja, California. They claim to be technically advanced, and warn of their ability to help defend North America in the event it is invaded by a foreign government (and/or by other-planetary entities also?). This underground race allegedly has ties and backgrounds that are connected to old Amerindian civilizations. They are able to speak English, but their dialect is that of 'American Indian'.

Vaughn M. Greene, in a letter which appeared in issue No. 14 of Richard Toronto's SHAVERTRON letter-zine, spoke of a possible 'entrance' to cavern systems near the bottom of the elevator landing in the Hoover dam near Las Vegas, which holds back Lake Mead. Early construction workers allegedly broke into (and probably re-sealed) large caverns while blasting out the cliffs near the base of the dam. In the lower elevator landing, according to Mr. Greene, there was a "wild tile inlay on the floor, with signs of the zodiac and all sorts of stuff suggesting an entrance." He suggests a possible connection between this and the caverns which the workers broke into. Could this tie-in with accounts given by others that an underground base exists beneath Page, Arizona connecting the S-4 underground base in Nevada and the Dulce underground base in New Mexico via tube-line? (the Glen Canyon - Lake Powell Hydroelectric dam in Page 'might' provide a power source for such an underground installation) This is however only supposition, however Navaho dam is alleged to supply some power to the upper human-occupied levels of the Dulce Base, which may suggest that similar bases are at least partially powered by hydroelectric dams.

An early issue of the 'Shaver Mystery Magazine' gave an account of two boys who uncovered a 'thermal bore' in a cave near Pittsburgh, PA. Their dog ran into the tunnel, a few minutes following which they 'heard' a deep, low vibrating sound whereupon the dog in absolute terror darted up from the tunnel, scratched it way past the boys and was later found shivering at home. The cave was subsequently covered up by a road crew.

Howard F. Griffin, in a letter which appeared in the 'SHAVER MYSTERY MAGAZINE', Vol. 1., No. 2., 1947, p. 35., told of vast caverns within the interior of Pike's Peak in Colorado, as evidenced by occasional sounds of subterranean 'rock-falls' which have been heard to emanate from the bowels of the mountain. Other sources have confirmed this phenomena also.

Paxson C. Hayes, in writings of his which appeared in early issues of BSRF's (Borderland Sciences Research Foundation's) publication 'ROUND ROBIN,' referred to the discovery which he claimed to have made of the mummified remains of a race of 7-ft. tall humans who lived in huge caverns 9,000 feet below the surface of North America.

The Vol. 2, No. 1 issue of THE HOLLOW HASSLE Newsletter (formerly published by Tal and Mary LeVesque), told of the discovery of a mysterious stone staircase leading to a network of underground caverns beneath the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

Charles Hillinger, in his article, 'AN UNDERGROUND CATHEDRAL' (Los Angeles Times., Mar. 2., 1975) describes a mysterious maze of underground tunnels and rooms discovered beneath the surface of Eureka, Nevada.

Dana Howard, in her book, 'VESTA, THE EARTHBORN VENUSIAN' (Essene Press., Corpus Christi, TX. 1950), includes a chapter which tells of a remnant of an ancient civilization still in existence underground, within one of the mountain ranges adjacent to the Imperial Valley area of California.

The I.N.F.O. JOURNAL (Published by the Inter-National Fortean Organization., Arlington, VA), Vol. 2., No. 2, p.7., relates "Prof. Hapgood's" discovery of a stone staircase leading down into the earth at Acambaro in central Mexico, now filled with hard-packed volcanic material. The conclusions are that the stairway is very ancient and must lead somewhere! The site is located on the "Mizquiz" property.

John A. Keel, on p. 145 of his book 'THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES' (Signet Books., N.Y., 1975.), states: "An engineer Rex Ball swears he came upon a mysterious underground installation in Georgia in 1940, manned by small Oriental-looking men in coveralls and a few American military officers. When he was caught in the tunnels, one of the officers issued the curt command, 'Make him look like a nut!' He woke up in a field, uncertain whether his experience had been real or a dream. That seems to be the battle cry of the phenomena. 'Make him look like a nut!'" And on p. 192 of the same book: "...A man on Long Island (informed Keel that he) was frantically making preparations for the big evacuation. He even traveled to a secret underground flying saucer base, in a black Cadillac with a dashboard festooned with flashing colored lights, where he participated in a 'dry run.' Other normal human beings were present, he said, and manned various kinds of equipment to communicate with the rescue spaceships somewhere overhead. 'Funny thing, John,' he mused, 'all the equipment was manufactured by Western Electric, Hallicrafters, and other U.S. companies.'"

David Klein, in an article titled 'AMATEUR EXPLORER DISCOVERS VAST CAVERN SYSTEM CONTAINING UNDERGROUND RIVER OF GOLD' (NATIONAL ENQUIRER., Feb. 4., 1973 pp. 16-17), related the discovery of a strange cavern system located some 300 miles northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Within the cavern-system there were allegedly large amounts of gold, huge unidentifiable human or Sasquatch-like footprints, white-albino frogs and perfectly round stones and underground rivers. These findings, according to the article, were immediately suppressed by the Canadian government soon after they were discovered.

Tal LeVesque, in an article titled 'UNDERGROUND UFO BASE SUSPECTED BY OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON', which appeared in the Vol. 2., No. 2., issue of THE HOLLOW HASSLE, described a suspected UFO Base which is believed by some to lie under the Yakima Indian Reservation southeast of Tacoma, Washington.

Abraham Mansfield of 'The Lemurian Foundation - Mt. Shasta' located in Redding, California, published a book in 1970 called 'THE GOLDEN GODDESS OF THE LEMURIANS.' The book is based on the author's alleged contacts with native tribesmen in the area who revealed to him the secret of the ancient 'Lemurian' treasure caves in the area, allegedly containing gold and treasure from the ancient lost civilization. Chapter One of the volume gives the account of a men who was allegedly led into the bowels of Mt. Shasta and into a subterranean city and gardens producing gigantic vegetables, a mile or so under the surface of the mountain. This seems to confirm what has been written by others concerning an apparent ante-deluvian city, long since re- established and occupied by a "tall, blond race" of humans who are able to travel to other planetary bodies via crystalectromagnetic, mercury, ion and tachyon propelled craft. Their central or capital city is allegedly called "Telos" and lies about a mile under Mt. Shasta, and is said to contain vast underground hydroponic gardens.

The 'MILWAUKEE JOURNAL', Feb. 18, 1983., printed an article titled, 'MANY CAVE DWELLINGS IN CHINA'. The article referred to 4 million Chinese people who are said to live in cavern dwellings, according to THE PEOPLE'S DAILY, a Chinese Newspaper. There are hundreds of miles of inhabited, artificially constructed "national defense" tunnels and chambers beneath Peking alone.

Charles A. Marcoux published in 1981 a book called 'THE HIDDEN CITY OF CHIHUATLAN'. It described an account of a sealed cave in a certain canyon near old Sonora, Mexico, which is said to lead to the ancient Aztec underworld, or 'The Hidden City of Chihuatlan.' Marcoux also referred to an entrance to a tunnel in the Franklin Mts. near El Paso, Texas., and an unexplored cave with large stone steps leading deep into the earth near El Moro National Monument northeast of Pie Town, New Mexico. In connection with the possible Aztec "underworld", one source some years ago wrote a manuscript in which he hypothesized that the legendary "Seven Caves" of Aztec tradition might lie beneath mountains adjacent to the "Salton Sea" of southern California. Certain persons have allegedly heard subterranean "rock slides" within mountain in this area.

In relation to Abraham Mansfield's account mentioned earlier, another man has written a book titled 'LEMURIA - FACT OR FICTION?' The author, Robert Maxwell, claims to have been taken into the inner colony of Mt. Shasta and shown by one of it's inhabitants the city and ancient domain which was once inhabited by a lost race.

Clair Millet, in his article 'LEGEND OF THE TUARTUMS - OF THE VALLEY OF THE SUN' (2-part article appearing in the Spring and Summer 1981 issues of the 'New Atlantean Journal'), tells of the legend of a race of 'little people' or 'Tuar-Tums,' who allegedly live below the Salt River Valley, or Valley of the Sun, in Arizona. Other sources, incidentally, claim that 'little men' have been seen on top of ridges in the nearby Superstition Mts. area, as if they were guarding something (an entrance to an underground system perhaps?).

The book 'THE LIFE OF THE CAVE', by Mohr and Paulson (1966), gives evidence of extended animal migration underground beneath the central-eastern U.S., indicated by troglodytes (animal) found in widely separated caves which are identical with each other, indicating past inter-connections which have become blocked. These caverns are found from time to time during deep drilling operations.

An article in the Feb. 19, 1976 issue of the 'HOUSTON POST', titled 'MOUNTAIN CAVE HAS MYSTERY, MAYBE MONSTER', tells of the discovery by scientists of a cave, "the oldest in the world... with smooth vaulted roofs and level floors," (i.e. artificial) located inside Mt. Autana in the Orinoco jungle, 400 miles south of Caracas, Venezuela, and believed by locals to be the home of a giant human being(s).

The Summer, 1980 issue of the 'NEW ATLANTEAN JOURNAL', p. 48, relates the account of a Mexican by the name of Jose Carmen Garcia, who claims to have met a man who was taken into a subterranean city or tunnels inhabited by tall, fair humans. The beings claimed to be 'extraterrestrials' (could they have been native terrans with interplanetary capabilities as many 'hidden' societies apparently are?), and were encountered beneath an ancient volcano near Irapuato, Mexico. The man who encountered the beings was given a "formula" for growing gigantic vegetables. The man gave the formula to Mr. Garcia, who in turn presented it to the Rosicrucian Order in California. In the article there appeared photographs of giant cabbages grown by Garcia. Could this account have something to do with the Mt. Shasta scenario? Note: Both places are "extinct" or dormant ancient volcanoes; both involve "giant" vegetables grown by the inhabitants; both subterranean groups are "tall"; both are "fair" (blond?); and incidentally the Rosicrucians have somehow been tied to or interested in both places as we can see, even if this connection is peripheral and does not involve actual contact with the inhabitants.

The September 29. 1981, issue of the 'NEW YORK TIMES' (p. 3) reported on Russian drilling experiments which have been conducted at the Kola Peninsula and at Saatly in Azerbaijan, resulting in two unexpected findings. These included the discovery of traces of biological activity of fossil microorganisms at 22,000 ft., and a dramatic increase in temperature at 33,000 ft., instead of a dropping temperature that was expected.

A Mr. John Hall of Utah alleged that several years ago a farmer near Alpine, Utah requested help from some locals to move a large boulder in the midst of a field. They were surprised upon moving it to find an 'staircase' or tunnel that led deep underground. They followed this until they came face to face with a huge snake or serpent that seemed to be 'guarding' the lower entrance, whereupon they fled to the surface terrified and set the boulder back over the opening.

The 'NORWOOD REVIEW OF ENGLAND'., May 12, 1884 issue, summarizes the surprising discovery of a warm country in the north by Arctic explorers. If warm land exists there, then conceivably lost civilizations might as well. Quoting from the article, "We do not admit that there is ice up to the pole - once inside THE GREAT ICE BARRIER, a new world breaks upon the explorer, the climate is mild like that of England, and afterward, balmy as the Greek Isles."

David Perkins, in a letter of his which appeared in the Vol. 1, No. 1 issue of 'THE HOLLOW HASSLE', told of a strange "breathing well" that drillers had broken into 17 miles east of Walsenberg, CO. Other strange occurrences had been found on the ranch or farm where the well was located, including unexplained cattle mutilations. Representatives from the Colorado School of Mines came out to investigate the well, which seemed to "breath" in and out with the rising and falling of the tides, and they excitedly suggested that a tunnel lay below which may have connected with a similar tunnel which the Colorado School of Mines had tracked from the Gulf of Mexico and as far as Oklahoma. In 'possible' connection to this, one source alleged that an "alternative 002" type of underground "city" maintained by a secret society, can be entered via a "lodge" in the Uncompagre Mts., also in southwest Colorado. Also, a large "Masonic Park" exists in this same area (any connection?).

W. B. Seabrook, in his book 'ADVENTURES IN ARABIA' (ch. 15) refers to the secret caverns under the temple-shrine at Sheik-Adi on Mt. Lalesh, near Baadri, Arabia. It is believed to have a subterranean river, this being confirmed by the author, which the Yezidee devil worshippers of the area allege connects with the spring of Zem Zem in Mecca, flowing beneath the entire desert country.

Wayne D. Simpson, in a letter which appeared in the Vol. 1, No. 2 issue of 'THE SHAVER MYSTERY MAGAZINE' (pp. 28-29) tells of his own personal knowledge of the "Spillman Manuscript," written by one C. J. Spillman of Phoenix, Arizona. In 1912 the author of the manuscript and others allegedly discovered an entrance to a cave or tunnel beneath some ancient surface ruins near San Simon, Bolivia. The group allegedly followed the passage to a great depth until emerging into an enormous cavern in which they encountered several identical-looking (cloned?) 8-foot tall human-appearing beings who approached them from a distant "city". These beings alleged that they were connected with other- planetary civilizations, although they lived in an underground city which seemed to have been there for some time. The present whereabouts of the manuscript is unknown.

The April 6, 1982 issue of 'WEEKLY WORLD NEWS' carried an article titled, "SOVIET TESTS REVEAL THE 55-HOUR DAY!" The article records the strange discoveries of Russian speleologists- scientists who spend 71 days in one of the world's deepest known caverns, located in the Abkhazia Mountains in the Soviet Union (i.e. or rather the former Soviet Union). After entering 8 miles into the cave, scientists reported increased vitality, less fatigue, and a natural change from normal 24-hour working- sleeping cycles to a 55-hour cycle.

Martha G. Stark, in a letter to "inner earth" researchers, told of an entrance to "Pelleur's Kingdom" near Carlsbad, New Mexico. She did not explain just where she came across this information. Carlsbad Caverns are located in the Guadellupe mountain range of southeastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas. Aside from the unusual tunnel containing the "smooth marble wall" mentioned earlier in this file, which was allegedly found near the Guadellupe's, other strange paraspeleological phenomena have been described in connection with this area as well. For instance in the 1800's, according to Toronto's 'SHAVERTRON' newsletter, some trappers claimed to have followed a cavern in the Guadellupe's deep underground where they were able to witness from a hidden position a procession of hooded dark-robed figures performing some type of strange ceremony. It was not established whether the 'beings' were sauroid or human. In the Spring of 1992 the television program 'CODE-3' covered the remarkable rescue of a woman--a speleologist who had broken her leg while helping to map the system--from the Lechuguilla cavern-network adjacent to Carlsbad. Ever since the entrance to Lechuguilla was found less than a dozen years previous to the accident it quickly became "the" cave for veteran speleologists and spelunkers in the United States, if not the world, to focus their attention on. In these few years it has established itself as the deepest "officially recognized" cavern in the United States at over 1,565 feet in depth and over 55 miles long with no end in sight! In addition to this, John Lear, Thomas C. and other have identified "Carlsbad, New Mexico" as being the general location of an "underground base" connecting the gigantic subterranean network which converges below Dulce, New Mexico.

Lt. Col. Wendelle C. Stevens, in his book, "UFO - CONTACT FROM THE PLEIADES, A PRELIMINARY REPORT" (UFO Photo Archives., Tucson, AZ 1982., p. 79) reports on the alleged sixth face-to- face contact between Eduard 'Billy' Meier and the 'Pleiadean' Semjase. He was told of strange people, unknown to us, who live in the interior of mountains and cave's beneath the earth's surface. They are of various types, some with bluish skin, and others who often come to the surface and blend with surface inhabitants, unknown to their true origin.

Cecil Michael, in his book 'ROUND TRIP TO HELL IN A FLYING SAUCER' (formerly published by Saucerian Press, later known as Gray Barker Books and still later as the Gray Barker Archives - (304) 624-6512), tells of a UFO encounter of a different sort. Aside from the almost exclusive physical nature of encounters with human occupants, and the often para-physical nature of contacts with the saurians, Mr. Michael claims to have encountered the 'Infernals', entities that make up the third classification of UFO occupants - exclusively supernatural beings, or rather fallen light beings or angels. He tells how he was visited by strange "dead looking" men that materialized in his shop one day, which offered to take him on a trip in their "flying saucer". He responded that he would never physically go with them, at which point they made it known that the "physical" aspect was not necessary. Sometime later, he claimed, he was 'astrally' abducted by the entities, his spirit form being separated from his physical and soul forms, and taken into a saucer-shaped object apparently constructed from some type of etheric matter yet which was empty and absent of any mechanical parts and in fact was allegedly operated by the 'psychic energy' of the beings. From here he was allegedly taken to a realm of tormented souls deep, deep beneath the earth where he saw the souls of discarnate men and women being cast by the beings into an icy sea, after which the tormented souls drifted away into oblivion. Mr. Michael claimed that the creatures looked humanoid yet were not at all human.

Raymond A. Fowler, in 'THE ANDREASSON AFFAIR', pp. 202-203, gave his own interpretation of the intentions of the non-human entities who abducted Betty Andreasson to their underworld abode. In reference to a supposed "religious experience" she had during which she thought she observed a huge phoenix-like bird consumed by fire and then rise again from it's own ashes, a theme which is tied in with ancient Egyptian lore, Mr. Fowler stated: "...it seems to be the purpose of her travel through the red and green spaces. In reality, the... phenomena may be a combination of advanced technology and theology. A slightly more sinister possibility suggests itself, of course. When researching the life-style of primitive peoples, modern-day anthropologists are careful to respect the beliefs of local tribes, sometimes going so far as to let themselves be 'initiated' into their secret societies. It did occur to the investigator that Quazgaa (the alien-gray commander involved in orchestrating the abduction of Mrs. Andreasson) may have paid lip service to Betty's religious convictions SIMPLY IN ORDER TO ENSURE HER COMPLIANCE. Again and again, Betty had been about to RESIST the entities' requests, but invariably acquiesced when she was assured (however obliquely) that her abductors were, indeed, on the side of the angels (there are, however, two classifications of 'angels' - the fallen and the unfallen variety - Branton). AND YET MUCH OF WHAT THESE BEINGS MADE BETTY UNDERGO (particularly her examination ordeal) HARDLY SEEMS IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY. Indeed, the hypothesis makes a bit more sense of the baffling phoenix episode. Betty assured us that Quazgaa and his associates' sense of time was far different from ours; and the phoenix was apparently a meaningful symbol to members of the early Christian Church. Supposing that these entities went out of their way to stage-manage a religious experience as a 'reward' for Betty, it's not inconceivable that they might have picked a symbol that was obsolete by some 1,500 years!"

In his book 'THE GOLD OF THE GODS', Erich von Danniken relates some interesting thoughts concerning an ancient tunnel system that had been discovered below the mountains and jungles of Ecuador which allegedly consist of straight 'glazed' tunnels with intermittent 'air shafts' that stretch for hundreds of miles. Although he has come under criticism from many researchers for his tendency to embellish certain accounts, and twist archeological and historical facts in an attempt to support his own pet theories, some of his research is nevertheless interesting and reliable enough to include here. On pp. 59-60 of this particular work, he stated: "...I can refute the objection that the tunnel-builders must have 'betrayed' themselves by the enormous quantities of debris excavated while making the tunnels. As I credit them with an advanced technology, they were presumably equipped with a THERMAL DRILL of the kind described in DER SPIEGAL for 3 April, 1972, which reported it as the latest discovery. The scientists of the U.S. Laboratory for Atomic Research at Los Alamos spent a year and a half developing the thermal drill. It has nothing in common with ordinary drills. The tip of the drill is made of wolfram and heated by a graphite heating element. There is no longer any waste material from the hole being drilled. The thermal drill melts the rock through which it bores and presses it against the walls, where it cools down. As DER SPIEGAL related, the first test-model bored almost soundlessly through blocks of stone 12 ft. thick. At Los Alamos they are now planning the construction of a thermal drill that is powered by a mini atomic reactor and eats into the earth like a mole, in the form of an armored vehicle. This drill is intended to pierce the earth's crust, which is about 25 miles thick (in some places - Branton), and take samples of the molten magma that lies underneath it..."

An analysis of UFO occupant reports prepared for the Center for UFO Studies (AN ANALYSIS OF THE FALL 1973 UFO/HUMANOID WAVE, by Dave Webb. Center for UFO Studies., Evanston, ILL 1976. p. 52) states that twenty-seven "dwarf" cases were reported to CUFOS in 1973. One such case allegedly involved another family's CE- III on October 16, 1973, at Lehi, Utah. Using hypnosis, Dr. James Harder, consultant for the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO), elicited from one of the witnesses the following description: The beings were slightly over four feet tall, very thin, with large slanted eyes. Their arms were long and their hands GLOVED and CLAWLIKE, with a diminutive thumb. They were wearing what appeared to be glowing clothing with Sam Brown-like belts! Although this particular 'File' is reserved for reports of subsurface phenomena, we will not exclude these to planet earth alone. There is much evidence that the underground regions of other planets, or possibly even the moons of this and other planets, may play a part in the "Grand Scenario". Frank Edwards, in his 'STRANGE WORLD' (Lyle Stuart Co., N.Y. 1964. pp. 329- 330) gives the following revelations under the heading, "THE MYSTERIOUS MOONS OF MARS": "Now that man has tools which will enable him to obtain detailed information by near approaches to Mars, we may expect, within the next few years, to learn whether Mars is inhabited by intelligent beings, and, if so, what they look like and how they live. Among the factors which have focused so much of our time and talent on Mars are the two tiny satellites which orbit the planet--where--prior to 1877--no satellites had ever been seen before (In other words, about the time the canals of Mars were mysteriously starting to "disappear", new satellites began appearing on the scene - Branton). The famous astronomers Herschel and Lasselle had excellent telescopes at their disposal--so good that they used them to DISCOVER THE MOONS OF URANUS. Yet neither these men, nor hundreds of other astronomers who observed the planets, were able to see any satellites around Mars. Then in one week in 1877, Asaph Hall found that Mars had two satellites where none had been seen before. Furthermore, he found that the satellites were tiny but bright...brighter than the planet itself...as though they were made of some material other than that of Mars. It is also worth noting that not only do these two Martian satellites sweep around the planet at a very high speed but they travel in different directions...factors which had led to the suspicion that they are artificial. This is the theory advanced by Soviet astronomer I. S. Schklovsky, who points out that the Martian satellite known as Phobos exhibits a strange acceleration in its orbit, an irregularity which would be expected if the satellite were in reality a huge metal sphere that was hollow. The same difference in speed, however, would be impossible for a natural astronomical body. Therefore, says Dr. Schklovsky, at least one of the moons of Mars IS NOT A NATURAL OBJECT, but an artificial satellite placed in orbit around the 'red' planet in 1877, or shortly before that time. When we stop to think of the discovery of the Martian moons in 1877--and of the mass of phenomena noted on our moon between 1879 and 1889--the conviction develops that if we discover life on Mars...we may also discover that we are merely returning a visit."

An article in the Dec. 1, 1968 issue of THE PEOPLE (British), titled "Something Quare Down The Tunnel!", reported on a strange, dark, 7 ft. tall creature which was briefly seen by workers during the construction of London's New Victoria tube line.

The MELBOURNE SUN (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), August 25, 1954 issue, carried an article titled "THE NEW SATELLITES", which stated: "Two meteors (asteroids?) had become satellites of the earth and WERE REVOLVING WITH IT 400 to 600 miles out in space, the latest issue of the American Magazine 'AVIATION WEEK' said yesterday. The magazine said that the discovery of the satellites threw the air force into confusion this summer. Alarm over the sightings ended only after they had been identified as natural rather than manmade." Another possibility may be that they were both 'engineered' natural objects such as hollowed-out asteroids taken from the asteroid belt. The simultaneous arrival of two large asteroids, combined with the fact that both took up a geo-synchronous (synchronized with the revolving of the earth and positioned always over a particular geographical location) orbit, would be an incredible coincidence indeed.

In 'THE KATHA SARIT SAGARA (THE OCEAN OF STORY)', edited by Bhatta Somadeva., New Delhi, India., 1968., this Ten Volume collection of ancient East Indian lore gives a description of the 7-leveled underworld of 'Patala', which is the traditional abode of the Nagas, or the Serpent Race. Vol. 6, pp. 108-112, gives a legend concerning the journey of a King by the name of Bhunandana to this underworld region.

Although most of the story is probably fiction, it is nevertheless a bizarre reflection of the ideas which it's writer or writers, early Hindu's, had concerning this underworld. Take note that some of the legend seems to parallel certain ideas concerning the reptilian netherworld which have appeared in other accounts.

Whether this legend has any direct connection with actual alleged scenarios such as that taking place deep below Dulce, New Mexico, remains to be seen. We will let the reader make their own determination. The legend, as it appeared in 'THE OCEAN OF STORY', states that: "There are on this earth many openings leading into the lower regions; but there is one great and famous one is Kasmira made by Maya... even now the place is called by the two names Peak of Pradyumna and Hill of Sarika... the king (Bhunandana) entered with... his pupils, and marched along the road to Patala for five days and five nights. And on the sixth day they all crossed the Ganges of the lower regions." The king told his followers, "This is the dwelling of the god Siva (as the reader may recall, Siva or Shiva is an apparently supernatural being that has been identified with the Serpent Race of the 'Nagas', as related in Andrew Tomas' book 'ON THE SHORES OF ENDLESS WORLDS' and elsewhere - Branton), who inhabits the lower regions in the form of Hatakesvara, and whose praises are sung in the three worlds..."

Could the 'three' worlds be the subterran, terran and exterran 'worlds'? In the legend the underworld of Patala gave off the impression of being some kind of underworld paradise, yet the hero's of the story soon learn that such 'beauty' is only superficial, and that inwardly things were just the opposite. One of the kings servants, becoming hungry, eats a fruit from one of the subterranean trees and "...as soon as he had eaten it, he became rigid and motionless."

At one point in the journey the king encounters a being that appeared to him in the form of a woman, and this being takes him to an underground garden and, according to the legend, "...then she sat down with him on the brink of a tank filled with wine, and with the blood and fat of corpses, that hung from trees on its banks, and she offered the king a goblet, full of the fat and wine, to drink, but he would not accept the loathsome compound. And she kept saying earnestly to the king: 'You will not prosper if you reject my beverage.' But he answered: 'I certainly will not drink that undrinkable compound, whatever may happen.'" In apparent response to his refusal, instead of declaring that he had passed some test, 'she' then pours out the grotesque compound over his head and departs, and shortly afterwards he was expelled from Patala, the legendary home of the Nagas or the Serpent Race (this particular legend did not refer to the Naga's as the inhabitants of Patala, as most Hindu legends do, that is of course unless the 'woman' was actually a Naga in disguise. Or could 'she' have been a sorceress who lived in that dark underworld realm? This is assuming of course that there is some seed of truth behind this tale). Whether fantasy or reality, the 'king' should be commended for resisting the bloody 'drink', and may have been fortunate that he himself did not end up as 'food' for these false 'gods' of the underworld. This is, again, assuming that there is a fire of truth behind the 'smoke' of such tales.

Manly P. Hall, who has written numerous books on Freemasonry and other occult themes, in his volume 'MAN, THE GRAND SYMBOL OF THE MYSTERIES' (Manly P. Hall Pub. Co., Los Angeles, CA, 1932, p. 160) states: "The most secret rituals of ancient initiation were performed in subterranean crypts, which were called 'caverns of the Mysteries.' In the Gothic rites, the final ceremony in which the new initiate was invested with the insignia of his order took place in a high, vaulted, cavernous chamber in the presence of the luminous statue of Balder (a Nordic 'deity')... Here also are the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus and the cave-dwelling Rishis of India--the seven original beings who in the mythology of Central America were the cave-born progenitors of the (Central American) races." (Note: The cave-dwelling Rishis are said to live largely in Ellora, India where there are alleged to be tunnel entrances to an underground system which connects with Elephanta and the Ajunta Caverns - Branton)

One source stated some years ago that the Texas Instruments plant near Dallas, Texas, had discovered a system of ancient tunnels and caverns deep below the T. I. Complex there (discovered via experimental electronic earth-sounding probes? - merely a suggestion), and have secretly been investigating these tunnels for some time. This source revealed the name and address of one woman T.I. worker who allegedly told this source about the underground system. A letter was sent to this woman asking if she would confirm or deny the story, but no response has been forthcoming. These sources alleged that 'small' hominoid beings were discovered in the tunnels, some of which were being held in captivity in 'cage-like' enclosures for research purposes (whether 'they' were humanoid or sauroid was not mentioned, other than that they tended towards a greenish-like skin color). Certain 'inner earth' researchers were allegedly contacted by the company and allowed entrance into these tunnels for the purpose of getting their opinion and views on who or what these beings were. Due to the lack of solid confirming evidence as yet, the reader should take these reports with a grain of salt for now.

Archaeologists have in recent years broken through into vast and ancient labyrinthine underground cities in Turkey. Although several 'cities' have been found, the largest seems to lie beneath Derenkuyu. These underground villages are quite extensive, with many levels, and in some places contain tunnels only 3 or 4 ft. in diameter (apparently constructed this way for defense purpose) that lead to other chambers or other levels. According to tradition, many of these cities were utilized by early Christians escaping persecution. It is not known however whether the Christians built the cities or whether the underground villages are of more ancient origin. According to Kurt Braun, in his article 'Underground Civilization Attacks German Archaeologists', in 'BEYOND REALITY' (Dec. 1968); some men who were exploring the lower depths of the Derenkuyu labyrinth were at one point 'attacked' by tall, albino-like humans. Since most of the underground 'cities' have not been fully explored it is uncertain just how extensive they are or if they connect lower down.

John A. Keel, in his book, 'THE EIGHTH TOWER' (Saturday Review Press., N.Y., 1975), pp. 53-54,129, stated: "...A woman in Gaffney, South Carolina, was plagued by eerie hums and strange mechanical sounds in the mid-1960s. She complained to the local police that someone was digging tunnels under her house, but a thorough investigation yielded nothing... During my own investigations into the mountains of northern New Jersey, I wandered uncomfortably through old caves half-filled with water after local residents had told me of hearing sounds of pulsing machines... To the UFO cultists these sounds are supposed to be coming from the marvelous space ships of mysterious extraterrestrial travelers. Another group (and it is a large group) sees these as evidence of the existence of 'Deros'-- detrimental robots--who live in the bowels of the earth and are up to no good... In May 1969 Jose Antonio, a Brazilian soldier, underwent (an) experience when he was kidnapped by a group of tiny humanoids, and transported to a cavernlike room of stone. There his captors offered him a drink from a stone cube with a pyramidal cavity in the center. It was a dark green liquid, with a bitter taste. But he said he felt better after drinking it."

In his book 'ON THE SHORES OF ENDLESS WORLDS' (Souvenir Press), Andrew Tomas, in his chapter "Labyrinths and Serpents", states: "...According to legend, King Minos of Crete ordered his architect Daedalus to construct the labyrinth, a maze of passages so ingeniously devised that even the builder himself could not find his way without a plan. In the center lived the Minotaur, half bull, half human, to whom the Greeks sent seven youths and seven maidens as a tribute every nine years. The Minotaur was slain by Theseus who was able to find his way out of the labyrinth thanks to a ball of thread given to him by Ariadne. This myth has been interpreted as an historical record of the construction of the palace of Minos in Knossos which contains innumerable galleries and rooms. On the other hand, this myth may have an entirely different interpretation, similar to a cryptogram, which conceals the existence of a secret repository of underground chambers and passages..." Although this might seem to be just a "legend", there are alleged accounts of actual encounters with paraphysical (part supernatural, part physical) "demonic" creatures such as the satyres, centuars, and Minotaurs, etc. which have been described in Greek mythology. Such encounters often involve paraphysical "poltergeist-like" phenomena and manipulation of mind and matter. According to some sources, a race of beings possessing a combination of humanoid, angelic and animal-like characteristics pre-dated Adamic civilization and were involved in the original rebellion and conspiracy against the Creator. The creatures mentioned in the 9th chapter of the book of Revelation "may" be this type of demonic or fallen entity. These were apparently distinct from the purely spiritual angelic and fallen angelic beings. Whether the following account describes an encounter with such a fallen race(s) remains to be seen. The letter we quote here appeared in the Winter, 1962 issue of THE HIDDEN WORLD, one of several publications which grew out of the "Shaver Mystery" controversy of the late 1940's:

"Mr. Richard Shaver: Hoping this letter finds you in the best of health. My name is Frank J. Mezta. I live in the County of Imperial Valley, City of Calexico, California.

"Through accident I happened to stumble into your book HIDDEN WORLD issue No. A-1 and just recently A-2. I sometimes wonder if it was luck or deliberate action on the part of a tero. All my life, I have been looking and asking for certain, unsolved and unanswered questions regarding civilization, our ancestors and the beginning of time. I believe your book gave me the best answers. Let me tell you a few of my expeditions.

"Two years ago, we went treasure hunting in the interior of Mexico, which turned out to be a flop. But in that excursion some strange things happened to us, which at the time we wrote off as superstition. We went to this place where we were supposed to enter; but suddenly a fright with chills came over me, something I had never felt before. Something like a sixth sense, like if I knew something was going to happen to me. I didn't go in and neither did anybody else. Next day we approached the cave again, only this time I wasn't afraid and I let the group inside. This cave was tremendous in size, and leading passages everywhere. Some of these passages or chambers, sometimes being 30 ft. high and 100 ft. long (contained) connecting tunnels. We finally gave up, but in retrieving we found two leading passages instead of the one we had entered. This startled us, and we set to investigate the second tunnel. It just kept winding and going down so we finally gave up and got out of there.

"When we got back to the village we struck a conversation with two Mexican Indians, and they told us that whatever we did, not to go into the enchanted caves. We got curious and asked them where these so called enchanted caves were. They gave us directions and that was exactly where we had entered a few days ago. We asked them what happened in these caves. They told us that people that went in there, never came out, that while in there, the entrances and tunnels would change, which happened to us, and we didn't know about this till after we had been in there. Then they told us the strangest thing, which at the time we said these people are superstitious, they said that they went with an expedition with 20 or 30 men hired by an American man to look into this cave. This happened about 10 or 15 years ago they said. Four or five of the men had revolvers, they were well equipped with lights and tools. While they were working there all of a sudden in the far end there appeared a half man and bull head like a bull upright. This description fits the one you have on your front cover on issue A-1. And next to him was a naked midget or little boy. They pulled out their revolvers but they wouldn't fire, and their lights went out. There was confusion, and several men were killed in the scramble and nobody returned after that - Frank J. Mezta, 939 Genge, Calexico, Calif."

In recent years, much has been written about the so-called "National Defense" underground facilities, some of which have become public knowledge due to the apparent "fall" of Communism in the former Soviet Union. It is alleged that these facilities do serve or have served as National Defense shelters, yet according to some they "flow in" via tube-shuttles to other subterranean systems which are involved in the secret government "Alternative 002" scenario, underground bio-genetic laboratories, and even subterranean systems involving "alien" scenarios as well. Mt. Weather, near Bluemont, VA., is the site of an actual "underground city" constructed and maintained by the U.S. Government for the purpose of being utilized "by the President" and top governmental officials as a command center in the event of a nuclear war or a similar emergency. It is uncertain whether this installation was entirely excavated by the U.S. government or whether they utilized and added-on to already-existing natural subterranean cavities, but most reports state that the "installation" is enormous. It was virtually unknown to the media until a plane crashed near Mt. Weather in northern Virginia, forcing the government to acknowledge the existence of the underground complex. It allegedly consists of miles upon miles of underground tunnels which connect scores of chambers, offices, recreation centers, cafeterias, etc., all reportedly accessible via a system of 'electric cars'. It is apparently one of the major 'bolt holes' (a code-name for a series of about a hundred, possibly more, such government installations located in America and overseas) which is being utilized by the U.S. government. Witnesses have stated that helicopters have at times been seen landing in a secret port in the side of Mt. Weather. These craft then enter the mountain via enormous metal 'doors' in the side of the mountain. In reference to Mt. Weather, the editor of 'THE MISSING LINK', published by UFOCC (UFO Contact Center International) of Federal Way, Washington, stated:

"A...paper on caves, tunnels, etc. states that there is a tube shuttle from the White House to a super-secret underground complex in case of nuclear attack, under Mt. Weather, Virginia!"

Incidentally, a man in Florida (who will remain anonymous for obvious reasons) who claimed to have been "abducted" by alien entities, also alleged that he had a friend who was a high-level officer in the government, with a very high security clearance. He stated that his friend was involved in interviewing military personnel who had "UFO-type" encounters, and other forms of debriefing and, we can assume, other methods utilized to maintain the cover-up. This government officer had allegedly been to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio and had personally seen some of the "alien cadavers" which were recovered from disks which had crashed. He was also, he claimed, allowed entrance into a top-secret system of underground tunnels beneath Washington D.C., and had visited a highly classified underground installation which apparently was the 'real' or 'inner' Central Intelligence Agency, and that the one at Langley was merely the 'outer' level of the CIA. This 'installation', he said, was connected to the White House via a TUBE SHUTTLE! Could this Florida man's friend have been referring to Mt. Weather, or a similar installation? Or was he referring to the alleged CIA-NSA-MIB installation deep below Washington D.C. itself, the so-called 'NOD' installation?

In addition to this, there are other sources who claim that the CIA installation at Langley descends at least seven levels, and that some of the (recovered?) disks are housed in these lower levels.

A researcher by the name of Jon Singer, stated the following in an article of his which appeared in 'THE MISSING LINK' (mentioned earlier): "Our nation's capital has it's share of Fortean mysteries. There is supposed to be a tunnel complex under the Octagon House at 1741 New York Avenue, NW. Dr. John Thornton, the architect who designed the Capitol Building, built some (but not all) of the tunnels. The course of at least two of the tunnels is known. One is supposed to go to the White House and the other supposedly leads to the Potomac. The tunnels are supposedly blocked up. Jim Brandon, on p. 58 of (his book) 'WEIRD AMERICA' (1978. E.P. Dutton & Co., N.Y.), added that the tunnels built by Dr. Thornton were only part of a much older and larger tunnel network constructed by colonists from Atlantis. Unfortunately his sources were two unidentified psychics, so this must be a fascinating rumor." This would depend upon whether these "revelations" were received by these psychics via "occult" means, in which case they should be viewed with great suspicion, or whether they based their claims on actual physical accounts. However, Richard Toronto, editor of SHAVERTRON, claimed that some years ago as a result of a printed request for information on subterranean anomalies, a scientist contacted him offering a 10-page report on a system of tunnels he had personally investigated beneath Washington D.C. He stated that the tunnels were built by a very ancient race, and that the walls consisted of a diamond-hard, glassy or glaze-like substance. As far as we know, Mr. Toronto never did actually get his hands on the report.

Another incident (or rather a few incidents which should be of interest to us) was related in Eric Norman's book 'THE UNDERPEOPLE' (1969., Award Books., N.Y.). First of all, Norman asks the question: "Who lives in the inner earth?"

"'...The Masters live there, a friendly group who watch over the outer world.'

"...Still others tremble at the question. 'The DERO dwells within!' they say. A squat, wiry tribe of lustful demons, the DERO plagues mankind and delights in tormenting those who live on the surface.

"'They (the Under-People) are vegetarians,' claims some researchers.

"'They are cannibals!' swear others. 'Humans are kidnapped and dragged into their dark caverns for pagan feasts.'

"'They are good!'

"'They are evil...'

"'...They are both good and evil. Different races live inside the earth!'

"'...They are more advanced. They are sexless. They reproduce by test tube.'

"'...Nubile young girls are dragged into their nether world and assaulted by an evil tribe of animal-men.'

"The theories are many and, admittedly, the facts are often few. Frequently, we must depend on folklore and ancient scrolls for our research. Many of our ancestors were believers in the diverse tribes of inner earth and there are accurate statements, detailed information and considerable documentation to support their theories...

"Depending on your viewpoint and your bias toward the occult, the pages that follow can be interpreted in many different ways. A psychologically trained individual might feel that these are excellent case studies of individuals with severe psychopathologies. Freudians would find rich symbolism in the hollow earth theory; they might claim it is a manifestation of a desire to recapture the lost security of the womb. Still others may feel the theory is constructed on misinterpretation of natural phenomena...

"It was a cold, blustery, winter evening of December 27, 1666, when Dr. Jophn Frederick Schweitzer entertained his remarkable visitor. Throughout Europe, noblemen and peasants were celebrating Christmas and the good doctor utilized his vacation to conduct a vast number of experiments in his laboratory. Soon, the results of those experiments would be carefully scribbled into a large journal and sent to alchemists throughout Europe. It was Dr. Schweitzer's secret that he was also known as 'Helvetius the Alchemist.'

"'Helvetius' was puttering in his laboratory, cleaning instruments after a long series of experiments, when a loud knock sounded on the door. 'I opened the door and this strange man walked into my workshop,' Helvetius recorded later. 'He was a sturdy, gray-haired man, but there was a slimness to his body and a vigor in his movement. His face was oddly warm and friendly.'

"The stranger walked confidently into the laboratory. He shook the folds of his white robe and snowflakes fell to the floor. He looked directly at Helvetius and asked, 'Do you believe in the Philosopher's Stone?'

"Helvetius suppressed an impulse to ridicule the bizarre costume worn by the stranger. 'The philosopher's stone is a mere figment of alchemical over-imagination,' he said, arrogantly. 'I believe in the oneness of nature. There is a natural pattern to the universe. It is sheer fancy to believe base metals can be transmuted into precious gold. Some alchemists have excluded mysticism from their laboratory. In this room, the reality of the soul and spirit exists with facts.'

"The stranger smiled and took a small package from under his robe. 'Others of your kind are not so skeptical,' he explained. 'They have seen this substance turn lead into gold. Perhaps you would like to try.'

"Helvetius accepted the package from the stranger. Later, he described its contents as 'some form of glass, or a pale sulfurous substance.' The stranger carefully instructed the skeptical alchemist in the relatively simple experiment. Plain, ordinary lead was placed in a crucible and melted to a bubbling mass.

"'Encase the substance in fine yellow wax and toss it into the crucible,' directed the stranger.

"Helvetius followed the instructions and, as steam and vapor disappeared from the container, he watched, incredulous, as the lead seemingly was transformed into the purest of gold.

"'A skeptic becomes a believer,' the stranger remarked, smiling.

"Helvetius looked as if he were about to argue, then turned suddenly and slumped into a chair. 'Is it really gold?' he whispered hoarsely.

"'The purest form of the metal.'

"'Who are you?'

"'A man who directs those who lead their people.'

"'Where are you from?'

"'I am one who dwells within the earth,' the stranger replied. 'When events make it necessary, we must come to the surface.'

"Helvetius stuttered with confusion, his tongue stumbling over the questions racing through his mind as his white robed visitor prepared to leave the laboratory. 'Stay...Wait!...I want to know...' he mumbled.

"'There are others to see,' the stranger said. 'Here is one more package of the substance. It is the real Philosopher's Stone.' Then he opened the door and disappeared into the darkness.

"Helvetius dashed to the open doorway and watched the cloak- shrouded figure disappear into the snow-storm. He shook his head in disbelief and looked again. There was the lane leading down to the town. There were the lights in the church, the houses, the town--and the stranger's tracks in the snow.

"Helvetius conducted his second experiment that night. Again, the lead bubbled with golden fury when the substance was added to the crucible. Forgetting his lack of sleep, Helvetius was waiting at the shop of the goldsmith to the Duke of Orange when the craftsman opened his door. The goldsmith listened to the babbling alchemist and frowned when he heard the phrase 'lead into gold.' But, when the goldsmith examined the precious metal, he said solemnly, 'It is the finest gold I have ever seen.'

"News of the sensational transformation spread throughout Europe and scores of famous men journeyed to Helvetius' laboratory. Baruch Spinoza, the Dutch philosopher, was one of the first visitors. He discussed the transmutation with Helvetius and the goldsmith. 'I checked the laboratory, and, additionally, made a careful examination of the crucible,' Spinoza later recorded. 'Clinging to the sides of the container were flecks of remaining gold!'"

"...Is the transmutation of lead into gold an idle dream of demented and reclusive chemists? Not according to King Henry IV of England. In 1404, His Royal Highness decreed: 'From now on, no man shall, under the penalty of felony, or death, multiply gold or silver.'"

Eric Norman described yet another visitor from "within the earth". This fellow however seemed to be more interested in the process involved in transforming grapes into wine, rather than lead into gold. If this doesn't seem to make sense, read Aon:

"Pepin the Short, the pint-sized father of Emperor Charlemagne, was the founder of the Brunia Monastery in the fabled Trier region of ancient Prussia. In A.D. 1138, a strange series of events culminated in an unusual visitation by a bizarre little man.

"There had been several nocturnal visitations to the monastery's wine cellar and its steward voiced his suspicions to the abbot: 'The monks are slipping into the wine cellar and sampling the casks.'

"The abbot frowned at the thought of a possible scandal and asked, 'When did this begin?'

"'It's been going on for several months. I didn't mind it when they only took a cup or two,' explained the embarrassed monk. 'Last night, the culprit tapped a huge cask and forgot to stop the bunghole. A whole keg of wine drained out onto the cellar floor.'

"The abbot hurried to the cellar, inspected the damage, then carefully tapped the bunghole in each of the huge casks. He anointed the cellar with holy water, securely locked the door and placed a saint's relic above the entrance, declaring, 'None of our monks would dare transgress against the power of the Cross.'

"The following morning, a sleepy-eyed abbot unlocked the cellar door and squinted into the dim room. Followed by a group of curious monks, the abbot discovered that another keg of wine had been tapped; the floor was covered with the rich, red liquid. Suddenly, the abbot spotted movement in the dark shadows in the far corner of the cellar. 'There's the thief,' he shouted. 'Grab the transgressor and prepare him for punishment!'

"Two burly monks rushed forward and grabbed the shadowy figure. They carried the struggling thief into the light and the abbot stared in wonder at a dark-skinned dwarf, who glared back in impassive silence.

"'Are you a Nubian? How did you get in our wine cellar?' inquired the abbot.

"The strange little man would not speak.

"'Do you have parents?' the abbot asked.

"'Here! Here! This fellow got in through the wall,' called a monk, pointing to a displaced stone that covered a small tunnel leading down into the earth. The bewildered monks crowded around the secret tunnel as one quaking novice suggested the tunnel must lead to the Devil's lair. An older monk spoke knowingly of subterranean demons who delighted in tormenting those who had taken the vows.

"Despite his crime, the captured dwarf was accepted into the society of holy men. 'He looks human and the least we can do is provide the poor child with a Christian education,' the abbot said. But, in spite of the kindness showed him by the monks, the dwarf refused to utter a single word. He sat quietly on the bed in a cross-legged position, staring directly ahead and refusing all food and drink. After several weeks of fasting, the monastery dwellers were concerned for the life of their visitor and a visiting bishop was asked for his advice as the dwarf was brought into the great hall and introduced to him.

"'Good Lord! You must expel this Devil's child at once!' the alarmed bishop shouted. 'He is a demon and the tool of the devil!'

"Gervase, a monk at Christ Church, Canterbury, England, later inscribed this strange ending to the dwarf's appearance in his manuscript: '...The demon ran in alarm from the holy words. He went to the cellar and returned to his underworld tribe!'

"The monastic scribes produced hundreds of manuscripts with stories of visits from demons, evil apparitions and other 'devils' from the vast subterranean world. They were adamant in their belief that a nether world, an underworld, existed beneath the surface. Many of these manuscripts told of long tunnels and deep caves that led down to the inner world (Note: Although the various accounts of demonology suggest that 'demons' or non- physical malevolent entities are seemingly capable of appearing in para-physical or semi-solid forms temporarily, there is no real proof that the entity just described was such a creature. Since the various accounts suggest that both good and evil beings reside in the 'underworld', he may well have been part of an ancient branch of the human race who disappeared into the cavernous regions below the surface of the earth. Since black pygmies live in abundance in Africa we should not consider this individual to be entirely "alien" from any race now living on the surface - Branton).

"A thirteenth-century historian, Saxo-Gammaticus, wrote down the folklore and myths of Scandinavia. He recorded the ancient VIKING belief in 'Hadding Land,' a subterranean world where GIANTS, superhumans, TRIBES OF BLACK DWARFS and 'SNAKE PEOPLE' lived. These strange beings, and even stranger animals, were said to occasionally surface in the outer world and create chaos. The (Roman) church was violently opposed to these beliefs and condemned such theories as 'ignorant superstitions.' Gradually, such tales lost their element of fact and truth and became a part of the folklore of northern Europe.

"In Vol. 1, No. 6 of the NEWSLETTER FOR THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION OF PSI, there is a fascinating account of a laborer in Staffordshire, England, who may have glimpsed, for a moment, the mechanical development of the aliens within the inner earth. Researcher Ronald Calais told of a tunnel laborer, digging underground in 1770, who heard a roaring sound behind a large, flat stone. Curious, he pried away the stone with pick and crowbar and was amazed to see a smooth stone stairway leading down into the earth. The laborer's first thought was that he had discovered some type of ancient tomb. Envisioning vast chests of ancient treasures, he cautiously walked down the stairs. Suddenly, the stairway ended and the man was standing in a large stone cavern, filled with gigantic machines. The astonished laborer glanced about the well-lit room, then saw hastening toward him a strangely-clad, hooded figure. The being held a baton-like object in his upraised hand and the terrified laborer scrambled back up the stairway to safety." (Note: Other accounts have referred to this chamber as the 'Rosicrucian Sepulchre', although the Rosicrucians may not have had a direct connection with it. It is uncertain just what connections the Rosicrucians may have had with the inner world, if any, other than this incident, the Rosicrucian Grandmaster Bulwer Lytton's publication of the subterranean-oriented book 'THE COMING RACE', the preoccupation of the Rosicrucians with the strange stories surrounding Mt. Shasta, and the connection of this secret society with the 'House of the Temple' in Washington D.C. - Branton)

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In his book, 'DEPTHS OF THE EARTH - Caves and Caverns of the United States' - (Harper & Row., N. Y.), William R. Halliday gives some interesting observations on caverns of northern Arizona's Coconino Plateau region:

"...Those who dream of Butler Cave as potentially the world's largest, however, must hasten. The explorers of Mammoth Cave and Flint Ridge--and of Jewel Cave--are not the only teams on the verge of a breakthrough. Missouri-Tennessee-few of our greatest cave areas today can be denied a flickering chance at the title. And for those who dream of long shots indeed, our most magnificent cave area beckons irresistibly: the Grand Canyon.

"Perhaps in the purple shadows of the incomparable canyon there really is no chance for a truly great cave system. So believe some experts. Perhaps our hopes here are gossamer dreams, strung together with wishful thinking. Here I claim no impartial judgement. My mind is hopelessly influenced by the long intimacy with the timeless beauty of that tranquil canyon. I have seen its magic pastels at moonrise over the mile-high rim, suddenly dramatized by the weirdly luminous flutter of bat wings. No caver brushed by such a spell is ever the same again.

"In this strange, magnificent country, much remains to be learned. Sinking streams, an occasional natural shaft, and plateau-top sink-holes tell of much more water vanishing underground than reappears in canyon-bottom springs. Miles to the south, enormous sinks and remnants of a throughway type of cave are evidence of sometime profuse subterranean water flow. Fanning out from both rims of the mile-deep canyon are vast plateaus capped with limestone 500 feet thick. Yet caves seem few and tiny in these vast expanses of plateau-top limestone.

"The other massive limestones of the incomparable canyon lie 2,000 (feet) below. Above them are 1,500 feet of sandstone and shales which ought to block the downward flow of the water essential for cave development. Yet at this great depth occur the caves of the Grand Canyon. In the blazing, rock-tiered canyon, foot travel is difficult and progress slow. Still, cave after cave is coming to carbide light in the purple-shadowed depths. Some are merely shallow alcoves, important only for archeological content. Others are colossal natural sewers, dwarfed only by their stupendous environs.

"Yet it is this often-scorned limestone of the plateaus which speeds the pulses of American caverns. Just south of the Grand Canyon, fluorescent chemicals introduced into a sucking 'earth crack' of the Coconino Plateau have been traced to a 'breathing well' 24 miles away. Initial calculations somewhat like those of Jewel cave suggest a minimum air volume here of more than 7 BILLION CUBIC FEET. Scientists of the famed RAND CORPORATION suspect the presence of hundreds of miles of narrow, interconnected caverns fissuring the vast plateau.

"Many a veteran caver may consider such a cavern system impossible. Perhaps it is, but Arizona caverns have already performed the impossible. In Sipapu Cavern, an earth crack near the Rand Corporation study site, they have descended 500 feet toward the massive cavernous limestone deep below. In this locale the surface limestone is only 248 feet thick. Half of their descent was through supposedly non-cavernous sandstone.

"If one of the rare dome-pits of the Kaibab Plateau intersects a washed-out section of a fault zone draining to a North Rim stream cave, a depth record will be within reach. Geologically such a circumstance is hardly more than a pipe dream of an irrepressible caver overcome by the magnificence of the Grand Canyon. But it may happen.

"Perhaps eager caverns plumbing the earth cracks of the Coconino Plateau have little more chance than beneath the Kaibab. But if those caverns can penetrate twice again as deeply as Sipapu Cavern, they will begin to enter the limestone where great sewer caves may lie. If such do exist, they may enlarge away from the great canyon rather than toward it. They may not exist at all. Yet a cavernous network dwarfing that of Mammoth and Flint ridges may be penetrable here. Some day obsessed caverns may break through the Coconino sandstone barrier and the shales which underlie it. If that happens, those who follow in their footsteps may emerge triumphant from obscure orifices deep in the heart of the Grand Canyon.

"Even without such a triumph, even without knowledge of the hundreds of undiscovered caves which must exist hidden in limestone recesses of the mighty terraced depths, the Grand Canyon must be recognized as one of America's great cave areas. To some, that recognition alone would be achievement. Yet sunbaked canyon caverns have much in common with their Appalachian fellows. Until every crack is penetrated, every hole plumbed, spelunkers and speleologists alike will remain unsatisfied. Fragile indeed are the spelean threads which weave together Sipapu Cavern and Butler Cave, yet such are caverns' secret dreams."

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Brad Steiger, in his book 'STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES' (Lancer Books., N.Y. 1972) related the following (MIB-related?) incident:

"...at sundown on February 12, 1953, witnesses told police that they had watched an automobile enter the throat of a storm drain near Willowbrook and Greenleaf Avenues in Los Angeles. Officers arrived on the scene within ten minutes, and according to the Los Angeles HERALD AND EXPRESS, they followed the fresh tire-tread marks into the tunnel for seven miles. Other policemen and flood control district workers continued the search for the automobile by dropping through manhole covers.

"The trackdown continued until midnight when, seven miles up the storm drain, THE TRACKS VANISHED. 'HERALD AND EXPRESS' newsmen who had accompanied the police on the incredible search up the tube were witnesses to the fact that: 'In the muddy silt covering the floor of the drain, the tire-tread marks were sharp and fresh. Then no more tracks.'"

*******

From here we will now examine another incident, this one involving a subterranean excavation in southern Idaho. The letter which we quote here was submitted by a George Haycock of Burley, Idaho, and appeared in the Oct. 1947 issue of 'AMAZING STORIES' science fiction/science fact magazine, pp. 174-175:

"Sirs... Perhaps I have delayed over-long to send you my slight contribution to the master code. Why? I was still afraid there might be some slip that would put me in a bad spot. I am a druggist in this town and any trace of nut's talk would ruin my job. I have been waiting for the issue which just hit the newsstand and agree with you completely.

"There is in this area an artifact which seems to prove all you have printed about the cavern dwellers. First I want to ask a question. How are the caverns ventilated? There is no vegetation to purify the air in caves (i.e. small caverns, that is - Branton). Therefore there must be some connection with the surface. I know where one of the air shafts reach the surface.

"My grandfather was raised with the Indians in this section of the country and has told me of the stories he heard when he was a child. The Indians describe the wind cave as it is called around here as the home of the devils who come forth in the dead of the night to steal their women and food. No Indian will venture within the area inside of five miles of the cave.

"Perhaps a description of the inside will make my meaning more clear. The entrance is just a hole in the rocks, but after getting inside you come into a four-square tunnel about three and one half feet square with a six-inch gutter along the west side, about 10 inches deep. The tunnel is intact for about 100 yards and then opens into what looks like it might have been at one time a completely ROUND or half-round passageway which now looks like the solid lava which it goes through has been chipped and crumbled by extreme heat. It is possible to travel for about half a mile inside before the tunnel becomes obstructed too much for a man to get through.

"I have been trying to get some one who would help me clear this obstruction enough to get through and several have agreed but when we get there and start to work they soon give up and want to get out. Another funny thing is that every time I go back the work done before does not show, yet there is not evidence of fresh falls of rock from the ceiling. At this point the feeling that you're in mortal danger becomes almost overpowering, after battling this feeling for an hour I feel as weak as if I had been sick for weeks and I have made this attempt many times.

"The opening has been dynamited at least four times that I know of. Supposedly to kill rattlesnakes, yet I have never seen one either in the mouth of the cave or inside.

"In fact my experience with snakes leads me to believe they would never brave the cold blast that comes out.

"Still the feeling of distrust and fear clings and none of the natives will consider exploring this artifact which could be made the biggest tourist attraction in this part of the state--if people were just not afraid to go down in there.

"This covers the known facts about this cave: yet since I can remember I have dreamed, thought and considered many of the things Shaver talks about in his stories, mostly those pertaining to mind control...

"Please ignore the mistakes and misspelled words in this letter. Ordinarily I am a good typist and a good speller, but when I try to put these things on paper I cannot hit the key I want to.

"Please notice that the mistakes and misspelled words are mostly where I try to describe the caves and conditions inside them. These happen even when I try to watch every stroke I make. I have recopied this letter three times trying to eliminate the errors and still they crop up in the same sections if not in the same words.

"I am willing to discuss what I know with any one who won't believe I am crazy, and would like to find some one who has the intestinal fortitude to help me clear the obstruction to the major cavern with which it connects which I know extends to the depth of 30,000 feet because it has been drilled into and that much cable let out without hitting anything to drill in and I will show anyone who is interested the entire set up.

"My grandfather is now dead unfortunately so he cannot verify the Indian stories mentioned, but if Mr. Hansen is as familiar with Indian legends as he claims and really desires the truth have him work with the Shoshones and the Blackfeet. Consider their tales of the demons who work this countryside...

"Write me if you're interested in these legends and any knowledge I have is yours.

"George Haycock., c/o Thriftway Drug., Main and Overland., Burley, Idaho."

*******

Raymond Palmer's editorial reply to this letter was as follows: "We're sure that members of the CHMBS (Cave Hunters Mutual Benefit Society) will contact you, and they won't consider you crazy. We hope you can tell them more about this cave, and show it to them. As for the depth of 30,000 feet, letting a cable, or string, down that depth tells nothing, because it might be going down only a few hundred feet, then simply coiling up on the floor, as the weight of the string would make it impossible for you to tell when it had hit the floor... - Ed."

This account as given by Mr. Haycock is strange to say the least, however it may contain an significant piece of the puzzle whereas the overall subterranean scenario is concerned.

Two more postscripts to the George Haycock - Burley, Idaho account have surfaced. The first came from a man by the name of Frank W. Haigler, and a Sgt. Brentlinger who was at the time stationed at Hill Air Force Base near Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Haigler had told of his own investigations in connection with Mr. Haycock's letter in 'AMAZING STORIES'. This letter of confirmation, which appeared in the Jan. 1948 (Vol. 22, No. 1) issue, stated:

"Sirs... If you file your correspondence, you will find a letter there from this writer which was written in the early part of this year, advising you of reading my first AMAZING STORIES magazine and of my interest in the mystery of the caves, especially the articles by Mr. Shaver. I haven't missed a copy of A. S. since then and interest in the mystery of the caves has grown until you may class me as an unofficial member of the CHMBS. In fact, the purpose of this letter is to inform you of a recent expedition to one of the caves for an investigation.

"For you and those interested in the 'air shaft' near Burley, Idaho, reported by Mr. George Haycock, whose letter was published in the October issue of AMAZING STORIES, this is to verify the truth of this cave.

"M/Sgt. Brentlinger (a Shaver fan), stationed at Hill Field, Utah, and myself made a trip to Burley over the weekend of the 17th of August to ascertain the authenticity of both Mr. Haycock and the cave. We had no trouble locating this gentleman and after explaining the purpose of our mission he quite readily agreed to show us to the cave and to guide us through, providing it was still possible to enter. The entrance had been blasted since he was last in the cave, he explained.

"We drove about six miles west of town, then turned off the highway onto a little road leading through the desert sagebrush. Oddly enough, this road was well worn and seemed to be much used although there is no apparent reason for so much traffic. We failed to see any other cars either on the way in or out.

"Even though he had been in the cave many times and to the entrance as recently as three days prior to this trip, Mr. Haycock, strangely, had difficulty in locating the spot and we stopped twice to look before we finally found it about a mile from the highway.

"The entrance was located in the center of a shallow circular depression. The surrounding terrain was nothing but sand and sagebrush but jammed in around the opening were several large boulders. We found there was still a small hole running down through the boulders and Mr. Haycock thought it still possible for us to make entrance. With some violent maneuvering we did manage to squeeze through and we followed Mr. Haycock to the floor of the cavern. Then, crawling, kneeling and sometimes walking, we were led back through the cave for approximately one- quarter of a mile.

"The cavern was cut through what appeared to be lava rock. Walls and ceiling are badly fallen-in in many places but there is enough intact yet to give the general appearance that the cave was at one time square. In certain spots the walls and ceiling are perfectly flat. Then, too, we noticed one small chamber to one side of the main passage that is square-cut except for one end which is cupped out.

"There are numerous small passages leading off to the side of the main path, which Mr. Haycock said lead to dead ends, IN the ones he has explored.

"After seeing enough to convince us of the truth of Mr. Haycock's story, it was decided to turn back and not to continue inward to the impassable obstruction Mr. Haycock mentioned in his letter. To have gone that far more equipment would have been required. We had nothing but two flashlights, both being used continuously. Where we turned back is approximately half-way to the obstruction.

"We failed to feel or hear the icy wind that is said to blow from the shaft most of the time. However, Mr. Haycock explained that it did become quiet occasionally, as we found it that day.

"At present another trip is planned to the cave. This time there will be seven or eight of us and we plan to take the proper equipment and enough provisions to do some serious work at clearing away the obstruction. It is desired by all to learn what, if anything, might lie further on beyond this obstruction. But, if there is nothing but more cave it will at least be an interesting adventure that will be enjoyed and remembered by all!

"Now for the information on two other caves this writer knows of which might merit investigation. The first is in the Smoky mountains of North Carolina in the Nantahalie(?) Gorge. It is called 'The Blowing Springs' and is easily reached from the highway. The cave has an icy blast of air and a cold stream flowing from it continuously, from which it got its name. It is not known by the writer whether anyone has ever entered the cave or if this is possible, but there are many that have been to the entrance to look in.

"The second is called 'The Devil's Well' and is located in the 'Hole-In-Ground' near Pine City, Washington. The cave is very round and approximately five feet in diameter. People are known to be afraid to enter the cave due to the rumor that it is a rattlesnake den. It would be interesting to learn if there is any truth to the rattlesnakes and why it is named 'The Devil's Well,' and by whom!."

"Frank W. Haigler., Box 18, Apt. F-12., Sahara Valley, Utah."

Another postscript to this account appeared in the form of an article which was written by one 'Galahadian' for the ESOTERIC WORLD NEWS in the mid-1980's. 'Galahadian' allegedly knew Mr. Haycock years ago, and revealed that his story had a sad and tragic ending. Haycock, it seemed, had received an unmarked letter or package in his mailbox one day with a message warning him to cease and desist in his investigations of the tunnel. Mr. Haycock had apparently ignored the warning and continued in his investigations, and according to Galahadian a few days afterwards he was found strangled to death in his house. What kind of secret would be so important that it was worth killing a human life in order to hide it? Certainly, this is not the only one who has died mysteriously after investigating underground phenomena. In fact dozens, perhaps hundreds (or more?) have met with the same tragic fate, after getting to close to the "Horrible Truth". We would ask the readers however not to get the impression that EVERY subterranean area is irreparably under the control of the evil one and the powers of darkness. As we will reveal in our next file there are many regions inhabited by human beings who, although they may not have established an absolutely "perfect" society, nevertheless are far safer than the underground lairs of the serpent races. The simple fact that these writings TARGET the reptilian conspiracy as it concerns or as it is taking place in and around this small planet lost among billions of stars in a galaxy which is just one of billions within a seemingly immeasurable universe, might lead one to accept a mistaken and paranoid if not hopeless view of reality. Believe us, this is not the case. The perfect and incorruptible realm of the Almighty is infinitely more vast than the material universe which it surrounds. Good WILL overcome evil in the end, that is not the question. The question is: how many souls will or will not be saved from the conspiracies of darkness before the ultimate victory comes?

With this in mind, let's return to the disturbing although very real possibility that many have lost their lives because they knew too much about the draconian activities taking place beneath the surface of this planet (and beyond). One contact of ours has informed us that a good friend of hers in Las Vegas, Nevada, had uncovered some very disturbing facts and testimonies concerning construction workers and others who had been involved in the installation of certain equipment within the tunnels beneath the Nevada Military Complex, etc., many of whom later died under bizarre circumstances. This informant, Stacy Borland, was later found dead - along with a brother of hers - in Las Vegas. Someone had apparently entered her place and murdered them in cold blood. We smell a rat in this case (or, should we say A SNAKE?), and in fact our contact is convinced that it was the work of an assassin, and that she was killed because she knew too much.

Since these reptilian or reptilian-controlled powers of evil thrive in the darkness, then the method needed to defeat them, to destroy them and to eventually conquer them (the saurians or the serpent races, that is) would be to shine the 'light' of truth against these lairs of evil, focus that 'light' like a laser beam, and tear apart the very 'darkness' within which these ancient powers thrive. And, possibly most important of all, by God's grace set out to ally ourselves with those societies hidden beyond or below the surface of this world, our ancient human cousins, who have fought and battled this infernal race since ancient times. As the old saying goes: "Together we stand, divided we fall..."