Clarence King, before he led the brand-new Geological Survey, was tasked with something very tough: To survey the rocks and mountains along the 40th parallel, from the Rockies to the Sierra Nevada. Because he kept good notes, we know that King and his men had many clever methods for taking accurate accounts of all the mysterious caves they were charting.
Now here’s the thing. I’ve been a dude for a long time, and reading through King’s diary of that craaaazy summer, I think—forgive me if I’m wrong—that there’s a certain auditory trick being left out here. I mean, come on. They’re dudes.