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Being an avid fan of tales, tall or otherwise, and especially those relating to deep, dark places, I am devouring two recent acquisitions with much relish.

Down In The Darkness by Troy Taylor, the third book in his "History & Hauntings Series," is a delightful collection of tales relating to "America's Haunted Mines, Tunnels & Caverns." Having recently finished Paul Jay Steward's wonderful True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World, I was hungry for more. Mr. Taylor has amassed an impressive collection of history and folklore ranging from the expected (Bell Witch Cave, Mammoth Cave, and Floyd Collins' Crystal Cave) to the obscure (e.g., the "Flagstone Tunnels" of Goshen, MA). Whether or not you believe the tales, your enjoyment of this entertaining collection should not be diminished -- especially as Mr. Taylor gives travel directions to many of his still-accessible haunted locales.

Caverns, Cauldrons, and Concealed Creatures by Wm. Michael Mott might not appeal to every caver, but if you're fascinated by the paranormal, history, culture, and comparative mythology (as well as caves), then this book is for you. Although I do not believe the "hollow earth" theory that heavily influences this book, Mr. Mott has captured my fancy by the fact that he has managed to include many of the stories that fascinate me in this single, quite readable tome: caverns, dragons, H.P. Lovecraft, the Bell Witch, chupacabras, UFOs, and the Mothman Prophecies. What does Beowulf have in common with the Three Billy Goats Gruff or the even the Hebrew traditions of Lilith? Read this book and find out!

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Some time ago (apparently during those turbulent 1960s), the term "spelunker" fell out of favor among organized cave explorers. While "speleologist" still is an acceptable term for professional cave researchers, it is no longer politically correct, in cavespeak, to refer to the organized but non-scientific exploration of caves as "spelunking." Indeed, an experienced caver who refers to himself/herself as a "spelunker" is about as common as a bleeding heart conservative.

"Cavers Rescue Spelunkers" is the bumper-sticker slogan of cavers. That is, to a caver, a spelunker is a cave explorer who views the only essential cave exploring equipment as a six pack and a flash light (in that order of importance). Things such as helmets, multiple backup light sources, and the cardinal rule of caving -- tell someone where you're going and when you're to be expected back -- are not in the spelunker's To Do list.

It follows that so much of the damage to fragile caverns (noted with much lament by cavers) is caused by spelunkers. Cavers also erase the graffiti of spelunkers -- unless, of course, that graffiti was inscribed in torch black hundreds of years ago and now qualifies as historic content to be treasured and preserved.

(For additional background info on the history and origins of spelunking/caving, please refer to Jo Schaper's excellent essay and a very nice entry in Wikipedia.)