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1'1later Jim and I began the long climb. Ascending with those soaked dufflebags proved to be even worse sporting than rappelling with them. I becameso overheated on the 20~' pitch that I shucked my wetsuit top for the restof the trip. At each ledge we coiled the ropes to keep them out of thedriving waterfalls. Thus, the cave was left pre-rigged with cut to lengthropes below the 800' level to await the return expedition. All rope abovethe Canadian camp was derigged. A full IIlOon was shining in the entrancewhen we finally exited. Topside we heard familiar voices: Blake Harrisonand Jill Dortlan, who had arrived from Acatlan the day before, had seenlights in the sinkhole and came down to help. A party soon commenced backat the house. After several hours of swapping stories we faded off to awell-earned nights sleep.The rest of the trip was understandably anticlimactic. The fissurewas finally derigged by Jeff, Gary, Blake, Dave Kramer, and Dan Watson.Several days of scouting netted few going holes and a general impressionthat anywhere outside a 1/2 mile radius of San Agustin was hostile territory.An overland survey connectinf': Sotano del Rio Iglesia, Sotano deSan Agustin, Cueva de San Agustin, and Deer Cave was completed. DeerCave (Cueva de los Pajaros) was located by Frank Binney on one of theearly day hikes and proved to have more paleontological significancethan depth potential. ~umerous skeletons of what appear to be a largedeer were found at several locations, well within the cave. How theysurvived three drops to reach the big room at the bottom was not readilyapparent.An exciting day was spent fixing the Bozo Bus springs as mostall of them on the left side had broken during our maRy shuttles toHuautla and back. After another day of packing our small convoy of oneoverloaded VW bus and one crippled truck left Huautla. Within 5 nileswe had broken more rear springs. Things were looking grim. We loaded3 more people from the truck to the van and continued at a slow pace.The two remaining springs miraculously held. Again we figured we justmight make it. Then Dan smashed his oil filter on a rock. With the bus nowout of commission the only way to continue ~vas for the truck to tow it.And tow we did. By all rights both vehicles should still be on that road,but we somehow made it all the way to Tehuacan, a spring shop and a VWdealer.Bill Stoner..emember the 1973 ;~s S Convention is near ~·!exico. Hany of the I1exicancave areas are high in the 'lIountains and cool in the summer. so makeplans for a su~~er trip in 78.