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Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1523, 7 November 1873, Page 7

The wealth of Brigham Young, who has recently abdicated the position which he held for twenty-seven years as the prophet, priest, and king of the Mormons, is estimated to be about eighteen millions sterling. A very large portion of this is in land and houses. He is said to have divided his wealth among his sixteen wives and sixty children ; but it is probable that he has given to these only his immovable possessions, and has retained for himself the very large amount of “ portable property ” which he has amassed, A London banking-house holds a large balance to his credit, and a still larger one is said to repose, subject to his order, in the Bank of France. For many years this man has had poured into his hands one-tenth part of the earnings of the entire Mormon community. They number now about 90,000 souls, and as they are exceptionally thrifty and industrious, his revenue from this source was large. In 1857-8 he amassed large sums of money by furnishing supplies to the United States army under General Johnson, who was sent to subdue him, but with whom he made peace, and ho made still larger profits out of the contract which he took for the construction of the Pacific Railway through Utah. His sudden abdication was probably brought about by a conviction that President Grant had made up his mind to no longer be trifled with, and to put down polygamy in Utah at any. cost. Young is now seventy-two years old.

' A SUBMARINE GROTTO. Op a .recent visit of H.M.S. Dido to Vavau, one of the islands of the Friendly Group, some of her officers visited a veiy remarkable cave. The following account of the cavern and its legend is by one of the party : We proceeded in a boat to the small island of Iloonga, distant about seven miles from Neiafu, On arriving at the island the native girls showed us the exact spot where the entrance of the cave was. We took the boat in as close as possible to the rocks, and there anchored her in five and-a-half fathoms. We could see the entrance of the cave about seven feet under water. One of the natives jumped overboard anddisappeared through the aperture, one of our party closely following him. They both reappeared in about seven or eight minutes, and told us that it was all clear. Then three others belonging to our party jumped overboard and disappeared through the aperture, two out of the three arriving in the cave without mishap, but the third unfortunately got jammed in the entrance among some rocks, and had it not been for the timely assistance of a native he must have been drowned. To get into this cave one has to dive first of all about eight feet deep, and then from twenty to twenty-five feet horizontally. This cavern, commonly called "The Lovers' Cave," is a magnificent sight. It is as near as I could judge about seventy feet long, thirty feet wide, and seventy feet high, and has a deep pool in the centre, the water of which is very salt, remarkably clear, a,nd very phosphorescent. The pool is about fifty feet deep, and so clear that a person sitting on the side of the cave can see every stone at the bottom. The water rises every minute some three or four feet, causing a mist which fills the cave, disappearing as the water recedes in a most extraordinary manner ; this mist is very painful to the eye. While a person is swimming in this water his head and shoulders appear to be quite black, but the part of the body immersed appears as white as snow. During the time you are entering the cave nothing is visible, the passage through the rock being perfectly dark until you rise to the surface inside; but the case is different when returning to daylight, as it is quite light, enabling one to see the bottom and both sides of the passage, and the reflection of the boat outside. The cave is illuminated by light from the entrance reflected through the water, which gives it the appearanco of subdued moonlight. The roof is hung all over with most beautiful stalactites, some dropping eight or ten feet; the sides are masses of stalagmite and rocks, affording seats to those who enter.

This wonderful cave was first discovered by a young chief while pursuing a turtle. Its legend is as follows:—A certain chief raised an insurrection against the ruling chief of Vavau. His plot was discovered, and he was condemned to be massacred with all his family. His daughter, a beautiful girl, was beloved by the young chief that had discovered the cave, which he had kept a profound secret. He effected her escape at night, and conducted her in a small canoe to the rock of Hoonga, where he leapt into the water, instructing her to follow him, which she did, and they both rose in the cave. In this strange place he kept his betrothed for twelve, months, bringing her food, &c, ia the dead of night. To accomplish her releas;, this young chief persuaded his inferior chiefs to accompany him on a voyage to Fiji. A large canoe being prepared, they put to sea. His people Risked him, on leavine. > £ - 1 "'- i ""ulfl.uut talste-a witortvi**— him, to which he' replied, that he would pick one up out of the sea. Approaching the rock of Hoonga, he steered close in shore, and suddenly jumping overboard, disappeared. While the people in the canoe were debating as to what had become of him, he reappeared with a beautiful female, whom they recognized as her whom they believed had been put to death. They pursued their voyage to Fiji, where the young couple lauded, and are living there now, to the best of my belief.