74 THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 
farther bank of the River Styx is illuminated 
with a Bengal light, the view from the Natural 
Bridge is awfully sublime. 
Our attention is next drawn to a silent; peace- 
ful-looking body of water, called Lake Lethe. 
This lake is one hundred and fifty yards long, 
from ten to forty feet wide, and in depth varies 
from three to thirty feet. The ceiling of the 
avenue at this point is ninety feet above the 
surface of the lake. Lake Lethe extends in 
the direction of the avenue, the floor of which 
is covered by it. 
The lake is crossed in boats. On the occa- 
sion of our visit the boat was not sufficiently 
large to carry all of our party at one time; it 
was therefore necessary that a number of us 
should remain for the second trip. We sat 
down upon the dark shore and watched the 
boat glide slowly away. ‘The novel scene was 
peculiarly adapted to the production of a last- 
ing impression upon the imagination of the 
beholder,—the boat moving slowly and _ noise- 
lessly over the water, carrying its phantom-like 
freight, dressed in their fanciful costumes, the 
dim lamps throwing fitful flashes of light and 
shadow on the rippled surface, and through the 
darkness to the high ceiling above; then, as we 
