THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 1a 
silently gazed, with unutterable thoughts, the 
boat and its specter-like voyagers passed entirely 
from our view around a projecting angle of 
rock; darkness reigned upon the face of the 
waters, as in primeval chaos; a long breath was 
taken, and some abortive efforts were made to 
express our feelings. After a brief interval of 
darkness, the Charon of this stream, with his 
solitary lamp in the prow of his rude boat, re- 
appears in the distance, returning for those left 
behind. The feelings inspired by this scene, 
we say, were of a character that can never be 
forgotten, and such, perhaps, as could be expe- 
rienced under no other circumstances; for no 
counterpart of the surroundings are known to 
exist. 
Being fatigued and thirsty, on our return from 
far beyond, we drank of the waters of Lethe, 
without, however, forgetting our troubles,—sore 
feet and weak knees! 
Upon disembarking on the opposite shore 
of Lake Lethe, we enter Great Walk, which 
extends from the lake to Echo River, a distance 
of five hundred yards. 
The ceiling is forty feet high, and the rocks 
which compose it present a striking resemblance 
to cumulus clouds. They are composed of white 
