142 THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 
which we have already traveled, and by walk- 
ing. Under such circumstances we feel a keen 
appreciation of the value of horses and railroads. 
On our outward journey our party did not 
manifest the same degree of gayety or agility as 
during the inward passage. The contrast was 
striking: they filed along with heavy gait, and 
often in moody silence,—it being frequently 
necessary for the leaders to halt, count heads, 
and drum up the stragglers. All appeared will- 
ing to take advantage of every opportunity to 
be seated without being fastidious as to the 
character of the seat. 
On returning through Cleveland’s Cabinet, all. 
were anxious to secure specimens of the flowers, 
etc. The floor is strewn with fragments of 
these flowers, and visitors are privileged to take 
therefrom as many as they wish, without let or 
hinderance, but are not permitted, of course, to 
disturb those on the ceiling or walls. Many of 
the party selected the largest they could find. 
We, on the contrary, took pains to collect a va- 
riety of the smallest that would give a proper 
idea of their character, anticipating their op- 
pressive weight on the long journey yet before 
us. Our conjectures proved correct. - Before 
proceeding a mile several of the party began to 
throw down their specimens without a word of 
