THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 167 
narrow circle which was illuminated immediately 
around me; above and beyond was apparently an 
unlimited space, in which the ear could catch not 
the slightest sound, nor the eye find an object to 
rest upon. It was filled with silence and dark- 
ness; and yet I knew that I was beneath the 
earth, and that this space, however large it might 
be, was actually bounded by solid walls. My 
curiosity was rather excited than gratified. In 
order that I might see the whole in one con- 
nected view I built fires in many places with 
the pieces of cane that I found scattered among 
the rocks. Then taking my stand on the Mount- 
ain, a scene was presented of surprising magnifi- 
cence. On the opposite side the strata of gray 
limestone, breaking up by steps from the bottom, 
could scarcely be discerned in the distance by the 
glimmering light. Above was the lofty dome, 
closed at the top by a smooth, oval slab, beauti- 
fully defined in the outline, from which the walls 
sloped away on the right and left into thick 
darkness. Every one has heard of the dome of 
the Mosque of St. Sophia, of St. Peter’s and of 
St. Paul’s; they are never spoken of but in terms 
of admiration, as the chief works of architecture, 
and among the noblest and most stupendous ex- 
amples of what man can do when aided by 
