74 THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 



farther bank of the River Styx is illuminated 

 with a Bengal light, the view from th-e 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 



