THE MAMMOTH CAVE. 75 



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 w^ak 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 



