COLLINGWOOD CAVES 85 



ceiling. It seemed as if I had left the busy world, and 

 entered the fabled abode of gnomes and fairies. 



That I might not lose my way in the tortuous 

 passages, I tore up several old letters, and scattered 

 the pieces as I wandered along. About half a mile 

 from the entrance, the stream plunged over a precipice 

 in a beautiful waterfall. Farther than this I could not 

 go, as there was no way of descending. 



On the ceiling above the fall, many glow-worms had 

 chosen a home, and, on blowing out the candle, one 

 could imagine himself under a starlit sky. ' Blind 

 crickets were numerous, and I procured quite a num- 

 ber. I was loath to return, as I had become enthusiastic 

 over the weird scenes through which I had passed. 



On reaching the mouth of the cave again, I began 

 digging in the soft dirt of the floor for Moa bones ; but 

 after working some time, and finding nothing, I gave 

 up, and went in search of other caves. There were 

 many, for the whole hill seemed to be a labyrinth of 

 underground excavations, and I soon discovered one in 

 which bones were buried. 



The birds seemed to have fallen down the holes, and, 

 unable to get out, had perished, leaving their bones to 

 tell the tale. They were evidently a much smaller 

 species than we found at Motenau, and the bones were 

 not in such a good state of preservation. During the 

 time I remained, I dug out parts of two skeletons, but, 

 thinking it hardly worth while to stay longer, left 



