XIV 



IN MAMMOTH CAVE 



QtOME idea of the impression which Mammoth 

 ^ Cave makes upon the senses, irrespective even 

 of sight, may be had from the fact that blind people 

 go there to see it, and are greatly struck with it. 

 I was assured that this is a fact. The blind seem as 

 much impressed by it as those who have their sight. 

 When the guide pauses at the more interesting point, 

 or lights the scene up with a great torch or with Ben- 

 gal lights, and points out the more striking features, 

 the blind exclaim, " How wonderful! how beauti- 

 ful ! " They can feel it if they cannot see it. They 

 get some idea of the spaciousness when words are 

 uttered. The voice goes forth in these colossal cham- 

 bers like a bird. When no word is spoken, the si- 

 lence is of a kind never experienced on the surface 

 of the earth, it is so profound and abysmal. This, 

 and the absolute darkness, to a person with eyes 

 makes him feel as if he were face to face with the 

 primordial nothingness. The objective universe is 

 gone; only the subjective remains; the sense of 

 hearing is inverted, and reports only the murmurs 

 from within. The blind miss much, but much re- 

 mains to them. The great cave is not merely a 



