were to, ride; for the floor of the cavern is of water. The guide
arranged a pair of gasoline torches at the bow of a long s flat bbat
and then, when we had taken our places, headed the craft towards
the darkness, and our underground voyage was commenced.
The Water dripped from the roof overhead and our voices
sounded hollow as though in an empty hall. Looking back we
could see the entrance growing smaller 'and smaller, brit soon we
turned a corner and the outside light disappeared entirely. We
moved along through chambers and corridors where the stalactites
hang in all shapes and sizes. Some are in great bunches, like
bananas; other in long rows, like icicles; still others are masses
of rounded knobs and bunches, like bundles of vegetables. Most
of them are gray or dull brown ; but in places are rows and clusters
of pure white ones. Along the sides, on shelves and boulders,
are images and statues. One tall column is named the "Goddess
of Liberty." Another, which my guide called the " Old Man,"
looks like a'hooded monk at his devotions. We passed through
the largest room, which is fifty feet to the roof, and then through a
passage so low that we could reach the rock over our heads as we
rode slowly under, Entering another chamber we saw thousands
of bats hanging head downward from the ceiling. In some places
were great masses of the little creatures and as we approached
they all commenced their sharp squeaking and kept it up until
our light disappeared. In some places at the sides we saw what
appeared to be waterfalls and cataracts which had been suddenly
turned to stone; and along here are rows and clusters of thin
stalactites loOking like dried fish and clusters' of leaves. At one
place the passage is almost blocked by a great boulder which runs
into the water from one side, leaving barely room for the boat to
pass. Back of this rock there is a rough, uneven chamber with
its floor above water, but damp and slippery from the perpetual
drip from the roof.
" That's what we-tins call the dry cave," said the guide.
" There's a little narrer hole where ye can crawl out, back in.
there. • Ye can see the end outside."
I dropped my hand with a careless splash into the dark water
and the guide started suddenly and shivered as though he felt
himself sinking in its chilling blackness. Seen in the flaring
light of the torch, his face, for a moment, was ghastly and I
AN ADV.tNTIIRE UNDERGROUND