see the animal disappear
into a small opening in the side of a hill.

Upon examining the spot, Hutchins found that the opening led into a
cave. Following up the examination soon after, it was discovered that
the cave was immense in its proportions.

On account of its great size, it was named Mammoth Cave. It has an area
of several hundred square miles, and two hundred and twenty-three known
and numbered avenues, with a united length of from one hundred and
fifty to two hundred miles.

The interior of this cave is divided by huge columns and walls of stone
into chambers of various shapes and sizes. Some of these are large
enough to afford standing room for thousands of people.

One of the largest of these chambers is called Mammoth Dome. This room
is four hundred feet long, one hundred and fifty feet wide, and two
hundred and fifty feet in height.

The walls of this grand room are curtained by alabaster drapery in
vertical folds and present to the eye a scene of unexampled beauty and
grandeur.

A large gateway at one end of this room opens into another room, in
which the position of the huge stone pillars, reminds one of the ruins
of some ancient temple.

Six colossal columns, or pillars, eighty feet high and twenty-five feet
in diameter, standing in a half circle, are among the imposing
attractions of this wonderful room.

Another striking feature of Mammoth Cave is what is called the Dead Sea.
This body of water is four hundred feet long, forty feet wide, and very
deep.

A curious fish is found in this dark lake. It is without eyes, and, in
form and color, is different from any fish found outside the cave.

There are found also a blind grasshopper, without wings, and a blind
crayfish of a whitish color, both of which are very curious and
interesting.

The fact that these living creatures are blind would seem to indicate
that nature had produced them for the distinct purpose of inhabiting
this dark cave.

NIAGARA FALLS.

Of all the sights to be seen on this continent, there is none that
equals the great Falls of Niagara River, situated about twelve miles
north of Buffalo, in the State of New York.

On first beholding this most wonderful of all known cataracts, one is
overawed by its surpassing grandeur, "and stunned by the sound of the
falling waters as by a roar of thunder."

For quite a distance above the falls, the Niagara River is about one
mile wide, and flows with great swiftness.

Just