overcome by placing a foot on either side of
the open crevice; the first consideration, of course, being safety and
not grace.

We now came to the enjoyment of the reward of merit. Flooded with the
brilliant white light of magnesium ribbon, the crevice walls could be
seen drawing together at a height of sixty-five feet, and both composed
entirely of larger box work than any seen before and very heavily
covered with calcite crystal, colored a bright electric blue and glowing
with a pearly lustre. This is the Centennial Gallery, and leaving it
with reluctance we passed on into the Blue Grotto to find it finer
still. It is somewhat wider and higher, while even the extremely rough,
uneven floor shows no spot bare of heavy box work of a yet deeper blue.

The wonderful beauty of this Blue Grotto necessarily stands beyond
comparison because in all the known world there is nothing like it. The
forms of crystal are chiefly aragonite.

From here we pass to the "Chamber de Norcutt," which would be considered
a very handsome room if it had no superiors: and the same can be said of
Union College, in which, however, is the Fan Rock to claim special
notice; an immense piece of fallen box work shaped like a lady's fan
half opened.

An imposing vestibule leads into the extensive but rather dreary
Catacombs, from which we crawled through a little hole into the M.W.A.
Hall, emerging at the top of a steep but not high slope covered with the
smooth yellow crust of calcite encountered at other places, and in
trying to make a dexterous turn so as to go down feet first, the
descent was accomplished with uncalculated suddenness and an unsought
but liberal collection of bruises. This, however, was not a happening of
the unexpected and could have no attention amid scenes of wonder and
beauty, and we were close to the Geysers. From a scientific point of
view this is the most important portion of the cave, for here is an
indisputable proof that the water in the cave was hot and that it was
subject to geyser action. The surrounding region is covered with the
crust already described, and at the top of a gentle elevation is thrown
up in the unmistakable form of geyser cones; there being two near
together on the surface described, with a third visible through one of
these on a slightly lower level, this one being a new discovery, as it
had escaped observation until we called attention to it.

These small cones show that after the degree of heat an