an uninviting aspect in the cold
nudity of winter. When the virgin foliage of spring appears, and ripens
into the full verdure of summer, the shade of these banks must be
delicious; the broad-leaved and loving vine extending its matrimonial
embrace as freely and universally through the forest as Joe Smith and
his brethren do theirs among the ladies at the Salt Lake; and when
autumn arrives, with those gorgeous glowing tints unknown to the Old
World, the scene must be altogether lovely; then the admirer of nature,
floating between the banks on the light-green bosom of the stream below,
and watching the ever-changing tints, as the sun dropped softly into his
couch in the west, would enjoy a feast that memory might in vain try to
exhaust itself in recalling.

There are guides appointed who provide lanterns and torches for visitors
who wish to examine the Mammoth Cave; and its interior is such a
labyrinth, that, without their aid, the task would be a dangerous one.
Rough clothing is provided at the hotel, the excursion being one of
scramble and difficulty.

Thus prepared, we started on our exploring expedition, passing at the
entry the remnants of old saltpetre works, which were established here
during the struggle at New Orleans. The extent of this cave would render
a detail tedious, as there are comparatively few objects of interest.
The greatest marvel is a breed of small white fish without eyes, several
of which are always to be seen. Like all similar places, it varies in
size in the most arbitrary manner. At one minute you are struggling for
space, and suddenly you emerge upon a Gothic-looking hall, full of
gracefully pendent stalactites. Again you proceed along corridors, at
one time lofty, at another threatening your head, if pride do not give
way to humility. Then you come to rivers, of which there are two. At one
time you are rowing under a magnificent vault, and then, anon, you are
forced to lie flat down in the boat, or leave your head behind you, as
you float through a passage, the roof whereof grazes the gunwale of the
boat. My guide informed me that there was a peculiarity in these rivers
nobody could satisfactorily account for, viz., that the more it rained,
the lower these waters fell. I expect the problem resembled that which
is attributed to King Charles, viz., "How it was, that if a dead fish
was put into a vessel full of water it immediately overflowed, but that,
if a live fish was put in, it did not do