golden stripes. The ceiling was arched, and draped in fantastic shapes,
and hung with stalactites innumerable. The room was so large and the
drapery and festooning so delicate and beautiful, that we were filled
with awe and could not speak for a time.

"At last we started to further explore this wonderland. On going to the
farther end of the room we found a passage leading on. This we followed
for a hundred feet and found the whole cavern lined with onyx and
crystals clear as glass. After loading up with specimens we retraced our
steps and on reaching the large room we had first entered we heard a
roaring, rumbling noise. An awful noise truly, which filled us with an
unknown dread.

"On approaching the entrance we saw a stream of water pouring down,
completely filling the hole.

"For a moment we felt like rats caught in a trap, our only way of egress
occupied by a stream of water falling straight down seventy feet, and
then we wondered how long it would take to fill up the room.

"Suddenly the thought that there might be an outlet for the water gave
us new hope, so we went to see and sure enough we found a natural
water-course down through an opening we had overlooked. We gathered up
courage once more, and thought the best thing would be something to
occupy our time. So we set to work getting out more specimens and in a
couple of hours the water stopped running and we were ourselves once
more.

"Ray grasped the rope, which was soaking wet, and went up the seventy
feet, hand over hand, like a cat. I, being heavier, found it quite