so;" and I have some suspicion
the solution is the same in both cases. Among other strange places, is
one which rejoices in the name of "Fat Man's Misery." At one minute the
feet get fixed as in the stocks; at another, the upper portion of the
body is called upon to make a right angle with the lower; even then, a
projecting point of the rock above will sometimes prod you upon the
upturned angle, in endeavouring to save which, by a too rapid act of
humility, you knock all the skin off the more vulnerable knee. Emerging
from this difficulty, and, perhaps, rising too hastily, a crack on the
head closes your eyes, filling them with a vision of forked lightning.
Recovering from this agreeable sensation, you find a gap like the edge
of a razor, in going through which, you feel the buttons of your
waistcoat rubbing against your backbone. It certainly would be no bad
half-hour's recreation to watch a rotund Lord Mayor, followed by a court
of aldermen to match, forcing their way through this pass after a turtle
dinner.

The last place I shall mention is the one which, to me, afforded the
greatest pleasure: it is a large hall, in which, after being placed in a
particular position, the guide retires to a distance, taking with him
all the lights; and knowing by experience what portion of them to
conceal, bids you, when he is ready, look overhead. In a few seconds it
has the appearance of the sky upon a dark night; but, as the eye becomes
accustomed to the darkness, small spots are seen like stars; and they
keep increasing till the vaulted roof has the appearance of a lovely
star-light night. I never saw a more pleasing or perfect illusion. It
would be difficult to estimate correctly the size of the Mammoth Cave.
The American gazetteers say it extends ten or twelve miles, and has
lateral branches, which, altogether, amount to forty miles. It is, I
imagine, second in size only to the Cacuhuainilpa, in Mexico, which, if
the accounts given are accurate, would take half a dozen such as the
Mammoth inside. I fear it is almost superfluous to inform the reader,
that the Anglo-Saxon keeps up his unenviable character for disfiguring
every place he visits; and you consequently see the names of Smith,
Brown, Snooks, &c., smoked on the rocks in all directions--an
appropriate sooty record of a barbarous practice.[N]

Having enjoyed two days in exploring this "gigantic freak of Nature,"
we commenced our return about half-past four in the afte