rst on the air from those on the other shore, as
the brilliant light showed them that the chief had gained his object.

[5] By filling a tumbler nearly full of water, and pouring a
small quantity of ether upon its surface, on application of a
torch, it will burn with a very beautiful light.

After lighting the tripod, the chief saw, a little way up the shore,
three objects that, from their resemblance to a canoe, attracted his
attention. Going close to them, he found the largest ten feet long, and
four wide in the middle, oval at the bottom, and tapering to a point at
the ends. They seemed to be made of metal, for, though quite strong,
they were covered inside and out with corroding rust. A thought struck
the chief that, perhaps, they were canoes, and might still be used. To
settle the point was but a moment's work; and he dragged one to the
water, when, lo! it floated in a handsome style, and jumping in, and
using his hands for paddles, with wild delight beaming from his bronzed
features, he gained the other shore. As he approached, they laughed and
shouted with pleasure. One at a time was conveyed over, until all, in a
little while, were landed safely on the beach. Here the water evidently
terminated; but the sides were still precipitous, although the cavern
was of much less height than formerly, and they had some hope that they
were near the outlet. The shore was covered with smooth white pebbles,
that shone brightly in the light, and had much the appearance of quartz
worked by the constant action of water. The children, who were eager to
find something that they could convey away without the knowledge of the
chief, searched eagerly among these pebbles; nor was their labor lost,
for every few minutes one or the other found a "_star stone_," as the
chief called them, and adroitly placed them in their pockets. In this
way they had made quite a collection by the time they were called to
move on. They found, also, at this spot, piles of what had evidently
been of some importance, but so much decayed by time, as to defy the
possibility of telling their original compositions.

On they moved, but, still, they came to no outlet. The bottom had the
same pebbly appearance, the sides precipitous, the top low; and, for
more than a mile, there was not the slightest variation in the
appearance of the cavern.

"This is a long cave," said Howe, "and the strangest I ever saw. And
that is saying much, for a trappe