yellow, speckled salamanders, with signs of eyes but no sight; also a jet black salamander, which like the rest, was blind.  The bats were of two species—­the common brown bat and the larger light grey or yellow species.  But this was not the time of the year to see many bats in caves.  In the summer season most of them go out and remain until cool weather, and then return to the caves with their young; so I was rather surprised to see as many as we did.

“Down comes the rope for the last time, and taking my place, I soon feel myself spinning around and slowly rising.  As I again pass the magic city I saw going down, a stronger wish than ever takes possession of me to go there, and I look for any chance to solve the problem of how such a journey can be made.  ’Thou art so near and yet so far.’

“Suddenly I find myself emerging from the ground into a very hot world, with the evening sun blazing so that the air feels like the scorching heat of an oven; and my late companions are scattered about under the trees, no doubt wishing themselves back in the cool regions below the hot cliffs.

“My final conclusions in regard to Fairy Cave were that it was about six hundred feet long by from fifteen to forty feet wide and from eighty to ninety feet high:  that in the upper story there are rooms that I could not reach, that will amply pay the scientist and explorer to investigate in the future:  that probably we reached all the accessible parts in the level we traveled:  that the temperature was fifty-six or very near that degree:  that small as it is, it contains the finest formations and grandest scenery I have ever seen in a cave:  and I have examined over one hundred of various sizes.  I believe that for interior beauty its equal is not to be found in America, and I sincerely believe that the verdict of future exploration will establish the truth of the assertion, but as equally good judges differ on such matters, time will be required for a true and just decision.  There are yet many promising caves to be explored in this region, and if my strength holds out a few years I hope to see them all.

“T.  S. Powell.”

POWELL CAVE.

As a measure of consolation for the disappointment of not seeing the beauty of Fairy Cave, Mr. Irwin suggested that only a quarter of a mile further on was another, recently discovered and worthy of a visit, although small.

In that region of steep hills and sharp-edged rocks, a great amount of travel can be added to the experience of a tender-foot in a short distance.  The quarter of a mile seemed to stretch out in some mysterious way as we worked on it, but the variety and abundance of attractions are more than ample compensation.