New National Fourth Reader Part 75

For five hundred miles of this distance, the river has worn deep cuts or gorges through the soft rock, called canons.

The rocky sides of these canons form lofty vertical walls, which, in some places, rise to a height of more than a mile above the surface of the water.

The largest and most noted of these vast gorges is the Grand Canon, which extends a distance of more than two hundred miles. The height of the walls of this canon varies from four thousand to seven thousand feet.

The river, as it runs through it, is from fifty to three hundred feet wide. So swift is the current, that it is almost impossible to float a boat down the stream without having it dashed to pieces against the rocky walls on either side.

The first descent through these canons was made in 1867, from a point on Grand River, about thirty miles above its junction with Green River.

Three men were prospecting for gold, and being attacked by Indians and one of their number killed, the other two decided to attempt the descent of the river, rather than retrace their steps through a country where Indians were numerous.

They constructed a raft of a few pieces of drift-wood, and having secured their arms and provisions, commenced their journey down the stream.

A few days afterward, while the raft was descending a cataract, one of the men was drowned and all the provisions were washed overboard.

The third man, hemmed in by the walls of the canon, continued the journey alone amid great perils from cataracts, rocks, and whirlpools.

For ten days he pursued, his lonely way, tasting food but twice during the whole time. Once he obtained a few green pods and leaves from bushes growing along the stream, and the second time from some friendly Indians.

At last he succeeded in reaching Callville in safety, after having floated several hundred miles.

LESSON LXXIII.

pro por'tions, _relations of parts to each other_.

in te'ri or, _the inside_.

al a bas'ter, _a kind of whitish stone_.

chasm, _a deep opening_.

a're a, _any surface, as the floor of a room_.

an'cient, _belonging to past ages_.

un ex am'pled, _without a similar case_.

co los'sal, _of great size_.

feat'ure, _any thing worthy of notice_.

dra'per y, _hangings of any kind_.

o ver awed', _held in a state of fear_.

sur pa.s.s'ing, _exceeding others_.

NATURAL WONDERS OF AMERICA.

PART II.

THE MAMMOTH CAVE.

In the year 1809, a hunter named Hutchins, while pursuing a bear in Edmondson County, Kentucky, was surprised to see the animal disappear into a small opening in the side of a hill.

Upon examining the spot, Hutchins found that the opening led into a cave. Following up the examination soon after, it was discovered that the cave was immense in its proportions.

On account of its great size, it was named Mammoth Cave. It has an area of several hundred square miles, and two hundred and twenty-three known and numbered avenues, with a united length of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred miles.

The interior of this cave is divided by huge columns and walls of stone into chambers of various shapes and sizes. Some of these are large enough to afford standing room for thousands of people.

One of the largest of these chambers is called Mammoth Dome. This room is four hundred feet long, one hundred and fifty feet wide, and two hundred and fifty feet in height.

The walls of this grand room are curtained by alabaster drapery in vertical folds and present to the eye a scene of unexampled beauty and grandeur.

A large gateway at one end of this room opens into another room, in which the position of the huge stone pillars, reminds one of the ruins of some ancient temple.

Six colossal columns, or pillars, eighty feet high and twenty-five feet in diameter, standing in a half circle, are among the imposing attractions of this wonderful room.

Another striking feature of Mammoth Cave is what is called the Dead Sea.

This body of water is four hundred feet long, forty feet wide, and very deep.

A curious fish is found in this dark lake. It is without eyes, and, in form and color, is different from any fish found outside the cave.

There are found also a blind gra.s.shopper, without wings, and a blind crayfish of a whitish color, both of which are very curious and interesting.

The fact that these living creatures are blind would seem to indicate that nature had produced them for the distinct purpose of inhabiting this dark cave.

NIAGARA FALLS.

Of all the sights to be seen on this continent, there is none that equals the great Falls of Niagara River, situated about twelve miles north of Buffalo, in the State of New York.