1 offer my mind any inferior consolation to supply this loss. No; I most willingly forsake this worldthis vexatious, troublesome world, in which I have no other business, but to rid my soul from sin; secure by faith and a good conscience my eternal interests; with patience and courage bear my eminent misfortunes, and ever hereafter be above the smiles and frowns of it. And when I have done the remnant of the work appointed me on earth, then joyfully wait for the heavenly perfection in God's good time, when by his infinite mercy I may be accounted worthy to enter into the same place of rest and repose where he is gone, for whom only I grieve. From that contemplation must come my best support. Good doctor, you will think, as you have reason, that I set no bounds, when I let myself loose to my complaints; but I will release you, first fervently asking the continuance of your prayers for,

Your infinitely afflicted

But very faithful servant.

CABINET OF NATURE.

THE GREAT KENTUCKY CAVERN.

(Concluded from page 12.)

From the course of his needle, the Doctor expected that this avenue would have led circuitously to the chief city; but was much disappointed when he reached the extremity, at a few hundred yards distance from the fourth city. In retracing his steps, not having paid a due attention to mark the entrances of the different avenues, he was greatly bewildered, and once completely lost himself for nearly fifteen or twenty minutes. Thus, faint and wearied, he did not reach the chief area till ten at night; but was still determined to explore the cavern so long as his light should last. Having entered the fifth and last avenue from the chief area, and proceeded south-east about nine hundred yards, he came to the fifth area, the arch of which covers upwards of four acres of level ground, strewed with limestones, and having fire-beds of an uncommon size, surrounded with brands of cane interspersed. Another avenue on the opposite side, led to one of still greater

capacity, the walls or sides of which were more perfect than any that had been noticed, running almost due south for nearly a mile and a half, and being very level and straight, with an elegant arch. While the Doctor was employed, at the extremity of this avenue, in sketching a plan of the cave, one of his guides, who had strayed to a distance, called on him to follow. Leaving the other guide, he was led to a vertical passage, which opened into a chamber at least 1800 feet in circumference, and the centre of the arch of which was 150 feet in height.

It was past midnight when he entered this chamber of eternal darkness; and when he reflected on the different avenues through which he had passed since he had penetrated the cave at eight in the morning, and now found himself buried several miles in the dark recesses of this awful cavern-the grave, perhaps of thousands of human beings-he felt a shivering horror. The avenue, or passage, which led, from it was as large as any he had entered; and it is uncertain how far he might have travelled had his lights not failed him. All those who have any knowledge of this cave, he observes, conjecture that Green River, a stream navigable several hundred miles, passes over three of its branches.

After a lapse of nearly an hour, he descended by what is called the "passage of the chimney," and joined the other guide. Thence returning to the chief area or city, where the lamps were trimmed for the last time, he entered the spacious avenue which led to the second hoppers. Here he met with various curiosities, such as spars, petrifactions, &c.; and these he brought away together with a mummy which was found at the second hoppers. He reached the mouth of the cave about three in the morning, nearly exhausted with nineteen hours of constant fatigue. He nearly fainted on leav ing it and on inhaling the vapid air of the atmosphere, after having so long breathed the pure air occasioned by the nitre of the cave. His pulse beat stronger when withinside, but not so quick as when on the surface.

Here the Doctor observes that he has hardly described half the cave, not having named the avenues between

a

its mouth and the second hoppers. This part of his narrative is of equal interest with what has been already given. He states that there is a passage in the main avenue, upwards of nine hundred feet from the entrance, like that of a trap-door. By sliding aside large flat stone, you can descend sixteen or eighteen feet in a very narrow defile, where the passage comes on a level, and winds about in such a manner, as to pass under the main passage without having any communication with it, at length opening into the main cave by two large passages just beyond the second hoppers. This is called the "glauber-salt room," from salts of that kind being found there. Next come the sick room, the bat room, and the flint room, together with a winding avenue, which, branching off at the second hoppers, runs west and south-west for more than two miles. It is called the "haunted chamber," from the echo within its arch is very beautifully incrusted with lime-stone spar; and in many places the columns of spar are truly elegant, extending from the ceiling to the floor. Near the centre of this arch is a dome, apparently fifty feet high, hung in rich drapery, festooned in the most fanciful manner, for six or eight feet from the hangings, and in colors the most rich and brilliant. By the reflection of one or two lights, the columns of spar and the stalactites have a very romantic appearance. Of this spar a large cellar, called "Wilkins' armed chair," has been formed in the centre of the avenue, and encircled with many smaller ones. of spar, fluted and studded with knobs of spar and staThe columns lactites; the drapery of various colors superbly festooned, and hung in the most graceful manner; these are shown with the greatest brilliancy by the reflection of the lamps.

In the vicinity of the "haunted chamber," the sound of a cataract was heard; and at the extremity of the avenue was a reservoir of water, very clear and grateful to the taste, apparently having neither inlet nor outlet. Here the air, as in many other parts of the cave, was pure and delightful. Not far from the reservoir, an avenue presented itself, within which were several columns of the most brilliant spar, sixty or

seventy feet in height, and almost perpendicular, standing in basins of water; which, as well as the columns, the Doctor observes, surpass, in splendor and beauty, every similar work of art he had ever seen.

Returning by a beautiful pool of water, the Doctor came to the second hoppers, where he had found the mummy before alluded to. It had been removed from another cave, for preservation, and was presented to him by his friend Mr. Wilkins, together with the apparel, jewels, music, &c. with which it was accompanied. It has since been placed in the Washington museum, the proprietor of which thinks it probable that this mummy is as ancient as the immense mounds of the western country, which have so much astonished the world.

The Machines used by the Eastern Nations for ploughing, are constructed upon the same general prinpcile, though with considerable variation. The whole power of these instruments, however, seems only adapt. ed for what our farmers would call scratching rather

than ploughing the earth. It is evident from the above sketch of the eastern plough while at work, that it can only operate upon the surface of the ground; and is not like our machine, intended to turn up fresh earth, and subject it to the influences of the atmosphere. The plough-share of the latter is a mass of iron of great strength and magnitude; our swords also are of a length and form so ill adapted to be converted into plough-shares, and applied to peaceful purposes, that we do not feel the full force of the delightful idea conveyed in the prophet's prediction, "they shall beat their swords into plough-shares," until we observe that the plough-share employed by the oriental nations, is at broad but not a large piece of iron, which tips the end of the shaft; and are also informed that the swords of the ancient warriors were short and thick, so that a very little trouble indeed would convert them into plough-shares.

The oxen at plough will naturally remind the reader of several passages of scripture, wherein this labor is referred to as performed by oxen: so we read in the 1 Kings xix. ver. 19, that Elisha "was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth." This great number of oxen suggests the idea of great riches in their owner; and as they appear to have been the property of Elisha himself, or at least of his family, they lead us to suppose that he would not have quitted so much wealth, nor have offered his oxen as a farewell feast to his people, as related in the two last verses of the chapter above quoted, previously to his departure to follow after Elijah, had he not been conscious of a divine power influencing his mind and directing his actions.

Ploughing in the East was not always performed at once going over the land; the first time it was done chiefly for the purpose of preparing it: after this the seed was sown, and a second ploughing answered the purpose of our harrowing, by covering the seeds previously committed to the ground. It was in short harrowing and ploughing combined in one operation. That the first ploughing was a work requiring atten