Most of the floor is flat and level as also is the ceiling, the
greatest irregularities being along the wall of greater length which
shows at what points the rushing water has spent its force. No water
flows through here now except in times of heavy rainfall. The other end
of the bridge has a somewhat smaller span but is very handsome, and the
outward views from both are exceedingly fine. After traversing about
four hundred feet more of the beautiful, high-walled Gulf, we stood
before the grand entrance to the cave, which is strikingly similar to
the first arch of the bridge. The only picture I was able to get was
taken from the slope of the Bridge-crown, one hundred feet below the
road, and merely gives a suggestion of the magnificence waiting
peacefully for the crowds of eager and enthusiastic sight-seers who will
in the near future rush to this charming region in the "Land of the Big
Red Apple."
My companions were the same as mentioned in the preceding chapter, a
nephew, James Arther Owen, and an obliging, tall young man of twenty,
who acted as guide and driver.
Relieving ourselves of all superfluous burdens just within the cave
entrance, we lighted candles and sat down to wait for our eyes to
adjust themselves to the changed condition, from brilliant sunlight to
absolute darkness, broken only by the feeble strength of three candles.
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