# Phosphor/Chapter 11

CHAPTER XI.
The cave was now perfectly dark, the light from the body of the white female having gradually faded when she died.
It was too late now to think of the consequences of my act. I felt that directly any of the creatures came to the cave and saw that her body no longer emitted light, they would know she was dead.
One of my attendants appeared at the opening.
As I expected, all being dark, he entered, and saw the body. He ran to it, knelt down, touched it, and then uttered a frightful yell.
The other attendant rushed in, and on learning what was the matter, gave vent to a succession of the most horrible blood-curdling shrieks I have ever heard.
Soon the cave was filled with others, who, on hearing she was dead, joined then, in giving utterance to their grief.
The scene was weird and grotesque.
These creatures, in the abandonment of their grief, resembled so many devils. Hundreds and hundreds crowded the cave and opening. They ​took no notice of me, and in their sorrow must have forgotten my existence.
Suddenly, without the slightest warning, a sound as of a thousand cannons broke on our ears.
The earth shook with such force that numbers were thrown off their feet on to the ground.
With a yell that was nearly drowned by the noise of the falling rocks, they rushed from the cave in a struggling mass.
One only remained—a servant the white female had given to me.
He took up a position near the body, and was so wrapt up in his sorrows that he did not seem to pay any attention to the shaking of the earth.
After a few seconds it shook with redoubled violence.
The walls of the cave swayed to and fro, large pieces of rock broke from them, and some fell close to where I was lying.
I jumped up and ran to the opening, but could go no further.
A large stream of lava coming from the direction of the crater flowed between me and the large cave. In the cave I could see hundreds of the creatures running hither and thither in the most aimless manner, their crying and shrieking being heartrending.
There was no chance of getting to the other side, ​as the stream was already twelve or fourteen feet wide.
It spread with the most frightful rapidity, and overtook some of them who had been unable to gain a high spot.
With hideous shrieks they fell into the bubbling lava—in a second disappeared, and were carried along in the boiling torrent.
Numbers had managed to gain rocks above it, and escaped for the time being.
The trembling of the earth detached some of the rocks they were on; they would fall, clutching wildly at the sides until they were engulfed in the seething mass.
Standing where I was, the heat became unbearable, so I returned to the opening of the small cave, and climbing up the rocks, seated myself on a ledge as far as possible above the ground.
Here I had a view of those on the other side.
Occasionally one, overcome with the heat, with a feeble cry, would let go his hold and fall fainting into the molten lava.
The servant climbed on a rock close to me. The stream of lava looked like a long thread of fire, as it flowed along the passage in the direction of the "cave of snakes."
The shrieks of those who saw it gradually rising to the ledges they were on, the low rumbling ​the earth, and the roar of the fiery steaming mass as it rushed amongst the rocks, were sounds never to be forgotten.
A large piece of the wall on the opposite side fell with a great crash, bearing hundreds of creatures with it. The expression of their faces as they touched the lava was most frightful.
The stream was rising rapidly, and at the present rate would be up to my ledge in an hour. In less than that time I knew the heat would suffocate me. So I left my position, and climbed along the wall to the cave where the body of the white female lay.
The lava had already entered the opening and was gradually covering the floor.
In a few seconds it consumed the hair, and, reaching the body, soon covered it—filling the cave with an odour of burnt flesh.
The servant followed me wherever I went; when he saw the body of his mistress burning, his grief burst forth anew.
I gained a place about twenty feet from the ground, and resigned myself to my fate.
By the light from the lava, and the body of my attendant, I was able to see distinctly.
Looking about me, I perceived a hole in the wall a few feet above.
I determined to try and reach it.
​The earth shook every few moments—each time I expected to be precipitated from the ledge.
It was too steep to climb straight up, so I commenced to crawl towards the hole in a zig-zag manner.
I had gained a ledge about three feet from it when the creature, who, I thought, had been paying no attention to my movements, gave a shrill cry, and sprang at me.
The onset was so sudden that I nearly lost my foot-hold.
With an effort I recovered myself, and, catching the creature by its short throat, tried to choke it.
Lucky for me, I had chosen weak, small ones for my servants, for, had it been a large male, I should not have had a chance.
As it was, each moment I thought he would get the better of me.
As we were struggling on the ledge, I tried to think of a reason for his sudden attack, but could not.
With a mighty effort he loosened my hold on his throat; as he did so his foot slipped, and he fell into the burning lava, leaving a lock of his long, bluish-white hair in my hand.
Looking down, I saw the snake on a ledge of rock, trying to escape from the heat.
This was the reason of his wish to kill me.
​Seeing the snake, and knowing there were none on this side of the crevice, he had probably divined that I had brought it here and killed his mistress with it.
None of them would have dared to touch it, much less to carry it from one cave to the other.
Gaining the hole, I passed through, the light from the molten lava permitting me to see that the opening extended some distance. It was not very wide, and about nine or ten feet high in the part I stood in.
It ascended for the short distance I could see.
Was it possible for this passage to lead me outside these awful caves? I ran along, each moment expecting to be crushed.
The noise was tremendous even here. I could hear the shrieks of some of the creatures who were not yet dead.
Slipping and stumbling I rushed along in the darkness.
The passage must have widened, for though I could hear the stones falling from the sides, none came near me; and by the sound of those falling I was saved from running into the walls.
Breathless, and fainting I hurried on.
How long I continued running I have no idea; but at last, in the distance, high above me, I saw a light.
​The passage ascended towards it. This gave me a fresh impetus, and with hope in my breast I climbed the steep path.
My feet and hands, bleeding from the many sharp rocks they had come in contact with, caused me great pain; but now I seemed to forget them.
That light was to me as a star of hope, guiding my weary, faltering footsteps from hell to heaven.
The earth still shook, occasionally with such violence, that I was thrown off my feet.
Now that I saw some chance of getting out of the place, I felt hopeless—that I was doomed to die—that however near I came to the light I should never reach it. This was an additional torture.
A piece of rock fell from above, and striking my left shoulder felled me to the ground. Though nearly insensible from the effects of the blow, I managed to regain my feet and stumbled on.
I had not advanced two hundred yards from the spot, when there was a mighty shock, and hundreds of tons of earth fell from the sides, and covered the place where I had been standing. Nearer and nearer I approached the light.
Yes! thank God! I could see the sky.
At last I was in the open air, the fresh wind of ​heaven playing on my face, and the rippling sea stretched out before my dazzled eyes.
With what little remaining strength was left me, I crawled through the hole, which was about four feet in diameter.
Hardly had I done so than the earth shook, then swayed to and fro—small stones and dust, accompanied with a crashing noise like thunder, seemed to be forced through the opening.
The passage had collapsed. I staggered to my feet—tried to walk—everything turned round and round; the earth seemed to rise up; I fell, and remember no more.