Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-19
VOLUME XII. NO. A.

feet in hight; but owing to the sand constantly
running through and pressing down the roof
from above, by the third day the space became
SO small that the poor man could no longer stand
or even sit upright, but crushed upon the ground
IN peculiarly painful manner--his legs doub.
LED under him, and his head pressed on one side
against his shoulder. His arms, however, were
free, and he used his knife to cut away such
parts of the woodwork as particularly incom-
moded him, and to widen the small hole the
rope had made. Through this hole. by means
OF a small green bottle, soup and wine were let
down to him, and, after few days what was
quite as important, narrow bag to receive and
orlng to the surface the constantly aceumulating
sand, which must soon have smothercd him if
this means of removing it had not been devised.
and he had not had strength and energy for
such painful labor as the constantly filing and
reiilling the bag soon became Of course any
l.Gssilre frnrn--ahara, pranld sIye forced in the
temporary roof, 50 that nothing could be attemp-
ted in the way Of removing the mass Of sand.
NC, that had fallen i'll. They dared not touch
tho surface above, but they contrived bv means
OF tube TO speak to him. A cousin of his
himself a well-digger, was let down for this pur-
pose. This man spoke to Dufavol, and assured
hlm that the miners were making progres, and
and would soon reach him; he inquired after
his wife and child, and charged his cousin to
tell her from him to be of good cheer. and not
lose heart. AT this time he had been a week in
the well.
Day succeeded day, and still the expectations
OF the miners were deceived. They worked
night and day; but such was the treachcrous
nature of the sol that neither pickaxe or shoy,
el could be used the foremost miner worked
upon his knees, inserting cautiously a fiat piece
OF wood into the ground, and afterwards cath
erlng up with his hands, and passing to those
behind him, the sand which he thus disturbed.
On the twelfth day Of his imprisonment, they
calculated they were only twelve inches from
him, and yet it took them two days longer be-
fore they were able to reach him. Every min
"'0 ''iN SAoHiu wac SiNAiS way, anu IL eohlt-
times took them many hours to repair the damage
that single moment had produced. Besides,
they felt it necessary to proceed with the utmost
caution, when they approached DuG,vel; for
there was great reason to fear, whenever an OPEN
ing was made, the mass of sand above his head
would fall down and suffocate him. At length.
about two o'clock in the morning Of Friday,
10Th September they made small opening in.
to the well, just above his shoulders. The poor
man shouted with JOY, and was able with his
knife to assist in extircating himself He was
carefnlly conveyed along the horizontal gallery.
and wrapped in blankets before he was drawn
up into the open air. Severe. medical men
were in attendance, and one of them had him
conveyed to his house, and put to bed.
We will not attempt to describe DnfaveI's
happy meeting with his wife, nor the tears of
joy which he shed over his infant boy, who did
not at first recognize him, mudled up as he was
obliged to be to protect him from the cold, and
his chin covered with beard of more than
fortnight's growth.
In the evening he was SO well that Doctor
Bienyonu consented to his being conveyed to his
own home; and he was accordingly transported
thither in litter, attended by a great concourse
Of happy and thankful spectators