True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-12-12


drew himself up by the hands and plunged
into the passage. Urged by the dread of
the coming explosion. he rushed eagerly
onward, and just as the roar of the blast
filled his ears, he fell headlong forward in
to sheet of water, which spread about
three feet below the extremity of the pass
age. He sank beneath the surface, and
when he rose, confused and breathless, it
was to find himself floating in utter dark
ness, without tile slightest idea of the
point by which he had entered, and with
hardly chance of discovering the OPEN
ing, which lay so high above the water.
A more horrible situation can hardly be
conceived. Still, even in this extremity,
hope did not desert him. After some re.
Election, he fixed upon the direction in
which he judged the passage to lie, and
swan carefully towards it. He was soon
convinced, by the space passed over, that
he was mistaken in his judgement; but
considering it better to keep on until he
found the wall than to waste his strength
in swimming about at random, he proceed
ed steadily forward for distance, as he
judged, of nearly two hundred yards. At
length he encountered the wall, which rose
perpendcularly far above his head, as he
found by the splash of the water which he
threw against it. Coasting along it, and
occasionally touching it with one hand, he
advanced for about hundred yards further,
by which time his limbs were becoming
stiff and benumbed in the ice-cold water,
and his heart had almost failed him. But
he was not destined to perish thus. He
suddenly came upon a passage, the opening
Of which was little lower than the sur
face of the water. 1t was evident from
this fact, as weiius FROM the Ne Of tire
passage, that it could not be thatby which
he had entered. However, it offered him
at least respite from death, and he prompt
ly ayailed himself of it. After sitting mo-
tionless for time to recover from the ex-
haustation of his recent efforts, he rose,
and proceeded to explore the passage. 1t
proved to be sort of vaulted chamber,
|
about his own height, and just wide enough
for him to touch its sides with his out
stretched hands. A soul-cheering idea sud-
denly flashed upon his mind. There was
tradition of an ancient adit which had
been driven at vast expense through the
mountain, to effect the drainage of the old
mine of San Adrian. When the mine was
abandoned, the adit, of course, was no
longer attended to; its external opening
becume closed up, and, in the space of more
than two hundred years which had passed,
its precise locality-indeed, everything but
the mere fact of its existence-was forgot
ten. Manuel well remembered to have one
day heard Don Jayne say to Mexican
gentleman, who accompanied him on for
mer visit to the mine, that he should con-
slider the discovery of the old adit an ines
timable service, as it would, probably, save
the company an immense expense for drain
tso in tha;r pa,,, ,,,orE,
The further the miner advanced the more
assured he became Of the truth of his sup
position. The adit-as from its situation
must be-of great length; and Manuel
walked, as he supposed, nearly five hun
dred yards before reaching the extremity.
The water all the way was just up to his
ankles, and he thought he could perceive
at times that it had slight current in the
direction in which he was going. The
passage was closed, as he had anticipated,
by solid mass of earth and stones, which
he at once set about removing. Making
good use Of his long knife. he worked in.
defatigably for more than an hour. At last
he struck the roots of tree, circumstance
which assured him that he was approach
ing the surface. The conviction gave him
renewed strength. He cut with his knife,
and dug with his torn and bleeding hands.
until, at length, lucky push loosened a
large stone which was enclosed between
two of the roots Of the tree. 1t fell for
ward, and the bright rays of heaven pour.
ed in upon his dazzled and enchanted vision.
He felt thrill of delight, such as one en-.
tombed before his time might experience
when the doors of his sepulchre flew out
ward, and gave him back once more to
warmth aGd light. With little addition
al labor he enlarged the aperture, until he
was able TO force himself through it. But
what was his astonishment when at length
he stood under the open sky, to find that he
was in the exact spot in which he had ta-
ken his noontide meal only few hours be.
fore
A moments consideration cleared up the
mystery, The fountain was not natural
spring, but simply the place of exit for the
waters which slowly accumulated in the
mine, and percolated through the mass o.
rocks, earth and vegetation, that closed
the entrance of the adit. So exact, how.