Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-27


tonishment aud terror
Pluto or Sathanas; by all the Gods 2
said his friend coming up behind him, and
looking at me. My appearance must have
been picturesque, in my primitive costume
now begrimmed with dirt and seven bats
(they counted them hanging on my beard
with perfect net work and Medusa coil Of
them in my hair. i was very little disturbed
by the harmless little fellows, although before
coming to Egypt, scarcely knew of an animal
in the world so disgusting in my mind
But the atmosphere, if it may be so called,
Of this chamber, was beyond all description,
horrible. 1t was not an air to faint in there
was too much ammonia for that. 1t was foul
vile, terrible | confess, that as | found my
self painting for breath and drawing long.
deep inspirations, TO very choking, without
reaching the right place in my lungs, Il
think every one understands that | trembled
for an instant at the thought of going further
1t was but an instant, however, and the desire
to see the great repository of the sacred
animals oyerpowered the momentary ter
ror
" Abdallah ?"
"1a Howaiii"
" If anything happens, if fall down, give
out or faint don't you run Tell the guides
that | have ordered Abdet-Atti TO shoot them
man by man as they come out, if enc Of them
appears without ME. Do you you pour this
down my throat, and drag me out of the en-
trance. You understand ?"
" "Aiowah, Va Howaiji Fear aot | will
do It."
"Recollect that if die, you all die, that
is arranged for, as surely as you, one of you,
attempt the entrance without me, Abdet-Atti
is ready for YOU
The guides had listened attentively, and
having seen me hand nay pistols to my trusty
dragoman, before coming down, they believed
every word of it, although it never occurred to
me until this moment.
The guides were all at fault here, precisely
as they were in Mr. Legh's time, and that OF
every traveller since This chamber has been
the end of most attempts to explore the pits
The intense daSknesS is some excuse for this
since our eight candles wholly failed to show a
wall anv where around or above us The men
proposed that We should sit still, while they
tried various passages opening ont of the room
To this | objected, much preferring to trust
mvself at a jgncture like this. In that intense
darkness it was not easy TO find the way we
had come in for, of course, there was no
guide north and south, except my recollection
of this rock on which | was seated, and its
bearings as arproachedit. The reader will
bear in mind that the whole floor Of the room
was covered with immense masses Of rock,
among which We moved about in search of
outlets, leaving always one person on the rock,
70 mark its locality.
After trying three passages that led no.
where. hit on that which the guide prOnOunc-
ed correct, aud the party advanced. For the
benefit Of future explorers, if any such there
be, may explain that is the first passage that
goes out cf the chamber 10 the right, as YOU
enter il, This is TO say, keeping the right
hand wall will bring YOU to it, leapng chaSm
AT its entrance This this is the chaSm of
which Leigh speaks | found it only about six
feet.
The passage which we now entered ran so
low that found it necessary to creep on my
hands and knees and sometimes 10 crawl snake
fashion full length 1t continued for a dis
tance that hesitate TO estimate. 1t is wholly
Impossible to guess at the progress one Is max
inc in such poStures. Henker. think, makes
it about four hundred yards. | should think
a thousand feet was a very large estimate
but it NAV be as much, The air was now
worse. lacking the ammonia. Ii seemed TO be
poor nitrogen The Lungs operated freely.
but took no benefit or refreshmeut from it,
while the hea, Was awful and per>piration roll
ed down our faces and bodies, soaking oar
clothes. and making mud on our features ana
hands with the fine dust that filed the atmoS-
phcre.
At length the passage became so narrow
that nv progress was entirely bo-krd. My
g l. g.- -1.rh
paused to consider the matter. The hole was
about eighteen inches wide, and 4 little more
than two feet high EyideuEiy Nj. LeLa
! did not pass beyond this. | was obliged 10
/ lav over on my right side. preSeati4- my
/ body to its narrow way up aud down, and push
( lug with all the strength OF my feet IS wei
as pulling with my hands on the floor and
rocky projections, forced myself aloaS aboHt
eight feet. In this struggle my brandy TASK
which was i'm my trowSers pocket, beng undei
me. was broken to pieces, and my sole hope
in the event of giving out of my faculties wa;
gone. At the time thought little of it, langh
ing 1t the occurrence as called out to tho>t
that followed me but afterwards | remembered
the accident with shudder. The only argu
ment that had allowed NE to persuade myself
10 attempt this exploration was a promise thai
| would take some brandy with NE, which nt
one else had done, and If necessary, secure ar
| tifcial strength thereby. 1t was gone now
and il was more than a thousand feet 10 llgh
and. in passage that did not average f0u
feet bv two its entire length. \ vigorous puSt
sent me out into "a more open passage, and 1
sort of doorway opened in u gallery on ieve
of two feet lower Jumping down this step
was. fer the FIRST time in neatly bali an hour
where | could stand upright Ny Easiisl
friend shouted for help behind nae. His l5h
was gone ont. and be was literally stuck Il
the hole returned, touched my candie Z
his. and gave him hand TO drag him through
and in q few moments We we're alIstandiaS &c
| ra.har Nn NOW sdxancai SONG hundred feeI