San Andreas independent., 1858-12-18
CHAPTER III.

hC ctoiC OIs AdHo luc 0cIiIdH
trader, was the rendezvous of the gossipping
male inhabitants of Tumbletown. Hans be-
longed to that class of teutonic provision deal
ers, who, by a certain accommodating man.
ner, and intuitive knack ofguessing at pound
of cheese. or slicing siuaked beef are emil
nently qualified for their occupations In per-
son, he was like many of his countryrnen, in
clined to corpulency; but the most striking
popularity of Meineka, was his eyes which,
for prominence, distance of separation and an
indescribable searching after the marvellous,
were not excelled by any other eyes that ever
saw daylight The man was loquacious
enough, yet his eyes were ever speaking
g You don't say so," was their natural express
sion He should, according to chronological
rules, have large power of expression, in
words. We don't deny it; but his English
vocabulary was certainly deficient and mea-
gre, as the reader will perceive.
The news of another appearance of the
spirit had been communicated to Hans by
Simpkins, as he hurried past on the evening
before, and a crowd had already assembled,
enquiring for particulars.
" Vein gracious, shentlemens, Pones bin
come more-te head mitout te poty. limp
kins bin ridin over Stony Gulch backwards,
nit his coat proken and his face bluttish, ven
wir no make ter tuyfel still wir all link in
hell, py shimminy!'
Man is a superstitious being; and, in our
humble opinion, superstition is endemic. The
frequent appearance of the spirit of Bones
had so aroused the wonder, and excited the
astonishment of the Tumbletown people, that
even the most enlightened of its citizens were
beginning to think there must be something
supernatural in the phenomenon. Mat, who
had heretofore spoken of the mystery, in ridi-
cule, was watched for to pronounce upon it
he being now qualified by oceular observa
ton. After Coffin therefore, declared that he
was puzzled, and announced his intention to
further investigate the matter, scarcely man
in the place was inclined to speak lightly of
the affair. Coffin was more vexed than fright
ened. In his opinion, somebody was playing
upon the credulity of the town, and let the
consequences be what they might, he was de-
termined to go to the bottom of that tshaft In
vain did Simpkins explain the desperate chan
ces OF the attempt, or Hans Meineka benevo-
lently expostulate Mat would make the de-
scent to appease his own curiosity; and soon
the crowd were at work preparing the rope
and windass. Before noon, surrounded by
an assemblage of anxious friends, Coffin step
ped into the bucket and was lowered from the
surface of the earth, between the moss-grown
sides fthe long deserted shaft. Slowly. care
fully and silently did the men at the cranks
unwind the rope. A dozen heads darkened
the aperture, inquisitively watching the de-
scent. Down went the bucket revealing to
the voyager the damp green wall, spotted with
dirty white eflorescences of impure salts
dlngy incrustatons of bitter and deadly fungi,
and the nearly obliterated pick-marks of the
departed aborer Eightv-ninety-a hundred
feet OF rope was unwound; then a sudden
yielding of its tension, and restingpf the wind
lass gave sign that the bottom was reached
A hundred interrogations were soon proposed
to the adventurer, but not one word was re-
turned. Suspense was depicted upon every
face, and after waiting impatient,y a half hour,
the thought flashed upon one of the bystand-
ers that the shaft might contain carbonic acid
gas, and that Mat, at that very moment might
be lying suffocated on the bottom. A light
was Immediately obtained to let down and test
the atmosphere. and as well to discover the
appearance of things below The bucket bad
first to be raised to let down the candle, but
from the power required at the cranks, Coffin
was thought to have embarked IN the ascent.
Not so, however; for when the loaded bucket
was placed at rest upon the surface, the horrl-
BILE fact was first announced by Simrkins that
twas g chock full of brimstonei' The bucket
was unlocked and the candle affixed TO the
ropes extremity, and when it rested-barnina
bfightly-upon the bottom, all was vacant
and empty, save few unfortunate toads
whose eyes were glstening in wiShful suppli- I
cation for release from their dungeon BntL
one sentiment prevailed. Mat had been sacri-l /
feed. 1t was dangerous TO proceed further /