The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-15
"It is in this direction" said Bonner,

were badly bent and displaced. We
were in spot where the ground was
settling. A kind of ticking noise came
from the logging overhead and along the
sides of the drift, and dust sifted down
ON our hats.
Soon we reached a place where the
posts on the sides of the drift were bent
like bows. The backs of these bows
projected into the drift, and were full of
splinters, some of which were formed
snapped out-before our eyes. Shortly
we came upon two posts bent out from
opposite sides of the drift till their backs
were not more than foot apart.
"This looks bad" said Bonner.
every. Let US go back" said we.
1t cannot be far to the edge of the
cave. We want to see that. Suppose
we venture? Timbers are still strong
when tho snap"
"Then move on" said we, but our
legs wanted to go the other way.
In passing between the bent posts it
was necessary to turn our bodies edge
wise. All about US the timbers were
working and groaning, but still stood
some distance apart. At the end of the
drift we came INTO large open space
what seemed long and broad chamber
and turning westward across this we
were soon as near the edge of the
cave as it was thought prudent to vent
ure.
Holding our lanterns above our heads,
we saw before us black and yawning
pit or chasm. The light of the lanterns
failed to show US either the top or the
bottom of this pit, nor could we see
across to the further side. 1t seemed to
have neither top nor bottom-seemed
buta shapeless, boundless region of dark
ness.
Into this frightful pit there fell every
half minute, from somewhere in the
darkness high above, great masses of
earth and rocks. At times, Judging
from the thunderOuss ounds, hundreds of
tons at once tumbled from the roof and
sides chasm. Smaller masses were almost
constantly dropping in some directions
while, the splintering, swapping and
growing of timbers in all directions
was something frightful.
Suddenly, as we stood quaking in the
midst of the tremendous commotion, a
great mass of rock and earth fell from
some place high up on the wall of our
side of the shoreless sea of darkness, al
most grazing the brink of the chasm
before US. With the fall of the mass
came rush of wind that nearly extin-
guished the candles in our lanterns.
Elevating his light and gazing upward,
Mr.. Bonner cried: "Fall back! fall
back! the roof is giving wayr'
Almost as he spoke mass of several
tons fell from the roof of our chamber
not ten feet in front of US, and in falling
took large bit out of the edge of our
floor.
"Quick quick! This way! We must
get out of this!" cried Bonner.
We ran back to the drift by which we
had entered. The two posts between
which we had squeezed had closed to-
gether.
Back, backw cried Bonner. "This
way! l know drift. Quick! we may
reach it,"
Back along the drift we darted amid
sounds never to be forgotten and such as
have seldom stunned mortal ears. All
about US was in motion-all rapidly sink
ing.
Bonner led the way across the chamber
we had left few moments before. Ina
corner on the east side the light of the
lantern showed the mouth of q drift
toward which he was fastening. Hard
ly was there time to observe this before
he held up his lantern, crying: Back,
backP' and, with "a rumbling crash, the
mouth of the drift closed, and the
ground before and about it began to dis
appear.
"Quick% cried Bonner, grasping our
arm and hurrying US along. "To the
drift again. 1t is our only CHANGER
Into the drift we once more darted.
Squeezing our way between the crack
ing posts, we reached the place where
we had before been stopped. Though
crushed together in the middle, there
was still small open space between the
posts at the bottom.
Throwing himself fiat on the floor of
the drift, Bonner pushed his lantern
through the opening, then, by mighty
effort, pushed through after it. He
seemed an hour in passing, though he
probably wriggled through In less than
ten seconds. Our fear that he would
stick fast was agonizing.
"Quick! Give me your hands! Leave
your lanternm shouted Bonner the mo-
ment he was through.
Instantly we were down and had both
hands through the opening. In about
two seconds we were hauled through as
a hunter pulls squirrel out of its skin.
A short dash took US to the main tunnel,
and, as we gained it, Bonner fervently
exclaimed: Safe at last, thank God"
We were about to make similar utter
ance, when BonRer thrust his lantern
int the mouth of the drift, CRYING,
Look, look! There she goesp and, as
he spoke, down went the shattered por-
ton of the drift, breaking away to with
in fifteen feet of where we were stand
ing.
LET us CO." said we; "the whole
mountain is falling~
"Allis sound here, said Bonner. "Yet
ldont care to remain longer. Had known
what we were getting into l should never
have passed through this crumbling
drift. However, All is we'll that ends
WELL and you have seen and heard
what you will probably neither see nor
hear again, should you remain in the
mines all your life"
1t was rather lively bit of under