Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-08-21

been playing as | descended, bnt had
nov sunk underground. To this &C.
cordiugly, turned my steps, and as.
.ceuding it's low mound, looked down
into the empty crater.
The outside ofthe mound was COM
pararively rugged, but the interior
was as smooth az polished marble
and rs, white as snow-as snow on
which the setting sun has cast rosy
Iustre of thu most ethereal tinge. /
have seen the inside of q sea shell
look exactly like it, but nothing else
that can think of. In form the era
ter was funnel of 25 yards diameter,
with sides which s)oped abruptly to
the centre, where the shaft, which
measured about five feet across, de-
scended like a well.
So far my observations led me.
Then, with the most startling sud
denness, my inspection was cut short.
The margin of the crater where l
stood was formed of overhanging
juts of silica, as brittle as glass.
Alas! l did not know it, and l took
no heed. STOPPING forward to look
down into the funnel. threw all my
weight with suddenncss upon one
foot; the iut on which it rested broke
off short, and my foot dest ended on
the slippery surface of the crater. l
staggered-struggIed to regain my
balance-but in vain. The very e.
fort, like u reeling skaters. complet-
ed my disaster; swung half round,
and fell full length upon the side of
the incline.
For a second or two I remained
stationary. Then l felt that / was
sliding-slowly but surely sliding
down the shelving funnel toward the
mouth of the abyss.
With cry of terror. I threw out
my arms in n convulsive search of
something to arrest my progress
but the projections OF the margin
were already cut OF reach, and my
fingers only slipped on the polished
walls of the declivity, which grew
sleeper and sleeper as they APP
proached the chasm. which now, like
a monstrous jaw, seemed gaping to
receive me. A moment more, and
with the horrible intestinal sense of
falling from height l dropped like
a plummet into the darkness Of the
guilt.
For one instant; in extremity of
horror, l felt that l was lost; the
next, | was aware that something
unexpected had occurred. Twas no
longer falling. What had happened?
As Il rule, a geyser shaft, is as per-
pendicular as a coal pits, but some
times, by mere chance, the shaft de-
fleets and forms an angle at no great
distance from the surface; and such
was the case here. For II or Is feet
the shalt descended vertically; then
it ended on a slightly shelving floor
ofrock, from the edge OF which n
larger tunnel, black and Steep. sank
down into the very bowels of the
earth. This ledge or landing place,
received me as felt; and thus, by
the merest freak OF fortune, it hap
pened that, though bruised and
shaken, l escaped the fate, which
otherwise | must have met, of being
dashed to pieces on the spot.
felt a movement of relief-of Joy.
Yet had cause tor exultation? l
gathered myselfup and looked about
me.
There, above me was the opening
OF the shaft, beneath Il circle of clear
sky, in which, to my surprise, a star
was shining, though the time was
noon. My wonder was, however,
only momentary; the effect, | knew,
arose from looking up the tunnel OF
the shaft, as in the broadcast sun
shine, the moon and stars are visible
from the bottom of n well. A more
mementous observation seized my
notice; the interior of the shaft, wet,
slippery and shining, presented
neither crevice nor projection. Even
as looked realized the horror OF
the fate before me. Escape was i'm
possible-I was the captive OF the
geyser! Beside the rocky ledge
on which l stood-a space
about n yard in Width could
perceive, as my sight became accus-
toned to the feeble CLEAN which fell
into the chasm, the awful throat of
the abyss. descending, Avernus-like,
for all knew, into the very gults of
fire. From the gorge u faint steam
rose like mist, and in the utter still
ness could hear, far down, the sound
OF gurgitating waters. In little
while-how long l could not tell
the moment of eruption would re-
turn and food the chasm. should
be drowned-drowned like a trapped
rat; no, horror!-drowning is not an
instant death, and the abyss would
have become u bubbling cauldron.
/ should be boiled alive!
AS the horror of this thought
broke on me, my veins ran chill with
in me, and / shook from head to foot
as if with aguc. Sick and dizzy, for
many minutes ! remained, like q man
paralyzed, incapable of thought or
motion, yet conscious-couscious
even to the keenest torture-of the
FIGHT of every moment. An exnec.