Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-09-17

now sunk underground. To this ac-
cordingly, / turned my steps, and as
cending its low mound, looked down
into the empty crater.
The outside ofthe mound was COM
paratively rugged, but the interior
was as smooth us polished marble
and ms white as snow-as snow on
which the setting sun has cast a rosy
lustre of the most ethereal tinge. l
have seen the inside of sea shell
look exactly like it, but nothing else
that can think Of In form the era
ter was a funnel of % yards diameter,
with sides which sloped abruptly to
the centre, where the shaft, which
measured about five feet across, de-
scended like 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 |
stood was formed of overhanging
iuts of silica, as brittle as glass.
Alas! | did not know it, and took
no heed. STOPPING forward to look
down into the funnel, threw ali my
weight with suddenness upon one
foot; the iut on which it rested broke
OFF short, and my foot descended on
the slippery surface of the crater. l
staggered-struggled to regain my
balance-but in vain The very ef-
fort, like n reeling skaters, complet-
ed my disaster; swung half round,
and fell full length upon the side OF
the incline.
For second or two | remained
stationary. Then l felt that | was
sliling-slowly but surely sliding
down the shelving funnel toward the
mouth of the abyss.
With a cry of terror, | threw out
my arms in convulsive search of
something to arrest my progress;
but the projections of the margin
We're already cut OF reach, and my
fingers only slipped on the polished
walls OF the declivity, which grew
sleeper and sleeper as they APP
preached the chasm, which now, like
a monstrous jaw, seemed gaping to
receive me. \ moment more, and
with the horrible intestinal sense of
falling from a height dropped like
plummet into the darkness of the
| guilt.
For one instant; in extremity of
horror, | felt that | was lost; the
next, was aware that something
unexpected had occurred | was no
longer falling. What had happened?
As n rule, a geyser shaft, is as per-
pendicular as Il 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 3 feet
the shaft 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 oil fortune, it hap
pened that, though bruised and
shaken, ! escaped the fate, which
otherwise | must have met, of being
dashed to pieces on the spot.
felt a movement of rclief-of Joy.
| Yet had | cause for exultation?
gathered myselfup and looked about
me-
There, above me was the opening
OF the shaft, beneath 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 oil
the shaft, as in the broadcast sun
, shine, the moon and stars are visible
from the bottom of a we'll. 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 / stood-a space
about q yard in Width could
perceive, as my sight became accus.
toned to the feeble CLEAN which fell
into the chasm, the awful throat 81
the abyss. descending, Avernus-like
for all | knew, into the very gulis o.
fire. From the gorge faint steam
rose like mist, and in the utter still
! ness could hear, far down, the sound
} of gurgitating waters. In a little
while-how long | could not tell
the moment of eruption would re
. turn and food the chasm. | should
be drowned-drowned like trapped
: rat; no. Notwithstanding is not al
, instant death, and the abyss would
) have become a bubbling cauldron
/ should be boiled alivel
: As the horror of this thought
) broke on me, my veins ran chill with
T in me, and shook from head to foo
I as if with ague. Sick and dizzy, fol
many minutes remained, like mar
: paralyzed, incapable Of thought Oh
3 motion, yet conscious-cousciou
even to the keenest torture-of thu
; flight of every moment. An expec
tation-a suspense unutterable-
!. strained every nerve to agony. Thu
] instants numbered by my fevereC
II | - g. L