San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-02-07
CHAPTER VII.

The old sailor and the courageous boy
started again into the dark passage, and,
picking their steps with caution, advanced,
and soon they could see quite well by the
aid of their two lanterns, which gave q
better light, owing to the tin refiectors
which they had polished brightly with
ashes and an old rag, aud after a quarter
of an hour they began to feel a little more
comfortable. They knew that they were
going downward, though the descent was
so gradual that they did not suffer from
its steepness, but the air was not sitting
nor impure, which was matter of sur
prise to them, though they argued that it
must be on account of the openings at the
further end, though they wondered at so
strong draught coming so far through so
small an opening.
The passage did not grow much larger
as they advanced, nor did the rocks and
scoria change their character for long
distance, though, after they had travelled
until their lamps burned out their oil
once, they noticed that the sides of the
passage were more vitreous, and in several
places there appeared to be spots made
entirely of smooth, black glass.
The walking was not dangerous, though
very difficult, particularly for Maxwell,
and several times they sat down to rest,
always surrounded by impenetrable
blackness. After filling their lamps three
times, which burned about two hours
each time, they calculated that they had
been descending about six hours steadily
into the very center of the earth, and they
began to wonder how much further they
would have to go. They were hungry,
and sat down to rest and eat and drink,
and then they rose and went on down
again, a still more sharp incline, though
the foothold was better, owing to ashes
and scoria which were mingled with the
obsidian, which had been slippery, and
difficult to keep from sliding on Perhaps
they descended a half an hour this way,
when Maxwell said:
George, think we've got to a leveler
spot, don't your"
Eyes and / wouldn't be surprised il
this led straight on. Now we must look
out for the branches If we reach one on
the left hand first we will know how to
count"
ayes, s'posin' always that you didn't
get the map end for end"
Hold on, Max, till | look at the map
again. l never thought Of that
BY the aud of their lights they examined
the faded parchment and had the satisfac-
ton of finding that the points of the COM
pass had been marked upon it, and there
fore they saw that they were right SO far.
They went on more confidently, and
found that the floor was very nearly
level, and was cindery and in some places
covered with fine ashes. George picked
up hah,iful and put them in one of his
pockets to examine when they should
have reached daylight again. The roof of
his passage was perhaps ten feet high, and
rs we'll as they could tell it looked as if it
had been a chimney along which had
passed a great heat, and they knew it
must have been an outlet for some SUBJ |
marine volcano. They walked along with |
more freedom, always looking out for the |
lateral openings, but did not see any, until |
suddenly Max, who walked always with |
D stout cane, cried out:
LOOK out! Stopr' and this brought
George TO halt before the opening of q
pit SO profound that there was no means
Jf measuring its depth. The light from
lantern had fallen in such
way as TO show bim the danger they were
10. They stopped and looked at each