New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-18

lndisinct scrolls forms interviewer IN u my sIero'
embrace with neither beginning nor
with neither suffering nor hapIIhr-' ,hsni"fs
~ eternity aif4ihua'ion an" pm
W. passed through this portal and IN" walls
oornIng nearer and nearer. met above OUT hc'"'
The apes had entirely vanished. SWIM ~ ~
they knew where We wrrr going. ana cho~' P''.'
with which they wore familiar in order 20
arrive before Ms Our steps echoed on 'i'' hi,i plc
pavement with the resonance peculiar I" s"o,ri
rancan places. We walked under low a'c'
lcadin. 10 the heart of III" MOUNTAIN
Darkncss-and then a strange light came 10 us
which was no longer that OF day-a green Iish''
green Bengal flame.
e The pagoda said Icc-Ico.
An irregular doorway. frinecd WIN s'Hl'"'i''S,
Jed into the great sanctuary. II WAS we very
heart OF the mountain. a lofty cavern WV" SIrrl.
marble walls. I'll" depths were s',,'p' III soI
Of Transparent du.ll which res'mhl"d s'H-Wi''r'
and from above, through an opening IRON WHEN
the huge apes were watching ~. Sfrranled a
dazzling radiance Of an indeScribaple nue. -,
/ might lie c0mparrd 10 a huge emerald crossed oI
~ mOonbran-and the pagodas GODS and monsters
in the subterrancan chamber Snrrolnd'o Nv ,h's
green apothcoss. Sparll"d with the glowing '"iors
Of uncartly things.
We slowly descended the steps of staircase
guarded bv four hileous gods seated upon anlnials
which re>emti"d the creations OF a hieh, mar =.
Opposite 20 Ms. their bases somewhat cn"'''u II,
the shadow. two little temples, curlplSlN s'reakcd
with sl,y-bluc and pink. rO>" like the "nchahten
aLodes of the ecnii of the earth. In on" OF me,
"lcfts Of the rock colossal divinity. crowned
with gold mitrc. sat smiling, whll" above me
temples and iipls. inclo>ing alt. tir, marble
vanlt stretched in thousand green folds
The gods Of the staircase watched MS doHo'iuIiV
with their fierce trcachrrOuS ewes. ana seemed
10 be llattening themselves against the walls to
let us pass and refining in the creatures hey
bcsrcdc, which grinncd at us li'" tigers Md
at the summit Of the great dome around the
opening through which the green RAYS strcamed.
sat the apes amid the wires watching 10 sec II
going in.
We went down slowly, nvoluntarilv sl1ckrnIng
our steps, overwhelmed by an indcscrbablc re-
igous awe.
On the last marble steps we BEGAN TO feel the
chill Of the cavern: our voices. rs W" spoke,
awakened echoes which disguised the torres
The bottom Of the cave which was covered
with very fine sand strcwn with In" eX-
crcmcnt Of bats. which diluscd a strange olor Of
musk and marked with the tracks of monkeys
which looked like the prints of small human
hands Here and there stood ancient marble
vases or affairs for the Buddhist sacrifices.
There were also shapes resembling long. gigantic
serpcnts hanging from the top Of the vault TO
the ground--Or enormous cables shining like
bronze. They were the roots Of vines. perhaps
thousand years old. which had exceeded all
boldcr. seemed about TO descend hv them to OBJ
tain view Of
Then a group Of four bonzcs in violet robes
appeared on the highest steps OF IN" staircase
az the opening through which "" had entered
They had followed us and at first paused a
moient. surrounded by III" green dns;-looliing
very SiniH among the gOu~ ana monsters. lH''n
they descended with measured tread b"comin !,
gradually sufuS"l with yrcrn"r light. II
seemed like m ultr1-to1rcsiriIl scene. formal
entrance Of Spirits into the abodcs OF the Bn ldlst
heaven
We must drink some moro sam-chou.' The
Chinese brandy. which Lcc-Ioo declared was very
necessary for visits 10 the gods. very favorable
10 communications from the Spirits. ~ last put
ms 10 sleep.
After IN" heat Of the dav. th" confinement ~
Q Ia. ftt,,t- f.i. L..
water. sOothed hy the cool atmosphere: surround
Ing objects grew dim "" saw nothing save a
Transparent green light: the blue and pink gods
became only memory p'rvadc1 with III" i'm
preston Of being watched hv their largo fixed
eyes then, b"cIn. still NOR" no'ionl,ss,
had a confused idea Of creatures not quite
human moving silently about us-shapcs sliding
down ropes. the huge apes coming. Finally,
slumber, profound and drcamcss