The Irish standard., 1915-06-12
ut sy AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION, 1894
CONTINUED from Last Week.)
CHAPTER XIV.
NOT TO GET OUT.

Presently I found that I had already
collected nearly all the seaweed that
was procurable at this end of the cave.
But after my first sense of disappoint-
ment I did not so much mind this, for
expected to meet with plenty of stones
such as one usually or often finds in the
interior Of such caves. All such peb-
bles, however, as could see seemed
quite too large to lift. I did not doubt,
though, that l could somewhere find
removable pebbles in sufficient quanti-
ty to build up for myself sort of seal
ing ladder against the mouth of my pris-
on. Yet went to the extreme limit of
the daylight without finding such, and
afterward penetrating the sheer dark
ness CROPPED about in all directions with
out success. Everywhere l scrambled
only over large powders. Still cropping
forward in the darkness, urged now by
the fury of despair, found myself sud-
denly cut off altogether from even
view of the window. 1 had gone round
some angle Of rock and was immersed
In dense darkness. l gave myself up
for lost, and having searched around in
vain without perceiving anywhere ray
Of light sat down and-well, not to be
too proud, wept long and bitterly. Then,
praying fervently and thinking with
such feelings as may be imagined of the
opening line of that little familiar COL
lect, Tighten our darkness, we beseech
thee, . Lord!" which had SO often re-
peated with little or no thought of it's
meaning and which was now naturally
brought to my remembrance, search
ed again for the light, clambering reck-
lessly over the powders, and at length to
my extreme joy perceived faint ray
of light. Moving toward it, suddenly
caught sight of Curry's Window, and
however might have been inclined to
curse that sinister aperture now sin
cerely blessed it and the level rays
which shot through it into the inner
gloom. I thought of Milton g line, Hail,
holy light, offspring of heavens first
born!' may mention here that was
very fond of poetry and had stored away
great deal of it in my memory, so that
I could repeat vast number of the Eng
lish lyrics and even long passages from
Spenser, Shakespeare and Milton. This
intellectual provision or accomplish
ment, or whatever it may be called,
proved a great blessing to me in my mis-
cradle imprisonment and was probably
the means, under God, of preserving my
reason. With the rediscovery Of heav-
ems blessed light, hope revived, hope
and also hunger. Now for the first time
l thought of food, for though nigh fam
ished I had not been quite conscious of
it hitherto, owing to the feverish excite
ment into which had been thrown.
had with me half slice of bread, which,
knowing that would not BE- home till
late, had thrust into one of my pock-
cts before leaving the house. As to wa
ter was safe. Searching round the
walls of my prison the previous night, l
found the rock upon the right side slip
perry from wetness, and at one point felt
water running against my fingers. Also
in the interior somewhere I heard,
though far away, the splash Of descend
ing water. ate my bread, and going
to the spot where had felt moving
water on the previous night made cup
with my hand, and pressing the inside
edge of it against the rock, and doing
this again and again, got good drink
of very pure spring water.
now resolved to search the cave
more carefully than I had done before
for pebbles such as I could remove,
and to be particularly cautious about
losing sight of the window. searched
around now for hours, but in vain.
Hardly stone of the kind could I dis
cover. returned to my bed of seaweed
and lay down to rest. was now pain
fully conscious of growing weakness.
Ny excitement was wearing away and
the lack Of food beginning to tell. It
was now about midday. From time to
time l shouted as loudly as could, but
only heard for response the mocking
echoes and reverberations of my own
voice. Knowing that boats were not
likely to be passing in the middle of the
day, determined to husband my ener-
gies in this direction until the evening.
1t was now certain that could not climb
out of my prison or within the limits
and vicinity Of the light procure sea-
weed or stones in sufficient quantity to
make for myself scaling ladder. Ny
last hope lay in my rod and line. I
piled up all the seaweed procurable,
took off my clothes and laid them on
the top Of the heap, and thrusting up
ward the butt end Of the rod endeavored
by means of the crook supplied by the
reel to secure purchase upon the sill
Of the window and 80 drag myself up
out of this pit. If the rod and reel had
only been strong enough, might have
succeeded. was conscious that it was
q forlorn hope, but nevertheless made
the attempt. I did succeed in getting
grip somewhere at the sill with the reel,
but as soon as began to climb the top
joint of the rod gave way. tumbled
down, rolled from the seaweed heap on
the powders and was much bruised
and shaken by the fall. With the por-
ton of the rod which remained in my
hands succeeded in disengaging the
rest, which fell back into the cave.
next unrolled the line, doubled it, dou-
bled it again and made pretty strong
rope, which l fastened to the thicker
part of the rod and renewed my attempt,
this time finging up the rod and let
ting it slide back from the sill, hoping
that the reel, which was large one,
might catch. The rod and twisted line
were indeed strong enough to bear my
weight, but / had great difficulty on this
occaaion in aocnrino a nr,rcIooo x,,S$1,