Year: 1876

|


We had worked about three weeks


and had formed a tunnel extending


about fifteen feet into the hill, when,


on one afternoon, completely tired out


l sat down to rest in the cave. I had


only intended to sit little while, but


five minutes had not elapsed before


was fast asleep. 1 was awakened by a


crash, and found my feet and legs COM


pletely covered by mass of dirt and


stones. The front part of the tunnel


had fallen in, and was i'm a manner


buried alive. About ten feet of the


tunnel remained firm, and from my


observation of its structure prior to the


accident, 1 was convinced that l had


no reason to apprehend any danger in


that quarter. My partners had carried


dirt enough to the river to keep them


busy there for the rest of the day; so l


had nothing to hop from their assist
| ance. The question that first pre-
sented itself to my mind was, How


long can life be sustained in this con-


fined state? l had read dozen differ
ent times, statistics i'm relation to the
amount of air consumed hourly by a


human beings lungs, but, like almost
every body else, had merely wondered
at the time, and then forgot the figures.


How much would have given then
TO have been able to recall them. The
next thought was, How can [ proceed
TO extricate myself? The question was
difficult of solution. III | went to work
with shovel and pick to clear away
the dirt that had fallen it was extremely
likely that all which / could be able to
remove would be Immediately replaced
by that which would fall from above.
This was pleasant! racked my brains
TO devise some means of liberating my
self, but without effect.


Leaning against the wall in utter
dependency, l was about to throw
myself on the ground and await my
fate, when | observed that quite a cur
rent of water on a small scale was max
ing its way down the side of the cave.
At first L was alarmed, as l thoug ht ii
might loosen the earth above, and
bring another mass down on my head.
The next moment the thought struck
me that it might be turned to my ad-
vantage. Why could 1 not so direct it
that it would wash away sufficient
earth in its progress to the outlet of
the cave TO make an opening large
through it? Even if it only succeeded
in making an air-hole, it would enable
me to exist till my partners could come
to my rescue. Carefully examining
the course of the water, l succeeded in
inding the spot where it entered the
cave, and TO my great joy ascertained
that could easily direct it, By cutting
channel out of the side of my prison
to the mass of earth that blocked up
the entrance to the tunnel. The air at
this time was quite hot and sitting and
[ became aware that whatever was
done must be done quickly, or should
perish for want Of oxygen. After 1
had cut a channel for the water to flow
towards the entrance, 1 enlarged the
opening by which the stream entered
the cave, and delighted to observe that
it flowed with redoubled force. TAX
ing my shovel, pushed it through the
moistened earth, as far as / was able,
and then awaited the further action of
the water. La a few minutes L was en-
abled to push it still further, till at last
it was out of my reach. Then placing
my pick-handle against it, l pushed
both, as far as l could. With what
eagerness did watch to see the first
opening made by the water, and was
soon gratified by observing that it
flowed in steady stream in the direc-
ton in which L had pushed the pick
and shovel.


In a few minutes discovered faint
glimmering in the distance, which
might be an opening or the effect of an
excited imagination, 1 scarcely knew
Dut ihC uouot oOoA AS'oA'SN
itself into certainty, and an opening
some five inches in diameter speedily
disclosed itself. Larger and larger
the opening grew; lump upon lump
was washed away by the stream until
the channel became large enough for
me TO place my hand i'm and halloa lus-
tily for assistance. just as l was draw
ing my head back, caught sight of a
buckskin bag. Hastily seizing it, l
found it was the one we were in search
of, and which, but for the accident, L
would never have found. Wishing to
surprise my companions, concealed
it, and redoubled my cries. In few
they came running up the
hill, and soon liberated me from my
position.


"well, Ned" said Jack, as he shook
me by the hand, "I'm glad to see you're
safe, old feIlow-the more so as Bill
and have been deceiving you little.
You know we have been trying all
the summer to get you into a tunnel
ing operation, and you have only
at u.s."


"Yes," said I, wondering what would
come next.


'.Well, when you got that letter,
Bill and made up our minds that we
would go into the job with you; not in
hopes of finding any bag, but because
we knew you would work twice as hard
with such an inducement, intending,
to wash the excavated
dirt. This we have done; and, my boy
we have never made less than three
hundred dollars any day since we COM



''Then you think that bag is hum
bug, do your"


"why, of course" said he.


"well, don't, and l intend to 60 on
looking for it." said 1.


Snow, what is the use Of being fool
az ~, x.,.otl, P;u Janniups sfWe have