Chapter 17

CHAPTER XVII.

VERTICAL DESCENT

Now began our real journey. Hitherto our toil had overcome alldifficulties, now difficulties would spring up at every step.

I had not yet ventured to look down the bottomless pit into which Iwas about to take a plunge The supreme hour had come. I might noweither share in the enterprise or refuse to move forward. But I wasashamed to recoil in the presence of the hunter. Hans accepted theenterprise with such calmness, such indifference, such perfectdisregard of any possible danger that I blushed at the idea of beingless brave than he. If I had been alone I might have once more triedthe effect of argument; but in the presence of the guide I held mypeace; my heart flew back to my sweet Virlandaise, and I approachedthe central chimney.

I have already mentioned that it was a hundred feet in diameter, andthree hundred feet round. I bent over a projecting rock and gazeddown. My hair stood on end with terror. The bewildering feeling ofvacuity laid hold upon me. I felt my centre of gravity shifting itsplace, and giddiness mounting into my brain like drunkenness. Thereis nothing more treacherous than this attraction down deep abysses. Iwas just about to drop down, when a hand laid hold of me. It was thatof Hans. I suppose I had not taken as many lessons on gulfexploration as I ought to have done in the Frelsers Kirk atCopenhagen.

But, however short was my examination of this well, I had taken someaccount of its conformation. Its almost perpendicular walls werebristling with innumerable projections which would facilitate thedescent. But if there was no want of steps, still there was no rail.A rope fastened to the edge of the aperture might have helped usdown. But how were we to unfasten it, when arrived at the other end?

My uncle employed a very simple expedient to obviate this difficulty.He uncoiled a cord of the thickness of a finger, and four hundredfeet long; first he dropped half of it down, then he passed it rounda lava block that projected conveniently, and threw the other halfdown the chimney. Each of us could then descend by holding with thehand both halves of the rope, which would not be able to unrollitself from its hold; when two hundred feet down, it would be easy toget possession of the whole of the rope by letting one end go andpulling down by the other. Then the exercise would go on again _adinfinitum_.

"Now," said my uncle, after having completed these preparations, "nowlet us look to our loads. I will divide them into three lots; each ofus will strap one upon his back. I mean only fragile articles."

Of course, we were not included under that head.

"Hans," said he, "will take charge of the tools and a portion of theprovisions; you, Axel, will take another third of the provisions, andthe arms; and I will take the rest of the provisions and the delicateinstruments."

"But," said I, "the clothes, and that