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explosions ; and if Dr. Dalton was very anxious he would 

 try, but how ? The Dr. then suggested some bottles filled 

 with water, then taken into the mine and emptied, and 

 when emptied well corked. Mr. Wood said he thought he 

 would send his apprentice to his friend with bottles and 

 instructions, and he felt sure it would be attended to 

 correctly. / was then ashed and willingly volunteered to 

 go. 



Four wine bottles which the Dr. thought sufficient were 

 got and a wine basket that just held them, with a piece of 

 sealing-wax in my pocket and four tightly fitting corks 

 greased at the ends, to be inserted. I started for Oldham with 

 the note. Mr. Wood drove me as far as Hollinwood ; from 

 thence I walked to Oldham and with some difficulty found 

 the gentleman, who was just starting on a journey. After 

 reading the note he smiled, and asked me to get into his 

 gig. He drove right to the pits, explained the matter fully 

 to his manager and left me in his care. The underlooker 

 was then signalled from the pit, and soon after made his 

 appearance, black enough from head to foot. Careful in- 

 structions were given to him on taking the basket. I 

 interfered and said I had come to see the matter myself, 

 and therefore wished to go into the pit. The manager 

 smiled and asked me if I had ever been in a coal pit, I 

 said no, but I was ready to go. So in the end we prepared 

 to start; I was placed in the tub with the underlooker, who 

 went with me one leg in the tub and the other outside, to 

 guard the descent as there were no conducting rods. On 

 progressing downwards I felt a curious sensation as though 

 I should be sick, and I sensibly felt I was descending 

 rapidly on looking at the sides of the pit, but when the 

 light failed the motion appeared reversed, as though I was 

 going upwards. In a few seconds more I felt the elasticity 

 of the rope, which felt as though it elongated and contracted 

 alternately, and which produced something like sea sick- 



