86 



We then began to retrace Our steps, and eveiy few seconds 

 I felt a sensible relief in my breathing. Turning from the 

 narrow drift into the main track, we progressed more rapidly, 

 until I could see a glimmer of light at a distance. It was 

 the candle we had left, and by the time we arrived at it, I 

 felt no difficulty at all in my breathing. I now asked the men 

 to stay a few minutes. One held the candle and I took the 

 piece of sealing wax out of my pocket, melted it at the 

 candle — having first cut the cork off level — smeared it over 

 with the wax. We then proceeded and soon arrived at the 

 bottom of the shaft. Five or six miners, now full of curiosity, 

 crowded round. One said "That's a queer go, bringing 

 water and taking nowt back." " Aye," said another, " and 

 corking nowt down, as if it would jump out." These remarks 

 were cut short by my conductor telling me to get into the 

 tub, basket and all. The signal given, we mounted and left 

 our curiosity mongers no wiser. 



The same sensations accompanied me up as on the way 

 down, and when we emerged from the pit's mouth the sun was 

 shining brilliantly, and the more so it appeared from being 

 in the dark regions for some hour and a half; the daylight 

 was to me a pleasurable surprise and delight. I experienced 

 a similar sight in after years on emerging from the Peak 

 Cavern in Derbyshire, after a long visit in its interior, on 

 rounding the angle of a rock and coming suddenly to where 

 the light came streaming in. But to my narrative : the 

 underlooker gave an account to the banksman, who 

 remarked that I should make a collier in time, then sent a 

 lad with me to carry the basket and show me the way to 

 Manchester Street in Oldham. Having arrived there, I 

 looked about me to see if there was any way of riding to 

 Manchester; seeing none, I trudged along homewards. After 

 I had gone a mile or so, I saw a stand coach with the horse's 

 head towards Manchester standing at a public house door. 

 I went in and asked the driver if he would give me a lift to 

 Manchester. He asked me in return " If I saw any green 



