1846.] Geological, of a trip to Carbonihlc. 11 



fiew along the passages, tlie roar and crash of the splitting and 

 grinding rocks every moment sounding louder and nearer in his 

 ears. He reached the verge of the " fall." The superincumbent 

 mountain was heaving and rending, as if an earthquake were 

 tearing its rocky strata. Vast masses of slate were detaching 

 themselves, and falling into the passages, with reports like the 

 loudest thunder. Into these choked passages, amid the falling 

 rocks, the noble hearted Scotchman rushed on. The passage is 

 entirely closed — no — the huge slabs have fallen so as to leave a 

 narrow opening in the angle formed by the floor and one of the 

 sides of the gallery. On his hands and knees he creeps on. Now 

 the opening has diminished so that he absolutely forces his way 

 along with his hands and feet lying nearly prostrate on his face I 



About a mile from the mouth of the mine, he found the eighteen 

 men, in a gallery or heading where there was solid coal all about 

 them, and oh joy of joys! his own son was among them! The 

 boy had already manifested something of the stern resolve of the 

 sire. One of the three fugitives who had escaped, and whom 

 those left in the mine supposed had perished, had proposed to at- 

 tempt to take out a horse with him, which was also in the gal- 

 lery where the men were congregated. " Leave him," said the 

 boy — " we shall have need of him." He was already coolly 

 looking death by starvation in the face! 



Bryden was on the point of leading out the men, when he 

 learned that another lay wounded in a chamber four or five hun- 

 dred feet off, in the most dangerous part of the " fall." Was it 

 his brother — was it his bosom friend — was it a wealthy or influen- 

 tial man, who might advance his rescuer's interests, who lay 

 there helpless, to die a miserable death? He was a common la- 

 borer — a poor Irishman. Bryden had satisfied, nay more than 

 satisfied the calls of duty and humanity. If the love of praise had 

 stimulated him, (which it had 7iot,) he had earned enough. If 

 the father had felt a premonition that he might be struggling for 

 his child, that child was found. The man was badly M^ounded, 

 and might only be carried out to die. Was he not bound now to 

 take heed for his own safety — to lead and guard his own reco- 



