MINES OF IRON ORE. 339 



rocks, and being dashed to pieces in the darkness. 

 While we were in the hill, the hour for dinner was 

 announced. The little lights began at once to move, 

 and in a few minutes, scores of miners began to 

 emerge from the darkness, up the ladders, covered 

 with the black debris of the mines, and looking like 

 an army of Cyclops, fresh from the forges of Vulcan. 

 I was glad when my foot was on the surface again ; 

 and when I stood on the level plain, with only the sky 

 above me, with no dark caverns into which to stum- 

 ble, and no arch of rocks to fall upon me, I felt as 

 McGregor did when his " foot was on his native 

 heath." I am reasonably courageous on the earth's 

 surface, where I can see danger, if it exists ; where I 

 can either meet it or run from it ; but my nerves won't 

 stand darkness ; and gloomy caverns and dark holes 

 in the ground are my abhorrence. This mine is ex- 

 haustless, and the deeper it is wrought the richer and 

 more abundant does the ore become. There are other 

 beds scattered around over this region, which will 

 supply the iron-mongers forever, but this is the one 

 from which they at present draw their largest supply. 

 At Plattsburgh my guide and I separated, he to 

 go back to his log-house and little clearing, on the 



