178 
MINES, METALS, AND GEMS 
to which I 
deep abyss beneath me, to wiiicn ^ y“, 
termination, I shuddered with apprehensio ' 
repented my curiosity. This was, ■ ‘rr de». 
momentary sensation, and before I had 
liundred feet, I looked round on the seen j 
It was nearly nine nnt . t d’ 
tolerable composure. 
“ I reached the bottom ; and when I set ro/ *s>:> 
“ earth, the view of the mine was awful an ijt, 'jf 
the highest degree. Whether, as I sury®)^ jj l)J.,|j 
“ or pleasure formed tire predominant 
“ say. The light of the day was very 
" into these subterraneous caverns : in many P jts 
“ absolutely lost, and flambeaux were kindle 
“ Beams of wood were laid across some paf 
“ side of the rock to the other ; and on these tn® ^ 
“ employed in boring holes for the admi» 
" powder, with the most perfect uncoiice j,) 
“ the least dizziness, or even a failure in p^®^ jetil'.* 
lilt Kraal tll.6Z/Uica3, ui cvt-Ji a aliaihav.- •— x ^ p 
equilibrium, must have made them lose 
have dashed them against the rugged 
rock beneath. The. fragments torn up b)' si 
rthc-jl 
“ previously to my descent, lay in vast b®‘^P*. ^ a K 
“ and the whole scene was calculated to insp‘ ^||(| 
“ admiration. , Ujese ^,'r ■*' 
“ I remained three quarters of an hour in / 
“ and gloomy caverns, which find 
“ less than one thousand three hundred 
“ traversed every part of them which ' a'^iI 
“ conducted hy my guides. I'he weather a 'i 
“ warm, but here tlie ice covered the ,j w r 
“ the ground, and 1 fouiid myself surroun 
“ colds of the most rigorous whiter, aini'f i 
“ cave.s of iron. In one of these, 'vlticfi^j^j ,yi y 
" dera'ole way beneath the rock, were 
“ bcing.s warming themselves round a fr®'* p,'*'". 
" eating ihc liule scanty subsistence f'^,. 
“ miserable occupation. They rose with 
“ so unexpected a guest among them, j 
“ little pleased to dry my feet, which wnrev' 
“ iug on the melted ice, at their lire. ai ''*'" 
Uaving gratilied iny eurio.slty with n 
" suhlerraneous apartaieiils, 1 made the 
