the works of edgar allan poe-3-第34章

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vigor；　cutting　away　a　quantity　of　brambles　which　impeded　us；　and
removing　a　vast　heap　of　sharp　flints　somewhat　resembling　arrowheads
in　shape。　We　were　encouraged　to　persevere；　however；　by　perceiving
some　little　light　proceeding　from　the　farther　end。　We　at　length
squeezed　our　way　for　about　thirty　feet；　and　found　that　the　aperture
was　a　low　and　regularly　formed　arch；　having　a　bottom　of　the　same
impalpable　powder　as　that　in　the　main　chasm。　A　strong　light　now　broke
upon　us；　and；　turning　a　short　bend；　we　found　ourselves　in　another
lofty　chamber；　similar　to　the　one　we　had　left　in　every　respect　but
longitudinal　form。　Its　general　figure　is　here　given。　（See　figure　2。）
｛image｝

　　　　The　total　length　of　this　chasm；　commencing　at　the　opening　a　and
proceeding　round　the　curve　_b_　to　the　extremity　_d_；　is　five　hundred
and　fifty　yards。　At　_c_　we　discovered　a　small　aperture　similar　to　the
one　through　which　we　had　issued　from　the　other　chasm；　and　this　was
choked　up　in　the　same　manner　with　brambles　and　a　quantity　of　the
white　arrowhead　flints。　We　forced　our　way　through　it；　finding　it
about　forty　feet　long；　and　emerged　into　a　third　chasm。　This；　too；　was
precisely　like　the　first；　except　in　its　longitudinal　shape；　which　was
thus。　（See　figure　3。）　｛image｝

　　　　We　found　the　entire　length　of　the　third　chasm　three　hundred　and
twenty　yards。　At　the　point　_a_　was　an　opening　about　six　feet　wide；
and　extending　fifteen　　feet　into　the　rock；　where　it　terminated　in　a
bed　of　marl；　there　being　no　other　chasm　beyond；　as　we　had　expected。
We　were　about　leaving　this　fissure；　into　which　very　little　light　was
admitted；　when　Peters　called　my　attention　to　a　range　of
singular…looking　indentures　in　the　surface　of　the　marl　forming　the
termination　of　the　_cul…de…sac_。　With　a　very　slight　exertion　of　the
imagination；　the　left；　or　most　northern　of　these　indentures　might
have　been　taken　for　the　intentional；　although　rude；　representation　of
a　human　figure　standing　erect；　with　outstretched　arm。　The　rest　of
them　bore　also　some　little　resemblance　to　alphabetical　characters；
and　Peters　was　willing；　at　all　events；　to　adopt　the　idle　opinion　that
they　were　really　such。　I　convinced　him　of　his　error；　finally；　by
directing　his　attention　to　the　floor　of　the　fissure；　where；　among　the
powder；　we　picked　up；　piece　by　piece；　several　large　flakes　of　the
marl；　which　had　evidently　been　broken　off　by　some　convulsion　from　the
surface　where　the　indentures　were　found；　and　which　had　projecting
points　exactly　fitting　the　indentures；　thus　proving　them　to　have　been
the　work　of　nature。　Figure　4　｛image｝　presents　an　accurate　copy　of　the
whole。

　　　　After　satisfying　ourselves　that　these　singular　caverns　afforded
us　no　means　of　escape　from　our　prison；　we　made　our　way　back；　dejected
and　dispirited；　to　the　summit　of　the　hill。　Nothing　worth　mentioning
occurred　during　the　next　twenty…four　hours；　except　that；　in　examining
the　ground　to　the　eastward　of　the　third　chasm；　we　found　two
triangular　holes　of　great　depth；　and　also　with　black　granite　sides。
Into　these　holes　we　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　attempt
descending；　as　they　had　the　appearance　of　mere　natural　wells；　without
outlet。　They　were　each　about　twenty　yards　in　circumference；　and　their
shape；　as　well　as　relative　position　in　regard　to　the　third　chasm；　is
shown　in　figure　5。　｛image｝

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　23　~~~

CHAPTER　XXIV

0N　the　twentieth　of　the　month；　finding　it　altogether　impossible　to
subsist　any　longer　upon　the　filberts；　the　use　of　which　occasioned　us
the　most　excruciating　torment；　we　resolved　to　make　a　desperate
attempt　at　descending　the　southern　declivity　of　the　hill。　The　face　of
the　precipice　was　here　of　the　softest　species　of　soapstone；　although
nearly　perpendicular　throughout　its　whole　extent　（a　depth　of　a
hundred　and　fifty　feet　at　the　least）；　and　in　many　places　even
overarching。　After　a　long　search　we　discovered　a　narrow　ledge　about
twenty　feet　below　the　brink　of　the　gulf；　upon　this　Peters　contrived
to　leap；　with　what　assistance　I　could　render　him　by　means　of　our
pocket…handkerchiefs　tied　together。　With　somewhat　more　difficulty　I
also　got　down；　and　we　then　saw　the　possibility　of　descending　the
whole　way　by　the　process　in　which　we　had　clambered　up　from　the　chasm
when　we　had　been　buried　by　the　fall　of　the　hill…that　is；　by　cutting
steps　in　the　face　of　the　soapstone　with　our　knives。　The　extreme
hazard　of　the　attempt　can　scarcely　be　conceived；　but；　as　there　was　no
other　resource；　we　determined　to　undertake　it。

Upon　the　ledge　where　we　stood　there　grew　some　filbert…bushes；　and　to
one　of　these　we　made　fast　an　end　of　our　rope　of　handkerchiefs。　The
other　end　being　tied　round　Peters'　waist；　I　lowered　him　down　over　the
edge　of　the　precipice　until　the　handkerchiefs　were　stretched　tight。
He　now　proceeded　to　dig　a　deep　hole　in　the　soapstone　（as　far　in　as
eight　or　ten　inches）；　sloping　away　the　rock　above　to　the　height　of　a
foot；　or　thereabout；　so　as　to　allow　of　his　driving；　with　the　butt　of
a　pistol；　a　tolerably　strong　peg　into　the　levelled　surface。　I　then
drew　him　up　for　about　four　feet；　when　he　made　a　hole　similar　to　the
one　below；　driving　in　a　peg　as　before；　and　having　thus　a
resting…place　for　both　feet　and　hands。　I　now　unfastened　the
handkerchiefs　from　the　bush；　throwing　him　the　end；　which　he　tied　to
the　peg　in　the　uppermost　hole　；　letting　himself　down　gently　to　a
station　about　three　feet　lower　than　he　had　yet　been　that　is；　to　the
full　extent　of　the　handkerchiefs。　Here　he　dug　another　hole；　and　drove
another　peg。　He　then　drew　himself　up；　so　as　to　rest　his　feet　in　the
hole　just　cut；　taking　hold　with　his　hands　upon　the　peg　in　the　one
above。　It　was　now　necessary　to　untie　the　handkerchiefs　from　the
topmost　peg；　with　the　view　of　fastening　them　to　the　second；　and　here
he　found　that　an　error　had　been　committed　in　cutting　the　holes　at　so
great　a　distance　apart。　However；　after　one　or　two　unsuccessful　and
dangerous　attempts　at　reaching　the　knot　（having　to　hold　on　with　his
left　hand　while　he　labored　to　undo　the　fastening　with　his　right）；　he
at　length　cut　the　string；　leaving　six　inches　of　it　affixed　to　the
peg。　Tying　the　handkerchiefs　now　to　the　second　peg；　he　descended　to　a
station　below　the　third；　taking　care　not　to　go　too　far　down。　By　these
means　（means　which　I　should　never　have　conceived　of　myself；　and　for
which　we　were　indebted　altogether　to　Peters'　ingenuity　and
resolution）　my　companion　finally　succeeded；　with　the　occasional　aid
of　projections　in　the　cliff；　in　reaching　the　bottom　without　accident。

It　was　some　time　before　I　could　summon　sufficient　resolution　to
follow　him；　but　I　did　at　length　attempt　it。　Peters　had　taken　off　his
shirt　before　descending；　and　this；　with　my　own；　formed　the　rope
necessary　for　the　adventure。　After　throwing　down　the　musket　found　in
the　chasm；　I　fastened　this　rope　to　the　bushes；　and　let　myself　down
rapidly；　striving；　by　the　vigor　of　my　movements；　to　banish　the
trepidation　which　I　could　overcome　in　no　other　manner。　This　answered
sufficiently　well　for　the　first　four　or　five　steps；　but　presently　I
found　my　imagination　growing　terribly　excited　by　thoughts　of　the　vast
depths　yet　to　be　descended；　and　the　precarious　nature　of　the　pegs　and
soapstone　holes　which　were　my　only　support。　It　was　in　vain　I
endeavored　to　banish　these　reflections；　and　to　keep　my　eyes　steadily
bent　upon　the　flat　surface　of　the　cliff　before　me。　The　more　earnestly
I　struggled　_not　to　think；　_the　more　intensely　vivid　became　my
conceptions；　and　the　more　horribly　distinct。　At　length　arrived　that
crisis　of　fancy；　so　fearful　in　all　similar　cases；　the　crisis　in　which
we　began　to　anticipate　the　feelings　with　which　we　_shall　_fall…to
picture　to　ourselves　the　sickness；　and　dizziness；　and　the　last
struggle；　and　the　half　swoon；　and　the　final　bitterness　of　the　rushing
and　headlong　descent。　And　now　I　found　these　fancies　creating　their
own　realities；　and　all　imagined　horrors　crowding　upon　me　in　fact。　I
felt　my　knees　strike　violently　together；　while　my　fingers　were
gradually　but　certainly　relaxing　their　grasp。　There　was　a　ringing　in
my　ears；　and　I　said；　〃This　is　my　knell　of　death！〃　And　now　I　was
consumed　with　the　irrepressible　desire　of　looking　below。　I　could　not；
I　would　not；　confine　my　glances　to　the　cliff　；　and；　with　a　wild；
indefinable　emotion；　half　of　horror；　half　of　a　relieved　oppression；　I
threw　my　vision　far　down　into　the　abyss。　For　one　moment　my　fingers
clutched　convulsively　upon　their　hold；　while；　with　the　movement；　the
faintest　possible　idea　of　ultimate　escape　wandered；　like　a　shadow；
through　my　mind　…in　the　next　my　whole　soul　was　pervaded　with　a
longing　to　fall；　a　desire；　a　yearning；　a　passion　utterly
uncontrollable。　I　let　go　at　once　my　grasp　upon　the　peg；　and；　turning
half　round　from　the　precipice；　remained　tottering　for　an　instant
against　its　naked　face。　But　now　there　came　a　spinning　of　the　brain；　a
shrill…sounding　and　phantom　voice　screamed　within　my　ears；　a　dusky；
fiendish；　and　filmy　figure　stood　immediately　beneath　me；　and；
sighing；　I　sunk　down　with　a　bursting　heart；　and　plunged　within　its
arms。

I　had　swooned；　and　Peters　had　caught　me　as　I　fell。　He　had　observed　my
proceedings　from　his　station　at　the　bottom　of　the　cliff；　and
perceiving　my　imminent　danger；　had　endeavored　to　inspire　me　with
courage　by　every　suggestion　he　could　devise；　although　my　confusion　of
mind　had　been　so　great　as　to　prevent　my　hearing　what　he　said；　or
being　conscious　that　he　had　even　spoken　to　me　at　all。　At　length；
seeing　me　totter；　he　hastened　to　ascend　to　my　rescue；　and　arrived
just　in　time　for　my　preservation。　Had　I　fallen　with　my　full　weight；
the　rope　of　linen　would　inevitably　have　snapped；　and　I　should　have
been　precipitated　into　the　abyss；　as　it　was；　he　contrived　to　let　me
down　gently；　so　as　to　remain　suspended　without　danger　until　animation
returned。　This　was　in　about　fifteen　minutes。　On　recovery；　my
trepidation　had　entirely　vanished；　I　felt　a　new　being；　and；　with　some
little　further　aid　from　my　companion；　reached　the　bottom　also　in
safety。

We　now　found　ourselves　not　far　from　the　ravine　which　had　proved　the
tomb　of　our　friends；　and　to　the　southward　of　the　spot　where　the　hill
had　fallen。　The　place　was　one　of　singular　wildness；　and　its　aspect
brought　to　my　mind　the　descriptions　given　by　travellers　of　those
dreary　regions　marking　the　site　of　degraded　Babylon。　Not　to　speak　of
the　ruins　of　the　disrupted　cliff；　which　formed　a　chaotic　barrier　in
the　vista　to　the　northward；　the　surface　of　the　ground　in　every　other
direction　was　strewn　with　huge　tumuli；　apparently　the　wreck　of　some
gigantic　structures　of　art；　although；　in　detail；　no　semblance　of　art
could　be　detected。　Scoria　were　abundant；　and　large　shapeless　blocks
of　the　black　granite；　intermingled　with　others　of　marl；　｛*6｝　and　both
granulated　with　metal。　Of　vegetation　there　were　no　traces　whatsoever
throughout　the　whole　of　the　desolate　area　within　sight。　Several
immense　scorpions　were　seen；　and　various　reptiles　not　elsewhere　to　be
found　in　the　high　latitudes。　As　food　was　our　most　immediate　object；
we　resolved　to　make　our　way　to　the　seacoast；　distant　not　more　than
half　a　mile；　with　a　view　of　catching　turtle；　several　of　which　we　had
observed　from　our　place　of　concealment　on　the　hill。　We　had