Too-wit’sdescentleftusatlibertytoquitourhidingplaceandreconnoitrethehillinthevicinityofthechasm。Ataboutfiftyyardsfromthemouthofitwesawasmallspringofwater，atwhichweslakedtheburningthirstthatnowconsumedus。Notfarfromthespringwediscoveredseveralofthefilbert-busheswhichImentionedbefore。Upontastingthenutswefoundthempalatable，andverynearlyresemblinginflavourthecommonEnglishfilbert。Wecollectedourhatsfullimmediately，depositedthemwithintheravine，andreturnedformore。Whilewewerebusilyemployedingatheringthese，arustlinginthebushesalarmedus，andwewereuponthepointofstealingbacktoourcovert，whenalargeblackbirdofthebitternspeciesstrugglinglyandslowlyaroseabovetheshrubs。IwassomuchstartledthatIcoulddonothing，butPetershadsufficientpresenceofmindtorunuptoitbeforeitcouldmakeitsescape，andseizeitbytheneck。Itsstrugglesandscreamsweretremendous，andwehadthoughtsoflettingitgo，lestthenoiseshouldalarmsomeofthesavageswhomightbestilllurkingintheneighbourhood。Astabwithabowieknife，however，atlengthbroughtittotheground，andwedraggeditintotheravine，congratulatingourselvesthat，atallevents，wehadthusobtainedasupplyoffoodenoughtolastusforaweek。
　　Wenowwentoutagaintolookaboutus，andventuredaconsiderabledistancedownthesoutherndeclivityofthehill，butmetwithnothingelsewhichcouldserveusforfood。Wethereforecollectedaquantityofdrywoodandreturned，seeingoneortwolargepartiesofthenativesontheirwaytothevillage，ladenwiththeplunderofthevessel，andwho，wewereapprehensive，mightdiscoverusinpassingbeneaththehill。
　　Ournextcarewastorenderourplaceofconcealmentassecureaspossible，andwiththisobject，wearrangedsomebrushwoodovertheaperturewhichIhavebeforespokenofastheonethroughwhichwesawthepatchofbluesky，onreachingtheplatformfromtheinteriorofthechasm。Weleftonlyaverysmallopeningjustwideenoughtoadmitofourseeingthe，bay，withouttheriskofbeingdiscoveredfrombelow。Havingdonethis，wecongratulatedourselvesuponthesecurityoftheposition；forwewerenowcompletelyexcludedfromobservation，aslongaswechosetoremainwithintheravineitself，andnotventureoutuponthehill，Wecouldperceivenotracesofthesavageshavingeverbeenwithinthishollow；but，indeed，whenwecametoreflectupontheprobabilitythatthefissurethroughwhichweattainedithadbeenonlyjustnowcreatedbythefallofthecliffopposite，andthatnootherwayofattainingitcouldbeperceived，wewerenotsomuchrejoicedatthethoughtofbeingsecurefrommolestationasfearfullestthereshouldbeabsolutelynomeansleftusfordescent。Weresolvedtoexplorethesummitofthehillthoroughly，whenagoodopportunityshouldoffer。
　　Inthemeantimewewatchedthemotionsofthesavagesthroughourloophole。
　　Theyhadalreadymadeacompletewreckofthevessel，andwerenowpreparingtosetheronfire。Inalittlewhilewesawthesmokeascendinginhugevolumesfromhermainhatchway，and，shortlyafterward，adensemassofflameburstupfromtheforecastle。Therigging，mastsandwhatremainedofthesailscaughtimmediately，andthefirespreadrapidlyalongthedecks。Stillagreatmanyofthesavagesretainedtheirstationsabouther，hammeringwithlargestones，axes，andcannonballsattheboltsandotherironandcopperwork。Onthebeach，andincanoesandrafts，therewerenotless，altogether，intheimmediatevicinityoftheschooner，thantenthousandnatives，besidestheshoalsofthemwho，ladenwithbooty，weremakingtheirwayinlandandovertotheneighbouringislands。Wenowanticipatedacatastrophe，andwerenotdisappointed。Firstofalltherecameasmartshockwhichwefeltasdistinctlywherewewereasifwehadbeenslightlygalvanized，butunattendedwithanyvisiblesignsofanexplosion。Thesavageswereevidentlystartled，andpausedforaninstantfromtheirlaboursandyellings。Theywereuponthepointofrecommencing，whensuddenlyamassofsmokepuffedupfromthedecks，resemblingablackandheavythundercloud-then，asiffromitsbowels，aroseatallstreamofvividfiretotheheight，apparently，ofaquarterofamile-thentherecameasuddencircularexpansionoftheflame-thenthewholeatmospherewasmagicallycrowded，inasingleinstant，withawildchaosofwood，andmetal，andhumanlimbs-and，lastly，cametheconcussioninitsfullestfury，whichhurledusimpetuouslyfromourfeet，whilethehillsechoedandre-echoedthetumult，andadenseshoweroftheminutestfragmentsoftheruinstumbledheadlongineverydirectionaroundus。
　　Thehavocamongthesavagesfarexceededourutmostexpectation，andtheyhadnow，indeed，reapedthefullandperfectfruitsoftheirtreachery。Perhapsathousandperishedbytheexplosion，whileatleastanequalnumberweredesperatelymangled。Thewholesurfaceofthebaywasliterallystrewnwiththestrugglinganddrowningwretches，andonshorematterswereevenworse。Theyseemedutterlyappalledbythesuddennessandcompletenessoftheirdiscomfiture，andmadenoeffortsatassistingoneanother。Atlengthweobservedatotalchangeintheirdemeanour。Fromabsolutestupor，theyappearedtobe，allatonce，arousedtothehighestpitchofexcitement，andrushedwildlyabout，goingtoandfromacertainpointonthebeach，withthestrangestexpressionsofmingledhorror，rage，andintensecuriositydepictedontheircountenances，andshouting，atthetopoftheirvoices，“Tekeli-li！Tekeli-li！”
　　Presentlywesawalargebodygooffintothehills，whencetheyreturnedinashorttime，carryingstakesofwood。Thesetheybroughttothestationwherethecrowdwasthethickest，whichnowseparatedsoastoaffordusaviewoftheobjectofallthisexcitement。Weperceivedsomethingwhitelyingupontheground，butcouldnotimmediatelymakeoutwhatitwas。AtlengthwesawthatitwasthecarcassofthestrangeanimalwiththescarletteethandclawswhichtheschoonerhadpickedupatseaontheeighteenthofJanuary。
　　CaptainGuyhadhadthebodypreservedforthepurposeofstuffingtheskinandtakingittoEngland。Irememberhehadgivensomedirectionsaboutitjustbeforeourmakingtheisland，andithadbeenbroughtintothecabinandstowedawayinoneofthelockers。Ithadnowbeenthrownonshorebytheexplosion；butwhyithadoccasionedsomuchconcernamongthesavageswasmorethanwecouldcomprehend。Althoughtheycrowdedaroundthecarcassatalittledistance，noneofthemseemedwillingtoapproachitclosely。
　　By-and-bythemenwiththestakesdrovetheminacirclearoundit，andnosoonerwasthisarrangementcompleted，thanthewholeofthevastassemblagerushedintotheinterioroftheisland，withloudscreamsof“Tekeli-li！Tekeli-li！”
　　DURINGthesixorsevendaysimmediatelyfollowingweremainedinourhiding-placeuponthehill，goingoutonlyoccasionally，andthenwiththegreatestprecaution，forwaterandfilberts。Wehadmadeakindofpenthouseontheplatform，furnishingitwithabedofdryleaves，andplacinginitthreelargeflatstones，whichservedusforbothfireplaceandtable。Wekindledafirewithoutdifficultybyrubbingtwopiecesofdrywoodtogether，theonesoft，theotherhard。Thebirdwehadtakeninsuchgoodseasonprovedexcellenteating，althoughsomewhattough。Itwasnotanoceanicfowl，butaspeciesofbittern，withjetblackandgrizzlyplumage，anddiminutivewingsinproportiontoitsbulk。Weafterwardsawthreeofthesamekindinthevicinityoftheravine，apparentlyseekingfortheonewehadcaptured；but，astheyneveralighted，wehadnoopportunityofcatchingthem。
　　Aslongasthisfowllastedwesufferednothingfromoursituation，butitwasnowentirelyconsumed，anditbecameabsolutelynecessarythatweshouldlookoutforprovision。Thefilbertswouldnotsatisfythecravingsofhunger，afflictingus，too，withseveregripingsofthebowels，and，iffreelyindulgedin，withviolentheadache。Wehadseenseverallargetortoisesneartheseashoretotheeastwardofthehill，andperceivedtheymightbeeasilytaken，ifwecouldgetatthemwithouttheobservationofthenatives。Itwasresolved，therefore，tomakeanattemptatdescending。
　　Wecommencedbygoingdownthesoutherndeclivity，whichseemedtoofferthefewestdifficulties，buthadnotproceededahundredyardsbeforeaswehadanticipatedfromappearancesonthehilltop
　　ourprogresswasentirelyarrestedbyabranchofthegorgeinwhichourcompanionshadperished。Wenowpassedalongtheedgeofthisforaboutaquarterofamile，whenwewereagainstoppedbyaprecipiceofimmensedepth，and，notbeingabletomakeourwayalongthebrinkofit，wewereforcedtoretraceourstepsbythemainravine。
　　Wenowpushedovertotheeastward，butwithpreciselysimilarfortune。Afteranhour’sscramble，attheriskofbreakingournecks，wediscoveredthatwehadmerelydescendedintoavastpitofblackgranite，withfinedustatthebottom，andwhencetheonlyegresswasbytheruggedpathinwhichwehadcomedown。Toilingagainupthispath，wenowtriedthenorthernedgeofthehill。Herewewereobligedtousethegreatestpossiblecautioninourmaneuvers，astheleastindiscretionwouldexposeustothefullviewofthesavagesinthevillage。Wecrawledalong，therefore，onourhandsandknees，and，occasionally，wereevenforcedtothrowourselvesatfulllength，draggingourbodiesalongbymeansoftheshrubbery。Inthiscarefulmannerwehadproceededbutalittleway，whenwearrivedatachasmfardeeperthananywehadyetseen，andleadingdirectlyintothemaingorge。Thusourfearswerefullyconfirmed，andwefoundourselvescutoffentirelyfromaccesstotheworldbelow。
　　Thoroughlyexhaustedbyourexertions，wemadethebestofourwaybacktotheplatform，andthrowingourselvesuponthebedofleaves，sleptsweetlyandsoundlyforsomehours。
　　Forseveraldaysafterthisfruitlesssearchwewereoccupiedinexploringeverypartofthesummitofthehill，inordertoinformourselvesofitsactualresources。Wefoundthatitwouldaffordusnofood，withtheexceptionoftheunwholesomefilberts，andarankspeciesofscurvygrass，whichgrewinalittlepatchofnotmorethanfourrodssquare，andwouldbesoonexhausted。OnthefifteenthofFebruary，asnearasIcanremember，therewasnotabladeofthisleft，andthenutsweregrowingscarce；oursituation，therefore，couldhardlybemorelamentable。{*5}Onthesixteenthweagainwentroundthewallsofourprison，inhopeoffindingsomeavenueofescape；buttonopurpose。Wealsodescendedthechasminwhichwehadbeenoverwhelmed，withthefaintexpectationofdiscovering，throughthischannel，someopeningtothemainravine。Here，too，weweredisappointed，althoughwefoundandbroughtupwithusamusket。
　　Ontheseventeenthwesetoutwiththedeterminationofexaminingmorethoroughlythechasmofblackgraniteintowhichwehadmadeourwayinthefirstsearch。Werememberedthatoneofthefissuresinthesidesofthispithadbeenbutpartiallylookedinto，andwewereanxioustoexploreit，althoughwithnoexpectationofdiscoveringhereanyopening。
　　Wefoundnogreatdifficultyinreachingthebottomofthehollowasbefore，andwerenowsufficientlycalmtosurveyitwithsomeattention。Itwas，indeed，oneofthemostsingular-lookingplacesimaginable，andwecouldscarcelybringourselvestobelieveitaltogethertheworkofnature。Thepit，fromitseasterntoitswesternextremity，wasaboutfivehundredyardsinlength，whenallitswindingswerethreaded；thedistancefromeasttowestinastraightlinenotbeingmoreIshouldsuppose，havingnomeansofaccurateexaminationthanfortyorfiftyyards。Uponfirstdescendingintothechasm，thatistosay，forahundredfeetdownwardfromthesummitofthehill，thesidesoftheabyssborelittleresemblancetoeachother，and，apparently，hadatnotimebeenconnected，theonesurfacebeingofthesoapstone，andtheotherofmarl，granulatedwithsomemetallicmatter。Theaveragebreadthorintervalbetweenthetwocliffswasprobablyheresixtyfeet，butthereseemedtobenoregularityofformation。Passingdown，however，beyondthelimitspokenof，theintervalrapidlycontracted，andthesidesbegantorunparallel，although，forsomedistancefarther，theywerestilldissimilarintheirmaterialandformofsurface。
　　Uponarrivingwithinfiftyfeetofthebottom，aperfectregularitycommenced。Thesideswerenowentirelyuniforminsubstance，incolour，andinlateraldirection，thematerialbeingaveryblackandshininggranite，andthedistancebetweenthetwosides，atallpointsfacingeachother，exactlytwentyyards。Thepreciseformationofthechasmwillbebestunderstoodbymeansofadelineationtakenuponthespot；forIhadluckilywithmeapocketbookandpencil，whichIpreservedwithgreatcarethroughalongseriesofsubsequentadventure，andtowhichIamindebtedformemorandaofmanysubjectswhichwouldotherwisehavebeencrowdedfrommyremembrance。
　　Thisfigureseefigure1{image}givesthegeneraloutlinesofthechasm，withouttheminorcavitiesinthesides，ofwhichtherewereseveral，eachcavityhavingacorrespondingprotuberanceopposite。Thebottomofthegulfwascoveredtothedepthofthreeorfourincheswithapowderalmostimpalpable，beneathwhichwefoundacontinuationoftheblackgranite。Totheright，atthelowerextremity，willbenoticedtheappearanceofasmallopening；thisisthefissurealludedtoabove，andtoexaminewhichmoreminutelythanbeforewastheobjectofoursecondvisit。Wenowpushedintoitwithvigor，cuttingawayaquantityofbrambleswhichimpededus，andremovingavastheapofsharpflintssomewhatresemblingarrowheadsinshape。Wewereencouragedtopersevere，however，byperceivingsomelittlelightproceedingfromthefartherend。Weatlengthsqueezedourwayforaboutthirtyfeet，andfoundthattheaperturewasalowandregularlyformedarch，havingabottomofthesameimpalpablepowderasthatinthemainchasm。Astronglightnowbrokeuponus，and，turningashortbend，wefoundourselvesinanotherloftychamber，similartotheonewehadleftineveryrespectbutlongitudinalform。Itsgeneralfigureisheregiven。Seefigure2。
　　{image}