the works of edgar allan poe-3-第31章

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it　was　no　more　than　natural　that　we　should　look　carefully　to　our　arms
as　we　entered　upon　it。　When　I　now　think　of　our　egregious　folly；　the
chief　subject　of　astonishment　seems　to　be；　that　we　should　have　ever
ventured；　under　any　circumstances；　so　completely　into　the　power　of
unknown　savages　as　to　permit　them　to　march　both　before　and　behind　us
in　our　progress　through　this　ravine。　Yet　such　was　the　order　we
blindly　took　up；　trusting　foolishly　to　the　force　of　our　party；　the
unarmed　condition　of　Too…wit　and　his　men；　the　certain　efficacy　of　our
firearms　（whose　effect　was　yet　a　secret　to　the　natives）；　and；　more
than　all；　to　the　long…sustained　pretension　of　friendship　kept　up　by
these　infamous　wretches。　Five　or　six　of　them　went　on　before；　as　if　to
lead　the　way；　ostentatiously　busying　themselves　in　removing　the
larger　stones　and　rubbish　from　the　path。　Next　came　our　own　party。　We
walked　closely　together；　taking　care　only　to　prevent　separation。
Behind　followed　the　main　body　of　the　savages；　observing　unusual　order
and　decorum。

　　　　Dirk　Peters；　a　man　named　Wilson　Allen；　and　myself　were　on　the
right　of　our　companions；　examining；　as　we　went　along；　the　singular
stratification　of　the　precipice　which　overhung　us。　A　fissure　in　the
soft　rock　attracted　our　attention。　It　was　about　wide　enough　for　one
person　to　enter　without　squeezing；　and　extended　back　into　the　hill
some　eighteen　or　twenty　feet　in　a　straight　course；　sloping　afterward
to　the　left。　The　height　of　the　opening；　is　far　as　we　could　see　into
it　from　the　main　gorge；　was　perhaps　sixty　or　seventy　feet。　There　were
one　or　two　stunted　shrubs　growing　from　the　crevices；　bearing　a
species　of　filbert　which　I　felt　some　curiosity　to　examine；　and　pushed
in　briskly　for　that　purpose；　gathering　five　or　six　of　the　nuts　at　a
grasp；　and　then　hastily　retreating。　As　I　turned；　I　found　that　Peters
and　Allen　had　followed　me。　I　desired　them　to　go　back；　as　there　was
not　room　for　two　persons　to　pass；　saying　they　should　have　some　of　my
nuts。　They　accordingly　turned；　and　were　scrambling　back；　Allen　being
close　to　the　mouth　of　the　fissure；　when　I　was　suddenly　aware　of　a
concussion　resembling　nothing　I　had　ever　before　experienced；　and
which　impressed　me　with　a　vague　conception；　if　indeed　I　then　thought
of　anything；　that　the　whole　foundations　of　the　solid　globe　were
suddenly　rent　asunder；　and　that　the　day　of　universal　dissolution　was
at　hand。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　20　~~~

CHAPTER　21



　　　　AS　soon　as　I　could　collect　my　scattered　senses；　I　found　myself
nearly　suffocated；　and　grovelling　in　utter　darkness　among　a　quantity
of　loose　earth；　which　was　also　falling　upon　me　heavily　in　every
direction；　threatening　to　bury　me　entirely。　Horribly　alarmed　at　this
idea；　I　struggled　to　gain　my　feet；　and　at　last　succeeded。　I　then
remained　motionless　for　some　moments；　endeavouring　to　conceive　what
had　happened　to　me；　and　where　I　was。　Presently　I　heard　a　deep　groan
just　at　my　ear；　and　afterward　the　smothered　voice　of　Peters　calling
to　me　for　aid　in　the　name　of　God。　I　scrambled　one　or　two　paces
forward；　when　I　fell　directly　over　the　head　and　shoulders　of　my
companion；　who；　I　soon　discovered；　was　buried　in　a　loose　mass　of
earth　as　far　as　his　middle；　and　struggling　desperately　to　free
himself　from　the　pressure。　I　tore　the　dirt　from　around　him　with　all
the　energy　I　could　command；　and　at　length　succeeded　in　getting　him
out。

　　　　As　soon　as　we　sufficiently　recovered　from　our　fright　and　surprise
to　be　capable　of　conversing　rationally；　we　both　came　to　the
conclusion　that　the　walls　of　the　fissure　in　which　we　had　ventured
had；　by　some　convulsion　of　nature；　or　probably　from　their　own　weight；
caved　in　overhead；　and　that　we　were　consequently　lost　for　ever；　being
thus　entombed　alive。　For　a　long　time　we　gave　up　supinely　to　the　most
intense　agony　and　despair；　such　as　cannot　be　adequately　imagined　by
those　who　have　never　been　in　a　similar　position。　I　firmly　believed
that　no　incident　ever　occurring　in　the　course　of　human　events　is　more
adapted　to　inspire　the　supremeness　of　mental　and　bodily　distress　than
a　case　like　our　own；　of　living　inhumation。　The　blackness　of　darkness
which　envelops　the　victim；　the　terrific　oppression　of　lungs；　the
stifling　fumes　from　the　damp　earth；　unite　with　the　ghastly
considerations　that　we　are　beyond　the　remotest　confines　of　hope；　and
that　such　is　the　allotted　portion　of　the　dead；　to　carry　into　the
human　heart　a　degree　of　appalling　awe　and　horror　not　to　be　tolerated…
never　to　be　conceived。

　　　　At　length　Peters　proposed　that　we　should　endeavour　to　ascertain
precisely　the　extent　of　our　calamity；　and　grope　about　our　prison；　it
being　barely　possible；　he　observed；　that　some　opening　might　yet　be
left　us　for　escape。　I　caught　eagerly　at　this　hope；　and；　arousing
myself　to　exertion；　attempted　to　force　my　way　through　the　loose
earth。　Hardly　had　I　advanced　a　single　step　before　a　glimmer　of　light
became　perceptible；　enough　to　convince　me　that；　at　all　events；　we
should　not　immediately　perish　for　want　of　air。　We　now　took　some
degree　of　heart；　and　encouraged　each　other　to　hope　for　the　best。
Having　scrambled　over　a　bank　of　rubbish　which　impeded　our　farther
progress　in　the　direction　of　the　light；　we　found　less　difficulty　in
advancing　and　also　experienced　some　relief　from　the　excessive
oppression　of　lungs　which　had　tormented　us。　Presently　we　were　enabled
to　obtain　a　glimpse　of　the　objects　around；　and　discovered　that　we
were　near　the　extremity　of　the　straight　portion　of　the　fissure；　where
it　made　a　turn　to　the　left。　A　few　struggles　more；　and　we　reached　the
bend；　when　to　our　inexpressible　joy；　there　appeared　a　long　seam　or
crack　extending　upward　a　vast　distance；　generally　at　an　angle　of
about　forty…five　degrees；　although　sometimes　much　more　precipitous。
We　could　not　see　through　the　whole　extent　of　this　opening；　but；　as　a
good　deal　of　light　came　down　it；　we　had　little　doubt　of　finding　at
the　top　of　it　（if　we　could　by　any　means　reach　the　top）　a　clear
passage　into　the　open　air。

　　　　I　now　called　to　mind　that　three　of　us　had　entered　the　fissure
from　the　main　gorge；　and　that　our　companion；　Allen；　was　still
missing；　we　determined　at　once　to　retrace　our　steps　and　look　for　him。
After　a　long　search；　and　much　danger　from　the　farther　caving　in　of
the　earth　above　us；　Peters　at　length　cried　out　to　me　that　he　had　hold
of　our　companion's　foot；　and　that　his　whole　body　was　deeply　buried
beneath　the　rubbish　beyond　the　possibility　of　extricating　him。　I　soon
found　that　what　he　said　was　too　true；　and　that；　of　course；　life　had
been　long　extinct。　With　sorrowful　hearts；　therefore；　we　left　the
corpse　to　its　fate；　and　again　made　our　way　to　the　bend。

　　　　The　breadth　of　the　seam　was　barely　sufficient　to　admit　us；　and；
after　one　or　two　ineffectual　efforts　at　getting　up；　we　began　once
more　to　despair。　I　have　before　said　that　the　chain　of　hills　through
which　ran　the　main　gorge　was　composed　of　a　species　of　soft　rock
resembling　soap。　stone。　The　sides　of　the　cleft　we　were　now　attempting
to　ascend　were　of　the　same　material；　and　so　excessively　slippery；
being　wet；　that　we　could　get　but　little　foothold　upon　them　even　in
their　least　precipitous　parts；　in　some　places；　where　the　ascent　was
nearly　perpendicular；　the　difficulty　was；　of　course；　much　aggravated；
and；　indeed；　for　some　time　we　thought　insurmountable。　We　took
courage；　however；　from　despair；　and　what；　by　dint　of　cutting　steps　in
the　soft　stone　with　our　bowie　knives；　and　swinging　at　the　risk　of　our
lives；　to　small　projecting　points　of　a　harder　species　of　slaty　rock
which　now　and　then　protruded　from　the　general　mass；　we　at　length
reached　a　natural　platform；　from　which　was　perceptible　a　patch　of
blue　sky；　at　the　extremity　of　a　thickly…wooded　ravine。　Looking　back
now；　with　somewhat　more　leisure；　at　the　passage　through　which　we　had
thus　far　proceeded；　we　clearly　saw　from　the　appearance　of　its　sides；
that　it　was　of　late　formation；　and　we　concluded　that　the　concussion；
whatever　it　was；　which　had　so　unexpectedly　overwhelmed　us；　had　also；
at　the　same　moment；　laid　open　this　path　for　escape。　Being　quite
exhausted　with　exertion；　and　indeed；　so　weak　that　we　were　scarcely
able　to　stand　or　articulate；　Peters　now　proposed　that　we　should
endeavour　to　bring　our　companions　to　the　rescue　by　firing　the　pistols
which　still　remained　in　our　girdles…　the　muskets　as　well　as　cutlasses
had　been　lost　among　the　loose　earth　at　the　bottom　of　the　chasm。
Subsequent　events　proved　that；　had　we　fired；　we　should　have　sorely
repented　it；　but　luckily　a　half　suspicion　of　foul　play　had　by　this
time　arisen　in　my　mind；　and　we　forbore　to　let　the　savages　know　of　our
whereabouts。

　　　　After　having　reposed　for　about　an　hour；　we　pushed　on　slowly　up
the　ravine；　and　had　gone　no　great　way　before　we　heard　a　succession　of
tremendous　yells。　At　length　we　reached　what　might　be　called　the
surface　of　the　ground；　for　our　path　hitherto；　since　leaving　the
platform；　had　lain　beneath　an　archway　of　high　rock　and　foliage；　at　a
vast　distance　overhead。　With　great　caution　we　stole　to　a　narrow
opening；　through　which　we　had　a　clear　sight　of　the　surrounding
country；　when　the　whole　dreadful　secret　of　the　concussion　broke　upon
us　in　one　moment　and　at　one　view。

　　　　The　spot　from　which　we　looked　was　not　far　from　the　summit　of　the
highest　peak　in　the　range　of　the　soapstone　hills。　The　gorge　in　which
our　party　of　thirty…two　had　entered　ran　within　fifty　feet　to　the　left
of　us。　But；　for　at　least　one　hundred　yards；　the　channel　or　bed　of
this　gorge　was　entirely　filled　up　with　the　chaotic　ruins　of　more　than
a　million　tons　of　earth　and　stone　that　had　been　artificially　tumbled
within　it。　The　means　by　which　the　vast　mass　had　been　precipitated
were　not　more　simple　than　evident；　for　sure　traces　of　the　murderous
work　were　yet　remaining。　In　several　spots　along　the　top　of　the
eastern　side　of　the　gorge　（we　were　now　on　the　western）　might　be　seen
stakes　of　wood　driven　into　the　earth。　In　these　spots　the　earth　had
not　given　way；　but　throughout　the　whole　extent　of　the　face　of　the
precipice　from　which　the　mass　had　fallen；　it　was　clear；　from　marks
left　in　the　soil　resembling　those　made　by　the　drill　of　the　rock
blaster；　that　stakes　similar　to　those　we　saw　standing　had　been
inserted；　at　not　more　than　a　yard　apart；　for　the　length　of　perhaps
three　hundred　feet；　and　ranging　at　about　ten　feet　back　from　the　edge
of　the　gulf。　Strong　cords　of　grape　vine　were　attached　to　the　stakes
still　remaining　on　the　hill；　and　it　was　evident　that　such　cords　had
also　been　attached　to　each　of　the　other　stakes。　I　have　already　spoken
of　the　singular　stratification　of　these　soapstone　hills；　and　the
description　just　given　of　the　narrow　and　deep　fissure　through　which
we　effected　our　escape　from　inhumation　will　afford　a　further
conception　of　its　nature。　This　was　such　that　almost　every　natural
convulsion　would　be　sure　to　split　the　soil　into　perpendicular　layers
or　ridges　running　parallel　with　one　another；　and　a　very　moderate
exertion　of　art　would　be　sufficient　for　effecting　the　same　purpose。
Of　this　stratification　the　savages　had　availed　themselves　to
accomplish　their　treacherous　ends。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that；　by　the
continuous　line　of　stakes；　a　partial　rupture　of　the　soil　had　been
brought