the works of edgar allan poe-3-第41节

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were　disappointed；　although　we　found　and　brought　up　with　us　a　musket。

　　　　On　the　seventeenth　we　set　out　with　the　determination　of　examining
more　thoroughly　the　chasm　of　black　granite　into　which　we　had　made　our
way　in　the　first　search。　We　remembered　that　one　of　the　fissures　in
the　sides　of　this　pit　had　been　but　partially　looked　into；　and　we　were
anxious　to　explore　it；　although　with　no　expectation　of　discovering
here　any　opening。

　　　　We　found　no　great　difficulty　in　reaching　the　bottom　of　the　hollow
as　before；　and　were　now　sufficiently　calm　to　survey　it　with　some
attention。　It　was；　indeed；　one　of　the　most　singular…looking　places
imaginable；　and　we　could　scarcely　bring　ourselves　to　believe　it
altogether　the　work　of　nature。　The　pit；　from　its　eastern　to　its
western　extremity；　was　about　five　hundred　yards　in　length；　when　all
its　windings　were　threaded；　the　distance　from　east　to　west　in　a
straight　line　not　being　more　（I　should　suppose；　having　no　means　of
accurate　examination）　than　forty　or　fifty　yards。　Upon　first
descending　into　the　chasm；　that　is　to　say；　for　a　hundred　feet
downward　from　the　summit　of　the　hill；　the　sides　of　the　abyss　bore
little　resemblance　to　each　other；　and；　apparently；　had　at　no　time
been　connected；　the　one　surface　being　of　the　soapstone；　and　the　other
of　marl；　granulated　with　some　metallic　matter。　The　average　breadth　or
interval　between　the　two　cliffs　was　probably　here　sixty　feet；　but
there　seemed　to　be　no　regularity　of　formation。　Passing　down；　however；
beyond　the　limit　spoken　of；　the　interval　rapidly　contracted；　and　the
sides　began　to　run　parallel；　although；　for　some　distance　farther；
they　were　still　dissimilar　in　their　material　and　form　of　surface。
Upon　arriving　within　fifty　feet　of　the　bottom；　a　perfect　regularity
commenced。　The　sides　were　now　entirely　uniform　in　substance；　in
colour；　and　in　lateral　direction；　the　material　being　a　very　black　and
shining　granite；　and　the　distance　between　the　two　sides；　at　all
points　facing　each　other；　exactly　twenty　yards。　The　precise　formation
of　the　chasm　will　be　best　understood　by　means　of　a　delineation　taken
upon　the　spot；　for　I　had　luckily　with　me　a　pocketbook　and　pencil；
which　I　preserved　with　great　care　through　a　long　series　of　subsequent
adventure；　and　to　which　I　am　indebted　for　memoranda　of　many　subjects
which　would　otherwise　have　been　crowded　from　my　remembrance。

　　　　This　figure　（see　figure　1）　｛image｝　gives　the　general　outlines　of
the　chasm；　without　the　minor　cavities　in　the　sides；　of　which　there
were　several；　each　cavity　having　a　corresponding　protuberance
opposite。　The　bottom　of　the　gulf　was　covered　to　the　depth　of　three　or
four　inches　with　a　powder　almost　impalpable；　beneath　which　we　found　a
continuation　of　the　black　granite。　To　the　right；　at　the　lower
extremity；　will　be　noticed　the　appearance　of　a　small　opening；　this　is
the　fissure　alluded　to　above；　and　to　examine　which　more　minutely　than
before　was　the　object　of　our　second　visit。　We　now　pushed　into　it　with
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　n