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hands and feet must be steady and firm tomorrow。〃
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The Coming Race
CHAPTER II。
With the morning my friend's nerves were rebraced； and he was not
less excited by curiosity than myself。 Perhaps more； for he evidently
believed in his own story； and I felt considerable doubt of it； not that he
would have wilfully told an untruth； but that I thought he must have been
under one of those hallucinations which seize on our fancy or our nerves
in solitary； unaccustomed places； and in which we give shape to the
formless and sound to the dumb。
We selected six veteran miners to watch our descent； and as the cage
held only one at a time； the engineer descended first； and when he had
gained the ledge at which he had before halted； the cage rearose for me。
I soon gained his side。 We had provided ourselves with a strong coil of
rope。
The light struck on my sight as it had done the day before on my
friend's。 The hollow through which it came sloped diagonally： it seemed
to me a diffused atmospheric light； not like that from fire； but soft and
silvery； as from a northern star。 Quitting the cage； we descended； one
after the other； easily enough； owing to the juts in the side； till we reached
the place at which my friend had previously halted； and which was a
projection just spacious enough to allow us to stand abreast。 From this
spot the chasm widened rapidly like the lower end of a vast funnel； and I
saw distinctly the valley； the road； the lamps which my companion had
described。 He had exaggerated nothing。 I heard the sounds he had
heard… a mingled indescribable hum as of voices and a dull tramp as of
9feet。 Straining my eye farther down； I clearly beheld at a distance the
outline of some large building。 It could not be mere natural rock； it was
too symmetrical； with huge heavy Egyptian…like columns； and the whole
lighted as from within。 I had about me a small pocket…telescope； and by
the aid of this； I could distinguish； near the building I mention； two forms
which seemed human； though I could not be sure。 At least they were
living； for they moved； and both vanished within the building。 We now
proceeded to attach the end of the rope we had brought with us to the
ledge on which we stood； by the aid of clamps and grappling hooks； with
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The Coming Race
which； as well as with necessary tools； we were provided。
We were almost silent in our work。 We toiled like men afraid to
speak to each other。 One end of the rope being thus apparently made
firm to the ledge； the other； to which we fastened a fragment of the rock；
rested on the ground below； a distance of some fifty feet。 I was a
younger man and a more active man than my companion； and having
served on board ship in my boyhood； this mode of transit was more
familiar to me than to him。 In a whisper I claimed the precedence； so
that when I gained the ground I might serve to hold the rope more steady
for his descent。 I got safely to the ground beneath； and the engineer now
began to lower himself。 But he had scarcely accomplished ten feet of the
descent； when the fastenings； which we had fancied so secure； gave way；
or rather the rock itself proved treacherous and crumbled beneath the
strain； and the unhappy man was precipitated to the bottom； falling just at
my feet； and bringing down with his fall splinters of the rock； one of
which； fortunately but a small one； struck and for the time stunned me。
When I recovered my senses I saw my companion an inanimate mass
beside me； life utterly extinct。 While I was bending over his corpse in
grief and horror； I heard close at hand a strange sound between a snort and
a hiss； and turning instinctively to the quarter from 10which it came； I saw
emerging from a dark fissure in the rock a vast and terrible head； with
open jaws and dull； ghastly； hungry eyes… the head of a monstrous reptile
resembling that of the crocodile or alligator； but infinitely larger than the
largest creature of that kind I had ever beheld in my travels。 I started to my
feet and fled down the valley at my utmost speed。 I stopped at last；
ashamed of my panic and my flight； and returned to the spot on which I
had left the body of my friend。 It was gone； doubtless the monster had
already drawn it into its den and devoured it。 the rope and the grappling…
hooks still lay where they had fallen； but they afforded me no chance of
return； it was impossible to re…attach them to the rock above； and the sides
of the rock were too sheer and smooth for human steps to clamber。 I was
alone in this strange world； amidst the bowels of the earth。
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The Coming Race
CHAPTER III。
Slowly and cautiously I went my solitary way down the lamplit road
and towards the large building I have described。 The road itself seemed
like a great Alpine pass； skirting rocky mountains of which the one
through whose chasm I had descended formed a link。 Deep below to the
left lay a vast valley； which presented to my astonished eye the
unmistakeable evidences of art and culture。 There were fields covered
with a strange vegetation； similar to none I have seen above the earth； the
colour of it not green； but rather of a dull and leaden hue or of a golden
red。
There were lakes and rivulets which seemed to have been curved into
artificial banks； some of pure water； others that shone like pools of
naphtha。 At my right hand； ravines and defiles opened amidst the rocks；
with passes between； evidently constructed by art； and bordered by trees
resembling； for the 11most part； gigantic ferns； with exquisite varieties of
feathery foliage； and stems like those of the palm…tree。