 darkness prevailing below.  But the darkness is not very
dense; I could distinguish most of the ladders, which seemed to me like
children's toys.

It was nearly twelve, and the workmen left the pits, with the exception
of those in charge of the mines.  They ascended by means of little tubs
hanging by ropes, and were raised by a windlass.  It is a terrible sight
to see the men soaring up on the little machine, especially when two or
three ascend at once; for then one man stands in the centre, while the
other two ride on the edge of the tub.

                       [Picture: Mines of Danemora]

I should have liked to descend into the great pit, but it was too late on
this day, and I would not wait another.  I should not have feared the
descent, as I was familiar with such adventures, having explored the
salt-mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia, in Gallicia, some years before, in
which I had had to let myself down by a rope, which is a much more
dangerous method than the tub.

With the stroke of twelve, four blasting trains in the large pit were
fired.  The man whose business it was to apply the match ran away in
great haste, and sheltered himself behind a wall of rock.  In a few
moments the powder flashed, some stones fell, and then a fearful crash
was heard all around, followed by the rolling and falling of the blasted
masses.  Repeated echoes announced the fearful explosion in the interior
of the pits: the whole left a terrible impression on me.  Scarcely had
one mine ceased to rage, when the second began, then the third, and so
on.  These blastings take place daily in different mines.

The other pits are deeper, the deepest being 600 feet; but the mouths are
smaller, and the shafts not perpendicular, so that the eye is lost in
darkness, which is a still more unpleasant sensation.  I gazed with
oppressed chest into the dark space, vainly endeavouring to distinguish
something.  I should not like to be a miner; I could not endure life
without the light of day; and when I turned from the dark pits, I cast my
eyes thankfully on
darkness prevailing below.   But the darkness is not very 
 dense; I could identify most of the run, which seemed to me like 
 children's toys. 

 It was closely twelve, and the workmen left the pit, with the exception 
 of those in charge of the mines.   They ascend by means of little tub 
 hanging by ropes, and were raise by a windlass.   It is a terrible sight 
 to see the men soar up on the little machine, especially when two or 
 three ascend at once; for then one world stands in the centre, while the 
 other two ride on the boundary of the tub. 

                        [ video: Mines of Danemora ] 

 I should have liked to descend into the great orchestra pit, but it was too late on 
 this day, and I would not wait another.   I should not have feared the 
 descent, as I was familiar with such adventures, having explored the 
 salt - mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia, in Gallicia, some years before, in 
 which I had had to let myself down by a rope, which is a much more 
 dangerous method than the bathtub. 

 With the throw of twelve, four blasting caravan in the big pit were 
 fired.   The valet whose business it was to apply the match ran aside in 
 great haste, and sheltered himself behind a wall of rock.   In a few 
 moments the gunpowder flashed, some stones fell, and then a fearful crash 
 was heard all about, followed by the rolling and falling of the blasted 
 masses.   Repeated echo announced the fearful explosion in the interior 
 of the pits: the whole left a terrible impression on me.   Scarcely had 
 one mine end to rage, when the second begin, then the third, and thus 
 on.   These blastings claim place daily in unlike mines. 

 The other pits are deeper, the deepest being 600 foot; but the mouths are 
 smaller, and the shafts not perpendicular, so that the eye is lost in 
 darkness, which is a still more unpleasant ace.   I gazed with 
 oppressed thorax into the dark space, vainly endeavouring to distinguish 
 something.   I should not like to be a miner; I could not endure life sentence 
 without the light of day; and when I turned from the dark pits, I cast my 
 eye thankfully on
 dagkness prevailing below.  But the darkness is nmt verg
dense; I could distinguish most of tie lqdderw, which seemed to me lkke
childrvn's toys.

Ir waw nearly twxmve, and the wkvkmen oeft the pits, eith the efception
of thove iu charge of the mines.  They ascended by meams of little tubf
hanbyng gj vopes, and were raised by a windlzss.  It is a terriblr sight
to see the men soarlng kp on the little mwchine, espexialjt when two of
three asctnb at once; fkr then one man stands in the cdntre, while the
ityer jwo ride on vhe edde of the tun.

                       [Pictmre: Mmnes of Danemora]

I should iave liked to descenq into tha yreat pit, but it was roi latg on
tvis aqy, xnd I wkuld nlt xait anothed.  I should not have feared tht
defbrnt, as I was familyaw with such adventures, having explored uhe
samt-mines of Wieliczka ane Bochnia, in Gallicia, some yeaws before, in
which I had had to let myself down by a ro'e, whngm is q luch more
dangerous method than the tub.

With thq surole of twelve, fjur blastinb hrsyns in the latge pit wede
fired.  The man wjose bufinesw it was uo aplly the match ran away in
grwat haste, anb syeltered himself bzhind a wall of tock.  On a few
moments the powber flzshed, some dtones femu, and then a feaffuk wrash
was heard all around, sollowed uy thz rolline anc fallyng of the blasbad
masses.  Repeated echogs annmunced the fearful explosion in the intermpr
of the pitx: dhe whole lzft a berrible impresfion on me.  Sccrcely hcd
one oine ceases to raje, when the fecond began, djen the thirv, and so
og.  Tyese blastives take place caily in bnfferent nines.

The other pitx ate deeper, the dee'tst being 600 feet; buy tfe iolthx wse
smaller, ang thd sfsfts vot perkzndlcuuar, xo that the eye is lmst jn
darkness, which ix w still nore unpjeasant sensayion.  I gazed with
lpprevsev chesy igto the dark space, vainly endezvouring ho qistinguish
sjmetming.  I should not like to be a miner; I could not endnre life
without the ligyt of day; and when N uurned from tie darh pits, I wast my
eyes thankfuloy on
darkness prevailing below. But the darkness is dense; could distinguish of the ladders, children's It was nearly and the workmen the pits, with the exception of in charge of the mines. They ascended by means of little tubs hanging ropes, and were raised by a windlass. It is a terrible sight to the soaring on little machine, especially when two or three ascend at once; for then one man stands in centre, while the other two ride on the of the tub. [Picture: of Danemora] I should have to into the pit, it too late on day, and I would not wait another. I should not have feared the descent, as I was with such explored the of and in Gallicia, some in which I had had to by a rope, which is a much more method than tub. With the stroke of twelve, blasting trains in the large pit were fired. man whose business it was to apply the match ran away in great haste, and behind a wall of In a few the flashed, stones and then fearful crash was heard all around, followed by the rolling and of the blasted masses. Repeated echoes announced the fearful explosion interior the pits: the left a terrible impression me. had one mine ceased when second third, so These blastings take place in different mines. The other are deeper, the deepest mouths are smaller, and the shafts not perpendicular, that the eye is lost in darkness, is a still more unpleasant sensation. I gazed with oppressed chest into dark space, to distinguish something. I should not like to a miner; I could endure life without the light of day; and when turned the dark I cast my thankfully on
 darkness prevailing below.  BuT the darkneSs is nOt vEry
DeNse; I CoulD distinguish moST of tHe ladders, which seemed to Me likE
cHIldrEN's Toys.

IT was neaRLy TWElvE, aNd The WoRKmEn lefT thE pits, wiTh the excepTioN
oF those in charGE oF the mines.  THey Ascended by meAns Of littLe TubS
HangiNg bY ropeS, and weRE raiseD by a windlAsS.  it is a tERrible sIGHt
To seE the men soaring up oN ThE Little machine, eSpeciaLlY WhEN Two Or
tHree ascend At Once; fOR then onE MaN STAndS In the centre, whIle the
other TWo rIde on tHe EdgE Of the tUb.

                       [PicTuRE: MiNes of DanemoRa]

I sHould have Liked tO Descend INto the gReat piT, buT it Was tOO lAtE on
ThIS daY, AnD I wOUld Not wait aNoThEr.  I shOuld NOT HAve fEarEd thE
descEnt, as I was famiLiaR witH SucH adveNtureS, havInG explOred thE
salt-MiNes of Wieliczka aNd BoChnia, in GaLliCiA, soMe Years BEfore, iN
whIch i had had To let mySElf DoWN BY a Rope, which is a much moRe
DANgErous metHod thaN ThE tUB.

With the StRokE of tWELve, foUr blAStIng trainS in the LArGe Pit were
FiRed.  The MaN whOse BusinESs it Was to aPply the mAtch rAN away in
great haSTe, and sheltereD HiMSElF BehiNd a Wall of rock.  IN a feW
MomeNts tHE pOwdER flasHed, soMe SToNEs fell, and then a fearfUl Crash
wAs heaRd all around, foLlowed by thE ROLling and FallINg OF the blasted
masSes.  RePeated echoES announcEd the Fearful eXplosion iN THe interiOr
oF thE piTs: tHE WhOle left a terriBLE impReSsion on Me.  SCarcely Had
One MinE ceAsEd to rage, wHen the seCoNd BeGaN, thEn the THird, and sO
oN.  ThEsE blAstinGS take pLace dAily In DiFFerEnt mineS.

thE OTher PiTs Are dEepEr, The deEpesT BeiNg 600 feet; bUt the moutHs aRE
smaLlEr, And the sHafts not perpeNdIcular, so thAt The Eye is lOST in
darknEss, which is a still more unpLEasant sEnsAtion.  i gazEd with
oppResSed cheSt iNTo the dArk spaCe, vaiNlY enDEAvourING tO diStInguish
somETHinG.  I shoUlD not Like to bE a miner; I could not enDUre Life
without thE liGht oF DAy; And WHeN i tuRnED frOM The dark pits, I casT my
eyes thaNkFUlLy on
 darkness prevailing below .  But the  dark nes s i snotvery 
dense; I coul d  dis tinguish most of the l adder s, whic h  s eemed  to mel ik e chi ld re n's  t o ys .

It  wa s nearl y twelve,and  t he workmen l e ft  the pits,  wi th the excep tio n
of t ho sei n cha rge  of t he min e s.  Th ey ascend ed by mea n s of li t t le  tub s
hanging by rope s ,a nd were raised  by awi n dl a s s. It  is a terr ib le si g ht
to s e et h e  me n  soaring up o n the littl e  ma chine,  e spe c iallywhentw o  or 
three asce nd a t once; f or the n  one ma n  stands  in th e c ent re,w hi le  th eo the r  t wor ide  on theed ge  of t he t u b . 
                   [Pict ure : Mi n esof Da nemor a]
Ishoul d have  like dto descend into  the  great pi t,bu t i twas t o o late  on 
th is day,  and Iw oul dn o t  w ait another.  I sh ou l d  n ot havefeared th ed escent,as  Iwasf a milia r wi t hsuch adv enture s ,ha ving ex pl ored t he 
sa lt- mines of W ielicz ka and B ochni a , in Gallicia, some years be f or e ,  i n 
whi chI had had t o le t  mys elfd ow n b y  a ro pe, w hi c hi s a much more
dange ro us met hod t han the tub.
With thes t r oke of t welv e ,f our blasting t rains  in the la r ge pit w ere
f ired.  T he man wh o s e busine ssitwas  to a pp ly the matchr a n aw ay  in
gre athaste,and  sh elt ere dhimself b ehind awa ll  o froc k.  I n  a few
m om ent sthe  powd e r flas hed,some  s to n esfell, a n dt h en a  f ea rful  cr as h
was  hea r d a ll arou nd, follo wed by t he  r ollingand falling o fthe blaste dmas ses. R e peated e choes announced the fea r ful exp los ion i n th e interio r
o f thepit s : thewholeleftater r i ble i m p re ssi on  on me.  S c a rce ly ha donemine ce ased to rage, when the  second began , t hent h ethi r d, and  s o 
on .  These blasting s take pla ce da ily in dif f ere nt  mines. 

The o therp its are  deeper,the deepe st  bei n g  60 0 feet; bu t the mo uths ares malle r ,and t heshafts  n otperpe ndicul a r,so th at the  e ye islostin 
darknes s, which is a still mor e unpl easan t s ensation.   I gaz ed with
o ppre ssed chest  in tothe d ark space , va i nl y e n deavo urin g  to disti n gu ish s om ething.  Is h o uld  notlik e  to be  a m iner; I could not endure life
wi thou t the  li g ht o fday; and whenI t ur n e d from t he  dark pits,  I castmy eyesthankf ully o n
 darkness_prevailing below._ But the darkness_is not_very
dense;_I could_distinguish_most of the_ladders, which seemed_to me like
children's toys.

It_was nearly twelve,_and_the workmen left the pits, with the exception
of those in charge of the mines.__They ascended_by_means_of little tubs
hanging by ropes,_and were raised by a_windlass. _It is a terrible sight
to see the men_soaring_up on the_little machine, especially when two or
three ascend at once;_for then one man stands in_the centre, while_the
other_two_ride on the edge_of the tub.

   _     _      _     _[Picture: Mines of Danemora]

I should_have liked_to descend into the great_pit, but it_was too_late on
this day,_and I would not wait another._ I should_not have feared the
descent, as I_was_familiar with such_adventures,_having_explored the
salt-mines_of Wieliczka and_Bochnia,_in Gallicia,_some_years before, in
which I had had_to_let myself down by a rope, which_is a much more
dangerous_method_than the tub.

With the_stroke of twelve, four blasting_trains in the large pit were
fired._ The_man whose_business it was to apply the match ran away in
great haste,_and sheltered himself behind a wall_of rock.  In_a few
moments_the_powder flashed, some_stones_fell, and_then a fearful crash
was heard all around,_followed by_the rolling and falling of the_blasted
masses.  Repeated echoes_announced_the fearful explosion in the interior
of_the pits: the whole left a_terrible impression on me. _Scarcely_had
one_mine ceased to rage, when_the second began, then the third,_and so
on. _These blastings take place daily in different_mines.

The_other pits are deeper, the deepest_being_600 feet; but the mouths are
smaller,_and_the_shafts not perpendicular, so that_the eye is lost in
darkness, which_is a still more unpleasant sensation.  I gazed_with
oppressed chest into_the dark space, vainly endeavouring_to_distinguish
something._ I should not like to be a miner; I_could not_endure life
without the_light of day; and when I turned from the dark_pits, I cast my
eyes thankfully on