of ore has, in this part, ceased to yield a profit for the
necessary labour, and the works have been abandoned. We creep
breathlessly down until our guide bids us halt; and, holding out his
lantern at arm's length, but half reveals, in the pitchy darkness, a
low-roofed cavern, floored by an inky lake of still, dead water; in which
we see the light of the lantern reflected as in a mirror. It is fearful
to look on--so black and motionless: a sluggish pool, thick and
treacherous, which seemingly would engulf us without so much as a wave or
a bubble; and we are within a foot of its surface! We draw involuntarily
back, and creep up the steep stair to the first level above us.

Along a narrow gallery we proceed for a short space, and then down again;
still down the interminable steps, till our knees crack with the ever
uniform motion, and the hot perspiration streams from every pore. The
air is so thick and heavy, that we occasionally draw breath with a half
gasp; and still we descend, till we hear the muffled ring of
steel,--tink, tink, tink,--immediately near us, and are suddenly arrested
in our downward course by the level ground.

We are in a narrow gallery, considerably loftier than any we have yet
seen; for we can walk about in it without stooping. At the further end
are two miners, just distinguishable by the tiny glow of their lanterns.
From these proceed the ring of steel--the muffled tinkling in the thick
air we had heard--and we see that they are preparing for a "blast." With
a long steel rod, or chisel, they are driving a way into the hard rock
(geologists say there is little else in the Erzebirge than the primitive
gneiss and granite), and thus prepare a deep, narrow chamber, within
which a charge of gunpowder is placed and exploded. The hard material is
rent into a thousand pieces, bringing with it the ore so indefatigably
sought.

With every limb strained and distorted, the miners pursue their cramping
labours, grovelling on the earth. The drilling or boring they are
engaged in is a slow process, and the choice of a spot, so that the
explosion may loosen as much of the lode and as little of the rock as
possible, is of considerable importance. They cease their labours as we
enter, and turn to look at us. The curse of wealth-digging is upon them.
They, in their stained and disordered costume, seated on the ground on
their semicircular leather aprons (for that is the obvious use of this
portion of the