have to burrow through, nor
the distance, troubled me so much as the materials which they might
contain. It was this thought which gave me the most concern; for the
difficulty would be greater or less according to the materials I should
have to remove out of my way. Should many of the articles prove to be
of that kind, that, when taken out of the cases, would become more
bulky, and could not be compressed again, then I should have to dread
the "back-water;" and in reality this was one of the worst of my
apprehensions. I had experienced already what a misfortune it would be,
since, but for the lucky circumstance of the brandy-cask, the plan I was
now about to attempt would have been altogether impracticable.

Linen I dreaded more than any other material. It would be more
difficult to get through, and when removed from its close-pressed bales,
could not possibly be repacked in so small a space. I could only hope,
therefore, that the cargo contained a very small quantity of this
beautiful and useful fabric.

I thought over many things which might be comprised in that great wooden
chamber. I even tried to remember what sort of a country Peru was, and
what articles of commerce would be most likely to be carried there from
England. But I could make very little of this train of reasoning, so
ignorant was I of commercial geography. One thing was certain: it was
what is called an "assorted cargo," for such are the cargoes usually
sent to the seaports of the Pacific. I might, therefore, expect to
encounter a little of this, and a little of that--in short, everything
produced in our great manufacturing cities.

After I had spent nearly half an hour in this sort of conjecturing. I
began to perceive that it could serve no purpose. It would be only
guesswork, at best, and it was evident I could not tell what quality of
metal the mine contained, until I had first sunk my shaft.

The moment to commence that labour had arrived; and, throwing reflection
for the time behind me, I betook myself to the task.

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE.

THE LUXURY OF STANDING ERECT.

It will be remembered that in my former expedition into the two boxes of
cloth--while in hopes of finding more biscuits, or something else that
was eatable--I had ascertained the sort of packages that surrounded
them, as well as those that were placed above. It will be remembered,
also, that on that end of the first cloth-case which lay towards the
hatchway I h