ussion, whatever it was, which had so unexpectedly
overwhelmed us, had also, at the same moment, laid open this path for
escape. Being quite exhausted with exertion, and indeed, so weak that we
were scarcely able to stand or articulate, Peters now proposed that we
should endeavour to bring our companions to the rescue by firing the
pistols which still remained in our girdles--the muskets as well as
cutlasses had been lost among the loose earth at the bottom of the
chasm. Subsequent events proved that, had we fired, we should have
sorely repented it, but luckily a half suspicion of foul play had by
this time arisen in my mind, and we forbore to let the savages know of
our whereabouts.

After having reposed for about an hour, we pushed on slowly up the
ravine, and had gone no great way before we heard a succession of
tremendous yells. At length we reached what might be called the surface
of the ground; for our path hitherto, since leaving the platform, had
lain beneath an archway of high rock and foliage, at a vast distance
overhead. With great caution we stole to a narrow opening, through which
we had a clear sight of the surrounding country, when the whole dreadful
secret of the concussion broke upon us in one moment and at one view.

The spot from which we looked was not far from the summit of the highest
peak in the range of the soapstone hills. The gorge in which our party
of thirty-two had entered ran within fifty feet to the left of us. But,
for at least one hundred yards, the channel or bed of this gorge was
entirely filled up with the chaotic ruins of more than a million tons of
earth and stone that had been artificially tumbled within it. The means
by which the vast mass had been precipitated were not more simple than
evident, for sure traces of the murderous work were yet remaining. In
several spots along the top of the eastern side of the gorge (we were
now on the western) might be seen stakes of wood driven into the earth.
In these spots the earth had not given way, but throughout the whole
extent of the face of the precipice from which the mass had fallen,
it was clear, from marks left in the soil resembling those made by the
drill of the rock blaster, that stakes similar to those we saw standing
had been inserted, at not more than a yard apart, for the length of
perhaps three hundred feet, and ranging at about ten feet back from the
edge of the gulf. Strong cords of grape vine were attached to the stakes
s