oarse,
To inland brooklets' murmuring course.
What is on earth, what is in sea,
In air and fire, from Peyvis free?

Everybody shuddered from fear at hearing these incredible assumptions.
The Finn immediately prepared himself for the voyage, undressed, and,
strange sight! suddenly transformed to an eagle, raised himself into the
air and soon vanished. After a full month's absence, our wonderful
doctor, early on a morning, re-appeared, entirely exhausted, his
forehead streaming with sweat. When sufficiently recovered from his
fatigue, he commenced a description of his adventures on his air passage
and in the subterranean lands. He told us that on his arrival below, war
was raging between the established government and the opposition, in
which the party of Klim got the ascendancy, and reinstated the son of
our Niels on the throne; our kinsman had for a long time borne the
sceptre, under the administration of his mother; but now, old and
glorified for many great feats, reigned alone over the whole
subterranean world, with the name of Niels the Second.

Now, take shame to yourselves, ye incredulous mortals! and learn
hereafter, in important matters, to proceed with more caution. Be
ashamed, ye scoffers! and ask pardon for your unfounded accusations,
your atrocious sneers. Stand abashed, finally, ye hyper-critics! and
know that the learned world shall no longer suffer from your audacious
and unreasonable judgments; then silence your stunted progeny at their
birth, or if you will, yourselves!

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I.

THE AUTHOR'S DESCENT TO THE ABYSS.

In the year 1664, after graduating at the Academy of Copenhagen, in
Theology and Philosophy, I prepared to return to my father-land, and
took passage in a ship bound for the city of Bergen, in Norway. I had
been furnished with brilliant testimonials from both faculties, and
wanted only money;--a fate common to Norwegian students, who generally
return home with empty purses from the Temple of the Muses.

We had a good wind, and in three days arrived at my native town,
Bergen.

I occupied myself now, in expanding my knowledge of natural philosophy,
and for practice, geologically examined the neighboring mountains. On
the top of the most interesting of these mountains, (interesting I mean
to a student,) was a remarkable cave, which the inhabitants of the town
called _Florien_. From its mouth, a mild and not unpl