into the ice-chamber to see what had been
done since my last visit. I decided to insist that operations upon a
larger scale should be immediately begun, in order that I might have
plenty of money with which to carry on my contemplated campaign. Whether
it was one of peace or war, I should want all the money I could get.

I took with me a lantern and went around the chamber, which was now
twenty-five or thirty feet in diameter, examining the new inroads which
had been made upon its walls. There was a tunnel commenced opposite the
one by which the chamber was entered, but it had not been opened more
than a dozen feet, and it seemed to me that the men had not been working
with any very great energy. I wanted to see a continuous stream of
ice-blocks from that chamber to the mouth of the shaft.

While grumbling thus I heard behind me a sudden noise like thunder and
the crashing of walls, and, turning quickly, I saw that a portion of
the roof of the chamber had fallen in. Nor had it ceased to fall. As
I gazed, several great masses of ice came down from above and piled
themselves upon that which had already fallen.

Startled and frightened, I sprang toward the opening of the entrance
tunnel; but, alas! I found that that was the point where the roof had
given way, and between me and the outer world was a wall of solid ice
through which it would be as impossible for me to break as if it were a
barrier of rock. With the quick instinct which comes to men in danger I
glanced about to see if the workmen had left their tools; but there were
none.

They had been taken outside. Then I stood and gazed stupidly at the
mass of fallen ice, which, even as I looked upon it, was cracking and
snapping, pressed down by the weight above it, and forming itself into
an impervious barrier without crevice or open seam.

Then I madly shouted. But of what avail were shouts down there in the
depths of the earth? I soon ceased this useless expenditure of strength,
and, with my lantern in my hand, began to walk around the chamber,
throwing the light upon the walls and the roof. I became impressed with
the fear that the whole cavity might cave in at once and bury me here
in a tomb of ice. But I saw no cracks, nor any sign of further disaster.
But why think of anything more? Was not this enough? For, before that
ice-barrier could be cleared away, would I not freeze to death?

I now continued to walk, not because I expected to find anything or do
any