ds them, and the old man assured
them that they could follow with confidence. The most timorous brought
up the rear, holding their weapons in readiness. Henry and the
merchants were behind the old man, and the boy walked merrily at his
side. The path, at first narrow, emerged into a spacious and lofty
cave, which the gleam of the torches could not fully illumine. Some
openings, however, were seen in the rocky wall opposite. The ground was
soft and quite even; the walls and ceiling were also neither rough nor
irregular. But the innumerable bones and teeth which covered the
ground, chiefly attracted the attention of all. Many were in a full
state of preservation, some bore marks of decay, while some projecting
here and there from the walls seemed petrified. Most of them were of
extraordinary size and strength. The old man was much gratified at
seeing these relics of gray antiquity; they added little courage,
however, to the farmers, who considered them downright evidence, that
beasts of prey were near at hand, although the old man pointed out the
signs upon them of a remote antiquity, and asked them whether they had
ever heard of destruction among their flocks, or the seizure of men in
the neighborhood, and whether they thought these relics the bones of
known beasts or men. The old man wished to penetrate farther into the
cave, but the farmers deemed it advisable to retreat to its mouth, and
there await his return. Henry, the merchants, and the boy remained with
him, having provided themselves with ropes and torches. They soon
reached a second cave, where the old man did not forget to mark the
path by which they entered, by a figure of bones which he erected
before the mouth. This cave resembled the other, and was equally full
of the remains of animals. Henry's mind was affected by wonder and
awe; he felt as if passing through the outer-court of the central
earth-palace. Heaven and earth lay at once far distant from him; these
dark and vast halls seemed parts of some strange subterraneous kingdom.
"May it not be possible," thought he to himself, "that beneath our feet
there moves by itself a world in mighty life, that strange productions
derive their being from the bowels of the earth, which sends forth the
internal heat of its dark bosom into gigantic and preternatural shapes?
Might not these awful strangers have been driven forth once by the
piercing cold, and appeared amongst us, while perhaps at the same time
heavenly