k, to find a point upon
which he would be able to make some impression with his implements; but
the fragment, which had probably remained there since the deluge,
without having been honoured by a visit from a naturalist, was worn
quite smooth by time, and presented no acute angle, within reach, upon
which his hammer could make any impression; nor could he climb it for it
rose from its base in almost a perpendicular line. The more he
scrutinised, the more anxious was he to obtain specimens, and he
determined to blast the rock. Being prepared with a couple of short
crowbars, and a flask of gunpowder, he fixed upon a corner, which
appeared more assailable than the rest, and commenced his laborious
occupation.

"Can I assist you, Mr Macallan?" inquired Prose.

"You can, indeed, Mr Prose. Now, observe; continue driving the end of
the crowbar straight into this hole until you have made it about nine or
ten inches deep; that will be sufficient. I will make another on the
other side."

Prose commenced his labour, and, for a few minutes, worked with due
emphasis; but he soon found out that he had volunteered to a most
fatiguing task. He stopped, at last, for want of breath.

"Well, Mr Prose," inquired the doctor, from the other side of the rock,
observing that he had ceased from his labour, "how do you get on?"

"I wish to Heaven I had never got off;" muttered Prose, "for this is
worse than the elephant."

But the doctor was an enthusiast, a description of person who never
tires, and he judged of others by himself.

"How far have you got now, Mr Prose?"

"Oh--I think I have got an inch and a half good," answered Prose, quite
exhausted.

"No more!" exclaimed Macallan; "why, you must work harder, or we never
shall blast it."

"I have been _blasting_ it in my heart," thought Prose, "for these last
ten minutes," and he resumed his labour.

"You know nothing of mineralogy?" inquired the doctor, after a silence
of a few minutes.

"This is my first lesson, doctor," answered Prose, out loud; and
muttering in continuation, "I do declare it shall be the last."

"It's a very amusing study," continued Macallan; "but, like most others,
rather dry at first."

"Anything but dry," thought Prose, wiping his face with his
handkerchief.

"I shall be happy to give you any information in my power," said
Macallan; "but you must be attentive--nothing is to be obtained without
labour."

"I'm sure mineralogy is not," retorted