icroscopes as well--one of the former being a large instrument,
certainly not less than six feet long, with a diameter of apparently six
or eight inches.

"Here, you see, I have the means of investigating the wonders of Nature
in her grandest as well as her minutest scales. And there," he added,
pointing to a couple of large reflecting mirrors in strong wooden
frames, erected on joints in such a way that they could be turned in any
direction,--"there you have the secret of my sunshine. One of these
mirrors catches the sunshine direct and reflects it on the other, which,
as you see, is so arranged that it transmits the rays down the natural
funnel or chimney into the cave. By means of chains connected with the
mechanism, and extending below, I can change the direction of the
mirrors as the sun changes its place in the sky, without requiring to
come up here."

"Very ingenious!" said Nigel; "but how do you manage when the mountain
comes between you and the sun, as I see it cannot fail to do during some
part of the day?"

"Simply enough," returned the hermit, pointing to a distant projecting
cliff or peak. "On yon summit I have fixed four mirrors similar to
these. When the sun can no longer be reflected from this pair, the
first of the distant mirrors takes it up and shoots a beam of light over
here. When the sun passes from that, the second mirror is arranged to
catch and transmit it, and so on to the fourth. After that I bid
good-bye to the sun, and light my lamp!"

Nigel felt an almost irresistible tendency to smile at this, but the
grave simplicity of the man forbade such familiarity.

"Look yonder," continued the hermit, sweeping one of his long arms
towards Sumatra, "in that direction runs the line of volcanic
disturbance--the fissure of which I have already spoken. Focus this
telescope to suit your sight. Now, do you see the little island away
there to the nor'-west?"

"Yes."

"Well, that is _Varlaten_. I mentioned it when at breakfast. Sweep
your glass round to the nor'ard, the little island there is _Polish
Hat_, and you see _Lang Island_ in the nor'-east. These, with Krakatoa,
are merely the higher parts still remaining above water of the ring or
lip of the ancient crater. This will give you some idea what an
enormous mountain the original of this old volcano must have been. This
island-mountain is estimated to have been twenty-five miles in
circumference, and 10,000 to 12,000 feet high. It