On Tuesday, February 22, 1831, a violent detonation was suddenly heard
in the coal mine of Bois-Monzil, belonging to M. Robinot. The waters
from the old works rushed impetuously along the new galleries. "The
waters, the waters!" such was the cry that resounded from the affrighted
workmen throughout the mine. Only ten miners out of twenty-six were able
to reach the entrance. One of them brought off in his arms, a boy eleven
years old, whom he thus saved from sudden death; another impelled by the
air and the water, to a considerable distance, could scarcely credit his
escape from such imminent danger; a third rushed forward with his sack
full of coals on his shoulders, which, in his fright, he had never
thought of throwing down.
The disastrous news, that sixteen workmen had perished in the mine of M.
Robinot, was soon circulated in the town of St. Etienne. It was regarded
as one of those fatal and deplorable events unfortunately, too common in
that neighborhood, and on the ensuing Thursday it was no longer talked
of. Politics, and the state of parties in Paris, exclusively occupied
the public attention.
The engineers of the mines, however, and some of their pupils, who, on
the first alarm, had hastened to the spot, still remained there,
continuing their indefatigable endeavors to discover the miners who were
missing. Nothing that mechanical science, manual labor, and
perseverance, prompted by humanity, could perform, was left undone.
Thirty hours had already elapsed since the fatal accident, when two
workmen announced the discovery of a jacket and some provisions
belonging to the miners. The engineers immediately essayed to penetrate
into the galleries where these objects had been found, which they
accomplished with much difficulty, by crawling on their hands and feet.
In vain they repeatedly called aloud; no voice, save the echo of their
own, answered from those narrow and gloomy vaults. It then occurred to
them to strike with their pickaxes against the roof of the mine. Still
the same uncheering silence! Listen! yes! the sounds are answered by
similar blows! Every heart beats, every pulse quickens, every breath is
contracted; yet, perhaps, it is but an illusion of their wishes--or,
perhaps, some deceitful echo. They again strike the vaulted roof. There
is no longer any doubt. The same number of strokes is returned. No words
can paint the varied feelings that pervaded every heart. It was (to use
the expression of a person present) a veritable delirium of joy, of
fear, and of hope.
Without losing an instant, the engineers ordered a hole to be bored in
the direction of the galleries, where the miners were presumed to be; at
the same time, they directed, on another point, the formation of an
inclined well, for the purpose of communicating with them.
Two of the engineer's pupils were now dispatched to the mayor of St.
Etienne, to procure a couple of fire pumps, which they conducted back to
the mine, accompanied by two firemen. In the ardor of youthful humanity,
these young men imagined that the deliverance of the miners was but the
affair of a few hours; and, wishing to prepare an "agreeable surprise"
for the friends of the supposed victims, they gave strict injunctions at
the mayoralty to keep the object of their expedition a profound secret.
Notwithstanding the untiring efforts made to place these pumps in the
mine, it was found impossible. Either they were upon a plane too much
inclined to admit of their playing with facility, or the water was too
muddy to be received up the pipes; they were therefore abandoned. In
the meantime, the attempts made to reach the miners by sounding or by
the inclined well, seemed to present insurmountable difficulties. The
distance to them was unknown; the sound of their blows on the roof, far
from offering a certain criterion, or, at least, a probable one, seemed
each time to excite fresh doubts; in short, the rock which it was
necessary to pierce, was equally hard and thick, and the gunpowder
unceasingly used to perforate it, made but a hopeless progress. The
consequent anxiety that reigned in the mine may be easily conceived.
Each of the party, in his turn, offered his suggestions, sometimes of
hope, sometimes of apprehension; and the whole felt oppressed by that
vague suspense, which is, perhaps, more painful to support than the
direst certainty. The strokes of the unfortunate miners continued to
reply to theirs, which added to their agitation, from the fear of not
being able to afford them effectual help. They almost thought that in
such a painful moment their situation was more distressing than those
they sought to save, as the latter were, at any rate, sustained by hope.
While most of the party were thus perplexed by a crowd of disquieting
ideas, produced by the distressing nature of the event itself, and by
their protracted stay in a mine where the few solitary lamps scarcely
rendered "darkness visible," the workmen continued their labors with
redoubled ardor; some of them were hewing to pieces blocks of the rock,
which fell slowly and with much difficulty; others were actively
employed in boring the hole before named, while some of the engineers'
apprentices sought to discover new galleries, either by creeping on "all
fours," or by penetrating through perilous and narrow crevices and
clefts of the rock.
In the midst of their corporeal and mental labors, their attention was
suddenly excited from another painful source. The wives of the hapless
miners had heard that all hope was not extinct. They hastened to the
spot; with heart-rending cries and through tears alternately of despair
and hope, they exclaimed, "Are they _all_ there?" "Where is the father
of my children? Is _he_ among them, or has he been swallowed up by
the waters?"
At the bottom of the mine, close to the water-reservoir, a consultation
was held on the plan to be pursued. Engineers, pupils, workmen, all
agreed that the only prospect of success consisted in exhausting the
water, which was already sensibly diminished, by the working of the
steam-pump; the other pumps produced little or no effect,
notwithstanding the vigorous efforts employed to render them
serviceable. It was then proposed remedying the failure of these pumps
by _une chaine a bras_, viz, by forming a line, and passing buckets from
one to the other; this method was adopted, and several of the pupils
proceeded with all speed to St. Etienne. It was midnight. The _generale_
was beat in two quarters of the town only. The Hotel de Ville was
assigned as the place of rendezvous. On the first alarm, a great number
of persons hurried to the town-hall, imagining a fire had broken out,
but, on ascertaining the real cause, several of them returned home,
apparently unmoved. Yet these same persons, whose supposed apathy had
excited both surprise and indignation, quickly reappeared on the scene,
dressed in the uniform of the National Guard. So powerful is the magic
influence of organized masses, marching under the orders of a chief, and
stimulated by _l'esprit de corps_.
It was truly admirable to see with what address and rapidity the three
or four hundred men, who had hastened to Bois-Monzil, passed and
repassed the buckets, by forming a chain to the bottom of the mine. But
their generous efforts became too fatiguing to last long. Imagine a
subterranean vault, badly lighted, where they were obliged to maintain
themselves in a rapid descent in a stooping posture, to avoid striking
their heads against the roof of the vault, and, most of the time, up to
the middle in the water, which was dripping from every side; some idea
may then be formed of their painful situation. They were relieved from
this laborious duty by the _Garde Nationale_ of St. Etienne, whose zeal
and enthusiasm exceeded all praise. But a more precious reinforcement
was at hand; the workmen from the adjacent mines now arrived in great
numbers. From their skill and experience every thing might be expected;
if they failed there was no further hope.
The _chaine a bras_ was again renewed by companies of the National
Guard, relieved every two hours, who, at respective distances, held the
lights, and under whose orders they acted. It was a cheering spectacle
to behold citizens of all ranks engaged in one of the noblest offices of
humanity, under the direction of poor colliers.
The immense advantages of the organization of the National Guard, were
never more strikingly exemplified than on this occasion. Without them,
there would have been no means or possibility of uniting together an
entire population; of leading the people from a distance of more than
three miles, night and day, so as to insure a regular and continued
service; all would have been trouble and confusion. With them, on the
contrary, every thing was ready, and in motion, at the voice of a single
chief; and the whole was conducted with such precision and regularity
as had never on similar occasions, been witnessed before.
The road from St. Etienne to Bois-Monzil, exhibited a scene of the most
animated kind. In the midst of the motley and moving multitude, the
National Guards were seen hurrying to and fro; chasseurs, grenadiers,
cavalry and artillery-men, all clothed in their rich new costume, as on
a field day. Some of the crowd were singing _a la Parisienne_, others
were lamenting, praying, hoping, despairing, and, by "fits and starts,"
abandoning themselves to those opposite extravagances of sentiment so
peculiarly characteristic of a French population. When night drew her
sable curtains around, the picturesque of the scene was still more
heightened. Fresh bands of miners, conducted by their respective chiefs,
coming in from every side; their sooty visages lighted up by glaring
torches; National Guards arriving from different parts of the country,
to join their comrades of St. Etienne; farmers and peasants, on
horseback and afoot, hastening to offer their humane aid; sentinels
posted--muskets piled--watch-fires blazing, and, in short, the _tout
ensemble_ rendered the approaches of Bois-Monzil like a bivouac on the
eve of an expected battle; happily, however, the object of these brave
men was to preserve life and not to destroy it.
On Saturday, the _chaine a bras_ was discontinued, as the engineers had
brought the pumps effectually to work. Suddenly a cry of joy was echoed
from mouth to mouth, "They are saved! they are saved! six of them are
freed from their subterraneous prison!" shouted a person at the entrance
of the mine. The rumor was instantly repeated along the crowd, and a
horseman set off at full speed for St. Etienne, with the gratifying
news; another followed, and confirmed the report of his predecessor. The
whole town was in motion, and all classes seemed to partake of the
general joy, with a feeling as if each had been individually interested.
In the exuberance of their delight they were already deliberating on the
subject of a _fete_, to celebrate the happy event, when a third horsemen
arrived. The multitude thronged round him, expecting a more ample
confirmation of the welcome tidings. But their joy was soon turned to
sorrow, when they were informed that nothing had yet been discovered,
save the dead bodies of two unfortunate men, who, together had left
eleven children to lament their untimely fate.
On Sunday, the workmen continued their labor with equal zeal and
uncertainty as before. A sort of inquietude and hopelessness, however,
occasionally pervaded their minds, which may be easily accounted for,
from the hitherto fruitless result of their fatiguing researches.
Discussions now took place on what was to be done; differences of
opinion arose on the various plans proposed, and, in the meantime, the
sounds of the hapless victims from the recesses of the rocky cavern
continued to be distinctly audible. Every moment the embarrassment and
difficulties of the workmen increased. The flinty rock seemed to grow
more impenetrable; their tools either broke, or became so fixed in the
stone, that it was frequently impossible to regain them. The water
filtered from all parts, through the narrow gallery they were
perforating, and they even began to apprehend another irruption.
Such was the state of things on Monday morning, when, at four o'clock,
an astounding noise was heard, which re-echoed throughout the Whole
extent of the mine. A general panic seized on every one; it was thought
that the waters had forced a new issue. A rapid and confused flight took
place; but, luckily, their fears were soon allayed on perceiving that it
was only an immense mass of rock, detached from the mine, which had
fallen into a draining-well. This false alarm, however, operated in a
discouraging manner, on the minds of the workmen; and it required some
management to bring them back to their respective stations, and to
revive that ardor and constancy, which they had hitherto so nobly
displayed.
They had scarcely renewed their endeavors to bore through the rock, when
suddenly one of them felt the instrument drawn from his hands, by the
poor imprisoned miners. It was, indeed, to them, the instrument of
deliverance from their cruel situation. Singular to relate, their first
request was neither for food nor drink, but for _light_, as if they were
more eager to make use of their eyes, than to satisfy the pressing wants
of appetite! It was now ascertained that eight of the sufferers still
survived; and this time an authentic account of the happy discovery was
dispatched to St. Etienne, where it excited the most enthusiastic
demonstrations of sympathy and gladness. But there is no pleasure
unmixed with alloy; no general happiness unaccompanied by particular
exceptions. Among the workmen, was the father of one of the men who had
disappeared in the mine. His paternal feelings seemed to have endowed
him with superhuman strength. Night and day he never quitted his work
but for a few minutes to return to it with redoubled ardor; one sole,
absorbing thought occupied his whole soul; the idea that his son, his
_only_ son, was with those who were heard from within. In vain he was
solicited to retire; in vain they strove to force him from labors too
fatiguing for his age. "My son is among them," said he, "I hear him;
nothing shall prevent my hastening his release;" and, from time to time,
he called on his son, in accents that tore the hearts of the bystanders.
It was from his hand that the instrument had been drawn. His first
question was "my child?" Like Apelles, let me throw a vail over a
father's grief. His Antoine was no more, he had been drowned.
For four days several medical men were constantly on the spot, to
contribute all the succors that humanity, skill, and science could
afford. It was they who introduced through the hole, broth and soup, by
means of long, tin tubes, which had been carefully prepared beforehand.
The poor captives distributed it with the most scrupulous attention,
first to the oldest and weakest of their companions; for,
notwithstanding their dreadful situation, the spirit of concord and
charity had never ceased for a single moment to preside among them. The
man who was appointed by the others to communicate with, and answer the
questions of their deliverers, displayed, in all his replies, a gayety
quite in keeping with the French character. On being asked what day he
thought it was, and on being informed that it was Monday, instead of
Sunday, as he had supposed, "Ah!" said he, "I ought to have known that,
as we yesterday indulged ourselves freely in drinking--water." Strange
that a man should have the heart to joke, who had been thus "cabin'd,
cribb'd, confin'd," during five days, destitute of food, deprived of
air, agitated by suspense, and in jeopardy of perishing by the most
horrible of all deaths!
There still remained full sixteen feet of solid rock between the two
anxious parties; but the workmen's labors were now, if possible,
redoubled by the certainty of complete success. At intervals, light
nourishment in regulated quantities, continued to be passed to the
miners; this, however they soon rejected, expressing but one desire,
that their friends would make haste. Their strength began to fail them;
their respiration became more and more difficult; their utterance grew
feebler and fainter; and toward six o'clock in the evening, the last
words that could be distinguished, were--"Brothers make haste!"
The general anxiety was now wound up to the highest pitch; it was,
perhaps, the most trying crisis yet experienced since the commencement
of their benevolent labors; at length the moment of deliverance was, all
at once, announced, and at ten o'clock it was accomplished. One by one,
they appeared, like specters, gliding along the gallery which had just
been completed; their weak and agitated forms supported by the
engineers, on whom they cast their feeble eyes, filled with
astonishment, yet beaming with gratitude. Accompanied by the doctors,
they all with one single exception, ascended to the entrance of the
mine, without aid; such was their eagerness to inhale the pure air of
liberty. From the mouth of the mine to the temporary residence allotted
them, the whole way was illuminated. The engineers, pupils, and the
workmen, with the National Guard under arms, were drawn up in two lines
to form a passage; and thus, in the midst of a religious silence, did
these poor fellows traverse an attentive and sympathizing crowd, who, as
they passed along, inclined their heads, as a sort of respect and honor
to their sufferings.
Such are the affecting particulars of an event, during the whole of
which, every kind of business was suspended at St. Etienne; an event
which exhibited the entire population of a large town, forming, as it
were, but one heart, entertaining but one thought, imbued with one
feeling, for the god-like purpose of saving the lives of eight poor,
obscure individuals. Christians, men of all countries, whenever and
wherever suffering humanity claims your aid--"Go ye and do likewise!"
[Illustration: SHIP TOWED BY BULLOCKS.]