Tom was inexhaustible in his schemes, and at the end of three days he
had contrived the very thing we required, in a light little raft
composed of a few bamboo wands confining together a couple of inflated
calf or small heifer skins, which floated lightly on the river like a
pair of huge bladders.
"There, Mas'r Harry, what do you say to them, eh? Let all the wind out
and double 'em up, cut fresh sticks over there by the cave, blow the
bags out again, and there you are fitted up in style."
"Tom," I said joyfully, "you're a treasure!"
"Course I am, Mas'r Harry! And yet you wanted to leave me behind."
We were off the next morning before daybreak well armed, each carrying a
pistol besides our gun, and travelled as rapidly as we could, being
pretty well laden; our load being increased this time by better
illuminating powers in the shape of rope thickly coated with pitch.
"You'll take the prog-bag, Mas'r Harry, as soon as we get there; and
I've brought this bit of rope so as to sling the skin bags over my
shoulders," said Tom.
"All right!" I said, and I nodded assent.
Having the advantage of a little more acquaintance with the road we
arrived at the ravine in good time without seeing a soul, walked
straight to the blocks in front of the great cave, climbed them,
hastened in for some distance, and then sat down in the cool twilight to
rest and refresh ourselves, the place being apparently just as we had
left it some days before.
It was very laborious work that tramping through a trackless country,
but an hour's rest and a hearty meal sufficed to make us once more
eagerly set about our task; Tom now apparently as much excited as myself
though without my deep interest. Tom's idea was that we might discover
something wonderful, more singular perhaps than the vast chasm; but his
fancies were exceedingly vague, while for my part I studiously preserved
silence respecting my own intentions.
As soon as we reached the region of gloom we lit a candle and one torch,
but so far, with the increased power of thoroughly illuminating the
place, it only served to reveal the vastness of the awe-inspiring cave
we were traversing.
Our progress was necessarily slow, but at last we stood over the arch
from whence issued the stream, when, moved by a strange feeling of
attraction, I left Tom busily preparing the raft while I walked forward
with the torch to stand at last upon the rocky cape projecting over the
awful gulf, and there stood holding the light above my head trying to
penetrate the gloom.
But my endeavours were vain; above, beneath, around, the torch shed a
halo of faint light, beyond that all was intense blackness, from out of
which came the whisperings, murmurings, and roarings, evidently of
water, but which the imagination might easily have transposed into the
mutterings of a vast and distant multitude.
With an involuntary shudder I turned away, thinking of the consequences
of a sudden vertigo.
Tom was busy with knife and rope, and kneeling down I helped him,
puffing into the skins till almost breathless; but at last our task was
done, and together we carried the little raft down to the water-side,
though not without several slips, launched it, and then placed upon it
our lights stuck in lumps of clay brought for the purpose.
The raft was about six feet long by four feet wide; the skins supporting
light sticks of bamboo well secured to them, and these in their turn
bearing cross pieces laid in their places, so that the light vessel's
deck, if I may call it so, was a sort of bamboo grating, upon which we
could sit, though standing would have been a puzzling gymnastic
exercise.
We were ready then at last; but now the same feeling seemed to pervade
both as we stood there on the rock gazing before us at the black arch,
through which, flowing easily, came the inky water. From where, from
what strange regions?