one long lost in the desert, who beholds afar off upon the
horizon some signs of the habitation of civilised men. Perhaps the dark
outlines of trees--perhaps the blue smoke rising over some distant
fire--but something that produces within him a hope that he will soon be
restored to the association of his fellow-men.

Just such a hope had sprung up within me, every moment becoming
stronger, till it amounted almost to a feeling of certainty.

It was perhaps this very confidence that kept me from rushing too
hastily towards the execution of my plan. It was a matter of too much
importance to be trifled with--an enterprise too grand either to be
commenced or carried through in a reckless or hurried manner. Some
unforeseen object might become an obstacle--some accident might arise,
which would lead to failure and ruin.

To avoid all chances of this, therefore, I resolved to proceed with as
much caution as I could command; and before making any commencement of
the work designed, to consider it in all its bearings. For this
purpose, I sat down within the cloth-case, and yielded up my whole power
of thought to an examination of my intended task.

One thing appeared very clear to me--that the task would be one of very
considerable magnitude. As already stated, I knew that I was near the
bottom of the hold; and I was not ignorant of the great depth of the
hold of a large ship. I remembered that in slipping down the
rope-tackle, it was as much as I could do to hold on till I had reached
the bottom; and a glance upward after I had reached it, showed the
hatchway a vast height above me. I reasoned, then, that if all that
space was filled with merchandise quite up to the hatch--and no doubt it
was--then I should have a long tunnel to make.

Besides, I should not only have to cut upwards, but also in a direction
leading towards the hatchway--that is, nearly half across the breadth of
the ship. This last did not trouble me so much; for I was pretty sure I
would not be able to go in a direct line, on account of the nature of
the packages I should encounter. A bale of linen, for instance, or some
like unwieldy substance, would have to be got round; and, at each stage,
I should have a choice either to proceed upward or in a horizontal
direction--whichever might appear the easiest.

In this way I should rise by steps, as it were, obliquing always in the
direction of the hatchway.

Neither the number of the packages I might