bore also some little
resemblance to alphabetical characters, and Peters was willing, at
all events, to adopt the idle opinion that they were really such. I
convinced him of his error, finally, by directing his attention to the
floor of the fissure, where, among the powder, we picked up, piece by
piece, several large flakes of the marl, which had evidently been broken
off by some convulsion from the surface where the indentures were found,
and which had projecting points exactly fitting the indentures; thus
proving them to have been the work of nature.

After satisfying ourselves that these singular caverns afforded us no
means of escape from our prison, we made our way back, dejected and
dispirited, to the summit of the hill. Nothing worth mentioning occurred
during the next twenty-four hours, except that, in examining the ground
to the eastward of the third chasm, we found two triangular holes of
great depth, and also with black granite sides. Into these holes we
did not think it worth while to attempt descending, as they had the
appearance of mere natural wells, without outlet. They were each about
twenty yards in circumference, and their shape, as well as relative
position in regard to the third chasm, is shown in figure 5. {image}

CHAPTER 24

ON the twentieth of the month, finding it altogether impossible to
subsist any longer upon the filberts, the use of which occasioned us the
most excruciating torment, we resolved to make a desperate attempt at
descending the southern declivity of the hill. The face of the
precipice was here of the softest species of soapstone, although nearly
perpendicular throughout its whole extent (a depth of a hundred and
fifty feet at the least), and in many places even overarching. After
a long search we discovered a narrow ledge about twenty feet below
the brink of the gulf; upon this Peters contrived to leap, with what
assistance I could render him by means of our pocket-handkerchiefs tied
together. With somewhat more difficulty I also got down; and we then saw
the possibility of descending the whole way by the process in which we
had clambered up from the chasm when we had been buried by the fall of
the hill-that is, by cutting steps in the face of the soapstone with
our knives. The extreme hazard of the attempt can scarcely be conceived;
but, as there was no other resource, we determined to undertake it.

Upon the ledge where we stood there grew some filbert-bushes; and to