e rock. They found, as they proceeded, that they were ascending
gradually, and that the passage was of a uniform height; and, as the
particles of gold were plainly visible imbedded in the rock, they came
to the conclusion that they had come to an ancient gold mine, and the
tunnel had indeed been cut by human skill.

They soon came to the terminus of this part, and when they returned
they resolved to explore the cavern at the left, being very anxious to
do so. The chief, however, dissented, for he had been troubled from the
moment they had discovered the particles of gold. At first he
peremptorily refused to go with them until he found they were resolved
to go even if he remained behind. Then yielding a reluctant consent he
took his torch and led the way. This passage was precisely similar to
the other, with the exception that it descended gradually while the
other ascended. Here too the particles of gold were discovered
glittering in the rock that formed one of the sides of the passage;
and, as none of the precious ore was visible on the roof or other side,
they supposed a vein had run through the rock in a dip formed by an
upheaval of the rock, and which having been discovered by some unknown
persons, the ledge had been tunneled and the ore taken from its hidden
bed.

Following the tunnel a short distance, they came to a single step,
about two feet high, which descending, they found others at regular
intervals of about ten feet apart, until they had counted fifty of
them. The sides along which the vein ran bore indications of having
yielded vast quantities of ore, with still enough to repay the labor of
crushing the quartz in which it was imbedded, and extracting the gold.
The steps now terminated, and the passage branched in two directions at
right angles with each other. In one of the branches they found the
continuation of the vein of precious ore, and followed it up. Instead
of its descending, they found it perfectly level, the passage having
the same width and height as at its mouth for a considerable distance,
when it suddenly opened into a large room, which they found, by pacing
it, to be three hundred feet long, and two hundred and twenty wide, in
the longest and widest parts. Its shape was very singular, jutting out
here and there, and as the glare of the torches lighted up the gloom,
millions of particles from every crevice and jutting point of its
rugged sides, reflected back their light in flashing rays.