I dealt blow after blow as high up as I was able
to reach.

I suspected that had it not been for the noises which were constantly
issuing from all parts of the ship the sound of my blows would have been
heard. At last, to my joy, I felt something give way. This encouraged
me to proceed. On feeling with my hands I found that I was working
against a small upright door, which opened, I concluded, into another
part of the hold. I redoubled my efforts, and getting in the handspike
worked away till the door yielded still more. This further encouraged
me to proceed, but the operation took me a long time. Occasionally no
progress was made, but, like the dropping of water on a hard rock,
ultimately prevailed.

Now one nail was drawn, now another, and I was sure that the door was
giving way. A strong man would with one or two wrenches have forced it
open. Weak as I was for want of food, it now seems surprising to me
that my exertions should have produced any effect. I had begun at the
top. By working the handspike lower and lower down I by degrees tore
away the door, or as I may more properly say the panel, as there were no
hinges that I could discover. I was exerting all my strength in another
effort when it gave way, and down I fell with my head almost through the
aperture I had made. A faint light which came down from an opening
far-away revealed the sort of place I was in. Had I not been so long
accustomed to darkness I don't think that its strength would have been
sufficient for me to discover the objects around. I made out several
bales, cases, and packages, stowed tightly together; but still I failed
to see any outlet.

After recovering from my fall, by which I was somewhat hurt, I crept
out, endeavouring to move some of the huge packages; but I did so in
vain. I tried one and then another, but they did not yield to the
utmost efforts I could make. Though I could not move the packages, I
determined to try if any of them contained something edible. I first
felt the packages. I was convinced they were bales of canvas or loose
cloth. At last I came upon a wooden case. This I hoped might prove to
be full of biscuits or hams. I accordingly got out my knife, expecting
by patience to make a hole sufficiently large to admit my hand. As I
was completely in the dark I had to be very cautious not to cut myself
or break my knife, an accident which I knew was very likely to occur, I
cut out, therefore, only a s