oods. Sometimes I thought
that I would abandon all further attempts at escaping, and yield to my
fate; then I would shout out as loudly as my weak voice would allow:
"Help! Help! I am dying! Help! Help! Will any one come to take me
out of this place? Mercy! Mercy!" Finally a more courageous spirit
animated me. "I'll not yield while I have life!" I exclaimed. "I'll
cut my way with my knife through case after case, and draw out the
contents so that I may make a passage through them."

I got up, feeling resolute and bold, taking my knife and my handspike
with me. I had no means of sharpening the blade of my knife except on a
hard piece of oak, and that was not very effectual.

On reaching the place where the opening had been, I felt all over the
side of the chest. It didn't feel to be as even and regular as I had
expected to find it. I began at once to use my knife, so as to cut a
hole into the centre. As I pressed against it, the plank yielded
slightly. The operation must inevitably be a long one, so instead of
cutting on I took the handspike, and dealt several blows as hard as I
could strike. The first blow I struck produced a creaking sound. I
renewed my efforts. The plank began to give way. I struck again and
again. The side flew inwards. I then struck about so as to knock off
the splinters. I crept through the opening thus made, and from the
articles I then found I was convinced that it was the old crate through
which I had before made my way, and which had fallen down in front of
the opening. I was sure of this when I found that I could creep out
through the smaller fracture on the opposite side.

Still I was not free. No light permeated between the bales and
packages. I felt about, but could not recognise any of the things with
which I was before acquainted. Many of the packages appeared so placed
that I might, without great care, bring them down on myself. Still,
being thus far free, I determined to persevere. I thought that if I
could once more get near the hatchway, I might be able to shout and make
myself heard. I tried in all directions to find an opening. At last I
thought that I discovered one at the spot from which the crate had
fallen. I clambered up one huge bale, then got on another, and I was
then on a higher level than I had been since I first fell into the hold.
I was rejoiced at the prospect of liberating myself, when a faintness
came over me, and I sank down on the