on, I soon found myself in an
eddy; and the boat drawing forward beyond all my power to resist it, I
was quickly sucked under a low arch, where, if I had not fallen flat in
my boat, having barely light enough to see my danger, I had undoubtedly
been crushed to pieces or driven overboard. I could perceive the boat
to fall with incredible violence, as I thought, down a precipice, and
suddenly whirled round and round with me, the water roaring on all
sides, and dashing against the rock with a most amazing noise.

I expected every moment my poor little vessel would be staved against
the rock, and I overwhelmed with waters; and for that reason never once
attempted to rise up, or look upon my peril, till after the commotion
had in some measure ceased. At length, finding the perturbation of the
water abate, and as if by degrees I came into a smoother stream, I took
courage just to lift up my affrighted head; but guess, if you can, the
horror which seized me, on finding myself in the blackest of darkness,
unable to perceive the smallest glimmer of light.

However, as my boat seemed to glide easily, I roused myself and struck a
light; but if I had my terrors before, what must I have now! I was quite
stupefied at the tremendous view of an immense arch over my head, to
which I could see no bounds; the stream itself, as I judged, was about
thirty yards broad, but in some places wider, in some narrower. It was
well for me I happened to have a tinder-box, or, though I had escaped
hitherto, I must have at lust perished; for in the narrower parts of the
stream, where it ran swiftest, there were frequently such crags stood
out from the rock, by reason of the turnings and windings, and such
sets of the current against them, as, could I not have seen to manage my
boat, which I took great care to keep in the middle of the stream, must
have thrown me on them, to my inevitable destruction.

Happy it was for me, also, I was so well victualled, and that I had
taken with me two bottles of oil (as I supposed, for I did not imagine
I had any more), or I had certainly been lost, not only through hunger,
for I was, to my guess, five weeks in the vault or cavern, but for
want of light, which the oil furnished, and without which all other
conveniences could have been of no avail to me. I was forced to keep my
lamp always burning; so, not knowing how long my residence was to be in
that place, or when I should get my discharge from it, if ever, I was