re, and it is not without wonder, mingled with awe, that I reflect
upon the telluric forces capable of engendering such prodigious
substructions. The daylight from the crater in the centre only strikes
this part of the cavern obliquely, so that it is very imperfectly
lighted, but at night, when illuminated by the electric lamps, its
aspect must be positively fantastic.

I have examined the walls everywhere with minute attention, but have
been unable to discover any means of communicating with the outside.

Quite a colony of birds--gulls, sea-swallows and other feathery
denizens of the Bermudan beaches have made their home in the cavern.
They have apparently never been hunted, for they are in no way
disturbed by the presence of man.

But besides sea-birds, which are free to come and go as they please
by the orifice in the dome, there is a whole farmyard of domestic
poultry, and cows and pigs. The food supply is therefore no less
assured than it is varied, when the fish of all kinds that abound in
the lagoon and around the island are taken into consideration.

Moreover, a mere glance at the colonists of Back Cup amply suffices
to show that they are not accustomed to fare scantily. They are all
vigorous, robust seafaring men, weatherbeaten and seasoned in the
burning beat of tropical latitudes, whose rich blood is surcharged
with oxygen by the breezes of the ocean. There is not a youth nor an
old man among them. They are all in their prime, their ages ranging
from thirty to fifty.

But why do they submit to such an existence? Do they never leave their
rocky retreat?

Perhaps I shall find out ere I am much older.

CHAPTER X.

KER KARRAJE.

The cell in which I reside is about a hundred paces from the
habitation of the Count d'Artigas, which is one of the end ones of
this row of the Beehive. If I am not to share it with Thomas Roch, I
presume the latter's cell is not far off, for in order that Warder
Gaydon may continue to care for the ex-patient of Healthful House,
their respective apartments will have to be contiguous. However, I
suppose I shall soon be enlightened on this point.

Captain Spade and Engineer Serko reside separately in proximity to
D'Artigas' mansion.

Mansion? Yes, why not dignify it with the title since this habitation
has been arranged with a certain art? Skillful hands have carved an
ornamental facade in the rock. A large door affords access to it.
Colored glass windows in wooden fr