but found it so dark, as Jack had said, that I could scarcely see
anything. When I returned we had a long conversation about, it, during
which I observed that Peterkin had a most lugubrious expression on his
countenance.

"What's the matter, Peterkin?" said I.

"The matter?" he replied. "It's all very well for you two to be talking
away like mermaids about the wonders of this cave; but you know I must
be content to hear about it, while you are enjoying yourselves down
there like mad dolphins. It's really too bad!"

"I'm very sorry for you, Peterkin--indeed I am," said Jack; "but we
cannot help you. If you would only learn to dive--"

"Learn to fly, you might as well say!" retorted Peterkin in a very sulky
tone.

"If you would only consent to keep still," said I, "we would take you
down with us in ten seconds."

"Hum!" returned Peterkin; "suppose a salamander was to propose to you
`only to keep still' and he would carry you through a blazing fire in a
few seconds, what would you say?"

We both laughed and shook our heads, for it was evident that nothing was
to be made of Peterkin in the water. But we could not rest satisfied
till we had seen more of this cave; so, after further consultation, Jack
and I determined to try if we could take down a torch with us, and set
fire to it in the cavern. This we found to be an undertaking of no
small difficulty, but we accomplished it at last by the following means:
First, we made a torch of a very inflammable nature out of the bark of a
certain tree, which we cut into strips, and after twisting, cemented
together with a kind of resin or gum, which we also obtained from
another tree; neither of which trees, however, was known by name to
Jack. This, when prepared, we wrapped up in a great number of plies of
cocoa-nut cloth, so that we were confident it could not get wet during
the short time it should be under water. Then we took a small piece of
the tinder, which we had carefully treasured up lest we should require
it, as before said, when the sun should fail us; also, we rolled up some
dry grass and a few chips, which, with a little bow and drill, like
those described before, we made into another bundle and wrapped it up in
cocoa-nut cloth. When all was ready we laid aside our garments, with
the exception of our trousers, which, as we did not know what rough
scraping against the rocks we might be subjected to, we kept on.

Then we advanced to the edge of the rocks