CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

The next day, Thursday, August 27, was an incredible day in our underground journey. Whenever I remember it, I am filled with fear. From that time on, our skill and reason were no use, and we had to rely on nature.

At six o'clock we were already up. We were ready to blast our way through the passage. I requested to begin the explosion, then I would run back to the raft, where my uncle and Hans would be waiting for me, as we did not know how large the explosion would be. The rope would burn for ten minutes before lighting the gunpowder, so I would have a great deal of time to reach the raft.

After a quick meal, my uncle and Hans went to the raft while I waited on the beach. I then went to light the rope, and quickly ran back to the raft. We then went nearly a hundred feet into the sea to wait.

"Five more minutes," my uncle said, then, "Four more, then, Three more ... Two more ... One ... Now fall, you rocks!"

What happened next? I didn't hear the explosion, but saw that the shape of the rocks suddenly changed. They opened quickly, and there was a large hole in the beach. The sea threw our raft up, and in less than a second we were in total darkness. Then, the raft fell again. We had gone through the passageway, but were riding on the water.

An hour passed, maybe two, I don't know how long it was. We held onto each other to keep from falling off the raft. We were taking Saknussemm's path, but we had impatiently taken the sea with us, as well. We were now in total darkness, but after a short time, I was surprised to see a light. Hans had lit one of the lanterns. The passage was now quite wide, and we were flowing downward through the passage rather fast. I estimated that we were moving at seventy or eighty miles an hour.

My uncle and I looked at each other with tired eyes. We were moving along too quickly for us to stop. Meanwhile, the hours were passing. We continued this way for many hours. I saw that we had lost most of our things after the explosion. I noticed that we had lost most of the food, and only had enough for one day. But, it seemed that we were being taken to our deaths through the passage. Why worry about starving when there were so many other ways we could possibly die very soon?

Then, however, I suddenly forgot about the danger we were in. I felt that perhaps there was a way to escape and return to the surface of the Earth. How? I didn't know. Where? It didn't matter. I thought of telling my uncle about our situation, but I said nothing, not wanting to worry him. Just then, the light of the lantern went out. We were now in total darkness.

After a rather long time, I felt that we were going much faster and steeper. I believe we were falling, rather than floating. We held on to each other tightly.

Suddenly, the raft hit another object, then water came down on us. Within a few seconds, however, we were no longer underwater, and the raft was still carrying the three of us.

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