October 22, 2025 • 11 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen, The real journey commences. Our real journey had
now commenced hitherto, our courage and determination had overcome all difficulties.
We were fatigued at times, and that was all. Now
we were about to encounter unknown and fearful dangers. I
had not as yet ventured to take a glimpse down
the horrible abyss into which in a few minutes more
(00:23):
I was about to plunge. The fatal moment had, however,
at last arrived. I had still the option of refusing
or accepting a share in this foolish and audacious enterprise.
But I was ashamed to show more fear than the
eider duck hunter Hans seemed to accept the difficulties of
the journey so tranquility, with such calm indifference, with such
perfect recklessness of all danger, that I actually blushed to
(00:46):
appear less of a man than he. Had I been
alone with my uncle, I should certainly have sat down
and argued the point fully, But in the presence of
the guide I held my tongue. I gave one moment
to the thought of my charming cousin, and then I
advanced into the mouth of the central shaft. It measured
about a hundred feet in diameter, which made about three
(01:07):
hundred in circumference. I leaned over a rock which stood
on its edge, and looked down. My hair stood on end,
my teeth chattered, my limbs trembled. I seemed utterly to
lose my center of gravity, while my head was in
a sort of whirl like that of a drunken man.
There is nothing more powerful than this attraction towards an abyss.
I was about to fall headlong into the gaping well
(01:29):
when I was drawn back by a firm and powerful hand.
It was that of hands I had not taken lessons
enough at Frelsa Kerk's of Copenhagen in the art of
looking down from lofty eminences without blinking. However, few as
the minutes were during which I gazed down this tremendous
and even wondrous shaft, I had a sufficient glimpse of
it to give me some idea of its physical conformation.
(01:53):
Its sides, which were almost as perpendicular as those of
a well, presented numerous projections which doubtless would assist our descent.
It was a sort of wild and savage staircase without
banister or fence. A rope fastened above near the surface
would certainly support our weight and enable us to reach
the bottom. But how when we had arrived at its
(02:14):
utmost depth were we to loosen it above? This was,
I thought a question of some importance. My uncle, however,
was one of those men who are nearly always prepared
with expedients. He hit upon a very simple method of
obviating this difficulty. He unrolled a cord about as thick
as my thumb and at least four hundred feet in length.
(02:35):
He allowed about half of it to go down the
pit and catch in a hitch over a great block
of lava which stood on the edge of the precipice.
This done, he threw the second half after the first.
Each of us could now descend By catching the two
cords in one hand. When about two hundred feet below,
all the explorer had to do was to let go
one end and pull away at the other when the
(02:56):
cord would come falling at his feet. In order to
go down, father, all that was necessary was to continue
the same operation. This was a very excellent proposition, and
no doubt a correct one. Going down appeared to me
easy enough. It was the coming up again that now
occupied my thoughts. Now said my uncle, as soon as
he had completed this important preparation, let us see about
(03:19):
the baggage. It must be divided into three separate parcels,
and each of us must carry one on his back.
I allude to the more important and fragile articles. My
worthy and ingenious uncle did not appear to consider that
we came under the denomination Hans. He continued, you will
take charge of the tools and some provisions. Harry, you
(03:39):
must take possession of another third of the provisions and
of the arms. I will load myself with the rest
of the eatables, and with the more delicate instruments. But
I exclaimed, our clothes, this mass of cord and ladders,
who will undertake to carry them down? They will go
down of themselves. And how so I asked you shall
see my uncle was not fond of half measures, nor
(04:03):
did he like anything in the way of hesitation. Giving
his orders to Hans, he had the whole of the
non fragile articles made up into one bundle, and the packet,
firmly and solidly fastened, was simply pitched over the edge
of the gulf. I heard the moaning of the suddenly
displaced air and the noise of falling stones. My uncle,
leaning over the abyss, followed the descent of his luggage
(04:24):
with a perfectly self satisfied air, and did not rise
until it had completely disappeared from sight. Now, then he cried,
it is our turn. I put it in good faith
to any man of common sense. Was it possible to
hear this energetic cry without a shudder? The professor fastened
his case of instruments on his back. Hans took charge
(04:45):
of the tools, I of the arms. The descent then
commenced in the following order. Hans went first, my uncle followed,
and I went last. My progress was made in profound silence,
a silence only troubled by the fall of pieces of rock,
which bred making from the jagged sides, fell with a
roar into the depths below. I allowed myself to slide,
(05:06):
so to speak, holding frantically on the double cord with
one hand, and with the other, keeping myself off the
rocks by the assistance of my iron shod pole. One
idea was all the time impressed upon my brain. I
feared that the upper support would fail me. The cord
appeared to me far too fragile, to bear the weight
of three such persons. As we were with our luggage.
(05:28):
I made as little use of it as possible, trusting
to my own agility, and doing miracles in the way
of feats of dexterity and strength upon the projecting shelves
and spurs of lava, in which my feet seemed to
clutch as strongly as my hands. The guide went first,
I have said, And when one of the slippery and
frail supports broke from under his feet, he had recourse
to his usual monosyllabic way of speaking. Gift, act, attention,
(05:53):
look out, repeated my uncle. In about half an hour
we reached a kind of small terrace formed by a
fragment of rock, projecting some distance from the sides of
the shaft. Hands now began to haul upon the cord
on one side, only the other, going as quietly upwards
as the other came down. It fell at last, bringing
(06:13):
with it a shower of small stones, lava, and dust,
a disagreeable kind of rain or hail. While we were
seated on this extraordinary bench, I ventured once more to
look downwards. With a sigh. I discovered that the bottom
was still wholly invisible. Were we then going direct to
the interior of the earth. The performance with the cord recommenced,
(06:36):
and a quarter of an hour later we had reached
to the depth of another two hundred feet. I have
very strong doubts if the most determined geologist would, during
that descent have studied the nature of the different layers
of the earth around him. I did not trouble my
head much about the matter whether we were among the
combustible carbons, salurions, or primitive soil. I neither knew, nor
(06:58):
cared to know. Not so the inveterate professor, he must
have taken notes all the way down, for at one
of our halts he began a brief lecture. The farther
we advance, said he. The greater is my confidence of
the results. The disposition of these volcanic strata absolutely confirms
the theories of Sir Humphry Davy. We are still within
(07:18):
the region of the primordial soil, the soil in which
took place the chemical operation of metals becoming inflamed by
coming in contact with the air and water. I at
once regret the old and now forever exploded theory of
a central fire. At all events, we shall soon know
the truth. Such was the everlasting conclusion to which he came. I, however,
(07:41):
was very far from being in humor to discuss the matter.
I had something else to think of. My silence was
taken for consent, and still we continued to go down.
At the expiration of three hours, we were to all
appearance as far off as ever from the bottom of
the well. When I looked upwards, however, I could see
that the upper orifice was every minute decreasing in size.
(08:04):
The sides of the shaft were getting closer and closer together.
We were approaching the regions of eternal night. And still
we continued to descend. At length. I noticed when pieces
of stone were detached from the sides of this stupendous precipice,
they were swallowed up with less noise than before. The
final sound was soon heard. We were approaching the bottom
(08:24):
of the abyss. As I had been very careful to
keep account of all the changes of cord which took place,
I was able to tell exactly what was the depth
we had reached, as well as the time it had taken.
We had shifted the rope twenty eight times, each operation,
taking a quarter of an hour, which in all made
seven hours. To this had to be added twenty eight pauses,
(08:46):
in all ten hours and a half. We started at one.
It was now therefore about eleven o'clock at night. It
does not require great knowledge of arithmetic to know that
twenty eight times two hundred feet makes five thousand, six
hundred feet in all more than an English mile. While
I was making this mental calculation, a voice broke the silence.
It was the voice of Hans Halt. He cried. I
(09:10):
checked myself very suddenly, just at the moment when I
was about to kick my uncle on the head. We
have reached the end of our journey, said the worthy
professor in a satisfied tone. What in the interior of
the earth? I said, slipping down to his side. No,
you stupid fellow. But we have reached the bottom of
the well, and I suppose there is no farther progress
to be made, I hopefully exclaimed. Oh yes, I can
(09:34):
dimly see a sort of tunnel which turns off obliquely
to the right. At all events, we must see about
that to morrow. Let us sup now and seek slumber
as best we may. I thought it time, but made
no observations on that point I was fairly launched on
a desperate course, and all I had to do was
to go forward, hopefully and trustingly. It was not even
(09:56):
now quite dark, the light filtering down. In a most
extraordinary manner, we opened the provision bag ate a frugal supper,
and each did his best to find a bed amid
the pile of stones, dirt, and lava which had accumulated
for ages at the bottom of the shaft. I happened
to grope out the pile of ropes, ladders, and clothes
which we had thrown down, and upon them I stretched myself.
(10:18):
After such a day's labor, my rough bed seemed as
soft as down. For a while I lay in a
sort of pleasant trance. Presently, after lying quietly for some minutes,
I opened my eyes and looked upwards. As I did so,
I made out a brilliant little dot at the extremity
of this long, gigantic telescope. It was a star without
(10:39):
scintillating rays. According to my calculation, it must be Beata
in the constellation of the Little Bear. After this little
bit of astronomical recreation, I dropped into a sound sleep.
End of Chapter fourteen
Chapter fourteen, The real journey commences. Our real journey had
now commenced hitherto, our courage and determination had overcome all difficulties.
We were fatigued at times, and that was all. Now
we were about to encounter unknown and fearful dangers. I
had not as yet ventured to take a glimpse down
the horrible abyss into which in a few minutes more
(00:23):
I was about to plunge. The fatal moment had, however,
at last arrived. I had still the option of refusing
or accepting a share in this foolish and audacious enterprise.
But I was ashamed to show more fear than the
eider duck hunter Hans seemed to accept the difficulties of
the journey so tranquility, with such calm indifference, with such
perfect recklessness of all danger, that I actually blushed to
(00:46):
appear less of a man than he. Had I been
alone with my uncle, I should certainly have sat down
and argued the point fully, But in the presence of
the guide I held my tongue. I gave one moment
to the thought of my charming cousin, and then I
advanced into the mouth of the central shaft. It measured
about a hundred feet in diameter, which made about three
(01:07):
hundred in circumference. I leaned over a rock which stood
on its edge, and looked down. My hair stood on end,
my teeth chattered, my limbs trembled. I seemed utterly to
lose my center of gravity, while my head was in
a sort of whirl like that of a drunken man.
There is nothing more powerful than this attraction towards an abyss.
I was about to fall headlong into the gaping well
(01:29):
when I was drawn back by a firm and powerful hand.
It was that of hands I had not taken lessons
enough at Frelsa Kerk's of Copenhagen in the art of
looking down from lofty eminences without blinking. However, few as
the minutes were during which I gazed down this tremendous
and even wondrous shaft, I had a sufficient glimpse of
it to give me some idea of its physical conformation.
(01:53):
Its sides, which were almost as perpendicular as those of
a well, presented numerous projections which doubtless would assist our descent.
It was a sort of wild and savage staircase without
banister or fence. A rope fastened above near the surface
would certainly support our weight and enable us to reach
the bottom. But how when we had arrived at its
(02:14):
utmost depth were we to loosen it above? This was,
I thought a question of some importance. My uncle, however,
was one of those men who are nearly always prepared
with expedients. He hit upon a very simple method of
obviating this difficulty. He unrolled a cord about as thick
as my thumb and at least four hundred feet in length.
(02:35):
He allowed about half of it to go down the
pit and catch in a hitch over a great block
of lava which stood on the edge of the precipice.
This done, he threw the second half after the first.
Each of us could now descend By catching the two
cords in one hand. When about two hundred feet below,
all the explorer had to do was to let go
one end and pull away at the other when the
(02:56):
cord would come falling at his feet. In order to
go down, father, all that was necessary was to continue
the same operation. This was a very excellent proposition, and
no doubt a correct one. Going down appeared to me
easy enough. It was the coming up again that now
occupied my thoughts. Now said my uncle, as soon as
he had completed this important preparation, let us see about
(03:19):
the baggage. It must be divided into three separate parcels,
and each of us must carry one on his back.
I allude to the more important and fragile articles. My
worthy and ingenious uncle did not appear to consider that
we came under the denomination Hans. He continued, you will
take charge of the tools and some provisions. Harry, you
(03:39):
must take possession of another third of the provisions and
of the arms. I will load myself with the rest
of the eatables, and with the more delicate instruments. But
I exclaimed, our clothes, this mass of cord and ladders,
who will undertake to carry them down? They will go
down of themselves. And how so I asked you shall
see my uncle was not fond of half measures, nor
(04:03):
did he like anything in the way of hesitation. Giving
his orders to Hans, he had the whole of the
non fragile articles made up into one bundle, and the packet,
firmly and solidly fastened, was simply pitched over the edge
of the gulf. I heard the moaning of the suddenly
displaced air and the noise of falling stones. My uncle,
leaning over the abyss, followed the descent of his luggage
(04:24):
with a perfectly self satisfied air, and did not rise
until it had completely disappeared from sight. Now, then he cried,
it is our turn. I put it in good faith
to any man of common sense. Was it possible to
hear this energetic cry without a shudder? The professor fastened
his case of instruments on his back. Hans took charge
(04:45):
of the tools, I of the arms. The descent then
commenced in the following order. Hans went first, my uncle followed,
and I went last. My progress was made in profound silence,
a silence only troubled by the fall of pieces of rock,
which bred making from the jagged sides, fell with a
roar into the depths below. I allowed myself to slide,
(05:06):
so to speak, holding frantically on the double cord with
one hand, and with the other, keeping myself off the
rocks by the assistance of my iron shod pole. One
idea was all the time impressed upon my brain. I
feared that the upper support would fail me. The cord
appeared to me far too fragile, to bear the weight
of three such persons. As we were with our luggage.
(05:28):
I made as little use of it as possible, trusting
to my own agility, and doing miracles in the way
of feats of dexterity and strength upon the projecting shelves
and spurs of lava, in which my feet seemed to
clutch as strongly as my hands. The guide went first,
I have said, And when one of the slippery and
frail supports broke from under his feet, he had recourse
to his usual monosyllabic way of speaking. Gift, act, attention,
(05:53):
look out, repeated my uncle. In about half an hour
we reached a kind of small terrace formed by a
fragment of rock, projecting some distance from the sides of
the shaft. Hands now began to haul upon the cord
on one side, only the other, going as quietly upwards
as the other came down. It fell at last, bringing
(06:13):
with it a shower of small stones, lava, and dust,
a disagreeable kind of rain or hail. While we were
seated on this extraordinary bench, I ventured once more to
look downwards. With a sigh. I discovered that the bottom
was still wholly invisible. Were we then going direct to
the interior of the earth. The performance with the cord recommenced,
(06:36):
and a quarter of an hour later we had reached
to the depth of another two hundred feet. I have
very strong doubts if the most determined geologist would, during
that descent have studied the nature of the different layers
of the earth around him. I did not trouble my
head much about the matter whether we were among the
combustible carbons, salurions, or primitive soil. I neither knew, nor
(06:58):
cared to know. Not so the inveterate professor, he must
have taken notes all the way down, for at one
of our halts he began a brief lecture. The farther
we advance, said he. The greater is my confidence of
the results. The disposition of these volcanic strata absolutely confirms
the theories of Sir Humphry Davy. We are still within
(07:18):
the region of the primordial soil, the soil in which
took place the chemical operation of metals becoming inflamed by
coming in contact with the air and water. I at
once regret the old and now forever exploded theory of
a central fire. At all events, we shall soon know
the truth. Such was the everlasting conclusion to which he came. I, however,
(07:41):
was very far from being in humor to discuss the matter.
I had something else to think of. My silence was
taken for consent, and still we continued to go down.
At the expiration of three hours, we were to all
appearance as far off as ever from the bottom of
the well. When I looked upwards, however, I could see
that the upper orifice was every minute decreasing in size.
(08:04):
The sides of the shaft were getting closer and closer together.
We were approaching the regions of eternal night. And still
we continued to descend. At length. I noticed when pieces
of stone were detached from the sides of this stupendous precipice,
they were swallowed up with less noise than before. The
final sound was soon heard. We were approaching the bottom
(08:24):
of the abyss. As I had been very careful to
keep account of all the changes of cord which took place,
I was able to tell exactly what was the depth
we had reached, as well as the time it had taken.
We had shifted the rope twenty eight times, each operation,
taking a quarter of an hour, which in all made
seven hours. To this had to be added twenty eight pauses,
(08:46):
in all ten hours and a half. We started at one.
It was now therefore about eleven o'clock at night. It
does not require great knowledge of arithmetic to know that
twenty eight times two hundred feet makes five thousand, six
hundred feet in all more than an English mile. While
I was making this mental calculation, a voice broke the silence.
It was the voice of Hans Halt. He cried. I
(09:10):
checked myself very suddenly, just at the moment when I
was about to kick my uncle on the head. We
have reached the end of our journey, said the worthy
professor in a satisfied tone. What in the interior of
the earth? I said, slipping down to his side. No,
you stupid fellow. But we have reached the bottom of
the well, and I suppose there is no farther progress
to be made, I hopefully exclaimed. Oh yes, I can
(09:34):
dimly see a sort of tunnel which turns off obliquely
to the right. At all events, we must see about
that to morrow. Let us sup now and seek slumber
as best we may. I thought it time, but made
no observations on that point I was fairly launched on
a desperate course, and all I had to do was
to go forward, hopefully and trustingly. It was not even
(09:56):
now quite dark, the light filtering down. In a most
extraordinary manner, we opened the provision bag ate a frugal supper,
and each did his best to find a bed amid
the pile of stones, dirt, and lava which had accumulated
for ages at the bottom of the shaft. I happened
to grope out the pile of ropes, ladders, and clothes
which we had thrown down, and upon them I stretched myself.
(10:18):
After such a day's labor, my rough bed seemed as
soft as down. For a while I lay in a
sort of pleasant trance. Presently, after lying quietly for some minutes,
I opened my eyes and looked upwards. As I did so,
I made out a brilliant little dot at the extremity
of this long, gigantic telescope. It was a star without
(10:39):
scintillating rays. According to my calculation, it must be Beata
in the constellation of the Little Bear. After this little
bit of astronomical recreation, I dropped into a sound sleep.
End of Chapter fourteen
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