walked at Hamoud's side along that vanished fluvialbasin, I discussed the probable causes of the sudden failure of thatmighty flow. He suggested that its source might by some means havebecome exhausted; but geographers having ages ago disposed of thatpoint, I explained to him how every theory possible had already been putforward and dismissed. The mysterious forgotten river was still ageographical problem as great as the existence of open water at thepoles.
Through two more days we journeyed forward, ever-watchful, yetdiscerning no sign of our enemies; but at length, coming to a steep barecliff, once undoubtedly a roaring cataract, we found its granite bed hadbeen worn into ridges two thousand years ago by the action of thetorrent. At this point the plateau over which we had journeyeddescended sheer and steep on to the plain, of which we commanded anextensive view for many miles. An hour before sundown the sky hadsuddenly darkened, indicative of an approaching sandstorm, therefore weresolved to remain there the night and retrace our steps next day. Ourfears were realised. Shortly before midnight, as we sat togethersmoking, the unclouded starry sky assumed an extraordinary clearness.The atmosphere was perfectly still, when suddenly in the east a blackcloud began to rise with frightful rapidity, and soon covered half theheavens. Presently a strong gust of wind enveloped us with sand, andthrew little pebbles as large as peas into our faces. Soon, while wecrouched beneath a rock, we were surrounded by a dense cloud of sand,and stood still in impenetrable gloom. The storm was of unusualseverity. Our eyes were filled with grit every time we ventured to openthem. We did not dare to lie down for fear of being buried. Thetempest at last passed, the night quickly grew clear again, and,extricating ourselves from the sand that had drifted high about us, welay down exhausted to sleep.
Before dawn I rose, and, without disturbing the heavy slumber of mycompanion, strode forth along the brink of the dried-up cataract toexamine more closely the hitherto unexplored spot. The sun-whitenedboulders were all worn smooth where the gigantic rush of the waters hadwhirled past them ere they dashed below into that once fertile plain.And as I went along I presently discovered a place where I could descendthe face of the cliff. Without difficulty I at last reached its base,and stepping forward, placed my foot upon soft drifted sand that gaveway beneath my tread.
With startling suddenness a strange sound fell upon my ears, deafeningme. I felt myself falling, and in clutching frantically at the objectsaround, struck my head a violent blow. Then all consciousness becameblotted out.
How long I remained insensible I do not know. I have an idea that manyhours must have elapsed, for when painfully I struggled back to aknowledge of things about me, I found myself enveloped in a darknessblacker than night, my ears being filled by a continuous unceasing roarlike thunder. I was chilled to the bone, and on stretching forth myhand, found myself lying upon a mass of soft slime, that splashing overmy face had half-suffocated me. With both hands outstretched, I triedto discover into what noisome place I had so suddenly been precipitated.Intently I listened. The roaring was that of some mighty unseentorrent.
Creeping cautiously forward upon my hands and knees, fearing lest Ishould stumble into any further chasm, I soon came to water flowingswiftly past. Then the truth dawned upon me that I was beside the bankof some unknown subterranean river. Of the extent of that darkcavernous place I could obtain no idea. Thrice I shouted with all mystrength, but in that deafening roar my voice was echoless.
With a supplication to Allah to envelop me with the cloak of hisprotection, I cautiously pursued my way over the stones and slime in thedirection the unseen stream was rushing. The incline was steep, and asthe air seemed cool and fresh, I felt assured there must be some outletto the blessed light of day. Yet onward I crept slowly, chilled by theicy mud, until my limbs trembled, and I was compelled to pause and rubthem to prevent them becoming benumbed.
Truly mine was an unenvious position. Throughout my life it has been myendeavour to tread those crooked and laborious paths whereby knowledgeof hidden mysteries may be gained, therefore I worked on like a mole inthe dark, and by diligent industry gained ground considerably. Duringseveral hours I pushed my way forward, until at length my hands cameinto contact with a wall of rock which barred all further passage,although the water lapping it swirled past on its downward course.Eagerly I felt about the rock, searching for some mode of egress, butcould find none. The wall of the enormous cavern extended sheer andunbroken for five hundred paces, then turned back in the direction I hadalready traversed. Thus was a terrible truth forced upon me. I wasentombed!
My injured head pained me frightfully, and I must have become weakenedby loss of blood. The terrors of that foul, fearsome place, where thedeafening roar was unceasing, and the blackness could be felt,overwhelmed me. I groped back to the edge of the roaring torrentexhausted, and sinking, slept.
When I awoke I was amazed to find the cavern illumined by a faintgreenish light, just sufficient to enable me to see that the rushing,foaming waters were of great width and volume, and that the cavernwhence they came was low, but of vast extent. Then, turning towards thelight, I found that it shone up through the water beyond the wall ofrock which formed that side of the cave. At first the strange lightpuzzled me, but I soon ascertained that the subterranean river emptieditself into the open air at that spot, and that the sun shining upon thewater as it rushed out of its underground course, reflected the welcomelight up to where I stood. The discovery held me breathless. I sawthat in such enormous volume did those icy waters sweep down, that theopening in the rock whence they were let free was completely filled.There was, after all, no exit.
At the edge of the boiling torrent I stood calmly contemplating theadvisability of plunging in and allowing myself to be swept out into theair. The only thing which deterred me from so doing was the fear thatoutside the cataract fell down from some dizzy height into a foamingflood below, in which case I must be either battered to death upon therocks or drowned beneath the descending tons of water. The thought ofthis terrible fate thrilled me with horror.
Of a sudden I heard above the roar a man's voice; and startled, turnedround, and saw a long boat, shaped something like a canoe, containingtwo dark figures, being propelled swiftly towards me.
Agape in wonder I stood watching them.
Ere I could realise the truth, they had run their craft up high and drywhere I stood, and were beside me, questioning me in some strange,unknown tongue. In that faint green light they looked weird, impishfigures. Small of stature, their skins were a lightish yellow; theywore curious necklets and armlets of chased bones, and their loinclothswere scaly, like the skin of some fish or serpent. In their hands theyboth carried long barbed spears. They had been fishing, for their boatwas nearly full.
To their rapid questions I could only shake my head, when in an instantthe roar of the waters increased, until speech became impossible.Terrified they both, next second, leaped into their boat and dragged mein after them. Their promptitude saved my life, for ere an instant hadelapsed our boat became lifted by an enormous inrush, which flooded thewhole cavern to a depth of many feet. Our boat rose so near the roofthat we were compelled to crouch down to prevent our heads being jammed,and soon I found myself being rowed rapidly along in triumph into theimpenetrable darkness. I had escaped death by a hair's breadth, butwhat grim adventure was yet in store for me I dreaded to anticipate.
My impish captors bent hard at their paddles, exchanging muttered words,until soon the roaring of the torrent sounded indistinct, and we foundourselves out upon a great subterranean lake of limitless extent. Theeyes of my companions, accustomed to that appalling darkness, coulddiscern objects where I could distinguish nothing. As we went forwardthe current became weaker, and now and then I felt a splashing as alarge fish was lifted from the water impaled upon a spear. Yet everforward we kept on and on, for fully two hours, until suddenly I saw afaint glimmer of grey light upon the wide expanse of black water, andwhen we neared it I discerned that there was a huge crack in the roof ofro
ck and it was open to the sky, but so great was the distance to theworld above, that only a faint glimmer penetrated there.
By its light I distinguished how clear and deep were the waters, andnoticed that the fish my companions had caught were of a uniform greycolour, without eyes. In the impenetrable darkness of thosesubterranean depths the organs of vision, I afterwards ascertained,never developed. The eyes of the two men with me were alsostrange-looking, set closely together, dark and bead-like.
But we paused not, holding straight upon our way, plunging again intothe cavernous blackness, until presently there showed before us a goldenshaft of sunlight striking full into the waters, and in a few moments weemerged into an open space green and fertile, surrounded on every sideby high rocks, honeycombed with small caves, while the great unknownriver itself disappeared beyond into a wide dark tunnel.
Scarcely had we disembarked than the place literally swarmed with theuncanny-looking denizens of this underground realm,
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