Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Theprecautionwasverynecessary,forthegreatcave,sofarasIcouldseeit,wasintersectedbypassages.Havingmadesureofmyposition,andreassuredmyselfbyexaminingmysparecandlesandmymatches,Iadvancedslowlyovertherockyandunevensurfaceofthecavern.
AndnowIcometothepointwhereImetwithsuchsuddenanddesperatedisaster.Astream,sometwentyfeetbroad,ranacrossmypath,andIwalkedforsomelittledistancealongthebanktofindaspotwhereIcouldcrossdry-shod.Finally,Icametoaplacewhereasingleflatboulderlaynearthecentre,whichIcouldreachinastride.Asitchanced,however,therockhadbeencutawayandmadetop-heavybytherushofthestream,sothatittiltedoverasIlandedonitandshotmeintotheice-coldwater.Mycandlewentout,andIfoundmyselfflounderingaboutinutterandabsolutedarkness.
Istaggeredtomyfeetagain,moreamusedthanalarmedbymyadventure.Thecandlehadfallenfrommyhand,andwaslostinthestream,butIhadtwoothersinmypocket,sothatitwasofnoimportance.Igotoneofthemready,anddrewoutmyboxofmatchestolightit.OnlythendidIrealizemyposition.Theboxhadbeensoakedinmyfallintotheriver.Itwasimpossibletostrikethematches.
AcoldhandseemedtocloseroundmyheartasIrealizedmyposition.Thedarknesswasopaqueandhorrible.Itwassoutteroneputone’shanduptoone’sfaceasiftopressoffsomethingsolid.Istoodstill,andbyaneffortIsteadiedmyself.ItriedtoreconstructinmymindamapofthefloorofthecavernasIhadlastseenit.
