Thetotallengthofthischasm，commencingattheopeningaandproceedingroundthecurve_b_totheextremity_d_，isfivehundredandfiftyyards。At_c_wediscoveredasmallaperturesimilartotheonethroughwhichwehadissuedfromtheotherchasm，andthiswaschokedupinthesamemannerwithbramblesandaquantityofthewhitearrowheadflints。Weforcedourwaythroughit，findingitaboutfortyfeetlong，andemergedintoathirdchasm。This，too，waspreciselylikethefirst，exceptinitslongitudinalshape，whichwasthus。Seefigure3。{image}
　　Wefoundtheentirelengthofthethirdchasmthreehundredandtwentyyards。Atthepoint_a_wasanopeningaboutsixfeetwide，andextendingfifteenfeetintotherock，whereitterminatedinabedofmarl，therebeingnootherchasmbeyond，aswehadexpected。
　　Wewereaboutleavingthisfissure，intowhichverylittlelightwasadmitted，whenPeterscalledmyattentiontoarangeofsingular-lookingindenturesinthesurfaceofthemarlformingtheterminationofthe_cul-de-sac_。Withaveryslightexertionoftheimagination，theleft，ormostnorthernoftheseindenturesmighthavebeentakenfortheintentional，althoughrude，representationofahumanfigurestandingerect，withoutstretchedarm。Therestofthemborealsosomelittleresemblancetoalphabeticalcharacters，andPeterswaswilling，atallevents，toadopttheidleopinionthattheywerereallysuch。Iconvincedhimofhiserror，finally，bydirectinghisattentiontothefloorofthefissure，where，amongthepowder，wepickedup，piecebypiece，severallargeflakesofthemarl，whichhadevidentlybeenbrokenoffbysomeconvulsionfromthesurfacewheretheindentureswerefound，andwhichhadprojectingpointsexactlyfittingtheindentures；thusprovingthemtohavebeentheworkofnature。Figure4{image}presentsanaccuratecopyofthewhole。
　　Aftersatisfyingourselvesthatthesesingularcavernsaffordedusnomeansofescapefromourprison，wemadeourwayback，dejectedanddispirited，tothesummitofthehill。Nothingworthmentioningoccurredduringthenexttwenty-fourhours，exceptthat，inexaminingthegroundtotheeastwardofthethirdchasm，wefoundtwotriangularholesofgreatdepth，andalsowithblackgranitesides。
　　Intotheseholeswedidnotthinkitworthwhiletoattemptdescending，astheyhadtheappearanceofmerenaturalwells，withoutoutlet。Theywereeachabouttwentyyardsincircumference，andtheirshape，aswellasrelativepositioninregardtothethirdchasm，isshowninfigure5。{image}
　　0Nthetwentiethofthemonth，findingitaltogetherimpossibletosubsistanylongeruponthefilberts，theuseofwhichoccasionedusthemostexcruciatingtorment，weresolvedtomakeadesperateattemptatdescendingthesoutherndeclivityofthehill。Thefaceoftheprecipicewashereofthesoftestspeciesofsoapstone，althoughnearlyperpendicularthroughoutitswholeextentadepthofahundredandfiftyfeetattheleast，andinmanyplacesevenoverarching。Afteralongsearchwediscoveredanarrowledgeabouttwentyfeetbelowthebrinkofthegulf；uponthisPeterscontrivedtoleap，withwhatassistanceIcouldrenderhimbymeansofourpocket-handkerchiefstiedtogether。WithsomewhatmoredifficultyI
　　alsogotdown；andwethensawthepossibilityofdescendingthewholewaybytheprocessinwhichwehadclamberedupfromthechasmwhenwehadbeenburiedbythefallofthehill-thatis，bycuttingstepsinthefaceofthesoapstonewithourknives。Theextremehazardoftheattemptcanscarcelybeconceived；but，astherewasnootherresource，wedeterminedtoundertakeit。
　　Upontheledgewherewestoodtheregrewsomefilbert-bushes；andtooneofthesewemadefastanendofourropeofhandkerchiefs。TheotherendbeingtiedroundPeters’waist，Iloweredhimdownovertheedgeoftheprecipiceuntilthehandkerchiefswerestretchedtight。
　　Henowproceededtodigadeepholeinthesoapstoneasfarinaseightorteninches，slopingawaytherockabovetotheheightofafoot，orthereabout，soastoallowofhisdriving，withthebuttofapistol，atolerablystrongpegintothelevelledsurface。Ithendrewhimupforaboutfourfeet，whenhemadeaholesimilartotheonebelow，drivinginapegasbefore，andhavingthusaresting-placeforbothfeetandhands。Inowunfastenedthehandkerchiefsfromthebush，throwinghimtheend，whichhetiedtothepegintheuppermosthole，lettinghimselfdowngentlytoastationaboutthreefeetlowerthanhehadyetbeenthatis，tothefullextentofthehandkerchiefs。Hereheduganotherhole，anddroveanotherpeg。Hethendrewhimselfup，soastoresthisfeetintheholejustcut，takingholdwithhishandsuponthepegintheoneabove。Itwasnownecessarytountiethehandkerchiefsfromthetopmostpeg，withtheviewoffasteningthemtothesecond；andherehefoundthatanerrorhadbeencommittedincuttingtheholesatsogreatadistanceapart。However，afteroneortwounsuccessfulanddangerousattemptsatreachingtheknothavingtoholdonwithhislefthandwhilehelaboredtoundothefasteningwithhisright，heatlengthcutthestring，leavingsixinchesofitaffixedtothepeg。Tyingthehandkerchiefsnowtothesecondpeg，hedescendedtoastationbelowthethird，takingcarenottogotoofardown。BythesemeansmeanswhichIshouldneverhaveconceivedofmyself，andforwhichwewereindebtedaltogethertoPeters’ingenuityandresolutionmycompanionfinallysucceeded，withtheoccasionalaidofprojectionsinthecliff，inreachingthebottomwithoutaccident。
　　ItwassometimebeforeIcouldsummonsufficientresolutiontofollowhim；butIdidatlengthattemptit。Petershadtakenoffhisshirtbeforedescending，andthis，withmyown，formedtheropenecessaryfortheadventure。Afterthrowingdownthemusketfoundinthechasm，Ifastenedthisropetothebushes，andletmyselfdownrapidly，striving，bythevigorofmymovements，tobanishthetrepidationwhichIcouldovercomeinnoothermanner。Thisansweredsufficientlywellforthefirstfourorfivesteps；butpresentlyI
　　foundmyimaginationgrowingterriblyexcitedbythoughtsofthevastdepthsyettobedescended，andtheprecariousnatureofthepegsandsoapstoneholeswhichweremyonlysupport。ItwasinvainI
　　endeavoredtobanishthesereflections，andtokeepmyeyessteadilybentupontheflatsurfaceofthecliffbeforeme。ThemoreearnestlyIstruggled_nottothink，_themoreintenselyvividbecamemyconceptions，andthemorehorriblydistinct。Atlengtharrivedthatcrisisoffancy，sofearfulinallsimilarcases，thecrisisinwhichwebegantoanticipatethefeelingswithwhichwe_shall_fall-topicturetoourselvesthesickness，anddizziness，andthelaststruggle，andthehalfswoon，andthefinalbitternessoftherushingandheadlongdescent。AndnowIfoundthesefanciescreatingtheirownrealities，andallimaginedhorrorscrowdinguponmeinfact。I
　　feltmykneesstrikeviolentlytogether，whilemyfingersweregraduallybutcertainlyrelaxingtheirgrasp。Therewasaringinginmyears，andIsaid，“Thisismyknellofdeath！”AndnowIwasconsumedwiththeirrepressibledesireoflookingbelow。Icouldnot，Iwouldnot，confinemyglancestothecliff；and，withawild，indefinableemotion，halfofhorror，halfofarelievedoppression，I
　　threwmyvisionfardownintotheabyss。Foronemomentmyfingersclutchedconvulsivelyupontheirhold，while，withthemovement，thefaintestpossibleideaofultimateescapewandered，likeashadow，throughmymind-inthenextmywholesoulwaspervadedwithalongingtofall；adesire，ayearning，apassionutterlyuncontrollable。Iletgoatoncemygraspuponthepeg，and，turninghalfroundfromtheprecipice，remainedtotteringforaninstantagainstitsnakedface。Butnowtherecameaspinningofthebrain；ashrill-soundingandphantomvoicescreamedwithinmyears；adusky，fiendish，andfilmyfigurestoodimmediatelybeneathme；and，sighing，Isunkdownwithaburstingheart，andplungedwithinitsarms。
　　Ihadswooned，andPetershadcaughtmeasIfell。Hehadobservedmyproceedingsfromhisstationatthebottomofthecliff；andperceivingmyimminentdanger，hadendeavoredtoinspiremewithcouragebyeverysuggestionhecoulddevise；althoughmyconfusionofmindhadbeensogreatastopreventmyhearingwhathesaid，orbeingconsciousthathehadevenspokentomeatall。Atlength，seeingmetotter，hehastenedtoascendtomyrescue，andarrivedjustintimeformypreservation。HadIfallenwithmyfullweight，theropeoflinenwouldinevitablyhavesnapped，andIshouldhavebeenprecipitatedintotheabyss；asitwas，hecontrivedtoletmedowngently，soastoremainsuspendedwithoutdangeruntilanimationreturned。Thiswasinaboutfifteenminutes。Onrecovery，mytrepidationhadentirelyvanished；Ifeltanewbeing，and，withsomelittlefurtheraidfrommycompanion，reachedthebottomalsoinsafety。
　　Wenowfoundourselvesnotfarfromtheravinewhichhadprovedthetombofourfriends，andtothesouthwardofthespotwherethehillhadfallen。Theplacewasoneofsingularwildness，anditsaspectbroughttomymindthedescriptionsgivenbytravellersofthosedrearyregionsmarkingthesiteofdegradedBabylon。Nottospeakoftheruinsofthedisruptedcliff，whichformedachaoticbarrierinthevistatothenorthward，thesurfaceofthegroundineveryotherdirectionwasstrewnwithhugetumuli，apparentlythewreckofsomegiganticstructuresofart；although，indetail，nosemblanceofartcouldbedetected。Scoriawereabundant，andlargeshapelessblocksoftheblackgranite，intermingledwithothersofmarl，{*6}andbothgranulatedwithmetal。Ofvegetationtherewerenotraceswhatsoeverthroughoutthewholeofthedesolateareawithinsight。Severalimmensescorpionswereseen，andvariousreptilesnotelsewheretobefoundinthehighlatitudes。Asfoodwasourmostimmediateobject，weresolvedtomakeourwaytotheseacoast，distantnotmorethanhalfamile，withaviewofcatchingturtle，severalofwhichwehadobservedfromourplaceofconcealmentonthehill。Wehadproceededsomehundredyards，threadingourroutecautiouslybetweenthehugerocksandtumuli，when，uponturningacorner，fivesavagessprunguponusfromasmallcavern，fellingPeterstothegroundwithablowfromaclub。Ashefellthewholepartyrusheduponhimtosecuretheirvictim，leavingmetimetorecoverfrommyastonishment。T
　　stillhadthemusket，butthebarrelhadreceivedsomuchinjuryinbeingthrownfromtheprecipicethatTcastitasideasuseless，preferringtotrustmypistols，whichhadbeencarefullypreservedinorder。WiththeseIadvancedupontheassailants，firingoneaftertheotherinquicksuccession。Twosavagesfell，andone，whowasintheactofthrustingaspearintoPeters，sprungtohisfeetwithoutaccomplishinghispurpose。Mycompanionbeingthusreleased，wehadnofurtherdifficulty。Hehadhispistolsalso，butprudentlydeclinedusingthem，confidinginhisgreatpersonalstrength，whichfarexceededthatofanypersonIhaveeverknown。Seizingaclubfromoneofthesavageswhohadfallen，hedashedoutthebrainsofthethreewhoremained，killingeachinstantaneouslywithasingleblowoftheweapon，andleavinguscompletelymastersofthefield。
　　Sorapidlybadtheseeventspassed，thatwecouldscarcelybelieveintheirreality，andwerestandingoverthebodiesofthedeadinaspeciesofstupidcontemplation，whenwewerebroughttorecollectionbythesoundofshoutsinthedistance，Itwasclearthatthesavageshadbeenalarmedbythefiring，andthatwehadlittlechanceofavoidingdiscovery。Toregainthecliff，itwouldbenecessarytoproceedinthedirectionoftheshouts，andevenshouldwesucceedinarrivingatitsbase，weshouldneverbeabletoascenditwithoutbeingseen。Oursituationwasoneofthegreatestperil，andwewerehesitatinginwhichpathtocommenceaflight，whenoneofthesavages_whom_Ibadshot，andsupposeddead，sprangbrisklytohisfeet，andattemptedtomakehisescape。Weovertook_him，_however，beforehehadadvancedmanypaces，andwereabouttoputhimtodeath，whenPeterssuggestedthatwemightderivesomebenefitfromforcinghimtoaccompanyusinourattempttoescape。Wethereforedraggedhimwithus，makinghimunderstandthatwewouldshoothimifheofferedresistance。Inafewminuteshewasperfectlysubmissive，andranbyoursidesaswepushedinamongtherocks，makingfortheseashore。
　　Sofar，theirregularitiesofthegroundwehadbeentraversinghidthesea，exceptatintervals，fromoursight，and，whenwefirsthaditfairlyinview，itwasperhapstwohundredyardsdistant。Asweemergedintotheopenbeachwesaw，toourgreatdismay，animmensecrowdofthenativespouringfromthevillage，andfromallvisiblequartersoftheisland，makingtowarduswithgesticulationsofextremefury，andhowlinglikewildbeasts。Wewereuponthepointofturninguponoursteps，andtryingtosecurearetreatamongthefastnessesoftherougherground，whenIdiscoveredthebowsoftwocanoesprojectingfrombehindalargerockwhichranoutintothewater。Towardthesewenowranwithallspeed，and，reachingthem，foundthemunguarded，andwithoutanyotherfreightthanthreeofthelargeGallipagoturtlesandtheusualsupplyofpaddlesforsixtyrowers。Weinstantlytookpossessionofoneofthem，and，forcingourcaptiveonboard，pushedouttoseawithallthestrengthwecouldcommand。