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any known mine。
After that I sat on the floor again and looked at the water。 It exercised a mesmeric influence on me； soothing all care。 I was quite happy to wait for death； for death had no meaning to me。 My hate and fury were both lulled into a trance； since the passive is the next stage to the overwrought。
It must have been full day outside now； for the funnel was bright with sunshine； and even the dim cave caught a reflected radiance。 As I watched the river I saw a bird flash downward； skimming the water。 It turned into the cave and fluttered among its dark recesses。 I heard its wings beating the roof as it sought wildly for an outlet。 It dashed into the spray of the cataract and escaped again into the cave。 For maybe twenty minutes it fluttered； till at last it found the way it had entered by。 With a dart it sped up the funnel of rock into light and freedom。
I had begun to watch the bird in idle lassitude； I ended in keen excitement。 The sight of it seemed to take a film from my eyes。 I realized the zest of liberty； the passion of life again。 I felt that beyond this dim underworld there was the great joyous earth； and I longed for it。 I wanted to live now。 My memory cleared； and I remembered all that had befallen me during the last few days。 I had played the chief part in the whole business； and I had won。 Laputa was dead and the treasure was mine； while Arcoll was crushing the Rising at his ease。 I had only to be free again to be famous and rich。 My hopes had returned； but with them came my fears。 What if I could not escape？ I must perish miserably by degrees； shut in the heart of a hill； though my friends were out for rescue。 In place of my former lethargy I was now in a fever of unrest。
My first care was to explore the way I had come。 I ran down the passage to the chasm which the slab of stone had spanned。 I had been right in my guess； for the thing was gone。 Laputa was in truth a Titan； who in the article of death could break down a bridge which would have taken any three men an hour to shift。 The gorge was about seven yards wide； too far to risk a jump； and the cliff fell sheer and smooth to the imprisoned waters two hundred feet below。 There was no chance of circuiting it； for the wall was as smooth as if it had been chiselled。 The hand of man had been at work to make the sanctuary inviolable。
It occurred to me that sooner or later Arcoll would track Laputa to this place。 He would find the bloodstains in the gully； but the turnstile would be shut and he would never find the trick of it。 Nor could he have any kaffirs with him who knew the secret of the Place of the Snake。 Still if Arcoll knew I was inside he would find some way to get to me even though he had to dynamite the curtain of rock。 I shouted； but my voice seemed to be drowned in the roar of the water。 It made but a fresh chord in the wild orchestra； and I gave up hopes in that direction。
Very dolefully I returned to the cave。 I was about to share the experience of all treasure…hunters … to be left with jewels galore and not a bite to sustain life。 The thing was too commonplace to be endured。 I grew angry； and declined so obvious a fate。 'Ek sal 'n plan maak；' I told myself in the old Dutchman's words。 I had come through worse dangers； and a way I should find。 To starve in the cave was no ending for David Crawfurd。 Far better to join Laputa in the depths in a manly hazard for liberty。
My obstinacy and irritation cheered me。 What had become of the lack…lustre young fool who had mooned here a few minutes back。 Now I was as tense and strung for effort as the day I had ridden from Blaauwildebeestefontein to Umvelos'。 I felt like a runner in the last lap of a race。 For four days I had lived in the midst of terror and darkness。 Daylight was only a few steps ahead； daylight and youth restored and a new world。
There were only two outlets from that cave … the way I had come； and the way the river came。 The first was closed； the second a sheer staring impossibility。 I had been into every niche and cranny； and there was no sign of a passage。 I sat down on the floor and looked at the wall of water。 It fell； as I have already explained； in a solid sheet； which made up the whole of the wall of the cave。 Higher than the roof of the cave I could not see what happened； except that it must be the open air； for the sun was shining on it。 The water was about three yards distant from the edge of the cave's floor； but it seemed to me that high up； level with the roof； this distance decreased to little more than a foot。
I could not see what the walls of the cave were like； but they looked smooth and difficult。 Supposing I managed to climb up to the level of the roof close to the water； how on earth was I to get outside on to the wall of the ravine？ I knew from my old days of rock…climbing what a complete obstacle the overhang of a cave is。
While I looked； however； I saw a thing which I had not noticed before。 On the left side of the fall the water sluiced down in a sheet to the extreme edge of the cave； almost sprinkling the floor with water。 But on the right side the force of water was obviously weaker； and a little short of the level of the cave roof there was a spike of rock which slightly broke the fall。 The spike was covered； but the covering was shallow； for the current flowed from it in a rose…shaped spray。 If a man could get to that spike and could get a foot on it without being swept down； it might be possible … just possible … to do something with the wall of the chasm above the cave。 Of course I knew nothing about the nature of that wall。 It might be as smooth as a polished pillar。
The result of these cogitations was that I decided to prospect the right wall of the cave close to the waterfall。 But first I went rummaging in the back part to see if I could find anything to assist me。 In one corner there was a rude cupboard with some stone and metal vessels。 Here； too； were the few domestic utensils of the dead Keeper。 In another were several locked coffers on which I could make no impression。 There were the treasure…chests too； but they held nothing save treasure； and gold and diamonds were no manner of use to me。 Other odds and ends I found … spears； a few skins； and a broken and notched axe。 I took the axe in case there might be cutting to do。
Then at the back of a bin my hand struck something which brought the blood to my face。 It was a rope； an old one； but still in fair condition and forty or fifty feet long。 I dragged it out into the light and straightened its kinks。 With this something could be done； assuming I could cut my way to the level of the roof。
I began the climb in my bare feet； and at the beginning it was very bad。 Except on the very edge of the abyss there was scarcely a handhold。 Possibly in floods the waters may have swept the wall in a curve； smoothing down the inner part and leaving the outer to its natural roughness。 There was one place where I had to hang on by a very narrow crack while I scraped with the axe a hollow for my right foot。 And then about twelve feet from the ground I struck the first of the iron pegs。
To this day I cannot think what these pegs were for。 They were old square…headed things which had seen the wear of centuries。 They cannot have been meant to assist a climber； for the dwellers of the cave had clearly never contemplated this means of egress。 Perhaps they had been used for some kind of ceremonial curtain in a dim past。 They were rusty and frail； and one of them came away in my hand； but for all that they marvellously assisted my ascent。
I had been climbing slowly； doggedly and carefully； my mind wholly occupied with the task； and almost before I knew I found my head close under the roof of the cave。 It was necessary now to move towards the river； and the task seemed impossible。 I could see no footholds； save two frail pegs； and in the corner between the wall and the roof was a rough arch too wide for my body to jam itself in。 Just below the level of the roof … say two feet … I saw the submerged spike of rock。 The waters raged around it； and could not have been more than an inch deep on the top。 If I could only get my foot on that I believed I could avoid being swept down； and stand up and reach for the wall above the cave。
But how to get to it？ It was no good delaying； for my frail holds might give at any moment。 In any case I would have the moral security of the rope； so I passed it through a fairly staunch pin close to the roof； which had an upward tilt that almost made a ring of it。 One end of the rope was round my body； the other was loose in my hand； and I paid it out as I moved。 Moral support is something。 Very gingerly I crawled like a fly along the wall； my fingers now clutching at a tiny knob； now clawing at a crack which did little more than hold my nails。 It was all hopeless insanity； and yet somehow I did it。 The rope and the nearness of the roof gave me confidence and balance。 Then the holds ceased altogether a couple of yards from the water。 I saw my spike of rock a trifle below me。 There was nothing for it but to risk all on a jump。 I drew the rope out of the hitch； twined the slack rou