Water Discovered

For a whole hour I was trying to work out in my delirious brain the reasons which might have influenced this seemingly tranquil huntsman. The absurdest notions ran in utter confusion through my mind. I thought madness was coming on!

For a whole hour, I tried to understand what might have motivated this seemingly calm hunter. My delirious mind was filled with the most absurd ideas, all jumbled together. I thought I was going mad!

But at last a noise of footsteps was heard in the dark abyss. Hans was approaching. A flickering light was beginning to glimmer on the wall of our darksome prison; then it came out full at the mouth of the gallery. Hans appeared.

But at last, we heard footsteps in the dark abyss. Hans was approaching. A flickering light began to glimmer on the wall of our dark prison. Then the light shone fully at the entrance to the passage. Hans appeared.

He drew close to my uncle, laid his hand upon his shoulder, and gently woke him. My uncle rose up.

He moved close to my uncle, put his hand on his shoulder, and gently woke him. My uncle got up.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Watten!" replied the huntsman.

"Watten!" the huntsman replied.

No doubt under the inspiration of intense pain everybody becomes endowed with the gift of divers tongues. I did not know a word of Danish, yet instinctively I understood the word he had uttered.

No doubt intense pain gives everyone the gift of speaking in many languages. I didn't know a word of Danish, but I instinctively understood the word he had spoken.

"Water! water!" I cried, clapping my hands and gesticulating like a madman.

"Water! Water!" I cried, clapping my hands and waving my arms like a madman.

"Water!" repeated my uncle. "Hvar?" he asked, in Icelandic.

"Water!" my uncle repeated. "Hvar?" he asked in Icelandic.

"Nedat," replied Hans.

"Nedat," Hans replied.

"Where? Down below!" I understood it all. I seized the hunter's hands, and pressed them while he looked on me without moving a muscle of his countenance.

"Where? Down below!" I understood it all. I grabbed the hunter's hands and squeezed them. He looked at me without changing his expression.

The preparations for our departure were not long in making, and we were soon on our way down a passage inclining two feet in seven. In an hour we had gone a mile and a quarter, and descended two thousand feet.

It did not take long to prepare for departure. Soon we were traveling down a passage that sloped two feet for every seven feet. In an hour, we had traveled a mile and a quarter and descended two thousand feet.

Then I began to hear distinctly quite a new sound of something running within the thickness of the granite wall, a kind of dull, dead rumbling, like distant thunder. During the first part of our walk, not meeting with the promised spring, I felt my agony returning; but then my uncle acquainted me with the cause of the strange noise.

Then I began to hear a distinct new sound, something running inside the thick granite wall. It was a dull, muffled rumble, like distant thunder. During the first part of our walk, we did not find the promised spring, and I felt my agony returning. But then my uncle explained what was causing the strange noise.

"Hans was not mistaken," he said. "What you hear is the rushing of a torrent."

"Hans was right," he said. "You hear a rushing stream."

"A torrent?" I exclaimed.

"A torrent?" I exclaimed.

"There can be no doubt; a subterranean river is flowing around us."

"There's no doubt. An underground river is flowing around us."

We hurried forward in the greatest excitement. I was no longer sensible of my fatigue. This murmuring of waters close at hand was already refreshing me. It was audibly increasing. The torrent, after having for some time flowed over our heads, was now running within the left wall, roaring and rushing. Frequently I touched the wall, hoping to feel some indications of moisture: But there was no hope here.

We hurried forward, full of excitement. I no longer felt tired. The sound of water murmuring nearby was already refreshing me. I could hear it growing louder. For a while, the torrent had flowed above our heads. Now it was roaring and rushing through the wall on our left. I often touched the wall, hoping to feel some moisture. But there was no hope of finding any there.

Yet another half hour, another half league was passed.

Another half hour passed, and another half league was covered.

Then it became clear that the hunter had gone no farther. Guided by an instinct peculiar to mountaineers he had as it were felt this torrent through the rock; but he had certainly seen none of the precious liquid; he had drunk nothing himself.

Then it became clear that the hunter had gone no farther. Guided by an instinct peculiar to mountaineers, he had, as it were, sensed the torrent through the rock. But he had certainly not seen the precious water, and he had drunk none of it himself.

Soon it became evident that if we continued our walk we should widen the distance between ourselves and the stream, the noise of which was becoming fainter.

Soon it became clear that if we kept walking, we would get farther from the stream. Its sound was growing fainter.

We returned. Hans stopped where the torrent seemed closest. I sat near the wall, while the waters were flowing past me at a distance of two feet with extreme violence. But there was a thick granite wall between us and the object of our desires.

We went back. Hans stopped where the torrent seemed closest. I sat near the wall. The water rushed violently past me, two feet away. But a thick granite wall stood between us and what we wanted.

Without reflection, without asking if there were any means of procuring the water, I gave way to a movement of despair.

Without thinking or asking whether there was any way to get water, I gave in to despair.

Hans glanced at me with, I thought, a smile of compassion.

Hans glanced at me with what I thought was a sympathetic smile.

He rose and took the lamp. I followed him. He moved towards the wall. I looked on. He applied his ear against the dry stone, and moved it slowly to and fro, listening intently. I perceived at once that he was examining to find the exact place where the torrent could be heard the loudest. He met with that point on the left side of the tunnel, at three feet from the ground.

He stood up and took the lamp. I followed him to the wall and watched. He pressed his ear against the dry stone and slowly moved it back and forth, listening closely. I realized at once that he was looking for the spot where the torrent sounded loudest. He found it on the left side of the tunnel, three feet above the ground.

I was stirred up with excitement. I hardly dared guess what the hunter was about to do. But I could not but understand, and applaud and cheer him on, when I saw him lay hold of the pickaxe to make an attack upon the rock.

I was filled with excitement. I hardly dared guess what the hunter was about to do. But when I saw him grab the pickaxe to attack the rock, I understood and could not help applauding and cheering him on.

"We are saved!" I cried.

"We're saved!" I cried.

"Yes," cried my uncle, almost frantic with excitement. "Hans is right. Capital fellow! Who but he would have thought of it?"

"Yes," cried my uncle, almost frantic with excitement. "Hans is right. What a great fellow! Who else would have thought of it?"

Yes; who but he? Such an expedient, however simple, would never have entered into our minds. True, it seemed most hazardous to strike a blow of the hammer in this part of the earth's structure. Suppose some displacement should occur and crush us all! Suppose the torrent, bursting through, should drown us in a sudden flood! There was nothing vain in these fancies. But still no fears of falling rocks or rushing floods could stay us now; and our thirst was so intense that, to satisfy it, we would have dared the waves of the north Atlantic.

Yes, who else but him? The idea was simple, but it would never have occurred to us. Still, it seemed very dangerous to strike this part of the earth with a hammer. What if something shifted and crushed us all? What if the torrent burst through and drowned us in a sudden flood? These fears were not groundless. But no fear of falling rocks or rushing water could stop us now. Our thirst was so intense that we would have braved the waves of the North Atlantic to quench it.

Hans set about the task which my uncle and I together could not have accomplished. If our impatience had armed our hands with power, we should have shattered the rock into a thousand fragments. Not so Hans. Full of self possession, he calmly wore his way through the rock with a steady succession of light and skilful strokes, working through an aperture six inches wide at the outside. I could hear a louder noise of flowing waters, and I fancied I could feel the delicious fluid refreshing my parched lips.

Hans began the task that my uncle and I together could not have done. If our impatience had given our hands enough strength, we would have shattered the rock into a thousand pieces. But not Hans. Completely self-controlled, he calmly worked his way through the rock with a steady series of light, skillful blows. He worked through an opening only six inches wide at the surface. I could hear the flowing water more loudly, and I imagined I could feel the delicious liquid refreshing my parched lips.

The pick had soon penetrated two feet into the granite partition, and our man had worked for above an hour. I was in an agony of impatience. My uncle wanted to employ stronger measures, and I had some difficulty in dissuading him; still he had just taken a pickaxe in his hand, when a sudden hissing was heard, and a jet of water spurted out with violence against the opposite wall.

The pick had soon cut two feet into the granite wall, and our man had worked for over an hour. I was painfully impatient. My uncle wanted to use stronger measures, and I had trouble persuading him not to. Still, he had just picked up a pickaxe when we heard a sudden hiss. A jet of water spurted violently against the opposite wall.

Hans, almost thrown off his feet by the violence of the shock, uttered a cry of grief and disappointment, of which I soon under-. stood the cause, when plunging my hands into the spouting torrent, I withdrew them in haste, for the water was scalding hot.

The force of the shock nearly knocked Hans off his feet, and he cried out in grief and disappointment. I soon understood why. I plunged my hands into the gushing torrent and quickly pulled them out. The water was scalding hot.

"The water is at the boiling point," I cried.

"The water is boiling," I cried.

"Well, never mind, let it cool," my uncle replied.

"Well, never mind. Let it cool," my uncle replied.

The tunnel was filling with steam, whilst a stream was forming, which by degrees wandered away into subterranean windings, and soon we had the satisfaction of swallowing our first draught.

The tunnel was filling with steam, and a stream was forming. Gradually, the stream wound away through underground passages. Soon, we had the satisfaction of taking our first drink.

Could anything be more delicious than the sensation that our burning intolerable thirst was passing away, and leaving us to enjoy comfort and pleasure? But where was this water from? No matter. It was water; and though still warm, it brought life back to the dying. I kept drinking without stopping, and almost without tasting.

Could anything feel better than our unbearable, burning thirst fading away, leaving us comfortable and happy? But where did the water come from? It didn’t matter. It was water, and though it was still warm, it brought the dying back to life. I kept drinking without stopping, hardly even tasting it.

"Nothing could be better for the digestion," said my uncle. "It is highly impregnated with iron. It will be as good for us as going to the Spa, or to Töplitz."

"Nothing could be better for digestion," said my uncle. "It contains a lot of iron. It will be as good for us as going to Spa or Töplitz."

"Well, it is delicious!"

"Well, it's delicious!"

"Of course it is, water should be, found six miles underground. It has an inky flavour, which is not at all unpleasant. What a capital source of strength Hans has found for us here. We will call it after his name."

"Of course it is. Water found six miles underground should be. It has an inky taste, which is not at all unpleasant. What a wonderful source of strength Hans has found for us here. We will name it after him."

"Agreed," I cried.

"Agreed," I exclaimed.

And Hansbach it was from that moment.

And from that moment, it was called Hansbach.

Hans was none the prouder. After a moderate draught, he went quietly into a corner to rest.

Hans was no prouder. After a modest drink, he quietly went to a corner to rest.

"Now," I said, "we must not lose this water."

"Now," I said, "we must not lose this water."

"What is the use of troubling ourselves?" my uncle, replied. "I fancy it will never fail."

"Why should we worry?" my uncle replied. "I don't think it will ever fail."

"Never mind, we cannot be sure; let us fill the water bottle and our flasks, and then stop up the opening."

"Never mind, we can't be sure. Let's fill the water bottle and our flasks, then plug the opening."

My advice was followed so far as getting in a supply; but the stopping up of the hole was not so easy to accomplish. It was in vain that we took up fragments of granite, and stuffed them in with tow, we only scalded our hands without succeeding. The pressure was too great, and our efforts were fruitless.

My advice was followed as far as getting a supply, but plugging the hole was not so easy. We tried stuffing it with pieces of granite and tow, but only scalded our hands. The pressure was too great, and our efforts failed.

"It is quite plain," said I, "that the higher body of this water is at a considerable elevation. The force of the jet shows that."

"It's quite clear," I said, "that the upper body of water is at a considerable height. The force of the jet shows that."

"No doubt," answered my uncle. "If this column of water is 32,000 feet high—that is, from the surface of the earth, it is equal to the weight of a thousand atmospheres. But I have got an idea."

"No doubt," my uncle replied. "If this column of water is 32,000 feet high, measured from the earth's surface, it equals the weight of a thousand atmospheres. But I have an idea."

"Well?"

"Well?"

"Why should we trouble ourselves to stop the stream from coming out at all?"

"Why should we bother stopping the stream from coming out at all?"

"Because—" Well, I could not assign a reason.

"Because..." Well, I couldn't give a reason.

"When our flasks are empty, where shall we fill them again? Can we tell that?"

"When our flasks are empty, where will we refill them? Can we know that?"

No; there was no certainty.

No, there was no certainty.

"Well, let us allow the water to run on. It will flow down, and will both guide and refresh us."

"Well, let's let the water flow. It will flow downward, guiding us and giving us water to drink."

"That is well planned," I cried. "With this stream for our guide, there is no reason why we should not succeed in our undertaking."

"That's a good plan," I cried. "With this stream as our guide, there's no reason we shouldn't succeed."

"Ah, my boy! you agree with me now," cried the Professor, laughing.

"Ah, my boy! You agree with me now," the Professor said, laughing.

"I agree with you most heartily."

"I completely agree with you."

"Well, let us rest awhile; and then we will start again."

"Well, let's rest for a while. Then we'll start again."

I was forgetting that it was night. The chronometer soon informed me of that fact; and in a very short time, refreshed and thankful, we all three fell into a sound sleep.

I had forgotten that it was night. The clock soon reminded me. A short time later, refreshed and thankful, all three of us fell into a deep sleep.