Lost Deep Inside the Earth

To describe my despair would be impossible. No words could tell it. I was buried alive, with the prospect before me of dying of hunger and thirst.

I could not describe my despair. No words could express it. I was buried alive, facing death from hunger and thirst.

Mechanically I swept the ground with my hands. How dry and hard the rock seemed to me!

Without thinking, I swept my hands over the ground. The rock felt so dry and hard!

But how had I left the course of the stream? For it was a terrible fact that it no longer ran at my side. Then I understood the reason of that fearful silence, when for the last time I listened to hear if any sound from my companions could reach my ears. At the moment when I left the right road I had not noticed the absence of the stream. It is evident that at that moment a deviation had presented itself before me, whilst the Hansbach, following the caprice of another incline, had gone with my companions away into unknown depths.

But how had I strayed from the stream? The terrible fact was that it no longer ran beside me. Then I understood the reason for that frightening silence when I had listened one last time for my companions. When I left the right path, I had not noticed that the stream was gone. Clearly, I had come to a fork in the path. The Hansbach had followed a different slope, taking it and my companions into unknown depths.

How was I to return? There was not a trace of their footsteps or of my own, for the foot left no mark upon the granite floor. I racked my brain for a solution of this impracticable problem. One word described my position. Lost!

How could I get back? There was no trace of their footsteps or mine, because feet left no marks on the granite floor. I searched my mind for a solution to this impossible problem. One word described my situation. Lost!

Lost at an immeasurable depth! Thirty leagues of rock seemed to weigh upon my shoulders with a dreadful pressure. I felt crushed.

Lost at an unimaginable depth! Thirty leagues of rock seemed to press down terribly on my shoulders. I felt crushed.

I tried to carry back my ideas to things on the surface of the earth. I could scarcely succeed. Hamburg, the house in the Königstrasse, my poor Gräuben, all that busy world underneath which I was wandering about, was passing in rapid confusion before my terrified memory. I could revive with vivid reality all the incidents of our voyage, Iceland, M. Fridrikssen, Snæfell. I said to myself that if, in such a position as I was now in, I was fool enough to cling to one glimpse of hope, it would be madness, and that the best thing I could do was to despair.

I tried to turn my thoughts back to life on the surface of the earth. I could hardly do it. Hamburg, the house in the Königstrasse, my poor Gräuben, and that whole busy world above me flashed through my terrified mind in a blur. I could vividly recall every part of our journey: Iceland, M. Fridrikssen, Snæfell. I told myself that, in my situation, clinging to even a glimpse of hope would be foolish and mad. The best thing I could do was despair.

What human power could restore me to the light of the sun by rending asunder the huge arches of rock which united over my head, buttressing each other with impregnable strength? Who could place my feet on the right path, and bring me back to my company?

What human power could tear apart the vast arches of rock above me and bring me back to sunlight? The arches supported one another with unbreakable strength. Who could put me on the right path and bring me back to my companions?

"Oh, my uncle!" burst from my lips in the tone of despair.

"Oh, my uncle!" I cried out in despair.

It was my only word of reproach, for I knew how much he must be suffering in seeking me, wherever he might be.

That was my only complaint, because I knew how much he must be suffering as he searched for me, wherever he was.

When I saw myself thus far removed from all earthly help I had recourse to heavenly succour. The remembrance of my childhood, the recollection of my mother, whom I had only known in my tender early years, came back to me, and I knelt in prayer imploring for the Divine help of which I was so little worthy.

When I realized I was so far beyond any earthly help, I turned to heaven. Memories of my childhood and my mother came back to me. I had only known her in my earliest years. I knelt and prayed, begging for the divine help I was so unworthy of receiving.

This return of trust in God's providence allayed the turbulence of my fears, and I was enabled to concentrate upon my situation all the force of my intelligence.

My renewed trust in God's care calmed my fears. I could now focus all my intelligence on my situation.

I had three days' provisions with me and my flask was full. But I could not remain alone for long. Should I go up or down?

I had three days' worth of food and a full flask. But I couldn't stay alone for long. Should I go up or down?

Up, of course; up continually.

Up, of course. Up all the time.

I must thus arrive at the point where I had left the stream, that fatal turn in the road. With the stream at my feet, I might hope to regain the summit of Snæfell.

So I had to reach the point where I had left the stream, that fatal turn in the road. With the stream at my feet, I could hope to reach the summit of Snæfell again.

Why had I not thought of that sooner? Here was evidently a chance of safety. The most pressing duty was to find out again the course of the Hansbach. I rose, and leaning upon my iron-pointed stick I ascended the gallery. The slope was rather steep. I walked on without hope but without indecision, like a man who has made up his mind.

Why hadn't I thought of that sooner? This was clearly a chance to escape. My most urgent task was to find the course of the Hansbach again. I stood up and leaned on my iron-tipped stick as I climbed the passage. The slope was fairly steep. I walked on without hope, but without hesitation, like a man who has made up his mind.

For half an hour I met with no obstacle. I tried to recognise my way by the form of the tunnel, by the projections of certain rocks, by the disposition of the fractures. But no particular sign appeared, and I soon saw that this gallery could not bring me back to the turning point. It came to an abrupt end. I struck against an impenetrable wall, and fell down upon the rock.

For half an hour, I met no obstacles. I tried to find my way by the shape of the tunnel, the rocks jutting out, and the pattern of the cracks. But I saw no distinctive signs, and I soon realized that this passage could not take me back to the turning point. It ended abruptly. I ran into a solid wall and fell onto the rock.

Lost in this labyrinth, whose windings crossed each other in all directions, it was no use to think of flight any longer. Here I must die the most dreadful of deaths. And, strange to say, the thought came across me that when some day my petrified remains should be found thirty leagues below the surface in the bowels of the earth, the discovery might lead to grave scientific discussions.

I was lost in this maze, whose winding passages crossed in every direction. There was no point in thinking of escape anymore. Here I would die the most dreadful of deaths. Strangely, I thought that someday my petrified remains might be found thirty leagues below the earth’s surface. The discovery might lead to serious scientific discussions.

I tried to speak aloud, but hoarse sounds alone passed my dry lips. I panted for breath.

I tried to speak aloud, but only hoarse sounds came from my dry lips. I gasped for breath.

In the midst of my agony a new terror laid hold of me. In falling my lamp had got wrong. I could not set it right, and its light was paling and would soon disappear altogether.

In the midst of my agony, a new terror seized me. My lamp had gone wrong when I fell. I couldn't fix it, and its light was fading. Soon it would go out altogether.

I gazed painfully upon the luminous current growing weaker and weaker in the wire coil. A dim procession of moving shadows seemed slowly unfolding down the darkening walls. I scarcely dared to shut my eyes for one moment, for fear of losing the least glimmer of this precious light. Every instant it seemed about to vanish and the dense blackness to come rolling in palpably upon me.

I watched in anguish as the glowing current in the wire coil grew weaker and weaker. A dim procession of moving shadows seemed to pass slowly along the darkening walls. I hardly dared close my eyes for a moment, afraid of missing even the faintest glimmer of that precious light. At every moment, the light seemed about to vanish and a thick darkness seemed ready to roll in and engulf me.

One last trembling glimmer shot feebly up. I watched it in trembling and anxiety; I drank it in as if I could preserve it, concentrating upon it the full power of my eyes, as upon the very last sensation of light which they were ever to experience, and the next moment I lay in the heavy gloom of deep, thick, unfathomable darkness.

One last trembling glimmer shone faintly upward. I watched it, trembling and anxious. I drank it in as if I could preserve it. I strained my eyes to take it in, as if it were the last light they would ever see. The next moment, I lay in the heavy gloom of deep, thick, unfathomable darkness.

A terrible cry of anguish burst from me. Upon earth, in the midst of the darkest night, light never abdicates its functions altogether. It is still subtle and diffusive, but whatever little there may be, the eye still catches that little. Here there was not an atom; the total darkness made me totally blind.

A terrible cry of anguish burst from me. On the surface of the earth, even on the darkest night, light never disappears completely. It is faint and scattered, but the eye can still catch whatever little there is. Here there was not a trace of light. The total darkness made me completely blind.

Then I began to lose my head. I arose with my arms stretched out before me, attempting painfully to feel my way. I began to run wildly, hurrying through the inextricable maze, still descending, still running through the substance of the earth's thick crust, a struggling denizen of geological 'faults,' crying, shouting, yelling, soon bruised by contact with the jagged rock, falling and rising again bleeding, trying to drink the blood which covered my face, and even waiting for some rock to shatter my skull against.

Then I began to panic. I stood up with my arms stretched out, struggling to feel my way. I began to run wildly through the bewildering maze. I kept descending, running through the earth's thick crust, a struggling inhabitant of geological 'faults.' I cried out, shouted, and yelled. Soon the jagged rocks bruised me. I fell and got up again, bleeding. I tried to drink the blood covering my face. I even waited for a rock to smash my skull against.

I shall never know whither my mad career took me. After the lapse of some hours, no doubt exhausted, I fell like a lifeless lump at the foot of the wall, and lost all consciousness.

I will never know where my wild flight took me. After some hours, I was no doubt exhausted. I fell like a lifeless lump at the foot of the wall and lost consciousness.