The Underground World: A mirror of life below the surface

The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

A MIRROR OF LIFE BELOW THE SURFACE, WITH VIVID DESCRIPTIONS OF THE HIDDEN WORKS OF NATURE AND ART. COMPRISING INCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES BEYOND THE LIGHT OF DAY.
INTERESTING SKETCHES OF MINES AND MINING IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD—CAVES AND THEIR MYSTERIES—FAMOUS TUNNELS—DOWN IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. VOLCANOES AND THEIR ERUPTIONS—PETROLEUM—UNDERGROUND LIFE OF MAN AND THE LOWER ANIMALS. SUBTERRANEAN WORKS OF THE ANCIENTS. BURIED TREASURES, ETC., ETC.
PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED.
BY THOS. W. KNOX, Author of “Overland through Asia,” “Life and Adventures in the Orient,” “Camp-Fire and Cotton-Field,” “The Boy Exiles,” etc.
HARTFORD: THE J. B. BURR PUBLISHING CO. 1877.
Copyrighted. The J. B. Burr Publishing Co. 1877.

PREFACE.
The chief intent of this work is the plain, sufficient, and entertaining description of the marvelous lives not only of miners, but of all whose lot or choice it is to “delve and dare” underground. That its object is secured, the author is flatteringly assured by acknowledged critics,—travelers and book-men themselves, like the writer, most of them. The narratives of the book are not merely dry relations of scientific facts freighted with unnecessary technical terms, as might possibly be suspected from a cursory glance at the list of the topics treated, but statements of most important and curious deeds, and descriptions of hidden localities and lives, interspersed with lively anecdote and “incidents with souls in them,” it is believed, and the greater part herein for the first time given to the public. The table of contents will suffice to show how wide and varied has been the author’s scope of observation and comment, covering all the most important parts of the globe.
But he has not been satisfied with relying wholly upon his own observations and world-studies. No man, however active and industrious, can collate and digest all the interesting information which may cluster about any important subject. The average life is too short for the performance of such exhaustive study. The author has therefore consulted many works upon mining and kindred subjects, adding their funds of knowledge to his own researches, in order, so far forth as possible, to perfect his work. Besides, he is specially indebted to Professor Simonin, author of La Vie Souterraine , and has relied upon him for many facts and figures, particularly in regard to the coal mines of France and other countries. Many individuals, professionally conversant with the subjects discoursed of, have also been personally consulted in various countries; while several literary gentlemen of eminence have kindly lent the author their aid. Among the latter it is permissible to mention Mr. Junius Henri Browne, of New York, and the late Col. Albert S. Evans, of San Francisco.