By the feeble rays of the light I crawled backward for quite a distance. Finally I came to a large packing-case marked:

S. & Co. Crockery. B132. Handle with Care.

The top lid of the case was well nailed on. But after a quarter of an hour's work I succeeded in loosening one half of it, and pulled it off.


Down in the Hold.


There was a quantity of straw next to the lid. I scraped it aside, and then took a look at what was below.

The packing-case was filled with nothing but common stones.