“Why,” said the native, “our people increase very rapidly and we can only keep them within bounds by constantly blasting these tunnels. Each blast costs the life of one of our men.”
“But what of the women,” asked Mr. Bruce.
“The women and criminals are all fed to the water-monster,” said the man.
“But are none of these placed in the death chamber?” again asked Mr. Bruce.
“None,” answered the native. “The death chamber is only for the men. At the end of these long tunnels, is the Tunnel of Wind, which keeps a circulation of air in all of them. The wind flies through this tunnel, making no sound and giving no warning, and when once in its awful clutch you are lost.”
“But how do you embalm the bodies of your men,” questioned Mr. Bruce.
“With a preparation of coal and yellow stone, which we find in one part of our country. These are pounded into a powder and are then mixed with fish oil and rolled into small cakes and left to dry. These we burn beneath the bodies and the smoke puts them in a state of preservation.”
Our friends had now reached the wall and were about to enter the tunnel indicated by the native when a body of natives jumped forth only a few feet distant and rushed onto them. The explorers started back and seeing that there was a great number of them, decided on retreating. They accordingly followed the wall to the east, running as fast as they could with the wounded native. The natives were following them closely, and our friends, seeing another tunnel, opening out from the cave, turned into it and hurried forward. The natives were hurrying after them. On they rushed covering mile after mile, until breath and strength were nearly exhausted. The natives had called out to them in their language to drop the one of their number which Onrai was carrying. The man interpreted this to Onrai but it only had the effect of making him hold him all the tighter. But after a while the natives began to drop off one by one and our friends were thinking of turning on them, when they saw their tunnel ending in one running at right angles with it. Hurriedly they pushed forward and were just on the edge of the cross-tunnel, when the native called out:
“Not in there, it is the Tunnel of Wind;” but it was too late. They were launched into it and were even now in the power of the mighty wind.