We had sufficient time to get out—or seemed to have; but one of the party, who had crouched to the bottom of the basket, was a long time gathering his limbs together, and picking himself up. He did not pick up fast enough. The engineer waited what he thought was a proper time for us to get out, and then the basket began to move upward just as the dilatory man was putting a leg over its side. As the basket moved up, he was partly in and partly outside, and there was a prospect of witnessing a very pretty accident on his account.
He was a distinguished stranger, and it would never do to have a person of his prominence killed there. Our conductor seized the signal-rope and gave it a violent pull, which caused the engineer to send the basket back again, and wait until everything was ready. The dilatory visitor scrambled out of the basket, and gave a sigh of relief when he stood upon the planking.
IN THE SHAFT OF A MINE.
The shaft of a mine is a very good place for accidents. Many of these occur from the carelessness of the miner, or the engineers, and sometimes from their incompetency. By the old system, baskets or buckets were raised or lowered by the winding or unwinding of a rope. Of late years, a cage, travelling in guides, is used, which is much safer than the old system. The miners are careless in consequence of their long acquaintance with the mines. Familiarity breeds contempt, with dangers as with everything else.
The first descent into a mine generally raises the pulse, and very often seriously alarms the visitor. The miners will stand carelessly on the edge of a bucket; but the strangers generally seat themselves at the bottom, and it is sometimes necessary to turn the bucket upside down on reaching the floor of the mine before they can be induced to come out.
The shaft always appears smaller than it really is on account of the darkness. It is never well lighted, and very often the glimmer of the lamps is just sufficient to make darkness visible.
Visitors are always subjects of merriment to the miners. They show more or less fear in all their movements, especially in ascending and descending; but the miners go up and down the shaft laughing and talking, just as the soldier goes under fire and faces the storms of bullets.
The sight of the miners going down is a curious one. The men stand ready around the mouth of the shaft, and at the sound of the bell they crowd into the tubs or cages, or go down the ladders. Their voices can be heard a moment, and then they gradually become fainter and fainter, till lost in the distance. In some mines on the continent of Europe, prayers are offered by the miners before going down; in most mines, however, this is neglected, but many of the men cross themselves on leaving the upper air, and breathe a short prayer to St. Barbe, the great patron saint of the miners.
It is interesting to note the sudden pause in the conversation, to see the hands making the sign of the cross, the lips of the hardy miners moving, and then, a moment after, to hear them break forth again, and talking as merrily as ever.
I remember, on one occasion, visiting a mine in Russia, where the men gathered at the mouth of the pit seemed engaged in some sort of a dispute. Their voices were loud, and many of the tones were angry. Suddenly a bell was sounded, and in an instant every cap was removed, and every man went through the Russian ceremonial of crossing himself. This ceremony over, caps were restored to the heads of the owners, and the conversation was resumed as loudly and excitedly as ever.