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The First Signs of Distress

           Aftertheirmealmytwocompanionslaidthemselvesdownupontheirrugs,andfoundinsleepasolacefortheirfatigue.ButIcouldnotsleep,andIcountedeveryhouruntilmorning.

           OnSaturday,atsix,westartedafresh.Intwentyminuteswereachedavastopenspace;Ithenknewthatthehandofmanhadnothollowedoutthismine;thevaultswouldhavebeenshoredup,and,asitwas,theyseemedtobeheldupbyamiracleofequilibrium.

           Thiscavernwasaboutahundredfeetwideandahundredandfiftyinheight.Alargemasshadbeenrentasunderbyasubterraneandisturbance.Yieldingtosomevastpowerfrombelowithadbrokenasunder,leavingthisgreathollowintowhichhumanbeingswerenowpenetratingforthefirsttime.

           Thewholehistoryofthecarboniferousperiodwaswrittenuponthesegloomywalls,andageologistmightwitheasetraceallitsdiversephases.Thebedsofcoalwereseparatedbystrataofsandstoneorcompactclays,andappearedcrushedundertheweightofoverlyingstrata.

           Attheageoftheworldwhichprecededthesecondaryperiod,theearthwasclothedwithimmensevegetableforms,theproductofthedoubleinfluenceoftropicalheatandconstantmoisture;avapouryatmospheresurroundedtheearth,stillveilingthedirectraysofthesun.

           Thencearisestheconclusionthatthehightemperaturethenexistingwasduetosomeothersourcethantheheatofthesun.Perhapseventheorbofdaymaynothavebeenreadyyettoplaythesplendidparthenowacts.Therewereno‘climates’asyet,andatorridheat,equalfrompoletoequator,wasspreadoverthewholesurfaceoftheglobe.Whencethisheat?Wasitfromtheinterioroftheearth?

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