Part 35 (2/2)

I stood silent, in hopes he would speak again: butI once more called; and he replied, with rather a louder voice which lessened the apparent distance, 'Take care! You'll dash yourself to pieces!'

'Are you hurt?' said I

'I hope not much,' returned he 'For God's sake take care of yourself!'

'Can you walk?'

'I shall be able presently, I believe'

'How can I get to you?'

'I don't know'

'Stay where you are, and I will try'

'For God in heaven's sake don't! You'll certainly break your neck! I suppose I a'

'I will crawl to you on my hands and knees'

'Good God! You will surely kill yourself!'

'Nothing can be round Weof each other'

While I spoke, I began to putto Clarke, every halfto proceed in the direction of his voice

I found the rough impediments around me increase; till, presently, I came to one that was ruder than the rest I crawled upon it, sustained byforithI cautiously laid round and stretched out my other arm Still it was vacancy I stretched a littleforward, and on each side; and I seemed to be projected upon a point,over a dark abyss, which the iination left unfathomable

I own I felt terror; and the sensation certainly was not lessened, when, o back, ive way My effort to retreat was as violent as round shook, loosened, and, with the struggle I ht that I fell was I have no ; for the heath on which andering abounds with quarries, and precipices; but either it was, in fact, or ious

Had this expedient been proposed under such circu ain, ould not have shuddered at it? Yet, though it is true I received a violent shock, I know of no injury that it did me As soon as I recovered my presence of mind, I replied to Clarke; whose questions were vehe heard me fall After s, and had escaped broken bones Though they had been severely shaken: Clarke's much the most violently

But where ? How should we discover? Perhaps in a stone quarry; or liht be we had fallen down only on the first bank, or ridge of a quarry; and had a precipice ten fold , the stroke of a large clock, brought whizzing in the wind, struck full upon our ear We listened, with the most anxious ardour The next stroke was very, very faint: a different current had carried it a different way: and, with all our eager attention, we could not be certain that we heard any ress had been excessively tedious, it could not be two o'clock in the ht indeed very probably be twelve

The first stroke of the clock made us conjecture it careat distance The second carried our iinations we knew not whither We had not yet recovered courage enough to take more steps than were necessary to co an inter of the wind, we distinctly heard a cur yelp

Encouraged by this, we ian to chafe, and swell, and seemed to mock at our distress Still we repeated our efforts, whenever the wind paused: but, instead of voices intending to answer our calls, we heard shrill whistlings; which certainly were produced by ht marauders; intent on nals indubitably; for we shouted again, they were again given, and were then repeated from another quarter: at least, if they were not, they wereaway of the wind

In a little while, we again heard the cur yelp; and iled with the blast, that we could not tell whether it were the wind itself, the yelling of a dog, or the agonizing cries of a human voice: but it was a dreadfully dismal sound We listened with perturbed and deep attention; and it was several ti uncertainty, confusion and terror

What was to be done? My patience was exhausted Danger itself could no longer detain me; and I told Clarke I was detere, or whatever the place was, froerous and doubtful as they were, these various sounds proceeded

Finding me resolute, he was very earnest to have led the way; and, when I would not perrasped ulphs, and if I did go down, unless he should have strength enough to save ether