Page:Accidents and disasters on land.pdf/4

 into the waggon or rolly-way, and acquaint the whole of the men in the pit of the danger. The youth asserts, that no one was at the crane when he reached it: but this is altogether improbable; and no doubt is entertained, that impelled by fear, he made the best of his way to the shaft and escaped. The two workmen first mentioned, had now quitted the face of the drift, and one of them, recollecting that he had left his jacket behind, proposed to the other to return and see how the water was coming off; but at this instant, a frightful crash, accompanied by a violent gust of wind, which extinguished the candles, warned them that an immense torrent of water was rushing into the mine; they fled precipitately towards the working shaft, distant a mile, and, as the water of course flowed first down the lowest level, reached it just in time to save their lives. The two men who were working near them, the boy before-mentioned, and fifteen other men and boys, who were on the rolly-way, were so fortunate as make their escape, but not till the last of them was up to his waist in water. Every possibility of retreat to those left behind was now cut off; and, shocking to relate, seventy-five human beings, including Mr. Miller, were shut up in the workings towards the rise of the colliery, either to perish by hunger, or die for want of respirable air; and twenty-four hours elapsed before the water rose to twenty-five fathoms in the engine pit, if it could even then displace the air confined in the higher part of the mine. Some faint expectations were