The men look like pigmies, and one cannot follow their movements until the eye has accustomed itself to the depth and to the darkness prevailing below.

But the darkness is not very dense; I could distinguish most of the ladders, which seemed to me like children's toys.
It was nearly twelve, and the workmen left the pits, with the exception of those in charge of the mines.

They ascended by means of little tubs hanging by ropes, and were raised by a windlass.

It is a terrible sight to see the men soaring up on the little machine, especially when two or three ascend at once; for then one man stands in the centre, while the other two ride on the edge of the tub.
[Picture: Mines of Danemora] I should have liked to descend into the great pit, but it was too late on this day, and I would not wait another.

I should not have feared the descent, as I was familiar with such adventures, having explored the salt-mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia, in Gallicia, some years before, in which I had had to let myself down by a rope, which is a much more dangerous method than the tub.
With the stroke of twelve, four blasting trains in the large pit were fired.