At last the rope ceased shaking and a faint shout came rumbling up the well, announcing Ali's safe arrival.

Then, far below, a tiny star of light appeared.

He had lit the candle, thereby disturbing hundreds of bats that flitted up in an endless stream and as silently as spirits.

The rope was hauled up again, and now it was my turn; but, as I declined to trust my neck to the hand-over-hand method of descent, the end of the cord was made fast round my middle and I was lowered bodily into those sacred depths.

Nor was it a pleasant journey, for, if the masters of the situation above had made any mistake, I should have been dashed to pieces.