Besides, if the ascending road did become steeper,I was comforted with the thought that it was bringing us nearer to the surface. There was hope in this. Every step confirmed me in it, and I was rejoicing at the thought of meeting my little Gr?uben again.
By mid-day there was a change in the appearance of this wall of the gallery. I noticed it by a diminution of the amount of light reflected from the sides; solid rock was appearing in the place of the lava coating.The mass was composed of inclined and sometimes vertical strata. We were passing through rocks of the transition or silurian[1]system.