,,*APT] #CI

              ,,*APT] #CI
       ,! ,EXPLO.N & ,XS ,RESULTS

  ,,! NEXT "D1 : 0 ! TW5TY-SEV5? (
,AUGU/1 0 A DATE CELEBRAT$ 9 \R WONDR\S
SUBT]RAN1N J\RNEY4 ,I N"E ?9K ( X EV5
N[1 B ,I %U4] ) HORROR4 ,MY HE>T B1TS
WILDLY AT ! V MEMORY ( T AW;L "D4
  ,F ? "T =W>D1 \R R1SON1 \R JUDG;T1 \R
HUMAN 9G5U;Y1 H NO?+ 6D )! C\RSE (
EV5TS4 ,WE >E AB 62COME ! PLAY?+ (! GRT
PH5OM5A (! E>?6
  ,AT SIX O'C WE 7 ALL UP & R1DY4 ,!
DR1D$ MO;T 0 >RIV+ :5 WE 7 AB 6SEEK AN
OP5+ 96! 9T]IOR (! E>? 0M1NS ( GUNP[D]4
,:AT WD 2 ! 3SEQU;ES ( BR1K+ "? ! CRU/ (
! E>?8
  ,I BE7$ T X MI<T 2 MY DUTY 6SET FIRE
6! M9E4 ,I LOOK$ ^U X Z AN HONOR4 ,?
TASK ONCE P]=M$1 ,I CD REJO9 MY FRS ^U !RAFT1 : _H N BE5 UNLOAD$4 ,Z SOON   #CGD
Z WE 7 ALL R1DY1 WE 7 6SAIL AWAY 6"S
4T.E 6AVOID ! 3SEQU;ES (! EXPLO.N1 !
E6ECTS ( : WD C]TA9LY N 2 3C5TRAT$ 9 !
9T]IOR (! E>?4
  ,! SL[ MAT* WE CALCULAT$ 6BURN = AB T5
M9UTES1 M OR LESS1 2F X R1*$ ! *AMB] 9 :
! GRT BODY ( P[D] 0 3F9$4 ,I %D "!=E H
PL5TY ( "T 6R1* ! RAFT & PUT (F 6A SAFE
4T.E4
  ,I PREP>$ 6EXECUTE MY SELF-ALLOTT$
TASK- N1 X M/ 2 3FESS$1 )\T 3SID]A#
EMO;N4
  ,AF A HE>TY REPA/1 MY UNCLE &! HUNT]-
GUIDE EMB>K$ ON BO>D ! RAFT1 :ILE ,I
REMA9$ AL"O ^U ! DESOLATE %ORE4
  ,I 0 PROVID$ )A LANT]N : 0 65A# ME
6SET FIRE 6! WICK (! 9F]NAL MA*9E4
  8,G1 MY BOY10 SD MY UNCLE1 8& ,H1V5 2
) Y4 ,B -E BACK Z SOON Z Y C4 ,I % 2 ALL
IMPATI;E40
  8,BE EASY ON T MATT]10 ,I REPLI$1 8"!
IS NO FE> ( MY DELAY+ ON ! ROAD40
  ,HAV+ SD ?1 ,I ADV.ED T[>D ! OP5+ (!
SOMB] GALL]Y4 ,MY HE>T B1T WILDLY4 ,IOP5$ MY LANT]N & SEIZ$ ! EXTREM;Y   #CGE
(! WICK4
  ,! ,PROFESSOR1 :O 0 LOOK+ ON1 HELD 8
*RONOMET] 9 8 H&4
  8,>E Y R1DY80 CRI$ HE4
  8,Q R1DY40
  8,WELL1 !N1 FIRE AWAY60
  ,I HA/5$ 6PUT ! LI<T 6! WICK1 :
CRACKL$ & SP>KL$1 HISS+ & SPITT+ L A
S]P5T2 !N1 RUNN+ Z FA/ Z ,I CD1 ,I
RETURN$ 6! %ORE4
  8,GET ON BO>D1 MY LAD1 & Y1 ,HANS1
%OVE (F10 CRI$ MY UNCLE4
  ,0A VIGOR\S APPLIC,N ( 8 POLE ,HANS
S5T U FLY+ OV] ! WAT]4 ,! RAFT 0 Q TW5TY
FA?OMS 4TANT4
  ,X 0 A MO;T ( PALPITAT+ 9T]E/1 ( DEEP
ANXIETY4 ,MY UNCLE1 ! ,PROFESSOR1 N"E
TOOK 8 EYES (F ! *RONOMET]4
  8,ONLY FIVE M9UTES M10 HE SD 9 A L[
T"O1 8ONLY F\R1 ONLY ?REE40
  ,MY PULSE W5T A HUNDR$ 6! M9UTE4 ,I CD
HE> MY HE>T B1T+4
  8,ONLY TWO1 "O6 ,N[1 !N1 M.TA9S (
GRANITE1 CRUM# 2N ! P[] ( MAN60  ,:AT HAPP5$ AF T8 ,Z 6! T]RIFIC   #CGF
RO> (! EXPLO.N1 ,I D N ?9K ,I HE>D X4 ,B
! =M (! ROCKS -PLETELY *ANG$ 9 MY EYES-
!Y SEEM$ 6BE DRAWN ASIDE L A CURTA94 ,I
SAW A FA?OM.S1 A BOTTOM.S ABYSS1 : YAWN$
2N ! TURGID WAVES4 ,! SEA1 : SEEM$
SU45LY 6H G"O MAD1 !N 2CAME "O GRT
M.TA9\S MASS1 ^U ! TOP ( : ! RAFT ROSE
P]P5DICUL>LY4
  ,WE 7 ALL ?R[N D[N4 ,9 LESS ?AN A
SECOND ! LI<T GAVE PLACE 6! MO/ PROF.D
OBSCUR;Y4 ,!N ,I FELT ALL SOLID SUPPORT
GIVE WAY N 6MY FEET1 B 6! RAFT XF4 ,I
?"\ X 0 GO+ BODILY D[N A TREM5D\S WELL4
,I TRI$ 6SP1K1 6"Q MY UNCLE4 ,NO?+ CD 2
HE>D B ! RO>+ (! MI<TY WAVES4 ,WE CLUNG
TGR 9 UTT] SIL;E4
  ,DESPITE ! AW;L D>K;S1 DESPITE !
NOISE1 ! SURPRISE1 ! EMO;N1 ,I ?OR\<LY
"U/OOD :AT _H HAPP5$4
  ,2Y ! ROCK : _H BE5 BL[N UP1 "! EXI/$
A MI<TY ABYSS4 ,! EXPLO.N _H CAUS$ A K9D
( E>?QUAKE 9 ? SOIL1 BROK5 0FISSURES &
R5TS4 ,! GULF1 ?US SU45LY ?R[N OP51 0 AB
6SWALL[ ! 9L& S1L :1 TRANS=M$ 96A MI<TYTORR5T1 0 DRA7+ U ) X4              #CGG
  ,ONLY "O IDEA FILL$ MY M9D4 ,WE 7
UTT]LY & -PLETELY LO/6
  ,"O H\R1 TWO H\RS- :AT M ,I _C SAY1
PASS$ 9 ? MANN]4 ,WE SAT CLOSE TGR1 ELB[
T\*+ ELB[1 KNEE T\*+ KNEE6 ,WE HELD "O
ANO!R'S H&S N 6BE ?R[N (F ! RAFT4 ,WE 7
SUBJECT$ 6! MO/ VIOL5T %OCKS1 :5"E \R
SOLE DEP5D;E1 A FRAIL WOOD5 RAFT1 /RUCK
AG/ ! ROCKY SIDES (! *ANNEL4 ,=TUNATELY
= U1 ^! 3CUS.NS 2CAME LESS & LESS
FREQU5T1 : MADE ME FANCY T ! GALL]Y 0
GETT+ WID] & WID]4 ,"! CD 2 N[ NO D\BT T
WE _H *.ED ^U ! ROAD ONCE FOLL[$
0,SAKNUSSEMM1 B 9/1D ( GO+ D[N 9 A PROP]
MANN]1 WE _H1 "? \R [N IMPRUD;E1 DRAWN A
:OLE SEA ) U6
  ,^! ID1S PRES5T$ !MVS 6MY M9D 9 A V
VAGUE & OBSCURE MANN]4 ,I FELT R ?AN
R1SON$4 ,I PUT MY ID1S TGR ONLY 3FUS$LY1
:ILE SP9N+ AL;G L A MAN GO+ D[N A
WAT]FALL4 ,6JUDGE 0! AIR :1 Z X W]E1
:IPP$ MY FACE1 WE M/ H BE5 RU%+ AT A
P]FECTLY LI<TN+ RATE4
  ,6ATTEMPT "U ^! CIRCUM/.ES 6LI<T ATOR* 0 SIMPLY IMPOSSI#1 &! LA/      #CGH
REMA9S ( \R ELECTRIC MA*9E1 ( \R
,RUHMKORFF COIL1 _H BE5 DE/ROY$ DUR+ !
FE>;L EXPLO.N4
  ,I 0 "!=E V M* 3FUS$ 6SEE AT LA/ A B"R
LI<T %9+ CLOSE 6ME4 ,! CALM C.T5.E (!
GUIDE SEEM$ 6GL1M ^U ME4 ,! CL"E &
PATI5T HUNT] _H SU3E$$ 9 LI<T+ ! LANT]N2
& ?\<1 9 ! KE5 & ?OR\< DRAFT1 ! FLAME
,FLICK]$ & VACILLAT$ & 0 NE>LY PUT \1 X
S]V$ "PI,Y 64SIPATE ! AW;L OBSCUR;Y4
  ,! GALL]Y 96: WE _H 5T]$ 0 V WIDE4 ,I
WAS1 "!=E1 Q "R 9 T "P ( MY 3JECTURE4 ,!
9SU6ICI5T LI<T DID N ALL[ U 6SEE BO? (!
WALLS AT ! SAME "T4 ,! SLOPE ( WAT]S1 :
0 C>RY+ U AWAY1 0 F> GRT] ?AN T (! MO/
RAPID RIV] ( ,AM]ICA4 ,! :OLE SURFACE (!
/R1M SEEM$ 6BE -POS$ ( LIQUID >R[S1 D>T$
=W>D ) EXTREME VIOL;E & P[]4 ,I C GIVE
NO IDEA (! IMPRES.N X MADE ^U ME4
  ,! RAFT1 AT "TS1 CAU<T 9 C]TA9
:IRLPOOLS1 & RU%$ =W>D1 YET TURN$ ON XF
ALL ! "T4 ,H[ X DID N UPSET ,I % N"E 2
A# 6"U/&4 ,:5 X APPROA*$ ! SIDES (!
GALL]Y1 ,I TOOK C>E 6?R[ ^U !M ! LI<T (!LANT]N1 & ,I 0 A# 6JUDGE (!         #CGI
RAPID;Y ( MO;N 0LOOK+ AT ! PROJECT+
MASSES ( ROCK1 : Z SOON Z SE5 7 AG
9VISI#4 ,S RAPID 0 \R PROGRESS T PO9TS (
ROCK AT A 3SID]A# 4T.E "O F ! O!R APPE>$
L POR;NS ( TRANSV]SE L9ES1 : 5CLOS$ U 9
A K9D ( NET1 L T (A L9E ( TELEGRAPHIC
WIRES4
  ,I 2LIEVE WE 7 N[ GO+ AT A RATE ( N
LESS ?AN A HUNDR$ MILES AN H\R4
  ,MY UNCLE & ,I LOOK$ AT "O ANO!R )
WILD & HA7>D EYES2 WE CLUNG 3VULSIVELY
6! /UMP (! MA/1 :1 AT ! MO;T :5 !
CATA/ROPHE TOOK PLACE1 _H SNAPP$ %ORT
(F4 ,WE TURN$ \R BACKS Z M* Z POSSI# 6!
W9D1 9 ORD] N 6BE /IFL$ 0A RAPID;Y (
MO;N : NO?+ HUMAN CD FACE & LIVE4
  ,& / ! L;G MONOTON\S H\RS W5T ON4 ,!
SITU,N DID N *ANGE 9 ! L1/1 ?\< A 4COV]Y
,I SU45LY MADE SEEM$ 6-PLICATE X V M*4
  ,:5 WE _H SLI<TLY RECOV]$ \R
EQUILIBRIUM1 ,I PROCE$$ 6EXAM9E \R C>GO4
,I !N MADE ! UNSATISFACTORY 4COV]Y T !
GRT] "P ( X _H UTT]LY 4APPE>$4
  ,I 2CAME AL>M$1 & DET]M9$ 64COV] :AT 7\R RES\RCES4 ,MY HE>T B1T AT !      #CHJ
IDEA1 B X 0 ABSOLUTELY NEC 6"K ON :AT WE
_H 6DEP5D4 ,) ? VIEW1 ,I TOOK ! LANT]N &
LOOK$ >.D4
  ,( ALL \R =M] COLLEC;N ( NAUTICAL &
PHILOSOPHICAL 9/RU;TS1 "! REMA9$ ONLY !
*RONOMET] &! -PASS4 ,! LA4]S & ROPES 7
REDUC$ 6A SMALL PIECE ( ROPE FA/5$ 6!
/UMP (! MA/4 ,N A PICKAX1 N A CR[B>1 N A
HAMM]1 &1 F> WORSE ?AN ALL1 NO FOOD- N 5
= "O "D6
  ,? 4COV]Y 0 A PRELUDE 6A C]TA9 &
HORRI# D1?4
  ,S1T$ GLOOMILY ON ! RAFT1 CLASP+ !
/UMP (! MA/ ME*ANIC,Y1 ,I ?"\ ( ALL ,I
_H R1D Z 6SU6]+S F />V,N4
  ,I REMEMB]$ "EY?+ T HI/ORY _H TAU<T ME
ON ! SUBJECT1 & ,I %U4]$ AT ! REMEMBR.E
(! AGONIES 6BE 5DUR$4
  ,MA45$ AT ! PROSPECTS ( 5DUR+ !
MIS]IES ( />V,N1 ,I P]SUAD$ MYF T ,I M/
2 MISTAK54 ,I EXAM9$ ! CRACKS 9 ! RAFT2
,I POK$ 2T ! JO9TS & B1MS2 ,I EXAM9$ E
POSSI# HOLE & CORN]4 ,! RESULT WAS-
SIMPLY NO?+6  ,\R /OCK ( PROVI.NS 3SI/$ (       #CHA
NO?+ B A PIECE ( DRY M1T & "S SOAK$ &
HALF-MOLDY BISCUITS4
  ,I GAZ$ >.D ME SC>$ & F"R5$4 ,I CD N
"U/& ! AW;L TRU?4 ,& YET ( :AT 3SEQU;E 0
X 9 REG>D 6ANY NEW DANG]8 ,SUPPOS+ T WE
_H _H PROVI.NS = MON?S1 & EV5 = YE>S1 H[
CD WE "E GET \ (! AW;L ABYSS 96: WE 7 2+
HURL$ 0! IRRESI/I# TORR5T WE _H LET
LOOSE8
  ,:Y %D WE TR\# \RVS AB ! SU6]+S &
TORTURES 6BE 5DUR$ F HUNG] :5 D1? />$ U
9 ! FACE "U S _M O!R SWIFT] & P]H EV5 M
HORRID =MS8
  ,X 0 V D\BT;L1 "U ! CIRCUM/.ES 9 : WE
7 PLAC$1 IF WE %D H "T 6DIE ( 9ANI;N4
  ,B ! HUMAN FRAME IS S+UL>LY 3/ITUT$4
  ,I "K N H[ X WAS2 B1 F "S S+UL>
HALLUC9,N (! M9D1 ,I =GOT ! R1L1 S]I\S1
& IMM DANG] 6: WE 7 EXPOS$1 6?9K (!
M5ACES (! FUTURE1 : APPE>$ 2F U 9 ALL _!
NAK$ T]ROR4 ,2SS1 AF ALL1 SU7E/$ ,HOPE1
P]H WE MI<T F9,Y ESCAPE ! FURY (! RAG+
TORR5T1 & ONCE M REVISIT ! GLIMPSES (!
MOON1 ON ! SURFACE ( \R B1UTI;L ,"M,E>?4                               #CHB
  ,H[ 0 X 6BE D"O8 ,I _H N ! REMOTE/
IDEA4 ,": 7 WE 6-E \8 ,NO MATT]1 S T WE
DID4
  ,"O *.E 9 A ?\S& IS ALW A *.E1 :ILE
D1? F HUNG] GAVE U N EV5 ! FA9TE/
GLIMPSE ( HOPE4 ,X LEFT 6! IMAG9,N NO?+
B BLANK HORROR1 )\T ! FA9TE/ *.E (
ESCAPE6
  ,I _H ! GRTE/ M9D 6REV1L ALL 6MY
UNCLE1 6EXPLA9 6HM ! EXTRAORD9>Y &
WRET*$ POSI;N 6: WE 7 REDUC$1 9 ORD] T1
2T ! TWO1 WE MI<T MAKE A CALCUL,N Z 6!
EXACT SPACE ( "T : REMA9$ = U 6LIVE4
  ,X WAS1 X APPE>$ 6ME1 ! ONLY ?+ 6BE
D"O4 ,B ,I _H ! C\RAGE 6HOLD MY T;GUE1
6GNAW AT MY 5TRAILS L ! ,S"PAN BOY4 ,I
WI%$ 6L1VE HM ALL 8 COOL;S4
  ,AT ? MO;T1 ! LI<T (! LANT]N SL[LY
FELL1 & AT LA/ W5T \6
  ,! WICK _H :OLLY BURNT 6AN 5D4 ,!
OBSCUR;Y 2CAME ABSOLUTE4 ,X 0 NO L;G]
POSSI# 6SEE "? ! IMP5ETRA# D>K;S6 ,"! 0
"O TOR* LEFT1 B X 0 IMPOSSI# 6KEEP X
ALI<T4 ,!N1 L A *1 ,I %UT MY EYES1 T ,IMI<T N SEE ! D>K;S4                 #CHC
  ,AF A GRT LAPSE ( "T1 ! RAPID;Y ( \R
J\RNEY 9CR1S$4 ,I CD FEEL X 0! RU% ( AIR
^U MY FACE4 ,! SLOPE (! WAT]S 0
EXCESSIVE4 ,I 2GAN 6FEEL T WE 7 NO L;G]
GO+ D[N A SLOPE2 WE 7 FALL+4 ,I FELT Z
"O DOES 9 A DR1M1 GO+ D[N BODILY- FALL+2
FALL+2 FALL+6
  ,I FELT T ! H&S ( MY UNCLE & ,HANS 7
VIGOR\SLY CLASP+ MY >MS4
  ,SU45LY1 AF A LAPSE ( "T SC>CELY
APPRECIA#1 ,I FELT "S?+ L A %OCK4 ,!
RAFT _H N /RUCK A H>D BODY1 B _H SU45LY
BE5 *ECK$ 9 XS C\RSE4 ,A WAT]SP\T1 A
LIQUID COLUMN ( WAT]1 FELL ^U U4 ,I FELT
SU6OCAT+4 ,I 0 2+ DR[N$4
  ,/ ! SU45 9UND,N DID N LA/4 ,9 A FEW
SECONDS ,I FELT MYF ONCE M A# 6BR1!4 ,MY
UNCLE & ,HANS PRESS$ MY >MS1 &! RAFT
C>RI$ U ALL ?REE AWAY4