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The　Underground　City

by　Jules　Verne



OR

The　Black　Indies
（Sometimes　Called　The　Child　of　the　Cavern）



CHAPTER　I　CONTRADICTORY　LETTERS


To　Mr。　F。　R。　Starr；　Engineer；　30　Canongate；　Edinburgh。

IF　Mr。　James　Starr　will　e　to…morrow　to　the　Aberfoyle　coal…mines；　Dochart　pit；　Yarrow　shaft；　a　munication　of　an　interesting　nature　will　be　made　to　him。

〃Mr。　James　Starr　will　be　awaited　for；　the　whole　day；　at　the　Callander　station；　by　Harry　Ford；　son　of　the　old　overman　Simon　Ford。〃

〃He　is　requested　to　keep　this　invitation　secret。〃

Such　was　the　letter　which　James　Starr　received　by　the　first　post；　on　the　3rd　December；　18……；　the　letter　bearing　the　Aberfoyle　postmark；　county　of　Stirling；　Scotland。

The　engineer's　curiosity　was　excited　to　the　highest　pitch。　It　never　occurred　to　him　to　doubt　whether　this　letter　might　not　be　a　hoax。　　For　many　years　he　had　known　Simon　Ford；　one　of　the　former　foremen　of　the　Aberfoyle　mines；　of　which　he；　James　Starr；　had　for　twenty　years；　been　the　manager；　or；　as　he　would　be　termed　in　English　coal…mines；　the　viewer。　James　Starr　was　a　strongly…constituted　man；　on　whom　his　fifty…five　years　weighed　no　more　heavily　than　if　they　had　been　forty。　He　belonged　to　an　old　Edinburgh　family；　and　was　one　of　its　most　distinguished　members。　　His　labors　did　credit　to　the　body　of　engineers　who　are　gradually　devouring　the　carboniferous　subsoil　of　the　United　Kingdom；　as　much　at　Cardiff　and　Newcastle；　as　in　the　southern　counties　of　Scotland。　　However；　it　was　more　particularly　in　the　depths　of　the　mysterious　mines　of　Aberfoyle；　which　border　on　the　Alloa　mines　and　occupy　part　of　the　county　of　Stirling；　that　the　name　of　Starr　had　acquired　the　greatest　renown。　There；　the　greater　part　of　his　existence　had　been　passed。　Besides　this；　James　Starr　belonged　to　the　Scottish　Antiquarian　Society；　of　which　he　had　been　made　president。　　He　was　also　included　amongst　the　most　active　members　of　the　Royal　Institution；　and　the　Edinburgh　Review　frequently　published　clever　articles　signed　by　him。　He　was　in　fact　one　of　those　practical　men　to　whom　is　due　the　prosperity　of　England。　　He　held　a　high　rank　in　the　old　capital　of　Scotland；　which　not　only　from　a　physical　but　also　from　a　moral　point　of　view；　well　deserves　the　name　of　the　Northern　Athens。

We　know　that　the　English　have　given　to　their　vast　extent　of　coal…mines　a　very　significant　name。　　They　very　justly　call　them　the　〃Black　Indies；〃　and　these　Indies　have　contributed　perhaps　even　more　than　the　Eastern　Indies　to　swell　the　surprising　wealth　of　the　United　Kingdom。

At　this　period；　the　limit　of　time　assigned　by　professional　men　for　the　exhaustion　of　coal…mines　was　far　distant　and　there　was　no　dread　of　scarcity。　　There　were　still　extensive　mines　to　be　worked　in　the　two　Americas。　　The　manu…factories；　appropriated　to　so　many　different　uses；　lootives；　steamers；　gas　works；　&c。；　were　not　likely　to　fail　for　want　of　the　mineral　fuel；　but　the　consumption　had　so　increased　during　the　last　few　years；　that　certain　beds　had　been　exhausted　even　to　their　smallest　veins。　Now　deserted；　these　mines　perforated　the　ground　with　their　useless　shafts　and　forsaken　galleries。　　This　was　exactly　the　case　with　the　pits　of　Aberfoyle。

Ten　years　before；　the　last　butty　had　raised　the　last　ton　of　coal　from　this　colliery。　　The　underground　working　stock；　traction　engines；　trucks　which　run　on　rails　along　the　galleries；　subterranean　tramways；　frames　to　support　the　shaft；　pipes……in　short；　all　that　constituted　the　machinery　of　a　mine　had　been　brought　up　from　its　depths。　The　exhausted　mine　was　like　the　body　of　a　huge　fantastically…shaped　mastodon；　from　which　all　the　organs　of　life　have　been　taken；　and　only　the　skeleton　remains。

Nothing　was　left　but　long　wooden　ladders；　down　the　Yarrow　shaft……the　only　one　which　now　gave　access　to　the　lower　galleries　of　the　Dochart　pit。　Above　ground；　the　sheds；　formerly　sheltering　the　outside　works；　still　marked　the　spot　where　the　shaft　of　that　pit　had　been　sunk；　it　being　now　abandoned；　as　were　the　other　pits；　of　which　the　whole　constituted　the　mines　of　Aberfoyle。

It　was　a　sad　day；　when　for　the　last　time　the　ine；　in　which　they　had　lived　for　so　many　years。　　The　engineer；　James　Starr；　had　collected　the　hundreds　of

workmen　which　posed　the　active　and　courageous　population　of　the　mine。　Overmen；　brakemen；　putters；　wastemen；　barrowmen；　masons；　smiths；　carpenters；　outside　and　inside　laborers；　women；　children；　and　old　men；　all　were　collected　in　the　great　yard　of　the　Dochart　pit；　formerly　heaped　with　coal　from　the　mine。

Many　of　these　families　had　existed　for　generations　in　the　mine　of　old　Aberfoyle；　they　were　now　driven　to　seek　the　means　of　subsistence　elsewhere；　and　they　waited　sadly　to　bid　farewell　to　the　engineer。

James　Starr　stood　upright；　at　the　door　of　the　vast　shed　in　which　he　had　for　so　many　years　superintended　the　powerful　machines　of　the　shaft。　Simon　Ford；　the　foreman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　then　fifty…five　years　of　age；　and　other　managers　and　overseers；　surrounded　him。　　James　Starr　took　off　his　hat。　　The　miners；　cap　in　hand；　kept　a　profound　silence。　This　farewell　scene　was　of　a　touching　character；　not　wanting　in　grandeur。

〃My　friends；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃the　time　has　e　for　us　to　separate。　The　Aberfoyle　mines；　which　for　so　many　years　have　united　us　in　a　mon　work；　are　now　exhausted。　　All　our　researches　have　not　led　to　the　discovery　of　a　new　vein；　and　the　last　block　of　coal　has　just　been　extracted　from　the　Dochart　pit。〃　And　in　confirmation　of　his　words；　James　Starr　pointed　to　a　lump　of　coal　which　had　been　kept　at　the　bottom　of　a　basket。

〃This　piece　of　coal；　my　friends；〃　resumed　James　Starr；　〃is　like　the　last　drop　of　blood　which　has　flowed　through　the　veins　of　the　mine！　We　shall　keep　it；　as　the　first　fragment　of　coal　is　kept；　which　was　extracted　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago　from　the　bearings　of　Aberfoyle。　　Between　these　two　pieces；　how　many　generations　of　workmen　have　succeeded　each　other　in　our　pits！　　Now；　it　is　over！　The　last　words　which　your　engineer　will　address　to　you　are　a　farewell。　You　have　lived　in　this　mine；　which　your　hands　have　emptied。　The　work　has　been　hard；　but　not　without　profit　for　you。　Our　great　family　must　disperse；　and　it　is　not　probable　that　the　future　will　ever　again　unite　the　scattered　members。　But　do　not　forget　that　we　have　lived　together　for　a　long　time；　and　that　it　will　be　the　duty　of　the　miners　of　Aberfoyle　to　help　each　other。　　Your　old　masters　will　not　forget　you　either。

When　men　have　worked　together；　they　must　never　be　stranger　to　each　other　again。

We　shall　keep　our　eye　on　you；　and　wherever　you　go；　our　remendations　shall　follow　you。　　Farewell　then；　my　friends；　and　may　Heaven　be　with　you！〃

So　saying；　James　Starr　wrung　the　horny　hand　of　the　oldest　miner；　whose　eyes　were　dim　with　tears。　　Then　the　overmen　of　the　different　pits　came　forward　to　shake　hands　with　him；　whilst　the　miners　waved　their　caps；　shouting；　〃Farewell；　James　Starr；　our　master　and　our　friend！〃

This　farewell　would　leave　a　lasting　remembrance　in　all　these　honest　hearts。　　Slowly　and　sadly　the　population　quitted　the　yard。　The　black　soil　of　the　roads　leading　to　the　Dochart　pit　resounded　for　the　last　time　to　the　tread　of　miners'　feet；　and　silence　succeeded　to　the　bustling　life　which　had　till　then　filled　the　Aberfoyle　mines。

One　man　alone　remained　by　James　Starr。　　This　was　the　overman；　Simon　Ford。　　Near　him　stood　a　boy；　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　who　for　some　years　already　had　been　employed　down　below。

James　Starr　and　Simon　Ford　knew　and　esteemed　each　other　well。　〃Good…by；　Simon；〃　said　the　engineer。

〃Good…by；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　the　overman；　〃let　me　add；　till　we　meet　again！〃

〃Yes；　till　we　meet　again。　　Ford！〃　answered　James　Starr。　　〃You　know　that　I　shall　be　always　glad　to　see　you；　and　talk　over　old　times。〃

〃I　know　that；　Mr。　Starr。〃


〃My　house　in　Edinburgh　is　always　open　to　you。〃

〃It's　a　long　way　off；　is　Edinburgh！〃　answered　the　man　shaking　his　head。　〃Ay；　a　long　way　from　the　Dochart　pit。〃

〃A　long　way；　Simon？　　Where　do　you　mean　to　live？〃

〃Even　here；　Mr。　Starr！　　We're　not　going　to　leave　the　mine；　our　good　old　nurse；　just　because　her　milk　is　dried　up！　My　wife；　my　boy；　and　myself；　we　mean　to　remain　faithful　to　her！〃

〃Good…by　then；　Simon；〃　replied　the　engineer；　whose　voice；　in　spite　of　himself；　betrayed　some　emotion。

〃No；　I　tell　you；　it's　TILL　WE　MEET　AGAIN；　Mr。　Starr；　and　not　Just　'good…by；'〃　returned　the　foreman。　　〃Mark　my　words；　Aberfoyle　will　see　you　again！〃

The　engineer　did　not　try　to　dispel　the　man's　illusion。　　He

patted　Harry's　head；　again　wrung　the　father's　hand；　and　left　the　mine。

All　this　had　taken　place　ten　years　ago；　but；　notwithstanding　the　wish　which　the　overman　had　expressed　to　see　him　again；　during　that　time　Starr　had　heard　nothing　of　him。　　It　was　after　ten　years　of　separation　that　he　got　this　letter　from　Simon　Ford；　requesting　him　to　take　without　delay　the　road　to　the　old　Aberfoyle　colliery。

A　munication　of　an　interesting　nature；　what　could　it　be？　Dochart　pit。　　Yarrow　shaft！　　What　recollections　of　the　past　these　names　brought　back　to　him！　　Yes；　that　was　a　fine　time；　that　of　work；　of　struggle；……the　best　part　of　the　engineer's　life。　Starr　re…read　his　letter。　　He　pondered　over　it　in　all　its　bearings。　He　much　regretted　that　just　a　line　more　had　not　been　added　by　Ford。　　He　wished　he　had　not　been　quite　so　laconic。

Was　it　possible　that　the　old　foreman　had　discovered　some　new　vein？　　No！　　Starr　remembered　with　what　minute　care　the　mines　had　been　explored　before　the　definite　cessation　of　the　works。　He　had　himself　proceeded　to　the　lowest　soundings　without　finding　the　least　trace　in　the　soil；　burrowed　in　every　direction。　They　had　even　attempted　to　find　coal　under　strata　which　are　usually　below　it；　such　as　the　Devonian　red　sandstone；　but　without　result。　James　Starr　had　therefore　abandoned　the　mine　with　the　absolute　conviction　that　it　did　not　contain　another　bit　of　coal。

〃No；〃　he　repeated；　〃no！　　How　is　it　possible　that　anything　which　could　have　escaped　my　researches；　should　be　revealed　to　those　of　Simon　Ford。　　However；　the　old　overman　must　well　know　that　such　a　discovery　would　be　the　one　thing　in　the　world　to　interest　me；　and　this　invitation；　which　I　must　keep　secret；　to　repair　to　the　Dochart　pit！〃　　James　Starr　always　came　back　to　that。

On　the　other　hand；　the　engineer　knew　Ford　to　be　a　clever　miner；　peculiarly　endowed　with　the　instinct　of　his　trade。　He　had　not　seen　him　since　the　time　when　the　Aberfoyle　colliery　was　abandoned；　and　did　not　know　either　what　he　was　doing　or　where　he　was　living；　with　his　wife　and　his　son。　All　that　he　now　knew　was；　that　a　rendezvous　had　been　appointed　him　at　the　Yarrow　shaft；　and　that　Harry；　Simon　Ford's　son；　was　to　wait　for　him　during　the　whole　of　the　next　day　at　the　Callander　station。


〃I　shall　go；　I　shall　go！〃　said　Starr；　his　excitement　increasing　as　the　time　drew　near。

Our　worthy　engineer　belonged　to　that　class　of　men　whose　brain　is　always　on　the　boil；　like　a　kettle　on　a　hot　fire。　　In　some　of　these　brain　kettles　the　ideas　bubble　over；　in　others　they　just　simmer　quietly。　Now　on　this　day；　James　Starr's　ideas　were　boiling　fast。

But　suddenly　an　unexpected　incident　occurred。　　This　was　the　drop　of　cold　water；　which　in　a　moment　was　to　condense　all　the　vapors　of　the　brain。　About　six　in　the　evening；　by　the　third　post；　Starr's　servant　brought　him　a　second　letter。　　This　letter　was　enclosed　in　a　coarse　envelope；　and　evidently　directed　by　a　hand　unaccustomed　to　the　use　of　a　pen。　James　Starr　tore　it　open。　　It　contained　only　a　scrap　of　paper；　yellowed　by　time；　and　apparently　torn　out　of　an　old　copy　book。

On　this　paper　was　written　a　single　sentence；　thus　worded：

〃It　is　useless　for　the　engineer　James　Starr　to　trouble　himself；　Simon　Ford's　letter　being　now　without　object。〃

No　signature。


CHAPTER　II　ON　THE　ROAD


THE　course　of　James　Starr's　ideas　was　abruptly　stopped；　when　he　got　this　second　letter　contradicting　the　first。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　said　he　to　himself。　　He　took　up　the　torn　envelope；　and　examined　it。　　Like　the　other；　it　bore　the　Aberfoyle　postmark。　It　had　therefor