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We traveled thus until we came upon a passage
whose dimensions were so great that several of the party were over awed to the extent
of lose of the strength in their legs. As we sat on the floor attempting to conceive of
such a great construct, our guide explained that this was part of the older passage
way. According to our guide this corridor had been used by his ancestors to conduct
commerce with the inner kingdom. The corridor was no less then 50 feet in width with
a height of at lease half again this distance. The floor pavers were very heavenly worn.
Deep ruts attested to the mass of traffic that must have passed over them. Noting my
fascination with the grooves in the floor, our guide went on to explain that most of
the material which had passed would not have marked the floor as it would have been
carried in junks. At the time I understood that there must be some means to floor the
corridor to convert it into a cannel, only later would I understand what he truly meant.
Once we regained our composure we prepared to continue the journey. I asked what lay
in the opposite direction. Our guide replied that he could not say, as he had never
traveled in that direction. Looking in both direction I saw more the a score of passages
in each direction similar to that from which we had just emerged. We preceded stunned
by awe. After several more days of travel along the great corridor we can upon a river
that ran right across the way forward.
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Not very great in extent it was perhaps 21 feet
in width. It had apparently etched its way right through the walls and then into the
floor of the road ahead. A small sampan had been placed on each side of the water
course. The porters quickly shuttled our stores to the far side and the remaining cows
were encouraged to swim. I noted several large timbers and planking. The porters left
the remains of one of our sledges and some more planks which they had brought with them
from the surface. We were once again on our way.
gain we made good time as our load of fresh provisions, destined for exchange for those
we would consume, grew ever lighter. It played on my mind that the fellow travels
we had passed were men who had never seen the sun or moon. I tried to image the wonder
they would soon feel as they emerge from this underground world into the light of the
surface. I began to regret not being able to exchange stories with them. But soon
my desire for interchange with the peoples of the inner kingdom would be satisfied.
After several more days of travel as before we saw a light in the distance.
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