Bonds of Earth, The (14 page)

T
HE ROOF OF
the adit was not quite high enough to enable a tall man to stand upright and was so muddy underfoot that Goran was concerned for Albert who needed to lean heavily on a makeshift walking stick for support as the two men made their way along the adit, guided by the light of one of the lanterns taken from the milking shed at Elworthy Farm.

As they were leaving, Harriet Bolitho had needed to bite back the objections she wanted to raise against her husband's projected attempt to unblock the adit of the ancient flooded mine. She knew miners were always ready to risk their own lives when incidents such as this occurred, accidents being a constant hazard in underground mining.

She was aware, too, that knowing he would be doing something useful – something
vital
– would give her husband back much of the self-esteem he had lost during the long period of being unable to provide for his family and the injury which had left him feeling hopelessly useless as a husband and provider for them.

Meanwhile, Mabel had hurried to Roach Farm to tell Agnes what was happening on her land.

Before entering the adit, Albert asked to see the depression in the land that was believed to have been caused by the collapse of part of the adit roof. Looking at it thoughtfully, he had Goran pace out its length then, still thoughtful, he limped after Goran to inspect the drainage tunnel itself.

‘It's muddy in here,' Goran commented, as they neared the place where the roof had collapsed. ‘Won't it make setting explosives difficult?'

‘Not necessarily. If it's very wet I'll seal the gunpowder inside a pipe but if the water is seeping beneath the fall and not coming through the roof or walls it won't be too bad – and might even work to our advantage. It could mean there are faults in the fall. If I can place the explosive in the right place and cause rocks in the fall to shift, the force of the water piled up behind it should be enough to force its way through.'

‘But once you've packed in the explosive and lit the fuse will you have enough time to get clear of the tunnel? I'm thinking of your bad leg.'

‘I don't intend even trying,' Albert said, cheerfully. ‘That's going to be
your
problem. While the Darleys are drilling the hole I'm going to need, I'll be preparing the charge. When they're done I'll ram it home, put the fuse in place and get out of the adit, leaving you to light the fuse and get yourself out!'

His unexpected involvement in the plans Albert had made left Goran speechless for some moments. When he did find his voice, it was to ask, ‘How long will I have to get out between lighting the fuse and the explosion?'

‘It depends how much fuse I think it's going to need, but don't worry, we'll be using the new safety fuse and that burns at about half-a-minute for each foot of fuse. I'll make certain you have enough time to get clear – and I don't think you'll want to waste any time!'

When they reached the roof-fall Albert inspected it carefully before expressing optimism that he would be able to create an explosion that would do all that was necessary to clear the adit, adding, ‘It's better than I thought it was going to be. I'm pretty certain there's a powerful lot of water on the other side. All I need do is loosen up the fall a little and the water will do the rest, but there'll probably be a fair-sized hole up above, where the hollow is, so you're going to need to fence it off to stop any of your animals from falling down it.'

‘That will be no problem, the copse is fenced off anyway and the only time there'll be animals in here is when Agnes turns her pigs out in the copse in the autumn. I'll tell her to get Elworthy to fence it off – but let's hope the explosion does what we need it to do.'

‘It will,' Albert said confidently. ‘I only hope we're going to be in time….'

He did not amplify his statement and there was no need for Goran to make a reply. They both knew what the outcome was likely to be for the trapped Wheal Hope miners if Albert's plan was not successful.

It seemed an age before miners from Wheal Hope arrived with all the things Albert had asked for. They also brought the depressing news that the miner sent on the end of a rope down the shaft at the mine had been unable to reach the tunnel where it was thought Captain Pyne and the four miners were trapped.

The unsuccessful rescuer had reported that water was cascading from a breach in the mine wall ‘Like them Niagree Falls they talk about in America', and he believed the water might already have reached the place where the five unfortunate miners were thought to be.

The father and two sons from Wheal Hope wasted no time getting down to the task of boring a hole in the place where Albert decreed it should be and Goran was astonished at the speed at which the three men worked and the skill they displayed in their work in the comparatively cramped space of the adit.

They worked with the father lying on his back, first of all holding a short drill which he twisted after each sledge-hammer blow delivered alternately by his two powerfully shouldered sons with a fast rhythm and accuracy that Goran found awesome. Very soon the short drill was replaced by a larger one with hardly a break in the hammer blows and, finally, an even larger and longer drill to complete the hole.

When the hammer blows ceased and the long drill was removed, Jim Darley spoke to Albert. ‘I think you might be lucky, Albert. Just before we finished the drill went through an empty space I believe to be between a couple of rocks. I couldn't judge how big it is but if you pack enough powder in it you'll likely cause an explosion that should shift more than it otherwise might.'

As the three skilled miners made their way back to the adit entrance and Albert was busily tamping gunpowder into the hole they had made, Goran asked, ‘How could he tell about the space between the rocks at the end of the hole they'd made? Do you think he's right?'

‘If Jim Darley says it's there, then it is. There's no man in Cornwall knows more about his job … Now, pass me more of those packs of powder. Fortunately it's bone dry inside the hole so we'll not have to waste time drying it out before we set the charge.'

For the next few minutes Goran kept passing Albert all the items he needed to expertly pack the hole full of black powder explosive and set the fuse.

When all was done and Albert ready to leave the adit, he gave final instructions to his companion. ‘Now, listen carefully, Goran. I want you to count slowly to three hundred, to give me time to clear the adit before you light the fuse. Make absolutely certain it's burning, then waste no time getting out yourself. I've given you six feet of fuse which gives you three minutes to get out. It should be plenty enough time – as long as you don't dawdle. I'd give you longer, but every minute counts if we're to save Cap'n Pyne and the others. When you're clear of the adit go up the slope well to the side and above the hollow where the roof fall is. You'll no doubt see me up there somewhere. Good luck now!'

With this, Albert was gone, and Goran began counting slowly, aware that his heart was beating faster than the count. As the count reached 250 he began to worry that the crippled miner might not have reached the adit entrance. What if he had slipped and fallen and been unable to get up, would he, Goran, be able to help him out in time…?

Goran needed to be firm with himself, but when the count reached 300 he paused … but only for a moment. As Albert had said, every second counted if the trapped miners were to be saved. Following Albert's instructions he struck a Lucifer against the metal striker – and the thin stem broke and the head of the Lucifer fell to the ground, fizzling and throwing out sparks. Quickly, he struck another applying it ensuing flame to a candle … then the candle flame in turn to the safety fuse. At first nothing seemed to be happening, then the gunpowder-filled rope hissed and the ensuing red glow began travelling slowly along the fuse. Satisfied it was burning the way it should, Goran grabbed the lighted lantern that Albert had left for him and began to run.

He was making good progress and could just make out the dim light from the wooded entrance to the adit when he slipped – and lost the lantern, the flame from the candle inside it going out.

In a moment of panic he began groping around in the mud for the lantern before remembering the smouldering fuse behind him and the reason
why
he had been running. He realized that even if he found the lantern he would have no time to replace the candle and relight it.

Scrambling to his feet he began running blindly towards the glimmer of light which grew as he drew closer and eventually he stumbled out into the shaded light of the copse – but not before he had grazed himself a number of times against the rough stone on either side of the adit and slipped over twice more.

‘Here, Goran, up here – quick!'

Hurriedly climbing up the steep bank of the copse, to where Albert was standing leaning heavily upon his stick among a group of the Wheal Hope miners, Goran arrived gasping for breath, his heart pounding.

He had no sooner reached them when it felt as though the ground erupted beneath his feet and there was a sound like the rumble of a frighteningly close thunderclap. Looking back to where the hollow had been, he saw earth, rock and water being flung into the air.

It subsided as quickly as it had appeared, although water still spewed from the spot and the thunderous noise continued. Suddenly, Goran and the watching miners saw a torrent of water gush from the adit entrance with such force that rocks as heavy as a man were flung out with it as easily as if they were corks.

The sheer power of the suddenly released water was fearsome and for a moment the miners were stunned into silence. Then a cheer went up that challenged the noise of the torrent and they crowded about Albert, telling him he had lost none of his skill and that despite his injury he was still ‘The best explosives man in the whole of the West Country.'

Goran came in for a share of the praise, both for knowing where the adit was situated and for his part in firing the gunpowder that had succeeded in reopening the adit and drastically reducing the amount of water flooding into the Wheal Hope mine.

The congratulations over, the miners wanted to hurry back to Wheal Hope to check on the results of their efforts. Goran said he would come with them until Albert suggested it might be better if he returned to Elworthy Farm and cleaned himself up first.

It was only then he realized he was covered virtually from head to foot with mud from the adit floor. He also became aware for the first time of the many grazes and bruises he had received along the way from the rough adit walls.

M
ABEL
T
REBARTHA WAS
dismayed by the state of her son and, after he had stripped off his muddy clothes and used two buckets of water from the butt at the rear of the farmhouse to clean off the mud before changing into fresh clothes, she dressed his cuts and grazes with a home-made salve concocted from yarrow and other herbs found on the moor.

It had taken Goran a long time to reach home with Albert who was almost exhausted by his exertions, but the crippled miner insisted on accompanying Goran to the Wheal Hope.

Using the farm pony once more, the two men reached the mine to find an air of excitement among the gathered miners there. Water was still pouring into the workings from the old mine but it was apparent from the reduced sound emanating from the shaft that it was easing off and while preparations were being made to send a man down to find out what was happening, ladders were brought to the shaft, ready to replace those that had been washed away. When these were secured it should be possible to reach the level where it was hoped Captain Pyne and the four miners with him might still be alive in the tunnel.

There were other tunnels leading from the shaft, both here and at lower levels too but it was not thought any of the missing miners were in these. Had they been, they would have undoubtedly perished. The hopes of everyone at the head of the shaft was that Captain Pyne had kept to his intention of checking on the rich lode that ran in an upward incline from the main shaft.

If the men had managed to reach the far end of the tunnel – and if there was sufficient air to keep them alive for the time they had spent there – they might have survived.

The imponderables divided opinion among those above ground at the mine surface, but at no time was there disagreement about the need to press ahead at all possible speed in the hope their efforts would meet with success.

Goran and Albert were greeted at the mine as heroes for the part they had played in clearing the adit, with Annie Pyne, a wide-eyed and confused Jennifer in her arms, foremost among those showering them with praise.

Embarrassed, Goran changed the subject by saying, ‘I saw Nessa here before Albert and me left, has she gone back to the cottage?'

‘Yes, Morwenna was out on the moor when she heard the sound that brought us all here to the mine. Realizing what it was, she ran back in such a blind panic that she made herself ill. Nessa has taken her home and I told her to stay with Morwenna until we have more news of what is happening here.'

Morwenna, pale and trembling, was helped home to the Wheal Hope cottage by Nessa, but instead of allowing herself to be taken to the bedroom she shared with her sisters, she insisted upon first going alone to the small wooden privy situated at the far end of the cottage's as yet unproductive garden and she came close to hysteria when Nessa expressed reluctance to leave her alone.

Giving in to her sister's wishes, Nessa went inside the cottage and prepared her sister's bed and night-clothes. However, when time passed and Morwenna had not put in an appearance she became concerned.

Returning to the privy she could hear no sound from inside and, tapping on the rough-board wooden door, called, ‘Morwenna, are you still in there?'

Receiving no reply, she called again – and this time she thought she heard what sounded like a low moan from inside.

There was no bolt on the inside of the door and, alarmed, Nessa pushed it open, fearing what she might find inside.

Her fears were fully realized. Seated on the crude lavatory, Morwenna was slumped sideways against the rough planking of the wall, breathing heavily and, to Nessa's alarm it seemed there was blood everywhere.

‘Morwenna…! What is it? What's happened to you?'

‘Nothing!' Morwenna was in obvious pain, but speaking between clenched teeth, she said, ‘Just help me to get cleaned up, then take me into the house.'

It was so unlike Morwenna's usual dramatic manner when there was even the slightest thing not right with her, that Nessa realized something was seriously wrong. Suddenly a number of things fell into place and she realized what had occurred.

It explained Morwenna's moodiness, the deliberate distancing of herself from the rest of the family – and the occasions when Nessa had heard her sister being sick when she and Jennifer, desperate to relieve themselves, were waiting for her outside the privy first thing in the mornings.

‘You're pregnant!' It came out as an accusation.

‘Not any more, thank God!'

‘How long have you known?'

‘That doesn't matter now. I'm not pregnant any more.'

‘Does Goran know?' It was a question Nessa felt compelled to ask, although she did not really want to know the answer.

‘Nobody knows – except you now. But stop talking about it. Get me a bucket of water to clean myself up, then help me into the house and hide these clothes until I can get rid of them.'

‘Ma should know about this….'

‘Don't you think she has enough to worry about right now? If Pa is all right – and I've been praying he
will
be – there'll be a lot of things to be put right at the mine, even if they are able to save it.'

Morwenna had rarely been known to think of anyone but herself and Nessa did not doubt she was using the catastrophe at the mine to divert attention from the trouble she was in, but she knew her sister was right. The calamity at the Wheal Hope was of far greater importance than the temporary distress of Morwenna's present condition.

‘Start stripping your clothes off and I'll bring water and a towel out here for you. When you're cleaned up I'll help you to bed indoors then clean up out here and get rid of your clothes. But this isn't the end of it. You and I have a lot to talk about.'