dismounted, and scrambled up the side of a hill, a distance of a quarter
of a mile, with the assistance of the branches of trees and projecting
roots. In consequence of the heavy rain that had fallen in the night,
this was rendered more difficult, and occasioned much fatigue. When a
few yards from the valley, a strong nauseous and suffocating smell was
experienced, but on approaching the margin the inconvenience was no
longer found. The scene that now presented itself is described as of the
most appalling nature. The valley is about half a mile in circumference,
of an oval shape, about 30 or 35 feet in depth. The bottom of it
appeared to be flat, without any vegetation, and a few large stones
scattered here and there.--The attention of the party was immediately
attracted to the number of skeletons of human beings, tigers, boars,
deer, and all sorts of birds and wild animals, which lay about in
profusion. The ground on which they lay at the bottom of the valley,
appeared to be a hard sandy substance, and no vapour was perceived
issuing from it, nor any opening through which it might escape, and the
sides were covered with vegetation. It was now proposed to enter it, and
each of the party, having lit a cigar, managed to get within twenty feet
of the bottom, where a sickening nauseous smell was experienced, without
any difficulty in breathing. A dog was now fastened at the end of
a bamboo and thrust to the bottom of the valley, while some of the
party, with their watches in their hands, observed the effects. At the
expiration of fourteen seconds the dog fell off his legs without moving
or looking round, and continued alive only eighteen minutes. The other
dog now left the party and went to his companion; on reaching him he was
observed to stand quite motionless, and at the end of ten seconds fell
down; he never moved his limbs after, and lived only seven minutes.
A fowl was now thrown in, which died in a minute and a half, and another
which was thrown after it died in the space of a minute and a half.
A heavy shower of rain fell during the time that these experiments were