Bourne by water
The adventurers cling tightly onto the raft as they hurtle through the darkness. After several hours, Hans somehow manages to light a lantern. The gallery into which they have entered is so wide the insufficient light does not allow the men to see both walls at the same time. The angle of descent is extreme.
Long hours go by. Harry decides to take an inventory and is alarmed to discover that most of their cargo has been lost overboard. Worse, all of the food has gone too. Shortly afterwards, the lantern flickers and goes out, its wick exhausted. The party is plunged back into absolute darkness. Moments later, the raft drops like a stone and then comes to a halt on a cushion of water. The raft is promptly smothered by a deluge from above. Luckily it does not last and soon the raft carries them away. Before long they realise that they are now going up.
After much effort, their guide succeeds in lighting a torch. They can see they are in shaft about four fathoms square. The waters of the great inland sea, having reached the bottom of the gulf, are now forcing themselves up this mighty well. As a natural consequence, the raft is rising too.
As the hours pass the raft continues its upwards journey. Unfortunately the temperature rises with it. Since their provisions are gone, Hary wonders if he will die of hunger, thirst or heat. Or perhaps they will all be squashed flat against the top of this shaft, should it ever end, first?
Hans passes round a hipflask of Hollands. It is the last liquid left onboard. As Harry and the Professor take a grateful sip, the water under the raft begins to boil.