Page 466 of 657

"I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very

thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of

exercising enormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and

pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by

the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed

a regurgitation of water through one of the side cylinders. An

examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was

round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so as not quite to

fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause

of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who

followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical

questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I

had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the

machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity.