The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

CHAP. X.] HIS COUEAGE IN TESTING THE LAMP. 107
lighted ; and all was now ready for its trial in the pit. But Mr.
"Wood had not yet arrived, and it was thought necessary that he
should be present. He was known to be at Benton, about a mile
distant. " Robert," said George, turning to his son, " you must
go over for Wood, and tell him to come directly." It was a dark
night ; but the boy had learnt implicitly to obey his father, and
he set out forthwith. On his way he had to pass through Benton
churchyard, and as he cautiously approached the wicket-gate and
opened it, he thought he saw a white figure standing amongst the
tombs ! He started back, his heart fluttering, and, making the cir-
cuit of the wall of the burying-ground, he came round on the other
side ; and then he saw that the supposed white figure had been
caused by a lanthom flashing its light upon the grave-digger, who
was busy plying his vocation at that late hour. Mr. Wood was
soon found, and, mounting his horse, he rode over to Killingworth
at once. When Robert reached the cottage, he found his father
had just left, (it was then near eleven o'clock,) and gone down
the shaft for the purpose of trying the lamp in one of the most
dangerous parts of the mine !
Arrived at the bottom of the shaft with the lamp, the party
directed their steps towards one of the foulest galleries in the pit,
where the explosive gas was issuing through a blower in the
roof of the mine with a loud hissing noise. By erecting some
deal boarding around that part of the gallery into which the
gas was escaping, the air was thus made more foul for the
purpose of the experiment. After waiting for about an hour,
Moodie, whose practical experience of fire-damp in pits was
greater than that of either Stephenson or Wood, was requested
by them to go into the place which had thus been made foul
and, having done so, he returned, and told them thaf the smell
of the air was such, that if a lighted candle were now introduced
an explosion must inevitably take place. He cautioned Stephen-
son as to the danger, both to themselves and to the pit, if the gas
took fire. But Stephenson declared his confidence in the safety
of his lamp, and, having lit the wick, he boldly proceeded with
it towards the explosive air. The others, more timid and doubt-
ful, hung back when they came within hearing of the blower
and, apprehensive of the danger, they retired into a safe place,
;