In Search of an Unknown Race — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

12 VAN. CHAPTER XIX. THE TREASURE CHAMBER. CounTinc from the right-hand corner, Mr. Briscoe pushed gently on the side of the seventh slab. Greatly to Van’s surprise it swung noiselessly as on a pivot at the top and bottom, leaving an aperture some two feet in width on either side. ‘‘Nearly all the original dwellings in the city have something like this—probably intended, by the founders of Itambez, as hiding-places, in case of an enemy’s incursion,” explained Van’s uncle. Then, holding the uplifted fold of the hangings, he motioned Van and Ninada to enter. | ‘‘Father, myself, and Flores—with you now, Cousin Van—are the only ones who know of this,” half whis- pered Ninada. Swinging the slab back to place, Mr. Briscoe led the way through a narrow winding gallery, from which other passages branched off on the right and left. Though not an aperture for ventilation or light was visible, the air was pure and sweet, while by means of some phosphoric substance, mixed with the white pigment which covered the walls, there was no diffi- culty in following the passage. It ended abruptly ina flight of stone steps. GOMIiGchbooks (E(0)