This Expedition was undertaken in the Year of our Lord 1665, _John Munthe_, and _Lawrence Severini_ being Consuls of _Bergen_, and _Christiern Bertholdi_ and _Lawrence Scandio_ being Senators. I went out attended by four Fellows I had hir’d, who brought with them such Ropes and Iron Crooks as would be necessary to descend by. We went directly to _Sanduic_, the most commodious Way to climb the Mountain. Having with Difficulty reach’d the Top, we came to the Place where was the fatal Cave, and being tir’d with so troublesome a Journey, we all sat down to Breakfast. ’Twas then my Mind, foreboding as it were the approaching Evil, first began to be dismay’d. Therefore turning to my Companions, “Will any one, says I, undertake this Task?” But no Reply being made, my Ardour, that had languish’d, kindled anew. I order’d them to fasten the Rope about me, and thus equipp’d, I commended my Soul to Almighty God. Being now just ready to be let down, I gave my Companions to understand what I would have done, _viz._ that they should continue letting down the Rope till they heard me cry out, upon which Signal they should stop, and if I persisted to cry out, that then they shou’d immediately draw me up again. In my right hand I held my Harpoon, or Iron Hook, an Instrument that might be of Use to me to remove whatever might obstruct my Passage, and also to keep my Body suspended equally between the Sides of the Cavern. But scarce had I descended so low as about ten or twelve Cubits, when the Rope broke. This Accident was discover’d to me by the sudden Outcries of the Men I had hir’d. But their Noise soon died away; for with an amazing Velocity I was hurry’d down into the Abyss, and like a second _Pluto_, allowing my Harpoon to be a Sceptre, _Labor, & icta viam tellus ad Tartara fecit._