Chapter 10 - The Underground Network

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An excerpt from Held Captive: The True Story of Life Under Rafanoli. By: Asher Tibbles


In 1812 Arthur Carrington, a member of the crew that was shipwrecked in 1808 came upon the idea to construct underground tunnels as a means of protection from tropical storms, as well as a place to store food and supplies.

The tunnels were constructed between; 1812-1817; primarily on the south side of the island. A rather large undertaking, these tunnels were all hand dug, initially ten feet deep and five feet wide; they were enlarged in 1825 to accommodate for an increase in population now twenty feet deep and ten feet wide.

The tunnels also provided a good escape on particularly humid days as it was so much cooler below the ground. In preparation for potential intruders Carrington also had a maze constructed consisting of sixteen tunnels. Should anyone inside find themselves here their chance of survival is less than one percent. Consequently, this is also where Luca Rafanoli was trapped in 1845. The maze was dubbed Adeline's Heart after Carrington's only daughter.

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