The Lost Tunnels station was roughly hewn from the encroaching rock and the platform was filled with all manner of dusty and mud-smeared characters. Many were lugging pickaxes and shovels over their shoulders and were strung together by long stretches of rope. The platform was lit only by the lanterns and candles carried by the travellers. One man was attempting to sell maps from a small bamboo kiosk. The large squares of tea-coloured parchment were mostly blank and displayed a series of question marks and hastily scribbled out notes.