No, it wasn't about his image. It was about his wellbeing. Raylan had only offered to help soothe whatever edges he could of the issue plaguing his friend. He knew it wasn't much other than going first, other than putting himself out there ahead of Doc.

Before taking the torch, Raylan takes off his hat and flips it up onto the floor, gathering the flashlight with look up at Doc and a firm nod. "It's just a hole, just a ladder. It'll be okay." The words were gentle and he put a point on them with a fraction of a nod and a lift of his eyebrows. It would be okay. He would be okay.

Down he went, the flashlight against the foundation and soil the only indication to match the soft sounds of his boots working their way down the rungs. Raylan focused on moving his hands and feet instead of how long it might take him to hit the ground. Deep breaths, in and out. One foot in front of the other, just keep moving. Eventually, in what seemed like forever but was likely only half a minute, Raylan hit paydirt and stepped off the ladder with a deep breath. The torchlight was turned down the other way, the beam bending into nothingness. No back wall.

"It's a tunnel," he hollered back up at Doc. "Can't tell how far it goes. Seems.. long."