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diff --git a/old/164-8.txt b/old/164-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d73c86b..0000000 --- a/old/164-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12540 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea -(slightly abridged), by Jules Verne - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (slightly abridged) - -Author: Jules Verne - -Release Date: Sep 1, 1994 [EBook #164] -Last Updated: December 13, 2016 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA *** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -This etext was done by a number of anonymous volunteers of the -Gutenberg Project, to whom we owe a great deal of thanks and to -whom we dedicate this book. - - - - - - -TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA - - -by - -JULES VERNE - - - - - -PART ONE - - - -CHAPTER I - -A SHIFTING REEF - -The year 1866 was signalised by a remarkable incident, a mysterious and -puzzling phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to -mention rumours which agitated the maritime population and excited the -public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were -particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, -skippers, both of Europe and America, naval officers of all countries, -and the Governments of several States on the two continents, were -deeply interested in the matter. - -For some time past vessels had been met by "an enormous thing," a long -object, spindle-shaped, occasionally phosphorescent, and infinitely -larger and more rapid in its movements than a whale. - -The facts relating to this apparition (entered in various log-books) -agreed in most respects as to the shape of the object or creature in -question, the untiring rapidity of its movements, its surprising power -of locomotion, and the peculiar life with which it seemed endowed. If -it was a whale, it surpassed in size all those hitherto classified in -science. Taking into consideration the mean of observations made at -divers times--rejecting the timid estimate of those who assigned to -this object a length of two hundred feet, equally with the exaggerated -opinions which set it down as a mile in width and three in length--we -might fairly conclude that this mysterious being surpassed greatly all -dimensions admitted by the learned ones of the day, if it existed at -all. And that it DID exist was an undeniable fact; and, with that -tendency which disposes the human mind in favour of the marvellous, we -can understand the excitement produced in the entire world by this -supernatural apparition. As to classing it in the list of fables, the -idea was out of the question. - -On the 20th of July, 1866, the steamer Governor Higginson, of the -Calcutta and Burnach Steam Navigation Company, had met this moving mass -five miles off the east coast of Australia. Captain Baker thought at -first that he was in the presence of an unknown sandbank; he even -prepared to determine its exact position when two columns of water, -projected by the mysterious object, shot with a hissing noise a hundred -and fifty feet up into the air. Now, unless the sandbank had been -submitted to the intermittent eruption of a geyser, the Governor -Higginson had to do neither more nor less than with an aquatic mammal, -unknown till then, which threw up from its blow-holes columns of water -mixed with air and vapour. - -Similar facts were observed on the 23rd of July in the same year, in -the Pacific Ocean, by the Columbus, of the West India and Pacific Steam -Navigation Company. But this extraordinary creature could transport -itself from one place to another with surprising velocity; as, in an -interval of three days, the Governor Higginson and the Columbus had -observed it at two different points of the chart, separated by a -distance of more than seven hundred nautical leagues. - -Fifteen days later, two thousand miles farther off, the Helvetia, of -the Compagnie-Nationale, and the Shannon, of the Royal Mail Steamship -Company, sailing to windward in that portion of the Atlantic lying -between the United States and Europe, respectively signalled the -monster to each other in 42° 15' N. lat. and 60° 35' W. long. -In these simultaneous observations they thought themselves justified in -estimating the minimum length of the mammal at more than three hundred -and fifty feet, as the Shannon and Helvetia were of smaller dimensions -than it, though they measured three hundred feet over all. - -Now the largest whales, those which frequent those parts of the sea -round the Aleutian, Kulammak, and Umgullich islands, have never -exceeded the length of sixty yards, if they attain that. - -In every place of great resort the monster was the fashion. They sang -of it in the cafes, ridiculed it in the papers, and represented it on -the stage. All kinds of stories were circulated regarding it. There -appeared in the papers caricatures of every gigantic and imaginary -creature, from the white whale, the terrible "Moby Dick" of sub-arctic -regions, to the immense kraken, whose tentacles could entangle a ship -of five hundred tons and hurry it into the abyss of the ocean. The -legends of ancient times were even revived. - -Then burst forth the unending argument between the believers and the -unbelievers in the societies of the wise and the scientific journals. -"The question of the monster" inflamed all minds. Editors of -scientific journals, quarrelling with believers in the supernatural, -spilled seas of ink during this memorable campaign, some even drawing -blood; for from the sea-serpent they came to direct personalities. - -During the first months of the year 1867 the question seemed buried, -never to revive, when new facts were brought before the public. It was -then no longer a scientific problem to be solved, but a real danger -seriously to be avoided. The question took quite another shape. The -monster became a small island, a rock, a reef, but a reef of indefinite -and shifting proportions. - -On the 5th of March, 1867, the Moravian, of the Montreal Ocean Company, -finding herself during the night in 27° 30' lat. and 72° 15' -long., struck on her starboard quarter a rock, marked in no chart for -that part of the sea. Under the combined efforts of the wind and its -four hundred horse power, it was going at the rate of thirteen knots. -Had it not been for the superior strength of the hull of the Moravian, -she would have been broken by the shock and gone down with the 237 -passengers she was bringing home from Canada. - -The accident happened about five o'clock in the morning, as the day was -breaking. The officers of the quarter-deck hurried to the after-part -of the vessel. They examined the sea with the most careful attention. -They saw nothing but a strong eddy about three cables' length distant, -as if the surface had been violently agitated. The bearings of the -place were taken exactly, and the Moravian continued its route without -apparent damage. Had it struck on a submerged rock, or on an enormous -wreck? They could not tell; but, on examination of the ship's bottom -when undergoing repairs, it was found that part of her keel was broken. - -This fact, so grave in itself, might perhaps have been forgotten like -many others if, three weeks after, it had not been re-enacted under -similar circumstances. But, thanks to the nationality of the victim of -the shock, thanks to the reputation of the company to which the vessel -belonged, the circumstance became extensively circulated. - -The 13th of April, 1867, the sea being beautiful, the breeze -favourable, the Scotia, of the Cunard Company's line, found herself in -15° 12' long. and 45° 37' lat. She was going at the speed of -thirteen knots and a half. - -At seventeen minutes past four in the afternoon, whilst the passengers -were assembled at lunch in the great saloon, a slight shock was felt on -the hull of the Scotia, on her quarter, a little aft of the port-paddle. - -The Scotia had not struck, but she had been struck, and seemingly by -something rather sharp and penetrating than blunt. The shock had been -so slight that no one had been alarmed, had it not been for the shouts -of the carpenter's watch, who rushed on to the bridge, exclaiming, "We -are sinking! we are sinking!" At first the passengers were much -frightened, but Captain Anderson hastened to reassure them. The danger -could not be imminent. The Scotia, divided into seven compartments by -strong partitions, could brave with impunity any leak. Captain -Anderson went down immediately into the hold. He found that the sea -was pouring into the fifth compartment; and the rapidity of the influx -proved that the force of the water was considerable. Fortunately this -compartment did not hold the boilers, or the fires would have been -immediately extinguished. Captain Anderson ordered the engines to be -stopped at once, and one of the men went down to ascertain the extent -of the injury. Some minutes afterwards they discovered the existence -of a large hole, two yards in diameter, in the ship's bottom. Such a -leak could not be stopped; and the Scotia, her paddles half submerged, -was obliged to continue her course. She was then three hundred miles -from Cape Clear, and, after three days' delay, which caused great -uneasiness in Liverpool, she entered the basin of the company. - -The engineers visited the Scotia, which was put in dry dock. They -could scarcely believe it possible; at two yards and a half below -water-mark was a regular rent, in the form of an isosceles triangle. -The broken place in the iron plates was so perfectly defined that it -could not have been more neatly done by a punch. It was clear, then, -that the instrument producing the perforation was not of a common stamp -and, after having been driven with prodigious strength, and piercing an -iron plate 1 3/8 inches thick, had withdrawn itself by a backward -motion. - -Such was the last fact, which resulted in exciting once more the -torrent of public opinion. From this moment all unlucky casualties -which could not be otherwise accounted for were put down to the monster. - -Upon this imaginary creature rested the responsibility of all these -shipwrecks, which unfortunately were considerable; for of three -thousand ships whose loss was annually recorded at Lloyd's, the number -of sailing and steam-ships supposed to be totally lost, from the -absence of all news, amounted to not less than two hundred! - -Now, it was the "monster" who, justly or unjustly, was accused of their -disappearance, and, thanks to it, communication between the different -continents became more and more dangerous. The public demanded sharply -that the seas should at any price be relieved from this formidable -cetacean.[1] - - -[1] Member of the whale family. - - - -CHAPTER II - -PRO AND CON - -At the period when these events took place, I had just returned from a -scientific research in the disagreeable territory of Nebraska, in the -United States. In virtue of my office as Assistant Professor in the -Museum of Natural History in Paris, the French Government had attached -me to that expedition. After six months in Nebraska, I arrived in New -York towards the end of March, laden with a precious collection. My -departure for France was fixed for the first days in May. Meanwhile I -was occupying myself in classifying my mineralogical, botanical, and -zoological riches, when the accident happened to the Scotia. - -I was perfectly up in the subject which was the question of the day. -How could I be otherwise? I had read and reread all the American and -European papers without being any nearer a conclusion. This mystery -puzzled me. Under the impossibility of forming an opinion, I jumped -from one extreme to the other. That there really was something could -not be doubted, and the incredulous were invited to put their finger on -the wound of the Scotia. - -On my arrival at New York the question was at its height. The theory -of the floating island, and the unapproachable sandbank, supported by -minds little competent to form a judgment, was abandoned. And, indeed, -unless this shoal had a machine in its stomach, how could it change its -position with such astonishing rapidity? - -From the same cause, the idea of a floating hull of an enormous wreck -was given up. - -There remained, then, only two possible solutions of the question, -which created two distinct parties: on one side, those who were for a -monster of colossal strength; on the other, those who were for a -submarine vessel of enormous motive power. - -But this last theory, plausible as it was, could not stand against -inquiries made in both worlds. That a private gentleman should have -such a machine at his command was not likely. Where, when, and how was -it built? and how could its construction have been kept secret? -Certainly a Government might possess such a destructive machine. And -in these disastrous times, when the ingenuity of man has multiplied the -power of weapons of war, it was possible that, without the knowledge of -others, a State might try to work such a formidable engine. - -But the idea of a war machine fell before the declaration of -Governments. As public interest was in question, and transatlantic -communications suffered, their veracity could not be doubted. But how -admit that the construction of this submarine boat had escaped the -public eye? For a private gentleman to keep the secret under such -circumstances would be very difficult, and for a State whose every act -is persistently watched by powerful rivals, certainly impossible. - -Upon my arrival in New York several persons did me the honour of -consulting me on the phenomenon in question. I had published in France -a work in quarto, in two volumes, entitled Mysteries of the Great -Submarine Grounds. This book, highly approved of in the learned world, -gained for me a special reputation in this rather obscure branch of -Natural History. My advice was asked. As long as I could deny the -reality of the fact, I confined myself to a decided negative. But -soon, finding myself driven into a corner, I was obliged to explain -myself point by point. I discussed the question in all its forms, -politically and scientifically; and I give here an extract from a -carefully-studied article which I published in the number of the 30th -of April. It ran as follows: - -"After examining one by one the different theories, rejecting all other -suggestions, it becomes necessary to admit the existence of a marine -animal of enormous power. - -"The great depths of the ocean are entirely unknown to us. Soundings -cannot reach them. What passes in those remote depths--what beings -live, or can live, twelve or fifteen miles beneath the surface of the -waters--what is the organisation of these animals, we can scarcely -conjecture. However, the solution of the problem submitted to me may -modify the form of the dilemma. Either we do know all the varieties of -beings which people our planet, or we do not. If we do NOT know them -all--if Nature has still secrets in the deeps for us, nothing is more -conformable to reason than to admit the existence of fishes, or -cetaceans of other kinds, or even of new species, of an organisation -formed to inhabit the strata inaccessible to soundings, and which an -accident of some sort has brought at long intervals to the upper level -of the ocean. - -"If, on the contrary, we DO know all living kinds, we must necessarily -seek for the animal in question amongst those marine beings already -classed; and, in that case, I should be disposed to admit the existence -of a gigantic narwhal. - -"The common narwhal, or unicorn of the sea, often attains a length of -sixty feet. Increase its size fivefold or tenfold, give it strength -proportionate to its size, lengthen its destructive weapons, and you -obtain the animal required. It will have the proportions determined by -the officers of the Shannon, the instrument required by the perforation -of the Scotia, and the power necessary to pierce the hull of the -steamer. - -"Indeed, the narwhal is armed with a sort of ivory sword, a halberd, -according to the expression of certain naturalists. The principal tusk -has the hardness of steel. Some of these tusks have been found buried -in the bodies of whales, which the unicorn always attacks with success. -Others have been drawn out, not without trouble, from the bottoms of -ships, which they had pierced through and through, as a gimlet pierces -a barrel. The Museum of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris possesses one -of these defensive weapons, two yards and a quarter in length, and -fifteen inches in diameter at the base. - -"Very well! suppose this weapon to be six times stronger and the animal -ten times more powerful; launch it at the rate of twenty miles an hour, -and you obtain a shock capable of producing the catastrophe required. -Until further information, therefore, I shall maintain it to be a -sea-unicorn of colossal dimensions, armed not with a halberd, but with -a real spur, as the armoured frigates, or the `rams' of war, whose -massiveness and motive power it would possess at the same time. Thus -may this puzzling phenomenon be explained, unless there be something -over and above all that one has ever conjectured, seen, perceived, or -experienced; which is just within the bounds of possibility." - -These last words were cowardly on my part; but, up to a certain point, -I wished to shelter my dignity as professor, and not give too much -cause for laughter to the Americans, who laugh well when they do laugh. -I reserved for myself a way of escape. In effect, however, I admitted -the existence of the "monster." My article was warmly discussed, which -procured it a high reputation. It rallied round it a certain number of -partisans. The solution it proposed gave, at least, full liberty to -the imagination. The human mind delights in grand conceptions of -supernatural beings. And the sea is precisely their best vehicle, the -only medium through which these giants (against which terrestrial -animals, such as elephants or rhinoceroses, are as nothing) can be -produced or developed. - -The industrial and commercial papers treated the question chiefly from -this point of view. The Shipping and Mercantile Gazette, the Lloyd's -List, the Packet-Boat, and the Maritime and Colonial Review, all papers -devoted to insurance companies which threatened to raise their rates of -premium, were unanimous on this point. Public opinion had been -pronounced. The United States were the first in the field; and in New -York they made preparations for an expedition destined to pursue this -narwhal. A frigate of great speed, the Abraham Lincoln, was put in -commission as soon as possible. The arsenals were opened to Commander -Farragut, who hastened the arming of his frigate; but, as it always -happens, the moment it was decided to pursue the monster, the monster -did not appear. For two months no one heard it spoken of. No ship met -with it. It seemed as if this unicorn knew of the plots weaving around -it. It had been so much talked of, even through the Atlantic cable, -that jesters pretended that this slender fly had stopped a telegram on -its passage and was making the most of it. - -So when the frigate had been armed for a long campaign, and provided -with formidable fishing apparatus, no one could tell what course to -pursue. Impatience grew apace, when, on the 2nd of July, they learned -that a steamer of the line of San Francisco, from California to -Shanghai, had seen the animal three weeks before in the North Pacific -Ocean. The excitement caused by this news was extreme. The ship was -revictualled and well stocked with coal. - -Three hours before the Abraham Lincoln left Brooklyn pier, I received a -letter worded as follows: - -To M. ARONNAX, Professor in the Museum of Paris, Fifth Avenue Hotel, -New York. - -SIR,--If you will consent to join the Abraham Lincoln in this -expedition, the Government of the United States will with pleasure see -France represented in the enterprise. Commander Farragut has a cabin -at your disposal. - -Very cordially yours, J.B. HOBSON, Secretary of Marine. - - - -CHAPTER III - -I FORM MY RESOLUTION - -Three seconds before the arrival of J. B. Hobson's letter I no more -thought of pursuing the unicorn than of attempting the passage of the -North Sea. Three seconds after reading the letter of the honourable -Secretary of Marine, I felt that my true vocation, the sole end of my -life, was to chase this disturbing monster and purge it from the world. - -But I had just returned from a fatiguing journey, weary and longing for -repose. I aspired to nothing more than again seeing my country, my -friends, my little lodging by the Jardin des Plantes, my dear and -precious collections--but nothing could keep me back! I forgot -all--fatigue, friends and collections--and accepted without hesitation -the offer of the American Government. - -"Besides," thought I, "all roads lead back to Europe; and the unicorn -may be amiable enough to hurry me towards the coast of France. This -worthy animal may allow itself to be caught in the seas of Europe (for -my particular benefit), and I will not bring back less than half a yard -of his ivory halberd to the Museum of Natural History." But in the -meanwhile I must seek this narwhal in the North Pacific Ocean, which, -to return to France, was taking the road to the antipodes. - -"Conseil," I called in an impatient voice. - -Conseil was my servant, a true, devoted Flemish boy, who had -accompanied me in all my travels. I liked him, and he returned the -liking well. He was quiet by nature, regular from principle, zealous -from habit, evincing little disturbance at the different surprises of -life, very quick with his hands, and apt at any service required of -him; and, despite his name, never giving advice--even when asked for it. - -Conseil had followed me for the last ten years wherever science led. -Never once did he complain of the length or fatigue of a journey, never -make an objection to pack his portmanteau for whatever country it might -be, or however far away, whether China or Congo. Besides all this, he -had good health, which defied all sickness, and solid muscles, but no -nerves; good morals are understood. This boy was thirty years old, and -his age to that of his master as fifteen to twenty. May I be excused -for saying that I was forty years old? - -But Conseil had one fault: he was ceremonious to a degree, and would -never speak to me but in the third person, which was sometimes -provoking. - -"Conseil," said I again, beginning with feverish hands to make -preparations for my departure. - -Certainly I was sure of this devoted boy. As a rule, I never asked him -if it were convenient for him or not to follow me in my travels; but -this time the expedition in question might be prolonged, and the -enterprise might be hazardous in pursuit of an animal capable of -sinking a frigate as easily as a nutshell. Here there was matter for -reflection even to the most impassive man in the world. What would -Conseil say? - -"Conseil," I called a third time. - -Conseil appeared. - -"Did you call, sir?" said he, entering. - -"Yes, my boy; make preparations for me and yourself too. We leave in -two hours." - -"As you please, sir," replied Conseil, quietly. - -"Not an instant to lose; lock in my trunk all travelling utensils, -coats, shirts, and stockings--without counting, as many as you can, and -make haste." - -"And your collections, sir?" observed Conseil. - -"They will keep them at the hotel." - -"We are not returning to Paris, then?" said Conseil. - -"Oh! certainly," I answered, evasively, "by making a curve." - -"Will the curve please you, sir?" - -"Oh! it will be nothing; not quite so direct a road, that is all. We -take our passage in the Abraham, Lincoln." - -"As you think proper, sir," coolly replied Conseil. - -"You see, my friend, it has to do with the monster--the famous narwhal. -We are going to purge it from the seas. A glorious mission, but a -dangerous one! We cannot tell where we may go; these animals can be -very capricious. But we will go whether or no; we have got a captain -who is pretty wide-awake." - -Our luggage was transported to the deck of the frigate immediately. I -hastened on board and asked for Commander Farragut. One of the sailors -conducted me to the poop, where I found myself in the presence of a -good-looking officer, who held out his hand to me. - -"Monsieur Pierre Aronnax?" said he. - -"Himself," replied I. "Commander Farragut?" - -"You are welcome, Professor; your cabin is ready for you." - -I bowed, and desired to be conducted to the cabin destined for me. - -The Abraham Lincoln had been well chosen and equipped for her new -destination. She was a frigate of great speed, fitted with -high-pressure engines which admitted a pressure of seven atmospheres. -Under this the Abraham Lincoln attained the mean speed of nearly -eighteen knots and a third an hour--a considerable speed, but, -nevertheless, insufficient to grapple with this gigantic cetacean. - -The interior arrangements of the frigate corresponded to its nautical -qualities. I was well satisfied with my cabin, which was in the after -part, opening upon the gunroom. - -"We shall be well off here," said I to Conseil. - -"As well, by your honour's leave, as a hermit-crab in the shell of a -whelk," said Conseil. - -I left Conseil to stow our trunks conveniently away, and remounted the -poop in order to survey the preparations for departure. - -At that moment Commander Farragut was ordering the last moorings to be -cast loose which held the Abraham Lincoln to the pier of Brooklyn. So -in a quarter of an hour, perhaps less, the frigate would have sailed -without me. I should have missed this extraordinary, supernatural, and -incredible expedition, the recital of which may well meet with some -suspicion. - -But Commander Farragut would not lose a day nor an hour in scouring the -seas in which the animal had been sighted. He sent for the engineer. - -"Is the steam full on?" asked he. - -"Yes, sir," replied the engineer. - -"Go ahead," cried Commander Farragut. - - - -CHAPTER IV - -NED LAND - -Captain Farragut was a good seaman, worthy of the frigate he commanded. -His vessel and he were one. He was the soul of it. On the question of -the monster there was no doubt in his mind, and he would not allow the -existence of the animal to be disputed on board. He believed in it, as -certain good women believe in the leviathan--by faith, not by reason. -The monster did exist, and he had sworn to rid the seas of it. Either -Captain Farragut would kill the narwhal, or the narwhal would kill the -captain. There was no third course. - -The officers on board shared the opinion of their chief. They were -ever chatting, discussing, and calculating the various chances of a -meeting, watching narrowly the vast surface of the ocean. More than -one took up his quarters voluntarily in the cross-trees, who would have -cursed such a berth under any other circumstances. As long as the sun -described its daily course, the rigging was crowded with sailors, whose -feet were burnt to such an extent by the heat of the deck as to render -it unbearable; still the Abraham Lincoln had not yet breasted the -suspected waters of the Pacific. As to the ship's company, they -desired nothing better than to meet the unicorn, to harpoon it, hoist -it on board, and despatch it. They watched the sea with eager -attention. - -Besides, Captain Farragut had spoken of a certain sum of two thousand -dollars, set apart for whoever should first sight the monster, were he -cabin-boy, common seaman, or officer. - -I leave you to judge how eyes were used on board the Abraham Lincoln. - -For my own part I was not behind the others, and, left to no one my -share of daily observations. The frigate might have been called the -Argus, for a hundred reasons. Only one amongst us, Conseil, seemed to -protest by his indifference against the question which so interested us -all, and seemed to be out of keeping with the general enthusiasm on -board. - -I have said that Captain Farragut had carefully provided his ship with -every apparatus for catching the gigantic cetacean. No whaler had ever -been better armed. We possessed every known engine, from the harpoon -thrown by the hand to the barbed arrows of the blunderbuss, and the -explosive balls of the duck-gun. On the forecastle lay the perfection -of a breech-loading gun, very thick at the breech, and very narrow in -the bore, the model of which had been in the Exhibition of 1867. This -precious weapon of American origin could throw with ease a conical -projectile of nine pounds to a mean distance of ten miles. - -Thus the Abraham Lincoln wanted for no means of destruction; and, what -was better still she had on board Ned Land, the prince of harpooners. - -Ned Land was a Canadian, with an uncommon quickness of hand, and who -knew no equal in his dangerous occupation. Skill, coolness, audacity, -and cunning he possessed in a superior degree, and it must be a cunning -whale to escape the stroke of his harpoon. - -Ned Land was about forty years of age; he was a tall man (more than six -feet high), strongly built, grave and taciturn, occasionally violent, -and very passionate when contradicted. His person attracted attention, -but above all the boldness of his look, which gave a singular -expression to his face. - -Who calls himself Canadian calls himself French; and, little -communicative as Ned Land was, I must admit that he took a certain -liking for me. My nationality drew him to me, no doubt. It was an -opportunity for him to talk, and for me to hear, that old language of -Rabelais, which is still in use in some Canadian provinces. The -harpooner's family was originally from Quebec, and was already a tribe -of hardy fishermen when this town belonged to France. - -Little by little, Ned Land acquired a taste for chatting, and I loved -to hear the recital of his adventures in the polar seas. He related -his fishing, and his combats, with natural poetry of expression; his -recital took the form of an epic poem, and I seemed to be listening to -a Canadian Homer singing the Iliad of the regions of the North. - -I am portraying this hardy companion as I really knew him. We are old -friends now, united in that unchangeable friendship which is born and -cemented amidst extreme dangers. Ah, brave Ned! I ask no more than to -live a hundred years longer, that I may have more time to dwell the -longer on your memory. - -Now, what was Ned Land's opinion upon the question of the marine -monster? I must admit that he did not believe in the unicorn, and was -the only one on board who did not share that universal conviction. He -even avoided the subject, which I one day thought it my duty to press -upon him. One magnificent evening, the 30th July (that is to say, -three weeks after our departure), the frigate was abreast of Cape -Blanc, thirty miles to leeward of the coast of Patagonia. We had -crossed the tropic of Capricorn, and the Straits of Magellan opened -less than seven hundred miles to the south. Before eight days were -over the Abraham Lincoln would be ploughing the waters of the Pacific. - -Seated on the poop, Ned Land and I were chatting of one thing and -another as we looked at this mysterious sea, whose great depths had up -to this time been inaccessible to the eye of man. I naturally led up -the conversation to the giant unicorn, and examined the various chances -of success or failure of the expedition. But, seeing that Ned Land let -me speak without saying too much himself, I pressed him more closely. - -"Well, Ned," said I, "is it possible that you are not convinced of the -existence of this cetacean that we are following? Have you any -particular reason for being so incredulous?" - -The harpooner looked at me fixedly for some moments before answering, -struck his broad forehead with his hand (a habit of his), as if to -collect himself, and said at last, "Perhaps I have, Mr. Aronnax." - -"But, Ned, you, a whaler by profession, familiarised with all the great -marine mammalia--YOU ought to be the last to doubt under such -circumstances!" - -"That is just what deceives you, Professor," replied Ned. "As a whaler -I have followed many a cetacean, harpooned a great number, and killed -several; but, however strong or well-armed they may have been, neither -their tails nor their weapons would have been able even to scratch the -iron plates of a steamer." - -"But, Ned, they tell of ships which the teeth of the narwhal have -pierced through and through." - -"Wooden ships--that is possible," replied the Canadian, "but I have -never seen it done; and, until further proof, I deny that whales, -cetaceans, or sea-unicorns could ever produce the effect you describe." - -"Well, Ned, I repeat it with a conviction resting on the logic of -facts. I believe in the existence of a mammal power fully organised, -belonging to the branch of vertebrata, like the whales, the cachalots, -or the dolphins, and furnished with a horn of defence of great -penetrating power." - -"Hum!" said the harpooner, shaking his head with the air of a man who -would not be convinced. - -"Notice one thing, my worthy Canadian," I resumed. "If such an animal -is in existence, if it inhabits the depths of the ocean, if it -frequents the strata lying miles below the surface of the water, it -must necessarily possess an organisation the strength of which would -defy all comparison." - -"And why this powerful organisation?" demanded Ned. - -"Because it requires incalculable strength to keep one's self in these -strata and resist their pressure. Listen to me. Let us admit that the -pressure of the atmosphere is represented by the weight of a column of -water thirty-two feet high. In reality the column of water would be -shorter, as we are speaking of sea water, the density of which is -greater than that of fresh water. Very well, when you dive, Ned, as -many times 32 feet of water as there are above you, so many times does -your body bear a pressure equal to that of the atmosphere, that is to -say, 15 lb. for each square inch of its surface. It follows, then, -that at 320 feet this pressure equals that of 10 atmospheres, of 100 -atmospheres at 3,200 feet, and of 1,000 atmospheres at 32,000 feet, -that is, about 6 miles; which is equivalent to saying that if you could -attain this depth in the ocean, each square three-eighths of an inch of -the surface of your body would bear a pressure of 5,600 lb. Ah! my -brave Ned, do you know how many square inches you carry on the surface -of your body?" - -"I have no idea, Mr. Aronnax." - -"About 6,500; and as in reality the atmospheric pressure is about 15 -lb. to the square inch, your 6,500 square inches bear at this moment a -pressure of 97,500 lb." - -"Without my perceiving it?" - -"Without your perceiving it. And if you are not crushed by such a -pressure, it is because the air penetrates the interior of your body -with equal pressure. Hence perfect equilibrium between the interior -and exterior pressure, which thus neutralise each other, and which -allows you to bear it without inconvenience. But in the water it is -another thing." - -"Yes, I understand," replied Ned, becoming more attentive; "because the -water surrounds me, but does not penetrate." - -"Precisely, Ned: so that at 32 feet beneath the surface of the sea you -would undergo a pressure of 97,500 lb.; at 320 feet, ten times that -pressure; at 3,200 feet, a hundred times that pressure; lastly, at -32,000 feet, a thousand times that pressure would be 97,500,000 -lb.--that is to say, that you would be flattened as if you had been -drawn from the plates of a hydraulic machine!" - -"The devil!" exclaimed Ned. - -"Very well, my worthy harpooner, if some vertebrate, several hundred -yards long, and large in proportion, can maintain itself in such -depths--of those whose surface is represented by millions of square -inches, that is by tens of millions of pounds, we must estimate the -pressure they undergo. Consider, then, what must be the resistance of -their bony structure, and the strength of their organisation to -withstand such pressure!" - -"Why!" exclaimed Ned Land, "they must be made of iron plates eight -inches thick, like the armoured frigates." - -"As you say, Ned. And think what destruction such a mass would cause, -if hurled with the speed of an express train against the hull of a -vessel." - -"Yes--certainly--perhaps," replied the Canadian, shaken by these -figures, but not yet willing to give in. - -"Well, have I convinced you?" - -"You have convinced me of one thing, sir, which is that, if such -animals do exist at the bottom of the seas, they must necessarily be as -strong as you say." - -"But if they do not exist, mine obstinate harpooner, how explain the -accident to the Scotia?" - - - -CHAPTER V - -AT A VENTURE - -The voyage of the Abraham Lincoln was for a long time marked by no -special incident. But one circumstance happened which showed the -wonderful dexterity of Ned Land, and proved what confidence we might -place in him. - -The 30th of June, the frigate spoke some American whalers, from whom we -learned that they knew nothing about the narwhal. But one of them, the -captain of the Monroe, knowing that Ned Land had shipped on board the -Abraham Lincoln, begged for his help in chasing a whale they had in -sight. Commander Farragut, desirous of seeing Ned Land at work, gave -him permission to go on board the Monroe. And fate served our Canadian -so well that, instead of one whale, he harpooned two with a double -blow, striking one straight to the heart, and catching the other after -some minutes' pursuit. - -Decidedly, if the monster ever had to do with Ned Land's harpoon, I -would not bet in its favour. - -The frigate skirted the south-east coast of America with great -rapidity. The 3rd of July we were at the opening of the Straits of -Magellan, level with Cape Vierges. But Commander Farragut would not -take a tortuous passage, but doubled Cape Horn. - -The ship's crew agreed with him. And certainly it was possible that -they might meet the narwhal in this narrow pass. Many of the sailors -affirmed that the monster could not pass there, "that he was too big -for that!" - -The 6th of July, about three o'clock in the afternoon, the Abraham -Lincoln, at fifteen miles to the south, doubled the solitary island, -this lost rock at the extremity of the American continent, to which -some Dutch sailors gave the name of their native town, Cape Horn. The -course was taken towards the north-west, and the next day the screw of -the frigate was at last beating the waters of the Pacific. - -"Keep your eyes open!" called out the sailors. - -And they were opened widely. Both eyes and glasses, a little dazzled, -it is true, by the prospect of two thousand dollars, had not an -instant's repose. - -I myself, for whom money had no charms, was not the least attentive on -board. Giving but few minutes to my meals, but a few hours to sleep, -indifferent to either rain or sunshine, I did not leave the poop of the -vessel. Now leaning on the netting of the forecastle, now on the -taffrail, I devoured with eagerness the soft foam which whitened the -sea as far as the eye could reach; and how often have I shared the -emotion of the majority of the crew, when some capricious whale raised -its black back above the waves! The poop of the vessel was crowded on -a moment. The cabins poured forth a torrent of sailors and officers, -each with heaving breast and troubled eye watching the course of the -cetacean. I looked and looked till I was nearly blind, whilst Conseil -kept repeating in a calm voice: - -"If, sir, you would not squint so much, you would see better!" - -But vain excitement! The Abraham Lincoln checked its speed and made -for the animal signalled, a simple whale, or common cachalot, which -soon disappeared amidst a storm of abuse. - -But the weather was good. The voyage was being accomplished under the -most favourable auspices. It was then the bad season in Australia, the -July of that zone corresponding to our January in Europe, but the sea -was beautiful and easily scanned round a vast circumference. - -The 20th of July, the tropic of Capricorn was cut by 105d of longitude, -and the 27th of the same month we crossed the Equator on the 110th -meridian. This passed, the frigate took a more decided westerly -direction, and scoured the central waters of the Pacific. Commander -Farragut thought, and with reason, that it was better to remain in deep -water, and keep clear of continents or islands, which the beast itself -seemed to shun (perhaps because there was not enough water for him! -suggested the greater part of the crew). The frigate passed at some -distance from the Marquesas and the Sandwich Islands, crossed the -tropic of Cancer, and made for the China Seas. We were on the theatre -of the last diversions of the monster: and, to say truth, we no longer -LIVED on board. The entire ship's crew were undergoing a nervous -excitement, of which I can give no idea: they could not eat, they -could not sleep--twenty times a day, a misconception or an optical -illusion of some sailor seated on the taffrail, would cause dreadful -perspirations, and these emotions, twenty times repeated, kept us in a -state of excitement so violent that a reaction was unavoidable. - -And truly, reaction soon showed itself. For three months, during which -a day seemed an age, the Abraham Lincoln furrowed all the waters of the -Northern Pacific, running at whales, making sharp deviations from her -course, veering suddenly from one tack to another, stopping suddenly, -putting on steam, and backing ever and anon at the risk of deranging -her machinery, and not one point of the Japanese or American coast was -left unexplored. - -The warmest partisans of the enterprise now became its most ardent -detractors. Reaction mounted from the crew to the captain himself, and -certainly, had it not been for the resolute determination on the part -of Captain Farragut, the frigate would have headed due southward. This -useless search could not last much longer. The Abraham Lincoln had -nothing to reproach herself with, she had done her best to succeed. -Never had an American ship's crew shown more zeal or patience; its -failure could not be placed to their charge--there remained nothing but -to return. - -This was represented to the commander. The sailors could not hide -their discontent, and the service suffered. I will not say there was a -mutiny on board, but after a reasonable period of obstinacy, Captain -Farragut (as Columbus did) asked for three days' patience. If in three -days the monster did not appear, the man at the helm should give three -turns of the wheel, and the Abraham Lincoln would make for the European -seas. - -This promise was made on the 2nd of November. It had the effect of -rallying the ship's crew. The ocean was watched with renewed -attention. Each one wished for a last glance in which to sum up his -remembrance. Glasses were used with feverish activity. It was a grand -defiance given to the giant narwhal, and he could scarcely fail to -answer the summons and "appear." - -Two days passed, the steam was at half pressure; a thousand schemes -were tried to attract the attention and stimulate the apathy of the -animal in case it should be met in those parts. Large quantities of -bacon were trailed in the wake of the ship, to the great satisfaction -(I must say) of the sharks. Small craft radiated in all directions -round the Abraham Lincoln as she lay to, and did not leave a spot of -the sea unexplored. But the night of the 4th of November arrived -without the unveiling of this submarine mystery. - -The next day, the 5th of November, at twelve, the delay would (morally -speaking) expire; after that time, Commander Farragut, faithful to his -promise, was to turn the course to the south-east and abandon for ever -the northern regions of the Pacific. - -The frigate was then in 31° 15' N. lat. and 136° 42' E. long. -The coast of Japan still remained less than two hundred miles to -leeward. Night was approaching. They had just struck eight bells; -large clouds veiled the face of the moon, then in its first quarter. -The sea undulated peaceably under the stern of the vessel. - -At that moment I was leaning forward on the starboard netting. -Conseil, standing near me, was looking straight before him. The crew, -perched in the ratlines, examined the horizon which contracted and -darkened by degrees. Officers with their night glasses scoured the -growing darkness: sometimes the ocean sparkled under the rays of the -moon, which darted between two clouds, then all trace of light was lost -in the darkness. - -In looking at Conseil, I could see he was undergoing a little of the -general influence. At least I thought so. Perhaps for the first time -his nerves vibrated to a sentiment of curiosity. - -"Come, Conseil," said I, "this is the last chance of pocketing the two -thousand dollars." - -"May I be permitted to say, sir," replied Conseil, "that I never -reckoned on getting the prize; and, had the government of the Union -offered a hundred thousand dollars, it would have been none the poorer." - -"You are right, Conseil. It is a foolish affair after all, and one -upon which we entered too lightly. What time lost, what useless -emotions! We should have been back in France six months ago." - -"In your little room, sir," replied Conseil, "and in your museum, sir; -and I should have already classed all your fossils, sir. And the -Babiroussa would have been installed in its cage in the Jardin des -Plantes, and have drawn all the curious people of the capital!" - -"As you say, Conseil. I fancy we shall run a fair chance of being -laughed at for our pains." - -"That's tolerably certain," replied Conseil, quietly; "I think they -will make fun of you, sir. And, must I say it----?" - -"Go on, my good friend." - -"Well, sir, you will only get your deserts." - -"Indeed!" - -"When one has the honour of being a _savant_ as you are, sir, one should -not expose one's self to----" - -Conseil had not time to finish his compliment. In the midst of general -silence a voice had just been heard. It was the voice of Ned Land -shouting: - -"Look out there! The very thing we are looking for--on our weather -beam!" - - - -CHAPTER VI - -AT FULL STEAM - -At this cry the whole ship's crew hurried towards the -harpooner--commander, officers, masters, sailors, cabin boys; even the -engineers left their engines, and the stokers their furnaces. - -The order to stop her had been given, and the frigate now simply went -on by her own momentum. The darkness was then profound, and, however -good the Canadian's eyes were, I asked myself how he had managed to -see, and what he had been able to see. My heart beat as if it would -break. But Ned Land was not mistaken, and we all perceived the object -he pointed to. At two cables' length from the Abraham Lincoln, on the -starboard quarter, the sea seemed to be illuminated all over. It was -not a mere phosphoric phenomenon. The monster emerged some fathoms -from the water, and then threw out that very intense but mysterious -light mentioned in the report of several captains. This magnificent -irradiation must have been produced by an agent of great SHINING power. -The luminous part traced on the sea an immense oval, much elongated, -the centre of which condensed a burning heat, whose overpowering -brilliancy died out by successive gradations. - -"It is only a massing of phosphoric particles," cried one of the -officers. - -"No, sir, certainly not," I replied. "That brightness is of an -essentially electrical nature. Besides, see, see! it moves; it is -moving forwards, backwards; it is darting towards us!" - -A general cry arose from the frigate. - -"Silence!" said the captain. "Up with the helm, reverse the engines." - -The steam was shut off, and the Abraham Lincoln, beating to port, -described a semicircle. - -"Right the helm, go ahead," cried the captain. - -These orders were executed, and the frigate moved rapidly from the -burning light. - -I was mistaken. She tried to sheer off, but the supernatural animal -approached with a velocity double her own. - -We gasped for breath. Stupefaction more than fear made us dumb and -motionless. The animal gained on us, sporting with the waves. It made -the round of the frigate, which was then making fourteen knots, and -enveloped it with its electric rings like luminous dust. - -Then it moved away two or three miles, leaving a phosphorescent track, -like those volumes of steam that the express trains leave behind. All -at once from the dark line of the horizon whither it retired to gain -its momentum, the monster rushed suddenly towards the Abraham Lincoln -with alarming rapidity, stopped suddenly about twenty feet from the -hull, and died out--not diving under the water, for its brilliancy did -not abate--but suddenly, and as if the source of this brilliant -emanation was exhausted. Then it reappeared on the other side of the -vessel, as if it had turned and slid under the hull. Any moment a -collision might have occurred which would have been fatal to us. -However, I was astonished at the manoeuvres of the frigate. She fled -and did not attack. - -On the captain's face, generally so impassive, was an expression of -unaccountable astonishment. - -"Mr. Aronnax," he said, "I do not know with what formidable being I -have to deal, and I will not imprudently risk my frigate in the midst -of this darkness. Besides, how attack this unknown thing, how defend -one's self from it? Wait for daylight, and the scene will change." - -"You have no further doubt, captain, of the nature of the animal?" - -"No, sir; it is evidently a gigantic narwhal, and an electric one." - -"Perhaps," added I, "one can only approach it with a torpedo." - -"Undoubtedly," replied the captain, "if it possesses such dreadful -power, it is the most terrible animal that ever was created. That is -why, sir, I must be on my guard." - -The crew were on their feet all night. No one thought of sleep. The -Abraham Lincoln, not being able to struggle with such velocity, had -moderated its pace, and sailed at half speed. For its part, the -narwhal, imitating the frigate, let the waves rock it at will, and -seemed decided not to leave the scene of the struggle. Towards -midnight, however, it disappeared, or, to use a more appropriate term, -it "died out" like a large glow-worm. Had it fled? One could only -fear, not hope it. But at seven minutes to one o'clock in the morning -a deafening whistling was heard, like that produced by a body of water -rushing with great violence. - -The captain, Ned Land, and I were then on the poop, eagerly peering -through the profound darkness. - -"Ned Land," asked the commander, "you have often heard the roaring of -whales?" - -"Often, sir; but never such whales the sight of which brought me in two -thousand dollars. If I can only approach within four harpoons' length -of it!" - -"But to approach it," said the commander, "I ought to put a whaler at -your disposal?" - -"Certainly, sir." - -"That will be trifling with the lives of my men." - -"And mine too," simply said the harpooner. - -Towards two o'clock in the morning, the burning light reappeared, not -less intense, about five miles to windward of the Abraham Lincoln. -Notwithstanding the distance, and the noise of the wind and sea, one -heard distinctly the loud strokes of the animal's tail, and even its -panting breath. It seemed that, at the moment that the enormous -narwhal had come to take breath at the surface of the water, the air -was engulfed in its lungs, like the steam in the vast cylinders of a -machine of two thousand horse-power. - -"Hum!" thought I, "a whale with the strength of a cavalry regiment -would be a pretty whale!" - -We were on the qui vive till daylight, and prepared for the combat. -The fishing implements were laid along the hammock nettings. The -second lieutenant loaded the blunder busses, which could throw harpoons -to the distance of a mile, and long duck-guns, with explosive bullets, -which inflicted mortal wounds even to the most terrible animals. Ned -Land contented himself with sharpening his harpoon--a terrible weapon -in his hands. - -At six o'clock day began to break; and, with the first glimmer of -light, the electric light of the narwhal disappeared. At seven o'clock -the day was sufficiently advanced, but a very thick sea fog obscured -our view, and the best spy glasses could not pierce it. That caused -disappointment and anger. - -I climbed the mizzen-mast. Some officers were already perched on the -mast-heads. At eight o'clock the fog lay heavily on the waves, and its -thick scrolls rose little by little. The horizon grew wider and -clearer at the same time. Suddenly, just as on the day before, Ned -Land's voice was heard: - -"The thing itself on the port quarter!" cried the harpooner. - -Every eye was turned towards the point indicated. There, a mile and a -half from the frigate, a long blackish body emerged a yard above the -waves. Its tail, violently agitated, produced a considerable eddy. -Never did a tail beat the sea with such violence. An immense track, of -dazzling whiteness, marked the passage of the animal, and described a -long curve. - -The frigate approached the cetacean. I examined it thoroughly. - -The reports of the Shannon and of the Helvetia had rather exaggerated -its size, and I estimated its length at only two hundred and fifty -feet. As to its dimensions, I could only conjecture them to be -admirably proportioned. While I watched this phenomenon, two jets of -steam and water were ejected from its vents, and rose to the height of -120 feet; thus I ascertained its way of breathing. I concluded -definitely that it belonged to the vertebrate branch, class mammalia. - -The crew waited impatiently for their chief's orders. The latter, -after having observed the animal attentively, called the engineer. The -engineer ran to him. - -"Sir," said the commander, "you have steam up?" - -"Yes, sir," answered the engineer. - -"Well, make up your fires and put on all steam." - -Three hurrahs greeted this order. The time for the struggle had -arrived. Some moments after, the two funnels of the frigate vomited -torrents of black smoke, and the bridge quaked under the trembling of -the boilers. - -The Abraham Lincoln, propelled by her wonderful screw, went straight at -the animal. The latter allowed it to come within half a cable's -length; then, as if disdaining to dive, it took a little turn, and -stopped a short distance off. - -This pursuit lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour, without the -frigate gaining two yards on the cetacean. It was quite evident that -at that rate we should never come up with it. - -"Well, Mr. Land," asked the captain, "do you advise me to put the boats -out to sea?" - -"No, sir," replied Ned Land; "because we shall not take that beast -easily." - -"What shall we do then?" - -"Put on more steam if you can, sir. With your leave, I mean to post -myself under the bowsprit, and, if we get within harpooning distance, I -shall throw my harpoon." - -"Go, Ned," said the captain. "Engineer, put on more pressure." - -Ned Land went to his post. The fires were increased, the screw -revolved forty-three times a minute, and the steam poured out of the -valves. We heaved the log, and calculated that the Abraham Lincoln was -going at the rate of 18 1/2 miles an hour. - -But the accursed animal swam at the same speed. - -For a whole hour the frigate kept up this pace, without gaining six -feet. It was humiliating for one of the swiftest sailers in the -American navy. A stubborn anger seized the crew; the sailors abused -the monster, who, as before, disdained to answer them; the captain no -longer contented himself with twisting his beard--he gnawed it. - -The engineer was called again. - -"You have turned full steam on?" - -"Yes, sir," replied the engineer. - -The speed of the Abraham Lincoln increased. Its masts trembled down to -their stepping holes, and the clouds of smoke could hardly find way out -of the narrow funnels. - -They heaved the log a second time. - -"Well?" asked the captain of the man at the wheel. - -"Nineteen miles and three-tenths, sir." - -"Clap on more steam." - -The engineer obeyed. The manometer showed ten degrees. But the -cetacean grew warm itself, no doubt; for without straining itself, it -made 19 3/10 miles. - -What a pursuit! No, I cannot describe the emotion that vibrated -through me. Ned Land kept his post, harpoon in hand. Several times -the animal let us gain upon it.--"We shall catch it! we shall catch -it!" cried the Canadian. But just as he was going to strike, the -cetacean stole away with a rapidity that could not be estimated at less -than thirty miles an hour, and even during our maximum of speed, it -bullied the frigate, going round and round it. A cry of fury broke -from everyone! - -At noon we were no further advanced than at eight o'clock in the -morning. - -The captain then decided to take more direct means. - -"Ah!" said he, "that animal goes quicker than the Abraham Lincoln. -Very well! we will see whether it will escape these conical bullets. -Send your men to the forecastle, sir." - -The forecastle gun was immediately loaded and slewed round. But the -shot passed some feet above the cetacean, which was half a mile off. - -"Another, more to the right," cried the commander, "and five dollars to -whoever will hit that infernal beast." - -An old gunner with a grey beard--that I can see now--with steady eye -and grave face, went up to the gun and took a long aim. A loud report -was heard, with which were mingled the cheers of the crew. - -The bullet did its work; it hit the animal, and, sliding off the -rounded surface, was lost in two miles depth of sea. - -The chase began again, and the captain, leaning towards me, said: - -"I will pursue that beast till my frigate bursts up." - -"Yes," answered I; "and you will be quite right to do it." - -I wished the beast would exhaust itself, and not be insensible to -fatigue like a steam engine. But it was of no use. Hours passed, -without its showing any signs of exhaustion. - -However, it must be said in praise of the Abraham Lincoln that she -struggled on indefatigably. I cannot reckon the distance she made -under three hundred miles during this unlucky day, November the 6th. -But night came on, and overshadowed the rough ocean. - -Now I thought our expedition was at an end, and that we should never -again see the extraordinary animal. I was mistaken. At ten minutes to -eleven in the evening, the electric light reappeared three miles to -windward of the frigate, as pure, as intense as during the preceding -night. - -The narwhal seemed motionless; perhaps, tired with its day's work, it -slept, letting itself float with the undulation of the waves. Now was -a chance of which the captain resolved to take advantage. - -He gave his orders. The Abraham Lincoln kept up half steam, and -advanced cautiously so as not to awake its adversary. It is no rare -thing to meet in the middle of the ocean whales so sound asleep that -they can be successfully attacked, and Ned Land had harpooned more than -one during its sleep. The Canadian went to take his place again under -the bowsprit. - -The frigate approached noiselessly, stopped at two cables' lengths from -the animal, and following its track. No one breathed; a deep silence -reigned on the bridge. We were not a hundred feet from the burning -focus, the light of which increased and dazzled our eyes. - -At this moment, leaning on the forecastle bulwark, I saw below me Ned -Land grappling the martingale in one hand, brandishing his terrible -harpoon in the other, scarcely twenty feet from the motionless animal. -Suddenly his arm straightened, and the harpoon was thrown; I heard the -sonorous stroke of the weapon, which seemed to have struck a hard body. -The electric light went out suddenly, and two enormous waterspouts -broke over the bridge of the frigate, rushing like a torrent from stem -to stern, overthrowing men, and breaking the lashings of the spars. A -fearful shock followed, and, thrown over the rail without having time -to stop myself, I fell into the sea. - - - -CHAPTER VII - -AN UNKNOWN SPECIES OF WHALE - -This unexpected fall so stunned me that I have no clear recollection of -my sensations at the time. I was at first drawn down to a depth of -about twenty feet. I am a good swimmer (though without pretending to -rival Byron or Edgar Poe, who were masters of the art), and in that -plunge I did not lose my presence of mind. Two vigorous strokes -brought me to the surface of the water. My first care was to look for -the frigate. Had the crew seen me disappear? Had the Abraham Lincoln -veered round? Would the captain put out a boat? Might I hope to be -saved? - -The darkness was intense. I caught a glimpse of a black mass -disappearing in the east, its beacon lights dying out in the distance. -It was the frigate! I was lost. - -"Help, help!" I shouted, swimming towards the Abraham Lincoln in -desperation. - -My clothes encumbered me; they seemed glued to my body, and paralysed -my movements. - -I was sinking! I was suffocating! - -"Help!" - -This was my last cry. My mouth filled with water; I struggled against -being drawn down the abyss. Suddenly my clothes were seized by a -strong hand, and I felt myself quickly drawn up to the surface of the -sea; and I heard, yes, I heard these words pronounced in my ear: - -"If master would be so good as to lean on my shoulder, master would -swim with much greater ease." - -I seized with one hand my faithful Conseil's arm. - -"Is it you?" said I, "you?" - -"Myself," answered Conseil; "and waiting master's orders." - -"That shock threw you as well as me into the sea?" - -"No; but, being in my master's service, I followed him." - -The worthy fellow thought that was but natural. - -"And the frigate?" I asked. - -"The frigate?" replied Conseil, turning on his back; "I think that -master had better not count too much on her." - -"You think so?" - -"I say that, at the time I threw myself into the sea, I heard the men -at the wheel say, `The screw and the rudder are broken.' - -"Broken?" - -"Yes, broken by the monster's teeth. It is the only injury the Abraham -Lincoln has sustained. But it is a bad look-out for us--she no longer -answers her helm." - -"Then we are lost!" - -"Perhaps so," calmly answered Conseil. "However, we have still several -hours before us, and one can do a good deal in some hours." - -Conseil's imperturbable coolness set me up again. I swam more -vigorously; but, cramped by my clothes, which stuck to me like a leaden -weight, I felt great difficulty in bearing up. Conseil saw this. - -"Will master let me make a slit?" said he; and, slipping an open knife -under my clothes, he ripped them up from top to bottom very rapidly. -Then he cleverly slipped them off me, while I swam for both of us. - -Then I did the same for Conseil, and we continued to swim near to each -other. - -Nevertheless, our situation was no less terrible. Perhaps our -disappearance had not been noticed; and, if it had been, the frigate -could not tack, being without its helm. Conseil argued on this -supposition, and laid his plans accordingly. This quiet boy was -perfectly self-possessed. We then decided that, as our only chance of -safety was being picked up by the Abraham Lincoln's boats, we ought to -manage so as to wait for them as long as possible. I resolved then to -husband our strength, so that both should not be exhausted at the same -time; and this is how we managed: while one of us lay on our back, -quite still, with arms crossed, and legs stretched out, the other would -swim and push the other on in front. This towing business did not last -more than ten minutes each; and relieving each other thus, we could -swim on for some hours, perhaps till day-break. Poor chance! but hope -is so firmly rooted in the heart of man! Moreover, there were two of -us. Indeed I declare (though it may seem improbable) if I sought to -destroy all hope--if I wished to despair, I could not. - -The collision of the frigate with the cetacean had occurred about -eleven o'clock in the evening before. I reckoned then we should have -eight hours to swim before sunrise, an operation quite practicable if -we relieved each other. The sea, very calm, was in our favour. -Sometimes I tried to pierce the intense darkness that was only -dispelled by the phosphorescence caused by our movements. I watched -the luminous waves that broke over my hand, whose mirror-like surface -was spotted with silvery rings. One might have said that we were in a -bath of quicksilver. - -Near one o'clock in the morning, I was seized with dreadful fatigue. -My limbs stiffened under the strain of violent cramp. Conseil was -obliged to keep me up, and our preservation devolved on him alone. I -heard the poor boy pant; his breathing became short and hurried. I -found that he could not keep up much longer. - -"Leave me! leave me!" I said to him. - -"Leave my master? Never!" replied he. "I would drown first." - -Just then the moon appeared through the fringes of a thick cloud that -the wind was driving to the east. The surface of the sea glittered -with its rays. This kindly light reanimated us. My head got better -again. I looked at all points of the horizon. I saw the frigate! She -was five miles from us, and looked like a dark mass, hardly -discernible. But no boats! - -I would have cried out. But what good would it have been at such a -distance! My swollen lips could utter no sounds. Conseil could -articulate some words, and I heard him repeat at intervals, "Help! -help!" - -Our movements were suspended for an instant; we listened. It might be -only a singing in the ear, but it seemed to me as if a cry answered the -cry from Conseil. - -"Did you hear?" I murmured. - -"Yes! Yes!" - -And Conseil gave one more despairing cry. - -This time there was no mistake! A human voice responded to ours! Was -it the voice of another unfortunate creature, abandoned in the middle -of the ocean, some other victim of the shock sustained by the vessel? -Or rather was it a boat from the frigate, that was hailing us in the -darkness? - -Conseil made a last effort, and, leaning on my shoulder, while I struck -out in a desperate effort, he raised himself half out of the water, -then fell back exhausted. - -"What did you see?" - -"I saw----" murmured he; "I saw--but do not talk--reserve all your -strength!" - -What had he seen? Then, I know not why, the thought of the monster -came into my head for the first time! But that voice! The time is -past for Jonahs to take refuge in whales' bellies! However, Conseil -was towing me again. He raised his head sometimes, looked before us, -and uttered a cry of recognition, which was responded to by a voice -that came nearer and nearer. I scarcely heard it. My strength was -exhausted; my fingers stiffened; my hand afforded me support no longer; -my mouth, convulsively opening, filled with salt water. Cold crept -over me. I raised my head for the last time, then I sank. - -At this moment a hard body struck me. I clung to it: then I felt that -I was being drawn up, that I was brought to the surface of the water, -that my chest collapsed--I fainted. - -It is certain that I soon came to, thanks to the vigorous rubbings that -I received. I half opened my eyes. - -"Conseil!" I murmured. - -"Does master call me?" asked Conseil. - -Just then, by the waning light of the moon which was sinking down to -the horizon, I saw a face which was not Conseil's and which I -immediately recognised. - -"Ned!" I cried. - -"The same, sir, who is seeking his prize!" replied the Canadian. - -"Were you thrown into the sea by the shock to the frigate?" - -"Yes, Professor; but more fortunate than you, I was able to find a -footing almost directly upon a floating island." - -"An island?" - -"Or, more correctly speaking, on our gigantic narwhal." - -"Explain yourself, Ned!" - -"Only I soon found out why my harpoon had not entered its skin and was -blunted." - -"Why, Ned, why?" - -"Because, Professor, that beast is made of sheet iron." - -The Canadian's last words produced a sudden revolution in my brain. I -wriggled myself quickly to the top of the being, or object, half out of -the water, which served us for a refuge. I kicked it. It was -evidently a hard, impenetrable body, and not the soft substance that -forms the bodies of the great marine mammalia. But this hard body -might be a bony covering, like that of the antediluvian animals; and I -should be free to class this monster among amphibious reptiles, such as -tortoises or alligators. - -Well, no! the blackish back that supported me was smooth, polished, -without scales. The blow produced a metallic sound; and, incredible -though it may be, it seemed, I might say, as if it was made of riveted -plates. - -There was no doubt about it! This monster, this natural phenomenon -that had puzzled the learned world, and over thrown and misled the -imagination of seamen of both hemispheres, it must be owned was a still -more astonishing phenomenon, inasmuch as it was a simply human -construction. - -We had no time to lose, however. We were lying upon the back of a sort -of submarine boat, which appeared (as far as I could judge) like a huge -fish of steel. Ned Land's mind was made up on this point. Conseil and -I could only agree with him. - -Just then a bubbling began at the back of this strange thing (which was -evidently propelled by a screw), and it began to move. We had only -just time to seize hold of the upper part, which rose about seven feet -out of the water, and happily its speed was not great. - -"As long as it sails horizontally," muttered Ned Land, "I do not mind; -but, if it takes a fancy to dive, I would not give two straws for my -life." - -The Canadian might have said still less. It became really necessary to -communicate with the beings, whatever they were, shut up inside the -machine. I searched all over the outside for an aperture, a panel, or -a manhole, to use a technical expression; but the lines of the iron -rivets, solidly driven into the joints of the iron plates, were clear -and uniform. Besides, the moon disappeared then, and left us in total -darkness. - -At last this long night passed. My indistinct remembrance prevents my -describing all the impressions it made. I can only recall one -circumstance. During some lulls of the wind and sea, I fancied I heard -several times vague sounds, a sort of fugitive harmony produced by -words of command. What was, then, the mystery of this submarine craft, -of which the whole world vainly sought an explanation? What kind of -beings existed in this strange boat? What mechanical agent caused its -prodigious speed? - -Daybreak appeared. The morning mists surrounded us, but they soon -cleared off. I was about to examine the hull, which formed on deck a -kind of horizontal platform, when I felt it gradually sinking. - -"Oh! confound it!" cried Ned Land, kicking the resounding plate. -"Open, you inhospitable rascals!" - -Happily the sinking movement ceased. Suddenly a noise, like iron works -violently pushed aside, came from the interior of the boat. One iron -plate was moved, a man appeared, uttered an odd cry, and disappeared -immediately. - -Some moments after, eight strong men, with masked faces, appeared -noiselessly, and drew us down into their formidable machine. - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -MOBILIS IN MOBILI - -This forcible abduction, so roughly carried out, was accomplished with -the rapidity of lightning. I shivered all over. Whom had we to deal -with? No doubt some new sort of pirates, who explored the sea in their -own way. Hardly had the narrow panel closed upon me, when I was -enveloped in darkness. My eyes, dazzled with the outer light, could -distinguish nothing. I felt my naked feet cling to the rungs of an -iron ladder. Ned Land and Conseil, firmly seized, followed me. At the -bottom of the ladder, a door opened, and shut after us immediately with -a bang. - -We were alone. Where, I could not say, hardly imagine. All was black, -and such a dense black that, after some minutes, my eyes had not been -able to discern even the faintest glimmer. - -Meanwhile, Ned Land, furious at these proceedings, gave free vent to -his indignation. - -"Confound it!" cried he, "here are people who come up to the Scotch for -hospitality. They only just miss being cannibals. I should not be -surprised at it, but I declare that they shall not eat me without my -protesting." - -"Calm yourself, friend Ned, calm yourself," replied Conseil, quietly. -"Do not cry out before you are hurt. We are not quite done for yet." - -"Not quite," sharply replied the Canadian, "but pretty near, at all -events. Things look black. Happily, my bowie knife I have still, and -I can always see well enough to use it. The first of these pirates who -lays a hand on me----" - -"Do not excite yourself, Ned," I said to the harpooner, "and do not -compromise us by useless violence. Who knows that they will not listen -to us? Let us rather try to find out where we are." - -I groped about. In five steps I came to an iron wall, made of plates -bolted together. Then turning back I struck against a wooden table, -near which were ranged several stools. The boards of this prison were -concealed under a thick mat, which deadened the noise of the feet. The -bare walls revealed no trace of window or door. Conseil, going round -the reverse way, met me, and we went back to the middle of the cabin, -which measured about twenty feet by ten. As to its height, Ned Land, -in spite of his own great height, could not measure it. - -Half an hour had already passed without our situation being bettered, -when the dense darkness suddenly gave way to extreme light. Our prison -was suddenly lighted, that is to say, it became filled with a luminous -matter, so strong that I could not bear it at first. In its whiteness -and intensity I recognised that electric light which played round the -submarine boat like a magnificent phenomenon of phosphorescence. After -shutting my eyes involuntarily, I opened them, and saw that this -luminous agent came from a half globe, unpolished, placed in the roof -of the cabin. - -"At last one can see," cried Ned Land, who, knife in hand, stood on the -defensive. - -"Yes," said I; "but we are still in the dark about ourselves." - -"Let master have patience," said the imperturbable Conseil. - -The sudden lighting of the cabin enabled me to examine it minutely. It -only contained a table and five stools. The invisible door might be -hermetically sealed. No noise was heard. All seemed dead in the -interior of this boat. Did it move, did it float on the surface of the -ocean, or did it dive into its depths? I could not guess. - -A noise of bolts was now heard, the door opened, and two men appeared. - -One was short, very muscular, broad-shouldered, with robust limbs, -strong head, an abundance of black hair, thick moustache, a quick -penetrating look, and the vivacity which characterises the population -of Southern France. - -The second stranger merits a more detailed description. I made out his -prevailing qualities directly: self-confidence--because his head was -well set on his shoulders, and his black eyes looked around with cold -assurance; calmness--for his skin, rather pale, showed his coolness of -blood; energy--evinced by the rapid contraction of his lofty brows; and -courage--because his deep breathing denoted great power of lungs. - -Whether this person was thirty-five or fifty years of age, I could not -say. He was tall, had a large forehead, straight nose, a clearly cut -mouth, beautiful teeth, with fine taper hands, indicative of a highly -nervous temperament. This man was certainly the most admirable -specimen I had ever met. One particular feature was his eyes, rather -far from each other, and which could take in nearly a quarter of the -horizon at once. - -This faculty--(I verified it later)--gave him a range of vision far -superior to Ned Land's. When this stranger fixed upon an object, his -eyebrows met, his large eyelids closed around so as to contract the -range of his vision, and he looked as if he magnified the objects -lessened by distance, as if he pierced those sheets of water so opaque -to our eyes, and as if he read the very depths of the seas. - -The two strangers, with caps made from the fur of the sea otter, and -shod with sea boots of seal's skin, were dressed in clothes of a -particular texture, which allowed free movement of the limbs. The -taller of the two, evidently the chief on board, examined us with great -attention, without saying a word; then, turning to his companion, -talked with him in an unknown tongue. It was a sonorous, harmonious, -and flexible dialect, the vowels seeming to admit of very varied -accentuation. - -The other replied by a shake of the head, and added two or three -perfectly incomprehensible words. Then he seemed to question me by a -look. - -I replied in good French that I did not know his language; but he -seemed not to understand me, and my situation became more embarrassing. - -"If master were to tell our story," said Conseil, "perhaps these -gentlemen may understand some words." - -I began to tell our adventures, articulating each syllable clearly, and -without omitting one single detail. I announced our names and rank, -introducing in person Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and -master Ned Land, the harpooner. - -The man with the soft calm eyes listened to me quietly, even politely, -and with extreme attention; but nothing in his countenance indicated -that he had understood my story. When I finished, he said not a word. - -There remained one resource, to speak English. Perhaps they would know -this almost universal language. I knew it--as well as the German -language--well enough to read it fluently, but not to speak it -correctly. But, anyhow, we must make ourselves understood. - -"Go on in your turn," I said to the harpooner; "speak your best -Anglo-Saxon, and try to do better than I." - -Ned did not beg off, and recommenced our story. - -To his great disgust, the harpooner did not seem to have made himself -more intelligible than I had. Our visitors did not stir. They -evidently understood neither the language of England nor of France. - -Very much embarrassed, after having vainly exhausted our speaking -resources, I knew not what part to take, when Conseil said: - -"If master will permit me, I will relate it in German." - -But in spite of the elegant terms and good accent of the narrator, the -German language had no success. At last, nonplussed, I tried to -remember my first lessons, and to narrate our adventures in Latin, but -with no better success. This last attempt being of no avail, the two -strangers exchanged some words in their unknown language, and retired. - -The door shut. - -"It is an infamous shame," cried Ned Land, who broke out for the -twentieth time. "We speak to those rogues in French, English, German, -and Latin, and not one of them has the politeness to answer!" - -"Calm yourself," I said to the impetuous Ned; "anger will do no good." - -"But do you see, Professor," replied our irascible companion, "that we -shall absolutely die of hunger in this iron cage?" - -"Bah!" said Conseil, philosophically; "we can hold out some time yet." - -"My friends," I said, "we must not despair. We have been worse off -than this. Do me the favour to wait a little before forming an opinion -upon the commander and crew of this boat." - -"My opinion is formed," replied Ned Land, sharply. "They are rascals." - -"Good! and from what country?" - -"From the land of rogues!" - -"My brave Ned, that country is not clearly indicated on the map of the -world; but I admit that the nationality of the two strangers is hard to -determine. Neither English, French, nor German, that is quite certain. -However, I am inclined to think that the commander and his companion -were born in low latitudes. There is southern blood in them. But I -cannot decide by their appearance whether they are Spaniards, Turks, -Arabians, or Indians. As to their language, it is quite -incomprehensible." - -"There is the disadvantage of not knowing all languages," said Conseil, -"or the disadvantage of not having one universal language." - -As he said these words, the door opened. A steward entered. He -brought us clothes, coats and trousers, made of a stuff I did not know. -I hastened to dress myself, and my companions followed my example. -During that time, the steward--dumb, perhaps deaf--had arranged the -table, and laid three plates. - -"This is something like!" said Conseil. - -"Bah!" said the angry harpooner, "what do you suppose they eat here? -Tortoise liver, filleted shark, and beef steaks from seadogs." - -"We shall see," said Conseil. - -The dishes, of bell metal, were placed on the table, and we took our -places. Undoubtedly we had to do with civilised people, and, had it -not been for the electric light which flooded us, I could have fancied -I was in the dining-room of the Adelphi Hotel at Liverpool, or at the -Grand Hotel in Paris. I must say, however, that there was neither -bread nor wine. The water was fresh and clear, but it was water and -did not suit Ned Land's taste. Amongst the dishes which were brought -to us, I recognised several fish delicately dressed; but of some, -although excellent, I could give no opinion, neither could I tell to -what kingdom they belonged, whether animal or vegetable. As to the -dinner-service, it was elegant, and in perfect taste. Each -utensil--spoon, fork, knife, plate--had a letter engraved on it, with a -motto above it, of which this is an exact facsimile: - - -MOBILIS IN MOBILI N - -The letter N was no doubt the initial of the name of the enigmatical -person who commanded at the bottom of the seas. - -Ned and Conseil did not reflect much. They devoured the food, and I -did likewise. I was, besides, reassured as to our fate; and it seemed -evident that our hosts would not let us die of want. - -However, everything has an end, everything passes away, even the hunger -of people who have not eaten for fifteen hours. Our appetites -satisfied, we felt overcome with sleep. - -"Faith! I shall sleep well," said Conseil. - -"So shall I," replied Ned Land. - -My two companions stretched themselves on the cabin carpet, and were -soon sound asleep. For my own part, too many thoughts crowded my -brain, too many insoluble questions pressed upon me, too many fancies -kept my eyes half open. Where were we? What strange power carried us -on? I felt--or rather fancied I felt--the machine sinking down to the -lowest beds of the sea. Dreadful nightmares beset me; I saw in these -mysterious asylums a world of unknown animals, amongst which this -submarine boat seemed to be of the same kind, living, moving, and -formidable as they. Then my brain grew calmer, my imagination wandered -into vague unconsciousness, and I soon fell into a deep sleep. - - - -CHAPTER IX - -NED LAND'S TEMPERS - -How long we slept I do not know; but our sleep must have lasted long, -for it rested us completely from our fatigues. I woke first. My -companions had not moved, and were still stretched in their corner. - -Hardly roused from my somewhat hard couch, I felt my brain freed, my -mind clear. I then began an attentive examination of our cell. -Nothing was changed inside. The prison was still a prison--the -prisoners, prisoners. However, the steward, during our sleep, had -cleared the table. I breathed with difficulty. The heavy air seemed -to oppress my lungs. Although the cell was large, we had evidently -consumed a great part of the oxygen that it contained. Indeed, each -man consumes, in one hour, the oxygen contained in more than 176 pints -of air, and this air, charged (as then) with a nearly equal quantity of -carbonic acid, becomes unbreathable. - -It became necessary to renew the atmosphere of our prison, and no doubt -the whole in the submarine boat. That gave rise to a question in my -mind. How would the commander of this floating dwelling-place proceed? -Would he obtain air by chemical means, in getting by heat the oxygen -contained in chlorate of potash, and in absorbing carbonic acid by -caustic potash? Or--a more convenient, economical, and consequently -more probable alternative--would he be satisfied to rise and take -breath at the surface of the water, like a whale, and so renew for -twenty-four hours the atmospheric provision? - -In fact, I was already obliged to increase my respirations to eke out -of this cell the little oxygen it contained, when suddenly I was -refreshed by a current of pure air, and perfumed with saline -emanations. It was an invigorating sea breeze, charged with iodine. I -opened my mouth wide, and my lungs saturated themselves with fresh -particles. - -At the same time I felt the boat rolling. The iron-plated monster had -evidently just risen to the surface of the ocean to breathe, after the -fashion of whales. I found out from that the mode of ventilating the -boat. - -When I had inhaled this air freely, I sought the conduit pipe, which -conveyed to us the beneficial whiff, and I was not long in finding it. -Above the door was a ventilator, through which volumes of fresh air -renewed the impoverished atmosphere of the cell. - -I was making my observations, when Ned and Conseil awoke almost at the -same time, under the influence of this reviving air. They rubbed their -eyes, stretched themselves, and were on their feet in an instant. - -"Did master sleep well?" asked Conseil, with his usual politeness. - -"Very well, my brave boy. And you, Mr. Land?" - -"Soundly, Professor. But, I don't know if I am right or not, there -seems to be a sea breeze!" - -A seaman could not be mistaken, and I told the Canadian all that had -passed during his sleep. - -"Good!" said he. "That accounts for those roarings we heard, when the -supposed narwhal sighted the Abraham Lincoln." - -"Quite so, Master Land; it was taking breath." - -"Only, Mr. Aronnax, I have no idea what o'clock it is, unless it is -dinner-time." - -"Dinner-time! my good fellow? Say rather breakfast-time, for we -certainly have begun another day." - -"So," said Conseil, "we have slept twenty-four hours?" - -"That is my opinion." - -"I will not contradict you," replied Ned Land. "But, dinner or -breakfast, the steward will be welcome, whichever he brings." - -"Master Land, we must conform to the rules on board, and I suppose our -appetites are in advance of the dinner hour." - -"That is just like you, friend Conseil," said Ned, impatiently. "You -are never out of temper, always calm; you would return thanks before -grace, and die of hunger rather than complain!" - -Time was getting on, and we were fearfully hungry; and this time the -steward did not appear. It was rather too long to leave us, if they -really had good intentions towards us. Ned Land, tormented by the -cravings of hunger, got still more angry; and, notwithstanding his -promise, I dreaded an explosion when he found himself with one of the -crew. - -For two hours more Ned Land's temper increased; he cried, he shouted, -but in vain. The walls were deaf. There was no sound to be heard in -the boat; all was still as death. It did not move, for I should have -felt the trembling motion of the hull under the influence of the screw. -Plunged in the depths of the waters, it belonged no longer to earth: -this silence was dreadful. - -I felt terrified, Conseil was calm, Ned Land roared. - -Just then a noise was heard outside. Steps sounded on the metal flags. -The locks were turned, the door opened, and the steward appeared. - -Before I could rush forward to stop him, the Canadian had thrown him -down, and held him by the throat. The steward was choking under the -grip of his powerful hand. - -Conseil was already trying to unclasp the harpooner's hand from his -half-suffocated victim, and I was going to fly to the rescue, when -suddenly I was nailed to the spot by hearing these words in French: - -"Be quiet, Master Land; and you, Professor, will you be so good as to -listen to me?" - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE MAN OF THE SEAS - -It was the commander of the vessel who thus spoke. - -At these words, Ned Land rose suddenly. The steward, nearly strangled, -tottered out on a sign from his master. But such was the power of the -commander on board, that not a gesture betrayed the resentment which -this man must have felt towards the Canadian. Conseil interested in -spite of himself, I stupefied, awaited in silence the result of this -scene. - -The commander, leaning against the corner of a table with his arms -folded, scanned us with profound attention. Did he hesitate to speak? -Did he regret the words which he had just spoken in French? One might -almost think so. - -After some moments of silence, which not one of us dreamed of breaking, -"Gentlemen," said he, in a calm and penetrating voice, "I speak French, -English, German, and Latin equally well. I could, therefore, have -answered you at our first interview, but I wished to know you first, -then to reflect. The story told by each one, entirely agreeing in the -main points, convinced me of your identity. I know now that chance has -brought before me M. Pierre Aronnax, Professor of Natural History at -the Museum of Paris, entrusted with a scientific mission abroad, -Conseil, his servant, and Ned Land, of Canadian origin, harpooner on -board the frigate Abraham Lincoln of the navy of the United States of -America." - -I bowed assent. It was not a question that the commander put to me. -Therefore there was no answer to be made. This man expressed himself -with perfect ease, without any accent. His sentences were well turned, -his words clear, and his fluency of speech remarkable. Yet, I did not -recognise in him a fellow-countryman. - -He continued the conversation in these terms: - -"You have doubtless thought, sir, that I have delayed long in paying -you this second visit. The reason is that, your identity recognised, I -wished to weigh maturely what part to act towards you. I have -hesitated much. Most annoying circumstances have brought you into the -presence of a man who has broken all the ties of humanity. You have -come to trouble my existence." - -"Unintentionally!" said I. - -"Unintentionally?" replied the stranger, raising his voice a little. -"Was it unintentionally that the Abraham Lincoln pursued me all over -the seas? Was it unintentionally that you took passage in this -frigate? Was it unintentionally that your cannon-balls rebounded off -the plating of my vessel? Was it unintentionally that Mr. Ned Land -struck me with his harpoon?" - -I detected a restrained irritation in these words. But to these -recriminations I had a very natural answer to make, and I made it. - -"Sir," said I, "no doubt you are ignorant of the discussions which have -taken place concerning you in America and Europe. You do not know that -divers accidents, caused by collisions with your submarine machine, -have excited public feeling in the two continents. I omit the theories -without number by which it was sought to explain that of which you -alone possess the secret. But you must understand that, in pursuing -you over the high seas of the Pacific, the Abraham Lincoln believed -itself to be chasing some powerful sea-monster, of which it was -necessary to rid the ocean at any price." - -A half-smile curled the lips of the commander: then, in a calmer tone: - -"M. Aronnax," he replied, "dare you affirm that your frigate would not -as soon have pursued and cannonaded a submarine boat as a monster?" - -This question embarrassed me, for certainly Captain Farragut might not -have hesitated. He might have thought it his duty to destroy a -contrivance of this kind, as he would a gigantic narwhal. - -"You understand then, sir," continued the stranger, "that I have the -right to treat you as enemies?" - -I answered nothing, purposely. For what good would it be to discuss -such a proposition, when force could destroy the best arguments? - -"I have hesitated some time," continued the commander; "nothing obliged -me to show you hospitality. If I chose to separate myself from you, I -should have no interest in seeing you again; I could place you upon the -deck of this vessel which has served you as a refuge, I could sink -beneath the waters, and forget that you had ever existed. Would not -that be my right?" - -"It might be the right of a savage," I answered, "but not that of a -civilised man." - -"Professor," replied the commander, quickly, "I am not what you call a -civilised man! I have done with society entirely, for reasons which I -alone have the right of appreciating. I do not, therefore, obey its -laws, and I desire you never to allude to them before me again!" - -This was said plainly. A flash of anger and disdain kindled in the -eyes of the Unknown, and I had a glimpse of a terrible past in the life -of this man. Not only had he put himself beyond the pale of human -laws, but he had made himself independent of them, free in the -strictest acceptation of the word, quite beyond their reach! Who then -would dare to pursue him at the bottom of the sea, when, on its -surface, he defied all attempts made against him? - -What vessel could resist the shock of his submarine monitor? What -cuirass, however thick, could withstand the blows of his spur? No man -could demand from him an account of his actions; God, if he believed in -one--his conscience, if he had one--were the sole judges to whom he was -answerable. - -These reflections crossed my mind rapidly, whilst the stranger -personage was silent, absorbed, and as if wrapped up in himself. I -regarded him with fear mingled with interest, as, doubtless, OEdiphus -regarded the Sphinx. - -After rather a long silence, the commander resumed the conversation. - -"I have hesitated," said he, "but I have thought that my interest might -be reconciled with that pity to which every human being has a right. -You will remain on board my vessel, since fate has cast you there. You -will be free; and, in exchange for this liberty, I shall only impose -one single condition. Your word of honour to submit to it will -suffice." - -"Speak, sir," I answered. "I suppose this condition is one which a man -of honour may accept?" - -"Yes, sir; it is this: It is possible that certain events, unforeseen, -may oblige me to consign you to your cabins for some hours or some -days, as the case may be. As I desire never to use violence, I expect -from you, more than all the others, a passive obedience. In thus -acting, I take all the responsibility: I acquit you entirely, for I -make it an impossibility for you to see what ought not to be seen. Do -you accept this condition?" - -Then things took place on board which, to say the least, were singular, -and which ought not to be seen by people who were not placed beyond the -pale of social laws. Amongst the surprises which the future was -preparing for me, this might not be the least. - -"We accept," I answered; "only I will ask your permission, sir, to -address one question to you--one only." - -"Speak, sir." - -"You said that we should be free on board." - -"Entirely." - -"I ask you, then, what you mean by this liberty?" - -"Just the liberty to go, to come, to see, to observe even all that -passes here save under rare circumstances--the liberty, in short, which -we enjoy ourselves, my companions and I." - -It was evident that we did not understand one another. - -"Pardon me, sir," I resumed, "but this liberty is only what every -prisoner has of pacing his prison. It cannot suffice us." - -"It must suffice you, however." - -"What! we must renounce for ever seeing our country, our friends, our -relations again?" - -"Yes, sir. But to renounce that unendurable worldly yoke which men -believe to be liberty is not perhaps so painful as you think." - -"Well," exclaimed Ned Land, "never will I give my word of honour not to -try to escape." - -"I did not ask you for your word of honour, Master Land," answered the -commander, coldly. - -"Sir," I replied, beginning to get angry in spite of my self, "you -abuse your situation towards us; it is cruelty." - -"No, sir, it is clemency. You are my prisoners of war. I keep you, -when I could, by a word, plunge you into the depths of the ocean. You -attacked me. You came to surprise a secret which no man in the world -must penetrate--the secret of my whole existence. And you think that I -am going to send you back to that world which must know me no more? -Never! In retaining you, it is not you whom I guard--it is myself." - -These words indicated a resolution taken on the part of the commander, -against which no arguments would prevail. - -"So, sir," I rejoined, "you give us simply the choice between life and -death?" - -"Simply." - -"My friends," said I, "to a question thus put, there is nothing to -answer. But no word of honour binds us to the master of this vessel." - -"None, sir," answered the Unknown. - -Then, in a gentler tone, he continued: - -"Now, permit me to finish what I have to say to you. I know you, M. -Aronnax. You and your companions will not, perhaps, have so much to -complain of in the chance which has bound you to my fate. You will -find amongst the books which are my favourite study the work which you -have published on `the depths of the sea.' I have often read it. You -have carried out your work as far as terrestrial science permitted you. -But you do not know all--you have not seen all. Let me tell you then, -Professor, that you will not regret the time passed on board my vessel. -You are going to visit the land of marvels." - -These words of the commander had a great effect upon me. I cannot deny -it. My weak point was touched; and I forgot, for a moment, that the -contemplation of these sublime subjects was not worth the loss of -liberty. Besides, I trusted to the future to decide this grave -question. So I contented myself with saying: - -"By what name ought I to address you?" - -"Sir," replied the commander, "I am nothing to you but Captain Nemo; -and you and your companions are nothing to me but the passengers of the -Nautilus." - -Captain Nemo called. A steward appeared. The captain gave him his -orders in that strange language which I did not understand. Then, -turning towards the Canadian and Conseil: - -"A repast awaits you in your cabin," said he. "Be so good as to follow -this man. - -"And now, M. Aronnax, our breakfast is ready. Permit me to lead the -way." - -"I am at your service, Captain." - -I followed Captain Nemo; and as soon as I had passed through the door, -I found myself in a kind of passage lighted by electricity, similar to -the waist of a ship. After we had proceeded a dozen yards, a second -door opened before me. - -I then entered a dining-room, decorated and furnished in severe taste. -High oaken sideboards, inlaid with ebony, stood at the two extremities -of the room, and upon their shelves glittered china, porcelain, and -glass of inestimable value. The plate on the table sparkled in the -rays which the luminous ceiling shed around, while the light was -tempered and softened by exquisite paintings. - -In the centre of the room was a table richly laid out. Captain Nemo -indicated the place I was to occupy. - -The breakfast consisted of a certain number of dishes, the contents of -which were furnished by the sea alone; and I was ignorant of the nature -and mode of preparation of some of them. I acknowledged that they were -good, but they had a peculiar flavour, which I easily became accustomed -to. These different aliments appeared to me to be rich in phosphorus, -and I thought they must have a marine origin. - -Captain Nemo looked at me. I asked him no questions, but he guessed my -thoughts, and answered of his own accord the questions which I was -burning to address to him. - -"The greater part of these dishes are unknown to you," he said to me. -"However, you may partake of them without fear. They are wholesome and -nourishing. For a long time I have renounced the food of the earth, -and I am never ill now. My crew, who are healthy, are fed on the same -food." - -"So," said I, "all these eatables are the produce of the sea?" - -"Yes, Professor, the sea supplies all my wants. Sometimes I cast my -nets in tow, and I draw them in ready to break. Sometimes I hunt in -the midst of this element, which appears to be inaccessible to man, and -quarry the game which dwells in my submarine forests. My flocks, like -those of Neptune's old shepherds, graze fearlessly in the immense -prairies of the ocean. I have a vast property there, which I cultivate -myself, and which is always sown by the hand of the Creator of all -things." - -"I can understand perfectly, sir, that your nets furnish excellent fish -for your table; I can understand also that you hunt aquatic game in -your submarine forests; but I cannot understand at all how a particle -of meat, no matter how small, can figure in your bill of fare." - -"This, which you believe to be meat, Professor, is nothing else than -fillet of turtle. Here are also some dolphins' livers, which you take -to be ragout of pork. My cook is a clever fellow, who excels in -dressing these various products of the ocean. Taste all these dishes. -Here is a preserve of sea-cucumber, which a Malay would declare to be -unrivalled in the world; here is a cream, of which the milk has been -furnished by the cetacea, and the sugar by the great fucus of the North -Sea; and, lastly, permit me to offer you some preserve of anemones, -which is equal to that of the most delicious fruits." - -I tasted, more from curiosity than as a connoisseur, whilst Captain -Nemo enchanted me with his extraordinary stories. - -"You like the sea, Captain?" - -"Yes; I love it! The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the -terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense -desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all -sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful -existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the `Living -Infinite,' as one of your poets has said. In fact, Professor, Nature -manifests herself in it by her three kingdoms--mineral, vegetable, and -animal. The sea is the vast reservoir of Nature. The globe began with -sea, so to speak; and who knows if it will not end with it? In it is -supreme tranquillity. The sea does not belong to despots. Upon its -surface men can still exercise unjust laws, fight, tear one another to -pieces, and be carried away with terrestrial horrors. But at thirty -feet below its level, their reign ceases, their influence is quenched, -and their power disappears. Ah! sir, live--live in the bosom of the -waters! There only is independence! There I recognise no masters! -There I am free!" - -Captain Nemo suddenly became silent in the midst of this enthusiasm, by -which he was quite carried away. For a few moments he paced up and -down, much agitated. Then he became more calm, regained his accustomed -coldness of expression, and turning towards me: - -"Now, Professor," said he, "if you wish to go over the Nautilus, I am -at your service." - -Captain Nemo rose. I followed him. A double door, contrived at the -back of the dining-room, opened, and I entered a room equal in -dimensions to that which I had just quitted. - -It was a library. High pieces of furniture, of black violet ebony -inlaid with brass, supported upon their wide shelves a great number of -books uniformly bound. They followed the shape of the room, -terminating at the lower part in huge divans, covered with brown -leather, which were curved, to afford the greatest comfort. Light -movable desks, made to slide in and out at will, allowed one to rest -one's book while reading. In the centre stood an immense table, -covered with pamphlets, amongst which were some newspapers, already of -old date. The electric light flooded everything; it was shed from four -unpolished globes half sunk in the volutes of the ceiling. I looked -with real admiration at this room, so ingeniously fitted up, and I -could scarcely believe my eyes. - -"Captain Nemo," said I to my host, who had just thrown himself on one -of the divans, "this is a library which would do honour to more than -one of the continental palaces, and I am absolutely astounded when I -consider that it can follow you to the bottom of the seas." - -"Where could one find greater solitude or silence, Professor?" replied -Captain Nemo. "Did your study in the Museum afford you such perfect -quiet?" - -"No, sir; and I must confess that it is a very poor one after yours. -You must have six or seven thousand volumes here." - -"Twelve thousand, M. Aronnax. These are the only ties which bind me to -the earth. But I had done with the world on the day when my Nautilus -plunged for the first time beneath the waters. That day I bought my -last volumes, my last pamphlets, my last papers, and from that time I -wish to think that men no longer think or write. These books, -Professor, are at your service besides, and you can make use of them -freely." - -I thanked Captain Nemo, and went up to the shelves of the library. -Works on science, morals, and literature abounded in every language; -but I did not see one single work on political economy; that subject -appeared to be strictly proscribed. Strange to say, all these books -were irregularly arranged, in whatever language they were written; and -this medley proved that the Captain of the Nautilus must have read -indiscriminately the books which he took up by chance. - -"Sir," said I to the Captain, "I thank you for having placed this -library at my disposal. It contains treasures of science, and I shall -profit by them." - -"This room is not only a library," said Captain Nemo, "it is also a -smoking-room." - -"A smoking-room!" I cried. "Then one may smoke on board?" - -"Certainly." - -"Then, sir, I am forced to believe that you have kept up a -communication with Havannah." - -"Not any," answered the Captain. "Accept this cigar, M. Aronnax; and, -though it does not come from Havannah, you will be pleased with it, if -you are a connoisseur." - -I took the cigar which was offered me; its shape recalled the London -ones, but it seemed to be made of leaves of gold. I lighted it at a -little brazier, which was supported upon an elegant bronze stem, and -drew the first whiffs with the delight of a lover of smoking who has -not smoked for two days. - -"It is excellent, but it is not tobacco." - -"No!" answered the Captain, "this tobacco comes neither from Havannah -nor from the East. It is a kind of sea-weed, rich in nicotine, with -which the sea provides me, but somewhat sparingly." - -At that moment Captain Nemo opened a door which stood opposite to that -by which I had entered the library, and I passed into an immense -drawing-room splendidly lighted. - -It was a vast, four-sided room, thirty feet long, eighteen wide, and -fifteen high. A luminous ceiling, decorated with light arabesques, -shed a soft clear light over all the marvels accumulated in this -museum. For it was in fact a museum, in which an intelligent and -prodigal hand had gathered all the treasures of nature and art, with -the artistic confusion which distinguishes a painter's studio. - -Thirty first-rate pictures, uniformly framed, separated by bright -drapery, ornamented the walls, which were hung with tapestry of severe -design. I saw works of great value, the greater part of which I had -admired in the special collections of Europe, and in the exhibitions of -paintings. The several schools of the old masters were represented by a -Madonna of Raphael, a Virgin of Leonardo da Vinci, a nymph of Corregio, -a woman of Titan, an Adoration of Veronese, an Assumption of Murillo, a -portrait of Holbein, a monk of Velasquez, a martyr of Ribera, a fair of -Rubens, two Flemish landscapes of Teniers, three little "genre" -pictures of Gerard Dow, Metsu, and Paul Potter, two specimens of -Gericault and Prudhon, and some sea-pieces of Backhuysen and Vernet. -Amongst the works of modern painters were pictures with the signatures -of Delacroix, Ingres, Decamps, Troyon, Meissonier, Daubigny, etc.; and -some admirable statues in marble and bronze, after the finest antique -models, stood upon pedestals in the corners of this magnificent museum. -Amazement, as the Captain of the Nautilus had predicted, had already -begun to take possession of me. - -"Professor," said this strange man, "you must excuse the unceremonious -way in which I receive you, and the disorder of this room." - -"Sir," I answered, "without seeking to know who you are, I recognise in -you an artist." - -"An amateur, nothing more, sir. Formerly I loved to collect these -beautiful works created by the hand of man. I sought them greedily, -and ferreted them out indefatigably, and I have been able to bring -together some objects of great value. These are my last souvenirs of -that world which is dead to me. In my eyes, your modern artists are -already old; they have two or three thousand years of existence; I -confound them in my own mind. Masters have no age." - -"And these musicians?" said I, pointing out some works of Weber, -Rossini, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Meyerbeer, Herold, Wagner, Auber, -Gounod, and a number of others, scattered over a large model -piano-organ which occupied one of the panels of the drawing-room. - -"These musicians," replied Captain Nemo, "are the contemporaries of -Orpheus; for in the memory of the dead all chronological differences -are effaced; and I am dead, Professor; as much dead as those of your -friends who are sleeping six feet under the earth!" - -Captain Nemo was silent, and seemed lost in a profound reverie. I -contemplated him with deep interest, analysing in silence the strange -expression of his countenance. Leaning on his elbow against an angle of -a costly mosaic table, he no longer saw me,--he had forgotten my -presence. - -I did not disturb this reverie, and continued my observation of the -curiosities which enriched this drawing-room. - -Under elegant glass cases, fixed by copper rivets, were classed and -labelled the most precious productions of the sea which had ever been -presented to the eye of a naturalist. My delight as a professor may be -conceived. - -The division containing the zoophytes presented the most curious -specimens of the two groups of polypi and echinodermes. In the first -group, the tubipores, were gorgones arranged like a fan, soft sponges -of Syria, ises of the Moluccas, pennatules, an admirable virgularia of -the Norwegian seas, variegated unbellulairae, alcyonariae, a whole -series of madrepores, which my master Milne Edwards has so cleverly -classified, amongst which I remarked some wonderful flabellinae -oculinae of the Island of Bourbon, the "Neptune's car" of the Antilles, -superb varieties of corals--in short, every species of those curious -polypi of which entire islands are formed, which will one day become -continents. Of the echinodermes, remarkable for their coating of -spines, asteri, sea-stars, pantacrinae, comatules, asterophons, echini, -holothuri, etc., represented individually a complete collection of this -group. - -A somewhat nervous conchyliologist would certainly have fainted before -other more numerous cases, in which were classified the specimens of -molluscs. It was a collection of inestimable value, which time fails me -to describe minutely. Amongst these specimens I will quote from memory -only the elegant royal hammer-fish of the Indian Ocean, whose regular -white spots stood out brightly on a red and brown ground, an imperial -spondyle, bright-coloured, bristling with spines, a rare specimen in -the European museums--(I estimated its value at not less than L1000); a -common hammer-fish of the seas of New Holland, which is only procured -with difficulty; exotic buccardia of Senegal; fragile white bivalve -shells, which a breath might shatter like a soap-bubble; several -varieties of the aspirgillum of Java, a kind of calcareous tube, edged -with leafy folds, and much debated by amateurs; a whole series of -trochi, some a greenish-yellow, found in the American seas, others a -reddish-brown, natives of Australian waters; others from the Gulf of -Mexico, remarkable for their imbricated shell; stellari found in the -Southern Seas; and last, the rarest of all, the magnificent spur of New -Zealand; and every description of delicate and fragile shells to which -science has given appropriate names. - -Apart, in separate compartments, were spread out chaplets of pearls of -the greatest beauty, which reflected the electric light in little -sparks of fire; pink pearls, torn from the pinna-marina of the Red Sea; -green pearls of the haliotyde iris; yellow, blue and black pearls, the -curious productions of the divers molluscs of every ocean, and certain -mussels of the water-courses of the North; lastly, several specimens of -inestimable value which had been gathered from the rarest pintadines. -Some of these pearls were larger than a pigeon's egg, and were worth as -much, and more than that which the traveller Tavernier sold to the Shah -of Persia for three millions, and surpassed the one in the possession -of the Imaum of Muscat, which I had believed to be unrivalled in the -world. - -Therefore, to estimate the value of this collection was simply -impossible. Captain Nemo must have expended millions in the -acquirement of these various specimens, and I was thinking what source -he could have drawn from, to have been able thus to gratify his fancy -for collecting, when I was interrupted by these words: - -"You are examining my shells, Professor? Unquestionably they must be -interesting to a naturalist; but for me they have a far greater charm, -for I have collected them all with my own hand, and there is not a sea -on the face of the globe which has escaped my researches." - -"I can understand, Captain, the delight of wandering about in the midst -of such riches. You are one of those who have collected their -treasures themselves. No museum in Europe possesses such a collection -of the produce of the ocean. But if I exhaust all my admiration upon -it, I shall have none left for the vessel which carries it. I do not -wish to pry into your secrets: but I must confess that this Nautilus, -with the motive power which is confined in it, the contrivances which -enable it to be worked, the powerful agent which propels it, all excite -my curiosity to the highest pitch. I see suspended on the walls of -this room instruments of whose use I am ignorant." - -"You will find these same instruments in my own room, Professor, where -I shall have much pleasure in explaining their use to you. But first -come and inspect the cabin which is set apart for your own use. You -must see how you will be accommodated on board the Nautilus." - -I followed Captain Nemo who, by one of the doors opening from each -panel of the drawing-room, regained the waist. He conducted me towards -the bow, and there I found, not a cabin, but an elegant room, with a -bed, dressing-table, and several other pieces of excellent furniture. - -I could only thank my host. - -"Your room adjoins mine," said he, opening a door, "and mine opens into -the drawing-room that we have just quitted." - -I entered the Captain's room: it had a severe, almost a monkish -aspect. A small iron bedstead, a table, some articles for the toilet; -the whole lighted by a skylight. No comforts, the strictest -necessaries only. - -Captain Nemo pointed to a seat. - -"Be so good as to sit down," he said. I seated myself, and he began -thus: - - - -CHAPTER XI - -ALL BY ELECTRICITY - -"Sir," said Captain Nemo, showing me the instruments hanging on the -walls of his room, "here are the contrivances required for the -navigation of the Nautilus. Here, as in the drawing-room, I have them -always under my eyes, and they indicate my position and exact direction -in the middle of the ocean. Some are known to you, such as the -thermometer, which gives the internal temperature of the Nautilus; the -barometer, which indicates the weight of the air and foretells the -changes of the weather; the hygrometer, which marks the dryness of the -atmosphere; the storm-glass, the contents of which, by decomposing, -announce the approach of tempests; the compass, which guides my course; -the sextant, which shows the latitude by the altitude of the sun; -chronometers, by which I calculate the longitude; and glasses for day -and night, which I use to examine the points of the horizon, when the -Nautilus rises to the surface of the waves." - -"These are the usual nautical instruments," I replied, "and I know the -use of them. But these others, no doubt, answer to the particular -requirements of the Nautilus. This dial with movable needle is a -manometer, is it not?" - -"It is actually a manometer. But by communication with the water, -whose external pressure it indicates, it gives our depth at the same -time." - -"And these other instruments, the use of which I cannot guess?" - -"Here, Professor, I ought to give you some explanations. Will you be -kind enough to listen to me?" - -He was silent for a few moments, then he said: - -"There is a powerful agent, obedient, rapid, easy, which conforms to -every use, and reigns supreme on board my vessel. Everything is done -by means of it. It lights, warms it, and is the soul of my mechanical -apparatus. This agent is electricity." - -"Electricity?" I cried in surprise. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Nevertheless, Captain, you possess an extreme rapidity of movement, -which does not agree well with the power of electricity. Until now, -its dynamic force has remained under restraint, and has only been able -to produce a small amount of power." - -"Professor," said Captain Nemo, "my electricity is not everybody's. -You know what sea-water is composed of. In a thousand grammes are -found 96 1/2 per cent. of water, and about 2 2/3 per cent. of chloride -of sodium; then, in a smaller quantity, chlorides of magnesium and of -potassium, bromide of magnesium, sulphate of magnesia, sulphate and -carbonate of lime. You see, then, that chloride of sodium forms a -large part of it. So it is this sodium that I extract from the -sea-water, and of which I compose my ingredients. I owe all to the -ocean; it produces electricity, and electricity gives heat, light, -motion, and, in a word, life to the Nautilus." - -"But not the air you breathe?" - -"Oh! I could manufacture the air necessary for my consumption, but it -is useless, because I go up to the surface of the water when I please. -However, if electricity does not furnish me with air to breathe, it -works at least the powerful pumps that are stored in spacious -reservoirs, and which enable me to prolong at need, and as long as I -will, my stay in the depths of the sea. It gives a uniform and -unintermittent light, which the sun does not. Now look at this clock; -it is electrical, and goes with a regularity that defies the best -chronometers. I have divided it into twenty-four hours, like the -Italian clocks, because for me there is neither night nor day, sun nor -moon, but only that factitious light that I take with me to the bottom -of the sea. Look! just now, it is ten o'clock in the morning." - -"Exactly." - -"Another application of electricity. This dial hanging in front of us -indicates the speed of the Nautilus. An electric thread puts it in -communication with the screw, and the needle indicates the real speed. -Look! now we are spinning along with a uniform speed of fifteen miles -an hour." - -"It is marvelous! And I see, Captain, you were right to make use of -this agent that takes the place of wind, water, and steam." - -"We have not finished, M. Aronnax," said Captain Nemo, rising. "If you -will allow me, we will examine the stern of the Nautilus." - -Really, I knew already the anterior part of this submarine boat, of -which this is the exact division, starting from the ship's head: the -dining-room, five yards long, separated from the library by a -water-tight partition; the library, five yards long; the large -drawing-room, ten yards long, separated from the Captain's room by a -second water-tight partition; the said room, five yards in length; -mine, two and a half yards; and, lastly a reservoir of air, seven and a -half yards, that extended to the bows. Total length thirty five yards, -or one hundred and five feet. The partitions had doors that were shut -hermetically by means of india-rubber instruments, and they ensured the -safety of the Nautilus in case of a leak. - -I followed Captain Nemo through the waist, and arrived at the centre of -the boat. There was a sort of well that opened between two partitions. -An iron ladder, fastened with an iron hook to the partition, led to the -upper end. I asked the Captain what the ladder was used for. - -"It leads to the small boat," he said. - -"What! have you a boat?" I exclaimed, in surprise. - -"Of course; an excellent vessel, light and insubmersible, that serves -either as a fishing or as a pleasure boat." - -"But then, when you wish to embark, you are obliged to come to the -surface of the water?" - -"Not at all. This boat is attached to the upper part of the hull of -the Nautilus, and occupies a cavity made for it. It is decked, quite -water-tight, and held together by solid bolts. This ladder leads to a -man-hole made in the hull of the Nautilus, that corresponds with a -similar hole made in the side of the boat. By this double opening I -get into the small vessel. They shut the one belonging to the -Nautilus; I shut the other by means of screw pressure. I undo the -bolts, and the little boat goes up to the surface of the sea with -prodigious rapidity. I then open the panel of the bridge, carefully -shut till then; I mast it, hoist my sail, take my oars, and I'm off." - -"But how do you get back on board?" - -"I do not come back, M. Aronnax; the Nautilus comes to me." - -"By your orders?" - -"By my orders. An electric thread connects us. I telegraph to it, and -that is enough." - -"Really," I said, astonished at these marvels, "nothing can be more -simple." - -After having passed by the cage of the staircase that led to the -platform, I saw a cabin six feet long, in which Conseil and Ned Land, -enchanted with their repast, were devouring it with avidity. Then a -door opened into a kitchen nine feet long, situated between the large -store-rooms. There electricity, better than gas itself, did all the -cooking. The streams under the furnaces gave out to the sponges of -platina a heat which was regularly kept up and distributed. They also -heated a distilling apparatus, which, by evaporation, furnished -excellent drinkable water. Near this kitchen was a bathroom -comfortably furnished, with hot and cold water taps. - -Next to the kitchen was the berth-room of the vessel, sixteen feet -long. But the door was shut, and I could not see the management of it, -which might have given me an idea of the number of men employed on -board the Nautilus. - -At the bottom was a fourth partition that separated this office from -the engine-room. A door opened, and I found myself in the compartment -where Captain Nemo--certainly an engineer of a very high order--had -arranged his locomotive machinery. This engine-room, clearly lighted, -did not measure less than sixty-five feet in length. It was divided -into two parts; the first contained the materials for producing -electricity, and the second the machinery that connected it with the -screw. I examined it with great interest, in order to understand the -machinery of the Nautilus. - -"You see," said the Captain, "I use Bunsen's contrivances, not -Ruhmkorff's. Those would not have been powerful enough. Bunsen's are -fewer in number, but strong and large, which experience proves to be -the best. The electricity produced passes forward, where it works, by -electro-magnets of great size, on a system of levers and cog-wheels -that transmit the movement to the axle of the screw. This one, the -diameter of which is nineteen feet, and the thread twenty-three feet, -performs about 120 revolutions in a second." - -"And you get then?" - -"A speed of fifty miles an hour." - -"I have seen the Nautilus manoeuvre before the Abraham Lincoln, and I -have my own ideas as to its speed. But this is not enough. We must -see where we go. We must be able to direct it to the right, to the -left, above, below. How do you get to the great depths, where you find -an increasing resistance, which is rated by hundreds of atmospheres? -How do you return to the surface of the ocean? And how do you maintain -yourselves in the requisite medium? Am I asking too much?" - -"Not at all, Professor," replied the Captain, with some hesitation; -"since you may never leave this submarine boat. Come into the saloon, -it is our usual study, and there you will learn all you want to know -about the Nautilus." - - - -CHAPTER XII - -SOME FIGURES - -A moment after we were seated on a divan in the saloon smoking. The -Captain showed me a sketch that gave the plan, section, and elevation -of the Nautilus. Then he began his description in these words: - -"Here, M. Aronnax, are the several dimensions of the boat you are in. -It is an elongated cylinder with conical ends. It is very like a cigar -in shape, a shape already adopted in London in several constructions of -the same sort. The length of this cylinder, from stem to stern, is -exactly 232 feet, and its maximum breadth is twenty-six feet. It is -not built quite like your long-voyage steamers, but its lines are -sufficiently long, and its curves prolonged enough, to allow the water -to slide off easily, and oppose no obstacle to its passage. These two -dimensions enable you to obtain by a simple calculation the surface and -cubic contents of the Nautilus. Its area measures 6,032 feet; and its -contents about 1,500 cubic yards; that is to say, when completely -immersed it displaces 50,000 feet of water, or weighs 1,500 tons. - -"When I made the plans for this submarine vessel, I meant that -nine-tenths should be submerged: consequently it ought only to -displace nine-tenths of its bulk, that is to say, only to weigh that -number of tons. I ought not, therefore, to have exceeded that weight, -constructing it on the aforesaid dimensions. - -"The Nautilus is composed of two hulls, one inside, the other outside, -joined by T-shaped irons, which render it very strong. Indeed, owing -to this cellular arrangement it resists like a block, as if it were -solid. Its sides cannot yield; it coheres spontaneously, and not by -the closeness of its rivets; and its perfect union of the materials -enables it to defy the roughest seas. - -"These two hulls are composed of steel plates, whose density is from .7 -to .8 that of water. The first is not less than two inches and a half -thick and weighs 394 tons. The second envelope, the keel, twenty -inches high and ten thick, weighs only sixty-two tons. The engine, the -ballast, the several accessories and apparatus appendages, the -partitions and bulkheads, weigh 961.62 tons. Do you follow all this?" - -"I do." - -"Then, when the Nautilus is afloat under these circumstances, one-tenth -is out of the water. Now, if I have made reservoirs of a size equal to -this tenth, or capable of holding 150 tons, and if I fill them with -water, the boat, weighing then 1,507 tons, will be completely immersed. -That would happen, Professor. These reservoirs are in the lower part -of the Nautilus. I turn on taps and they fill, and the vessel sinks -that had just been level with the surface." - -"Well, Captain, but now we come to the real difficulty. I can -understand your rising to the surface; but, diving below the surface, -does not your submarine contrivance encounter a pressure, and -consequently undergo an upward thrust of one atmosphere for every -thirty feet of water, just about fifteen pounds per square inch?" - -"Just so, sir." - -"Then, unless you quite fill the Nautilus, I do not see how you can -draw it down to those depths." - -"Professor, you must not confound statics with dynamics or you will be -exposed to grave errors. There is very little labour spent in -attaining the lower regions of the ocean, for all bodies have a -tendency to sink. When I wanted to find out the necessary increase of -weight required to sink the Nautilus, I had only to calculate the -reduction of volume that sea-water acquires according to the depth." - -"That is evident." - -"Now, if water is not absolutely incompressible, it is at least capable -of very slight compression. Indeed, after the most recent calculations -this reduction is only .000436 of an atmosphere for each thirty feet of -depth. If we want to sink 3,000 feet, I should keep account of the -reduction of bulk under a pressure equal to that of a column of water -of a thousand feet. The calculation is easily verified. Now, I have -supplementary reservoirs capable of holding a hundred tons. Therefore -I can sink to a considerable depth. When I wish to rise to the level -of the sea, I only let off the water, and empty all the reservoirs if I -want the Nautilus to emerge from the tenth part of her total capacity." - -I had nothing to object to these reasonings. - -"I admit your calculations, Captain," I replied; "I should be wrong to -dispute them since daily experience confirms them; but I foresee a real -difficulty in the way." - -"What, sir?" - -"When you are about 1,000 feet deep, the walls of the Nautilus bear a -pressure of 100 atmospheres. If, then, just now you were to empty the -supplementary reservoirs, to lighten the vessel, and to go up to the -surface, the pumps must overcome the pressure of 100 atmospheres, which -is 1,500 lbs. per square inch. From that a power----" - -"That electricity alone can give," said the Captain, hastily. "I -repeat, sir, that the dynamic power of my engines is almost infinite. -The pumps of the Nautilus have an enormous power, as you must have -observed when their jets of water burst like a torrent upon the Abraham -Lincoln. Besides, I use subsidiary reservoirs only to attain a mean -depth of 750 to 1,000 fathoms, and that with a view of managing my -machines. Also, when I have a mind to visit the depths of the ocean -five or six mlles below the surface, I make use of slower but not less -infallible means." - -"What are they, Captain?" - -"That involves my telling you how the Nautilus is worked." - -"I am impatient to learn." - -"To steer this boat to starboard or port, to turn, in a word, following -a horizontal plan, I use an ordinary rudder fixed on the back of the -stern-post, and with one wheel and some tackle to steer by. But I can -also make the Nautilus rise and sink, and sink and rise, by a vertical -movement by means of two inclined planes fastened to its sides, -opposite the centre of flotation, planes that move in every direction, -and that are worked by powerful levers from the interior. If the -planes are kept parallel with the boat, it moves horizontally. If -slanted, the Nautilus, according to this inclination, and under the -influence of the screw, either sinks diagonally or rises diagonally as -it suits me. And even if I wish to rise more quickly to the surface, I -ship the screw, and the pressure of the water causes the Nautilus to -rise vertically like a balloon filled with hydrogen." - -"Bravo, Captain! But how can the steersman follow the route in the -middle of the waters?" - -"The steersman is placed in a glazed box, that is raised about the hull -of the Nautilus, and furnished with lenses." - -"Are these lenses capable of resisting such pressure?" - -"Perfectly. Glass, which breaks at a blow, is, nevertheless, capable -of offering considerable resistance. During some experiments of -fishing by electric light in 1864 in the Northern Seas, we saw plates -less than a third of an inch thick resist a pressure of sixteen -atmospheres. Now, the glass that I use is not less than thirty times -thicker." - -"Granted. But, after all, in order to see, the light must exceed the -darkness, and in the midst of the darkness in the water, how can you -see?" - -"Behind the steersman's cage is placed a powerful electric reflector, -the rays from which light up the sea for half a mile in front." - -"Ah! bravo, bravo, Captain! Now I can account for this phosphorescence -in the supposed narwhal that puzzled us so. I now ask you if the -boarding of the Nautilus and of the Scotia, that has made such a noise, -has been the result of a chance rencontre?" - -"Quite accidental, sir. I was sailing only one fathom below the -surface of the water when the shock came. It had no bad result." - -"None, sir. But now, about your rencontre with the Abraham Lincoln?" - -"Professor, I am sorry for one of the best vessels in the American -navy; but they attacked me, and I was bound to defend myself. I -contented myself, however, with putting the frigate hors de combat; she -will not have any difficulty in getting repaired at the next port." - -"Ah, Commander! your Nautilus is certainly a marvellous boat." - -"Yes, Professor; and I love it as if it were part of myself. If danger -threatens one of your vessels on the ocean, the first impression is the -feeling of an abyss above and below. On the Nautilus men's hearts -never fail them. No defects to be afraid of, for the double shell is -as firm as iron; no rigging to attend to; no sails for the wind to -carry away; no boilers to burst; no fire to fear, for the vessel is -made of iron, not of wood; no coal to run short, for electricity is the -only mechanical agent; no collision to fear, for it alone swims in deep -water; no tempest to brave, for when it dives below the water it -reaches absolute tranquillity. There, sir! that is the perfection of -vessels! And if it is true that the engineer has more confidence in -the vessel than the builder, and the builder than the captain himself, -you understand the trust I repose in my Nautilus; for I am at once -captain, builder, and engineer." - -"But how could you construct this wonderful Nautilus in secret?" - -"Each separate portion, M. Aronnax, was brought from different parts of -the globe." - -"But these parts had to be put together and arranged?" - -"Professor, I had set up my workshops upon a desert island in the -ocean. There my workmen, that is to say, the brave men that I -instructed and educated, and myself have put together our Nautilus. -Then, when the work was finished, fire destroyed all trace of our -proceedings on this island, that I could have jumped over if I had -liked." - -"Then the cost of this vessel is great?" - -"M. Aronnax, an iron vessel costs L145 per ton. Now the Nautilus -weighed 1,500. It came therefore to L67,500, and L80,000 more for -fitting it up, and about L200,000, with the works of art and the -collections it contains." - -"One last question, Captain Nemo." - -"Ask it, Professor." - -"You are rich?" - -"Immensely rich, sir; and I could, without missing it, pay the national -debt of France." - -I stared at the singular person who spoke thus. Was he playing upon my -credulity? The future would decide that. - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE BLACK RIVER - -The portion of the terrestrial globe which is covered by water is -estimated at upwards of eighty millions of acres. This fluid mass -comprises two billions two hundred and fifty millions of cubic miles, -forming a spherical body of a diameter of sixty leagues, the weight of -which would be three quintillions of tons. To comprehend the meaning -of these figures, it is necessary to observe that a quintillion is to a -billion as a billion is to unity; in other words, there are as many -billions in a quintillion as there are units in a billion. This mass -of fluid is equal to about the quantity of water which would be -discharged by all the rivers of the earth in forty thousand years. - -During the geological epochs the ocean originally prevailed everywhere. -Then by degrees, in the silurian period, the tops of the mountains -began to appear, the islands emerged, then disappeared in partial -deluges, reappeared, became settled, formed continents, till at length -the earth became geographically arranged, as we see in the present day. -The solid had wrested from the liquid thirty-seven million six hundred -and fifty-seven square miles, equal to twelve billions nine hundred and -sixty millions of acres. - -The shape of continents allows us to divide the waters into five great -portions: the Arctic or Frozen Ocean, the Antarctic, or Frozen Ocean, -the Indian, the Atlantic, and the Pacific Oceans. - -The Pacific Ocean extends from north to south between the two Polar -Circles, and from east to west between Asia and America, over an extent -of 145 degrees of longitude. It is the quietest of seas; its currents -are broad and slow, it has medium tides, and abundant rain. Such was -the ocean that my fate destined me first to travel over under these -strange conditions. - -"Sir," said Captain Nemo, "we will, if you please, take our bearings -and fix the starting-point of this voyage. It is a quarter to twelve; -I will go up again to the surface." - -The Captain pressed an electric clock three times. The pumps began to -drive the water from the tanks; the needle of the manometer marked by a -different pressure the ascent of the Nautilus, then it stopped. - -"We have arrived," said the Captain. - -I went to the central staircase which opened on to the platform, -clambered up the iron steps, and found myself on the upper part of the -Nautilus. - -The platform was only three feet out of water. The front and back of -the Nautilus was of that spindle-shape which caused it justly to be -compared to a cigar. I noticed that its iron plates, slightly -overlaying each other, resembled the shell which clothes the bodies of -our large terrestrial reptiles. It explained to me how natural it was, -in spite of all glasses, that this boat should have been taken for a -marine animal. - -Toward the middle of the platform the longboat, half buried in the hull -of the vessel, formed a slight excrescence. Fore and aft rose two -cages of medium height with inclined sides, and partly closed by thick -lenticular glasses; one destined for the steersman who directed the -Nautilus, the other containing a brilliant lantern to give light on the -road. - -The sea was beautiful, the sky pure. Scarcely could the long vehicle -feel the broad undulations of the ocean. A light breeze from the east -rippled the surface of the waters. The horizon, free from fog, made -observation easy. Nothing was in sight. Not a quicksand, not an -island. A vast desert. - -Captain Nemo, by the help of his sextant, took the altitude of the sun, -which ought also to give the latitude. He waited for some moments till -its disc touched the horizon. Whilst taking observations not a muscle -moved, the instrument could not have been more motionless in a hand of -marble. - -"Twelve o'clock, sir," said he. "When you like----" - -I cast a last look upon the sea, slightly yellowed by the Japanese -coast, and descended to the saloon. - -"And now, sir, I leave you to your studies," added the Captain; "our -course is E.N.E., our depth is twenty-six fathoms. Here are maps on a -large scale by which you may follow it. The saloon is at your -disposal, and, with your permission, I will retire." Captain Nemo -bowed, and I remained alone, lost in thoughts all bearing on the -commander of the Nautilus. - -For a whole hour was I deep in these reflections, seeking to pierce -this mystery so interesting to me. Then my eyes fell upon the vast -planisphere spread upon the table, and I placed my finger on the very -spot where the given latitude and longitude crossed. - -The sea has its large rivers like the continents. They are special -currents known by their temperature and their colour. The most -remarkable of these is known by the name of the Gulf Stream. Science -has decided on the globe the direction of five principal currents: one -in the North Atlantic, a second in the South, a third in the North -Pacific, a fourth in the South, and a fifth in the Southern Indian -Ocean. It is even probable that a sixth current existed at one time or -another in the Northern Indian Ocean, when the Caspian and Aral Seas -formed but one vast sheet of water. - -At this point indicated on the planisphere one of these currents was -rolling, the Kuro-Scivo of the Japanese, the Black River, which, -leaving the Gulf of Bengal, where it is warmed by the perpendicular -rays of a tropical sun, crosses the Straits of Malacca along the coast -of Asia, turns into the North Pacific to the Aleutian Islands, carrying -with it trunks of camphor-trees and other indigenous productions, and -edging the waves of the ocean with the pure indigo of its warm water. -It was this current that the Nautilus was to follow. I followed it -with my eye; saw it lose itself in the vastness of the Pacific, and -felt myself drawn with it, when Ned Land and Conseil appeared at the -door of the saloon. - -My two brave companions remained petrified at the sight of the wonders -spread before them. - -"Where are we, where are we?" exclaimed the Canadian. "In the museum -at Quebec?" - -"My friends," I answered, making a sign for them to enter, "you are not -in Canada, but on board the Nautilus, fifty yards below the level of -the sea." - -"But, M. Aronnax," said Ned Land, "can you tell me how many men there -are on board? Ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred?" - -"I cannot answer you, Mr. Land; it is better to abandon for a time all -idea of seizing the Nautilus or escaping from it. This ship is a -masterpiece of modern industry, and I should be sorry not to have seen -it. Many people would accept the situation forced upon us, if only to -move amongst such wonders. So be quiet and let us try and see what -passes around us." - -"See!" exclaimed the harpooner, "but we can see nothing in this iron -prison! We are walking--we are sailing--blindly." - -Ned Land had scarcely pronounced these words when all was suddenly -darkness. The luminous ceiling was gone, and so rapidly that my eyes -received a painful impression. - -We remained mute, not stirring, and not knowing what surprise awaited -us, whether agreeable or disagreeable. A sliding noise was heard: one -would have said that panels were working at the sides of the Nautilus. - -"It is the end of the end!" said Ned Land. - -Suddenly light broke at each side of the saloon, through two oblong -openings. The liquid mass appeared vividly lit up by the electric -gleam. Two crystal plates separated us from the sea. At first I -trembled at the thought that this frail partition might break, but -strong bands of copper bound them, giving an almost infinite power of -resistance. - -The sea was distinctly visible for a mile all round the Nautilus. What -a spectacle! What pen can describe it? Who could paint the effects of -the light through those transparent sheets of water, and the softness -of the successive gradations from the lower to the superior strata of -the ocean? - -We know the transparency of the sea and that its clearness is far -beyond that of rock-water. The mineral and organic substances which it -holds in suspension heightens its transparency. In certain parts of -the ocean at the Antilles, under seventy-five fathoms of water, can be -seen with surprising clearness a bed of sand. The penetrating power of -the solar rays does not seem to cease for a depth of one hundred and -fifty fathoms. But in this middle fluid travelled over by the -Nautilus, the electric brightness was produced even in the bosom of the -waves. It was no longer luminous water, but liquid light. - -On each side a window opened into this unexplored abyss. The obscurity -of the saloon showed to advantage the brightness outside, and we looked -out as if this pure crystal had been the glass of an immense aquarium. - -"You wished to see, friend Ned; well, you see now." - -"Curious! curious!" muttered the Canadian, who, forgetting his -ill-temper, seemed to submit to some irresistible attraction; "and one -would come further than this to admire such a sight!" - -"Ah!" thought I to myself, "I understand the life of this man; he has -made a world apart for himself, in which he treasures all his greatest -wonders." - -For two whole hours an aquatic army escorted the Nautilus. During -their games, their bounds, while rivalling each other in beauty, -brightness, and velocity, I distinguished the green labre; the banded -mullet, marked by a double line of black; the round-tailed goby, of a -white colour, with violet spots on the back; the Japanese scombrus, a -beautiful mackerel of these seas, with a blue body and silvery head; -the brilliant azurors, whose name alone defies description; some banded -spares, with variegated fins of blue and yellow; the woodcocks of the -seas, some specimens of which attain a yard in length; Japanese -salamanders, spider lampreys, serpents six feet long, with eyes small -and lively, and a huge mouth bristling with teeth; with many other -species. - -Our imagination was kept at its height, interjections followed quickly -on each other. Ned named the fish, and Conseil classed them. I was in -ecstasies with the vivacity of their movements and the beauty of their -forms. Never had it been given to me to surprise these animals, alive -and at liberty, in their natural element. I will not mention all the -varieties which passed before my dazzled eyes, all the collection of -the seas of China and Japan. These fish, more numerous than the birds -of the air, came, attracted, no doubt, by the brilliant focus of the -electric light. - -Suddenly there was daylight in the saloon, the iron panels closed -again, and the enchanting vision disappeared. But for a long time I -dreamt on, till my eyes fell on the instruments hanging on the -partition. The compass still showed the course to be E.N.E., the -manometer indicated a pressure of five atmospheres, equivalent to a -depth of twenty five fathoms, and the electric log gave a speed of -fifteen miles an hour. I expected Captain Nemo, but he did not appear. -The clock marked the hour of five. - -Ned Land and Conseil returned to their cabin, and I retired to my -chamber. My dinner was ready. It was composed of turtle soup made of -the most delicate hawks bills, of a surmullet served with puff paste -(the liver of which, prepared by itself, was most delicious), and -fillets of the emperor-holocanthus, the savour of which seemed to me -superior even to salmon. - -I passed the evening reading, writing, and thinking. Then sleep -overpowered me, and I stretched myself on my couch of zostera, and -slept profoundly, whilst the Nautilus was gliding rapidly through the -current of the Black River. - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -A NOTE OF INVITATION - -The next day was the 9th of November. I awoke after a long sleep of -twelve hours. Conseil came, according to custom, to know "how I passed -the night," and to offer his services. He had left his friend the -Canadian sleeping like a man who had never done anything else all his -life. I let the worthy fellow chatter as he pleased, without caring to -answer him. I was preoccupied by the absence of the Captain during our -sitting of the day before, and hoping to see him to-day. - -As soon as I was dressed I went into the saloon. It was deserted. I -plunged into the study of the shell treasures hidden behind the glasses. - -The whole day passed without my being honoured by a visit from Captain -Nemo. The panels of the saloon did not open. Perhaps they did not -wish us to tire of these beautiful things. - -The course of the Nautilus was E.N.E., her speed twelve knots, the -depth below the surface between twenty-five and thirty fathoms. - -The next day, 10th of November, the same desertion, the same solitude. -I did not see one of the ship's crew: Ned and Conseil spent the greater -part of the day with me. They were astonished at the puzzling absence -of the Captain. Was this singular man ill?--had he altered his -intentions with regard to us? - -After all, as Conseil said, we enjoyed perfect liberty, we were -delicately and abundantly fed. Our host kept to his terms of the -treaty. We could not complain, and, indeed, the singularity of our -fate reserved such wonderful compensation for us that we had no right -to accuse it as yet. - -That day I commenced the journal of these adventures which has enabled -me to relate them with more scrupulous exactitude and minute detail. - -11th November, early in the morning. The fresh air spreading over the -interior of the Nautilus told me that we had come to the surface of the -ocean to renew our supply of oxygen. I directed my steps to the -central staircase, and mounted the platform. - -It was six o'clock, the weather was cloudy, the sea grey, but calm. -Scarcely a billow. Captain Nemo, whom I hoped to meet, would he be -there? I saw no one but the steersman imprisoned in his glass cage. -Seated upon the projection formed by the hull of the pinnace, I inhaled -the salt breeze with delight. - -By degrees the fog disappeared under the action of the sun's rays, the -radiant orb rose from behind the eastern horizon. The sea flamed under -its glance like a train of gunpowder. The clouds scattered in the -heights were coloured with lively tints of beautiful shades, and -numerous "mare's tails," which betokened wind for that day. But what -was wind to this Nautilus, which tempests could not frighten! - -I was admiring this joyous rising of the sun, so gay, and so -life-giving, when I heard steps approaching the platform. I was -prepared to salute Captain Nemo, but it was his second (whom I had -already seen on the Captain's first visit) who appeared. He advanced -on the platform, not seeming to see me. With his powerful glass to his -eye, he scanned every point of the horizon with great attention. This -examination over, he approached the panel and pronounced a sentence in -exactly these terms. I have remembered it, for every morning it was -repeated under exactly the same conditions. It was thus worded: - -"Nautron respoc lorni virch." - -What it meant I could not say. - -These words pronounced, the second descended. I thought that the -Nautilus was about to return to its submarine navigation. I regained -the panel and returned to my chamber. - -Five days sped thus, without any change in our situation. Every -morning I mounted the platform. The same phrase was pronounced by the -same individual. But Captain Nemo did not appear. - -I had made up my mind that I should never see him again, when, on the -16th November, on returning to my room with Ned and Conseil, I found -upon my table a note addressed to me. I opened it impatiently. It was -written in a bold, clear hand, the characters rather pointed, recalling -the German type. The note was worded as follows: - - -TO PROFESSOR ARONNAX, On board the Nautilus. 16th of November, 1867. - -Captain Nemo invites Professor Aronnax to a hunting-party, which will -take place to-morrow morning in the forests of the Island of Crespo. -He hopes that nothing will prevent the Professor from being present, -and he will with pleasure see him joined by his companions. - -CAPTAIN NEMO, Commander of the Nautilus. - - -"A hunt!" exclaimed Ned. - -"And in the forests of the Island of Crespo!" added Conseil. - -"Oh! then the gentleman is going on terra firma?" replied Ned Land. - -"That seems to me to be clearly indicated," said I, reading the letter -once more. - -"Well, we must accept," said the Canadian. "But once more on dry -ground, we shall know what to do. Indeed, I shall not be sorry to eat -a piece of fresh venison." - -Without seeking to reconcile what was contradictory between Captain -Nemo's manifest aversion to islands and continents, and his invitation -to hunt in a forest, I contented myself with replying: - -"Let us first see where the Island of Crespo is." - -I consulted the planisphere, and in 32° 40' N. lat. and 157° -50' W. long., I found a small island, recognised in 1801 by Captain -Crespo, and marked in the ancient Spanish maps as Rocca de la Plata, -the meaning of which is The Silver Rock. We were then about eighteen -hundred miles from our starting-point, and the course of the Nautilus, -a little changed, was bringing it back towards the southeast. - -I showed this little rock, lost in the midst of the North Pacific, to -my companions. - -"If Captain Nemo does sometimes go on dry ground," said I, "he at least -chooses desert islands." - -Ned Land shrugged his shoulders without speaking, and Conseil and he -left me. - -After supper, which was served by the steward, mute and impassive, I -went to bed, not without some anxiety. - -The next morning, the 17th of November, on awakening, I felt that the -Nautilus was perfectly still. I dressed quickly and entered the saloon. - -Captain Nemo was there, waiting for me. He rose, bowed, and asked me -if it was convenient for me to accompany him. As he made no allusion -to his absence during the last eight days, I did not mention it, and -simply answered that my companions and myself were ready to follow him. - -We entered the dining-room, where breakfast was served. - -"M. Aronnax," said the Captain, "pray, share my breakfast without -ceremony; we will chat as we eat. For, though I promised you a walk in -the forest, I did not undertake to find hotels there. So breakfast as -a man who will most likely not have his dinner till very late." - -I did honour to the repast. It was composed of several kinds of fish, -and slices of sea-cucumber, and different sorts of seaweed. Our drink -consisted of pure water, to which the Captain added some drops of a -fermented liquor, extracted by the Kamschatcha method from a seaweed -known under the name of Rhodomenia palmata. Captain Nemo ate at first -without saying a word. Then he began: - -"Sir, when I proposed to you to hunt in my submarine forest of Crespo, -you evidently thought me mad. Sir, you should never judge lightly of -any man." - -"But Captain, believe me----" - -"Be kind enough to listen, and you will then see whether you have any -cause to accuse me of folly and contradiction." - -"I listen." - -"You know as well as I do, Professor, that man can live under water, -providing he carries with him a sufficient supply of breathable air. -In submarine works, the workman, clad in an impervious dress, with his -head in a metal helmet, receives air from above by means of forcing -pumps and regulators." - -"That is a diving apparatus," said I. - -"Just so, but under these conditions the man is not at liberty; he is -attached to the pump which sends him air through an india-rubber tube, -and if we were obliged to be thus held to the Nautilus, we could not go -far." - -"And the means of getting free?" I asked. - -"It is to use the Rouquayrol apparatus, invented by two of your own -countrymen, which I have brought to perfection for my own use, and -which will allow you to risk yourself under these new physiological -conditions without any organ whatever suffering. It consists of a -reservoir of thick iron plates, in which I store the air under a -pressure of fifty atmospheres. This reservoir is fixed on the back by -means of braces, like a soldier's knapsack. Its upper part forms a box -in which the air is kept by means of a bellows, and therefore cannot -escape unless at its normal tension. In the Rouquayrol apparatus such -as we use, two india rubber pipes leave this box and join a sort of -tent which holds the nose and mouth; one is to introduce fresh air, the -other to let out the foul, and the tongue closes one or the other -according to the wants of the respirator. But I, in encountering great -pressures at the bottom of the sea, was obliged to shut my head, like -that of a diver in a ball of copper; and it is to this ball of copper -that the two pipes, the inspirator and the expirator, open." - -"Perfectly, Captain Nemo; but the air that you carry with you must soon -be used; when it only contains fifteen per cent. of oxygen it is no -longer fit to breathe." - -"Right! But I told you, M. Aronnax, that the pumps of the Nautilus -allow me to store the air under considerable pressure, and on those -conditions the reservoir of the apparatus can furnish breathable air -for nine or ten hours." - -"I have no further objections to make," I answered. "I will only ask -you one thing, Captain--how can you light your road at the bottom of -the sea?" - -"With the Ruhmkorff apparatus, M. Aronnax; one is carried on the back, -the other is fastened to the waist. It is composed of a Bunsen pile, -which I do not work with bichromate of potash, but with sodium. A wire -is introduced which collects the electricity produced, and directs it -towards a particularly made lantern. In this lantern is a spiral glass -which contains a small quantity of carbonic gas. When the apparatus is -at work this gas becomes luminous, giving out a white and continuous -light. Thus provided, I can breathe and I can see." - -"Captain Nemo, to all my objections you make such crushing answers that -I dare no longer doubt. But, if I am forced to admit the Rouquayrol -and Ruhmkorff apparatus, I must be allowed some reservations with -regard to the gun I am to carry." - -"But it is not a gun for powder," answered the Captain. - -"Then it is an air-gun." - -"Doubtless! How would you have me manufacture gun powder on board, -without either saltpetre, sulphur, or charcoal?" - -"Besides," I added, "to fire under water in a medium eight hundred and -fifty-five times denser than the air, we must conquer very considerable -resistance." - -"That would be no difficulty. There exist guns, according to Fulton, -perfected in England by Philip Coles and Burley, in France by Furcy, -and in Italy by Landi, which are furnished with a peculiar system of -closing, which can fire under these conditions. But I repeat, having -no powder, I use air under great pressure, which the pumps of the -Nautilus furnish abundantly." - -"But this air must be rapidly used?" - -"Well, have I not my Rouquayrol reservoir, which can furnish it at -need? A tap is all that is required. Besides M. Aronnax, you must see -yourself that, during our submarine hunt, we can spend but little air -and but few balls." - -"But it seems to me that in this twilight, and in the midst of this -fluid, which is very dense compared with the atmosphere, shots could -not go far, nor easily prove mortal." - -"Sir, on the contrary, with this gun every blow is mortal; and, however -lightly the animal is touched, it falls as if struck by a thunderbolt." - -"Why?" - -"Because the balls sent by this gun are not ordinary balls, but little -cases of glass. These glass cases are covered with a case of steel, -and weighted with a pellet of lead; they are real Leyden bottles, into -which the electricity is forced to a very high tension. With the -slightest shock they are discharged, and the animal, however strong it -may be, falls dead. I must tell you that these cases are size number -four, and that the charge for an ordinary gun would be ten." - -"I will argue no longer," I replied, rising from the table. "I have -nothing left me but to take my gun. At all events, I will go where you -go." - -Captain Nemo then led me aft; and in passing before Ned's and Conseil's -cabin, I called my two companions, who followed promptly. We then came -to a cell near the machinery-room, in which we put on our walking-dress. - - - -CHAPTER XV - -A WALK ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - -This cell was, to speak correctly, the arsenal and wardrobe of the -Nautilus. A dozen diving apparatuses hung from the partition waiting -our use. - -Ned Land, on seeing them, showed evident repugnance to dress himself in -one. - -"But, my worthy Ned, the forests of the Island of Crespo are nothing -but submarine forests." - -"Good!" said the disappointed harpooner, who saw his dreams of fresh -meat fade away. "And you, M. Aronnax, are you going to dress yourself -in those clothes?" - -"There is no alternative, Master Ned." - -"As you please, sir," replied the harpooner, shrugging his shoulders; -"but, as for me, unless I am forced, I will never get into one." - -"No one will force you, Master Ned," said Captain Nemo. - -"Is Conseil going to risk it?" asked Ned. - -"I follow my master wherever he goes," replied Conseil. - -At the Captain's call two of the ship's crew came to help us dress in -these heavy and impervious clothes, made of india-rubber without seam, -and constructed expressly to resist considerable pressure. One would -have thought it a suit of armour, both supple and resisting. This suit -formed trousers and waistcoat. The trousers were finished off with -thick boots, weighted with heavy leaden soles. The texture of the -waistcoat was held together by bands of copper, which crossed the -chest, protecting it from the great pressure of the water, and leaving -the lungs free to act; the sleeves ended in gloves, which in no way -restrained the movement of the hands. There was a vast difference -noticeable between these consummate apparatuses and the old cork -breastplates, jackets, and other contrivances in vogue during the -eighteenth century. - -Captain Nemo and one of his companions (a sort of Hercules, who must -have possessed great strength), Conseil and myself were soon enveloped -in the dresses. There remained nothing more to be done but to enclose -our heads in the metal box. But, before proceeding to this operation, -I asked the Captain's permission to examine the guns. - -One of the Nautilus men gave me a simple gun, the butt end of which, -made of steel, hollow in the centre, was rather large. It served as a -reservoir for compressed air, which a valve, worked by a spring, -allowed to escape into a metal tube. A box of projectiles in a groove -in the thickness of the butt end contained about twenty of these -electric balls, which, by means of a spring, were forced into the -barrel of the gun. As soon as one shot was fired, another was ready. - -"Captain Nemo," said I, "this arm is perfect, and easily handled: I -only ask to be allowed to try it. But how shall we gain the bottom of -the sea?" - -"At this moment, Professor, the Nautilus is stranded in five fathoms, -and we have nothing to do but to start." - -"But how shall we get off?" - -"You shall see." - -Captain Nemo thrust his head into the helmet, Conseil and I did the -same, not without hearing an ironical "Good sport!" from the Canadian. -The upper part of our dress terminated in a copper collar upon which -was screwed the metal helmet. Three holes, protected by thick glass, -allowed us to see in all directions, by simply turning our head in the -interior of the head-dress. As soon as it was in position, the -Rouquayrol apparatus on our backs began to act; and, for my part, I -could breathe with ease. - -With the Ruhmkorff lamp hanging from my belt, and the gun in my hand, I -was ready to set out. But to speak the truth, imprisoned in these -heavy garments, and glued to the deck by my leaden soles, it was -impossible for me to take a step. - -But this state of things was provided for. I felt myself being pushed -into a little room contiguous to the wardrobe room. My companions -followed, towed along in the same way. I heard a water-tight door, -furnished with stopper plates, close upon us, and we were wrapped in -profound darkness. - -After some minutes, a loud hissing was heard. I felt the cold mount -from my feet to my chest. Evidently from some part of the vessel they -had, by means of a tap, given entrance to the water, which was invading -us, and with which the room was soon filled. A second door cut in the -side of the Nautilus then opened. We saw a faint light. In another -instant our feet trod the bottom of the sea. - -And now, how can I retrace the impression left upon me by that walk -under the waters? Words are impotent to relate such wonders! Captain -Nemo walked in front, his companion followed some steps behind. -Conseil and I remained near each other, as if an exchange of words had -been possible through our metallic cases. I no longer felt the weight -of my clothing, or of my shoes, of my reservoir of air, or my thick -helmet, in the midst of which my head rattled like an almond in its -shell. - -The light, which lit the soil thirty feet below the surface of the -ocean, astonished me by its power. The solar rays shone through the -watery mass easily, and dissipated all colour, and I clearly -distinguished objects at a distance of a hundred and fifty yards. -Beyond that the tints darkened into fine gradations of ultramarine, and -faded into vague obscurity. Truly this water which surrounded me was -but another air denser than the terrestrial atmosphere, but almost as -transparent. Above me was the calm surface of the sea. We were -walking on fine, even sand, not wrinkled, as on a flat shore, which -retains the impression of the billows. This dazzling carpet, really a -reflector, repelled the rays of the sun with wonderful intensity, which -accounted for the vibration which penetrated every atom of liquid. -Shall I be believed when I say that, at the depth of thirty feet, I -could see as if I was in broad daylight? - -For a quarter of an hour I trod on this sand, sown with the impalpable -dust of shells. The hull of the Nautilus, resembling a long shoal, -disappeared by degrees; but its lantern, when darkness should overtake -us in the waters, would help to guide us on board by its distinct rays. - -Soon forms of objects outlined in the distance were discernible. I -recognised magnificent rocks, hung with a tapestry of zoophytes of the -most beautiful kind, and I was at first struck by the peculiar effect -of this medium. - -It was then ten in the morning; the rays of the sun struck the surface -of the waves at rather an oblique angle, and at the touch of their -light, decomposed by refraction as through a prism, flowers, rocks, -plants, shells, and polypi were shaded at the edges by the seven solar -colours. It was marvellous, a feast for the eyes, this complication of -coloured tints, a perfect kaleidoscope of green, yellow, orange, -violet, indigo, and blue; in one word, the whole palette of an -enthusiastic colourist! Why could I not communicate to Conseil the -lively sensations which were mounting to my brain, and rival him in -expressions of admiration? For aught I knew, Captain Nemo and his -companion might be able to exchange thoughts by means of signs -previously agreed upon. So, for want of better, I talked to myself; I -declaimed in the copper box which covered my head, thereby expending -more air in vain words than was perhaps wise. - -Various kinds of isis, clusters of pure tuft-coral, prickly fungi, and -anemones formed a brilliant garden of flowers, decked with their -collarettes of blue tentacles, sea-stars studding the sandy bottom. It -was a real grief to me to crush under my feet the brilliant specimens -of molluscs which strewed the ground by thousands, of hammerheads, -donaciae (veritable bounding shells), of staircases, and red -helmet-shells, angel-wings, and many others produced by this -inexhaustible ocean. But we were bound to walk, so we went on, whilst -above our heads waved medusae whose umbrellas of opal or rose-pink, -escalloped with a band of blue, sheltered us from the rays of the sun -and fiery pelagiae, which, in the darkness, would have strewn our path -with phosphorescent light. - -All these wonders I saw in the space of a quarter of a mile, scarcely -stopping, and following Captain Nemo, who beckoned me on by signs. -Soon the nature of the soil changed; to the sandy plain succeeded an -extent of slimy mud which the Americans call "ooze," composed of equal -parts of silicious and calcareous shells. We then travelled over a -plain of seaweed of wild and luxuriant vegetation. This sward was of -close texture, and soft to the feet, and rivalled the softest carpet -woven by the hand of man. But whilst verdure was spread at our feet, -it did not abandon our heads. A light network of marine plants, of -that inexhaustible family of seaweeds of which more than two thousand -kinds are known, grew on the surface of the water. - -I noticed that the green plants kept nearer the top of the sea, whilst -the red were at a greater depth, leaving to the black or brown the care -of forming gardens and parterres in the remote beds of the ocean. - -We had quitted the Nautilus about an hour and a half. It was near -noon; I knew by the perpendicularity of the sun's rays, which were no -longer refracted. The magical colours disappeared by degrees, and the -shades of emerald and sapphire were effaced. We walked with a regular -step, which rang upon the ground with astonishing intensity; the -slightest noise was transmitted with a quickness to which the ear is -unaccustomed on the earth; indeed, water is a better conductor of sound -than air, in the ratio of four to one. At this period the earth sloped -downwards; the light took a uniform tint. We were at a depth of a -hundred and five yards and twenty inches, undergoing a pressure of six -atmospheres. - -At this depth I could still see the rays of the sun, though feebly; to -their intense brilliancy had succeeded a reddish twilight, the lowest -state between day and night; but we could still see well enough; it was -not necessary to resort to the Ruhmkorff apparatus as yet. At this -moment Captain Nemo stopped; he waited till I joined him, and then -pointed to an obscure mass, looming in the shadow, at a short distance. - -"It is the forest of the Island of Crespo," thought I; and I was not -mistaken. - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -A SUBMARINE FOREST - -We had at last arrived on the borders of this forest, doubtless one of -the finest of Captain Nemo's immense domains. He looked upon it as his -own, and considered he had the same right over it that the first men -had in the first days of the world. And, indeed, who would have -disputed with him the possession of this submarine property? What -other hardier pioneer would come, hatchet in hand, to cut down the dark -copses? - -This forest was composed of large tree-plants; and the moment we -penetrated under its vast arcades, I was struck by the singular -position of their branches--a position I had not yet observed. - -Not an herb which carpeted the ground, not a branch which clothed the -trees, was either broken or bent, nor did they extend horizontally; all -stretched up to the surface of the ocean. Not a filament, not a -ribbon, however thin they might be, but kept as straight as a rod of -iron. The fuci and llianas grew in rigid perpendicular lines, due to -the density of the element which had produced them. Motionless yet, -when bent to one side by the hand, they directly resumed their former -position. Truly it was the region of perpendicularity! - -I soon accustomed myself to this fantastic position, as well as to the -comparative darkness which surrounded us. The soil of the forest -seemed covered with sharp blocks, difficult to avoid. The submarine -flora struck me as being very perfect, and richer even than it would -have been in the arctic or tropical zones, where these productions are -not so plentiful. But for some minutes I involuntarily confounded the -genera, taking animals for plants; and who would not have been -mistaken? The fauna and the flora are too closely allied in this -submarine world. - -These plants are self-propagated, and the principle of their existence -is in the water, which upholds and nourishes them. The greater number, -instead of leaves, shoot forth blades of capricious shapes, comprised -within a scale of colours pink, carmine, green, olive, fawn, and brown. - -"Curious anomaly, fantastic element!" said an ingenious naturalist, "in -which the animal kingdom blossoms, and the vegetable does not!" - -In about an hour Captain Nemo gave the signal to halt; I, for my part, -was not sorry, and we stretched ourselves under an arbour of alariae, -the long thin blades of which stood up like arrows. - -This short rest seemed delicious to me; there was nothing wanting but -the charm of conversation; but, impossible to speak, impossible to -answer, I only put my great copper head to Conseil's. I saw the worthy -fellow's eyes glistening with delight, and, to show his satisfaction, -he shook himself in his breastplate of air, in the most comical way in -the world. - -After four hours of this walking, I was surprised not to find myself -dreadfully hungry. How to account for this state of the stomach I -could not tell. But instead I felt an insurmountable desire to sleep, -which happens to all divers. And my eyes soon closed behind the thick -glasses, and I fell into a heavy slumber, which the movement alone had -prevented before. Captain Nemo and his robust companion, stretched in -the clear crystal, set us the example. - -How long I remained buried in this drowsiness I cannot judge, but, when -I woke, the sun seemed sinking towards the horizon. Captain Nemo had -already risen, and I was beginning to stretch my limbs, when an -unexpected apparition brought me briskly to my feet. - -A few steps off, a monstrous sea-spider, about thirty-eight inches -high, was watching me with squinting eyes, ready to spring upon me. -Though my diver's dress was thick enough to defend me from the bite of -this animal, I could not help shuddering with horror. Conseil and the -sailor of the Nautilus awoke at this moment. Captain Nemo pointed out -the hideous crustacean, which a blow from the butt end of the gun -knocked over, and I saw the horrible claws of the monster writhe in -terrible convulsions. This incident reminded me that other animals -more to be feared might haunt these obscure depths, against whose -attacks my diving-dress would not protect me. I had never thought of -it before, but I now resolved to be upon my guard. Indeed, I thought -that this halt would mark the termination of our walk; but I was -mistaken, for, instead of returning to the Nautilus, Captain Nemo -continued his bold excursion. The ground was still on the incline, its -declivity seemed to be getting greater, and to be leading us to greater -depths. It must have been about three o'clock when we reached a narrow -valley, between high perpendicular walls, situated about seventy-five -fathoms deep. Thanks to the perfection of our apparatus, we were -forty-five fathoms below the limit which nature seems to have imposed -on man as to his submarine excursions. - -I say seventy-five fathoms, though I had no instrument by which to -judge the distance. But I knew that even in the clearest waters the -solar rays could not penetrate further. And accordingly the darkness -deepened. At ten paces not an object was visible. I was groping my -way, when I suddenly saw a brilliant white light. Captain Nemo had -just put his electric apparatus into use; his companion did the same, -and Conseil and I followed their example. By turning a screw I -established a communication between the wire and the spiral glass, and -the sea, lit by our four lanterns, was illuminated for a circle of -thirty-six yards. - -As we walked I thought the light of our Ruhmkorff apparatus could not -fail to draw some inhabitant from its dark couch. But if they did -approach us, they at least kept at a respectful distance from the -hunters. Several times I saw Captain Nemo stop, put his gun to his -shoulder, and after some moments drop it and walk on. At last, after -about four hours, this marvellous excursion came to an end. A wall of -superb rocks, in an imposing mass, rose before us, a heap of gigantic -blocks, an enormous, steep granite shore, forming dark grottos, but -which presented no practicable slope; it was the prop of the Island of -Crespo. It was the earth! Captain Nemo stopped suddenly. A gesture -of his brought us all to a halt; and, however desirous I might be to -scale the wall, I was obliged to stop. Here ended Captain Nemo's -domains. And he would not go beyond them. Further on was a portion of -the globe he might not trample upon. - -The return began. Captain Nemo had returned to the head of his little -band, directing their course without hesitation. I thought we were not -following the same road to return to the Nautilus. The new road was -very steep, and consequently very painful. We approached the surface -of the sea rapidly. But this return to the upper strata was not so -sudden as to cause relief from the pressure too rapidly, which might -have produced serious disorder in our organisation, and brought on -internal lesions, so fatal to divers. Very soon light reappeared and -grew, and, the sun being low on the horizon, the refraction edged the -different objects with a spectral ring. At ten yards and a half deep, -we walked amidst a shoal of little fishes of all kinds, more numerous -than the birds of the air, and also more agile; but no aquatic game -worthy of a shot had as yet met our gaze, when at that moment I saw the -Captain shoulder his gun quickly, and follow a moving object into the -shrubs. He fired; I heard a slight hissing, and a creature fell -stunned at some distance from us. It was a magnificent sea-otter, an -enhydrus, the only exclusively marine quadruped. This otter was five -feet long, and must have been very valuable. Its skin, chestnut-brown -above and silvery underneath, would have made one of those beautiful -furs so sought after in the Russian and Chinese markets: the fineness -and the lustre of its coat would certainly fetch L80. I admired this -curious mammal, with its rounded head ornamented with short ears, its -round eyes, and white whiskers like those of a cat, with webbed feet -and nails, and tufted tail. This precious animal, hunted and tracked -by fishermen, has now become very rare, and taken refuge chiefly in the -northern parts of the Pacific, or probably its race would soon become -extinct. - -Captain Nemo's companion took the beast, threw it over his shoulder, -and we continued our journey. For one hour a plain of sand lay -stretched before us. Sometimes it rose to within two yards and some -inches of the surface of the water. I then saw our image clearly -reflected, drawn inversely, and above us appeared an identical group -reflecting our movements and our actions; in a word, like us in every -point, except that they walked with their heads downward and their feet -in the air. - -Another effect I noticed, which was the passage of thick clouds which -formed and vanished rapidly; but on reflection I understood that these -seeming clouds were due to the varying thickness of the reeds at the -bottom, and I could even see the fleecy foam which their broken tops -multiplied on the water, and the shadows of large birds passing above -our heads, whose rapid flight I could discern on the surface of the sea. - -On this occasion I was witness to one of the finest gun shots which -ever made the nerves of a hunter thrill. A large bird of great breadth -of wing, clearly visible, approached, hovering over us. Captain Nemo's -companion shouldered his gun and fired, when it was only a few yards -above the waves. The creature fell stunned, and the force of its fall -brought it within the reach of dexterous hunter's grasp. It was an -albatross of the finest kind. - -Our march had not been interrupted by this incident. For two hours we -followed these sandy plains, then fields of algae very disagreeable to -cross. Candidly, I could do no more when I saw a glimmer of light, -which, for a half mile, broke the darkness of the waters. It was the -lantern of the Nautilus. Before twenty minutes were over we should be -on board, and I should be able to breathe with ease, for it seemed that -my reservoir supplied air very deficient in oxygen. But I did not -reckon on an accidental meeting which delayed our arrival for some time. - -I had remained some steps behind, when I presently saw Captain Nemo -coming hurriedly towards me. With his strong hand he bent me to the -ground, his companion doing the same to Conseil. At first I knew not -what to think of this sudden attack, but I was soon reassured by seeing -the Captain lie down beside me, and remain immovable. - -I was stretched on the ground, just under the shelter of a bush of -algae, when, raising my head, I saw some enormous mass, casting -phosphorescent gleams, pass blusteringly by. - -My blood froze in my veins as I recognised two formidable sharks which -threatened us. It was a couple of tintoreas, terrible creatures, with -enormous tails and a dull glassy stare, the phosphorescent matter -ejected from holes pierced around the muzzle. Monstrous brutes! which -would crush a whole man in their iron jaws. I did not know whether -Conseil stopped to classify them; for my part, I noticed their silver -bellies, and their huge mouths bristling with teeth, from a very -unscientific point of view, and more as a possible victim than as a -naturalist. - -Happily the voracious creatures do not see well. They passed without -seeing us, brushing us with their brownish fins, and we escaped by a -miracle from a danger certainly greater than meeting a tiger full-face -in the forest. Half an hour after, guided by the electric light we -reached the Nautilus. The outside door had been left open, and Captain -Nemo closed it as soon as we had entered the first cell. He then -pressed a knob. I heard the pumps working in the midst of the vessel, -I felt the water sinking from around me, and in a few moments the cell -was entirely empty. The inside door then opened, and we entered the -vestry. - -There our diving-dress was taken off, not without some trouble, and, -fairly worn out from want of food and sleep, I returned to my room, in -great wonder at this surprising excursion at the bottom of the sea. - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -FOUR THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE PACIFIC - -The next morning, the 18th of November, I had quite recovered from my -fatigues of the day before, and I went up on to the platform, just as -the second lieutenant was uttering his daily phrase. - -I was admiring the magnificent aspect of the ocean when Captain Nemo -appeared. He did not seem to be aware of my presence, and began a -series of astronomical observations. Then, when he had finished, he -went and leant on the cage of the watch-light, and gazed abstractedly -on the ocean. In the meantime, a number of the sailors of the -Nautilus, all strong and healthy men, had come up onto the platform. -They came to draw up the nets that had been laid all night. These -sailors were evidently of different nations, although the European type -was visible in all of them. I recognised some unmistakable Irishmen, -Frenchmen, some Sclaves, and a Greek, or a Candiote. They were civil, -and only used that odd language among themselves, the origin of which I -could not guess, neither could I question them. - -The nets were hauled in. They were a large kind of "chaluts," like -those on the Normandy coasts, great pockets that the waves and a chain -fixed in the smaller meshes kept open. These pockets, drawn by iron -poles, swept through the water, and gathered in everything in their -way. That day they brought up curious specimens from those productive -coasts. - -I reckoned that the haul had brought in more than nine hundredweight of -fish. It was a fine haul, but not to be wondered at. Indeed, the nets -are let down for several hours, and enclose in their meshes an infinite -variety. We had no lack of excellent food, and the rapidity of the -Nautilus and the attraction of the electric light could always renew -our supply. These several productions of the sea were immediately -lowered through the panel to the steward's room, some to be eaten -fresh, and others pickled. - -The fishing ended, the provision of air renewed, I thought that the -Nautilus was about to continue its submarine excursion, and was -preparing to return to my room, when, without further preamble, the -Captain turned to me, saying: - -"Professor, is not this ocean gifted with real life? It has its -tempers and its gentle moods. Yesterday it slept as we did, and now it -has woke after a quiet night. Look!" he continued, "it wakes under the -caresses of the sun. It is going to renew its diurnal existence. It -is an interesting study to watch the play of its organisation. It has -a pulse, arteries, spasms; and I agree with the learned Maury, who -discovered in it a circulation as real as the circulation of blood in -animals. - -"Yes, the ocean has indeed circulation, and to promote it, the Creator -has caused things to multiply in it--caloric, salt, and animalculae." - -When Captain Nemo spoke thus, he seemed altogether changed, and aroused -an extraordinary emotion in me. - -"Also," he added, "true existence is there; and I can imagine the -foundations of nautical towns, clusters of submarine houses, which, -like the Nautilus, would ascend every morning to breathe at the surface -of the water, free towns, independent cities. Yet who knows whether -some despot----" - -Captain Nemo finished his sentence with a violent gesture. Then, -addressing me as if to chase away some sorrowful thought: - -"M. Aronnax," he asked, "do you know the depth of the ocean?" - -"I only know, Captain, what the principal soundings have taught us." - -"Could you tell me them, so that I can suit them to my purpose?" - -"These are some," I replied, "that I remember. If I am not mistaken, a -depth of 8,000 yards has been found in the North Atlantic, and 2,500 -yards in the Mediterranean. The most remarkable soundings have been -made in the South Atlantic, near the thirty-fifth parallel, and they -gave 12,000 yards, 14,000 yards, and 15,000 yards. To sum up all, it -is reckoned that if the bottom of the sea were levelled, its mean depth -would be about one and three-quarter leagues." - -"Well, Professor," replied the Captain, "we shall show you better than -that I hope. As to the mean depth of this part of the Pacific, I tell -you it is only 4,000 yards." - -Having said this, Captain Nemo went towards the panel, and disappeared -down the ladder. I followed him, and went into the large drawing-room. -The screw was immediately put in motion, and the log gave twenty miles -an hour. - -During the days and weeks that passed, Captain Nemo was very sparing of -his visits. I seldom saw him. The lieutenant pricked the ship's -course regularly on the chart, so I could always tell exactly the route -of the Nautilus. - -Nearly every day, for some time, the panels of the drawing-room were -opened, and we were never tired of penetrating the mysteries of the -submarine world. - -The general direction of the Nautilus was south-east, and it kept -between 100 and 150 yards of depth. One day, however, I do not know -why, being drawn diagonally by means of the inclined planes, it touched -the bed of the sea. The thermometer indicated a temperature of 4.25 -(cent.): a temperature that at this depth seemed common to all -latitudes. - -At three o'clock in the morning of the 26th of November the Nautilus -crossed the tropic of Cancer at 172° long. On 27th instant it -sighted the Sandwich Islands, where Cook died, February 14, 1779. We -had then gone 4,860 leagues from our starting-point. In the morning, -when I went on the platform, I saw two miles to windward, Hawaii, the -largest of the seven islands that form the group. I saw clearly the -cultivated ranges, and the several mountain-chains that run parallel -with the side, and the volcanoes that overtop Mouna-Rea, which rise -5,000 yards above the level of the sea. Besides other things the nets -brought up, were several flabellariae and graceful polypi, that are -peculiar to that part of the ocean. The direction of the Nautilus was -still to the south-east. It crossed the equator December 1, in 142° -long.; and on the 4th of the same month, after crossing rapidly and -without anything in particular occurring, we sighted the Marquesas -group. I saw, three miles off, Martin's peak in Nouka-Hiva, the -largest of the group that belongs to France. I only saw the woody -mountains against the horizon, because Captain Nemo did not wish to -bring the ship to the wind. There the nets brought up beautiful -specimens of fish: some with azure fins and tails like gold, the flesh -of which is unrivalled; some nearly destitute of scales, but of -exquisite flavour; others, with bony jaws, and yellow-tinged gills, as -good as bonitos; all fish that would be of use to us. After leaving -these charming islands protected by the French flag, from the 4th to -the 11th of December the Nautilus sailed over about 2,000 miles. - -During the daytime of the 11th of December I was busy reading in the -large drawing-room. Ned Land and Conseil watched the luminous water -through the half-open panels. The Nautilus was immovable. While its -reservoirs were filled, it kept at a depth of 1,000 yards, a region -rarely visited in the ocean, and in which large fish were seldom seen. - -I was then reading a charming book by Jean Mace, The Slaves of the -Stomach, and I was learning some valuable lessons from it, when Conseil -interrupted me. - -"Will master come here a moment?" he said, in a curious voice. - -"What is the matter, Conseil?" - -"I want master to look." - -I rose, went, and leaned on my elbows before the panes and watched. - -In a full electric light, an enormous black mass, quite immovable, was -suspended in the midst of the waters. I watched it attentively, -seeking to find out the nature of this gigantic cetacean. But a sudden -thought crossed my mind. "A vessel!" I said, half aloud. - -"Yes," replied the Canadian, "a disabled ship that has sunk -perpendicularly." - -Ned Land was right; we were close to a vessel of which the tattered -shrouds still hung from their chains. The keel seemed to be in good -order, and it had been wrecked at most some few hours. Three stumps of -masts, broken off about two feet above the bridge, showed that the -vessel had had to sacrifice its masts. But, lying on its side, it had -filled, and it was heeling over to port. This skeleton of what it had -once been was a sad spectacle as it lay lost under the waves, but -sadder still was the sight of the bridge, where some corpses, bound -with ropes, were still lying. I counted five--four men, one of whom -was standing at the helm, and a woman standing by the poop, holding an -infant in her arms. She was quite young. I could distinguish her -features, which the water had not decomposed, by the brilliant light -from the Nautilus. In one despairing effort, she had raised her infant -above her head--poor little thing!--whose arms encircled its mother's -neck. The attitude of the four sailors was frightful, distorted as -they were by their convulsive movements, whilst making a last effort to -free themselves from the cords that bound them to the vessel. The -steersman alone, calm, with a grave, clear face, his grey hair glued to -his forehead, and his hand clutching the wheel of the helm, seemed even -then to be guiding the three broken masts through the depths of the -ocean. - -What a scene! We were dumb; our hearts beat fast before this -shipwreck, taken as it were from life and photographed in its last -moments. And I saw already, coming towards it with hungry eyes, -enormous sharks, attracted by the human flesh. - -However, the Nautilus, turning, went round the submerged vessel, and in -one instant I read on the stern--"The Florida, Sunderland." - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -VANIKORO - -This terrible spectacle was the forerunner of the series of maritime -catastrophes that the Nautilus was destined to meet with in its route. -As long as it went through more frequented waters, we often saw the -hulls of shipwrecked vessels that were rotting in the depths, and -deeper down cannons, bullets, anchors, chains, and a thousand other -iron materials eaten up by rust. However, on the 11th of December we -sighted the Pomotou Islands, the old "dangerous group" of Bougainville, -that extend over a space of 500 leagues at E.S.E. to W.N.W., from the -Island Ducie to that of Lazareff. This group covers an area of 370 -square leagues, and it is formed of sixty groups of islands, among -which the Gambier group is remarkable, over which France exercises -sway. These are coral islands, slowly raised, but continuous, created -by the daily work of polypi. Then this new island will be joined later -on to the neighboring groups, and a fifth continent will stretch from -New Zealand and New Caledonia, and from thence to the Marquesas. - -One day, when I was suggesting this theory to Captain Nemo, he replied -coldly: - -"The earth does not want new continents, but new men." - -Chance had conducted the Nautilus towards the Island of -Clermont-Tonnere, one of the most curious of the group, that was -discovered in 1822 by Captain Bell of the Minerva. I could study now -the madreporal system, to which are due the islands in this ocean. - -Madrepores (which must not be mistaken for corals) have a tissue lined -with a calcareous crust, and the modifications of its structure have -induced M. Milne Edwards, my worthy master, to class them into five -sections. The animalcule that the marine polypus secretes live by -millions at the bottom of their cells. Their calcareous deposits become -rocks, reefs, and large and small islands. Here they form a ring, -surrounding a little inland lake, that communicates with the sea by -means of gaps. There they make barriers of reefs like those on the -coasts of New Caledonia and the various Pomoton islands. In other -places, like those at Reunion and at Maurice, they raise fringed reefs, -high, straight walls, near which the depth of the ocean is considerable. - -Some cable-lengths off the shores of the Island of Clermont I admired -the gigantic work accomplished by these microscopical workers. These -walls are specially the work of those madrepores known as milleporas, -porites, madrepores, and astraeas. These polypi are found particularly -in the rough beds of the sea, near the surface; and consequently it is -from the upper part that they begin their operations, in which they -bury themselves by degrees with the debris of the secretions that -support them. Such is, at least, Darwin's theory, who thus explains the -formation of the _atolls_, a superior theory (to my mind) to that given -of the foundation of the madreporical works, summits of mountains or -volcanoes, that are submerged some feet below the level of the sea. - -I could observe closely these curious walls, for perpendicularly they -were more than 300 yards deep, and our electric sheets lighted up this -calcareous matter brilliantly. Replying to a question Conseil asked me -as to the time these colossal barriers took to be raised, I astonished -him much by telling him that learned men reckoned it about the eighth -of an inch in a hundred years. - -Towards evening Clermont-Tonnerre was lost in the distance, and the -route of the Nautilus was sensibly changed. After having crossed the -tropic of Capricorn in 135° longitude, it sailed W.N.W., making -again for the tropical zone. Although the summer sun was very strong, -we did not suffer from heat, for at fifteen or twenty fathoms below the -surface, the temperature did not rise above from ten to twelve degrees. - -On 15th of December, we left to the east the bewitching group of the -Societies and the graceful Tahiti, queen of the Pacific. I saw in the -morning, some miles to the windward, the elevated summits of the -island. These waters furnished our table with excellent fish, -mackerel, bonitos, and some varieties of a sea-serpent. - -On the 25th of December the Nautilus sailed into the midst of the New -Hebrides, discovered by Quiros in 1606, and that Bougainville explored -in 1768, and to which Cook gave its present name in 1773. This group -is composed principally of nine large islands, that form a band of 120 -leagues N.N.S. to S.S.W., between 15° and 2° S. lat., and 164 -deg. and 168° long. We passed tolerably near to the Island of -Aurou, that at noon looked like a mass of green woods, surmounted by a -peak of great height. - -That day being Christmas Day, Ned Land seemed to regret sorely the -non-celebration of "Christmas," the family fete of which Protestants -are so fond. I had not seen Captain Nemo for a week, when, on the -morning of the 27th, he came into the large drawing-room, always -seeming as if he had seen you five minutes before. I was busily -tracing the route of the Nautilus on the planisphere. The Captain came -up to me, put his finger on one spot on the chart, and said this single -word. - -"Vanikoro." - -The effect was magical! It was the name of the islands on which La -Perouse had been lost! I rose suddenly. - -"The Nautilus has brought us to Vanikoro?" I asked. - -"Yes, Professor," said the Captain. - -"And I can visit the celebrated islands where the Boussole and the -Astrolabe struck?" - -"If you like, Professor." - -"When shall we be there?" - -"We are there now." - -Followed by Captain Nemo, I went up on to the platform, and greedily -scanned the horizon. - -To the N.E. two volcanic islands emerged of unequal size, surrounded by -a coral reef that measured forty miles in circumference. We were close -to Vanikoro, really the one to which Dumont d'Urville gave the name of -Isle de la Recherche, and exactly facing the little harbour of Vanou, -situated in 16° 4' S. lat., and 164° 32' E. long. The earth -seemed covered with verdure from the shore to the summits in the -interior, that were crowned by Mount Kapogo, 476 feet high. The -Nautilus, having passed the outer belt of rocks by a narrow strait, -found itself among breakers where the sea was from thirty to forty -fathoms deep. Under the verdant shade of some mangroves I perceived -some savages, who appeared greatly surprised at our approach. In the -long black body, moving between wind and water, did they not see some -formidable cetacean that they regarded with suspicion? - -Just then Captain Nemo asked me what I knew about the wreck of La -Perouse. - -"Only what everyone knows, Captain," I replied. - -"And could you tell me what everyone knows about it?" he inquired, -ironically. - -"Easily." - -I related to him all that the last works of Dumont d'Urville had made -known--works from which the following is a brief account. - -La Perouse, and his second, Captain de Langle, were sent by Louis XVI, -in 1785, on a voyage of circumnavigation. They embarked in the -corvettes Boussole and the Astrolabe, neither of which were again heard -of. In 1791, the French Government, justly uneasy as to the fate of -these two sloops, manned two large merchantmen, the Recherche and the -Esperance, which left Brest the 28th of September under the command of -Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. - -Two months after, they learned from Bowen, commander of the Albemarle, -that the debris of shipwrecked vessels had been seen on the coasts of -New Georgia. But D'Entrecasteaux, ignoring this communication--rather -uncertain, besides--directed his course towards the Admiralty Islands, -mentioned in a report of Captain Hunter's as being the place where La -Perouse was wrecked. - -They sought in vain. The Esperance and the Recherche passed before -Vanikoro without stopping there, and, in fact, this voyage was most -disastrous, as it cost D'Entrecasteaux his life, and those of two of -his lieutenants, besides several of his crew. - -Captain Dillon, a shrewd old Pacific sailor, was the first to find -unmistakable traces of the wrecks. On the 15th of May, 1824, his -vessel, the St. Patrick, passed close to Tikopia, one of the New -Hebrides. There a Lascar came alongside in a canoe, sold him the -handle of a sword in silver that bore the print of characters engraved -on the hilt. The Lascar pretended that six years before, during a stay -at Vanikoro, he had seen two Europeans that belonged to some vessels -that had run aground on the reefs some years ago. - -Dillon guessed that he meant La Perouse, whose disappearance had -troubled the whole world. He tried to get on to Vanikoro, where, -according to the Lascar, he would find numerous debris of the wreck, -but winds and tides prevented him. - -Dillon returned to Calcutta. There he interested the Asiatic Society -and the Indian Company in his discovery. A vessel, to which was given -the name of the Recherche, was put at his disposal, and he set out, -23rd January, 1827, accompanied by a French agent. - -The Recherche, after touching at several points in the Pacific, cast -anchor before Vanikoro, 7th July, 1827, in that same harbour of Vanou -where the Nautilus was at this time. - -There it collected numerous relics of the wreck--iron utensils, -anchors, pulley-strops, swivel-guns, an 18 lb. shot, fragments of -astronomical instruments, a piece of crown work, and a bronze clock, -bearing this inscription--"Bazin m'a fait," the mark of the foundry of -the arsenal at Brest about 1785. There could be no further doubt. - -Dillon, having made all inquiries, stayed in the unlucky place till -October. Then he quitted Vanikoro, and directed his course towards New -Zealand; put into Calcutta, 7th April, 1828, and returned to France, -where he was warmly welcomed by Charles X. - -But at the same time, without knowing Dillon's movements, Dumont -d'Urville had already set out to find the scene of the wreck. And they -had learned from a whaler that some medals and a cross of St. Louis had -been found in the hands of some savages of Louisiade and New Caledonia. -Dumont d'Urville, commander of the Astrolabe, had then sailed, and two -months after Dillon had left Vanikoro he put into Hobart Town. There -he learned the results of Dillon's inquiries, and found that a certain -James Hobbs, second lieutenant of the Union of Calcutta, after landing -on an island situated 8° 18' S. lat., and 156° 30' E. long., -had seen some iron bars and red stuffs used by the natives of these -parts. Dumont d'Urville, much perplexed, and not knowing how to credit -the reports of low-class journals, decided to follow Dillon's track. - -On the 10th of February, 1828, the Astrolabe appeared off Tikopia, and -took as guide and interpreter a deserter found on the island; made his -way to Vanikoro, sighted it on the 12th inst., lay among the reefs -until the 14th, and not until the 20th did he cast anchor within the -barrier in the harbour of Vanou. - -On the 23rd, several officers went round the island and brought back -some unimportant trifles. The natives, adopting a system of denials -and evasions, refused to take them to the unlucky place. This -ambiguous conduct led them to believe that the natives had ill-treated -the castaways, and indeed they seemed to fear that Dumont d'Urville had -come to avenge La Perouse and his unfortunate crew. - -However, on the 26th, appeased by some presents, and understanding that -they had no reprisals to fear, they led M. Jacquireot to the scene of -the wreck. - -There, in three or four fathoms of water, between the reefs of Pacou -and Vanou, lay anchors, cannons, pigs of lead and iron, embedded in the -limy concretions. The large boat and the whaler belonging to the -Astrolabe were sent to this place, and, not without some difficulty, -their crews hauled up an anchor weighing 1,800 lbs., a brass gun, some -pigs of iron, and two copper swivel-guns. - -Dumont d'Urville, questioning the natives, learned too that La Perouse, -after losing both his vessels on the reefs of this island, had -constructed a smaller boat, only to be lost a second time. Where, no -one knew. - -But the French Government, fearing that Dumont d'Urville was not -acquainted with Dillon's movements, had sent the sloop Bayonnaise, -commanded by Legoarant de Tromelin, to Vanikoro, which had been -stationed on the west coast of America. The Bayonnaise cast her anchor -before Vanikoro some months after the departure of the Astrolabe, but -found no new document; but stated that the savages had respected the -monument to La Perouse. That is the substance of what I told Captain -Nemo. - -"So," he said, "no one knows now where the third vessel perished that -was constructed by the castaways on the island of Vanikoro?" - -"No one knows." - -Captain Nemo said nothing, but signed to me to follow him into the -large saloon. The Nautilus sank several yards below the waves, and the -panels were opened. - -I hastened to the aperture, and under the crustations of coral, covered -with fungi, syphonules, alcyons, madrepores, through myriads of -charming fish--girelles, glyphisidri, pompherides, diacopes, and -holocentres--I recognised certain debris that the drags had not been -able to tear up--iron stirrups, anchors, cannons, bullets, capstan -fittings, the stem of a ship, all objects clearly proving the wreck of -some vessel, and now carpeted with living flowers. While I was looking -on this desolate scene, Captain Nemo said, in a sad voice: - -"Commander La Perouse set out 7th December, 1785, with his vessels La -Boussole and the Astrolabe. He first cast anchor at Botany Bay, -visited the Friendly Isles, New Caledonia, then directed his course -towards Santa Cruz, and put into Namouka, one of the Hapai group. Then -his vessels struck on the unknown reefs of Vanikoro. The Boussole, -which went first, ran aground on the southerly coast. The Astrolabe -went to its help, and ran aground too. The first vessel was destroyed -almost immediately. The second, stranded under the wind, resisted some -days. The natives made the castaways welcome. They installed -themselves in the island, and constructed a smaller boat with the -debris of the two large ones. Some sailors stayed willingly at -Vanikoro; the others, weak and ill, set out with La Perouse. They -directed their course towards the Solomon Islands, and there perished, -with everything, on the westerly coast of the chief island of the -group, between Capes Deception and Satisfaction." - -"How do you know that?" - -"By this, that I found on the spot where was the last wreck." - -Captain Nemo showed me a tin-plate box, stamped with the French arms, -and corroded by the salt water. He opened it, and I saw a bundle of -papers, yellow but still readable. - -They were the instructions of the naval minister to Commander La -Perouse, annotated in the margin in Louis XVI's handwriting. - -"Ah! it is a fine death for a sailor!" said Captain Nemo, at last. "A -coral tomb makes a quiet grave; and I trust that I and my comrades will -find no other." - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -TORRES STRAITS - -During the night of the 27th or 28th of December, the Nautilus left the -shores of Vanikoro with great speed. Her course was south-westerly, -and in three days she had gone over the 750 leagues that separated it -from La Perouse's group and the south-east point of Papua. - -Early on the 1st of January, 1863, Conseil joined me on the platform. - -"Master, will you permit me to wish you a happy New Year?" - -"What! Conseil; exactly as if I was at Paris in my study at the Jardin -des Plantes? Well, I accept your good wishes, and thank you for them. -Only, I will ask you what you mean by a `Happy New Year' under our -circumstances? Do you mean the year that will bring us to the end of -our imprisonment, or the year that sees us continue this strange -voyage?" - -"Really, I do not know how to answer, master. We are sure to see -curious things, and for the last two months we have not had time for -dullness. The last marvel is always the most astonishing; and, if we -continue this progression, I do not know how it will end. It is my -opinion that we shall never again see the like. I think then, with no -offence to master, that a happy year would be one in which we could see -everything." - -On 2nd January we had made 11,340 miles, or 5,250 French leagues, since -our starting-point in the Japan Seas. Before the ship's head stretched -the dangerous shores of the coral sea, on the north-east coast of -Australia. Our boat lay along some miles from the redoubtable bank on -which Cook's vessel was lost, 10th June, 1770. The boat in which Cook -was struck on a rock, and, if it did not sink, it was owing to a piece -of coral that was broken by the shock, and fixed itself in the broken -keel. - -I had wished to visit the reef, 360 leagues long, against which the -sea, always rough, broke with great violence, with a noise like -thunder. But just then the inclined planes drew the Nautilus down to a -great depth, and I could see nothing of the high coral walls. I had to -content myself with the different specimens of fish brought up by the -nets. I remarked, among others, some germons, a species of mackerel as -large as a tunny, with bluish sides, and striped with transverse bands, -that disappear with the animal's life. - -These fish followed us in shoals, and furnished us with very delicate -food. We took also a large number of gilt-heads, about one and a half -inches long, tasting like dorys; and flying pyrapeds like submarine -swallows, which, in dark nights, light alternately the air and water -with their phosphorescent light. Among the molluscs and zoophytes, I -found in the meshes of the net several species of alcyonarians, echini, -hammers, spurs, dials, cerites, and hyalleae. The flora was represented -by beautiful floating seaweeds, laminariae, and macrocystes, -impregnated with the mucilage that transudes through their pores; and -among which I gathered an admirable Nemastoma Geliniarois, that was -classed among the natural curiosities of the museum. - -Two days after crossing the coral sea, 4th January, we sighted the -Papuan coasts. On this occasion, Captain Nemo informed me that his -intention was to get into the Indian Ocean by the Strait of Torres. -His communication ended there. - -The Torres Straits are nearly thirty-four leagues wide; but they are -obstructed by an innumerable quantity of islands, islets, breakers, and -rocks, that make its navigation almost impracticable; so that Captain -Nemo took all needful precautions to cross them. The Nautilus, -floating betwixt wind and water, went at a moderate pace. Her screw, -like a cetacean's tail, beat the waves slowly. - -Profiting by this, I and my two companions went up on to the deserted -platform. Before us was the steersman's cage, and I expected that -Captain Nemo was there directing the course of the Nautilus. I had -before me the excellent charts of the Straits of Torres, and I -consulted them attentively. Round the Nautilus the sea dashed -furiously. The course of the waves, that went from south-east to -north-west at the rate of two and a half miles, broke on the coral that -showed itself here and there. - -"This is a bad sea!" remarked Ned Land. - -"Detestable indeed, and one that does not suit a boat like the -Nautilus." - -"The Captain must be very sure of his route, for I see there pieces of -coral that would do for its keel if it only touched them slightly." - -Indeed the situation was dangerous, but the Nautilus seemed to slide -like magic off these rocks. It did not follow the routes of the -Astrolabe and the Zelee exactly, for they proved fatal to Dumont -d'Urville. It bore more northwards, coasted the Islands of Murray, and -came back to the south-west towards Cumberland Passage. I thought it -was going to pass it by, when, going back to north-west, it went -through a large quantity of islands and islets little known, towards -the Island Sound and Canal Mauvais. - -I wondered if Captain Nemo, foolishly imprudent, would steer his vessel -into that pass where Dumont d'Urville's two corvettes touched; when, -swerving again, and cutting straight through to the west, he steered -for the Island of Gilboa. - -It was then three in the afternoon. The tide began to recede, being -quite full. The Nautilus approached the island, that I still saw, with -its remarkable border of screw-pines. He stood off it at about two -miles distant. Suddenly a shock overthrew me. The Nautilus just -touched a rock, and stayed immovable, laying lightly to port side. - -When I rose, I perceived Captain Nemo and his lieutenant on the -platform. They were examining the situation of the vessel, and -exchanging words in their incomprehensible dialect. - -She was situated thus: Two miles, on the starboard side, appeared -Gilboa, stretching from north to west like an immense arm. Towards the -south and east some coral showed itself, left by the ebb. We had run -aground, and in one of those seas where the tides are middling--a sorry -matter for the floating of the Nautilus. However, the vessel had not -suffered, for her keel was solidly joined. But, if she could neither -glide off nor move, she ran the risk of being for ever fastened to -these rocks, and then Captain Nemo's submarine vessel would be done for. - -I was reflecting thus, when the Captain, cool and calm, always master -of himself, approached me. - -"An accident?" I asked. - -"No; an incident." - -"But an incident that will oblige you perhaps to become an inhabitant -of this land from which you flee?" - -Captain Nemo looked at me curiously, and made a negative gesture, as -much as to say that nothing would force him to set foot on terra firma -again. Then he said: - -"Besides, M. Aronnax, the Nautilus is not lost; it will carry you yet -into the midst of the marvels of the ocean. Our voyage is only begun, -and I do not wish to be deprived so soon of the honour of your company." - -"However, Captain Nemo," I replied, without noticing the ironical turn -of his phrase, "the Nautilus ran aground in open sea. Now the tides -are not strong in the Pacific; and, if you cannot lighten the Nautilus, -I do not see how it will be reinflated." - -"The tides are not strong in the Pacific: you are right there, -Professor; but in Torres Straits one finds still a difference of a yard -and a half between the level of high and low seas. To-day is 4th -January, and in five days the moon will be full. Now, I shall be very -much astonished if that satellite does not raise these masses of water -sufficiently, and render me a service that I should be indebted to her -for." - -Having said this, Captain Nemo, followed by his lieutenant, redescended -to the interior of the Nautilus. As to the vessel, it moved not, and -was immovable, as if the coralline polypi had already walled it up with -their in destructible cement. - -"Well, sir?" said Ned Land, who came up to me after the departure of -the Captain. - -"Well, friend Ned, we will wait patiently for the tide on the 9th -instant; for it appears that the moon will have the goodness to put it -off again." - -"Really?" - -"Really." - -"And this Captain is not going to cast anchor at all since the tide -will suffice?" said Conseil, simply. - -The Canadian looked at Conseil, then shrugged his shoulders. - -"Sir, you may believe me when I tell you that this piece of iron will -navigate neither on nor under the sea again; it is only fit to be sold -for its weight. I think, therefore, that the time has come to part -company with Captain Nemo." - -"Friend Ned, I do not despair of this stout Nautilus, as you do; and in -four days we shall know what to hold to on the Pacific tides. Besides, -flight might be possible if we were in sight of the English or -Provencal coast; but on the Papuan shores, it is another thing; and it -will be time enough to come to that extremity if the Nautilus does not -recover itself again, which I look upon as a grave event." - -"But do they know, at least, how to act circumspectly? There is an -island; on that island there are trees; under those trees, terrestrial -animals, bearers of cutlets and roast beef, to which I would willingly -give a trial." - -"In this, friend Ned is right," said Conseil, "and I agree with him. -Could not master obtain permission from his friend Captain Nemo to put -us on land, if only so as not to lose the habit of treading on the -solid parts of our planet?" - -"I can ask him, but he will refuse." - -"Will master risk it?" asked Conseil, "and we shall know how to rely -upon the Captain's amiability." - -To my great surprise, Captain Nemo gave me the permission I asked for, -and he gave it very agreeably, without even exacting from me a promise -to return to the vessel; but flight across New Guinea might be very -perilous, and I should not have counselled Ned Land to attempt it. -Better to be a prisoner on board the Nautilus than to fall into the -hands of the natives. - -At eight o'clock, armed with guns and hatchets, we got off the -Nautilus. The sea was pretty calm; a slight breeze blew on land. -Conseil and I rowing, we sped along quickly, and Ned steered in the -straight passage that the breakers left between them. The boat was -well handled, and moved rapidly. - -Ned Land could not restrain his joy. He was like a prisoner that had -escaped from prison, and knew not that it was necessary to re-enter it. - -"Meat! We are going to eat some meat; and what meat!" he replied. -"Real game! no, bread, indeed." - -"I do not say that fish is not good; we must not abuse it; but a piece -of fresh venison, grilled on live coals, will agreeably vary our -ordinary course." - -"Glutton!" said Conseil, "he makes my mouth water." - -"It remains to be seen," I said, "if these forests are full of game, -and if the game is not such as will hunt the hunter himself." - -"Well said, M. Aronnax," replied the Canadian, whose teeth seemed -sharpened like the edge of a hatchet; "but I will eat tiger--loin of -tiger--if there is no other quadruped on this island." - -"Friend Ned is uneasy about it," said Conseil. - -"Whatever it may be," continued Ned Land, "every animal with four paws -without feathers, or with two paws without feathers, will be saluted by -my first shot." - -"Very well! Master Land's imprudences are beginning." - -"Never fear, M. Aronnax," replied the Canadian; "I do not want -twenty-five minutes to offer you a dish, of my sort." - -At half-past eight the Nautilus boat ran softly aground on a heavy -sand, after having happily passed the coral reef that surrounds the -Island of Gilboa. - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A FEW DAYS ON LAND - -I was much impressed on touching land. Ned Land tried the soil with -his feet, as if to take possession of it. However, it was only two -months before that we had become, according to Captain Nemo, -"passengers on board the Nautilus," but, in reality, prisoners of its -commander. - -In a few minutes we were within musket-shot of the coast. The whole -horizon was hidden behind a beautiful curtain of forests. Enormous -trees, the trunks of which attained a height of 200 feet, were tied to -each other by garlands of bindweed, real natural hammocks, which a -light breeze rocked. They were mimosas, figs, hibisci, and palm trees, -mingled together in profusion; and under the shelter of their verdant -vault grew orchids, leguminous plants, and ferns. - -But, without noticing all these beautiful specimens of Papuan flora, -the Canadian abandoned the agreeable for the useful. He discovered a -coco-tree, beat down some of the fruit, broke them, and we drunk the -milk and ate the nut with a satisfaction that protested against the -ordinary food on the Nautilus. - -"Excellent!" said Ned Land. - -"Exquisite!" replied Conseil. - -"And I do not think," said the Canadian, "that he would object to our -introducing a cargo of coco-nuts on board." - -"I do not think he would, but he would not taste them." - -"So much the worse for him," said Conseil. - -"And so much the better for us," replied Ned Land. "There will be more -for us." - -"One word only, Master Land," I said to the harpooner, who was -beginning to ravage another coco-nut tree. "Coco-nuts are good things, -but before filling the canoe with them it would be wise to reconnoitre -and see if the island does not produce some substance not less useful. -Fresh vegetables would be welcome on board the Nautilus." - -"Master is right," replied Conseil; "and I propose to reserve three -places in our vessel, one for fruits, the other for vegetables, and the -third for the venison, of which I have not yet seen the smallest -specimen." - -"Conseil, we must not despair," said the Canadian. - -"Let us continue," I returned, "and lie in wait. Although the island -seems uninhabited, it might still contain some individuals that would -be less hard than we on the nature of game." - -"Ho! ho!" said Ned Land, moving his jaws significantly. - -"Well, Ned!" said Conseil. - -"My word!" returned the Canadian, "I begin to understand the charms of -anthropophagy." - -"Ned! Ned! what are you saying? You, a man-eater? I should not feel -safe with you, especially as I share your cabin. I might perhaps wake -one day to find myself half devoured." - -"Friend Conseil, I like you much, but not enough to eat you -unnecessarily." - -"I would not trust you," replied Conseil. "But enough. We must -absolutely bring down some game to satisfy this cannibal, or else one -of these fine mornings, master will find only pieces of his servant to -serve him." - -While we were talking thus, we were penetrating the sombre arches of -the forest, and for two hours we surveyed it in all directions. - -Chance rewarded our search for eatable vegetables, and one of the most -useful products of the tropical zones furnished us with precious food -that we missed on board. I would speak of the bread-fruit tree, very -abundant in the island of Gilboa; and I remarked chiefly the variety -destitute of seeds, which bears in Malaya the name of "rima." - -Ned Land knew these fruits well. He had already eaten many during his -numerous voyages, and he knew how to prepare the eatable substance. -Moreover, the sight of them excited him, and he could contain himself -no longer. - -"Master," he said, "I shall die if I do not taste a little of this -bread-fruit pie." - -"Taste it, friend Ned--taste it as you want. We are here to make -experiments--make them." - -"It won't take long," said the Canadian. - -And, provided with a lentil, he lighted a fire of dead wood that -crackled joyously. During this time, Conseil and I chose the best -fruits of the bread-fruit. Some had not then attained a sufficient -degree of maturity; and their thick skin covered a white but rather -fibrous pulp. Others, the greater number yellow and gelatinous, waited -only to be picked. - -These fruits enclosed no kernel. Conseil brought a dozen to Ned Land, -who placed them on a coal fire, after having cut them in thick slices, -and while doing this repeating: - -"You will see, master, how good this bread is. More so when one has -been deprived of it so long. It is not even bread," added he, "but a -delicate pastry. You have eaten none, master?" - -"No, Ned." - -"Very well, prepare yourself for a juicy thing. If you do not come for -more, I am no longer the king of harpooners." - -After some minutes, the part of the fruits that was exposed to the fire -was completely roasted. The interior looked like a white pasty, a sort -of soft crumb, the flavour of which was like that of an artichoke. - -It must be confessed this bread was excellent, and I ate of it with -great relish. - -"What time is it now?" asked the Canadian. - -"Two o'clock at least," replied Conseil. - -"How time flies on firm ground!" sighed Ned Land. - -"Let us be off," replied Conseil. - -We returned through the forest, and completed our collection by a raid -upon the cabbage-palms, that we gathered from the tops of the trees, -little beans that I recognised as the "abrou" of the Malays, and yams -of a superior quality. - -We were loaded when we reached the boat. But Ned Land did not find his -provisions sufficient. Fate, however, favoured us. Just as we were -pushing off, he perceived several trees, from twenty-five to thirty -feet high, a species of palm-tree. - -At last, at five o'clock in the evening, loaded with our riches, we -quitted the shore, and half an hour after we hailed the Nautilus. No -one appeared on our arrival. The enormous iron-plated cylinder seemed -deserted. The provisions embarked, I descended to my chamber, and -after supper slept soundly. - -The next day, 6th January, nothing new on board. Not a sound inside, -not a sign of life. The boat rested along the edge, in the same place -in which we had left it. We resolved to return to the island. Ned -Land hoped to be more fortunate than on the day before with regard to -the hunt, and wished to visit another part of the forest. - -At dawn we set off. The boat, carried on by the waves that flowed to -shore, reached the island in a few minutes. - -We landed, and, thinking that it was better to give in to the Canadian, -we followed Ned Land, whose long limbs threatened to distance us. He -wound up the coast towards the west: then, fording some torrents, he -gained the high plain that was bordered with admirable forests. Some -kingfishers were rambling along the water-courses, but they would not -let themselves be approached. Their circumspection proved to me that -these birds knew what to expect from bipeds of our species, and I -concluded that, if the island was not inhabited, at least human beings -occasionally frequented it. - -After crossing a rather large prairie, we arrived at the skirts of a -little wood that was enlivened by the songs and flight of a large -number of birds. - -"There are only birds," said Conseil. - -"But they are eatable," replied the harpooner. - -"I do not agree with you, friend Ned, for I see only parrots there." - -"Friend Conseil," said Ned, gravely, "the parrot is like pheasant to -those who have nothing else." - -"And," I added, "this bird, suitably prepared, is worth knife and fork." - -Indeed, under the thick foliage of this wood, a world of parrots were -flying from branch to branch, only needing a careful education to speak -the human language. For the moment, they were chattering with parrots -of all colours, and grave cockatoos, who seemed to meditate upon some -philosophical problem, whilst brilliant red lories passed like a piece -of bunting carried away by the breeze, papuans, with the finest azure -colours, and in all a variety of winged things most charming to behold, -but few eatable. - -However, a bird peculiar to these lands, and which has never passed the -limits of the Arrow and Papuan islands, was wanting in this collection. -But fortune reserved it for me before long. - -After passing through a moderately thick copse, we found a plain -obstructed with bushes. I saw then those magnificent birds, the -disposition of whose long feathers obliges them to fly against the -wind. Their undulating flight, graceful aerial curves, and the shading -of their colours, attracted and charmed one's looks. I had no trouble -in recognising them. - -"Birds of paradise!" I exclaimed. - -The Malays, who carry on a great trade in these birds with the Chinese, -have several means that we could not employ for taking them. Sometimes -they put snares on the top of high trees that the birds of paradise -prefer to frequent. Sometimes they catch them with a viscous birdlime -that paralyses their movements. They even go so far as to poison the -fountains that the birds generally drink from. But we were obliged to -fire at them during flight, which gave us few chances to bring them -down; and, indeed, we vainly exhausted one half our ammunition. - -About eleven o'clock in the morning, the first range of mountains that -form the centre of the island was traversed, and we had killed nothing. -Hunger drove us on. The hunters had relied on the products of the -chase, and they were wrong. Happily Conseil, to his great surprise, -made a double shot and secured breakfast. He brought down a white -pigeon and a wood-pigeon, which, cleverly plucked and suspended from a -skewer, was roasted before a red fire of dead wood. While these -interesting birds were cooking, Ned prepared the fruit of the -bread-tree. Then the wood-pigeons were devoured to the bones, and -declared excellent. The nutmeg, with which they are in the habit of -stuffing their crops, flavours their flesh and renders it delicious -eating. - -"Now, Ned, what do you miss now?" - -"Some four-footed game, M. Aronnax. All these pigeons are only -side-dishes and trifles; and until I have killed an animal with cutlets -I shall not be content." - -"Nor I, Ned, if I do not catch a bird of paradise." - -"Let us continue hunting," replied Conseil. "Let us go towards the -sea. We have arrived at the first declivities of the mountains, and I -think we had better regain the region of forests." - -That was sensible advice, and was followed out. After walking for one -hour we had attained a forest of sago-trees. Some inoffensive serpents -glided away from us. The birds of paradise fled at our approach, and -truly I despaired of getting near one when Conseil, who was walking in -front, suddenly bent down, uttered a triumphal cry, and came back to me -bringing a magnificent specimen. - -"Ah! bravo, Conseil!" - -"Master is very good." - -"No, my boy; you have made an excellent stroke. Take one of these -living birds, and carry it in your hand." - -"If master will examine it, he will see that I have not deserved great -merit." - -"Why, Conseil?" - -"Because this bird is as drunk as a quail." - -"Drunk!" - -"Yes, sir; drunk with the nutmegs that it devoured under the -nutmeg-tree, under which I found it. See, friend Ned, see the -monstrous effects of intemperance!" - -"By Jove!" exclaimed the Canadian, "because I have drunk gin for two -months, you must needs reproach me!" - -However, I examined the curious bird. Conseil was right. The bird, -drunk with the juice, was quite powerless. It could not fly; it could -hardly walk. - -This bird belonged to the most beautiful of the eight species that are -found in Papua and in the neighbouring islands. It was the "large -emerald bird, the most rare kind." It measured three feet in length. -Its head was comparatively small, its eyes placed near the opening of -the beak, and also small. But the shades of colour were beautiful, -having a yellow beak, brown feet and claws, nut-coloured wings with -purple tips, pale yellow at the back of the neck and head, and emerald -colour at the throat, chestnut on the breast and belly. Two horned, -downy nets rose from below the tail, that prolonged the long light -feathers of admirable fineness, and they completed the whole of this -marvellous bird, that the natives have poetically named the "bird of -the sun." - -But if my wishes were satisfied by the possession of the bird of -paradise, the Canadian's were not yet. Happily, about two o'clock, Ned -Land brought down a magnificent hog; from the brood of those the -natives call "bari-outang." The animal came in time for us to procure -real quadruped meat, and he was well received. Ned Land was very proud -of his shot. The hog, hit by the electric ball, fell stone dead. The -Canadian skinned and cleaned it properly, after having taken half a -dozen cutlets, destined to furnish us with a grilled repast in the -evening. Then the hunt was resumed, which was still more marked by Ned -and Conseil's exploits. - -Indeed, the two friends, beating the bushes, roused a herd of kangaroos -that fled and bounded along on their elastic paws. But these animals -did not take to flight so rapidly but what the electric capsule could -stop their course. - -"Ah, Professor!" cried Ned Land, who was carried away by the delights -of the chase, "what excellent game, and stewed, too! What a supply for -the Nautilus! Two! three! five down! And to think that we shall eat -that flesh, and that the idiots on board shall not have a crumb!" - -I think that, in the excess of his joy, the Canadian, if he had not -talked so much, would have killed them all. But he contented himself -with a single dozen of these interesting marsupians. These animals -were small. They were a species of those "kangaroo rabbits" that live -habitually in the hollows of trees, and whose speed is extreme; but -they are moderately fat, and furnish, at least, estimable food. We -were very satisfied with the results of the hunt. Happy Ned proposed -to return to this enchanting island the next day, for he wished to -depopulate it of all the eatable quadrupeds. But he had reckoned -without his host. - -At six o'clock in the evening we had regained the shore; our boat was -moored to the usual place. The Nautilus, like a long rock, emerged -from the waves two miles from the beach. Ned Land, without waiting, -occupied himself about the important dinner business. He understood -all about cooking well. The "bari-outang," grilled on the coals, soon -scented the air with a delicious odour. - -Indeed, the dinner was excellent. Two wood-pigeons completed this -extraordinary menu. The sago pasty, the artocarpus bread, some -mangoes, half a dozen pineapples, and the liquor fermented from some -coco-nuts, overjoyed us. I even think that my worthy companions' ideas -had not all the plainness desirable. - -"Suppose we do not return to the Nautilus this evening?" said Conseil. - -"Suppose we never return?" added Ned Land. - -Just then a stone fell at our feet and cut short the harpooner's -proposition. - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -CAPTAIN NEMO'S THUNDERBOLT - -We looked at the edge of the forest without rising, my hand stopping in -the action of putting it to my mouth, Ned Land's completing its office. - -"Stones do not fall from the sky," remarked Conseil, "or they would -merit the name aerolites." - -A second stone, carefully aimed, that made a savoury pigeon's leg fall -from Conseil's hand, gave still more weight to his observation. We all -three arose, shouldered our guns, and were ready to reply to any attack. - -"Are they apes?" cried Ned Land. - -"Very nearly--they are savages." - -"To the boat!" I said, hurrying to the sea. - -It was indeed necessary to beat a retreat, for about twenty natives -armed with bows and slings appeared on the skirts of a copse that -masked the horizon to the right, hardly a hundred steps from us. - -Our boat was moored about sixty feet from us. The savages approached -us, not running, but making hostile demonstrations. Stones and arrows -fell thickly. - -Ned Land had not wished to leave his provisions; and, in spite of his -imminent danger, his pig on one side and kangaroos on the other, he -went tolerably fast. In two minutes we were on the shore. To load the -boat with provisions and arms, to push it out to sea, and ship the -oars, was the work of an instant. We had not gone two cable-lengths, -when a hundred savages, howling and gesticulating, entered the water up -to their waists. I watched to see if their apparition would attract -some men from the Nautilus on to the platform. But no. The enormous -machine, lying off, was absolutely deserted. - -Twenty minutes later we were on board. The panels were open. After -making the boat fast, we entered into the interior of the Nautilus. - -I descended to the drawing-room, from whence I heard some chords. -Captain Nemo was there, bending over his organ, and plunged in a -musical ecstasy. - -"Captain!" - -He did not hear me. - -"Captain!" I said, touching his hand. - -He shuddered, and, turning round, said, "Ah! it is you, Professor? -Well, have you had a good hunt, have you botanised successfully?" - -"Yes Captain; but we have unfortunately brought a troop of bipeds, -whose vicinity troubles me." - -"What bipeds?" - -"Savages." - -"Savages!" he echoed, ironically. "So you are astonished, Professor, -at having set foot on a strange land and finding savages? Savages! -where are there not any? Besides, are they worse than others, these -whom you call savages?" - -"But Captain----" - -"How many have you counted?" - -"A hundred at least." - -"M. Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo, placing his fingers on the organ -stops, "when all the natives of Papua are assembled on this shore, the -Nautilus will have nothing to fear from their attacks." - -The Captain's fingers were then running over the keys of the -instrument, and I remarked that he touched only the black keys, which -gave his melodies an essentially Scotch character. Soon he had -forgotten my presence, and had plunged into a reverie that I did not -disturb. I went up again on to the platform: night had already fallen; -for, in this low latitude, the sun sets rapidly and without twilight. -I could only see the island indistinctly; but the numerous fires, -lighted on the beach, showed that the natives did not think of leaving -it. I was alone for several hours, sometimes thinking of the -natives--but without any dread of them, for the imperturbable -confidence of the Captain was catching--sometimes forgetting them to -admire the splendours of the night in the tropics. My remembrances -went to France in the train of those zodiacal stars that would shine in -some hours' time. The moon shone in the midst of the constellations of -the zenith. - -The night slipped away without any mischance, the islanders frightened -no doubt at the sight of a monster aground in the bay. The panels were -open, and would have offered an easy access to the interior of the -Nautilus. - -At six o'clock in the morning of the 8th January I went up on to the -platform. The dawn was breaking. The island soon showed itself -through the dissipating fogs, first the shore, then the summits. - -The natives were there, more numerous than on the day before--five or -six hundred perhaps--some of them, profiting by the low water, had come -on to the coral, at less than two cable-lengths from the Nautilus. I -distinguished them easily; they were true Papuans, with athletic -figures, men of good race, large high foreheads, large, but not broad -and flat, and white teeth. Their woolly hair, with a reddish tinge, -showed off on their black shining bodies like those of the Nubians. -From the lobes of their ears, cut and distended, hung chaplets of -bones. Most of these savages were naked. Amongst them, I remarked -some women, dressed from the hips to knees in quite a crinoline of -herbs, that sustained a vegetable waistband. Some chiefs had -ornamented their necks with a crescent and collars of glass beads, red -and white; nearly all were armed with bows, arrows, and shields and -carried on their shoulders a sort of net containing those round stones -which they cast from their slings with great skill. One of these -chiefs, rather near to the Nautilus, examined it attentively. He was, -perhaps, a "mado" of high rank, for he was draped in a mat of -banana-leaves, notched round the edges, and set off with brilliant -colours. - -I could easily have knocked down this native, who was within a short -length; but I thought that it was better to wait for real hostile -demonstrations. Between Europeans and savages, it is proper for the -Europeans to parry sharply, not to attack. - -During low water the natives roamed about near the Nautilus, but were -not troublesome; I heard them frequently repeat the word "Assai," and -by their gestures I understood that they invited me to go on land, an -invitation that I declined. - -So that, on that day, the boat did not push off, to the great -displeasure of Master Land, who could not complete his provisions. - -This adroit Canadian employed his time in preparing the viands and meat -that he had brought off the island. As for the savages, they returned -to the shore about eleven o'clock in the morning, as soon as the coral -tops began to disappear under the rising tide; but I saw their numbers -had increased considerably on the shore. Probably they came from the -neighbouring islands, or very likely from Papua. However, I had not -seen a single native canoe. Having nothing better to do, I thought of -dragging these beautiful limpid waters, under which I saw a profusion -of shells, zoophytes, and marine plants. Moreover, it was the last day -that the Nautilus would pass in these parts, if it float in open sea -the next day, according to Captain Nemo's promise. - -I therefore called Conseil, who brought me a little light drag, very -like those for the oyster fishery. Now to work! For two hours we -fished unceasingly, but without bringing up any rarities. The drag was -filled with midas-ears, harps, melames, and particularly the most -beautiful hammers I have ever seen. We also brought up some sea-slugs, -pearl-oysters, and a dozen little turtles that were reserved for the -pantry on board. - -But just when I expected it least, I put my hand on a wonder, I might -say a natural deformity, very rarely met with. Conseil was just -dragging, and his net came up filled with divers ordinary shells, when, -all at once, he saw me plunge my arm quickly into the net, to draw out -a shell, and heard me utter a cry. - -"What is the matter, sir?" he asked in surprise. "Has master been -bitten?" - -"No, my boy; but I would willingly have given a finger for my -discovery." - -"What discovery?" - -"This shell," I said, holding up the object of my triumph. - -"It is simply an olive porphyry, genus olive, order of the -pectinibranchidae, class of gasteropods, sub-class mollusca." - -"Yes, Conseil; but, instead of being rolled from right to left, this -olive turns from left to right." - -"Is it possible?" - -"Yes, my boy; it is a left shell." - -Shells are all right-handed, with rare exceptions; and, when by chance -their spiral is left, amateurs are ready to pay their weight in gold. - -Conseil and I were absorbed in the contemplation of our treasure, and I -was promising myself to enrich the museum with it, when a stone -unfortunately thrown by a native struck against, and broke, the -precious object in Conseil's hand. I uttered a cry of despair! -Conseil took up his gun, and aimed at a savage who was poising his -sling at ten yards from him. I would have stopped him, but his blow -took effect and broke the bracelet of amulets which encircled the arm -of the savage. - -"Conseil!" cried I. "Conseil!" - -"Well, sir! do you not see that the cannibal has commenced the attack?" - -"A shell is not worth the life of a man," said I. - -"Ah! the scoundrel!" cried Conseil; "I would rather he had broken my -shoulder!" - -Conseil was in earnest, but I was not of his opinion. However, the -situation had changed some minutes before, and we had not perceived. A -score of canoes surrounded the Nautilus. These canoes, scooped out of -the trunk of a tree, long, narrow, well adapted for speed, were -balanced by means of a long bamboo pole, which floated on the water. -They were managed by skilful, half-naked paddlers, and I watched their -advance with some uneasiness. It was evident that these Papuans had -already had dealings with the Europeans and knew their ships. But this -long iron cylinder anchored in the bay, without masts or chimneys, what -could they think of it? Nothing good, for at first they kept at a -respectful distance. However, seeing it motionless, by degrees they -took courage, and sought to familiarise themselves with it. Now this -familiarity was precisely what it was necessary to avoid. Our arms, -which were noiseless, could only produce a moderate effect on the -savages, who have little respect for aught but blustering things. The -thunderbolt without the reverberations of thunder would frighten man -but little, though the danger lies in the lightning, not in the noise. - -At this moment the canoes approached the Nautilus, and a shower of -arrows alighted on her. - -I went down to the saloon, but found no one there. I ventured to knock -at the door that opened into the Captain's room. "Come in," was the -answer. - -I entered, and found Captain Nemo deep in algebraical calculations of -_x_ and other quantities. - -"I am disturbing you," said I, for courtesy's sake. - -"That is true, M. Aronnax," replied the Captain; "but I think you have -serious reasons for wishing to see me?" - -"Very grave ones; the natives are surrounding us in their canoes, and -in a few minutes we shall certainly be attacked by many hundreds of -savages." - -"Ah!" said Captain Nemo quietly, "they are come with their canoes?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Well, sir, we must close the hatches." - -"Exactly, and I came to say to you----" - -"Nothing can be more simple," said Captain Nemo. And, pressing an -electric button, he transmitted an order to the ship's crew. - -"It is all done, sir," said he, after some moments. "The pinnace is -ready, and the hatches are closed. You do not fear, I imagine, that -these gentlemen could stave in walls on which the balls of your frigate -have had no effect?" - -"No, Captain; but a danger still exists." - -"What is that, sir?" - -"It is that to-morrow, at about this hour, we must open the hatches to -renew the air of the Nautilus. Now, if, at this moment, the Papuans -should occupy the platform, I do not see how you could prevent them -from entering." - -"Then, sir, you suppose that they will board us?" - -"I am certain of it." - -"Well, sir, let them come. I see no reason for hindering them. After -all, these Papuans are poor creatures, and I am unwilling that my visit -to the island should cost the life of a single one of these wretches." - -Upon that I was going away; But Captain Nemo detained me, and asked me -to sit down by him. He questioned me with interest about our -excursions on shore, and our hunting; and seemed not to understand the -craving for meat that possessed the Canadian. Then the conversation -turned on various subjects, and, without being more communicative, -Captain Nemo showed himself more amiable. - -Amongst other things, we happened to speak of the situation of the -Nautilus, run aground in exactly the same spot in this strait where -Dumont d'Urville was nearly lost. Apropos of this: - -"This D'Urville was one of your great sailors," said the Captain to me, -"one of your most intelligent navigators. He is the Captain Cook of -you Frenchmen. Unfortunate man of science, after having braved the -icebergs of the South Pole, the coral reefs of Oceania, the cannibals -of the Pacific, to perish miserably in a railway train! If this -energetic man could have reflected during the last moments of his life, -what must have been uppermost in his last thoughts, do you suppose?" - -So speaking, Captain Nemo seemed moved, and his emotion gave me a -better opinion of him. Then, chart in hand, we reviewed the travels of -the French navigator, his voyages of circumnavigation, his double -detention at the South Pole, which led to the discovery of Adelaide and -Louis Philippe, and fixing the hydrographical bearings of the principal -islands of Oceania. - -"That which your D'Urville has done on the surface of the seas," said -Captain Nemo, "that have I done under them, and more easily, more -completely than he. The Astrolabe and the Zelee, incessantly tossed -about by the hurricane, could not be worth the Nautilus, quiet -repository of labour that she is, truly motionless in the midst of the -waters. - -"To-morrow," added the Captain, rising, "to-morrow, at twenty minutes -to three p.m., the Nautilus shall float, and leave the Strait of Torres -uninjured." - -Having curtly pronounced these words, Captain Nemo bowed slightly. -This was to dismiss me, and I went back to my room. - -There I found Conseil, who wished to know the result of my interview -with the Captain. - -"My boy," said I, "when I feigned to believe that his Nautilus was -threatened by the natives of Papua, the Captain answered me very -sarcastically. I have but one thing to say to you: Have confidence in -him, and go to sleep in peace." - -"Have you no need of my services, sir?" - -"No, my friend. What is Ned Land doing?" - -"If you will excuse me, sir," answered Conseil, "friend Ned is busy -making a kangaroo-pie which will be a marvel." - -I remained alone and went to bed, but slept indifferently. I heard the -noise of the savages, who stamped on the platform, uttering deafening -cries. The night passed thus, without disturbing the ordinary repose -of the crew. The presence of these cannibals affected them no more -than the soldiers of a masked battery care for the ants that crawl over -its front. - -At six in the morning I rose. The hatches had not been opened. The -inner air was not renewed, but the reservoirs, filled ready for any -emergency, were now resorted to, and discharged several cubic feet of -oxygen into the exhausted atmosphere of the Nautilus. - -I worked in my room till noon, without having seen Captain Nemo, even -for an instant. On board no preparations for departure were visible. - -I waited still some time, then went into the large saloon. The clock -marked half-past two. In ten minutes it would be high-tide: and, if -Captain Nemo had not made a rash promise, the Nautilus would be -immediately detached. If not, many months would pass ere she could -leave her bed of coral. - -However, some warning vibrations began to be felt in the vessel. I -heard the keel grating against the rough calcareous bottom of the coral -reef. - -At five-and-twenty minutes to three, Captain Nemo appeared in the -saloon. - -"We are going to start," said he. - -"Ah!" replied I. - -"I have given the order to open the hatches." - -"And the Papuans?" - -"The Papuans?" answered Captain Nemo, slightly shrugging his shoulders. - -"Will they not come inside the Nautilus?" - -"How?" - -"Only by leaping over the hatches you have opened." - -"M. Aronnax," quietly answered Captain Nemo, "they will not enter the -hatches of the Nautilus in that way, even if they were open." - -I looked at the Captain. - -"You do not understand?" said he. - -"Hardly." - -"Well, come and you will see." - -I directed my steps towards the central staircase. There Ned Land and -Conseil were slyly watching some of the ship's crew, who were opening -the hatches, while cries of rage and fearful vociferations resounded -outside. - -The port lids were pulled down outside. Twenty horrible faces -appeared. But the first native who placed his hand on the stair-rail, -struck from behind by some invisible force, I know not what, fled, -uttering the most fearful cries and making the wildest contortions. - -Ten of his companions followed him. They met with the same fate. - -Conseil was in ecstasy. Ned Land, carried away by his violent -instincts, rushed on to the staircase. But the moment he seized the -rail with both hands, he, in his turn, was overthrown. - -"I am struck by a thunderbolt," cried he, with an oath. - -This explained all. It was no rail; but a metallic cable charged with -electricity from the deck communicating with the platform. Whoever -touched it felt a powerful shock--and this shock would have been mortal -if Captain Nemo had discharged into the conductor the whole force of -the current. It might truly be said that between his assailants and -himself he had stretched a network of electricity which none could pass -with impunity. - -Meanwhile, the exasperated Papuans had beaten a retreat paralysed with -terror. As for us, half laughing, we consoled and rubbed the -unfortunate Ned Land, who swore like one possessed. - -But at this moment the Nautilus, raised by the last waves of the tide, -quitted her coral bed exactly at the fortieth minute fixed by the -Captain. Her screw swept the waters slowly and majestically. Her -speed increased gradually, and, sailing on the surface of the ocean, -she quitted safe and sound the dangerous passes of the Straits of -Torres. - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -"AEGRI SOMNIA" - -The following day 10th January, the Nautilus continued her course -between two seas, but with such remarkable speed that I could not -estimate it at less than thirty-five miles an hour. The rapidity of -her screw was such that I could neither follow nor count its -revolutions. When I reflected that this marvellous electric agent, -after having afforded motion, heat, and light to the Nautilus, still -protected her from outward attack, and transformed her into an ark of -safety which no profane hand might touch without being thunderstricken, -my admiration was unbounded, and from the structure it extended to the -engineer who had called it into existence. - -Our course was directed to the west, and on the 11th of January we -doubled Cape Wessel, situation in 135° long. and 10° S. lat., -which forms the east point of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The reefs were -still numerous, but more equalised, and marked on the chart with -extreme precision. The Nautilus easily avoided the breakers of Money -to port and the Victoria reefs to starboard, placed at 130° long. -and on the 10th parallel, which we strictly followed. - -On the 13th of January, Captain Nemo arrived in the Sea of Timor, and -recognised the island of that name in 122° long. - -From this point the direction of the Nautilus inclined towards the -south-west. Her head was set for the Indian Ocean. Where would the -fancy of Captain Nemo carry us next? Would he return to the coast of -Asia or would he approach again the shores of Europe? Improbable -conjectures both, to a man who fled from inhabited continents. Then -would he descend to the south? Was he going to double the Cape of Good -Hope, then Cape Horn, and finally go as far as the Antarctic pole? -Would he come back at last to the Pacific, where his Nautilus could -sail free and independently? Time would show. - -After having skirted the sands of Cartier, of Hibernia, Seringapatam, -and Scott, last efforts of the solid against the liquid element, on the -14th of January we lost sight of land altogether. The speed of the -Nautilus was considerably abated, and with irregular course she -sometimes swam in the bosom of the waters, sometimes floated on their -surface. - -During this period of the voyage, Captain Nemo made some interesting -experiments on the varied temperature of the sea, in different beds. -Under ordinary conditions these observations are made by means of -rather complicated instruments, and with somewhat doubtful results, by -means of thermometrical sounding-leads, the glasses often breaking -under the pressure of the water, or an apparatus grounded on the -variations of the resistance of metals to the electric currents. -Results so obtained could not be correctly calculated. On the -contrary, Captain Nemo went himself to test the temperature in the -depths of the sea, and his thermometer, placed in communication with -the different sheets of water, gave him the required degree immediately -and accurately. - -It was thus that, either by overloading her reservoirs or by descending -obliquely by means of her inclined planes, the Nautilus successively -attained the depth of three, four, five, seven, nine, and ten thousand -yards, and the definite result of this experience was that the sea -preserved an average temperature of four degrees and a half at a depth -of five thousand fathoms under all latitudes. - -On the 16th of January, the Nautilus seemed becalmed only a few yards -beneath the surface of the waves. Her electric apparatus remained -inactive and her motionless screw left her to drift at the mercy of the -currents. I supposed that the crew was occupied with interior repairs, -rendered necessary by the violence of the mechanical movements of the -machine. - -My companions and I then witnessed a curious spectacle. The hatches of -the saloon were open, and, as the beacon light of the Nautilus was not -in action, a dim obscurity reigned in the midst of the waters. I -observed the state of the sea, under these conditions, and the largest -fish appeared to me no more than scarcely defined shadows, when the -Nautilus found herself suddenly transported into full light. I thought -at first that the beacon had been lighted, and was casting its electric -radiance into the liquid mass. I was mistaken, and after a rapid -survey perceived my error. - -The Nautilus floated in the midst of a phosphorescent bed which, in -this obscurity, became quite dazzling. It was produced by myriads of -luminous animalculae, whose brilliancy was increased as they glided -over the metallic hull of the vessel. I was surprised by lightning in -the midst of these luminous sheets, as though they had been rivulets of -lead melted in an ardent furnace or metallic masses brought to a white -heat, so that, by force of contrast, certain portions of light appeared -to cast a shade in the midst of the general ignition, from which all -shade seemed banished. No; this was not the calm irradiation of our -ordinary lightning. There was unusual life and vigour: this was truly -living light! - -In reality, it was an infinite agglomeration of coloured infusoria, of -veritable globules of jelly, provided with a threadlike tentacle, and -of which as many as twenty-five thousand have been counted in less than -two cubic half-inches of water. - -During several hours the Nautilus floated in these brilliant waves, and -our admiration increased as we watched the marine monsters disporting -themselves like salamanders. I saw there in the midst of this fire -that burns not the swift and elegant porpoise (the indefatigable clown -of the ocean), and some swordfish ten feet long, those prophetic -heralds of the hurricane whose formidable sword would now and then -strike the glass of the saloon. Then appeared the smaller fish, the -balista, the leaping mackerel, wolf-thorn-tails, and a hundred others -which striped the luminous atmosphere as they swam. This dazzling -spectacle was enchanting! Perhaps some atmospheric condition increased -the intensity of this phenomenon. Perhaps some storm agitated the -surface of the waves. But at this depth of some yards, the Nautilus -was unmoved by its fury and reposed peacefully in still water. - -So we progressed, incessantly charmed by some new marvel. The days -passed rapidly away, and I took no account of them. Ned, according to -habit, tried to vary the diet on board. Like snails, we were fixed to -our shells, and I declare it is easy to lead a snail's life. - -Thus this life seemed easy and natural, and we thought no longer of the -life we led on land; but something happened to recall us to the -strangeness of our situation. - -On the 18th of January, the Nautilus was in 105° long. and 15° -S. lat. The weather was threatening, the sea rough and rolling. There -was a strong east wind. The barometer, which had been going down for -some days, foreboded a coming storm. I went up on to the platform just -as the second lieutenant was taking the measure of the horary angles, -and waited, according to habit till the daily phrase was said. But on -this day it was exchanged for another phrase not less incomprehensible. -Almost directly, I saw Captain Nemo appear with a glass, looking -towards the horizon. - -For some minutes he was immovable, without taking his eye off the point -of observation. Then he lowered his glass and exchanged a few words -with his lieutenant. The latter seemed to be a victim to some emotion -that he tried in vain to repress. Captain Nemo, having more command -over himself, was cool. He seemed, too, to be making some objections -to which the lieutenant replied by formal assurances. At least I -concluded so by the difference of their tones and gestures. For -myself, I had looked carefully in the direction indicated without -seeing anything. The sky and water were lost in the clear line of the -horizon. - -However, Captain Nemo walked from one end of the platform to the other, -without looking at me, perhaps without seeing me. His step was firm, -but less regular than usual. He stopped sometimes, crossed his arms, -and observed the sea. What could he be looking for on that immense -expanse? - -The Nautilus was then some hundreds of miles from the nearest coast. - -The lieutenant had taken up the glass and examined the horizon -steadfastly, going and coming, stamping his foot and showing more -nervous agitation than his superior officer. Besides, this mystery -must necessarily be solved, and before long; for, upon an order from -Captain Nemo, the engine, increasing its propelling power, made the -screw turn more rapidly. - -Just then the lieutenant drew the Captain's attention again. The -latter stopped walking and directed his glass towards the place -indicated. He looked long. I felt very much puzzled, and descended to -the drawing-room, and took out an excellent telescope that I generally -used. Then, leaning on the cage of the watch-light that jutted out -from the front of the platform, set myself to look over all the line of -the sky and sea. - -But my eye was no sooner applied to the glass than it was quickly -snatched out of my hands. - -I turned round. Captain Nemo was before me, but I did not know him. -His face was transfigured. His eyes flashed sullenly; his teeth were -set; his stiff body, clenched fists, and head shrunk between his -shoulders, betrayed the violent agitation that pervaded his whole -frame. He did not move. My glass, fallen from his hands, had rolled -at his feet. - -Had I unwittingly provoked this fit of anger? Did this -incomprehensible person imagine that I had discovered some forbidden -secret? No; I was not the object of this hatred, for he was not -looking at me; his eye was steadily fixed upon the impenetrable point -of the horizon. At last Captain Nemo recovered himself. His agitation -subsided. He addressed some words in a foreign language to his -lieutenant, then turned to me. "M. Aronnax," he said, in rather an -imperious tone, "I require you to keep one of the conditions that bind -you to me." - -"What is it, Captain?" - -"You must be confined, with your companions, until I think fit to -release you." - -"You are the master," I replied, looking steadily at him. "But may I -ask you one question?" - -"None, sir." - -There was no resisting this imperious command, it would have been -useless. I went down to the cabin occupied by Ned Land and Conseil, -and told them the Captain's determination. You may judge how this -communication was received by the Canadian. - -But there was not time for altercation. Four of the crew waited at the -door, and conducted us to that cell where we had passed our first night -on board the Nautilus. - -Ned Land would have remonstrated, but the door was shut upon him. - -"Will master tell me what this means?" asked Conseil. - -I told my companions what had passed. They were as much astonished as -I, and equally at a loss how to account for it. - -Meanwhile, I was absorbed in my own reflections, and could think of -nothing but the strange fear depicted in the Captain's countenance. I -was utterly at a loss to account for it, when my cogitations were -disturbed by these words from Ned Land: - -"Hallo! breakfast is ready." - -And indeed the table was laid. Evidently Captain Nemo had given this -order at the same time that he had hastened the speed of the Nautilus. - -"Will master permit me to make a recommendation?" asked Conseil. - -"Yes, my boy." - -"Well, it is that master breakfasts. It is prudent, for we do not know -what may happen." - -"You are right, Conseil." - -"Unfortunately," said Ned Land, "they have only given us the ship's -fare." - -"Friend Ned," asked Conseil, "what would you have said if the breakfast -had been entirely forgotten?" - -This argument cut short the harpooner's recriminations. - -We sat down to table. The meal was eaten in silence. - -Just then the luminous globe that lighted the cell went out, and left -us in total darkness. Ned Land was soon asleep, and what astonished me -was that Conseil went off into a heavy slumber. I was thinking what -could have caused his irresistible drowsiness, when I felt my brain -becoming stupefied. In spite of my efforts to keep my eyes open, they -would close. A painful suspicion seized me. Evidently soporific -substances had been mixed with the food we had just taken. -Imprisonment was not enough to conceal Captain Nemo's projects from us, -sleep was more necessary. I then heard the panels shut. The -undulations of the sea, which caused a slight rolling motion, ceased. -Had the Nautilus quitted the surface of the ocean? Had it gone back to -the motionless bed of water? I tried to resist sleep. It was -impossible. My breathing grew weak. I felt a mortal cold freeze my -stiffened and half-paralysed limbs. My eye lids, like leaden caps, -fell over my eyes. I could not raise them; a morbid sleep, full of -hallucinations, bereft me of my being. Then the visions disappeared, -and left me in complete insensibility. - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -THE CORAL KINGDOM - -The next day I woke with my head singularly clear. To my great -surprise, I was in my own room. My companions, no doubt, had been -reinstated in their cabin, without having perceived it any more than I. -Of what had passed during the night they were as ignorant as I was, and -to penetrate this mystery I only reckoned upon the chances of the -future. - -I then thought of quitting my room. Was I free again or a prisoner? -Quite free. I opened the door, went to the half-deck, went up the -central stairs. The panels, shut the evening before, were open. I -went on to the platform. - -Ned Land and Conseil waited there for me. I questioned them; they knew -nothing. Lost in a heavy sleep in which they had been totally -unconscious, they had been astonished at finding themselves in their -cabin. - -As for the Nautilus, it seemed quiet and mysterious as ever. It -floated on the surface of the waves at a moderate pace. Nothing seemed -changed on board. - -The second lieutenant then came on to the platform, and gave the usual -order below. - -As for Captain Nemo, he did not appear. - -Of the people on board, I only saw the impassive steward, who served me -with his usual dumb regularity. - -About two o'clock, I was in the drawing-room, busied in arranging my -notes, when the Captain opened the door and appeared. I bowed. He -made a slight inclination in return, without speaking. I resumed my -work, hoping that he would perhaps give me some explanation of the -events of the preceding night. He made none. I looked at him. He -seemed fatigued; his heavy eyes had not been refreshed by sleep; his -face looked very sorrowful. He walked to and fro, sat down and got up -again, took a chance book, put it down, consulted his instruments -without taking his habitual notes, and seemed restless and uneasy. At -last, he came up to me, and said: - -"Are you a doctor, M. Aronnax?" - -I so little expected such a question that I stared some time at him -without answering. - -"Are you a doctor?" he repeated. "Several of your colleagues have -studied medicine." - -"Well," said I, "I am a doctor and resident surgeon to the hospital. I -practised several years before entering the museum." - -"Very well, sir." - -My answer had evidently satisfied the Captain. But, not knowing what -he would say next, I waited for other questions, reserving my answers -according to circumstances. - -"M. Aronnax, will you consent to prescribe for one of my men?" he asked. - -"Is he ill?" - -"Yes." - -"I am ready to follow you." - -"Come, then." - -I own my heart beat, I do not know why. I saw certain connection -between the illness of one of the crew and the events of the day -before; and this mystery interested me at least as much as the sick man. - -Captain Nemo conducted me to the poop of the Nautilus, and took me into -a cabin situated near the sailors' quarters. - -There, on a bed, lay a man about forty years of age, with a resolute -expression of countenance, a true type of an Anglo-Saxon. - -I leant over him. He was not only ill, he was wounded. His head, -swathed in bandages covered with blood, lay on a pillow. I undid the -bandages, and the wounded man looked at me with his large eyes and gave -no sign of pain as I did it. It was a horrible wound. The skull, -shattered by some deadly weapon, left the brain exposed, which was much -injured. Clots of blood had formed in the bruised and broken mass, in -colour like the dregs of wine. - -There was both contusion and suffusion of the brain. His breathing was -slow, and some spasmodic movements of the muscles agitated his face. I -felt his pulse. It was intermittent. The extremities of the body were -growing cold already, and I saw death must inevitably ensue. After -dressing the unfortunate man's wounds, I readjusted the bandages on his -head, and turned to Captain Nemo. - -"What caused this wound?" I asked. - -"What does it signify?" he replied, evasively. "A shock has broken one -of the levers of the engine, which struck myself. But your opinion as -to his state?" - -I hesitated before giving it. - -"You may speak," said the Captain. "This man does not understand -French." - -I gave a last look at the wounded man. - -"He will be dead in two hours." - -"Can nothing save him?" - -"Nothing." - -Captain Nemo's hand contracted, and some tears glistened in his eyes, -which I thought incapable of shedding any. - -For some moments I still watched the dying man, whose life ebbed -slowly. His pallor increased under the electric light that was shed -over his death-bed. I looked at his intelligent forehead, furrowed with -premature wrinkles, produced probably by misfortune and sorrow. I -tried to learn the secret of his life from the last words that escaped -his lips. - -"You can go now, M. Aronnax," said the Captain. - -I left him in the dying man's cabin, and returned to my room much -affected by this scene. During the whole day, I was haunted by -uncomfortable suspicions, and at night I slept badly, and between my -broken dreams I fancied I heard distant sighs like the notes of a -funeral psalm. Were they the prayers of the dead, murmured in that -language that I could not understand? - -The next morning I went on to the bridge. Captain Nemo was there -before me. As soon as he perceived me he came to me. - -"Professor, will it be convenient to you to make a submarine excursion -to-day?" - -"With my companions?" I asked. - -"If they like." - -"We obey your orders, Captain." - -"Will you be so good then as to put on your cork jackets?" - -It was not a question of dead or dying. I rejoined Ned Land and -Conseil, and told them of Captain Nemo's proposition. Conseil hastened -to accept it, and this time the Canadian seemed quite willing to follow -our example. - -It was eight o'clock in the morning. At half-past eight we were -equipped for this new excursion, and provided with two contrivances for -light and breathing. The double door was open; and, accompanied by -Captain Nemo, who was followed by a dozen of the crew, we set foot, at -a depth of about thirty feet, on the solid bottom on which the Nautilus -rested. - -A slight declivity ended in an uneven bottom, at fifteen fathoms depth. -This bottom differed entirely from the one I had visited on my first -excursion under the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Here, there was no -fine sand, no submarine prairies, no sea-forest. I immediately -recognised that marvellous region in which, on that day, the Captain -did the honours to us. It was the coral kingdom. - -The light produced a thousand charming varieties, playing in the midst -of the branches that were so vividly coloured. I seemed to see the -membraneous and cylindrical tubes tremble beneath the undulation of the -waters. I was tempted to gather their fresh petals, ornamented with -delicate tentacles, some just blown, the others budding, while a small -fish, swimming swiftly, touched them slightly, like flights of birds. -But if my hand approached these living flowers, these animated, -sensitive plants, the whole colony took alarm. The white petals -re-entered their red cases, the flowers faded as I looked, and the bush -changed into a block of stony knobs. - -Chance had thrown me just by the most precious specimens of the -zoophyte. This coral was more valuable than that found in the -Mediterranean, on the coasts of France, Italy and Barbary. Its tints -justified the poetical names of "Flower of Blood," and "Froth of -Blood," that trade has given to its most beautiful productions. Coral -is sold for L20 per ounce; and in this place the watery beds would make -the fortunes of a company of coral-divers. This precious matter, often -confused with other polypi, formed then the inextricable plots called -"macciota," and on which I noticed several beautiful specimens of pink -coral. - -But soon the bushes contract, and the arborisations increase. Real -petrified thickets, long joints of fantastic architecture, were -disclosed before us. Captain Nemo placed himself under a dark gallery, -where by a slight declivity we reached a depth of a hundred yards. The -light from our lamps produced sometimes magical effects, following the -rough outlines of the natural arches and pendants disposed like -lustres, that were tipped with points of fire. - -At last, after walking two hours, we had attained a depth of about -three hundred yards, that is to say, the extreme limit on which coral -begins to form. But there was no isolated bush, nor modest brushwood, -at the bottom of lofty trees. It was an immense forest of large -mineral vegetations, enormous petrified trees, united by garlands of -elegant sea-bindweed, all adorned with clouds and reflections. We -passed freely under their high branches, lost in the shade of the waves. - -Captain Nemo had stopped. I and my companions halted, and, turning -round, I saw his men were forming a semi-circle round their chief. -Watching attentively, I observed that four of them carried on their -shoulders an object of an oblong shape. - -We occupied, in this place, the centre of a vast glade surrounded by -the lofty foliage of the submarine forest. Our lamps threw over this -place a sort of clear twilight that singularly elongated the shadows on -the ground. At the end of the glade the darkness increased, and was -only relieved by little sparks reflected by the points of coral. - -Ned Land and Conseil were near me. We watched, and I thought I was -going to witness a strange scene. On observing the ground, I saw that -it was raised in certain places by slight excrescences encrusted with -limy deposits, and disposed with a regularity that betrayed the hand of -man. - -In the midst of the glade, on a pedestal of rocks roughly piled up, -stood a cross of coral that extended its long arms that one might have -thought were made of petrified blood. Upon a sign from Captain Nemo -one of the men advanced; and at some feet from the cross he began to -dig a hole with a pickaxe that he took from his belt. I understood -all! This glade was a cemetery, this hole a tomb, this oblong object -the body of the man who had died in the night! The Captain and his men -had come to bury their companion in this general resting-place, at the -bottom of this inaccessible ocean! - -The grave was being dug slowly; the fish fled on all sides while their -retreat was being thus disturbed; I heard the strokes of the pickaxe, -which sparkled when it hit upon some flint lost at the bottom of the -waters. The hole was soon large and deep enough to receive the body. -Then the bearers approached; the body, enveloped in a tissue of white -linen, was lowered into the damp grave. Captain Nemo, with his arms -crossed on his breast, and all the friends of him who had loved them, -knelt in prayer. - -The grave was then filled in with the rubbish taken from the ground, -which formed a slight mound. When this was done, Captain Nemo and his -men rose; then, approaching the grave, they knelt again, and all -extended their hands in sign of a last adieu. Then the funeral -procession returned to the Nautilus, passing under the arches of the -forest, in the midst of thickets, along the coral bushes, and still on -the ascent. At last the light of the ship appeared, and its luminous -track guided us to the Nautilus. At one o'clock we had returned. - -As soon as I had changed my clothes I went up on to the platform, and, -a prey to conflicting emotions, I sat down near the binnacle. Captain -Nemo joined me. I rose and said to him: - -"So, as I said he would, this man died in the night?" - -"Yes, M. Aronnax." - -"And he rests now, near his companions, in the coral cemetery?" - -"Yes, forgotten by all else, but not by us. We dug the grave, and the -polypi undertake to seal our dead for eternity." And, burying his face -quickly in his hands, he tried in vain to suppress a sob. Then he -added: "Our peaceful cemetery is there, some hundred feet below the -surface of the waves." - -"Your dead sleep quietly, at least, Captain, out of the reach of -sharks." - -"Yes, sir, of sharks and men," gravely replied the Captain. - - - -PART TWO - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE INDIAN OCEAN - -We now come to the second part of our journey under the sea. The first -ended with the moving scene in the coral cemetery which left such a -deep impression on my mind. Thus, in the midst of this great sea, -Captain Nemo's life was passing, even to his grave, which he had -prepared in one of its deepest abysses. There, not one of the ocean's -monsters could trouble the last sleep of the crew of the Nautilus, of -those friends riveted to each other in death as in life. "Nor any man, -either," had added the Captain. Still the same fierce, implacable -defiance towards human society! - -I could no longer content myself with the theory which satisfied -Conseil. - -That worthy fellow persisted in seeing in the Commander of the Nautilus -one of those unknown _savants_ who return mankind contempt for -indifference. For him, he was a misunderstood genius who, tired of -earth's deceptions, had taken refuge in this inaccessible medium, where -he might follow his instincts freely. To my mind, this explains but -one side of Captain Nemo's character. Indeed, the mystery of that last -night during which we had been chained in prison, the sleep, and the -precaution so violently taken by the Captain of snatching from my eyes -the glass I had raised to sweep the horizon, the mortal wound of the -man, due to an unaccountable shock of the Nautilus, all put me on a new -track. No; Captain Nemo was not satisfied with shunning man. His -formidable apparatus not only suited his instinct of freedom, but -perhaps also the design of some terrible retaliation. - -At this moment nothing is clear to me; I catch but a glimpse of light -amidst all the darkness, and I must confine myself to writing as events -shall dictate. - -That day, the 24th of January, 1868, at noon, the second officer came -to take the altitude of the sun. I mounted the platform, lit a cigar, -and watched the operation. It seemed to me that the man did not -understand French; for several times I made remarks in a loud voice, -which must have drawn from him some involuntary sign of attention, if -he had understood them; but he remained undisturbed and dumb. - -As he was taking observations with the sextant, one of the sailors of -the Nautilus (the strong man who had accompanied us on our first -submarine excursion to the Island of Crespo) came to clean the glasses -of the lantern. I examined the fittings of the apparatus, the strength -of which was increased a hundredfold by lenticular rings, placed -similar to those in a lighthouse, and which projected their brilliance -in a horizontal plane. The electric lamp was combined in such a way as -to give its most powerful light. Indeed, it was produced in vacuo, -which insured both its steadiness and its intensity. This vacuum -economised the graphite points between which the luminous arc was -developed--an important point of economy for Captain Nemo, who could -not easily have replaced them; and under these conditions their waste -was imperceptible. When the Nautilus was ready to continue its -submarine journey, I went down to the saloon. The panel was closed, -and the course marked direct west. - -We were furrowing the waters of the Indian Ocean, a vast liquid plain, -with a surface of 1,200,000,000 of acres, and whose waters are so clear -and transparent that any one leaning over them would turn giddy. The -Nautilus usually floated between fifty and a hundred fathoms deep. We -went on so for some days. To anyone but myself, who had a great love -for the sea, the hours would have seemed long and monotonous; but the -daily walks on the platform, when I steeped myself in the reviving air -of the ocean, the sight of the rich waters through the windows of the -saloon, the books in the library, the compiling of my memoirs, took up -all my time, and left me not a moment of ennui or weariness. - -For some days we saw a great number of aquatic birds, sea-mews or -gulls. Some were cleverly killed and, prepared in a certain way, made -very acceptable water-game. Amongst large-winged birds, carried a long -distance from all lands and resting upon the waves from the fatigue of -their flight, I saw some magnificent albatrosses, uttering discordant -cries like the braying of an ass, and birds belonging to the family of -the long-wings. - -As to the fish, they always provoked our admiration when we surprised -the secrets of their aquatic life through the open panels. I saw many -kinds which I never before had a chance of observing. - -I shall notice chiefly ostracions peculiar to the Red Sea, the Indian -Ocean, and that part which washes the coast of tropical America. These -fishes, like the tortoise, the armadillo, the sea-hedgehog, and the -Crustacea, are protected by a breastplate which is neither chalky nor -stony, but real bone. In some it takes the form of a solid triangle, in -others of a solid quadrangle. Amongst the triangular I saw some an inch -and a half in length, with wholesome flesh and a delicious flavour; -they are brown at the tail, and yellow at the fins, and I recommend -their introduction into fresh water, to which a certain number of -sea-fish easily accustom themselves. I would also mention quadrangular -ostracions, having on the back four large tubercles; some dotted over -with white spots on the lower part of the body, and which may be tamed -like birds; trigons provided with spikes formed by the lengthening of -their bony shell, and which, from their strange gruntings, are called -"seapigs"; also dromedaries with large humps in the shape of a cone, -whose flesh is very tough and leathery. - -I now borrow from the daily notes of Master Conseil. "Certain fish of -the genus petrodon peculiar to those seas, with red backs and white -chests, which are distinguished by three rows of longitudinal -filaments; and some electrical, seven inches long, decked in the -liveliest colours. Then, as specimens of other kinds, some ovoides, -resembling an egg of a dark brown colour, marked with white bands, and -without tails; diodons, real sea-porcupines, furnished with spikes, and -capable of swelling in such a way as to look like cushions bristling -with darts; hippocampi, common to every ocean; some pegasi with -lengthened snouts, which their pectoral fins, being much elongated and -formed in the shape of wings, allow, if not to fly, at least to shoot -into the air; pigeon spatulae, with tails covered with many rings of -shell; macrognathi with long jaws, an excellent fish, nine inches long, -and bright with most agreeable colours; pale-coloured calliomores, with -rugged heads; and plenty of chaetpdons, with long and tubular muzzles, -which kill insects by shooting them, as from an air-gun, with a single -drop of water. These we may call the flycatchers of the seas. - -"In the eighty-ninth genus of fishes, classed by Lacepede, belonging to -the second lower class of bony, characterised by opercules and -bronchial membranes, I remarked the scorpaena, the head of which is -furnished with spikes, and which has but one dorsal fin; these -creatures are covered, or not, with little shells, according to the -sub-class to which they belong. The second sub-class gives us specimens -of didactyles fourteen or fifteen inches in length, with yellow rays, -and heads of a most fantastic appearance. As to the first sub-class, it -gives several specimens of that singular looking fish appropriately -called a 'seafrog,' with large head, sometimes pierced with holes, -sometimes swollen with protuberances, bristling with spikes, and -covered with tubercles; it has irregular and hideous horns; its body -and tail are covered with callosities; its sting makes a dangerous -wound; it is both repugnant and horrible to look at." - -From the 21st to the 23rd of January the Nautilus went at the rate of -two hundred and fifty leagues in twenty-four hours, being five hundred -and forty miles, or twenty-two miles an hour. If we recognised so many -different varieties of fish, it was because, attracted by the electric -light, they tried to follow us; the greater part, however, were soon -distanced by our speed, though some kept their place in the waters of -the Nautilus for a time. The morning of the 24th, in 12° 5' S. -lat., and 94° 33' long., we observed Keeling Island, a coral -formation, planted with magnificent cocos, and which had been visited -by Mr. Darwin and Captain Fitzroy. The Nautilus skirted the shores of -this desert island for a little distance. Its nets brought up numerous -specimens of polypi and curious shells of mollusca. Some precious -productions of the species of delphinulae enriched the treasures of -Captain Nemo, to which I added an astraea punctifera, a kind of -parasite polypus often found fixed to a shell. - -Soon Keeling Island disappeared from the horizon, and our course was -directed to the north-west in the direction of the Indian Peninsula. - -From Keeling Island our course was slower and more variable, often -taking us into great depths. Several times they made use of the -inclined planes, which certain internal levers placed obliquely to the -waterline. In that way we went about two miles, but without ever -obtaining the greatest depths of the Indian Sea, which soundings of -seven thousand fathoms have never reached. As to the temperature of -the lower strata, the thermometer invariably indicated 4° above -zero. I only observed that in the upper regions the water was always -colder in the high levels than at the surface of the sea. - -On the 25th of January the ocean was entirely deserted; the Nautilus -passed the day on the surface, beating the waves with its powerful -screw and making them rebound to a great height. Who under such -circumstances would not have taken it for a gigantic cetacean? Three -parts of this day I spent on the platform. I watched the sea. Nothing -on the horizon, till about four o'clock a steamer running west on our -counter. Her masts were visible for an instant, but she could not see -the Nautilus, being too low in the water. I fancied this steamboat -belonged to the P.O. Company, which runs from Ceylon to Sydney, -touching at King George's Point and Melbourne. - -At five o'clock in the evening, before that fleeting twilight which -binds night to day in tropical zones, Conseil and I were astonished by -a curious spectacle. - -It was a shoal of argonauts travelling along on the surface of the -ocean. We could count several hundreds. They belonged to the tubercle -kind which are peculiar to the Indian seas. - -These graceful molluscs moved backwards by means of their locomotive -tube, through which they propelled the water already drawn in. Of -their eight tentacles, six were elongated, and stretched out floating -on the water, whilst the other two, rolled up flat, were spread to the -wing like a light sail. I saw their spiral-shaped and fluted shells, -which Cuvier justly compares to an elegant skiff. A boat indeed! It -bears the creature which secretes it without its adhering to it. - -For nearly an hour the Nautilus floated in the midst of this shoal of -molluscs. Then I know not what sudden fright they took. But as if at -a signal every sail was furled, the arms folded, the body drawn in, the -shells turned over, changing their centre of gravity, and the whole -fleet disappeared under the waves. Never did the ships of a squadron -manoeuvre with more unity. - -At that moment night fell suddenly, and the reeds, scarcely raised by -the breeze, lay peaceably under the sides of the Nautilus. - -The next day, 26th of January, we cut the equator at the eighty-second -meridian and entered the northern hemisphere. During the day a -formidable troop of sharks accompanied us, terrible creatures, which -multiply in these seas and make them very dangerous. They were -"cestracio philippi" sharks, with brown backs and whitish bellies, -armed with eleven rows of teeth--eyed sharks--their throat being marked -with a large black spot surrounded with white like an eye. There were -also some Isabella sharks, with rounded snouts marked with dark spots. -These powerful creatures often hurled themselves at the windows of the -saloon with such violence as to make us feel very insecure. At such -times Ned Land was no longer master of himself. He wanted to go to the -surface and harpoon the monsters, particularly certain smooth-hound -sharks, whose mouth is studded with teeth like a mosaic; and large -tiger-sharks nearly six yards long, the last named of which seemed to -excite him more particularly. But the Nautilus, accelerating her -speed, easily left the most rapid of them behind. - -The 27th of January, at the entrance of the vast Bay of Bengal, we met -repeatedly a forbidding spectacle, dead bodies floating on the surface -of the water. They were the dead of the Indian villages, carried by -the Ganges to the level of the sea, and which the vultures, the only -undertakers of the country, had not been able to devour. But the -sharks did not fail to help them at their funeral work. - -About seven o'clock in the evening, the Nautilus, half-immersed, was -sailing in a sea of milk. At first sight the ocean seemed lactified. -Was it the effect of the lunar rays? No; for the moon, scarcely two -days old, was still lying hidden under the horizon in the rays of the -sun. The whole sky, though lit by the sidereal rays, seemed black by -contrast with the whiteness of the waters. - -Conseil could not believe his eyes, and questioned me as to the cause -of this strange phenomenon. Happily I was able to answer him. - -"It is called a milk sea," I explained. "A large extent of white -wavelets often to be seen on the coasts of Amboyna, and in these parts -of the sea." - -"But, sir," said Conseil, "can you tell me what causes such an effect? -for I suppose the water is not really turned into milk." - -"No, my boy; and the whiteness which surprises you is caused only by -the presence of myriads of infusoria, a sort of luminous little worm, -gelatinous and without colour, of the thickness of a hair, and whose -length is not more than seven-thousandths of an inch. These insects -adhere to one another sometimes for several leagues." - -"Several leagues!" exclaimed Conseil. - -"Yes, my boy; and you need not try to compute the number of these -infusoria. You will not be able, for, if I am not mistaken, ships have -floated on these milk seas for more than forty miles." - -Towards midnight the sea suddenly resumed its usual colour; but behind -us, even to the limits of the horizon, the sky reflected the whitened -waves, and for a long time seemed impregnated with the vague -glimmerings of an aurora borealis. - - - -CHAPTER II - -A NOVEL PROPOSAL OF CAPTAIN NEMO'S - -On the 28th of February, when at noon the Nautilus came to the surface -of the sea, in 9° 4' N. lat., there was land in sight about eight -miles to westward. The first thing I noticed was a range of mountains -about two thousand feet high, the shapes of which were most capricious. -On taking the bearings, I knew that we were nearing the island of -Ceylon, the pearl which hangs from the lobe of the Indian Peninsula. - -Captain Nemo and his second appeared at this moment. The Captain -glanced at the map. Then turning to me, said: - -"The Island of Ceylon, noted for its pearl-fisheries. Would you like to -visit one of them, M. Aronnax?" - -"Certainly, Captain." - -"Well, the thing is easy. Though, if we see the fisheries, we shall -not see the fishermen. The annual exportation has not yet begun. -Never mind, I will give orders to make for the Gulf of Manaar, where we -shall arrive in the night." - -The Captain said something to his second, who immediately went out. -Soon the Nautilus returned to her native element, and the manometer -showed that she was about thirty feet deep. - -"Well, sir," said Captain Nemo, "you and your companions shall visit -the Bank of Manaar, and if by chance some fisherman should be there, we -shall see him at work." - -"Agreed, Captain!" - -"By the bye, M. Aronnax you are not afraid of sharks?" - -"Sharks!" exclaimed I. - -This question seemed a very hard one. - -"Well?" continued Captain Nemo. - -"I admit, Captain, that I am not yet very familiar with that kind of -fish." - -"We are accustomed to them," replied Captain Nemo, "and in time you -will be too. However, we shall be armed, and on the road we may be -able to hunt some of the tribe. It is interesting. So, till -to-morrow, sir, and early." - -This said in a careless tone, Captain Nemo left the saloon. Now, if -you were invited to hunt the bear in the mountains of Switzerland, what -would you say? - -"Very well! to-morrow we will go and hunt the bear." If you were asked -to hunt the lion in the plains of Atlas, or the tiger in the Indian -jungles, what would you say? - -"Ha! ha! it seems we are going to hunt the tiger or the lion!" But when -you are invited to hunt the shark in its natural element, you would -perhaps reflect before accepting the invitation. As for myself, I -passed my hand over my forehead, on which stood large drops of cold -perspiration. "Let us reflect," said I, "and take our time. Hunting -otters in submarine forests, as we did in the Island of Crespo, will -pass; but going up and down at the bottom of the sea, where one is -almost certain to meet sharks, is quite another thing! I know well -that in certain countries, particularly in the Andaman Islands, the -negroes never hesitate to attack them with a dagger in one hand and a -running noose in the other; but I also know that few who affront those -creatures ever return alive. However, I am not a negro, and if I were -I think a little hesitation in this case would not be ill-timed." - -At this moment Conseil and the Canadian entered, quite composed, and -even joyous. They knew not what awaited them. - -"Faith, sir," said Ned Land, "your Captain Nemo--the devil take -him!--has just made us a very pleasant offer." - -"Ah!" said I, "you know?" - -"If agreeable to you, sir," interrupted Conseil, "the commander of the -Nautilus has invited us to visit the magnificent Ceylon fisheries -to-morrow, in your company; he did it kindly, and behaved like a real -gentleman." - -"He said nothing more?" - -"Nothing more, sir, except that he had already spoken to you of this -little walk." - -"Sir," said Conseil, "would you give us some details of the pearl -fishery?" - -"As to the fishing itself," I asked, "or the incidents, which?" - -"On the fishing," replied the Canadian; "before entering upon the -ground, it is as well to know something about it." - -"Very well; sit down, my friends, and I will teach you." - -Ned and Conseil seated themselves on an ottoman, and the first thing -the Canadian asked was: - -"Sir, what is a pearl?" - -"My worthy Ned," I answered, "to the poet, a pearl is a tear of the -sea; to the Orientals, it is a drop of dew solidified; to the ladies, -it is a jewel of an oblong shape, of a brilliancy of mother-of-pearl -substance, which they wear on their fingers, their necks, or their -ears; for the chemist it is a mixture of phosphate and carbonate of -lime, with a little gelatine; and lastly, for naturalists, it is simply -a morbid secretion of the organ that produces the mother-of-pearl -amongst certain bivalves." - -"Branch of molluscs," said Conseil. - -"Precisely so, my learned Conseil; and, amongst these testacea the -earshell, the tridacnae, the turbots, in a word, all those which -secrete mother-of-pearl, that is, the blue, bluish, violet, or white -substance which lines the interior of their shells, are capable of -producing pearls." - -"Mussels too?" asked the Canadian. - -"Yes, mussels of certain waters in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Saxony, -Bohemia, and France." - -"Good! For the future I shall pay attention," replied the Canadian. - -"But," I continued, "the particular mollusc which secretes the pearl is -the pearl-oyster, the meleagrina margaritiferct, that precious -pintadine. The pearl is nothing but a nacreous formation, deposited in -a globular form, either adhering to the oyster shell, or buried in the -folds of the creature. On the shell it is fast; in the flesh it is -loose; but always has for a kernel a small hard substance, may be a -barren egg, may be a grain of sand, around which the pearly matter -deposits itself year after year successively, and by thin concentric -layers." - -"Are many pearls found in the same oyster?" asked Conseil. - -"Yes, my boy. Some are a perfect casket. One oyster has been -mentioned, though I allow myself to doubt it, as having contained no -less than a hundred and fifty sharks." - -"A hundred and fifty sharks!" exclaimed Ned Land. - -"Did I say sharks?" said I hurriedly. "I meant to say a hundred and -fifty pearls. Sharks would not be sense." - -"Certainly not," said Conseil; "but will you tell us now by what means -they extract these pearls?" - -"They proceed in various ways. When they adhere to the shell, the -fishermen often pull them off with pincers; but the most common way is -to lay the oysters on mats of the seaweed which covers the banks. Thus -they die in the open air; and at the end of ten days they are in a -forward state of decomposition. They are then plunged into large -reservoirs of sea-water; then they are opened and washed." - -"The price of these pearls varies according to their size?" asked -Conseil. - -"Not only according to their size," I answered, "but also according to -their shape, their water (that is, their colour), and their lustre: -that is, that bright and diapered sparkle which makes them so charming -to the eye. The most beautiful are called virgin pearls, or paragons. -They are formed alone in the tissue of the mollusc, are white, often -opaque, and sometimes have the transparency of an opal; they are -generally round or oval. The round are made into bracelets, the oval -into pendants, and, being more precious, are sold singly. Those -adhering to the shell of the oyster are more irregular in shape, and -are sold by weight. Lastly, in a lower order are classed those small -pearls known under the name of seed-pearls; they are sold by measure, -and are especially used in embroidery for church ornaments." - -"But," said Conseil, "is this pearl-fishery dangerous?" - -"No," I answered, quickly; "particularly if certain precautions are -taken." - -"What does one risk in such a calling?" said Ned Land, "the swallowing -of some mouthfuls of sea-water?" - -"As you say, Ned. By the bye," said I, trying to take Captain Nemo's -careless tone, "are you afraid of sharks, brave Ned?" - -"I!" replied the Canadian; "a harpooner by profession? It is my trade -to make light of them." - -"But," said I, "it is not a question of fishing for them with an -iron-swivel, hoisting them into the vessel, cutting off their tails -with a blow of a chopper, ripping them up, and throwing their heart -into the sea!" - -"Then, it is a question of----" - -"Precisely." - -"In the water?" - -"In the water." - -"Faith, with a good harpoon! You know, sir, these sharks are -ill-fashioned beasts. They turn on their bellies to seize you, and in -that time----" - -Ned Land had a way of saying "seize" which made my blood run cold. - -"Well, and you, Conseil, what do you think of sharks?" - -"Me!" said Conseil. "I will be frank, sir." - -"So much the better," thought I. - -"If you, sir, mean to face the sharks, I do not see why your faithful -servant should not face them with you." - - - -CHAPTER III - -A PEARL OF TEN MILLIONS - -The next morning at four o'clock I was awakened by the steward whom -Captain Nemo had placed at my service. I rose hurriedly, dressed, and -went into the saloon. - -Captain Nemo was awaiting me. - -"M. Aronnax," said he, "are you ready to start?" - -"I am ready." - -"Then please to follow me." - -"And my companions, Captain?" - -"They have been told and are waiting." - -"Are we not to put on our diver's dresses?" asked I. - -"Not yet. I have not allowed the Nautilus to come too near this coast, -and we are some distance from the Manaar Bank; but the boat is ready, -and will take us to the exact point of disembarking, which will save us -a long way. It carries our diving apparatus, which we will put on when -we begin our submarine journey." - -Captain Nemo conducted me to the central staircase, which led on the -platform. Ned and Conseil were already there, delighted at the idea of -the "pleasure party" which was preparing. Five sailors from the -Nautilus, with their oars, waited in the boat, which had been made fast -against the side. - -The night was still dark. Layers of clouds covered the sky, allowing -but few stars to be seen. I looked on the side where the land lay, and -saw nothing but a dark line enclosing three parts of the horizon, from -south-west to north west. The Nautilus, having returned during the -night up the western coast of Ceylon, was now west of the bay, or -rather gulf, formed by the mainland and the Island of Manaar. There, -under the dark waters, stretched the pintadine bank, an inexhaustible -field of pearls, the length of which is more than twenty miles. - -Captain Nemo, Ned Land, Conseil, and I took our places in the stern of -the boat. The master went to the tiller; his four companions leaned on -their oars, the painter was cast off, and we sheered off. - -The boat went towards the south; the oarsmen did not hurry. I noticed -that their strokes, strong in the water, only followed each other every -ten seconds, according to the method generally adopted in the navy. -Whilst the craft was running by its own velocity, the liquid drops -struck the dark depths of the waves crisply like spats of melted lead. -A little billow, spreading wide, gave a slight roll to the boat, and -some samphire reeds flapped before it. - -We were silent. What was Captain Nemo thinking of? Perhaps of the -land he was approaching, and which he found too near to him, contrary -to the Canadian's opinion, who thought it too far off. As to Conseil, -he was merely there from curiosity. - -About half-past five the first tints on the horizon showed the upper -line of coast more distinctly. Flat enough in the east, it rose a -little to the south. Five miles still lay between us, and it was -indistinct owing to the mist on the water. At six o'clock it became -suddenly daylight, with that rapidity peculiar to tropical regions, -which know neither dawn nor twilight. The solar rays pierced the -curtain of clouds, piled up on the eastern horizon, and the radiant orb -rose rapidly. I saw land distinctly, with a few trees scattered here -and there. The boat neared Manaar Island, which was rounded to the -south. Captain Nemo rose from his seat and watched the sea. - -At a sign from him the anchor was dropped, but the chain scarcely ran, -for it was little more than a yard deep, and this spot was one of the -highest points of the bank of pintadines. - -"Here we are, M. Aronnax," said Captain Nemo. "You see that enclosed -bay? Here, in a month will be assembled the numerous fishing boats of -the exporters, and these are the waters their divers will ransack so -boldly. Happily, this bay is well situated for that kind of fishing. -It is sheltered from the strongest winds; the sea is never very rough -here, which makes it favourable for the diver's work. We will now put -on our dresses, and begin our walk." - -I did not answer, and, while watching the suspected waves, began with -the help of the sailors to put on my heavy sea-dress. Captain Nemo and -my companions were also dressing. None of the Nautilus men were to -accompany us on this new excursion. - -Soon we were enveloped to the throat in india-rubber clothing; the air -apparatus fixed to our backs by braces. As to the Ruhmkorff apparatus, -there was no necessity for it. Before putting my head into the copper -cap, I had asked the question of the Captain. - -"They would be useless," he replied. "We are going to no great depth, -and the solar rays will be enough to light our walk. Besides, it would -not be prudent to carry the electric light in these waters; its -brilliancy might attract some of the dangerous inhabitants of the coast -most inopportunely." - -As Captain Nemo pronounced these words, I turned to Conseil and Ned -Land. But my two friends had already encased their heads in the metal -cap, and they could neither hear nor answer. - -One last question remained to ask of Captain Nemo. - -"And our arms?" asked I; "our guns?" - -"Guns! What for? Do not mountaineers attack the bear with a dagger in -their hand, and is not steel surer than lead? Here is a strong blade; -put it in your belt, and we start." - -I looked at my companions; they were armed like us, and, more than -that, Ned Land was brandishing an enormous harpoon, which he had placed -in the boat before leaving the Nautilus. - -Then, following the Captain's example, I allowed myself to be dressed -in the heavy copper helmet, and our reservoirs of air were at once in -activity. An instant after we were landed, one after the other, in -about two yards of water upon an even sand. Captain Nemo made a sign -with his hand, and we followed him by a gentle declivity till we -disappeared under the waves. - -Over our feet, like coveys of snipe in a bog, rose shoals of fish, of -the genus monoptera, which have no other fins but their tail. I -recognized the Javanese, a real serpent two and a half feet long, of a -livid colour underneath, and which might easily be mistaken for a -conger eel if it were not for the golden stripes on its side. In the -genus stromateus, whose bodies are very flat and oval, I saw some of -the most brilliant colours, carrying their dorsal fin like a scythe; an -excellent eating fish, which, dried and pickled, is known by the name -of Karawade; then some tranquebars, belonging to the genus -apsiphoroides, whose body is covered with a shell cuirass of eight -longitudinal plates. - -The heightening sun lit the mass of waters more and more. The soil -changed by degrees. To the fine sand succeeded a perfect causeway of -boulders, covered with a carpet of molluscs and zoophytes. Amongst the -specimens of these branches I noticed some placenae, with thin unequal -shells, a kind of ostracion peculiar to the Red Sea and the Indian -Ocean; some orange lucinae with rounded shells; rockfish three feet and -a half long, which raised themselves under the waves like hands ready -to seize one. There were also some panopyres, slightly luminous; and -lastly, some oculines, like magnificent fans, forming one of the -richest vegetations of these seas. - -In the midst of these living plants, and under the arbours of the -hydrophytes, were layers of clumsy articulates, particularly some -raninae, whose carapace formed a slightly rounded triangle; and some -horrible looking parthenopes. - -At about seven o'clock we found ourselves at last surveying the -oyster-banks on which the pearl-oysters are reproduced by millions. - -Captain Nemo pointed with his hand to the enormous heap of oysters; and -I could well understand that this mine was inexhaustible, for Nature's -creative power is far beyond man's instinct of destruction. Ned Land, -faithful to his instinct, hastened to fill a net which he carried by -his side with some of the finest specimens. But we could not stop. We -must follow the Captain, who seemed to guide him self by paths known -only to himself. The ground was sensibly rising, and sometimes, on -holding up my arm, it was above the surface of the sea. Then the level -of the bank would sink capriciously. Often we rounded high rocks -scarped into pyramids. In their dark fractures huge crustacea, perched -upon their high claws like some war-machine, watched us with fixed -eyes, and under our feet crawled various kinds of annelides. - -At this moment there opened before us a large grotto dug in a -picturesque heap of rocks and carpeted with all the thick warp of the -submarine flora. At first it seemed very dark to me. The solar rays -seemed to be extinguished by successive gradations, until its vague -transparency became nothing more than drowned light. Captain Nemo -entered; we followed. My eyes soon accustomed themselves to this -relative state of darkness. I could distinguish the arches springing -capriciously from natural pillars, standing broad upon their granite -base, like the heavy columns of Tuscan architecture. Why had our -incomprehensible guide led us to the bottom of this submarine crypt? I -was soon to know. After descending a rather sharp declivity, our feet -trod the bottom of a kind of circular pit. There Captain Nemo stopped, -and with his hand indicated an object I had not yet perceived. It was -an oyster of extraordinary dimensions, a gigantic tridacne, a goblet -which could have contained a whole lake of holy-water, a basin the -breadth of which was more than two yards and a half, and consequently -larger than that ornamenting the saloon of the Nautilus. I approached -this extraordinary mollusc. It adhered by its filaments to a table of -granite, and there, isolated, it developed itself in the calm waters of -the grotto. I estimated the weight of this tridacne at 600 lb. Such -an oyster would contain 30 lb. of meat; and one must have the stomach -of a Gargantua to demolish some dozens of them. - -Captain Nemo was evidently acquainted with the existence of this -bivalve, and seemed to have a particular motive in verifying the actual -state of this tridacne. The shells were a little open; the Captain -came near and put his dagger between to prevent them from closing; then -with his hand he raised the membrane with its fringed edges, which -formed a cloak for the creature. There, between the folded plaits, I -saw a loose pearl, whose size equalled that of a coco-nut. Its globular -shape, perfect clearness, and admirable lustre made it altogether a -jewel of inestimable value. Carried away by my curiosity, I stretched -out my hand to seize it, weigh it, and touch it; but the Captain -stopped me, made a sign of refusal, and quickly withdrew his dagger, -and the two shells closed suddenly. I then understood Captain Nemo's -intention. In leaving this pearl hidden in the mantle of the tridacne -he was allowing it to grow slowly. Each year the secretions of the -mollusc would add new concentric circles. I estimated its value at -L500,000 at least. - -After ten minutes Captain Nemo stopped suddenly. I thought he had -halted previously to returning. No; by a gesture he bade us crouch -beside him in a deep fracture of the rock, his hand pointed to one part -of the liquid mass, which I watched attentively. - -About five yards from me a shadow appeared, and sank to the ground. -The disquieting idea of sharks shot through my mind, but I was -mistaken; and once again it was not a monster of the ocean that we had -anything to do with. - -It was a man, a living man, an Indian, a fisherman, a poor devil who, I -suppose, had come to glean before the harvest. I could see the bottom -of his canoe anchored some feet above his head. He dived and went up -successively. A stone held between his feet, cut in the shape of a -sugar loaf, whilst a rope fastened him to his boat, helped him to -descend more rapidly. This was all his apparatus. Reaching the -bottom, about five yards deep, he went on his knees and filled his bag -with oysters picked up at random. Then he went up, emptied it, pulled -up his stone, and began the operation once more, which lasted thirty -seconds. - -The diver did not see us. The shadow of the rock hid us from sight. -And how should this poor Indian ever dream that men, beings like -himself, should be there under the water watching his movements and -losing no detail of the fishing? Several times he went up in this way, -and dived again. He did not carry away more than ten at each plunge, -for he was obliged to pull them from the bank to which they adhered by -means of their strong byssus. And how many of those oysters for which -he risked his life had no pearl in them! I watched him closely; his -manoeuvres were regular; and for the space of half an hour no danger -appeared to threaten him. - -I was beginning to accustom myself to the sight of this interesting -fishing, when suddenly, as the Indian was on the ground, I saw him make -a gesture of terror, rise, and make a spring to return to the surface -of the sea. - -I understood his dread. A gigantic shadow appeared just above the -unfortunate diver. It was a shark of enormous size advancing -diagonally, his eyes on fire, and his jaws open. I was mute with -horror and unable to move. - -The voracious creature shot towards the Indian, who threw himself on -one side to avoid the shark's fins; but not its tail, for it struck his -chest and stretched him on the ground. - -This scene lasted but a few seconds: the shark returned, and, turning -on his back, prepared himself for cutting the Indian in two, when I saw -Captain Nemo rise suddenly, and then, dagger in hand, walk straight to -the monster, ready to fight face to face with him. The very moment the -shark was going to snap the unhappy fisherman in two, he perceived his -new adversary, and, turning over, made straight towards him. - -I can still see Captain Nemo's position. Holding himself well -together, he waited for the shark with admirable coolness; and, when it -rushed at him, threw himself on one side with wonderful quickness, -avoiding the shock, and burying his dagger deep into its side. But it -was not all over. A terrible combat ensued. - -The shark had seemed to roar, if I might say so. The blood rushed in -torrents from its wound. The sea was dyed red, and through the opaque -liquid I could distinguish nothing more. Nothing more until the moment -when, like lightning, I saw the undaunted Captain hanging on to one of -the creature's fins, struggling, as it were, hand to hand with the -monster, and dealing successive blows at his enemy, yet still unable to -give a decisive one. - -The shark's struggles agitated the water with such fury that the -rocking threatened to upset me. - -I wanted to go to the Captain's assistance, but, nailed to the spot -with horror, I could not stir. - -I saw the haggard eye; I saw the different phases of the fight. The -Captain fell to the earth, upset by the enormous mass which leant upon -him. The shark's jaws opened wide, like a pair of factory shears, and -it would have been all over with the Captain; but, quick as thought, -harpoon in hand, Ned Land rushed towards the shark and struck it with -its sharp point. - -The waves were impregnated with a mass of blood. They rocked under the -shark's movements, which beat them with indescribable fury. Ned Land -had not missed his aim. It was the monster's death-rattle. Struck to -the heart, it struggled in dreadful convulsions, the shock of which -overthrew Conseil. - -But Ned Land had disentangled the Captain, who, getting up without any -wound, went straight to the Indian, quickly cut the cord which held him -to his stone, took him in his arms, and, with a sharp blow of his heel, -mounted to the surface. - -We all three followed in a few seconds, saved by a miracle, and reached -the fisherman's boat. - -Captain Nemo's first care was to recall the unfortunate man to life -again. I did not think he could succeed. I hoped so, for the poor -creature's immersion was not long; but the blow from the shark's tail -might have been his death-blow. - -Happily, with the Captain's and Conseil's sharp friction, I saw -consciousness return by degrees. He opened his eyes. What was his -surprise, his terror even, at seeing four great copper heads leaning -over him! And, above all, what must he have thought when Captain Nemo, -drawing from the pocket of his dress a bag of pearls, placed it in his -hand! This munificent charity from the man of the waters to the poor -Cingalese was accepted with a trembling hand. His wondering eyes -showed that he knew not to what super-human beings he owed both fortune -and life. - -At a sign from the Captain we regained the bank, and, following the -road already traversed, came in about half an hour to the anchor which -held the canoe of the Nautilus to the earth. - -Once on board, we each, with the help of the sailors, got rid of the -heavy copper helmet. - -Captain Nemo's first word was to the Canadian. - -"Thank you, Master Land," said he. - -"It was in revenge, Captain," replied Ned Land. "I owed you that." - -A ghastly smile passed across the Captain's lips, and that was all. - -"To the Nautilus," said he. - -The boat flew over the waves. Some minutes after we met the shark's -dead body floating. By the black marking of the extremity of its fins, -I recognised the terrible melanopteron of the Indian Seas, of the -species of shark so properly called. It was more than twenty-five feet -long; its enormous mouth occupied one-third of its body. It was an -adult, as was known by its six rows of teeth placed in an isosceles -triangle in the upper jaw. - -Whilst I was contemplating this inert mass, a dozen of these voracious -beasts appeared round the boat; and, without noticing us, threw -themselves upon the dead body and fought with one another for the -pieces. - -At half-past eight we were again on board the Nautilus. There I -reflected on the incidents which had taken place in our excursion to -the Manaar Bank. - -Two conclusions I must inevitably draw from it--one bearing upon the -unparalleled courage of Captain Nemo, the other upon his devotion to a -human being, a representative of that race from which he fled beneath -the sea. Whatever he might say, this strange man had not yet succeeded -in entirely crushing his heart. - -When I made this observation to him, he answered in a slightly moved -tone: - -"That Indian, sir, is an inhabitant of an oppressed country; and I am -still, and shall be, to my last breath, one of them!" - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE RED SEA - -In the course of the day of the 29th of January, the island of Ceylon -disappeared under the horizon, and the Nautilus, at a speed of twenty -miles an hour, slid into the labyrinth of canals which separate the -Maldives from the Laccadives. It coasted even the Island of Kiltan, a -land originally coraline, discovered by Vasco da Gama in 1499, and one -of the nineteen principal islands of the Laccadive Archipelago, -situated between 10° and 14° 30' N. lat., and 69° 50' 72" -E. long. - -We had made 16,220 miles, or 7,500 (French) leagues from our -starting-point in the Japanese Seas. - -The next day (30th January), when the Nautilus went to the surface of -the ocean there was no land in sight. Its course was N.N.E., in the -direction of the Sea of Oman, between Arabia and the Indian Peninsula, -which serves as an outlet to the Persian Gulf. It was evidently a -block without any possible egress. Where was Captain Nemo taking us -to? I could not say. This, however, did not satisfy the Canadian, who -that day came to me asking where we were going. - -"We are going where our Captain's fancy takes us, Master Ned." - -"His fancy cannot take us far, then," said the Canadian. "The Persian -Gulf has no outlet: and, if we do go in, it will not be long before we -are out again." - -"Very well, then, we will come out again, Master Land; and if, after -the Persian Gulf, the Nautilus would like to visit the Red Sea, the -Straits of Bab-el-mandeb are there to give us entrance." - -"I need not tell you, sir," said Ned Land, "that the Red Sea is as much -closed as the Gulf, as the Isthmus of Suez is not yet cut; and, if it -was, a boat as mysterious as ours would not risk itself in a canal cut -with sluices. And again, the Red Sea is not the road to take us back -to Europe." - -"But I never said we were going back to Europe." - -"What do you suppose, then?" - -"I suppose that, after visiting the curious coasts of Arabia and Egypt, -the Nautilus will go down the Indian Ocean again, perhaps cross the -Channel of Mozambique, perhaps off the Mascarenhas, so as to gain the -Cape of Good Hope." - -"And once at the Cape of Good Hope?" asked the Canadian, with peculiar -emphasis. - -"Well, we shall penetrate into that Atlantic which we do not yet know. -Ah! friend Ned, you are getting tired of this journey under the sea; -you are surfeited with the incessantly varying spectacle of submarine -wonders. For my part, I shall be sorry to see the end of a voyage -which it is given to so few men to make." - -For four days, till the 3rd of February, the Nautilus scoured the Sea -of Oman, at various speeds and at various depths. It seemed to go at -random, as if hesitating as to which road it should follow, but we -never passed the Tropic of Cancer. - -In quitting this sea we sighted Muscat for an instant, one of the most -important towns of the country of Oman. I admired its strange aspect, -surrounded by black rocks upon which its white houses and forts stood -in relief. I saw the rounded domes of its mosques, the elegant points -of its minarets, its fresh and verdant terraces. But it was only a -vision! The Nautilus soon sank under the waves of that part of the sea. - -We passed along the Arabian coast of Mahrah and Hadramaut, for a -distance of six miles, its undulating line of mountains being -occasionally relieved by some ancient ruin. The 5th of February we at -last entered the Gulf of Aden, a perfect funnel introduced into the -neck of Bab-el-mandeb, through which the Indian waters entered the Red -Sea. - -The 6th of February, the Nautilus floated in sight of Aden, perched -upon a promontory which a narrow isthmus joins to the mainland, a kind -of inaccessible Gibraltar, the fortifications of which were rebuilt by -the English after taking possession in 1839. I caught a glimpse of the -octagon minarets of this town, which was at one time the richest -commercial magazine on the coast. - -I certainly thought that Captain Nemo, arrived at this point, would -back out again; but I was mistaken, for he did no such thing, much to -my surprise. - -The next day, the 7th of February, we entered the Straits of -Bab-el-mandeb, the name of which, in the Arab tongue, means The Gate of -Tears. - -To twenty miles in breadth, it is only thirty-two in length. And for -the Nautilus, starting at full speed, the crossing was scarcely the -work of an hour. But I saw nothing, not even the Island of Perim, with -which the British Government has fortified the position of Aden. There -were too many English or French steamers of the line of Suez to Bombay, -Calcutta to Melbourne, and from Bourbon to the Mauritius, furrowing -this narrow passage, for the Nautilus to venture to show itself. So it -remained prudently below. At last about noon, we were in the waters of -the Red Sea. - -I would not even seek to understand the caprice which had decided -Captain Nemo upon entering the gulf. But I quite approved of the -Nautilus entering it. Its speed was lessened: sometimes it kept on -the surface, sometimes it dived to avoid a vessel, and thus I was able -to observe the upper and lower parts of this curious sea. - -The 8th of February, from the first dawn of day, Mocha came in sight, -now a ruined town, whose walls would fall at a gunshot, yet which -shelters here and there some verdant date-trees; once an important -city, containing six public markets, and twenty-six mosques, and whose -walls, defended by fourteen forts, formed a girdle of two miles in -circumference. - -The Nautilus then approached the African shore, where the depth of the -sea was greater. There, between two waters clear as crystal, through -the open panels we were allowed to contemplate the beautiful bushes of -brilliant coral and large blocks of rock clothed with a splendid fur of -green variety of sites and landscapes along these sandbanks and algae -and fuci. What an indescribable spectacle, and what variety of sites -and landscapes along these sandbanks and volcanic islands which bound -the Libyan coast! But where these shrubs appeared in all their beauty -was on the eastern coast, which the Nautilus soon gained. It was on -the coast of Tehama, for there not only did this display of zoophytes -flourish beneath the level of the sea, but they also formed picturesque -interlacings which unfolded themselves about sixty feet above the -surface, more capricious but less highly coloured than those whose -freshness was kept up by the vital power of the waters. - -What charming hours I passed thus at the window of the saloon! What -new specimens of submarine flora and fauna did I admire under the -brightness of our electric lantern! - -The 9th of February the Nautilus floated in the broadest part of the -Red Sea, which is comprised between Souakin, on the west coast, and -Komfidah, on the east coast, with a diameter of ninety miles. - -That day at noon, after the bearings were taken, Captain Nemo mounted -the platform, where I happened to be, and I was determined not to let -him go down again without at least pressing him regarding his ulterior -projects. As soon as he saw me he approached and graciously offered me -a cigar. - -"Well, sir, does this Red Sea please you? Have you sufficiently -observed the wonders it covers, its fishes, its zoophytes, its -parterres of sponges, and its forests of coral? Did you catch a -glimpse of the towns on its borders?" - -"Yes, Captain Nemo," I replied; "and the Nautilus is wonderfully fitted -for such a study. Ah! it is an intelligent boat!" - -"Yes, sir, intelligent and invulnerable. It fears neither the terrible -tempests of the Red Sea, nor its currents, nor its sandbanks." - -"Certainly," said I, "this sea is quoted as one of the worst, and in -the time of the ancients, if I am not mistaken, its reputation was -detestable." - -"Detestable, M. Aronnax. The Greek and Latin historians do not speak -favourably of it, and Strabo says it is very dangerous during the -Etesian winds and in the rainy season. The Arabian Edrisi portrays it -under the name of the Gulf of Colzoum, and relates that vessels -perished there in great numbers on the sandbanks and that no one would -risk sailing in the night. It is, he pretends, a sea subject to -fearful hurricanes, strewn with inhospitable islands, and `which offers -nothing good either on its surface or in its depths.'" - -"One may see," I replied, "that these historians never sailed on board -the Nautilus." - -"Just so," replied the Captain, smiling; "and in that respect moderns -are not more advanced than the ancients. It required many ages to find -out the mechanical power of steam. Who knows if, in another hundred -years, we may not see a second Nautilus? Progress is slow, M. Aronnax." - -"It is true," I answered; "your boat is at least a century before its -time, perhaps an era. What a misfortune that the secret of such an -invention should die with its inventor!" - -Captain Nemo did not reply. After some minutes' silence he continued: - -"You were speaking of the opinions of ancient historians upon the -dangerous navigation of the Red Sea." - -"It is true," said I; "but were not their fears exaggerated?" - -"Yes and no, M. Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo, who seemed to know the -Red Sea by heart. "That which is no longer dangerous for a modern -vessel, well rigged, strongly built, and master of its own course, -thanks to obedient steam, offered all sorts of perils to the ships of -the ancients. Picture to yourself those first navigators venturing in -ships made of planks sewn with the cords of the palmtree, saturated -with the grease of the seadog, and covered with powdered resin! They -had not even instruments wherewith to take their bearings, and they -went by guess amongst currents of which they scarcely knew anything. -Under such conditions shipwrecks were, and must have been, numerous. -But in our time, steamers running between Suez and the South Seas have -nothing more to fear from the fury of this gulf, in spite of contrary -trade-winds. The captain and passengers do not prepare for their -departure by offering propitiatory sacrifices; and, on their return, -they no longer go ornamented with wreaths and gilt fillets to thank the -gods in the neighbouring temple." - -"I agree with you," said I; "and steam seems to have killed all -gratitude in the hearts of sailors. But, Captain, since you seem to -have especially studied this sea, can you tell me the origin of its -name?" - -"There exist several explanations on the subject, M. Aronnax. Would -you like to know the opinion of a chronicler of the fourteenth century?" - -"Willingly." - -"This fanciful writer pretends that its name was given to it after the -passage of the Israelites, when Pharaoh perished in the waves which -closed at the voice of Moses." - -"A poet's explanation, Captain Nemo," I replied; "but I cannot content -myself with that. I ask you for your personal opinion." - -"Here it is, M. Aronnax. According to my idea, we must see in this -appellation of the Red Sea a translation of the Hebrew word `Edom'; and -if the ancients gave it that name, it was on account of the particular -colour of its waters." - -"But up to this time I have seen nothing but transparent waves and -without any particular colour." - -"Very likely; but as we advance to the bottom of the gulf, you will see -this singular appearance. I remember seeing the Bay of Tor entirely -red, like a sea of blood." - -"And you attribute this colour to the presence of a microscopic -seaweed?" - -"Yes." - -"So, Captain Nemo, it is not the first time you have overrun the Red -Sea on board the Nautilus?" - -"No, sir." - -"As you spoke a while ago of the passage of the Israelites and of the -catastrophe to the Egyptians, I will ask whether you have met with the -traces under the water of this great historical fact?" - -"No, sir; and for a good reason." - -"What is it?" - -"It is that the spot where Moses and his people passed is now so -blocked up with sand that the camels can barely bathe their legs there. -You can well understand that there would not be water enough for my -Nautilus." - -"And the spot?" I asked. - -"The spot is situated a little above the Isthmus of Suez, in the arm -which formerly made a deep estuary, when the Red Sea extended to the -Salt Lakes. Now, whether this passage were miraculous or not, the -Israelites, nevertheless, crossed there to reach the Promised Land, and -Pharaoh's army perished precisely on that spot; and I think that -excavations made in the middle of the sand would bring to light a large -number of arms and instruments of Egyptian origin." - -"That is evident," I replied; "and for the sake of archaeologists let -us hope that these excavations will be made sooner or later, when new -towns are established on the isthmus, after the construction of the -Suez Canal; a canal, however, very useless to a vessel like the -Nautilus." - -"Very likely; but useful to the whole world," said Captain Nemo. "The -ancients well understood the utility of a communication between the Red -Sea and the Mediterranean for their commercial affairs: but they did -not think of digging a canal direct, and took the Nile as an -intermediate. Very probably the canal which united the Nile to the Red -Sea was begun by Sesostris, if we may believe tradition. One thing is -certain, that in the year 615 before Jesus Christ, Necos undertook the -works of an alimentary canal to the waters of the Nile across the plain -of Egypt, looking towards Arabia. It took four days to go up this -canal, and it was so wide that two triremes could go abreast. It was -carried on by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, and probably finished by -Ptolemy II. Strabo saw it navigated: but its decline from the point -of departure, near Bubastes, to the Red Sea was so slight that it was -only navigable for a few months in the year. This canal answered all -commercial purposes to the age of Antonius, when it was abandoned and -blocked up with sand. Restored by order of the Caliph Omar, it was -definitely destroyed in 761 or 762 by Caliph Al-Mansor, who wished to -prevent the arrival of provisions to Mohammed-ben-Abdallah, who had -revolted against him. During the expedition into Egypt, your General -Bonaparte discovered traces of the works in the Desert of Suez; and, -surprised by the tide, he nearly perished before regaining Hadjaroth, -at the very place where Moses had encamped three thousand years before -him." - -"Well, Captain, what the ancients dared not undertake, this junction -between the two seas, which will shorten the road from Cadiz to India, -M. Lesseps has succeeded in doing; and before long he will have changed -Africa into an immense island." - -"Yes, M. Aronnax; you have the right to be proud of your countryman. -Such a man brings more honour to a nation than great captains. He -began, like so many others, with disgust and rebuffs; but he has -triumphed, for he has the genius of will. And it is sad to think that -a work like that, which ought to have been an international work and -which would have sufficed to make a reign illustrious, should have -succeeded by the energy of one man. All honour to M. Lesseps!" - -"Yes! honour to the great citizen," I replied, surprised by the manner -in which Captain Nemo had just spoken. - -"Unfortunately," he continued, "I cannot take you through the Suez -Canal; but you will be able to see the long jetty of Port Said after -to-morrow, when we shall be in the Mediterranean." - -"The Mediterranean!" I exclaimed. - -"Yes, sir; does that astonish you?" - -"What astonishes me is to think that we shall be there the day after -to-morrow." - -"Indeed?" - -"Yes, Captain, although by this time I ought to have accustomed myself -to be surprised at nothing since I have been on board your boat." - -"But the cause of this surprise?" - -"Well! it is the fearful speed you will have to put on the Nautilus, if -the day after to-morrow she is to be in the Mediterranean, having made -the round of Africa, and doubled the Cape of Good Hope!" - -"Who told you that she would make the round of Africa and double the -Cape of Good Hope, sir?" - -"Well, unless the Nautilus sails on dry land, and passes above the -isthmus----" - -"Or beneath it, M. Aronnax." - -"Beneath it?" - -"Certainly," replied Captain Nemo quietly. "A long time ago Nature -made under this tongue of land what man has this day made on its -surface." - -"What! such a passage exists?" - -"Yes; a subterranean passage, which I have named the Arabian Tunnel. -It takes us beneath Suez and opens into the Gulf of Pelusium." - -"But this isthmus is composed of nothing but quick sands?" - -"To a certain depth. But at fifty-five yards only there is a solid -layer of rock." - -"Did you discover this passage by chance?" I asked more and more -surprised. - -"Chance and reasoning, sir; and by reasoning even more than by chance. -Not only does this passage exist, but I have profited by it several -times. Without that I should not have ventured this day into the -impassable Red Sea. I noticed that in the Red Sea and in the -Mediterranean there existed a certain number of fishes of a kind -perfectly identical. Certain of the fact, I asked myself was it -possible that there was no communication between the two seas? If -there was, the subterranean current must necessarily run from the Red -Sea to the Mediterranean, from the sole cause of difference of level. -I caught a large number of fishes in the neighbourhood of Suez. I -passed a copper ring through their tails, and threw them back into the -sea. Some months later, on the coast of Syria, I caught some of my -fish ornamented with the ring. Thus the communication between the two -was proved. I then sought for it with my Nautilus; I discovered it, -ventured into it, and before long, sir, you too will have passed -through my Arabian tunnel!" - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE ARABIAN TUNNEL - -That same evening, in 21° 30' N. lat., the Nautilus floated on the -surface of the sea, approaching the Arabian coast. I saw Djeddah, the -most important counting-house of Egypt, Syria, Turkey, and India. I -distinguished clearly enough its buildings, the vessels anchored at the -quays, and those whose draught of water obliged them to anchor in the -roads. The sun, rather low on the horizon, struck full on the houses -of the town, bringing out their whiteness. Outside, some wooden -cabins, and some made of reeds, showed the quarter inhabited by the -Bedouins. Soon Djeddah was shut out from view by the shadows of night, -and the Nautilus found herself under water slightly phosphorescent. - -The next day, the 10th of February, we sighted several ships running to -windward. The Nautilus returned to its submarine navigation; but at -noon, when her bearings were taken, the sea being deserted, she rose -again to her waterline. - -Accompanied by Ned and Conseil, I seated myself on the platform. The -coast on the eastern side looked like a mass faintly printed upon a -damp fog. - -We were leaning on the sides of the pinnace, talking of one thing and -another, when Ned Land, stretching out his hand towards a spot on the -sea, said: - -"Do you see anything there, sir?" - -"No, Ned," I replied; "but I have not your eyes, you know." - -"Look well," said Ned, "there, on the starboard beam, about the height -of the lantern! Do you not see a mass which seems to move?" - -"Certainly," said I, after close attention; "I see something like a -long black body on the top of the water." - -And certainly before long the black object was not more than a mile -from us. It looked like a great sandbank deposited in the open sea. -It was a gigantic dugong! - -Ned Land looked eagerly. His eyes shone with covetousness at the sight -of the animal. His hand seemed ready to harpoon it. One would have -thought he was awaiting the moment to throw himself into the sea and -attack it in its element. - -At this instant Captain Nemo appeared on the platform. He saw the -dugong, understood the Canadian's attitude, and, addressing him, said: - -"If you held a harpoon just now, Master Land, would it not burn your -hand?" - -"Just so, sir." - -"And you would not be sorry to go back, for one day, to your trade of a -fisherman and to add this cetacean to the list of those you have -already killed?" - -"I should not, sir." - -"Well, you can try." - -"Thank you, sir," said Ned Land, his eyes flaming. - -"Only," continued the Captain, "I advise you for your own sake not to -miss the creature." - -"Is the dugong dangerous to attack?" I asked, in spite of the -Canadian's shrug of the shoulders. - -"Yes," replied the Captain; "sometimes the animal turns upon its -assailants and overturns their boat. But for Master Land this danger -is not to be feared. His eye is prompt, his arm sure." - -At this moment seven men of the crew, mute and immovable as ever, -mounted the platform. One carried a harpoon and a line similar to -those employed in catching whales. The pinnace was lifted from the -bridge, pulled from its socket, and let down into the sea. Six oarsmen -took their seats, and the coxswain went to the tiller. Ned, Conseil, -and I went to the back of the boat. - -"You are not coming, Captain?" I asked. - -"No, sir; but I wish you good sport." - -The boat put off, and, lifted by the six rowers, drew rapidly towards -the dugong, which floated about two miles from the Nautilus. - -Arrived some cables-length from the cetacean, the speed slackened, and -the oars dipped noiselessly into the quiet waters. Ned Land, harpoon -in hand, stood in the fore part of the boat. The harpoon used for -striking the whale is generally attached to a very long cord which runs -out rapidly as the wounded creature draws it after him. But here the -cord was not more than ten fathoms long, and the extremity was attached -to a small barrel which, by floating, was to show the course the dugong -took under the water. - -I stood and carefully watched the Canadian's adversary. This dugong, -which also bears the name of the halicore, closely resembles the -manatee; its oblong body terminated in a lengthened tail, and its -lateral fins in perfect fingers. Its difference from the manatee -consisted in its upper jaw, which was armed with two long and pointed -teeth which formed on each side diverging tusks. - -This dugong which Ned Land was preparing to attack was of colossal -dimensions; it was more than seven yards long. It did not move, and -seemed to be sleeping on the waves, which circumstance made it easier -to capture. - -The boat approached within six yards of the animal. The oars rested on -the rowlocks. I half rose. Ned Land, his body thrown a little back, -brandished the harpoon in his experienced hand. - -Suddenly a hissing noise was heard, and the dugong disappeared. The -harpoon, although thrown with great force; had apparently only struck -the water. - -"Curse it!" exclaimed the Canadian furiously; "I have missed it!" - -"No," said I; "the creature is wounded--look at the blood; but your -weapon has not stuck in his body." - -"My harpoon! my harpoon!" cried Ned Land. - -The sailors rowed on, and the coxswain made for the floating barrel. -The harpoon regained, we followed in pursuit of the animal. - -The latter came now and then to the surface to breathe. Its wound had -not weakened it, for it shot onwards with great rapidity. - -The boat, rowed by strong arms, flew on its track. Several times it -approached within some few yards, and the Canadian was ready to strike, -but the dugong made off with a sudden plunge, and it was impossible to -reach it. - -Imagine the passion which excited impatient Ned Land! He hurled at the -unfortunate creature the most energetic expletives in the English -tongue. For my part, I was only vexed to see the dugong escape all our -attacks. - -We pursued it without relaxation for an hour, and I began to think it -would prove difficult to capture, when the animal, possessed with the -perverse idea of vengeance of which he had cause to repent, turned upon -the pinnace and assailed us in its turn. - -This manoeuvre did not escape the Canadian. - -"Look out!" he cried. - -The coxswain said some words in his outlandish tongue, doubtless -warning the men to keep on their guard. - -The dugong came within twenty feet of the boat, stopped, sniffed the -air briskly with its large nostrils (not pierced at the extremity, but -in the upper part of its muzzle). Then, taking a spring, he threw -himself upon us. - -The pinnace could not avoid the shock, and half upset, shipped at least -two tons of water, which had to be emptied; but, thanks to the -coxswain, we caught it sideways, not full front, so we were not quite -overturned. While Ned Land, clinging to the bows, belaboured the -gigantic animal with blows from his harpoon, the creature's teeth were -buried in the gunwale, and it lifted the whole thing out of the water, -as a lion does a roebuck. We were upset over one another, and I know -not how the adventure would have ended, if the Canadian, still enraged -with the beast, had not struck it to the heart. - -I heard its teeth grind on the iron plate, and the dugong disappeared, -carrying the harpoon with him. But the barrel soon returned to the -surface, and shortly after the body of the animal, turned on its back. -The boat came up with it, took it in tow, and made straight for the -Nautilus. - -It required tackle of enormous strength to hoist the dugong on to the -platform. It weighed 10,000 lb. - -The next day, 11th February, the larder of the Nautilus was enriched by -some more delicate game. A flight of sea-swallows rested on the -Nautilus. It was a species of the Sterna nilotica, peculiar to Egypt; -its beak is black, head grey and pointed, the eye surrounded by white -spots, the back, wings, and tail of a greyish colour, the belly and -throat white, and claws red. They also took some dozen of Nile ducks, -a wild bird of high flavour, its throat and upper part of the head -white with black spots. - -About five o'clock in the evening we sighted to the north the Cape of -Ras-Mohammed. This cape forms the extremity of Arabia Petraea, -comprised between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Acabah. - -The Nautilus penetrated into the Straits of Jubal, which leads to the -Gulf of Suez. I distinctly saw a high mountain, towering between the -two gulfs of Ras-Mohammed. It was Mount Horeb, that Sinai at the top of -which Moses saw God face to face. - -At six o'clock the Nautilus, sometimes floating, sometimes immersed, -passed some distance from Tor, situated at the end of the bay, the -waters of which seemed tinted with red, an observation already made by -Captain Nemo. Then night fell in the midst of a heavy silence, -sometimes broken by the cries of the pelican and other night-birds, and -the noise of the waves breaking upon the shore, chafing against the -rocks, or the panting of some far-off steamer beating the waters of the -Gulf with its noisy paddles. - -From eight to nine o'clock the Nautilus remained some fathoms under the -water. According to my calculation we must have been very near Suez. -Through the panel of the saloon I saw the bottom of the rocks -brilliantly lit up by our electric lamp. We seemed to be leaving the -Straits behind us more and more. - -At a quarter-past nine, the vessel having returned to the surface, I -mounted the platform. Most impatient to pass through Captain Nemo's -tunnel, I could not stay in one place, so came to breathe the fresh -night air. - -Soon in the shadow I saw a pale light, half discoloured by the fog, -shining about a mile from us. - -"A floating lighthouse!" said someone near me. - -I turned, and saw the Captain. - -"It is the floating light of Suez," he continued. "It will not be long -before we gain the entrance of the tunnel." - -"The entrance cannot be easy?" - -"No, sir; for that reason I am accustomed to go into the steersman's -cage and myself direct our course. And now, if you will go down, M. -Aronnax, the Nautilus is going under the waves, and will not return to -the surface until we have passed through the Arabian Tunnel." - -Captain Nemo led me towards the central staircase; half way down he -opened a door, traversed the upper deck, and landed in the pilot's -cage, which it may be remembered rose at the extremity of the platform. -It was a cabin measuring six feet square, very much like that occupied -by the pilot on the steamboats of the Mississippi or Hudson. In the -midst worked a wheel, placed vertically, and caught to the tiller-rope, -which ran to the back of the Nautilus. Four light-ports with -lenticular glasses, let in a groove in the partition of the cabin, -allowed the man at the wheel to see in all directions. - -This cabin was dark; but soon my eyes accustomed themselves to the -obscurity, and I perceived the pilot, a strong man, with his hands -resting on the spokes of the wheel. Outside, the sea appeared vividly -lit up by the lantern, which shed its rays from the back of the cabin -to the other extremity of the platform. - -"Now," said Captain Nemo, "let us try to make our passage." - -Electric wires connected the pilot's cage with the machinery room, and -from there the Captain could communicate simultaneously to his Nautilus -the direction and the speed. He pressed a metal knob, and at once the -speed of the screw diminished. - -I looked in silence at the high straight wall we were running by at -this moment, the immovable base of a massive sandy coast. We followed -it thus for an hour only some few yards off. - -Captain Nemo did not take his eye from the knob, suspended by its two -concentric circles in the cabin. At a simple gesture, the pilot -modified the course of the Nautilus every instant. - -I had placed myself at the port-scuttle, and saw some magnificent -substructures of coral, zoophytes, seaweed, and fucus, agitating their -enormous claws, which stretched out from the fissures of the rock. - -At a quarter-past ten, the Captain himself took the helm. A large -gallery, black and deep, opened before us. The Nautilus went boldly -into it. A strange roaring was heard round its sides. It was the -waters of the Red Sea, which the incline of the tunnel precipitated -violently towards the Mediterranean. The Nautilus went with the -torrent, rapid as an arrow, in spite of the efforts of the machinery, -which, in order to offer more effective resistance, beat the waves with -reversed screw. - -On the walls of the narrow passage I could see nothing but brilliant -rays, straight lines, furrows of fire, traced by the great speed, under -the brilliant electric light. My heart beat fast. - -At thirty-five minutes past ten, Captain Nemo quitted the helm, and, -turning to me, said: - -"The Mediterranean!" - -In less than twenty minutes, the Nautilus, carried along by the -torrent, had passed through the Isthmus of Suez. - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE GRECIAN ARCHIPELAGO - -The next day, the 12th of February, at the dawn of day, the Nautilus -rose to the surface. I hastened on to the platform. Three miles to -the south the dim outline of Pelusium was to be seen. A torrent had -carried us from one sea to another. About seven o'clock Ned and -Conseil joined me. - -"Well, Sir Naturalist," said the Canadian, in a slightly jovial tone, -"and the Mediterranean?" - -"We are floating on its surface, friend Ned." - -"What!" said Conseil, "this very night." - -"Yes, this very night; in a few minutes we have passed this impassable -isthmus." - -"I do not believe it," replied the Canadian. - -"Then you are wrong, Master Land," I continued; "this low coast which -rounds off to the south is the Egyptian coast. And you who have such -good eyes, Ned, you can see the jetty of Port Said stretching into the -sea." - -The Canadian looked attentively. - -"Certainly you are right, sir, and your Captain is a first-rate man. -We are in the Mediterranean. Good! Now, if you please, let us talk of -our own little affair, but so that no one hears us." - -I saw what the Canadian wanted, and, in any case, I thought it better -to let him talk, as he wished it; so we all three went and sat down -near the lantern, where we were less exposed to the spray of the blades. - -"Now, Ned, we listen; what have you to tell us?" - -"What I have to tell you is very simple. We are in Europe; and before -Captain Nemo's caprices drag us once more to the bottom of the Polar -Seas, or lead us into Oceania, I ask to leave the Nautilus." - -I wished in no way to shackle the liberty of my companions, but I -certainly felt no desire to leave Captain Nemo. - -Thanks to him, and thanks to his apparatus, I was each day nearer the -completion of my submarine studies; and I was rewriting my book of -submarine depths in its very element. Should I ever again have such an -opportunity of observing the wonders of the ocean? No, certainly not! -And I could not bring myself to the idea of abandoning the Nautilus -before the cycle of investigation was accomplished. - -"Friend Ned, answer me frankly, are you tired of being on board? Are -you sorry that destiny has thrown us into Captain Nemo's hands?" - -The Canadian remained some moments without answering. Then, crossing -his arms, he said: - -"Frankly, I do not regret this journey under the seas. I shall be glad -to have made it; but, now that it is made, let us have done with it. -That is my idea." - -"It will come to an end, Ned." - -"Where and when?" - -"Where I do not know--when I cannot say; or, rather, I suppose it will -end when these seas have nothing more to teach us." - -"Then what do you hope for?" demanded the Canadian. - -"That circumstances may occur as well six months hence as now by which -we may and ought to profit." - -"Oh!" said Ned Land, "and where shall we be in six months, if you -please, Sir Naturalist?" - -"Perhaps in China; you know the Nautilus is a rapid traveller. It goes -through water as swallows through the air, or as an express on the -land. It does not fear frequented seas; who can say that it may not -beat the coasts of France, England, or America, on which flight may be -attempted as advantageously as here." - -"M. Aronnax," replied the Canadian, "your arguments are rotten at the -foundation. You speak in the future, `We shall be there! we shall be -here!' I speak in the present, `We are here, and we must profit by -it.'" - -Ned Land's logic pressed me hard, and I felt myself beaten on that -ground. I knew not what argument would now tell in my favour. - -"Sir," continued Ned, "let us suppose an impossibility: if Captain Nemo -should this day offer you your liberty; would you accept it?" - -"I do not know," I answered. - -"And if," he added, "the offer made you this day was never to be -renewed, would you accept it?" - -"Friend Ned, this is my answer. Your reasoning is against me. We must -not rely on Captain Nemo's good-will. Common prudence forbids him to -set us at liberty. On the other side, prudence bids us profit by the -first opportunity to leave the Nautilus." - -"Well, M. Aronnax, that is wisely said." - -"Only one observation--just one. The occasion must be serious, and our -first attempt must succeed; if it fails, we shall never find another, -and Captain Nemo will never forgive us." - -"All that is true," replied the Canadian. "But your observation -applies equally to all attempts at flight, whether in two years' time, -or in two days'. But the question is still this: If a favourable -opportunity presents itself, it must be seized." - -"Agreed! And now, Ned, will you tell me what you mean by a favourable -opportunity?" - -"It will be that which, on a dark night, will bring the Nautilus a -short distance from some European coast." - -"And you will try and save yourself by swimming?" - -"Yes, if we were near enough to the bank, and if the vessel was -floating at the time. Not if the bank was far away, and the boat was -under the water." - -"And in that case?" - -"In that case, I should seek to make myself master of the pinnace. I -know how it is worked. We must get inside, and the bolts once drawn, -we shall come to the surface of the water, without even the pilot, who -is in the bows, perceiving our flight." - -"Well, Ned, watch for the opportunity; but do not forget that a hitch -will ruin us." - -"I will not forget, sir." - -"And now, Ned, would you like to know what I think of your project?" - -"Certainly, M. Aronnax." - -"Well, I think--I do not say I hope--I think that this favourable -opportunity will never present itself." - -"Why not?" - -"Because Captain Nemo cannot hide from himself that we have not given -up all hope of regaining our liberty, and he will be on his guard, -above all, in the seas and in the sight of European coasts." - -"We shall see," replied Ned Land, shaking his head determinedly. - -"And now, Ned Land," I added, "let us stop here. Not another word on -the subject. The day that you are ready, come and let us know, and we -will follow you. I rely entirely upon you." - -Thus ended a conversation which, at no very distant time, led to such -grave results. I must say here that facts seemed to confirm my -foresight, to the Canadian's great despair. Did Captain Nemo distrust -us in these frequented seas? or did he only wish to hide himself from -the numerous vessels, of all nations, which ploughed the Mediterranean? -I could not tell; but we were oftener between waters and far from the -coast. Or, if the Nautilus did emerge, nothing was to be seen but the -pilot's cage; and sometimes it went to great depths, for, between the -Grecian Archipelago and Asia Minor we could not touch the bottom by -more than a thousand fathoms. - -Thus I only knew we were near the Island of Carpathos, one of the -Sporades, by Captain Nemo reciting these lines from Virgil: - - "Est Carpathio Neptuni gurgite vates, - Caeruleus Proteus," - -as he pointed to a spot on the planisphere. - -It was indeed the ancient abode of Proteus, the old shepherd of -Neptune's flocks, now the Island of Scarpanto, situated between Rhodes -and Crete. I saw nothing but the granite base through the glass panels -of the saloon. - -The next day, the 14th of February, I resolved to employ some hours in -studying the fishes of the Archipelago; but for some reason or other -the panels remained hermetically sealed. Upon taking the course of the -Nautilus, I found that we were going towards Candia, the ancient Isle -of Crete. At the time I embarked on the Abraham Lincoln, the whole of -this island had risen in insurrection against the despotism of the -Turks. But how the insurgents had fared since that time I was -absolutely ignorant, and it was not Captain Nemo, deprived of all land -communications, who could tell me. - -I made no allusion to this event when that night I found myself alone -with him in the saloon. Besides, he seemed to be taciturn and -preoccupied. Then, contrary to his custom, he ordered both panels to -be opened, and, going from one to the other, observed the mass of -waters attentively. To what end I could not guess; so, on my side, I -employed my time in studying the fish passing before my eyes. - -In the midst of the waters a man appeared, a diver, carrying at his -belt a leathern purse. It was not a body abandoned to the waves; it -was a living man, swimming with a strong hand, disappearing -occasionally to take breath at the surface. - -I turned towards Captain Nemo, and in an agitated voice exclaimed: - -"A man shipwrecked! He must be saved at any price!" - -The Captain did not answer me, but came and leaned against the panel. - -The man had approached, and, with his face flattened against the glass, -was looking at us. - -To my great amazement, Captain Nemo signed to him. The diver answered -with his hand, mounted immediately to the surface of the water, and did -not appear again. - -"Do not be uncomfortable," said Captain Nemo. "It is Nicholas of Cape -Matapan, surnamed Pesca. He is well known in all the Cyclades. A bold -diver! water is his element, and he lives more in it than on land, -going continually from one island to another, even as far as Crete." - -"You know him, Captain?" - -"Why not, M. Aronnax?" - -Saying which, Captain Nemo went towards a piece of furniture standing -near the left panel of the saloon. Near this piece of furniture, I saw -a chest bound with iron, on the cover of which was a copper plate, -bearing the cypher of the Nautilus with its device. - -At that moment, the Captain, without noticing my presence, opened the -piece of furniture, a sort of strong box, which held a great many -ingots. - -They were ingots of gold. From whence came this precious metal, which -represented an enormous sum? Where did the Captain gather this gold -from? and what was he going to do with it? - -I did not say one word. I looked. Captain Nemo took the ingots one by -one, and arranged them methodically in the chest, which he filled -entirely. I estimated the contents at more than 4,000 lb. weight of -gold, that is to say, nearly L200,000. - -The chest was securely fastened, and the Captain wrote an address on -the lid, in characters which must have belonged to Modern Greece. - -This done, Captain Nemo pressed a knob, the wire of which communicated -with the quarters of the crew. Four men appeared, and, not without -some trouble, pushed the chest out of the saloon. Then I heard them -hoisting it up the iron staircase by means of pulleys. - -At that moment, Captain Nemo turned to me. - -"And you were saying, sir?" said he. - -"I was saying nothing, Captain." - -"Then, sir, if you will allow me, I will wish you good night." - -Whereupon he turned and left the saloon. - -I returned to my room much troubled, as one may believe. I vainly -tried to sleep--I sought the connecting link between the apparition of -the diver and the chest filled with gold. Soon, I felt by certain -movements of pitching and tossing that the Nautilus was leaving the -depths and returning to the surface. - -Then I heard steps upon the platform; and I knew they were unfastening -the pinnace and launching it upon the waves. For one instant it struck -the side of the Nautilus, then all noise ceased. - -Two hours after, the same noise, the same going and coming was renewed; -the boat was hoisted on board, replaced in its socket, and the Nautilus -again plunged under the waves. - -So these millions had been transported to their address. To what point -of the continent? Who was Captain Nemo's correspondent? - -The next day I related to Conseil and the Canadian the events of the -night, which had excited my curiosity to the highest degree. My -companions were not less surprised than myself. - -"But where does he take his millions to?" asked Ned Land. - -To that there was no possible answer. I returned to the saloon after -having breakfast and set to work. Till five o'clock in the evening I -employed myself in arranging my notes. At that moment--(ought I to -attribute it to some peculiar idiosyncrasy)--I felt so great a heat -that I was obliged to take off my coat. It was strange, for we were -under low latitudes; and even then the Nautilus, submerged as it was, -ought to experience no change of temperature. I looked at the -manometer; it showed a depth of sixty feet, to which atmospheric heat -could never attain. - -I continued my work, but the temperature rose to such a pitch as to be -intolerable. - -"Could there be fire on board?" I asked myself. - -I was leaving the saloon, when Captain Nemo entered; he approached the -thermometer, consulted it, and, turning to me, said: - -"Forty-two degrees." - -"I have noticed it, Captain," I replied; "and if it gets much hotter we -cannot bear it." - -"Oh, sir, it will not get better if we do not wish it." - -"You can reduce it as you please, then?" - -"No; but I can go farther from the stove which produces it." - -"It is outward, then!" - -"Certainly; we are floating in a current of boiling water." - -"Is it possible!" I exclaimed. - -"Look." - -The panels opened, and I saw the sea entirely white all round. A -sulphurous smoke was curling amid the waves, which boiled like water in -a copper. I placed my hand on one of the panes of glass, but the heat -was so great that I quickly took it off again. - -"Where are we?" I asked. - -"Near the Island of Santorin, sir," replied the Captain. "I wished to -give you a sight of the curious spectacle of a submarine eruption." - -"I thought," said I, "that the formation of these new islands was -ended." - -"Nothing is ever ended in the volcanic parts of the sea," replied -Captain Nemo; "and the globe is always being worked by subterranean -fires. Already, in the nineteenth year of our era, according to -Cassiodorus and Pliny, a new island, Theia (the divine), appeared in -the very place where these islets have recently been formed. Then they -sank under the waves, to rise again in the year 69, when they again -subsided. Since that time to our days the Plutonian work has been -suspended. But on the 3rd of February, 1866, a new island, which they -named George Island, emerged from the midst of the sulphurous vapour -near Nea Kamenni, and settled again the 6th of the same month. Seven -days after, the 13th of February, the Island of Aphroessa appeared, -leaving between Nea Kamenni and itself a canal ten yards broad. I was -in these seas when the phenomenon occurred, and I was able therefore to -observe all the different phases. The Island of Aphroessa, of round -form, measured 300 feet in diameter, and 30 feet in height. It was -composed of black and vitreous lava, mixed with fragments of felspar. -And lastly, on the 10th of March, a smaller island, called Reka, showed -itself near Nea Kamenni, and since then these three have joined -together, forming but one and the same island." - -"And the canal in which we are at this moment?" I asked. - -"Here it is," replied Captain Nemo, showing me a map of the -Archipelago. "You see, I have marked the new islands." - -I returned to the glass. The Nautilus was no longer moving, the heat -was becoming unbearable. The sea, which till now had been white, was -red, owing to the presence of salts of iron. In spite of the ship's -being hermetically sealed, an insupportable smell of sulphur filled the -saloon, and the brilliancy of the electricity was entirely extinguished -by bright scarlet flames. I was in a bath, I was choking, I was -broiled. - -"We can remain no longer in this boiling water," said I to the Captain. - -"It would not be prudent," replied the impassive Captain Nemo. - -An order was given; the Nautilus tacked about and left the furnace it -could not brave with impunity. A quarter of an hour after we were -breathing fresh air on the surface. The thought then struck me that, -if Ned Land had chosen this part of the sea for our flight, we should -never have come alive out of this sea of fire. - -The next day, the 16th of February, we left the basin which, between -Rhodes and Alexandria, is reckoned about 1,500 fathoms in depth, and -the Nautilus, passing some distance from Cerigo, quitted the Grecian -Archipelago after having doubled Cape Matapan. - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE MEDITERRANEAN IN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS - -The Mediterranean, the blue sea par excellence, "the great sea" of the -Hebrews, "the sea" of the Greeks, the "mare nostrum" of the Romans, -bordered by orange-trees, aloes, cacti, and sea-pines; embalmed with -the perfume of the myrtle, surrounded by rude mountains, saturated with -pure and transparent air, but incessantly worked by underground fires; -a perfect battlefield in which Neptune and Pluto still dispute the -empire of the world! - -It is upon these banks, and on these waters, says Michelet, that man is -renewed in one of the most powerful climates of the globe. But, -beautiful as it was, I could only take a rapid glance at the basin -whose superficial area is two million of square yards. Even Captain -Nemo's knowledge was lost to me, for this puzzling person did not -appear once during our passage at full speed. I estimated the course -which the Nautilus took under the waves of the sea at about six hundred -leagues, and it was accomplished in forty-eight hours. Starting on the -morning of the 16th of February from the shores of Greece, we had -crossed the Straits of Gibraltar by sunrise on the 18th. - -It was plain to me that this Mediterranean, enclosed in the midst of -those countries which he wished to avoid, was distasteful to Captain -Nemo. Those waves and those breezes brought back too many -remembrances, if not too many regrets. Here he had no longer that -independence and that liberty of gait which he had when in the open -seas, and his Nautilus felt itself cramped between the close shores of -Africa and Europe. - -Our speed was now twenty-five miles an hour. It may be well understood -that Ned Land, to his great disgust, was obliged to renounce his -intended flight. He could not launch the pinnace, going at the rate of -twelve or thirteen yards every second. To quit the Nautilus under such -conditions would be as bad as jumping from a train going at full -speed--an imprudent thing, to say the least of it. Besides, our vessel -only mounted to the surface of the waves at night to renew its stock of -air; it was steered entirely by the compass and the log. - -I saw no more of the interior of this Mediterranean than a traveller by -express train perceives of the landscape which flies before his eyes; -that is to say, the distant horizon, and not the nearer objects which -pass like a flash of lightning. - -We were then passing between Sicily and the coast of Tunis. In the -narrow space between Cape Bon and the Straits of Messina the bottom of -the sea rose almost suddenly. There was a perfect bank, on which there -was not more than nine fathoms of water, whilst on either side the -depth was ninety fathoms. - -The Nautilus had to manoeuvre very carefully so as not to strike -against this submarine barrier. - -I showed Conseil, on the map of the Mediterranean, the spot occupied by -this reef. - -"But if you please, sir," observed Conseil, "it is like a real isthmus -joining Europe to Africa." - -"Yes, my boy, it forms a perfect bar to the Straits of Lybia, and the -soundings of Smith have proved that in former times the continents -between Cape Boco and Cape Furina were joined." - -"I can well believe it," said Conseil. - -"I will add," I continued, "that a similar barrier exists between -Gibraltar and Ceuta, which in geological times formed the entire -Mediterranean." - -"What if some volcanic burst should one day raise these two barriers -above the waves?" - -"It is not probable, Conseil." - -"Well, but allow me to finish, please, sir; if this phenomenon should -take place, it will be troublesome for M. Lesseps, who has taken so -much pains to pierce the isthmus." - -"I agree with you; but I repeat, Conseil, this phenomenon will never -happen. The violence of subterranean force is ever diminishing. -Volcanoes, so plentiful in the first days of the world, are being -extinguished by degrees; the internal heat is weakened, the temperature -of the lower strata of the globe is lowered by a perceptible quantity -every century to the detriment of our globe, for its heat is its life." - -"But the sun?" - -"The sun is not sufficient, Conseil. Can it give heat to a dead body?" - -"Not that I know of." - -"Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will -become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long -since lost all its vital heat." - -"In how many centuries?" - -"In some hundreds of thousands of years, my boy." - -"Then," said Conseil, "we shall have time to finish our journey--that -is, if Ned Land does not interfere with it." - -And Conseil, reassured, returned to the study of the bank, which the -Nautilus was skirting at a moderate speed. - -During the night of the 16th and 17th February we had entered the -second Mediterranean basin, the greatest depth of which was 1,450 -fathoms. The Nautilus, by the action of its crew, slid down the -inclined planes and buried itself in the lowest depths of the sea. - -On the 18th of February, about three o'clock in the morning, we were at -the entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar. There once existed two -currents: an upper one, long since recognised, which conveys the waters -of the ocean into the basin of the Mediterranean; and a lower -counter-current, which reasoning has now shown to exist. Indeed, the -volume of water in the Mediterranean, incessantly added to by the waves -of the Atlantic and by rivers falling into it, would each year raise -the level of this sea, for its evaporation is not sufficient to restore -the equilibrium. As it is not so, we must necessarily admit the -existence of an under-current, which empties into the basin of the -Atlantic through the Straits of Gibraltar the surplus waters of the -Mediterranean. A fact indeed; and it was this counter-current by which -the Nautilus profited. It advanced rapidly by the narrow pass. For -one instant I caught a glimpse of the beautiful ruins of the temple of -Hercules, buried in the ground, according to Pliny, and with the low -island which supports it; and a few minutes later we were floating on -the Atlantic. - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -VIGO BAY - -The Atlantic! a vast sheet of water whose superficial area covers -twenty-five millions of square miles, the length of which is nine -thousand miles, with a mean breadth of two thousand seven hundred--an -ocean whose parallel winding shores embrace an immense circumference, -watered by the largest rivers of the world, the St. Lawrence, the -Mississippi, the Amazon, the Plata, the Orinoco, the Niger, the -Senegal, the Elbe, the Loire, and the Rhine, which carry water from the -most civilised, as well as from the most savage, countries! -Magnificent field of water, incessantly ploughed by vessels of every -nation, sheltered by the flags of every nation, and which terminates in -those two terrible points so dreaded by mariners, Cape Horn and the -Cape of Tempests. - -The Nautilus was piercing the water with its sharp spur, after having -accomplished nearly ten thousand leagues in three months and a half, a -distance greater than the great circle of the earth. Where were we -going now, and what was reserved for the future? The Nautilus, leaving -the Straits of Gibraltar, had gone far out. It returned to the surface -of the waves, and our daily walks on the platform were restored to us. - -I mounted at once, accompanied by Ned Land and Conseil. At a distance -of about twelve miles, Cape St. Vincent was dimly to be seen, forming -the south-western point of the Spanish peninsula. A strong southerly -gale was blowing. The sea was swollen and billowy; it made the -Nautilus rock violently. It was almost impossible to keep one's foot -on the platform, which the heavy rolls of the sea beat over every -instant. So we descended after inhaling some mouthfuls of fresh air. - -I returned to my room, Conseil to his cabin; but the Canadian, with a -preoccupied air, followed me. Our rapid passage across the -Mediterranean had not allowed him to put his project into execution, -and he could not help showing his disappointment. When the door of my -room was shut, he sat down and looked at me silently. - -"Friend Ned," said I, "I understand you; but you cannot reproach -yourself. To have attempted to leave the Nautilus under the -circumstances would have been folly." - -Ned Land did not answer; his compressed lips and frowning brow showed -with him the violent possession this fixed idea had taken of his mind. - -"Let us see," I continued; "we need not despair yet. We are going up -the coast of Portugal again; France and England are not far off, where -we can easily find refuge. Now if the Nautilus, on leaving the Straits -of Gibraltar, had gone to the south, if it had carried us towards -regions where there were no continents, I should share your uneasiness. -But we know now that Captain Nemo does not fly from civilised seas, and -in some days I think you can act with security." - -Ned Land still looked at me fixedly; at length his fixed lips parted, -and he said, "It is for to-night." - -I drew myself up suddenly. I was, I admit, little prepared for this -communication. I wanted to answer the Canadian, but words would not -come. - -"We agreed to wait for an opportunity," continued Ned Land, "and the -opportunity has arrived. This night we shall be but a few miles from -the Spanish coast. It is cloudy. The wind blows freely. I have your -word, M. Aronnax, and I rely upon you." - -As I was silent, the Canadian approached me. - -"To-night, at nine o'clock," said he. "I have warned Conseil. At that -moment Captain Nemo will be shut up in his room, probably in bed. -Neither the engineers nor the ship's crew can see us. Conseil and I -will gain the central staircase, and you, M. Aronnax, will remain in -the library, two steps from us, waiting my signal. The oars, the mast, -and the sail are in the canoe. I have even succeeded in getting some -provisions. I have procured an English wrench, to unfasten the bolts -which attach it to the shell of the Nautilus. So all is ready, till -to-night." - -"The sea is bad." - -"That I allow," replied the Canadian; "but we must risk that. Liberty -is worth paying for; besides, the boat is strong, and a few miles with -a fair wind to carry us is no great thing. Who knows but by to-morrow -we may be a hundred leagues away? Let circumstances only favour us, -and by ten or eleven o'clock we shall have landed on some spot of terra -firma, alive or dead. But adieu now till to-night." - -With these words the Canadian withdrew, leaving me almost dumb. I had -imagined that, the chance gone, I should have time to reflect and -discuss the matter. My obstinate companion had given me no time; and, -after all, what could I have said to him? Ned Land was perfectly -right. There was almost the opportunity to profit by. Could I retract -my word, and take upon myself the responsibility of compromising the -future of my companions? To-morrow Captain Nemo might take us far from -all land. - -At that moment a rather loud hissing noise told me that the reservoirs -were filling, and that the Nautilus was sinking under the waves of the -Atlantic. - -A sad day I passed, between the desire of regaining my liberty of -action and of abandoning the wonderful Nautilus, and leaving my -submarine studies incomplete. - -What dreadful hours I passed thus! Sometimes seeing myself and -companions safely landed, sometimes wishing, in spite of my reason, -that some unforeseen circumstance, would prevent the realisation of Ned -Land's project. - -Twice I went to the saloon. I wished to consult the compass. I wished -to see if the direction the Nautilus was taking was bringing us nearer -or taking us farther from the coast. But no; the Nautilus kept in -Portuguese waters. - -I must therefore take my part and prepare for flight. My luggage was -not heavy; my notes, nothing more. - -As to Captain Nemo, I asked myself what he would think of our escape; -what trouble, what wrong it might cause him and what he might do in -case of its discovery or failure. Certainly I had no cause to complain -of him; on the contrary, never was hospitality freer than his. In -leaving him I could not be taxed with ingratitude. No oath bound us to -him. It was on the strength of circumstances he relied, and not upon -our word, to fix us for ever. - -I had not seen the Captain since our visit to the Island of Santorin. -Would chance bring me to his presence before our departure? I wished -it, and I feared it at the same time. I listened if I could hear him -walking the room contiguous to mine. No sound reached my ear. I felt -an unbearable uneasiness. This day of waiting seemed eternal. Hours -struck too slowly to keep pace with my impatience. - -My dinner was served in my room as usual. I ate but little; I was too -preoccupied. I left the table at seven o'clock. A hundred and twenty -minutes (I counted them) still separated me from the moment in which I -was to join Ned Land. My agitation redoubled. My pulse beat -violently. I could not remain quiet. I went and came, hoping to calm -my troubled spirit by constant movement. The idea of failure in our -bold enterprise was the least painful of my anxieties; but the thought -of seeing our project discovered before leaving the Nautilus, of being -brought before Captain Nemo, irritated, or (what was worse) saddened, -at my desertion, made my heart beat. - -I wanted to see the saloon for the last time. I descended the stairs -and arrived in the museum, where I had passed so many useful and -agreeable hours. I looked at all its riches, all its treasures, like a -man on the eve of an eternal exile, who was leaving never to return. - -These wonders of Nature, these masterpieces of art, amongst which for -so many days my life had been concentrated, I was going to abandon them -for ever! I should like to have taken a last look through the windows -of the saloon into the waters of the Atlantic: but the panels were -hermetically closed, and a cloak of steel separated me from that ocean -which I had not yet explored. - -In passing through the saloon, I came near the door let into the angle -which opened into the Captain's room. To my great surprise, this door -was ajar. I drew back involuntarily. If Captain Nemo should be in his -room, he could see me. But, hearing no sound, I drew nearer. The room -was deserted. I pushed open the door and took some steps forward. -Still the same monklike severity of aspect. - -Suddenly the clock struck eight. The first beat of the hammer on the -bell awoke me from my dreams. I trembled as if an invisible eye had -plunged into my most secret thoughts, and I hurried from the room. - -There my eye fell upon the compass. Our course was still north. The -log indicated moderate speed, the manometer a depth of about sixty feet. - -I returned to my room, clothed myself warmly--sea boots, an otterskin -cap, a great coat of byssus, lined with sealskin; I was ready, I was -waiting. The vibration of the screw alone broke the deep silence which -reigned on board. I listened attentively. Would no loud voice -suddenly inform me that Ned Land had been surprised in his projected -flight. A mortal dread hung over me, and I vainly tried to regain my -accustomed coolness. - -At a few minutes to nine, I put my ear to the Captain's door. No -noise. I left my room and returned to the saloon, which was half in -obscurity, but deserted. - -I opened the door communicating with the library. The same -insufficient light, the same solitude. I placed myself near the door -leading to the central staircase, and there waited for Ned Land's -signal. - -At that moment the trembling of the screw sensibly diminished, then it -stopped entirely. The silence was now only disturbed by the beatings -of my own heart. Suddenly a slight shock was felt; and I knew that the -Nautilus had stopped at the bottom of the ocean. My uneasiness -increased. The Canadian's signal did not come. I felt inclined to -join Ned Land and beg of him to put off his attempt. I felt that we -were not sailing under our usual conditions. - -At this moment the door of the large saloon opened, and Captain Nemo -appeared. He saw me, and without further preamble began in an amiable -tone of voice: - -"Ah, sir! I have been looking for you. Do you know the history of -Spain?" - -Now, one might know the history of one's own country by heart; but in -the condition I was at the time, with troubled mind and head quite -lost, I could not have said a word of it. - -"Well," continued Captain Nemo, "you heard my question! Do you know -the history of Spain?" - -"Very slightly," I answered. - -"Well, here are learned men having to learn," said the Captain. "Come, -sit down, and I will tell you a curious episode in this history. Sir, -listen well," said he; "this history will interest you on one side, for -it will answer a question which doubtless you have not been able to -solve." - -"I listen, Captain," said I, not knowing what my interlocutor was -driving at, and asking myself if this incident was bearing on our -projected flight. - -"Sir, if you have no objection, we will go back to 1702. You cannot be -ignorant that your king, Louis XIV, thinking that the gesture of a -potentate was sufficient to bring the Pyrenees under his yoke, had -imposed the Duke of Anjou, his grandson, on the Spaniards. This prince -reigned more or less badly under the name of Philip V, and had a strong -party against him abroad. Indeed, the preceding year, the royal houses -of Holland, Austria, and England had concluded a treaty of alliance at -the Hague, with the intention of plucking the crown of Spain from the -head of Philip V, and placing it on that of an archduke to whom they -prematurely gave the title of Charles III. - -"Spain must resist this coalition; but she was almost entirely -unprovided with either soldiers or sailors. However, money would not -fail them, provided that their galleons, laden with gold and silver -from America, once entered their ports. And about the end of 1702 they -expected a rich convoy which France was escorting with a fleet of -twenty-three vessels, commanded by Admiral Chateau-Renaud, for the -ships of the coalition were already beating the Atlantic. This convoy -was to go to Cadiz, but the Admiral, hearing that an English fleet was -cruising in those waters, resolved to make for a French port. - -"The Spanish commanders of the convoy objected to this decision. They -wanted to be taken to a Spanish port, and, if not to Cadiz, into Vigo -Bay, situated on the northwest coast of Spain, and which was not -blocked. - -"Admiral Chateau-Renaud had the rashness to obey this injunction, and -the galleons entered Vigo Bay. - -"Unfortunately, it formed an open road which could not be defended in -any way. They must therefore hasten to unload the galleons before the -arrival of the combined fleet; and time would not have failed them had -not a miserable question of rivalry suddenly arisen. - -"You are following the chain of events?" asked Captain Nemo. - -"Perfectly," said I, not knowing the end proposed by this historical -lesson. - -"I will continue. This is what passed. The merchants of Cadiz had a -privilege by which they had the right of receiving all merchandise -coming from the West Indies. Now, to disembark these ingots at the -port of Vigo was depriving them of their rights. They complained at -Madrid, and obtained the consent of the weak-minded Philip that the -convoy, without discharging its cargo, should remain sequestered in the -roads of Vigo until the enemy had disappeared. - -"But whilst coming to this decision, on the 22nd of October, 1702, the -English vessels arrived in Vigo Bay, when Admiral Chateau-Renaud, in -spite of inferior forces, fought bravely. But, seeing that the -treasure must fall into the enemy's hands, he burnt and scuttled every -galleon, which went to the bottom with their immense riches." - -Captain Nemo stopped. I admit I could not see yet why this history -should interest me. - -"Well?" I asked. - -"Well, M. Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo, "we are in that Vigo Bay; and -it rests with yourself whether you will penetrate its mysteries." - -The Captain rose, telling me to follow him. I had had time to recover. -I obeyed. The saloon was dark, but through the transparent glass the -waves were sparkling. I looked. - -For half a mile around the Nautilus, the waters seemed bathed in -electric light. The sandy bottom was clean and bright. Some of the -ship's crew in their diving-dresses were clearing away half-rotten -barrels and empty cases from the midst of the blackened wrecks. From -these cases and from these barrels escaped ingots of gold and silver, -cascades of piastres and jewels. The sand was heaped up with them. -Laden with their precious booty, the men returned to the Nautilus, -disposed of their burden, and went back to this inexhaustible fishery -of gold and silver. - -I understood now. This was the scene of the battle of the 22nd of -October, 1702. Here on this very spot the galleons laden for the -Spanish Government had sunk. Here Captain Nemo came, according to his -wants, to pack up those millions with which he burdened the Nautilus. -It was for him and him alone America had given up her precious metals. -He was heir direct, without anyone to share, in those treasures torn -from the Incas and from the conquered of Ferdinand Cortez. - -"Did you know, sir," he asked, smiling, "that the sea contained such -riches?" - -"I knew," I answered, "that they value money held in suspension in -these waters at two millions." - -"Doubtless; but to extract this money the expense would be greater than -the profit. Here, on the contrary, I have but to pick up what man has -lost--and not only in Vigo Bay, but in a thousand other ports where -shipwrecks have happened, and which are marked on my submarine map. -Can you understand now the source of the millions I am worth?" - -"I understand, Captain. But allow me to tell you that in exploring -Vigo Bay you have only been beforehand with a rival society." - -"And which?" - -"A society which has received from the Spanish Government the privilege -of seeking those buried galleons. The shareholders are led on by the -allurement of an enormous bounty, for they value these rich shipwrecks -at five hundred millions." - -"Five hundred millions they were," answered Captain Nemo, "but they are -so no longer." - -"Just so," said I; "and a warning to those shareholders would be an act -of charity. But who knows if it would be well received? What gamblers -usually regret above all is less the loss of their money than of their -foolish hopes. After all, I pity them less than the thousands of -unfortunates to whom so much riches well-distributed would have been -profitable, whilst for them they will be for ever barren." - -I had no sooner expressed this regret than I felt that it must have -wounded Captain Nemo. - -"Barren!" he exclaimed, with animation. "Do you think then, sir, that -these riches are lost because I gather them? Is it for myself alone, -according to your idea, that I take the trouble to collect these -treasures? Who told you that I did not make a good use of it? Do you -think I am ignorant that there are suffering beings and oppressed races -on this earth, miserable creatures to console, victims to avenge? Do -you not understand?" - -Captain Nemo stopped at these last words, regretting perhaps that he -had spoken so much. But I had guessed that, whatever the motive which -had forced him to seek independence under the sea, it had left him -still a man, that his heart still beat for the sufferings of humanity, -and that his immense charity was for oppressed races as well as -individuals. And I then understood for whom those millions were -destined which were forwarded by Captain Nemo when the Nautilus was -cruising in the waters of Crete. - - - -CHAPTER IX - -A VANISHED CONTINENT - -The next morning, the 19th of February, I saw the Canadian enter my -room. I expected this visit. He looked very disappointed. - -"Well, sir?" said he. - -"Well, Ned, fortune was against us yesterday." - -"Yes; that Captain must needs stop exactly at the hour we intended -leaving his vessel." - -"Yes, Ned, he had business at his bankers." - -"His bankers!" - -"Or rather his banking-house; by that I mean the ocean, where his -riches are safer than in the chests of the State." - -I then related to the Canadian the incidents of the preceding night, -hoping to bring him back to the idea of not abandoning the Captain; but -my recital had no other result than an energetically expressed regret -from Ned that he had not been able to take a walk on the battlefield of -Vigo on his own account. - -"However," said he, "all is not ended. It is only a blow of the -harpoon lost. Another time we must succeed; and to-night, if -necessary----" - -"In what direction is the Nautilus going?" I asked. - -"I do not know," replied Ned. - -"Well, at noon we shall see the point." - -The Canadian returned to Conseil. As soon as I was dressed, I went -into the saloon. The compass was not reassuring. The course of the -Nautilus was S.S.W. We were turning our backs on Europe. - -I waited with some impatience till the ship's place was pricked on the -chart. At about half-past eleven the reservoirs were emptied, and our -vessel rose to the surface of the ocean. I rushed towards the -platform. Ned Land had preceded me. No more land in sight. Nothing -but an immense sea. Some sails on the horizon, doubtless those going -to San Roque in search of favourable winds for doubling the Cape of -Good Hope. The weather was cloudy. A gale of wind was preparing. Ned -raved, and tried to pierce the cloudy horizon. He still hoped that -behind all that fog stretched the land he so longed for. - -At noon the sun showed itself for an instant. The second profited by -this brightness to take its height. Then, the sea becoming more -billowy, we descended, and the panel closed. - -An hour after, upon consulting the chart, I saw the position of the -Nautilus was marked at 16° 17' long., and 33° 22' lat., at 150 -leagues from the nearest coast. There was no means of flight, and I -leave you to imagine the rage of the Canadian when I informed him of -our situation. - -For myself, I was not particularly sorry. I felt lightened of the load -which had oppressed me, and was able to return with some degree of -calmness to my accustomed work. - -That night, about eleven o'clock, I received a most unexpected visit -from Captain Nemo. He asked me very graciously if I felt fatigued from -my watch of the preceding night. I answered in the negative. - -"Then, M. Aronnax, I propose a curious excursion." - -"Propose, Captain?" - -"You have hitherto only visited the submarine depths by daylight, under -the brightness of the sun. Would it suit you to see them in the -darkness of the night?" - -"Most willingly." - -"I warn you, the way will be tiring. We shall have far to walk, and -must climb a mountain. The roads are not well kept." - -"What you say, Captain, only heightens my curiosity; I am ready to -follow you." - -"Come then, sir, we will put on our diving-dresses." - -Arrived at the robing-room, I saw that neither of my companions nor any -of the ship's crew were to follow us on this excursion. Captain Nemo -had not even proposed my taking with me either Ned or Conseil. - -In a few moments we had put on our diving-dresses; they placed on our -backs the reservoirs, abundantly filled with air, but no electric lamps -were prepared. I called the Captain's attention to the fact. - -"They will be useless," he replied. - -I thought I had not heard aright, but I could not repeat my -observation, for the Captain's head had already disappeared in its -metal case. I finished harnessing myself. I felt them put an -iron-pointed stick into my hand, and some minutes later, after going -through the usual form, we set foot on the bottom of the Atlantic at a -depth of 150 fathoms. Midnight was near. The waters were profoundly -dark, but Captain Nemo pointed out in the distance a reddish spot, a -sort of large light shining brilliantly about two miles from the -Nautilus. What this fire might be, what could feed it, why and how it -lit up the liquid mass, I could not say. In any case, it did light our -way, vaguely, it is true, but I soon accustomed myself to the peculiar -darkness, and I understood, under such circumstances, the uselessness -of the Ruhmkorff apparatus. - -As we advanced, I heard a kind of pattering above my head. The noise -redoubling, sometimes producing a continual shower, I soon understood -the cause. It was rain falling violently, and crisping the surface of -the waves. Instinctively the thought flashed across my mind that I -should be wet through! By the water! in the midst of the water! I -could not help laughing at the odd idea. But, indeed, in the thick -diving-dress, the liquid element is no longer felt, and one only seems -to be in an atmosphere somewhat denser than the terrestrial atmosphere. -Nothing more. - -After half an hour's walk the soil became stony. Medusae, microscopic -crustacea, and pennatules lit it slightly with their phosphorescent -gleam. I caught a glimpse of pieces of stone covered with millions of -zoophytes and masses of sea weed. My feet often slipped upon this -sticky carpet of sea weed, and without my iron-tipped stick I should -have fallen more than once. In turning round, I could still see the -whitish lantern of the Nautilus beginning to pale in the distance. - -But the rosy light which guided us increased and lit up the horizon. -The presence of this fire under water puzzled me in the highest degree. -Was I going towards a natural phenomenon as yet unknown to the _savants_ -of the earth? Or even (for this thought crossed my brain) had the hand -of man aught to do with this conflagration? Had he fanned this flame? -Was I to meet in these depths companions and friends of Captain Nemo -whom he was going to visit, and who, like him, led this strange -existence? Should I find down there a whole colony of exiles who, -weary of the miseries of this earth, had sought and found independence -in the deep ocean? All these foolish and unreasonable ideas pursued -me. And in this condition of mind, over-excited by the succession of -wonders continually passing before my eyes, I should not have been -surprised to meet at the bottom of the sea one of those submarine towns -of which Captain Nemo dreamed. - -Our road grew lighter and lighter. The white glimmer came in rays from -the summit of a mountain about 800 feet high. But what I saw was -simply a reflection, developed by the clearness of the waters. The -source of this inexplicable light was a fire on the opposite side of -the mountain. - -In the midst of this stony maze furrowing the bottom of the Atlantic, -Captain Nemo advanced without hesitation. He knew this dreary road. -Doubtless he had often travelled over it, and could not lose himself. -I followed him with unshaken confidence. He seemed to me like a genie -of the sea; and, as he walked before me, I could not help admiring his -stature, which was outlined in black on the luminous horizon. - -It was one in the morning when we arrived at the first slopes of the -mountain; but to gain access to them we must venture through the -difficult paths of a vast copse. - -Yes; a copse of dead trees, without leaves, without sap, trees -petrified by the action of the water and here and there overtopped by -gigantic pines. It was like a coal-pit still standing, holding by the -roots to the broken soil, and whose branches, like fine black paper -cuttings, showed distinctly on the watery ceiling. Picture to yourself -a forest in the Hartz hanging on to the sides of the mountain, but a -forest swallowed up. The paths were encumbered with seaweed and fucus, -between which grovelled a whole world of crustacea. I went along, -climbing the rocks, striding over extended trunks, breaking the sea -bind-weed which hung from one tree to the other; and frightening the -fishes, which flew from branch to branch. Pressing onward, I felt no -fatigue. I followed my guide, who was never tired. What a spectacle! -How can I express it? how paint the aspect of those woods and rocks in -this medium--their under parts dark and wild, the upper coloured with -red tints, by that light which the reflecting powers of the waters -doubled? We climbed rocks which fell directly after with gigantic -bounds and the low growling of an avalanche. To right and left ran -long, dark galleries, where sight was lost. Here opened vast glades -which the hand of man seemed to have worked; and I sometimes asked -myself if some inhabitant of these submarine regions would not suddenly -appear to me. - -But Captain Nemo was still mounting. I could not stay behind. I -followed boldly. My stick gave me good help. A false step would have -been dangerous on the narrow passes sloping down to the sides of the -gulfs; but I walked with firm step, without feeling any giddiness. Now -I jumped a crevice, the depth of which would have made me hesitate had -it been among the glaciers on the land; now I ventured on the unsteady -trunk of a tree thrown across from one abyss to the other, without -looking under my feet, having only eyes to admire the wild sites of -this region. - -There, monumental rocks, leaning on their regularly-cut bases, seemed -to defy all laws of equilibrium. From between their stony knees trees -sprang, like a jet under heavy pressure, and upheld others which upheld -them. Natural towers, large scarps, cut perpendicularly, like a -"curtain," inclined at an angle which the laws of gravitation could -never have tolerated in terrestrial regions. - -Two hours after quitting the Nautilus we had crossed the line of trees, -and a hundred feet above our heads rose the top of the mountain, which -cast a shadow on the brilliant irradiation of the opposite slope. Some -petrified shrubs ran fantastically here and there. Fishes got up under -our feet like birds in the long grass. The massive rocks were rent -with impenetrable fractures, deep grottos, and unfathomable holes, at -the bottom of which formidable creatures might be heard moving. My -blood curdled when I saw enormous antennae blocking my road, or some -frightful claw closing with a noise in the shadow of some cavity. -Millions of luminous spots shone brightly in the midst of the darkness. -They were the eyes of giant crustacea crouched in their holes; giant -lobsters setting themselves up like halberdiers, and moving their claws -with the clicking sound of pincers; titanic crabs, pointed like a gun -on its carriage; and frightful-looking poulps, interweaving their -tentacles like a living nest of serpents. - -We had now arrived on the first platform, where other surprises awaited -me. Before us lay some picturesque ruins, which betrayed the hand of -man and not that of the Creator. There were vast heaps of stone, -amongst which might be traced the vague and shadowy forms of castles -and temples, clothed with a world of blossoming zoophytes, and over -which, instead of ivy, sea-weed and fucus threw a thick vegetable -mantle. But what was this portion of the globe which had been -swallowed by cataclysms? Who had placed those rocks and stones like -cromlechs of prehistoric times? Where was I? Whither had Captain -Nemo's fancy hurried me? - -I would fain have asked him; not being able to, I stopped him--I seized -his arm. But, shaking his head, and pointing to the highest point of -the mountain, he seemed to say: - -"Come, come along; come higher!" - -I followed, and in a few minutes I had climbed to the top, which for a -circle of ten yards commanded the whole mass of rock. - -I looked down the side we had just climbed. The mountain did not rise -more than seven or eight hundred feet above the level of the plain; but -on the opposite side it commanded from twice that height the depths of -this part of the Atlantic. My eyes ranged far over a large space lit -by a violent fulguration. In fact, the mountain was a volcano. - -At fifty feet above the peak, in the midst of a rain of stones and -scoriae, a large crater was vomiting forth torrents of lava which fell -in a cascade of fire into the bosom of the liquid mass. Thus situated, -this volcano lit the lower plain like an immense torch, even to the -extreme limits of the horizon. I said that the submarine crater threw -up lava, but no flames. Flames require the oxygen of the air to feed -upon and cannot be developed under water; but streams of lava, having -in themselves the principles of their incandescence, can attain a white -heat, fight vigorously against the liquid element, and turn it to -vapour by contact. - -Rapid currents bearing all these gases in diffusion and torrents of -lava slid to the bottom of the mountain like an eruption of Vesuvius on -another Terra del Greco. - -There indeed under my eyes, ruined, destroyed, lay a town--its roofs -open to the sky, its temples fallen, its arches dislocated, its columns -lying on the ground, from which one would still recognise the massive -character of Tuscan architecture. Further on, some remains of a -gigantic aqueduct; here the high base of an Acropolis, with the -floating outline of a Parthenon; there traces of a quay, as if an -ancient port had formerly abutted on the borders of the ocean, and -disappeared with its merchant vessels and its war-galleys. Farther on -again, long lines of sunken walls and broad, deserted streets--a -perfect Pompeii escaped beneath the waters. Such was the sight that -Captain Nemo brought before my eyes! - -Where was I? Where was I? I must know at any cost. I tried to speak, -but Captain Nemo stopped me by a gesture, and, picking up a piece of -chalk-stone, advanced to a rock of black basalt, and traced the one -word: - - -ATLANTIS - - -What a light shot through my mind! Atlantis! the Atlantis of Plato, -that continent denied by Origen and Humbolt, who placed its -disappearance amongst the legendary tales. I had it there now before -my eyes, bearing upon it the unexceptionable testimony of its -catastrophe. The region thus engulfed was beyond Europe, Asia, and -Lybia, beyond the columns of Hercules, where those powerful people, the -Atlantides, lived, against whom the first wars of ancient Greeks were -waged. - -Thus, led by the strangest destiny, I was treading under foot the -mountains of this continent, touching with my hand those ruins a -thousand generations old and contemporary with the geological epochs. -I was walking on the very spot where the contemporaries of the first -man had walked. - -Whilst I was trying to fix in my mind every detail of this grand -landscape, Captain Nemo remained motionless, as if petrified in mute -ecstasy, leaning on a mossy stone. Was he dreaming of those -generations long since disappeared? Was he asking them the secret of -human destiny? Was it here this strange man came to steep himself in -historical recollections, and live again this ancient life--he who -wanted no modern one? What would I not have given to know his -thoughts, to share them, to understand them! We remained for an hour -at this place, contemplating the vast plains under the brightness of -the lava, which was some times wonderfully intense. Rapid tremblings -ran along the mountain caused by internal bubblings, deep noise, -distinctly transmitted through the liquid medium were echoed with -majestic grandeur. At this moment the moon appeared through the mass -of waters and threw her pale rays on the buried continent. It was but -a gleam, but what an indescribable effect! The Captain rose, cast one -last look on the immense plain, and then bade me follow him. - -We descended the mountain rapidly, and, the mineral forest once passed, -I saw the lantern of the Nautilus shining like a star. The Captain -walked straight to it, and we got on board as the first rays of light -whitened the surface of the ocean. - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE SUBMARINE COAL-MINES - -The next day, the 20th of February, I awoke very late: the fatigues of -the previous night had prolonged my sleep until eleven o'clock. I -dressed quickly, and hastened to find the course the Nautilus was -taking. The instruments showed it to be still toward the south, with a -speed of twenty miles an hour and a depth of fifty fathoms. - -The species of fishes here did not differ much from those already -noticed. There were rays of giant size, five yards long, and endowed -with great muscular strength, which enabled them to shoot above the -waves; sharks of many kinds; amongst others, one fifteen feet long, -with triangular sharp teeth, and whose transparency rendered it almost -invisible in the water. - -Amongst bony fish Conseil noticed some about three yards long, armed at -the upper jaw with a piercing sword; other bright-coloured creatures, -known in the time of Aristotle by the name of the sea-dragon, which are -dangerous to capture on account of the spikes on their back. - -About four o'clock, the soil, generally composed of a thick mud mixed -with petrified wood, changed by degrees, and it became more stony, and -seemed strewn with conglomerate and pieces of basalt, with a sprinkling -of lava. I thought that a mountainous region was succeeding the long -plains; and accordingly, after a few evolutions of the Nautilus, I saw -the southerly horizon blocked by a high wall which seemed to close all -exit. Its summit evidently passed the level of the ocean. It must be -a continent, or at least an island--one of the Canaries, or of the Cape -Verde Islands. The bearings not being yet taken, perhaps designedly, I -was ignorant of our exact position. In any case, such a wall seemed to -me to mark the limits of that Atlantis, of which we had in reality -passed over only the smallest part. - -Much longer should I have remained at the window admiring the beauties -of sea and sky, but the panels closed. At this moment the Nautilus -arrived at the side of this high, perpendicular wall. What it would -do, I could not guess. I returned to my room; it no longer moved. I -laid myself down with the full intention of waking after a few hours' -sleep; but it was eight o'clock the next day when I entered the saloon. -I looked at the manometer. It told me that the Nautilus was floating -on the surface of the ocean. Besides, I heard steps on the platform. -I went to the panel. It was open; but, instead of broad daylight, as I -expected, I was surrounded by profound darkness. Where were we? Was I -mistaken? Was it still night? No; not a star was shining and night -has not that utter darkness. - -I knew not what to think, when a voice near me said: - -"Is that you, Professor?" - -"Ah! Captain," I answered, "where are we?" - -"Underground, sir." - -"Underground!" I exclaimed. "And the Nautilus floating still?" - -"It always floats." - -"But I do not understand." - -"Wait a few minutes, our lantern will be lit, and, if you like light -places, you will be satisfied." - -I stood on the platform and waited. The darkness was so complete that -I could not even see Captain Nemo; but, looking to the zenith, exactly -above my head, I seemed to catch an undecided gleam, a kind of twilight -filling a circular hole. At this instant the lantern was lit, and its -vividness dispelled the faint light. I closed my dazzled eyes for an -instant, and then looked again. The Nautilus was stationary, floating -near a mountain which formed a sort of quay. The lake, then, -supporting it was a lake imprisoned by a circle of walls, measuring two -miles in diameter and six in circumference. Its level (the manometer -showed) could only be the same as the outside level, for there must -necessarily be a communication between the lake and the sea. The high -partitions, leaning forward on their base, grew into a vaulted roof -bearing the shape of an immense funnel turned upside down, the height -being about five or six hundred yards. At the summit was a circular -orifice, by which I had caught the slight gleam of light, evidently -daylight. - -"Where are we?" I asked. - -"In the very heart of an extinct volcano, the interior of which has -been invaded by the sea, after some great convulsion of the earth. -Whilst you were sleeping, Professor, the Nautilus penetrated to this -lagoon by a natural canal, which opens about ten yards beneath the -surface of the ocean. This is its harbour of refuge, a sure, -commodious, and mysterious one, sheltered from all gales. Show me, if -you can, on the coasts of any of your continents or islands, a road -which can give such perfect refuge from all storms." - -"Certainly," I replied, "you are in safety here, Captain Nemo. Who -could reach you in the heart of a volcano? But did I not see an -opening at its summit?" - -"Yes; its crater, formerly filled with lava, vapour, and flames, and -which now gives entrance to the life-giving air we breathe." - -"But what is this volcanic mountain?" - -"It belongs to one of the numerous islands with which this sea is -strewn--to vessels a simple sandbank--to us an immense cavern. Chance -led me to discover it, and chance served me well." - -"But of what use is this refuge, Captain? The Nautilus wants no port." - -"No, sir; but it wants electricity to make it move, and the wherewithal -to make the electricity--sodium to feed the elements, coal from which -to get the sodium, and a coal-mine to supply the coal. And exactly on -this spot the sea covers entire forests embedded during the geological -periods, now mineralised and transformed into coal; for me they are an -inexhaustible mine." - -"Your men follow the trade of miners here, then, Captain?" - -"Exactly so. These mines extend under the waves like the mines of -Newcastle. Here, in their diving-dresses, pick axe and shovel in hand, -my men extract the coal, which I do not even ask from the mines of the -earth. When I burn this combustible for the manufacture of sodium, the -smoke, escaping from the crater of the mountain, gives it the -appearance of a still-active volcano." - -"And we shall see your companions at work?" - -"No; not this time at least; for I am in a hurry to continue our -submarine tour of the earth. So I shall content myself with drawing -from the reserve of sodium I already possess. The time for loading is -one day only, and we continue our voyage. So, if you wish to go over -the cavern and make the round of the lagoon, you must take advantage of -to-day, M. Aronnax." - -I thanked the Captain and went to look for my companions, who had not -yet left their cabin. I invited them to follow me without saying where -we were. They mounted the platform. Conseil, who was astonished at -nothing, seemed to look upon it as quite natural that he should wake -under a mountain, after having fallen asleep under the waves. But Ned -Land thought of nothing but finding whether the cavern had any exit. -After breakfast, about ten o'clock, we went down on to the mountain. - -"Here we are, once more on land," said Conseil. - -"I do not call this land," said the Canadian. "And besides, we are not -on it, but beneath it." - -Between the walls of the mountains and the waters of the lake lay a -sandy shore which, at its greatest breadth, measured five hundred feet. -On this soil one might easily make the tour of the lake. But the base -of the high partitions was stony ground, with volcanic locks and -enormous pumice-stones lying in picturesque heaps. All these detached -masses, covered with enamel, polished by the action of the -subterraneous fires, shone resplendent by the light of our electric -lantern. The mica dust from the shore, rising under our feet, flew -like a cloud of sparks. The bottom now rose sensibly, and we soon -arrived at long circuitous slopes, or inclined planes, which took us -higher by degrees; but we were obliged to walk carefully among these -conglomerates, bound by no cement, the feet slipping on the glassy -crystal, felspar, and quartz. - -The volcanic nature of this enormous excavation was confirmed on all -sides, and I pointed it out to my companions. - -"Picture to yourselves," said I, "what this crater must have been when -filled with boiling lava, and when the level of the incandescent liquid -rose to the orifice of the mountain, as though melted on the top of a -hot plate." - -"I can picture it perfectly," said Conseil. "But, sir, will you tell -me why the Great Architect has suspended operations, and how it is that -the furnace is replaced by the quiet waters of the lake?" - -"Most probably, Conseil, because some convulsion beneath the ocean -produced that very opening which has served as a passage for the -Nautilus. Then the waters of the Atlantic rushed into the interior of -the mountain. There must have been a terrible struggle between the two -elements, a struggle which ended in the victory of Neptune. But many -ages have run out since then, and the submerged volcano is now a -peaceable grotto." - -"Very well," replied Ned Land; "I accept the explanation, sir; but, in -our own interests, I regret that the opening of which you speak was not -made above the level of the sea." - -"But, friend Ned," said Conseil, "if the passage had not been under the -sea, the Nautilus could not have gone through it." - -We continued ascending. The steps became more and more perpendicular -and narrow. Deep excavations, which we were obliged to cross, cut them -here and there; sloping masses had to be turned. We slid upon our -knees and crawled along. But Conseil's dexterity and the Canadian's -strength surmounted all obstacles. At a height of about 31 feet the -nature of the ground changed without becoming more practicable. To the -conglomerate and trachyte succeeded black basalt, the first dispread in -layers full of bubbles, the latter forming regular prisms, placed like -a colonnade supporting the spring of the immense vault, an admirable -specimen of natural architecture. Between the blocks of basalt wound -long streams of lava, long since grown cold, encrusted with bituminous -rays; and in some places there were spread large carpets of sulphur. A -more powerful light shone through the upper crater, shedding a vague -glimmer over these volcanic depressions for ever buried in the bosom of -this extinguished mountain. But our upward march was soon stopped at a -height of about two hundred and fifty feet by impassable obstacles. -There was a complete vaulted arch overhanging us, and our ascent was -changed to a circular walk. At the last change vegetable life began to -struggle with the mineral. Some shrubs, and even some trees, grew from -the fractures of the walls. I recognised some euphorbias, with the -caustic sugar coming from them; heliotropes, quite incapable of -justifying their name, sadly drooped their clusters of flowers, both -their colour and perfume half gone. Here and there some chrysanthemums -grew timidly at the foot of an aloe with long, sickly-looking leaves. -But between the streams of lava, I saw some little violets still -slightly perfumed, and I admit that I smelt them with delight. Perfume -is the soul of the flower, and sea-flowers have no soul. - -We had arrived at the foot of some sturdy dragon-trees, which had -pushed aside the rocks with their strong roots, when Ned Land exclaimed: - -"Ah! sir, a hive! a hive!" - -"A hive!" I replied, with a gesture of incredulity. - -"Yes, a hive," repeated the Canadian, "and bees humming round it." - -I approached, and was bound to believe my own eyes. There at a hole -bored in one of the dragon-trees were some thousands of these ingenious -insects, so common in all the Canaries, and whose produce is so much -esteemed. Naturally enough, the Canadian wished to gather the honey, -and I could not well oppose his wish. A quantity of dry leaves, mixed -with sulphur, he lit with a spark from his flint, and he began to smoke -out the bees. The humming ceased by degrees, and the hive eventually -yielded several pounds of the sweetest honey, with which Ned Land -filled his haversack. - -"When I have mixed this honey with the paste of the bread-fruit," said -he, "I shall be able to offer you a succulent cake." - -[Transcriber's Note: 'bread-fruit' has been substituted for -'artocarpus' in this ed.] - -"'Pon my word," said Conseil, "it will be gingerbread." - -"Never mind the gingerbread," said I; "let us continue our interesting -walk." - -At every turn of the path we were following, the lake appeared in all -its length and breadth. The lantern lit up the whole of its peaceable -surface, which knew neither ripple nor wave. The Nautilus remained -perfectly immovable. On the platform, and on the mountain, the ship's -crew were working like black shadows clearly carved against the -luminous atmosphere. We were now going round the highest crest of the -first layers of rock which upheld the roof. I then saw that bees were -not the only representatives of the animal kingdom in the interior of -this volcano. Birds of prey hovered here and there in the shadows, or -fled from their nests on the top of the rocks. There were sparrow -hawks, with white breasts, and kestrels, and down the slopes scampered, -with their long legs, several fine fat bustards. I leave anyone to -imagine the covetousness of the Canadian at the sight of this savoury -game, and whether he did not regret having no gun. But he did his best -to replace the lead by stones, and, after several fruitless attempts, -he succeeded in wounding a magnificent bird. To say that he risked his -life twenty times before reaching it is but the truth; but he managed -so well that the creature joined the honey-cakes in his bag. We were -now obliged to descend toward the shore, the crest becoming -impracticable. Above us the crater seemed to gape like the mouth of a -well. From this place the sky could be clearly seen, and clouds, -dissipated by the west wind, leaving behind them, even on the summit of -the mountain, their misty remnants--certain proof that they were only -moderately high, for the volcano did not rise more than eight hundred -feet above the level of the ocean. Half an hour after the Canadian's -last exploit we had regained the inner shore. Here the flora was -represented by large carpets of marine crystal, a little umbelliferous -plant very good to pickle, which also bears the name of pierce-stone -and sea-fennel. Conseil gathered some bundles of it. As to the fauna, -it might be counted by thousands of crustacea of all sorts, lobsters, -crabs, spider-crabs, chameleon shrimps, and a large number of shells, -rockfish, and limpets. Three-quarters of an hour later we had finished -our circuitous walk and were on board. The crew had just finished -loading the sodium, and the Nautilus could have left that instant. But -Captain Nemo gave no order. Did he wish to wait until night, and leave -the submarine passage secretly? Perhaps so. Whatever it might be, the -next day, the Nautilus, having left its port, steered clear of all land -at a few yards beneath the waves of the Atlantic. - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE SARGASSO SEA - -That day the Nautilus crossed a singular part of the Atlantic Ocean. -No one can be ignorant of the existence of a current of warm water -known by the name of the Gulf Stream. After leaving the Gulf of -Florida, we went in the direction of Spitzbergen. But before entering -the Gulf of Mexico, about 45° of N. lat., this current divides into -two arms, the principal one going towards the coast of Ireland and -Norway, whilst the second bends to the south about the height of the -Azores; then, touching the African shore, and describing a lengthened -oval, returns to the Antilles. This second arm--it is rather a collar -than an arm--surrounds with its circles of warm water that portion of -the cold, quiet, immovable ocean called the Sargasso Sea, a perfect -lake in the open Atlantic: it takes no less than three years for the -great current to pass round it. Such was the region the Nautilus was -now visiting, a perfect meadow, a close carpet of seaweed, fucus, and -tropical berries, so thick and so compact that the stem of a vessel -could hardly tear its way through it. And Captain Nemo, not wishing to -entangle his screw in this herbaceous mass, kept some yards beneath the -surface of the waves. The name Sargasso comes from the Spanish word -"sargazzo" which signifies kelp. This kelp, or berry-plant, is the -principal formation of this immense bank. And this is the reason why -these plants unite in the peaceful basin of the Atlantic. The only -explanation which can be given, he says, seems to me to result from the -experience known to all the world. Place in a vase some fragments of -cork or other floating body, and give to the water in the vase a -circular movement, the scattered fragments will unite in a group in the -centre of the liquid surface, that is to say, in the part least -agitated. In the phenomenon we are considering, the Atlantic is the -vase, the Gulf Stream the circular current, and the Sargasso Sea the -central point at which the floating bodies unite. - -I share Maury's opinion, and I was able to study the phenomenon in the -very midst, where vessels rarely penetrate. Above us floated products -of all kinds, heaped up among these brownish plants; trunks of trees -torn from the Andes or the Rocky Mountains, and floated by the Amazon -or the Mississippi; numerous wrecks, remains of keels, or ships' -bottoms, side-planks stove in, and so weighted with shells and -barnacles that they could not again rise to the surface. And time will -one day justify Maury's other opinion, that these substances thus -accumulated for ages will become petrified by the action of the water -and will then form inexhaustible coal-mines--a precious reserve -prepared by far-seeing Nature for the moment when men shall have -exhausted the mines of continents. - -In the midst of this inextricable mass of plants and sea weed, I -noticed some charming pink halcyons and actiniae, with their long -tentacles trailing after them, and medusae, green, red, and blue. - -All the day of the 22nd of February we passed in the Sargasso Sea, -where such fish as are partial to marine plants find abundant -nourishment. The next, the ocean had returned to its accustomed -aspect. From this time for nineteen days, from the 23rd of February to -the 12th of March, the Nautilus kept in the middle of the Atlantic, -carrying us at a constant speed of a hundred leagues in twenty-four -hours. Captain Nemo evidently intended accomplishing his submarine -programme, and I imagined that he intended, after doubling Cape Horn, -to return to the Australian seas of the Pacific. Ned Land had cause -for fear. In these large seas, void of islands, we could not attempt -to leave the boat. Nor had we any means of opposing Captain Nemo's -will. Our only course was to submit; but what we could neither gain by -force nor cunning, I liked to think might be obtained by persuasion. -This voyage ended, would he not consent to restore our liberty, under -an oath never to reveal his existence?--an oath of honour which we -should have religiously kept. But we must consider that delicate -question with the Captain. But was I free to claim this liberty? Had -he not himself said from the beginning, in the firmest manner, that the -secret of his life exacted from him our lasting imprisonment on board -the Nautilus? And would not my four months' silence appear to him a -tacit acceptance of our situation? And would not a return to the -subject result in raising suspicions which might be hurtful to our -projects, if at some future time a favourable opportunity offered to -return to them? - -During the nineteen days mentioned above, no incident of any kind -happened to signalise our voyage. I saw little of the Captain; he was -at work. In the library I often found his books left open, especially -those on natural history. My work on submarine depths, conned over by -him, was covered with marginal notes, often contradicting my theories -and systems; but the Captain contented himself with thus purging my -work; it was very rare for him to discuss it with me. Sometimes I -heard the melancholy tones of his organ; but only at night, in the -midst of the deepest obscurity, when the Nautilus slept upon the -deserted ocean. During this part of our voyage we sailed whole days on -the surface of the waves. The sea seemed abandoned. A few -sailing-vessels, on the road to India, were making for the Cape of Good -Hope. One day we were followed by the boats of a whaler, who, no -doubt, took us for some enormous whale of great price; but Captain Nemo -did not wish the worthy fellows to lose their time and trouble, so -ended the chase by plunging under the water. Our navigation continued -until the 13th of March; that day the Nautilus was employed in taking -soundings, which greatly interested me. We had then made about 13,000 -leagues since our departure from the high seas of the Pacific. The -bearings gave us 45° 37' S. lat., and 37° 53' W. long. It was -the same water in which Captain Denham of the Herald sounded 7,000 -fathoms without finding the bottom. There, too, Lieutenant Parker, of -the American frigate Congress, could not touch the bottom with 15,140 -fathoms. Captain Nemo intended seeking the bottom of the ocean by a -diagonal sufficiently lengthened by means of lateral planes placed at -an angle of 45° with the water-line of the Nautilus. Then the -screw set to work at its maximum speed, its four blades beating the -waves with in describable force. Under this powerful pressure, the -hull of the Nautilus quivered like a sonorous chord and sank regularly -under the water. - -At 7,000 fathoms I saw some blackish tops rising from the midst of the -waters; but these summits might belong to high mountains like the -Himalayas or Mont Blanc, even higher; and the depth of the abyss -remained incalculable. The Nautilus descended still lower, in spite of -the great pressure. I felt the steel plates tremble at the fastenings -of the bolts; its bars bent, its partitions groaned; the windows of the -saloon seemed to curve under the pressure of the waters. And this firm -structure would doubtless have yielded, if, as its Captain had said, it -had not been capable of resistance like a solid block. We had attained -a depth of 16,000 yards (four leagues), and the sides of the Nautilus -then bore a pressure of 1,600 atmospheres, that is to say, 3,200 lb. -to each square two-fifths of an inch of its surface. - -"What a situation to be in!" I exclaimed. "To overrun these deep -regions where man has never trod! Look, Captain, look at these -magnificent rocks, these uninhabited grottoes, these lowest receptacles -of the globe, where life is no longer possible! What unknown sights -are here! Why should we be unable to preserve a remembrance of them?" - -"Would you like to carry away more than the remembrance?" said Captain -Nemo. - -"What do you mean by those words?" - -"I mean to say that nothing is easier than to make a photographic view -of this submarine region." - -I had not time to express my surprise at this new proposition, when, at -Captain Nemo's call, an objective was brought into the saloon. Through -the widely-opened panel, the liquid mass was bright with electricity, -which was distributed with such uniformity that not a shadow, not a -gradation, was to be seen in our manufactured light. The Nautilus -remained motionless, the force of its screw subdued by the inclination -of its planes: the instrument was propped on the bottom of the oceanic -site, and in a few seconds we had obtained a perfect negative. - -But, the operation being over, Captain Nemo said, "Let us go up; we -must not abuse our position, nor expose the Nautilus too long to such -great pressure." - -"Go up again!" I exclaimed. - -"Hold well on." - -I had not time to understand why the Captain cautioned me thus, when I -was thrown forward on to the carpet. At a signal from the Captain, its -screw was shipped, and its blades raised vertically; the Nautilus shot -into the air like a balloon, rising with stunning rapidity, and cutting -the mass of waters with a sonorous agitation. Nothing was visible; and -in four minutes it had shot through the four leagues which separated it -from the ocean, and, after emerging like a flying-fish, fell, making -the waves rebound to an enormous height. - - - -CHAPTER XII - -CACHALOTS AND WHALES - -During the nights of the 13th and 14th of March, the Nautilus returned -to its southerly course. I fancied that, when on a level with Cape -Horn, he would turn the helm westward, in order to beat the Pacific -seas, and so complete the tour of the world. He did nothing of the -kind, but continued on his way to the southern regions. Where was he -going to? To the pole? It was madness! I began to think that the -Captain's temerity justified Ned Land's fears. For some time past the -Canadian had not spoken to me of his projects of flight; he was less -communicative, almost silent. I could see that this lengthened -imprisonment was weighing upon him, and I felt that rage was burning -within him. When he met the Captain, his eyes lit up with suppressed -anger; and I feared that his natural violence would lead him into some -extreme. That day, the 14th of March, Conseil and he came to me in my -room. I inquired the cause of their visit. - -"A simple question to ask you, sir," replied the Canadian. - -"Speak, Ned." - -"How many men are there on board the Nautilus, do you think?" - -"I cannot tell, my friend." - -"I should say that its working does not require a large crew." - -"Certainly, under existing conditions, ten men, at the most, ought to -be enough." - -"Well, why should there be any more?" - -"Why?" I replied, looking fixedly at Ned Land, whose meaning was easy -to guess. "Because," I added, "if my surmises are correct, and if I -have well understood the Captain's existence, the Nautilus is not only -a vessel: it is also a place of refuge for those who, like its -commander, have broken every tie upon earth." - -"Perhaps so," said Conseil; "but, in any case, the Nautilus can only -contain a certain number of men. Could not you, sir, estimate their -maximum?" - -"How, Conseil?" - -"By calculation; given the size of the vessel, which you know, sir, and -consequently the quantity of air it contains, knowing also how much -each man expends at a breath, and comparing these results with the fact -that the Nautilus is obliged to go to the surface every twenty-four -hours." - -Conseil had not finished the sentence before I saw what he was driving -at. - -"I understand," said I; "but that calculation, though simple enough, -can give but a very uncertain result." - -"Never mind," said Ned Land urgently. - -"Here it is, then," said I. "In one hour each man consumes the oxygen -contained in twenty gallons of air; and in twenty-four, that contained -in 480 gallons. We must, therefore find how many times 480 gallons of -air the Nautilus contains." - -"Just so," said Conseil. - -"Or," I continued, "the size of the Nautilus being 1,500 tons; and one -ton holding 200 gallons, it contains 300,000 gallons of air, which, -divided by 480, gives a quotient of 625. Which means to say, strictly -speaking, that the air contained in the Nautilus would suffice for 625 -men for twenty-four hours." - -"Six hundred and twenty-five!" repeated Ned. - -"But remember that all of us, passengers, sailors, and officers -included, would not form a tenth part of that number." - -"Still too many for three men," murmured Conseil. - -The Canadian shook his head, passed his hand across his forehead, and -left the room without answering. - -"Will you allow me to make one observation, sir?" said Conseil. "Poor -Ned is longing for everything that he can not have. His past life is -always present to him; everything that we are forbidden he regrets. -His head is full of old recollections. And we must understand him. -What has he to do here? Nothing; he is not learned like you, sir; and -has not the same taste for the beauties of the sea that we have. He -would risk everything to be able to go once more into a tavern in his -own country." - -Certainly the monotony on board must seem intolerable to the Canadian, -accustomed as he was to a life of liberty and activity. Events were -rare which could rouse him to any show of spirit; but that day an event -did happen which recalled the bright days of the harpooner. About -eleven in the morning, being on the surface of the ocean, the Nautilus -fell in with a troop of whales--an encounter which did not astonish me, -knowing that these creatures, hunted to death, had taken refuge in high -latitudes. - -We were seated on the platform, with a quiet sea. The month of October -in those latitudes gave us some lovely autumnal days. It was the -Canadian--he could not be mistaken--who signalled a whale on the -eastern horizon. Looking attentively, one might see its black back -rise and fall with the waves five miles from the Nautilus. - -"Ah!" exclaimed Ned Land, "if I was on board a whaler, now such a -meeting would give me pleasure. It is one of large size. See with -what strength its blow-holes throw up columns of air an steam! -Confound it, why am I bound to these steel plates?" - -"What, Ned," said I, "you have not forgotten your old ideas of fishing?" - -"Can a whale-fisher ever forget his old trade, sir? Can he ever tire -of the emotions caused by such a chase?" - -"You have never fished in these seas, Ned?" - -"Never, sir; in the northern only, and as much in Behring as in Davis -Straits." - -"Then the southern whale is still unknown to you. It is the Greenland -whale you have hunted up to this time, and that would not risk passing -through the warm waters of the equator. Whales are localised, -according to their kinds, in certain seas which they never leave. And -if one of these creatures went from Behring to Davis Straits, it must -be simply because there is a passage from one sea to the other, either -on the American or the Asiatic side." - -"In that case, as I have never fished in these seas, I do not know the -kind of whale frequenting them!" - -"I have told you, Ned." - -"A greater reason for making their acquaintance," said Conseil. - -"Look! look!" exclaimed the Canadian, "they approach: they aggravate -me; they know that I cannot get at them!" - -Ned stamped his feet. His hand trembled, as he grasped an imaginary -harpoon. - -"Are these cetaceans as large as those of the northern seas?" asked he. - -"Very nearly, Ned." - -"Because I have seen large whales, sir, whales measuring a hundred -feet. I have even been told that those of Hullamoch and Umgallick, of -the Aleutian Islands, are sometimes a hundred and fifty feet long." - -"That seems to me exaggeration. These creatures are only -balaeaopterons, provided with dorsal fins; and, like the cachalots, are -generally much smaller than the Greenland whale." - -"Ah!" exclaimed the Canadian, whose eyes had never left the ocean, -"they are coming nearer; they are in the same water as the Nautilus." - -Then, returning to the conversation, he said: - -"You spoke of the cachalot as a small creature. I have heard of -gigantic ones. They are intelligent cetacea. It is said of some that -they cover themselves with seaweed and fucus, and then are taken for -islands. People encamp upon them, and settle there; lights a fire----" - -"And build houses," said Conseil. - -"Yes, joker," said Ned Land. "And one fine day the creature plunges, -carrying with it all the inhabitants to the bottom of the sea." - -"Something like the travels of Sinbad the Sailor," I replied, laughing. - -"Ah!" suddenly exclaimed Ned Land, "it is not one whale; there are -ten--there are twenty--it is a whole troop! And I not able to do -anything! hands and feet tied!" - -"But, friend Ned," said Conseil, "why do you not ask Captain Nemo's -permission to chase them?" - -Conseil had not finished his sentence when Ned Land had lowered himself -through the panel to seek the Captain. A few minutes afterwards the -two appeared together on the platform. - -Captain Nemo watched the troop of cetacea playing on the waters about a -mile from the Nautilus. - -"They are southern whales," said he; "there goes the fortune of a whole -fleet of whalers." - -"Well, sir," asked the Canadian, "can I not chase them, if only to -remind me of my old trade of harpooner?" - -"And to what purpose?" replied Captain Nemo; "only to destroy! We have -nothing to do with the whale-oil on board." - -"But, sir," continued the Canadian, "in the Red Sea you allowed us to -follow the dugong." - -"Then it was to procure fresh meat for my crew. Here it would be -killing for killing's sake. I know that is a privilege reserved for -man, but I do not approve of such murderous pastime. In destroying the -southern whale (like the Greenland whale, an inoffensive creature), -your traders do a culpable action, Master Land. They have already -depopulated the whole of Baffin's Bay, and are annihilating a class of -useful animals. Leave the unfortunate cetacea alone. They have plenty -of natural enemies--cachalots, swordfish, and sawfish--without you -troubling them." - -The Captain was right. The barbarous and inconsiderate greed of these -fishermen will one day cause the disappearance of the last whale in the -ocean. Ned Land whistled "Yankee-doodle" between his teeth, thrust his -hands into his pockets, and turned his back upon us. But Captain Nemo -watched the troop of cetacea, and, addressing me, said: - -"I was right in saying that whales had natural enemies enough, without -counting man. These will have plenty to do before long. Do you see, -M. Aronnax, about eight miles to leeward, those blackish moving points?" - -"Yes, Captain," I replied. - -"Those are cachalots--terrible animals, which I have met in troops of -two or three hundred. As to those, they are cruel, mischievous -creatures; they would be right in exterminating them." - -The Canadian turned quickly at the last words. - -"Well, Captain," said he, "it is still time, in the interest of the -whales." - -"It is useless to expose one's self, Professor. The Nautilus will -disperse them. It is armed with a steel spur as good as Master Land's -harpoon, I imagine." - -The Canadian did not put himself out enough to shrug his shoulders. -Attack cetacea with blows of a spur! Who had ever heard of such a -thing? - -"Wait, M. Aronnax," said Captain Nemo. "We will show you something you -have never yet seen. We have no pity for these ferocious creatures. -They are nothing but mouth and teeth." - -Mouth and teeth! No one could better describe the macrocephalous -cachalot, which is sometimes more than seventy-five feet long. Its -enormous head occupies one-third of its entire body. Better armed than -the whale, whose upper jaw is furnished only with whalebone, it is -supplied with twenty-five large tusks, about eight inches long, -cylindrical and conical at the top, each weighing two pounds. It is in -the upper part of this enormous head, in great cavities divided by -cartilages, that is to be found from six to eight hundred pounds of -that precious oil called spermaceti. The cachalot is a disagreeable -creature, more tadpole than fish, according to Fredol's description. -It is badly formed, the whole of its left side being (if we may say -it), a "failure," and being only able to see with its right eye. But -the formidable troop was nearing us. They had seen the whales and were -preparing to attack them. One could judge beforehand that the -cachalots would be victorious, not only because they were better built -for attack than their inoffensive adversaries, but also because they -could remain longer under water without coming to the surface. There -was only just time to go to the help of the whales. The Nautilus went -under water. Conseil, Ned Land, and I took our places before the -window in the saloon, and Captain Nemo joined the pilot in his cage to -work his apparatus as an engine of destruction. Soon I felt the -beatings of the screw quicken, and our speed increased. The battle -between the cachalots and the whales had already begun when the -Nautilus arrived. They did not at first show any fear at the sight of -this new monster joining in the conflict. But they soon had to guard -against its blows. What a battle! The Nautilus was nothing but a -formidable harpoon, brandished by the hand of its Captain. It hurled -itself against the fleshy mass, passing through from one part to the -other, leaving behind it two quivering halves of the animal. It could -not feel the formidable blows from their tails upon its sides, nor the -shock which it produced itself, much more. One cachalot killed, it ran -at the next, tacked on the spot that it might not miss its prey, going -forwards and backwards, answering to its helm, plunging when the -cetacean dived into the deep waters, coming up with it when it returned -to the surface, striking it front or sideways, cutting or tearing in -all directions and at any pace, piercing it with its terrible spur. -What carnage! What a noise on the surface of the waves! What sharp -hissing, and what snorting peculiar to these enraged animals! In the -midst of these waters, generally so peaceful, their tails made perfect -billows. For one hour this wholesale massacre continued, from which -the cachalots could not escape. Several times ten or twelve united -tried to crush the Nautilus by their weight. From the window we could -see their enormous mouths, studded with tusks, and their formidable -eyes. Ned Land could not contain himself; he threatened and swore at -them. We could feel them clinging to our vessel like dogs worrying a -wild boar in a copse. But the Nautilus, working its screw, carried -them here and there, or to the upper levels of the ocean, without -caring for their enormous weight, nor the powerful strain on the -vessel. At length the mass of cachalots broke up, the waves became -quiet, and I felt that we were rising to the surface. The panel -opened, and we hurried on to the platform. The sea was covered with -mutilated bodies. A formidable explosion could not have divided and -torn this fleshy mass with more violence. We were floating amid -gigantic bodies, bluish on the back and white underneath, covered with -enormous protuberances. Some terrified cachalots were flying towards -the horizon. The waves were dyed red for several miles, and the -Nautilus floated in a sea of blood: Captain Nemo joined us. - -"Well, Master Land?" said he. - -"Well, sir," replied the Canadian, whose enthusiasm had somewhat -calmed; "it is a terrible spectacle, certainly. But I am not a -butcher. I am a hunter, and I call this a butchery." - -"It is a massacre of mischievous creatures," replied the Captain; "and -the Nautilus is not a butcher's knife." - -"I like my harpoon better," said the Canadian. - -"Every one to his own," answered the Captain, looking fixedly at Ned -Land. - -I feared he would commit some act of violence, which would end in sad -consequences. But his anger was turned by the sight of a whale which -the Nautilus had just come up with. The creature had not quite escaped -from the cachalot's teeth. I recognised the southern whale by its flat -head, which is entirely black. Anatomically, it is distinguished from -the white whale and the North Cape whale by the seven cervical -vertebrae, and it has two more ribs than its congeners. The -unfortunate cetacean was lying on its side, riddled with holes from the -bites, and quite dead. From its mutilated fin still hung a young whale -which it could not save from the massacre. Its open mouth let the -water flow in and out, murmuring like the waves breaking on the shore. -Captain Nemo steered close to the corpse of the creature. Two of his -men mounted its side, and I saw, not without surprise, that they were -drawing from its breasts all the milk which they contained, that is to -say, about two or three tons. The Captain offered me a cup of the -milk, which was still warm. I could not help showing my repugnance to -the drink; but he assured me that it was excellent, and not to be -distinguished from cow's milk. I tasted it, and was of his opinion. -It was a useful reserve to us, for in the shape of salt butter or -cheese it would form an agreeable variety from our ordinary food. From -that day I noticed with uneasiness that Ned Land's ill-will towards -Captain Nemo increased, and I resolved to watch the Canadian's gestures -closely. - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE ICEBERG - -The Nautilus was steadily pursuing its southerly course, following the -fiftieth meridian with considerable speed. Did he wish to reach the -pole? I did not think so, for every attempt to reach that point had -hitherto failed. Again, the season was far advanced, for in the -Antarctic regions the 13th of March corresponds with the 13th of -September of northern regions, which begin at the equinoctial season. -On the 14th of March I saw floating ice in latitude 55°, merely -pale bits of debris from twenty to twenty-five feet long, forming banks -over which the sea curled. The Nautilus remained on the surface of the -ocean. Ned Land, who had fished in the Arctic Seas, was familiar with -its icebergs; but Conseil and I admired them for the first time. In -the atmosphere towards the southern horizon stretched a white dazzling -band. English whalers have given it the name of "ice blink." However -thick the clouds may be, it is always visible, and announces the -presence of an ice pack or bank. Accordingly, larger blocks soon -appeared, whose brilliancy changed with the caprices of the fog. Some -of these masses showed green veins, as if long undulating lines had -been traced with sulphate of copper; others resembled enormous -amethysts with the light shining through them. Some reflected the -light of day upon a thousand crystal facets. Others shaded with vivid -calcareous reflections resembled a perfect town of marble. The more we -neared the south the more these floating islands increased both in -number and importance. - -At 60° lat. every pass had disappeared. But, seeking carefully, -Captain Nemo soon found a narrow opening, through which he boldly -slipped, knowing, however, that it would close behind him. Thus, -guided by this clever hand, the Nautilus passed through all the ice -with a precision which quite charmed Conseil; icebergs or mountains, -ice-fields or smooth plains, seeming to have no limits, drift-ice or -floating ice-packs, plains broken up, called palchs when they are -circular, and streams when they are made up of long strips. The -temperature was very low; the thermometer exposed to the air marked 2 -deg. or 3° below zero, but we were warmly clad with fur, at the -expense of the sea-bear and seal. The interior of the Nautilus, warmed -regularly by its electric apparatus, defied the most intense cold. -Besides, it would only have been necessary to go some yards beneath the -waves to find a more bearable temperature. Two months earlier we -should have had perpetual daylight in these latitudes; but already we -had had three or four hours of night, and by and by there would be six -months of darkness in these circumpolar regions. On the 15th of March -we were in the latitude of New Shetland and South Orkney. The Captain -told me that formerly numerous tribes of seals inhabited them; but that -English and American whalers, in their rage for destruction, massacred -both old and young; thus, where there was once life and animation, they -had left silence and death. - -About eight o'clock on the morning of the 16th of March the Nautilus, -following the fifty-fifth meridian, cut the Antarctic polar circle. -Ice surrounded us on all sides, and closed the horizon. But Captain -Nemo went from one opening to another, still going higher. I cannot -express my astonishment at the beauties of these new regions. The ice -took most surprising forms. Here the grouping formed an oriental town, -with innumerable mosques and minarets; there a fallen city thrown to -the earth, as it were, by some convulsion of nature. The whole aspect -was constantly changed by the oblique rays of the sun, or lost in the -greyish fog amidst hurricanes of snow. Detonations and falls were -heard on all sides, great overthrows of icebergs, which altered the -whole landscape like a diorama. Often seeing no exit, I thought we -were definitely prisoners; but, instinct guiding him at the slightest -indication, Captain Nemo would discover a new pass. He was never -mistaken when he saw the thin threads of bluish water trickling along -the ice-fields; and I had no doubt that he had already ventured into -the midst of these Antarctic seas before. On the 16th of March, -however, the ice-fields absolutely blocked our road. It was not the -iceberg itself, as yet, but vast fields cemented by the cold. But this -obstacle could not stop Captain Nemo: he hurled himself against it with -frightful violence. The Nautilus entered the brittle mass like a -wedge, and split it with frightful crackings. It was the battering ram -of the ancients hurled by infinite strength. The ice, thrown high in -the air, fell like hail around us. By its own power of impulsion our -apparatus made a canal for itself; some times carried away by its own -impetus, it lodged on the ice-field, crushing it with its weight, and -sometimes buried beneath it, dividing it by a simple pitching movement, -producing large rents in it. Violent gales assailed us at this time, -accompanied by thick fogs, through which, from one end of the platform -to the other, we could see nothing. The wind blew sharply from all -parts of the compass, and the snow lay in such hard heaps that we had -to break it with blows of a pickaxe. The temperature was always at 5 -deg. below zero; every outward part of the Nautilus was covered with -ice. A rigged vessel would have been entangled in the blocked up -gorges. A vessel without sails, with electricity for its motive power, -and wanting no coal, could alone brave such high latitudes. At length, -on the 18th of March, after many useless assaults, the Nautilus was -positively blocked. It was no longer either streams, packs, or -ice-fields, but an interminable and immovable barrier, formed by -mountains soldered together. - -"An iceberg!" said the Canadian to me. - -I knew that to Ned Land, as well as to all other navigators who had -preceded us, this was an inevitable obstacle. The sun appearing for an -instant at noon, Captain Nemo took an observation as near as possible, -which gave our situation at 51° 30' long. and 67° 39' of S. -lat. We had advanced one degree more in this Antarctic region. Of the -liquid surface of the sea there was no longer a glimpse. Under the -spur of the Nautilus lay stretched a vast plain, entangled with -confused blocks. Here and there sharp points and slender needles -rising to a height of 200 feet; further on a steep shore, hewn as it -were with an axe and clothed with greyish tints; huge mirrors, -reflecting a few rays of sunshine, half drowned in the fog. And over -this desolate face of nature a stern silence reigned, scarcely broken -by the flapping of the wings of petrels and puffins. Everything was -frozen--even the noise. The Nautilus was then obliged to stop in its -adventurous course amid these fields of ice. In spite of our efforts, -in spite of the powerful means employed to break up the ice, the -Nautilus remained immovable. Generally, when we can proceed no -further, we have return still open to us; but here return was as -impossible as advance, for every pass had closed behind us; and for the -few moments when we were stationary, we were likely to be entirely -blocked, which did indeed happen about two o'clock in the afternoon, -the fresh ice forming around its sides with astonishing rapidity. I -was obliged to admit that Captain Nemo was more than imprudent. I was -on the platform at that moment. The Captain had been observing our -situation for some time past, when he said to me: - -"Well, sir, what do you think of this?" - -"I think that we are caught, Captain." - -"So, M. Aronnax, you really think that the Nautilus cannot disengage -itself?" - -"With difficulty, Captain; for the season is already too far advanced -for you to reckon on the breaking of the ice." - -"Ah! sir," said Captain Nemo, in an ironical tone, "you will always be -the same. You see nothing but difficulties and obstacles. I affirm -that not only can the Nautilus disengage itself, but also that it can -go further still." - -"Further to the South?" I asked, looking at the Captain. - -"Yes, sir; it shall go to the pole." - -"To the pole!" I exclaimed, unable to repress a gesture of incredulity. - -"Yes," replied the Captain, coldly, "to the Antarctic pole--to that -unknown point from whence springs every meridian of the globe. You -know whether I can do as I please with the Nautilus!" - -Yes, I knew that. I knew that this man was bold, even to rashness. -But to conquer those obstacles which bristled round the South Pole, -rendering it more inaccessible than the North, which had not yet been -reached by the boldest navigators--was it not a mad enterprise, one -which only a maniac would have conceived? It then came into my head to -ask Captain Nemo if he had ever discovered that pole which had never -yet been trodden by a human creature? - -"No, sir," he replied; "but we will discover it together. Where others -have failed, I will not fail. I have never yet led my Nautilus so far -into southern seas; but, I repeat, it shall go further yet." - -"I can well believe you, Captain," said I, in a slightly ironical tone. -"I believe you! Let us go ahead! There are no obstacles for us! Let -us smash this iceberg! Let us blow it up; and, if it resists, let us -give the Nautilus wings to fly over it!" - -"Over it, sir!" said Captain Nemo, quietly; "no, not over it, but under -it!" - -"Under it!" I exclaimed, a sudden idea of the Captain's projects -flashing upon my mind. I understood; the wonderful qualities of the -Nautilus were going to serve us in this superhuman enterprise. - -"I see we are beginning to understand one another, sir," said the -Captain, half smiling. "You begin to see the possibility--I should say -the success--of this attempt. That which is impossible for an ordinary -vessel is easy to the Nautilus. If a continent lies before the pole, -it must stop before the continent; but if, on the contrary, the pole is -washed by open sea, it will go even to the pole." - -"Certainly," said I, carried away by the Captain's reasoning; "if the -surface of the sea is solidified by the ice, the lower depths are free -by the Providential law which has placed the maximum of density of the -waters of the ocean one degree higher than freezing-point; and, if I am -not mistaken, the portion of this iceberg which is above the water is -as one to four to that which is below." - -"Very nearly, sir; for one foot of iceberg above the sea there are -three below it. If these ice mountains are not more than 300 feet -above the surface, they are not more than 900 beneath. And what are -900 feet to the Nautilus?" - -"Nothing, sir." - -"It could even seek at greater depths that uniform temperature of -sea-water, and there brave with impunity the thirty or forty degrees of -surface cold." - -"Just so, sir--just so," I replied, getting animated. - -"The only difficulty," continued Captain Nemo, "is that of remaining -several days without renewing our provision of air." - -"Is that all? The Nautilus has vast reservoirs; we can fill them, and -they will supply us with all the oxygen we want." - -"Well thought of, M. Aronnax," replied the Captain, smiling. "But, not -wishing you to accuse me of rashness, I will first give you all my -objections." - -"Have you any more to make?" - -"Only one. It is possible, if the sea exists at the South Pole, that -it may be covered; and, consequently, we shall be unable to come to the -surface." - -"Good, sir! but do you forget that the Nautilus is armed with a -powerful spur, and could we not send it diagonally against these fields -of ice, which would open at the shocks." - -"Ah! sir, you are full of ideas to-day." - -"Besides, Captain," I added, enthusiastically, "why should we not find -the sea open at the South Pole as well as at the North? The frozen -poles of the earth do not coincide, either in the southern or in the -northern regions; and, until it is proved to the contrary, we may -suppose either a continent or an ocean free from ice at these two -points of the globe." - -"I think so too, M. Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo. "I only wish you -to observe that, after having made so many objections to my project, -you are now crushing me with arguments in its favour!" - -The preparations for this audacious attempt now began. The powerful -pumps of the Nautilus were working air into the reservoirs and storing -it at high pressure. About four o'clock, Captain Nemo announced the -closing of the panels on the platform. I threw one last look at the -massive iceberg which we were going to cross. The weather was clear, -the atmosphere pure enough, the cold very great, being 12° below -zero; but, the wind having gone down, this temperature was not so -unbearable. About ten men mounted the sides of the Nautilus, armed -with pickaxes to break the ice around the vessel, which was soon free. -The operation was quickly performed, for the fresh ice was still very -thin. We all went below. The usual reservoirs were filled with the -newly-liberated water, and the Nautilus soon descended. I had taken my -place with Conseil in the saloon; through the open window we could see -the lower beds of the Southern Ocean. The thermometer went up, the -needle of the compass deviated on the dial. At about 900 feet, as -Captain Nemo had foreseen, we were floating beneath the undulating -bottom of the iceberg. But the Nautilus went lower still--it went to -the depth of four hundred fathoms. The temperature of the water at the -surface showed twelve degrees, it was now only ten; we had gained two. -I need not say the temperature of the Nautilus was raised by its -heating apparatus to a much higher degree; every manoeuvre was -accomplished with wonderful precision. - -"We shall pass it, if you please, sir," said Conseil. - -"I believe we shall," I said, in a tone of firm conviction. - -In this open sea, the Nautilus had taken its course direct to the pole, -without leaving the fifty-second meridian. From 67° 30' to 90 -deg., twenty-two degrees and a half of latitude remained to travel; -that is, about five hundred leagues. The Nautilus kept up a mean speed -of twenty-six miles an hour--the speed of an express train. If that -was kept up, in forty hours we should reach the pole. - -For a part of the night the novelty of the situation kept us at the -window. The sea was lit with the electric lantern; but it was -deserted; fishes did not sojourn in these imprisoned waters; they only -found there a passage to take them from the Antarctic Ocean to the open -polar sea. Our pace was rapid; we could feel it by the quivering of -the long steel body. About two in the morning I took some hours' -repose, and Conseil did the same. In crossing the waist I did not meet -Captain Nemo: I supposed him to be in the pilot's cage. The next -morning, the 19th of March, I took my post once more in the saloon. -The electric log told me that the speed of the Nautilus had been -slackened. It was then going towards the surface; but prudently -emptying its reservoirs very slowly. My heart beat fast. Were we -going to emerge and regain the open polar atmosphere? No! A shock -told me that the Nautilus had struck the bottom of the iceberg, still -very thick, judging from the deadened sound. We had in deed "struck," -to use a sea expression, but in an inverse sense, and at a thousand -feet deep. This would give three thousand feet of ice above us; one -thousand being above the water-mark. The iceberg was then higher than -at its borders--not a very reassuring fact. Several times that day the -Nautilus tried again, and every time it struck the wall which lay like -a ceiling above it. Sometimes it met with but 900 yards, only 200 of -which rose above the surface. It was twice the height it was when the -Nautilus had gone under the waves. I carefully noted the different -depths, and thus obtained a submarine profile of the chain as it was -developed under the water. That night no change had taken place in our -situation. Still ice between four and five hundred yards in depth! It -was evidently diminishing, but, still, what a thickness between us and -the surface of the ocean! It was then eight. According to the daily -custom on board the Nautilus, its air should have been renewed four -hours ago; but I did not suffer much, although Captain Nemo had not yet -made any demand upon his reserve of oxygen. My sleep was painful that -night; hope and fear besieged me by turns: I rose several times. The -groping of the Nautilus continued. About three in the morning, I -noticed that the lower surface of the iceberg was only about fifty feet -deep. One hundred and fifty feet now separated us from the surface of -the waters. The iceberg was by degrees becoming an ice-field, the -mountain a plain. My eyes never left the manometer. We were still -rising diagonally to the surface, which sparkled under the electric -rays. The iceberg was stretching both above and beneath into -lengthening slopes; mile after mile it was getting thinner. At length, -at six in the morning of that memorable day, the 19th of March, the -door of the saloon opened, and Captain Nemo appeared. - -"The sea is open!!" was all he said. - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE SOUTH POLE - -I rushed on to the platform. Yes! the open sea, with but a few -scattered pieces of ice and moving icebergs--a long stretch of sea; a -world of birds in the air, and myriads of fishes under those waters, -which varied from intense blue to olive green, according to the bottom. -The thermometer marked 3° C. above zero. It was comparatively -spring, shut up as we were behind this iceberg, whose lengthened mass -was dimly seen on our northern horizon. - -"Are we at the pole?" I asked the Captain, with a beating heart. - -"I do not know," he replied. "At noon I will take our bearings." - -"But will the sun show himself through this fog?" said I, looking at -the leaden sky. - -"However little it shows, it will be enough," replied the Captain. - -About ten miles south a solitary island rose to a height of one hundred -and four yards. We made for it, but carefully, for the sea might be -strewn with banks. One hour afterwards we had reached it, two hours -later we had made the round of it. It measured four or five miles in -circumference. A narrow canal separated it from a considerable stretch -of land, perhaps a continent, for we could not see its limits. The -existence of this land seemed to give some colour to Maury's theory. -The ingenious American has remarked that, between the South Pole and -the sixtieth parallel, the sea is covered with floating ice of enormous -size, which is never met with in the North Atlantic. From this fact he -has drawn the conclusion that the Antarctic Circle encloses -considerable continents, as icebergs cannot form in open sea, but only -on the coasts. According to these calculations, the mass of ice -surrounding the southern pole forms a vast cap, the circumference of -which must be, at least, 2,500 miles. But the Nautilus, for fear of -running aground, had stopped about three cable-lengths from a strand -over which reared a superb heap of rocks. The boat was launched; the -Captain, two of his men, bearing instruments, Conseil, and myself were -in it. It was ten in the morning. I had not seen Ned Land. Doubtless -the Canadian did not wish to admit the presence of the South Pole. A -few strokes of the oar brought us to the sand, where we ran ashore. -Conseil was going to jump on to the land, when I held him back. - -"Sir," said I to Captain Nemo, "to you belongs the honour of first -setting foot on this land." - -"Yes, sir," said the Captain, "and if I do not hesitate to tread this -South Pole, it is because, up to this time, no human being has left a -trace there." - -Saying this, he jumped lightly on to the sand. His heart beat with -emotion. He climbed a rock, sloping to a little promontory, and there, -with his arms crossed, mute and motionless, and with an eager look, he -seemed to take possession of these southern regions. After five -minutes passed in this ecstasy, he turned to us. - -"When you like, sir." - -I landed, followed by Conseil, leaving the two men in the boat. For a -long way the soil was composed of a reddish sandy stone, something like -crushed brick, scoriae, streams of lava, and pumice-stones. One could -not mistake its volcanic origin. In some parts, slight curls of smoke -emitted a sulphurous smell, proving that the internal fires had lost -nothing of their expansive powers, though, having climbed a high -acclivity, I could see no volcano for a radius of several miles. We -know that in those Antarctic countries, James Ross found two craters, -the Erebus and Terror, in full activity, on the 167th meridian, -latitude 77° 32'. The vegetation of this desolate continent seemed -to me much restricted. Some lichens lay upon the black rocks; some -microscopic plants, rudimentary diatomas, a kind of cells placed -between two quartz shells; long purple and scarlet weed, supported on -little swimming bladders, which the breaking of the waves brought to -the shore. These constituted the meagre flora of this region. The -shore was strewn with molluscs, little mussels, and limpets. I also -saw myriads of northern clios, one-and-a-quarter inches long, of which -a whale would swallow a whole world at a mouthful; and some perfect -sea-butterflies, animating the waters on the skirts of the shore. - -There appeared on the high bottoms some coral shrubs, of the kind -which, according to James Ross, live in the Antarctic seas to the depth -of more than 1,000 yards. Then there were little kingfishers and -starfish studding the soil. But where life abounded most was in the -air. There thousands of birds fluttered and flew of all kinds, -deafening us with their cries; others crowded the rock, looking at us -as we passed by without fear, and pressing familiarly close by our -feet. There were penguins, so agile in the water, heavy and awkward as -they are on the ground; they were uttering harsh cries, a large -assembly, sober in gesture, but extravagant in clamour. Albatrosses -passed in the air, the expanse of their wings being at least four yards -and a half, and justly called the vultures of the ocean; some gigantic -petrels, and some damiers, a kind of small duck, the underpart of whose -body is black and white; then there were a whole series of petrels, -some whitish, with brown-bordered wings, others blue, peculiar to the -Antarctic seas, and so oily, as I told Conseil, that the inhabitants of -the Ferroe Islands had nothing to do before lighting them but to put a -wick in. - -"A little more," said Conseil, "and they would be perfect lamps! After -that, we cannot expect Nature to have previously furnished them with -wicks!" - -About half a mile farther on the soil was riddled with ruffs' nests, a -sort of laying-ground, out of which many birds were issuing. Captain -Nemo had some hundreds hunted. They uttered a cry like the braying of -an ass, were about the size of a goose, slate-colour on the body, white -beneath, with a yellow line round their throats; they allowed -themselves to be killed with a stone, never trying to escape. But the -fog did not lift, and at eleven the sun had not yet shown itself. Its -absence made me uneasy. Without it no observations were possible. -How, then, could we decide whether we had reached the pole? When I -rejoined Captain Nemo, I found him leaning on a piece of rock, silently -watching the sky. He seemed impatient and vexed. But what was to be -done? This rash and powerful man could not command the sun as he did -the sea. Noon arrived without the orb of day showing itself for an -instant. We could not even tell its position behind the curtain of -fog; and soon the fog turned to snow. - -"Till to-morrow," said the Captain, quietly, and we returned to the -Nautilus amid these atmospheric disturbances. - -The tempest of snow continued till the next day. It was impossible to -remain on the platform. From the saloon, where I was taking notes of -incidents happening during this excursion to the polar continent, I -could hear the cries of petrels and albatrosses sporting in the midst -of this violent storm. The Nautilus did not remain motionless, but -skirted the coast, advancing ten miles more to the south in the -half-light left by the sun as it skirted the edge of the horizon. The -next day, the 20th of March, the snow had ceased. The cold was a -little greater, the thermometer showing 2° below zero. The fog -was rising, and I hoped that that day our observations might be taken. -Captain Nemo not having yet appeared, the boat took Conseil and myself -to land. The soil was still of the same volcanic nature; everywhere -were traces of lava, scoriae, and basalt; but the crater which had -vomited them I could not see. Here, as lower down, this continent was -alive with myriads of birds. But their rule was now divided with large -troops of sea-mammals, looking at us with their soft eyes. There were -several kinds of seals, some stretched on the earth, some on flakes of -ice, many going in and out of the sea. They did not flee at our -approach, never having had anything to do with man; and I reckoned that -there were provisions there for hundreds of vessels. - -"Sir," said Conseil, "will you tell me the names of these creatures?" - -"They are seals and morses." - -It was now eight in the morning. Four hours remained to us before the -sun could be observed with advantage. I directed our steps towards a -vast bay cut in the steep granite shore. There, I can aver that earth -and ice were lost to sight by the numbers of sea-mammals covering them, -and I involuntarily sought for old Proteus, the mythological shepherd -who watched these immense flocks of Neptune. There were more seals -than anything else, forming distinct groups, male and female, the -father watching over his family, the mother suckling her little ones, -some already strong enough to go a few steps. When they wished to -change their place, they took little jumps, made by the contraction of -their bodies, and helped awkwardly enough by their imperfect fin, -which, as with the lamantin, their cousins, forms a perfect forearm. I -should say that, in the water, which is their element--the spine of -these creatures is flexible; with smooth and close skin and webbed -feet--they swim admirably. In resting on the earth they take the most -graceful attitudes. Thus the ancients, observing their soft and -expressive looks, which cannot be surpassed by the most beautiful look -a woman can give, their clear voluptuous eyes, their charming -positions, and the poetry of their manners, metamorphosed them, the -male into a triton and the female into a mermaid. I made Conseil -notice the considerable development of the lobes of the brain in these -interesting cetaceans. No mammal, except man, has such a quantity of -brain matter; they are also capable of receiving a certain amount of -education, are easily domesticated, and I think, with other -naturalists, that if properly taught they would be of great service as -fishing-dogs. The greater part of them slept on the rocks or on the -sand. Amongst these seals, properly so called, which have no external -ears (in which they differ from the otter, whose ears are prominent), I -noticed several varieties of seals about three yards long, with a white -coat, bulldog heads, armed with teeth in both jaws, four incisors at -the top and four at the bottom, and two large canine teeth in the shape -of a fleur-de-lis. Amongst them glided sea-elephants, a kind of seal, -with short, flexible trunks. The giants of this species measured -twenty feet round and ten yards and a half in length; but they did not -move as we approached. - -"These creatures are not dangerous?" asked Conseil. - -"No; not unless you attack them. When they have to defend their young -their rage is terrible, and it is not uncommon for them to break the -fishing-boats to pieces." - -"They are quite right," said Conseil. - -"I do not say they are not." - -Two miles farther on we were stopped by the promontory which shelters -the bay from the southerly winds. Beyond it we heard loud bellowings -such as a troop of ruminants would produce. - -"Good!" said Conseil; "a concert of bulls!" - -"No; a concert of morses." - -"They are fighting!" - -"They are either fighting or playing." - -We now began to climb the blackish rocks, amid unforeseen stumbles, and -over stones which the ice made slippery. More than once I rolled over -at the expense of my loins. Conseil, more prudent or more steady, did -not stumble, and helped me up, saying: - -"If, sir, you would have the kindness to take wider steps, you would -preserve your equilibrium better." - -Arrived at the upper ridge of the promontory, I saw a vast white plain -covered with morses. They were playing amongst themselves, and what we -heard were bellowings of pleasure, not of anger. - -As I passed these curious animals I could examine them leisurely, for -they did not move. Their skins were thick and rugged, of a yellowish -tint, approaching to red; their hair was short and scant. Some of them -were four yards and a quarter long. Quieter and less timid than their -cousins of the north, they did not, like them, place sentinels round -the outskirts of their encampment. After examining this city of -morses, I began to think of returning. It was eleven o'clock, and, if -Captain Nemo found the conditions favourable for observations, I wished -to be present at the operation. We followed a narrow pathway running -along the summit of the steep shore. At half-past eleven we had -reached the place where we landed. The boat had run aground, bringing -the Captain. I saw him standing on a block of basalt, his instruments -near him, his eyes fixed on the northern horizon, near which the sun -was then describing a lengthened curve. I took my place beside him, -and waited without speaking. Noon arrived, and, as before, the sun did -not appear. It was a fatality. Observations were still wanting. If -not accomplished to-morrow, we must give up all idea of taking any. We -were indeed exactly at the 20th of March. To-morrow, the 21st, would -be the equinox; the sun would disappear behind the horizon for six -months, and with its disappearance the long polar night would begin. -Since the September equinox it had emerged from the northern horizon, -rising by lengthened spirals up to the 21st of December. At this -period, the summer solstice of the northern regions, it had begun to -descend; and to-morrow was to shed its last rays upon them. I -communicated my fears and observations to Captain Nemo. - -"You are right, M. Aronnax," said he; "if to-morrow I cannot take the -altitude of the sun, I shall not be able to do it for six months. But -precisely because chance has led me into these seas on the 21st of -March, my bearings will be easy to take, if at twelve we can see the -sun." - -"Why, Captain?" - -"Because then the orb of day described such lengthened curves that it -is difficult to measure exactly its height above the horizon, and grave -errors may be made with instruments." - -"What will you do then?" - -"I shall only use my chronometer," replied Captain Nemo. "If -to-morrow, the 21st of March, the disc of the sun, allowing for -refraction, is exactly cut by the northern horizon, it will show that I -am at the South Pole." - -"Just so," said I. "But this statement is not mathematically correct, -because the equinox does not necessarily begin at noon." - -"Very likely, sir; but the error will not be a hundred yards and we do -not want more. Till to-morrow, then!" - -Captain Nemo returned on board. Conseil and I remained to survey the -shore, observing and studying until five o'clock. Then I went to bed, -not, however, without invoking, like the Indian, the favour of the -radiant orb. The next day, the 21st of March, at five in the morning, -I mounted the platform. I found Captain Nemo there. - -"The weather is lightening a little," said he. "I have some hope. -After breakfast we will go on shore and choose a post for observation." - -That point settled, I sought Ned Land. I wanted to take him with me. -But the obstinate Canadian refused, and I saw that his taciturnity and -his bad humour grew day by day. After all, I was not sorry for his -obstinacy under the circumstances. Indeed, there were too many seals -on shore, and we ought not to lay such temptation in this unreflecting -fisherman's way. Breakfast over, we went on shore. The Nautilus had -gone some miles further up in the night. It was a whole league from -the coast, above which reared a sharp peak about five hundred yards -high. The boat took with me Captain Nemo, two men of the crew, and the -instruments, which consisted of a chronometer, a telescope, and a -barometer. While crossing, I saw numerous whales belonging to the -three kinds peculiar to the southern seas; the whale, or the English -"right whale," which has no dorsal fin; the "humpback," with reeved -chest and large, whitish fins, which, in spite of its name, do not form -wings; and the fin-back, of a yellowish brown, the liveliest of all the -cetacea. This powerful creature is heard a long way off when he throws -to a great height columns of air and vapour, which look like whirlwinds -of smoke. These different mammals were disporting themselves in troops -in the quiet waters; and I could see that this basin of the Antarctic -Pole serves as a place of refuge to the cetacea too closely tracked by -the hunters. I also noticed large medusae floating between the reeds. - -At nine we landed; the sky was brightening, the clouds were flying to -the south, and the fog seemed to be leaving the cold surface of the -waters. Captain Nemo went towards the peak, which he doubtless meant -to be his observatory. It was a painful ascent over the sharp lava and -the pumice-stones, in an atmosphere often impregnated with a sulphurous -smell from the smoking cracks. For a man unaccustomed to walk on land, -the Captain climbed the steep slopes with an agility I never saw -equalled and which a hunter would have envied. We were two hours -getting to the summit of this peak, which was half porphyry and half -basalt. From thence we looked upon a vast sea which, towards the -north, distinctly traced its boundary line upon the sky. At our feet -lay fields of dazzling whiteness. Over our heads a pale azure, free -from fog. To the north the disc of the sun seemed like a ball of fire, -already horned by the cutting of the horizon. From the bosom of the -water rose sheaves of liquid jets by hundreds. In the distance lay the -Nautilus like a cetacean asleep on the water. Behind us, to the south -and east, an immense country and a chaotic heap of rocks and ice, the -limits of which were not visible. On arriving at the summit Captain -Nemo carefully took the mean height of the barometer, for he would have -to consider that in taking his observations. At a quarter to twelve -the sun, then seen only by refraction, looked like a golden disc -shedding its last rays upon this deserted continent and seas which -never man had yet ploughed. Captain Nemo, furnished with a lenticular -glass which, by means of a mirror, corrected the refraction, watched -the orb sinking below the horizon by degrees, following a lengthened -diagonal. I held the chronometer. My heart beat fast. If the -disappearance of the half-disc of the sun coincided with twelve o'clock -on the chronometer, we were at the pole itself. - -"Twelve!" I exclaimed. - -"The South Pole!" replied Captain Nemo, in a grave voice, handing me -the glass, which showed the orb cut in exactly equal parts by the -horizon. - -I looked at the last rays crowning the peak, and the shadows mounting -by degrees up its slopes. At that moment Captain Nemo, resting with -his hand on my shoulder, said: - -"I, Captain Nemo, on this 21st day of March, 1868, have reached the -South Pole on the ninetieth degree; and I take possession of this part -of the globe, equal to one-sixth of the known continents." - -"In whose name, Captain?" - -"In my own, sir!" - -Saying which, Captain Nemo unfurled a black banner, bearing an "N" in -gold quartered on its bunting. Then, turning towards the orb of day, -whose last rays lapped the horizon of the sea, he exclaimed: - -"Adieu, sun! Disappear, thou radiant orb! rest beneath this open sea, -and let a night of six months spread its shadows over my new domains!" - - - -CHAPTER XV - -ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT? - -The next day, the 22nd of March, at six in the morning, preparations -for departure were begun. The last gleams of twilight were melting -into night. The cold was great, the constellations shone with -wonderful intensity. In the zenith glittered that wondrous Southern -Cross--the polar bear of Antarctic regions. The thermometer showed 120 -below zero, and when the wind freshened it was most biting. Flakes of -ice increased on the open water. The sea seemed everywhere alike. -Numerous blackish patches spread on the surface, showing the formation -of fresh ice. Evidently the southern basin, frozen during the six -winter months, was absolutely inaccessible. What became of the whales -in that time? Doubtless they went beneath the icebergs, seeking more -practicable seas. As to the seals and morses, accustomed to live in a -hard climate, they remained on these icy shores. These creatures have -the instinct to break holes in the ice-field and to keep them open. To -these holes they come for breath; when the birds, driven away by the -cold, have emigrated to the north, these sea mammals remain sole -masters of the polar continent. But the reservoirs were filling with -water, and the Nautilus was slowly descending. At 1,000 feet deep it -stopped; its screw beat the waves, and it advanced straight towards the -north at a speed of fifteen miles an hour. Towards night it was -already floating under the immense body of the iceberg. At three in -the morning I was awakened by a violent shock. I sat up in my bed and -listened in the darkness, when I was thrown into the middle of the -room. The Nautilus, after having struck, had rebounded violently. I -groped along the partition, and by the staircase to the saloon, which -was lit by the luminous ceiling. The furniture was upset. Fortunately -the windows were firmly set, and had held fast. The pictures on the -starboard side, from being no longer vertical, were clinging to the -paper, whilst those of the port side were hanging at least a foot from -the wall. The Nautilus was lying on its starboard side perfectly -motionless. I heard footsteps, and a confusion of voices; but Captain -Nemo did not appear. As I was leaving the saloon, Ned Land and Conseil -entered. - -"What is the matter?" said I, at once. - -"I came to ask you, sir," replied Conseil. - -"Confound it!" exclaimed the Canadian, "I know well enough! The -Nautilus has struck; and, judging by the way she lies, I do not think -she will right herself as she did the first time in Torres Straits." - -"But," I asked, "has she at least come to the surface of the sea?" - -"We do not know," said Conseil. - -"It is easy to decide," I answered. I consulted the manometer. To my -great surprise, it showed a depth of more than 180 fathoms. "What does -that mean?" I exclaimed. - -"We must ask Captain Nemo," said Conseil. - -"But where shall we find him?" said Ned Land. - -"Follow me," said I, to my companions. - -We left the saloon. There was no one in the library. At the centre -staircase, by the berths of the ship's crew, there was no one. I -thought that Captain Nemo must be in the pilot's cage. It was best to -wait. We all returned to the saloon. For twenty minutes we remained -thus, trying to hear the slightest noise which might be made on board -the Nautilus, when Captain Nemo entered. He seemed not to see us; his -face, generally so impassive, showed signs of uneasiness. He watched -the compass silently, then the manometer; and, going to the -planisphere, placed his finger on a spot representing the southern -seas. I would not interrupt him; but, some minutes later, when he -turned towards me, I said, using one of his own expressions in the -Torres Straits: - -"An incident, Captain?" - -"No, sir; an accident this time." - -"Serious?" - -"Perhaps." - -"Is the danger immediate?" - -"No." - -"The Nautilus has stranded?" - -"Yes." - -"And this has happened--how?" - -"From a caprice of nature, not from the ignorance of man. Not a -mistake has been made in the working. But we cannot prevent -equilibrium from producing its effects. We may brave human laws, but -we cannot resist natural ones." - -Captain Nemo had chosen a strange moment for uttering this -philosophical reflection. On the whole, his answer helped me little. - -"May I ask, sir, the cause of this accident?" - -"An enormous block of ice, a whole mountain, has turned over," he -replied. "When icebergs are undermined at their base by warmer water -or reiterated shocks their centre of gravity rises, and the whole thing -turns over. This is what has happened; one of these blocks, as it -fell, struck the Nautilus, then, gliding under its hull, raised it with -irresistible force, bringing it into beds which are not so thick, where -it is lying on its side." - -"But can we not get the Nautilus off by emptying its reservoirs, that -it might regain its equilibrium?" - -"That, sir, is being done at this moment. You can hear the pump -working. Look at the needle of the manometer; it shows that the -Nautilus is rising, but the block of ice is floating with it; and, -until some obstacle stops its ascending motion, our position cannot be -altered." - -Indeed, the Nautilus still held the same position to starboard; -doubtless it would right itself when the block stopped. But at this -moment who knows if we may not be frightfully crushed between the two -glassy surfaces? I reflected on all the consequences of our position. -Captain Nemo never took his eyes off the manometer. Since the fall of -the iceberg, the Nautilus had risen about a hundred and fifty feet, but -it still made the same angle with the perpendicular. Suddenly a slight -movement was felt in the hold. Evidently it was righting a little. -Things hanging in the saloon were sensibly returning to their normal -position. The partitions were nearing the upright. No one spoke. -With beating hearts we watched and felt the straightening. The boards -became horizontal under our feet. Ten minutes passed. - -"At last we have righted!" I exclaimed. - -"Yes," said Captain Nemo, going to the door of the saloon. - -"But are we floating?" I asked. - -"Certainly," he replied; "since the reservoirs are not empty; and, when -empty, the Nautilus must rise to the surface of the sea." - -We were in open sea; but at a distance of about ten yards, on either -side of the Nautilus, rose a dazzling wall of ice. Above and beneath -the same wall. Above, because the lower surface of the iceberg -stretched over us like an immense ceiling. Beneath, because the -overturned block, having slid by degrees, had found a resting-place on -the lateral walls, which kept it in that position. The Nautilus was -really imprisoned in a perfect tunnel of ice more than twenty yards in -breadth, filled with quiet water. It was easy to get out of it by -going either forward or backward, and then make a free passage under -the iceberg, some hundreds of yards deeper. The luminous ceiling had -been extinguished, but the saloon was still resplendent with intense -light. It was the powerful reflection from the glass partition sent -violently back to the sheets of the lantern. I cannot describe the -effect of the voltaic rays upon the great blocks so capriciously cut; -upon every angle, every ridge, every facet was thrown a different -light, according to the nature of the veins running through the ice; a -dazzling mine of gems, particularly of sapphires, their blue rays -crossing with the green of the emerald. Here and there were opal -shades of wonderful softness, running through bright spots like -diamonds of fire, the brilliancy of which the eye could not bear. The -power of the lantern seemed increased a hundredfold, like a lamp -through the lenticular plates of a first-class lighthouse. - -"How beautiful! how beautiful!" cried Conseil. - -"Yes," I said, "it is a wonderful sight. Is it not, Ned?" - -"Yes, confound it! Yes," answered Ned Land, "it is superb! I am mad -at being obliged to admit it. No one has ever seen anything like it; -but the sight may cost us dear. And, if I must say all, I think we are -seeing here things which God never intended man to see." - -Ned was right, it was too beautiful. Suddenly a cry from Conseil made -me turn. - -"What is it?" I asked. - -"Shut your eyes, sir! Do not look, sir!" Saying which, Conseil -clapped his hands over his eyes. - -"But what is the matter, my boy?" - -"I am dazzled, blinded." - -My eyes turned involuntarily towards the glass, but I could not stand -the fire which seemed to devour them. I understood what had happened. -The Nautilus had put on full speed. All the quiet lustre of the -ice-walls was at once changed into flashes of lightning. The fire from -these myriads of diamonds was blinding. It required some time to calm -our troubled looks. At last the hands were taken down. - -"Faith, I should never have believed it," said Conseil. - -It was then five in the morning; and at that moment a shock was felt at -the bows of the Nautilus. I knew that its spur had struck a block of -ice. It must have been a false manoeuvre, for this submarine tunnel, -obstructed by blocks, was not very easy navigation. I thought that -Captain Nemo, by changing his course, would either turn these obstacles -or else follow the windings of the tunnel. In any case, the road -before us could not be entirely blocked. But, contrary to my -expectations, the Nautilus took a decided retrograde motion. - -"We are going backwards?" said Conseil. - -"Yes," I replied. "This end of the tunnel can have no egress." - -"And then?" - -"Then," said I, "the working is easy. We must go back again, and go -out at the southern opening. That is all." - -In speaking thus, I wished to appear more confident than I really was. -But the retrograde motion of the Nautilus was increasing; and, -reversing the screw, it carried us at great speed. - -"It will be a hindrance," said Ned. - -"What does it matter, some hours more or less, provided we get out at -last?" - -"Yes," repeated Ned Land, "provided we do get out at last!" - -For a short time I walked from the saloon to the library. My -companions were silent. I soon threw myself on an ottoman, and took a -book, which my eyes overran mechanically. A quarter of an hour after, -Conseil, approaching me, said, "Is what you are reading very -interesting, sir?" - -"Very interesting!" I replied. - -"I should think so, sir. It is your own book you are reading." - -"My book?" - -And indeed I was holding in my hand the work on the Great Submarine -Depths. I did not even dream of it. I closed the book and returned to -my walk. Ned and Conseil rose to go. - -"Stay here, my friends," said I, detaining them. "Let us remain -together until we are out of this block." - -"As you please, sir," Conseil replied. - -Some hours passed. I often looked at the instruments hanging from the -partition. The manometer showed that the Nautilus kept at a constant -depth of more than three hundred yards; the compass still pointed to -south; the log indicated a speed of twenty miles an hour, which, in -such a cramped space, was very great. But Captain Nemo knew that he -could not hasten too much, and that minutes were worth ages to us. At -twenty-five minutes past eight a second shock took place, this time -from behind. I turned pale. My companions were close by my side. I -seized Conseil's hand. Our looks expressed our feelings better than -words. At this moment the Captain entered the saloon. I went up to -him. - -"Our course is barred southward?" I asked. - -"Yes, sir. The iceberg has shifted and closed every outlet." - -"We are blocked up then?" - -"Yes." - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -WANT OF AIR - -Thus around the Nautilus, above and below, was an impenetrable wall of -ice. We were prisoners to the iceberg. I watched the Captain. His -countenance had resumed its habitual imperturbability. - -"Gentlemen," he said calmly, "there are two ways of dying in the -circumstances in which we are placed." (This puzzling person had the -air of a mathematical professor lecturing to his pupils.) "The first is -to be crushed; the second is to die of suffocation. I do not speak of -the possibility of dying of hunger, for the supply of provisions in the -Nautilus will certainly last longer than we shall. Let us, then, -calculate our chances." - -"As to suffocation, Captain," I replied, "that is not to be feared, -because our reservoirs are full." - -"Just so; but they will only yield two days' supply of air. Now, for -thirty-six hours we have been hidden under the water, and already the -heavy atmosphere of the Nautilus requires renewal. In forty-eight -hours our reserve will be exhausted." - -"Well, Captain, can we be delivered before forty-eight hours?" - -"We will attempt it, at least, by piercing the wall that surrounds us." - -"On which side?" - -"Sound will tell us. I am going to run the Nautilus aground on the -lower bank, and my men will attack the iceberg on the side that is -least thick." - -Captain Nemo went out. Soon I discovered by a hissing noise that the -water was entering the reservoirs. The Nautilus sank slowly, and -rested on the ice at a depth of 350 yards, the depth at which the lower -bank was immersed. - -"My friends," I said, "our situation is serious, but I rely on your -courage and energy." - -"Sir," replied the Canadian, "I am ready to do anything for the general -safety." - -"Good! Ned," and I held out my hand to the Canadian. - -"I will add," he continued, "that, being as handy with the pickaxe as -with the harpoon, if I can be useful to the Captain, he can command my -services." - -"He will not refuse your help. Come, Ned!" - -I led him to the room where the crew of the Nautilus were putting on -their cork-jackets. I told the Captain of Ned's proposal, which he -accepted. The Canadian put on his sea-costume, and was ready as soon -as his companions. When Ned was dressed, I re-entered the -drawing-room, where the panes of glass were open, and, posted near -Conseil, I examined the ambient beds that supported the Nautilus. Some -instants after, we saw a dozen of the crew set foot on the bank of ice, -and among them Ned Land, easily known by his stature. Captain Nemo was -with them. Before proceeding to dig the walls, he took the soundings, -to be sure of working in the right direction. Long sounding lines were -sunk in the side walls, but after fifteen yards they were again stopped -by the thick wall. It was useless to attack it on the ceiling-like -surface, since the iceberg itself measured more than 400 yards in -height. Captain Nemo then sounded the lower surface. There ten yards -of wall separated us from the water, so great was the thickness of the -ice-field. It was necessary, therefore, to cut from it a piece equal in -extent to the waterline of the Nautilus. There were about 6,000 cubic -yards to detach, so as to dig a hole by which we could descend to the -ice-field. The work had begun immediately and carried on with -indefatigable energy. Instead of digging round the Nautilus which -would have involved greater difficulty, Captain Nemo had an immense -trench made at eight yards from the port-quarter. Then the men set to -work simultaneously with their screws on several points of its -circumference. Presently the pickaxe attacked this compact matter -vigorously, and large blocks were detached from the mass. By a curious -effect of specific gravity, these blocks, lighter than water, fled, so -to speak, to the vault of the tunnel, that increased in thickness at -the top in proportion as it diminished at the base. But that mattered -little, so long as the lower part grew thinner. After two hours' hard -work, Ned Land came in exhausted. He and his comrades were replaced by -new workers, whom Conseil and I joined. The second lieutenant of the -Nautilus superintended us. The water seemed singularly cold, but I -soon got warm handling the pickaxe. My movements were free enough, -although they were made under a pressure of thirty atmospheres. When I -re-entered, after working two hours, to take some food and rest, I -found a perceptible difference between the pure fluid with which the -Rouquayrol engine supplied me and the atmosphere of the Nautilus, -already charged with carbonic acid. The air had not been renewed for -forty-eight hours, and its vivifying qualities were considerably -enfeebled. However, after a lapse of twelve hours, we had only raised -a block of ice one yard thick, on the marked surface, which was about -600 cubic yards! Reckoning that it took twelve hours to accomplish -this much it would take five nights and four days to bring this -enterprise to a satisfactory conclusion. Five nights and four days! -And we have only air enough for two days in the reservoirs! "Without -taking into account," said Ned, "that, even if we get out of this -infernal prison, we shall also be imprisoned under the iceberg, shut -out from all possible communication with the atmosphere." True enough! -Who could then foresee the minimum of time necessary for our -deliverance? We might be suffocated before the Nautilus could regain -the surface of the waves? Was it destined to perish in this ice-tomb, -with all those it enclosed? The situation was terrible. But everyone -had looked the danger in the face, and each was determined to do his -duty to the last. - -As I expected, during the night a new block a yard square was carried -away, and still further sank the immense hollow. But in the morning -when, dressed in my cork-jacket, I traversed the slushy mass at a -temperature of six or seven degrees below zero, I remarked that the -side walls were gradually closing in. The beds of water farthest from -the trench, that were not warmed by the men's work, showed a tendency -to solidification. In presence of this new and imminent danger, what -would become of our chances of safety, and how hinder the -solidification of this liquid medium, that would burst the partitions -of the Nautilus like glass? - -I did not tell my companions of this new danger. What was the good of -damping the energy they displayed in the painful work of escape? But -when I went on board again, I told Captain Nemo of this grave -complication. - -"I know it," he said, in that calm tone which could counteract the most -terrible apprehensions. "It is one danger more; but I see no way of -escaping it; the only chance of safety is to go quicker than -solidification. We must be beforehand with it, that is all." - -On this day for several hours I used my pickaxe vigorously. The work -kept me up. Besides, to work was to quit the Nautilus, and breathe -directly the pure air drawn from the reservoirs, and supplied by our -apparatus, and to quit the impoverished and vitiated atmosphere. -Towards evening the trench was dug one yard deeper. When I returned on -board, I was nearly suffocated by the carbonic acid with which the air -was filled--ah! if we had only the chemical means to drive away this -deleterious gas. We had plenty of oxygen; all this water contained a -considerable quantity, and by dissolving it with our powerful piles, it -would restore the vivifying fluid. I had thought well over it; but of -what good was that, since the carbonic acid produced by our respiration -had invaded every part of the vessel? To absorb it, it was necessary -to fill some jars with caustic potash, and to shake them incessantly. -Now this substance was wanting on board, and nothing could replace it. -On that evening, Captain Nemo ought to open the taps of his reservoirs, -and let some pure air into the interior of the Nautilus; without this -precaution we could not get rid of the sense of suffocation. The next -day, March 26th, I resumed my miner's work in beginning the fifth yard. -The side walls and the lower surface of the iceberg thickened visibly. -It was evident that they would meet before the Nautilus was able to -disengage itself. Despair seized me for an instant; my pickaxe nearly -fell from my hands. What was the good of digging if I must be -suffocated, crushed by the water that was turning into stone?--a -punishment that the ferocity of the savages even would not have -invented! Just then Captain Nemo passed near me. I touched his hand -and showed him the walls of our prison. The wall to port had advanced -to at least four yards from the hull of the Nautilus. The Captain -understood me, and signed me to follow him. We went on board. I took -off my cork-jacket and accompanied him into the drawing-room. - -"M. Aronnax, we must attempt some desperate means, or we shall be -sealed up in this solidified water as in cement." - -"Yes; but what is to be done?" - -"Ah! if my Nautilus were strong enough to bear this pressure without -being crushed!" - -"Well?" I asked, not catching the Captain's idea. - -"Do you not understand," he replied, "that this congelation of water -will help us? Do you not see that by its solidification, it would -burst through this field of ice that imprisons us, as, when it freezes, -it bursts the hardest stones? Do you not perceive that it would be an -agent of safety instead of destruction?" - -"Yes, Captain, perhaps. But, whatever resistance to crushing the -Nautilus possesses, it could not support this terrible pressure, and -would be flattened like an iron plate." - -"I know it, sir. Therefore we must not reckon on the aid of nature, -but on our own exertions. We must stop this solidification. Not only -will the side walls be pressed together; but there is not ten feet of -water before or behind the Nautilus. The congelation gains on us on -all sides." - -"How long will the air in the reservoirs last for us to breathe on -board?" - -The Captain looked in my face. "After to-morrow they will be empty!" - -A cold sweat came over me. However, ought I to have been astonished at -the answer? On March 22, the Nautilus was in the open polar seas. We -were at 26°. For five days we had lived on the reserve on board. -And what was left of the respirable air must be kept for the workers. -Even now, as I write, my recollection is still so vivid that an -involuntary terror seizes me and my lungs seem to be without air. -Meanwhile, Captain Nemo reflected silently, and evidently an idea had -struck him; but he seemed to reject it. At last, these words escaped -his lips: - -"Boiling water!" he muttered. - -"Boiling water?" I cried. - -"Yes, sir. We are enclosed in a space that is relatively confined. -Would not jets of boiling water, constantly injected by the pumps, -raise the temperature in this part and stay the congelation?" - -"Let us try it," I said resolutely. - -"Let us try it, Professor." - -The thermometer then stood at 7° outside. Captain Nemo took me to -the galleys, where the vast distillatory machines stood that furnished -the drinkable water by evaporation. They filled these with water, and -all the electric heat from the piles was thrown through the worms -bathed in the liquid. In a few minutes this water reached 100°. It -was directed towards the pumps, while fresh water replaced it in -proportion. The heat developed by the troughs was such that cold -water, drawn up from the sea after only having gone through the -machines, came boiling into the body of the pump. The injection was -begun, and three hours after the thermometer marked 6° below zero -outside. One degree was gained. Two hours later the thermometer only -marked 4°. - -"We shall succeed," I said to the Captain, after having anxiously -watched the result of the operation. - -"I think," he answered, "that we shall not be crushed. We have no more -suffocation to fear." - -During the night the temperature of the water rose to 1° below -zero. The injections could not carry it to a higher point. But, as -the congelation of the sea-water produces at least 2°, I was at -least reassured against the dangers of solidification. - -The next day, March 27th, six yards of ice had been cleared, twelve -feet only remaining to be cleared away. There was yet forty-eight -hours' work. The air could not be renewed in the interior of the -Nautilus. And this day would make it worse. An intolerable weight -oppressed me. Towards three o'clock in the evening this feeling rose -to a violent degree. Yawns dislocated my jaws. My lungs panted as -they inhaled this burning fluid, which became rarefied more and more. -A moral torpor took hold of me. I was powerless, almost unconscious. -My brave Conseil, though exhibiting the same symptoms and suffering in -the same manner, never left me. He took my hand and encouraged me, and -I heard him murmur, "Oh! if I could only not breathe, so as to leave -more air for my master!" - -Tears came into my eyes on hearing him speak thus. If our situation to -all was intolerable in the interior, with what haste and gladness would -we put on our cork-jackets to work in our turn! Pickaxes sounded on -the frozen ice-beds. Our arms ached, the skin was torn off our hands. -But what were these fatigues, what did the wounds matter? Vital air -came to the lungs! We breathed! we breathed! - -All this time no one prolonged his voluntary task beyond the prescribed -time. His task accomplished, each one handed in turn to his panting -companions the apparatus that supplied him with life. Captain Nemo set -the example, and submitted first to this severe discipline. When the -time came, he gave up his apparatus to another and returned to the -vitiated air on board, calm, unflinching, unmurmuring. - -On that day the ordinary work was accomplished with unusual vigour. -Only two yards remained to be raised from the surface. Two yards only -separated us from the open sea. But the reservoirs were nearly emptied -of air. The little that remained ought to be kept for the workers; not -a particle for the Nautilus. When I went back on board, I was half -suffocated. What a night! I know not how to describe it. The next -day my breathing was oppressed. Dizziness accompanied the pain in my -head and made me like a drunken man. My companions showed the same -symptoms. Some of the crew had rattling in the throat. - -On that day, the sixth of our imprisonment, Captain Nemo, finding the -pickaxes work too slowly, resolved to crush the ice-bed that still -separated us from the liquid sheet. This man's coolness and energy -never forsook him. He subdued his physical pains by moral force. - -By his orders the vessel was lightened, that is to say, raised from the -ice-bed by a change of specific gravity. When it floated they towed it -so as to bring it above the immense trench made on the level of the -water-line. Then, filling his reservoirs of water, he descended and -shut himself up in the hole. - -Just then all the crew came on board, and the double door of -communication was shut. The Nautilus then rested on the bed of ice, -which was not one yard thick, and which the sounding leads had -perforated in a thousand places. The taps of the reservoirs were then -opened, and a hundred cubic yards of water was let in, increasing the -weight of the Nautilus to 1,800 tons. We waited, we listened, -forgetting our sufferings in hope. Our safety depended on this last -chance. Notwithstanding the buzzing in my head, I soon heard the -humming sound under the hull of the Nautilus. The ice cracked with a -singular noise, like tearing paper, and the Nautilus sank. - -"We are off!" murmured Conseil in my ear. - -I could not answer him. I seized his hand, and pressed it -convulsively. All at once, carried away by its frightful overcharge, -the Nautilus sank like a bullet under the waters, that is to say, it -fell as if it was in a vacuum. Then all the electric force was put on -the pumps, that soon began to let the water out of the reservoirs. -After some minutes, our fall was stopped. Soon, too, the manometer -indicated an ascending movement. The screw, going at full speed, made -the iron hull tremble to its very bolts and drew us towards the north. -But if this floating under the iceberg is to last another day before we -reach the open sea, I shall be dead first. - -Half stretched upon a divan in the library, I was suffocating. My face -was purple, my lips blue, my faculties suspended. I neither saw nor -heard. All notion of time had gone from my mind. My muscles could not -contract. I do not know how many hours passed thus, but I was -conscious of the agony that was coming over me. I felt as if I was -going to die. Suddenly I came to. Some breaths of air penetrated my -lungs. Had we risen to the surface of the waves? Were we free of the -iceberg? No! Ned and Conseil, my two brave friends, were sacrificing -themselves to save me. Some particles of air still remained at the -bottom of one apparatus. Instead of using it, they had kept it for me, -and, while they were being suffocated, they gave me life, drop by drop. -I wanted to push back the thing; they held my hands, and for some -moments I breathed freely. I looked at the clock; it was eleven in the -morning. It ought to be the 28th of March. The Nautilus went at a -frightful pace, forty miles an hour. It literally tore through the -water. Where was Captain Nemo? Had he succumbed? Were his companions -dead with him? At the moment the manometer indicated that we were not -more than twenty feet from the surface. A mere plate of ice separated -us from the atmosphere. Could we not break it? Perhaps. In any case -the Nautilus was going to attempt it. I felt that it was in an oblique -position, lowering the stern, and raising the bows. The introduction -of water had been the means of disturbing its equilibrium. Then, -impelled by its powerful screw, it attacked the ice-field from beneath -like a formidable battering-ram. It broke it by backing and then -rushing forward against the field, which gradually gave way; and at -last, dashing suddenly against it, shot forwards on the ice-field, that -crushed beneath its weight. The panel was opened--one might say torn -off--and the pure air came in in abundance to all parts of the Nautilus. - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -FROM CAPE HORN TO THE AMAZON - -How I got on to the platform, I have no idea; perhaps the Canadian had -carried me there. But I breathed, I inhaled the vivifying sea-air. My -two companions were getting drunk with the fresh particles. The other -unhappy men had been so long without food, that they could not with -impunity indulge in the simplest aliments that were given them. We, on -the contrary, had no end to restrain ourselves; we could draw this air -freely into our lungs, and it was the breeze, the breeze alone, that -filled us with this keen enjoyment. - -"Ah!" said Conseil, "how delightful this oxygen is! Master need not -fear to breathe it. There is enough for everybody." - -Ned Land did not speak, but he opened his jaws wide enough to frighten -a shark. Our strength soon returned, and, when I looked round me, I -saw we were alone on the platform. The foreign seamen in the Nautilus -were contented with the air that circulated in the interior; none of -them had come to drink in the open air. - -The first words I spoke were words of gratitude and thankfulness to my -two companions. Ned and Conseil had prolonged my life during the last -hours of this long agony. All my gratitude could not repay such -devotion. - -"My friends," said I, "we are bound one to the other for ever, and I am -under infinite obligations to you." - -"Which I shall take advantage of," exclaimed the Canadian. - -"What do you mean?" said Conseil. - -"I mean that I shall take you with me when I leave this infernal -Nautilus." - -"Well," said Conseil, "after all this, are we going right?" - -"Yes," I replied, "for we are going the way of the sun, and here the -sun is in the north." - -"No doubt," said Ned Land; "but it remains to be seen whether he will -bring the ship into the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean, that is, into -frequented or deserted seas." - -I could not answer that question, and I feared that Captain Nemo would -rather take us to the vast ocean that touches the coasts of Asia and -America at the same time. He would thus complete the tour round the -submarine world, and return to those waters in which the Nautilus could -sail freely. We ought, before long, to settle this important point. -The Nautilus went at a rapid pace. The polar circle was soon passed, -and the course shaped for Cape Horn. We were off the American point, -March 31st, at seven o'clock in the evening. Then all our past -sufferings were forgotten. The remembrance of that imprisonment in the -ice was effaced from our minds. We only thought of the future. -Captain Nemo did not appear again either in the drawing-room or on the -platform. The point shown each day on the planisphere, and, marked by -the lieutenant, showed me the exact direction of the Nautilus. Now, on -that evening, it was evident, to, my great satisfaction, that we were -going back to the North by the Atlantic. The next day, April 1st, when -the Nautilus ascended to the surface some minutes before noon, we -sighted land to the west. It was Terra del Fuego, which the first -navigators named thus from seeing the quantity of smoke that rose from -the natives' huts. The coast seemed low to me, but in the distance -rose high mountains. I even thought I had a glimpse of Mount -Sarmiento, that rises 2,070 yards above the level of the sea, with a -very pointed summit, which, according as it is misty or clear, is a -sign of fine or of wet weather. At this moment the peak was clearly -defined against the sky. The Nautilus, diving again under the water, -approached the coast, which was only some few miles off. From the -glass windows in the drawing-room, I saw long seaweeds and gigantic -fuci and varech, of which the open polar sea contains so many -specimens, with their sharp polished filaments; they measured about 300 -yards in length--real cables, thicker than one's thumb; and, having -great tenacity, they are often used as ropes for vessels. Another weed -known as velp, with leaves four feet long, buried in the coral -concretions, hung at the bottom. It served as nest and food for -myriads of crustacea and molluscs, crabs, and cuttlefish. There seals -and otters had splendid repasts, eating the flesh of fish with -sea-vegetables, according to the English fashion. Over this fertile -and luxuriant ground the Nautilus passed with great rapidity. Towards -evening it approached the Falkland group, the rough summits of which I -recognised the following day. The depth of the sea was moderate. On -the shores our nets brought in beautiful specimens of sea weed, and -particularly a certain fucus, the roots of which were filled with the -best mussels in the world. Geese and ducks fell by dozens on the -platform, and soon took their places in the pantry on board. - -When the last heights of the Falklands had disappeared from the -horizon, the Nautilus sank to between twenty and twenty-five yards, and -followed the American coast. Captain Nemo did not show himself. Until -the 3rd of April we did not quit the shores of Patagonia, sometimes -under the ocean, sometimes at the surface. The Nautilus passed beyond -the large estuary formed by the Uraguay. Its direction was northwards, -and followed the long windings of the coast of South America. We had -then made 1,600 miles since our embarkation in the seas of Japan. -About eleven o'clock in the morning the Tropic of Capricorn was crossed -on the thirty-seventh meridian, and we passed Cape Frio standing out to -sea. Captain Nemo, to Ned Land's great displeasure, did not like the -neighbourhood of the inhabited coasts of Brazil, for we went at a giddy -speed. Not a fish, not a bird of the swiftest kind could follow us, -and the natural curiosities of these seas escaped all observation. - -This speed was kept up for several days, and in the evening of the 9th -of April we sighted the most westerly point of South America that forms -Cape San Roque. But then the Nautilus swerved again, and sought the -lowest depth of a submarine valley which is between this Cape and -Sierra Leone on the African coast. This valley bifurcates to the -parallel of the Antilles, and terminates at the mouth by the enormous -depression of 9,000 yards. In this place, the geological basin of the -ocean forms, as far as the Lesser Antilles, a cliff to three and a half -miles perpendicular in height, and, at the parallel of the Cape Verde -Islands, an other wall not less considerable, that encloses thus all -the sunk continent of the Atlantic. The bottom of this immense valley -is dotted with some mountains, that give to these submarine places a -picturesque aspect. I speak, moreover, from the manuscript charts that -were in the library of the Nautilus--charts evidently due to Captain -Nemo's hand, and made after his personal observations. For two days -the desert and deep waters were visited by means of the inclined -planes. The Nautilus was furnished with long diagonal broadsides which -carried it to all elevations. But on the 11th of April it rose -suddenly, and land appeared at the mouth of the Amazon River, a vast -estuary, the embouchure of which is so considerable that it freshens -the sea-water for the distance of several leagues. - -The equator was crossed. Twenty miles to the west were the Guianas, a -French territory, on which we could have found an easy refuge; but a -stiff breeze was blowing, and the furious waves would not have allowed -a single boat to face them. Ned Land understood that, no doubt, for he -spoke not a word about it. For my part, I made no allusion to his -schemes of flight, for I would not urge him to make an attempt that -must inevitably fail. I made the time pass pleasantly by interesting -studies. During the days of April 11th and 12th, the Nautilus did not -leave the surface of the sea, and the net brought in a marvellous haul -of Zoophytes, fish and reptiles. Some zoophytes had been fished up by -the chain of the nets; they were for the most part beautiful -phyctallines, belonging to the actinidian family, and among other -species the phyctalis protexta, peculiar to that part of the ocean, -with a little cylindrical trunk, ornamented With vertical lines, -speckled with red dots, crowning a marvellous blossoming of tentacles. -As to the molluscs, they consisted of some I had already -observed--turritellas, olive porphyras, with regular lines -intercrossed, with red spots standing out plainly against the flesh; -odd pteroceras, like petrified scorpions; translucid hyaleas, -argonauts, cuttle-fish (excellent eating), and certain species of -calmars that naturalists of antiquity have classed amongst the -flying-fish, and that serve principally for bait for cod-fishing. I had -now an opportunity of studying several species of fish on these shores. -Amongst the cartilaginous ones, petromyzons-pricka, a sort of eel, -fifteen inches long, with a greenish head, violet fins, grey-blue back, -brown belly, silvered and sown with bright spots, the pupil of the eye -encircled with gold--a curious animal, that the current of the Amazon -had drawn to the sea, for they inhabit fresh waters--tuberculated -streaks, with pointed snouts, and a long loose tail, armed with a long -jagged sting; little sharks, a yard long, grey and whitish skin, and -several rows of teeth, bent back, that are generally known by the name -of pantouffles; vespertilios, a kind of red isosceles triangle, half a -yard long, to which pectorals are attached by fleshy prolongations that -make them look like bats, but that their horny appendage, situated near -the nostrils, has given them the name of sea-unicorns; lastly, some -species of balistae, the curassavian, whose spots were of a brilliant -gold colour, and the capriscus of clear violet, and with varying shades -like a pigeon's throat. - -I end here this catalogue, which is somewhat dry perhaps, but very -exact, with a series of bony fish that I observed in passing belonging -to the apteronotes, and whose snout is white as snow, the body of a -beautiful black, marked with a very long loose fleshy strip; -odontognathes, armed with spikes; sardines nine inches long, glittering -with a bright silver light; a species of mackerel provided with two -anal fins; centronotes of a blackish tint, that are fished for with -torches, long fish, two yards in length, with fat flesh, white and -firm, which, when they arc fresh, taste like eel, and when dry, like -smoked salmon; labres, half red, covered with scales only at the bottom -of the dorsal and anal fins; chrysoptera, on which gold and silver -blend their brightness with that of the ruby and topaz; golden-tailed -spares, the flesh of which is extremely delicate, and whose -phosphorescent properties betray them in the midst of the waters; -orange-coloured spares with long tongues; maigres, with gold caudal -fins, dark thorn-tails, anableps of Surinam, etc. - -Notwithstanding this "et cetera," I must not omit to mention fish that -Conseil will long remember, and with good reason. One of our nets had -hauled up a sort of very flat ray fish, which, with the tail cut off, -formed a perfect disc, and weighed twenty ounces. It was white -underneath, red above, with large round spots of dark blue encircled -with black, very glossy skin, terminating in a bilobed fin. Laid out on -the platform, it struggled, tried to turn itself by convulsive -movements, and made so many efforts, that one last turn had nearly sent -it into the sea. But Conseil, not wishing to let the fish go, rushed to -it, and, before I could prevent him, had seized it with both hands. In -a moment he was overthrown, his legs in the air, and half his body -paralysed, crying-- - -"Oh! master, master! help me!" - -It was the first time the poor boy had spoken to me so familiarly. The -Canadian and I took him up, and rubbed his contracted arms till he -became sensible. The unfortunate Conseil had attacked a cramp-fish of -the most dangerous kind, the cumana. This odd animal, in a medium -conductor like water, strikes fish at several yards' distance, so great -is the power of its electric organ, the two principal surfaces of which -do not measure less than twenty-seven square feet. The next day, April -12th, the Nautilus approached the Dutch coast, near the mouth of the -Maroni. There several groups of sea-cows herded together; they were -manatees, that, like the dugong and the stellera, belong to the skenian -order. These beautiful animals, peaceable and inoffensive, from -eighteen to twenty-one feet in length, weigh at least sixteen -hundredweight. I told Ned Land and Conseil that provident nature had -assigned an important role to these mammalia. Indeed, they, like the -seals, are designed to graze on the submarine prairies, and thus -destroy the accumulation of weed that obstructs the tropical rivers. - -"And do you know," I added, "what has been the result since men have -almost entirely annihilated this useful race? That the putrefied weeds -have poisoned the air, and the poisoned air causes the yellow fever, -that desolates these beautiful countries. Enormous vegetations are -multiplied under the torrid seas, and the evil is irresistibly -developed from the mouth of the Rio de la Plata to Florida. If we are -to believe Toussenel, this plague is nothing to what it would be if the -seas were cleaned of whales and seals. Then, infested with poulps, -medusae, and cuttle-fish, they would become immense centres of -infection, since their waves would not possess 'these vast stomachs -that God had charged to infest the surface of the seas.'" - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE POULPS - -For several days the Nautilus kept off from the American coast. -Evidently it did not wish to risk the tides of the Gulf of Mexico or of -the sea of the Antilles. April 16th, we sighted Martinique and -Guadaloupe from a distance of about thirty miles. I saw their tall -peaks for an instant. The Canadian, who counted on carrying out his -projects in the Gulf, by either landing or hailing one of the numerous -boats that coast from one island to another, was quite disheartened. -Flight would have been quite practicable, if Ned Land had been able to -take possession of the boat without the Captain's knowledge. But in -the open sea it could not be thought of. The Canadian, Conseil, and I -had a long conversation on this subject. For six months we had been -prisoners on board the Nautilus. We had travelled 17,000 leagues; and, -as Ned Land said, there was no reason why it should come to an end. We -could hope nothing from the Captain of the Nautilus, but only from -ourselves. Besides, for some time past he had become graver, more -retired, less sociable. He seemed to shun me. I met him rarely. -Formerly he was pleased to explain the submarine marvels to me; now he -left me to my studies, and came no more to the saloon. What change had -come over him? For what cause? For my part, I did not wish to bury -with me my curious and novel studies. I had now the power to write the -true book of the sea; and this book, sooner or later, I wished to see -daylight. The land nearest us was the archipelago of the Bahamas. -There rose high submarine cliffs covered with large weeds. It was -about eleven o'clock when Ned Land drew my attention to a formidable -pricking, like the sting of an ant, which was produced by means of -large seaweeds. - -"Well," I said, "these are proper caverns for poulps, and I should not -be astonished to see some of these monsters." - -"What!" said Conseil; "cuttlefish, real cuttlefish of the cephalopod -class?" - -"No," I said, "poulps of huge dimensions." - -"I will never believe that such animals exist," said Ned. - -"Well," said Conseil, with the most serious air in the world, "I -remember perfectly to have seen a large vessel drawn under the waves by -an octopus's arm." - -"You saw that?" said the Canadian. - -"Yes, Ned." - -"With your own eyes?" - -"With my own eyes." - -"Where, pray, might that be?" - -"At St. Malo," answered Conseil. - -"In the port?" said Ned, ironically. - -"No; in a church," replied Conseil. - -"In a church!" cried the Canadian. - -"Yes; friend Ned. In a picture representing the poulp in question." - -"Good!" said Ned Land, bursting out laughing. - -"He is quite right," I said. "I have heard of this picture; but the -subject represented is taken from a legend, and you know what to think -of legends in the matter of natural history. Besides, when it is a -question of monsters, the imagination is apt to run wild. Not only is -it supposed that these poulps can draw down vessels, but a certain -Olaus Magnus speaks of an octopus a mile long that is more like an -island than an animal. It is also said that the Bishop of Nidros was -building an altar on an immense rock. Mass finished, the rock began to -walk, and returned to the sea. The rock was a poulp. Another Bishop, -Pontoppidan, speaks also of a poulp on which a regiment of cavalry -could manoeuvre. Lastly, the ancient naturalists speak of monsters -whose mouths were like gulfs, and which were too large to pass through -the Straits of Gibraltar." - -"But how much is true of these stories?" asked Conseil. - -"Nothing, my friends; at least of that which passes the limit of truth -to get to fable or legend. Nevertheless, there must be some ground for -the imagination of the story-tellers. One cannot deny that poulps and -cuttlefish exist of a large species, inferior, however, to the -cetaceans. Aristotle has stated the dimensions of a cuttlefish as five -cubits, or nine feet two inches. Our fishermen frequently see some -that are more than four feet long. Some skeletons of poulps are -preserved in the museums of Trieste and Montpelier, that measure two -yards in length. Besides, according to the calculations of some -naturalists, one of these animals only six feet long would have -tentacles twenty-seven feet long. That would suffice to make a -formidable monster." - -"Do they fish for them in these days?" asked Ned. - -"If they do not fish for them, sailors see them at least. One of my -friends, Captain Paul Bos of Havre, has often affirmed that he met one -of these monsters of colossal dimensions in the Indian seas. But the -most astonishing fact, and which does not permit of the denial of the -existence of these gigantic animals, happened some years ago, in 1861." - -"What is the fact?" asked Ned Land. - -"This is it. In 1861, to the north-east of Teneriffe, very nearly in -the same latitude we are in now, the crew of the despatch-boat Alector -perceived a monstrous cuttlefish swimming in the waters. Captain -Bouguer went near to the animal, and attacked it with harpoon and guns, -without much success, for balls and harpoons glided over the soft -flesh. After several fruitless attempts the crew tried to pass a -slip-knot round the body of the mollusc. The noose slipped as far as -the tail fins and there stopped. They tried then to haul it on board, -but its weight was so considerable that the tightness of the cord -separated the tail from the body, and, deprived of this ornament, he -disappeared under the water." - -"Indeed! is that a fact?" - -"An indisputable fact, my good Ned. They proposed to name this poulp -`Bouguer's cuttlefish.'" - -"What length was it?" asked the Canadian. - -"Did it not measure about six yards?" said Conseil, who, posted at the -window, was examining again the irregular windings of the cliff. - -"Precisely," I replied. - -"Its head," rejoined Conseil, "was it not crowned with eight tentacles, -that beat the water like a nest of serpents?" - -"Precisely." - -"Had not its eyes, placed at the back of its head, considerable -development?" - -"Yes, Conseil." - -"And was not its mouth like a parrot's beak?" - -"Exactly, Conseil." - -"Very well! no offence to master," he replied, quietly; "if this is not -Bouguer's cuttlefish, it is, at least, one of its brothers." - -I looked at Conseil. Ned Land hurried to the window. - -"What a horrible beast!" he cried. - -I looked in my turn, and could not repress a gesture of disgust. -Before my eyes was a horrible monster worthy to figure in the legends -of the marvellous. It was an immense cuttlefish, being eight yards -long. It swam crossways in the direction of the Nautilus with great -speed, watching us with its enormous staring green eyes. Its eight -arms, or rather feet, fixed to its head, that have given the name of -cephalopod to these animals, were twice as long as its body, and were -twisted like the furies' hair. One could see the 250 air holes on the -inner side of the tentacles. The monster's mouth, a horned beak like a -parrot's, opened and shut vertically. Its tongue, a horned substance, -furnished with several rows of pointed teeth, came out quivering from -this veritable pair of shears. What a freak of nature, a bird's beak -on a mollusc! Its spindle-like body formed a fleshy mass that might -weigh 4,000 to 5,000 lb.; the, varying colour changing with great -rapidity, according to the irritation of the animal, passed -successively from livid grey to reddish brown. What irritated this -mollusc? No doubt the presence of the Nautilus, more formidable than -itself, and on which its suckers or its jaws had no hold. Yet, what -monsters these poulps are! what vitality the Creator has given them! -what vigour in their movements! and they possess three hearts! Chance -had brought us in presence of this cuttlefish, and I did not wish to -lose the opportunity of carefully studying this specimen of -cephalopods. I overcame the horror that inspired me, and, taking a -pencil, began to draw it. - -"Perhaps this is the same which the Alector saw," said Conseil. - -"No," replied the Canadian; "for this is whole, and the other had lost -its tail." - -"That is no reason," I replied. "The arms and tails of these animals -are re-formed by renewal; and in seven years the tail of Bouguer's -cuttlefish has no doubt had time to grow." - -By this time other poulps appeared at the port light. I counted seven. -They formed a procession after the Nautilus, and I heard their beaks -gnashing against the iron hull. I continued my work. These monsters -kept in the water with such precision that they seemed immovable. -Suddenly the Nautilus stopped. A shock made it tremble in every plate. - -"Have we struck anything?" I asked. - -"In any case," replied the Canadian, "we shall be free, for we are -floating." - -The Nautilus was floating, no doubt, but it did not move. A minute -passed. Captain Nemo, followed by his lieutenant, entered the -drawing-room. I had not seen him for some time. He seemed dull. -Without noticing or speaking to us, he went to the panel, looked at the -poulps, and said something to his lieutenant. The latter went out. -Soon the panels were shut. The ceiling was lighted. I went towards -the Captain. - -"A curious collection of poulps?" I said. - -"Yes, indeed, Mr. Naturalist," he replied; "and we are going to fight -them, man to beast." - -I looked at him. I thought I had not heard aright. - -"Man to beast?" I repeated. - -"Yes, sir. The screw is stopped. I think that the horny jaws of one -of the cuttlefish is entangled in the blades. That is what prevents -our moving." - -"What are you going to do?" - -"Rise to the surface, and slaughter this vermin." - -"A difficult enterprise." - -"Yes, indeed. The electric bullets are powerless against the soft -flesh, where they do not find resistance enough to go off. But we -shall attack them with the hatchet." - -"And the harpoon, sir," said the Canadian, "if you do not refuse my -help." - -"I will accept it, Master Land." - -"We will follow you," I said, and, following Captain Nemo, we went -towards the central staircase. - -There, about ten men with boarding-hatchets were ready for the attack. -Conseil and I took two hatchets; Ned Land seized a harpoon. The -Nautilus had then risen to the surface. One of the sailors, posted on -the top ladderstep, unscrewed the bolts of the panels. But hardly were -the screws loosed, when the panel rose with great violence, evidently -drawn by the suckers of a poulp's arm. Immediately one of these arms -slid like a serpent down the opening and twenty others were above. -With one blow of the axe, Captain Nemo cut this formidable tentacle, -that slid wriggling down the ladder. Just as we were pressing one on -the other to reach the platform, two other arms, lashing the air, came -down on the seaman placed before Captain Nemo, and lifted him up with -irresistible power. Captain Nemo uttered a cry, and rushed out. We -hurried after him. - -What a scene! The unhappy man, seized by the tentacle and fixed to the -suckers, was balanced in the air at the caprice of this enormous trunk. -He rattled in his throat, he was stifled, he cried, "Help! help!" -These words, spoken in French, startled me! I had a fellow-countryman -on board, perhaps several! That heart-rending cry! I shall hear it -all my life. The unfortunate man was lost. Who could rescue him from -that powerful pressure? However, Captain Nemo had rushed to the poulp, -and with one blow of the axe had cut through one arm. His lieutenant -struggled furiously against other monsters that crept on the flanks of -the Nautilus. The crew fought with their axes. The Canadian, Conseil, -and I buried our weapons in the fleshy masses; a strong smell of musk -penetrated the atmosphere. It was horrible! - -For one instant, I thought the unhappy man, entangled with the poulp, -would be torn from its powerful suction. Seven of the eight arms had -been cut off. One only wriggled in the air, brandishing the victim -like a feather. But just as Captain Nemo and his lieutenant threw -themselves on it, the animal ejected a stream of black liquid. We were -blinded with it. When the cloud dispersed, the cuttlefish had -disappeared, and my unfortunate countryman with it. Ten or twelve -poulps now invaded the platform and sides of the Nautilus. We rolled -pell-mell into the midst of this nest of serpents, that wriggled on the -platform in the waves of blood and ink. It seemed as though these -slimy tentacles sprang up like the hydra's heads. Ned Land's harpoon, -at each stroke, was plunged into the staring eyes of the cuttle fish. -But my bold companion was suddenly overturned by the tentacles of a -monster he had not been able to avoid. - -Ah! how my heart beat with emotion and horror! The formidable beak of -a cuttlefish was open over Ned Land. The unhappy man would be cut in -two. I rushed to his succour. But Captain Nemo was before me; his axe -disappeared between the two enormous jaws, and, miraculously saved, the -Canadian, rising, plunged his harpoon deep into the triple heart of the -poulp. - -"I owed myself this revenge!" said the Captain to the Canadian. - -Ned bowed without replying. The combat had lasted a quarter of an -hour. The monsters, vanquished and mutilated, left us at last, and -disappeared under the waves. Captain Nemo, covered with blood, nearly -exhausted, gazed upon the sea that had swallowed up one of his -companions, and great tears gathered in his eyes. - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THE GULF STREAM - -This terrible scene of the 20th of April none of us can ever forget. I -have written it under the influence of violent emotion. Since then I -have revised the recital; I have read it to Conseil and to the -Canadian. They found it exact as to facts, but insufficient as to -effect. To paint such pictures, one must have the pen of the most -illustrious of our poets, the author of The Toilers of the Deep. - -I have said that Captain Nemo wept while watching the waves; his grief -was great. It was the second companion he had lost since our arrival -on board, and what a death! That friend, crushed, stifled, bruised by -the dreadful arms of a poulp, pounded by his iron jaws, would not rest -with his comrades in the peaceful coral cemetery! In the midst of the -struggle, it was the despairing cry uttered by the unfortunate man that -had torn my heart. The poor Frenchman, forgetting his conventional -language, had taken to his own mother tongue, to utter a last appeal! -Amongst the crew of the Nautilus, associated with the body and soul of -the Captain, recoiling like him from all contact with men, I had a -fellow-countryman. Did he alone represent France in this mysterious -association, evidently composed of individuals of divers nationalities? -It was one of these insoluble problems that rose up unceasingly before -my mind! - -Captain Nemo entered his room, and I saw him no more for some time. -But that he was sad and irresolute I could see by the vessel, of which -he was the soul, and which received all his impressions. The Nautilus -did not keep on in its settled course; it floated about like a corpse -at the will of the waves. It went at random. He could not tear -himself away from the scene of the last struggle, from this sea that -had devoured one of his men. Ten days passed thus. It was not till -the 1st of May that the Nautilus resumed its northerly course, after -having sighted the Bahamas at the mouth of the Bahama Canal. We were -then following the current from the largest river to the sea, that has -its banks, its fish, and its proper temperatures. I mean the Gulf -Stream. It is really a river, that flows freely to the middle of the -Atlantic, and whose waters do not mix with the ocean waters. It is a -salt river, salter than the surrounding sea. Its mean depth is 1,500 -fathoms, its mean breadth ten miles. In certain places the current -flows with the speed of two miles and a half an hour. The body of its -waters is more considerable than that of all the rivers in the globe. -It was on this ocean river that the Nautilus then sailed. - -I must add that, during the night, the phosphorescent waters of the -Gulf Stream rivalled the electric power of our watch-light, especially -in the stormy weather that threatened us so frequently. May 8th, we -were still crossing Cape Hatteras, at the height of the North Caroline. -The width of the Gulf Stream there is seventy-five miles, and its depth -210 yards. The Nautilus still went at random; all supervision seemed -abandoned. I thought that, under these circumstances, escape would be -possible. Indeed, the inhabited shores offered anywhere an easy -refuge. The sea was incessantly ploughed by the steamers that ply -between New York or Boston and the Gulf of Mexico, and overrun day and -night by the little schooners coasting about the several parts of the -American coast. We could hope to be picked up. It was a favourable -opportunity, notwithstanding the thirty miles that separated the -Nautilus from the coasts of the Union. One unfortunate circumstance -thwarted the Canadian's plans. The weather was very bad. We were -nearing those shores where tempests are so frequent, that country of -waterspouts and cyclones actually engendered by the current of the Gulf -Stream. To tempt the sea in a frail boat was certain destruction. Ned -Land owned this himself. He fretted, seized with nostalgia that flight -only could cure. - -"Master," he said that day to me, "this must come to an end. I must -make a clean breast of it. This Nemo is leaving land and going up to -the north. But I declare to you that I have had enough of the South -Pole, and I will not follow him to the North." - -"What is to be done, Ned, since flight is impracticable just now?" - -"We must speak to the Captain," said he; "you said nothing when we were -in your native seas. I will speak, now we are in mine. When I think -that before long the Nautilus will be by Nova Scotia, and that there -near New foundland is a large bay, and into that bay the St. Lawrence -empties itself, and that the St. Lawrence is my river, the river by -Quebec, my native town--when I think of this, I feel furious, it makes -my hair stand on end. Sir, I would rather throw myself into the sea! -I will not stay here! I am stifled!" - -The Canadian was evidently losing all patience. His vigorous nature -could not stand this prolonged imprisonment. His face altered daily; -his temper became more surly. I knew what he must suffer, for I was -seized with home-sickness myself. Nearly seven months had passed -without our having had any news from land; Captain Nemo's isolation, -his altered spirits, especially since the fight with the poulps, his -taciturnity, all made me view things in a different light. - -"Well, sir?" said Ned, seeing I did not reply. - -"Well, Ned, do you wish me to ask Captain Nemo his intentions -concerning us?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Although he has already made them known?" - -"Yes; I wish it settled finally. Speak for me, in my name only, if you -like." - -"But I so seldom meet him. He avoids me." - -"That is all the more reason for you to go to see him." - -I went to my room. From thence I meant to go to Captain Nemo's. It -would not do to let this opportunity of meeting him slip. I knocked at -the door. No answer. I knocked again, then turned the handle. The -door opened, I went in. The Captain was there. Bending over his -work-table, he had not heard me. Resolved not to go without having -spoken, I approached him. He raised his head quickly, frowned, and -said roughly, "You here! What do you want?" - -"To speak to you, Captain." - -"But I am busy, sir; I am working. I leave you at liberty to shut -yourself up; cannot I be allowed the same?" - -This reception was not encouraging; but I was determined to hear and -answer everything. - -"Sir," I said coldly, "I have to speak to you on a matter that admits -of no delay." - -"What is that, sir?" he replied, ironically. "Have you discovered -something that has escaped me, or has the sea delivered up any new -secrets?" - -We were at cross-purposes. But, before I could reply, he showed me an -open manuscript on his table, and said, in a more serious tone, "Here, -M. Aronnax, is a manuscript written in several languages. It contains -the sum of my studies of the sea; and, if it please God, it shall not -perish with me. This manuscript, signed with my name, complete with -the history of my life, will be shut up in a little floating case. The -last survivor of all of us on board the Nautilus will throw this case -into the sea, and it will go whither it is borne by the waves." - -This man's name! his history written by himself! His mystery would -then be revealed some day. - -"Captain," I said, "I can but approve of the idea that makes you act -thus. The result of your studies must not be lost. But the means you -employ seem to me to be primitive. Who knows where the winds will -carry this case, and in whose hands it will fall? Could you not use -some other means? Could not you, or one of yours----" - -"Never, sir!" he said, hastily interrupting me. - -"But I and my companions are ready to keep this manuscript in store; -and, if you will put us at liberty----" - -"At liberty?" said the Captain, rising. - -"Yes, sir; that is the subject on which I wish to question you. For -seven months we have been here on board, and I ask you to-day, in the -name of my companions and in my own, if your intention is to keep us -here always?" - -"M. Aronnax, I will answer you to-day as I did seven months ago: -Whoever enters the Nautilus, must never quit it." - -"You impose actual slavery upon us!" - -"Give it what name you please." - -"But everywhere the slave has the right to regain his liberty." - -"Who denies you this right? Have I ever tried to chain you with an -oath?" - -He looked at me with his arms crossed. - -"Sir," I said, "to return a second time to this subject will be neither -to your nor to my taste; but, as we have entered upon it, let us go -through with it. I repeat, it is not only myself whom it concerns. -Study is to me a relief, a diversion, a passion that could make me -forget everything. Like you, I am willing to live obscure, in the -frail hope of bequeathing one day, to future time, the result of my -labours. But it is otherwise with Ned Land. Every man, worthy of the -name, deserves some consideration. Have you thought that love of -liberty, hatred of slavery, can give rise to schemes of revenge in a -nature like the Canadian's; that he could think, attempt, and try----" - -I was silenced; Captain Nemo rose. - -"Whatever Ned Land thinks of, attempts, or tries, what does it matter -to me? I did not seek him! It is not for my pleasure that I keep him -on board! As for you, M. Aronnax, you are one of those who can -understand everything, even silence. I have nothing more to say to -you. Let this first time you have come to treat of this subject be the -last, for a second time I will not listen to you." - -I retired. Our situation was critical. I related my conversation to -my two companions. - -"We know now," said Ned, "that we can expect nothing from this man. -The Nautilus is nearing Long Island. We will escape, whatever the -weather may be." - -But the sky became more and more threatening. Symptoms of a hurricane -became manifest. The atmosphere was becoming white and misty. On the -horizon fine streaks of cirrhous clouds were succeeded by masses of -cumuli. Other low clouds passed swiftly by. The swollen sea rose in -huge billows. The birds disappeared with the exception of the petrels, -those friends of the storm. The barometer fell sensibly, and indicated -an extreme extension of the vapours. The mixture of the storm glass -was decomposed under the influence of the electricity that pervaded the -atmosphere. The tempest burst on the 18th of May, just as the Nautilus -was floating off Long Island, some miles from the port of New York. I -can describe this strife of the elements! for, instead of fleeing to -the depths of the sea, Captain Nemo, by an unaccountable caprice, would -brave it at the surface. The wind blew from the south-west at first. -Captain Nemo, during the squalls, had taken his place on the platform. -He had made himself fast, to prevent being washed overboard by the -monstrous waves. I had hoisted myself up, and made myself fast also, -dividing my admiration between the tempest and this extraordinary man -who was coping with it. The raging sea was swept by huge cloud-drifts, -which were actually saturated with the waves. The Nautilus, sometimes -lying on its side, sometimes standing up like a mast, rolled and -pitched terribly. About five o'clock a torrent of rain fell, that -lulled neither sea nor wind. The hurri cane blew nearly forty leagues -an hour. It is under these conditions that it overturns houses, breaks -iron gates, displaces twenty-four pounders. However, the Nautilus, in -the midst of the tempest, confirmed the words of a clever engineer, -"There is no well-constructed hull that cannot defy the sea." This was -not a resisting rock; it was a steel spindle, obedient and movable, -without rigging or masts, that braved its fury with impunity. However, -I watched these raging waves attentively. They measured fifteen feet -in height, and 150 to 175 yards long, and their speed of propagation -was thirty feet per second. Their bulk and power increased with the -depth of the water. Such waves as these, at the Hebrides, have -displaced a mass weighing 8,400 lb. They are they which, in the -tempest of December 23rd, 1864, after destroying the town of Yeddo, in -Japan, broke the same day on the shores of America. The intensity of -the tempest increased with the night. The barometer, as in 1860 at -Reunion during a cyclone, fell seven-tenths at the close of day. I saw -a large vessel pass the horizon struggling painfully. She was trying -to lie to under half steam, to keep up above the waves. It was -probably one of the steamers of the line from New York to Liverpool, or -Havre. It soon disappeared in the gloom. At ten o'clock in the -evening the sky was on fire. The atmosphere was streaked with vivid -lightning. I could not bear the brightness of it; while the captain, -looking at it, seemed to envy the spirit of the tempest. A terrible -noise filled the air, a complex noise, made up of the howls of the -crushed waves, the roaring of the wind, and the claps of thunder. The -wind veered suddenly to all points of the horizon; and the cyclone, -rising in the east, returned after passing by the north, west, and -south, in the inverse course pursued by the circular storm of the -southern hemisphere. Ah, that Gulf Stream! It deserves its name of -the King of Tempests. It is that which causes those formidable -cyclones, by the difference of temperature between its air and its -currents. A shower of fire had succeeded the rain. The drops of water -were changed to sharp spikes. One would have thought that Captain Nemo -was courting a death worthy of himself, a death by lightning. As the -Nautilus, pitching dreadfully, raised its steel spur in the air, it -seemed to act as a conductor, and I saw long sparks burst from it. -Crushed and without strength I crawled to the panel, opened it, and -descended to the saloon. The storm was then at its height. It was -impossible to stand upright in the interior of the Nautilus. Captain -Nemo came down about twelve. I heard the reservoirs filling by -degrees, and the Nautilus sank slowly beneath the waves. Through the -open windows in the saloon I saw large fish terrified, passing like -phantoms in the water. Some were struck before my eyes. The Nautilus -was still descending. I thought that at about eight fathoms deep we -should find a calm. But no! the upper beds were too violently agitated -for that. We had to seek repose at more than twenty-five fathoms in -the bowels of the deep. But there, what quiet, what silence, what -peace! Who could have told that such a hurricane had been let loose on -the surface of that ocean? - - - -CHAPTER XX - -FROM LATITUDE 47° 24' TO LONGITUDE 17° 28' - -In consequence of the storm, we had been thrown eastward once more. -All hope of escape on the shores of New York or St. Lawrence had faded -away; and poor Ned, in despair, had isolated himself like Captain Nemo. -Conseil and I, however, never left each other. I said that the -Nautilus had gone aside to the east. I should have said (to be more -exact) the north-east. For some days, it wandered first on the surface, -and then beneath it, amid those fogs so dreaded by sailors. What -accidents are due to these thick fogs! What shocks upon these reefs -when the wind drowns the breaking of the waves! What collisions -between vessels, in spite of their warning lights, whistles, and alarm -bells! And the bottoms of these seas look like a field of battle, -where still lie all the conquered of the ocean; some old and already -encrusted, others fresh and reflecting from their iron bands and copper -plates the brilliancy of our lantern. - -On the 15th of May we were at the extreme south of the Bank of -Newfoundland. This bank consists of alluvia, or large heaps of organic -matter, brought either from the Equator by the Gulf Stream, or from the -North Pole by the counter-current of cold water which skirts the -American coast. There also are heaped up those erratic blocks which -are carried along by the broken ice; and close by, a vast charnel-house -of molluscs, which perish here by millions. The depth of the sea is -not great at Newfoundland--not more than some hundreds of fathoms; but -towards the south is a depression of 1,500 fathoms. There the Gulf -Stream widens. It loses some of its speed and some of its temperature, -but it becomes a sea. - -It was on the 17th of May, about 500 miles from Heart's Content, at a -depth of more than 1,400 fathoms, that I saw the electric cable lying -on the bottom. Conseil, to whom I had not mentioned it, thought at -first that it was a gigantic sea-serpent. But I undeceived the worthy -fellow, and by way of consolation related several particulars in the -laying of this cable. The first one was laid in the years 1857 and -1858; but, after transmitting about 400 telegrams, would not act any -longer. In 1863 the engineers constructed an other one, measuring -2,000 miles in length, and weighing 4,500 tons, which was embarked on -the Great Eastern. This attempt also failed. - -On the 25th of May the Nautilus, being at a depth of more than 1,918 -fathoms, was on the precise spot where the rupture occurred which -ruined the enterprise. It was within 638 miles of the coast of -Ireland; and at half-past two in the afternoon they discovered that -communication with Europe had ceased. The electricians on board -resolved to cut the cable before fishing it up, and at eleven o'clock -at night they had recovered the damaged part. They made another point -and spliced it, and it was once more submerged. But some days after it -broke again, and in the depths of the ocean could not be recaptured. -The Americans, however, were not discouraged. Cyrus Field, the bold -promoter of the enterprise, as he had sunk all his own fortune, set a -new subscription on foot, which was at once answered, and another cable -was constructed on better principles. The bundles of conducting wires -were each enveloped in gutta-percha, and protected by a wadding of -hemp, contained in a metallic covering. The Great Eastern sailed on -the 13th of July, 1866. The operation worked well. But one incident -occurred. Several times in unrolling the cable they observed that -nails had recently been forced into it, evidently with the motive of -destroying it. Captain Anderson, the officers, and engineers consulted -together, and had it posted up that, if the offender was surprised on -board, he would be thrown without further trial into the sea. From -that time the criminal attempt was never repeated. - -On the 23rd of July the Great Eastern was not more than 500 miles from -Newfoundland, when they telegraphed from Ireland the news of the -armistice concluded between Prussia and Austria after Sadowa. On the -27th, in the midst of heavy fogs, they reached the port of Heart's -Content. The enterprise was successfully terminated; and for its first -despatch, young America addressed old Europe in these words of wisdom, -so rarely understood: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth -peace, goodwill towards men." - -I did not expect to find the electric cable in its primitive state, -such as it was on leaving the manufactory. The long serpent, covered -with the remains of shells, bristling with foraminiferae, was encrusted -with a strong coating which served as a protection against all boring -molluscs. It lay quietly sheltered from the motions of the sea, and -under a favourable pressure for the transmission of the electric spark -which passes from Europe to America in .32 of a second. Doubtless this -cable will last for a great length of time, for they find that the -gutta-percha covering is improved by the sea-water. Besides, on this -level, so well chosen, the cable is never so deeply submerged as to -cause it to break. The Nautilus followed it to the lowest depth, which -was more than 2,212 fathoms, and there it lay without any anchorage; -and then we reached the spot where the accident had taken place in -1863. The bottom of the ocean then formed a valley about 100 miles -broad, in which Mont Blanc might have been placed without its summit -appearing above the waves. This valley is closed at the east by a -perpendicular wall more than 2,000 yards high. We arrived there on the -28th of May, and the Nautilus was then not more than 120 miles from -Ireland. - -Was Captain Nemo going to land on the British Isles? No. To my great -surprise he made for the south, once more coming back towards European -seas. In rounding the Emerald Isle, for one instant I caught sight of -Cape Clear, and the light which guides the thousands of vessels leaving -Glasgow or Liverpool. An important question then arose in my mind. -Did the Nautilus dare entangle itself in the Manche? Ned Land, who had -re-appeared since we had been nearing land, did not cease to question -me. How could I answer? Captain Nemo remained invisible. After -having shown the Canadian a glimpse of American shores, was he going to -show me the coast of France? - -But the Nautilus was still going southward. On the 30th of May, it -passed in sight of Land's End, between the extreme point of England and -the Scilly Isles, which were left to starboard. If we wished to enter -the Manche, he must go straight to the east. He did not do so. - -During the whole of the 31st of May, the Nautilus described a series of -circles on the water, which greatly interested me. It seemed to be -seeking a spot it had some trouble in finding. At noon, Captain Nemo -himself came to work the ship's log. He spoke no word to me, but -seemed gloomier than ever. What could sadden him thus? Was it his -proxim ity to European shores? Had he some recollections of his -abandoned country? If not, what did he feel? Remorse or regret? For -a long while this thought haunted my mind, and I had a kind of -presentiment that before long chance would betray the captain's secrets. - -The next day, the 1st of June, the Nautilus continued the same process. -It was evidently seeking some particular spot in the ocean. Captain -Nemo took the sun's altitude as he had done the day before. The sea -was beautiful, the sky clear. About eight miles to the east, a large -steam vessel could be discerned on the horizon. No flag fluttered from -its mast, and I could not discover its nationality. Some minutes -before the sun passed the meridian, Captain Nemo took his sextant, and -watched with great attention. The perfect rest of the water greatly -helped the operation. The Nautilus was motionless; it neither rolled -nor pitched. - -I was on the platform when the altitude was taken, and the Captain -pronounced these words: "It is here." - -He turned and went below. Had he seen the vessel which was changing -its course and seemed to be nearing us? I could not tell. I returned -to the saloon. The panels closed, I heard the hissing of the water in -the reservoirs. The Nautilus began to sink, following a vertical line, -for its screw communicated no motion to it. Some minutes later it -stopped at a depth of more than 420 fathoms, resting on the ground. -The luminous ceiling was darkened, then the panels were opened, and -through the glass I saw the sea brilliantly illuminated by the rays of -our lantern for at least half a mile round us. - -I looked to the port side, and saw nothing but an immensity of quiet -waters. But to starboard, on the bottom appeared a large protuberance, -which at once attracted my attention. One would have thought it a ruin -buried under a coating of white shells, much resembling a covering of -snow. Upon examining the mass attentively, I could recognise the -ever-thickening form of a vessel bare of its masts, which must have -sunk. It certainly belonged to past times. This wreck, to be thus -encrusted with the lime of the water, must already be able to count -many years passed at the bottom of the ocean. - -What was this vessel? Why did the Nautilus visit its tomb? Could it -have been aught but a shipwreck which had drawn it under the water? I -knew not what to think, when near me in a slow voice I heard Captain -Nemo say: - -"At one time this ship was called the Marseillais. It carried -seventy-four guns, and was launched in 1762. In 1778, the 13th of -August, commanded by La Poype-Ver trieux, it fought boldly against the -Preston. In 1779, on the 4th of July, it was at the taking of Grenada, -with the squadron of Admiral Estaing. In 1781, on the 5th of -September, it took part in the battle of Comte de Grasse, in Chesapeake -Bay. In 1794, the French Republic changed its name. On the 16th of -April, in the same year, it joined the squadron of Villaret Joyeuse, at -Brest, being entrusted with the escort of a cargo of corn coming from -America, under the command of Admiral Van Stebel. On the 11th and 12th -Prairal of the second year, this squadron fell in with an English -vessel. Sir, to-day is the 13th Prairal, the first of June, 1868. It -is now seventy-four years ago, day for day on this very spot, in -latitude 47° 24', longitude 17° 28', that this vessel, after -fighting heroically, losing its three masts, with the water in its -hold, and the third of its crew disabled, preferred sinking with its -356 sailors to surrendering; and, nailing its colours to the poop, -disappeared under the waves to the cry of `Long live the Republic!'" - -"The Avenger!" I exclaimed. - -"Yes, sir, the Avenger! A good name!" muttered Captain Nemo, crossing -his arms. - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -A HECATOMB - -The way of describing this unlooked-for scene, the history of the -patriot ship, told at first so coldly, and the emotion with which this -strange man pronounced the last words, the name of the Avenger, the -significance of which could not escape me, all impressed itself deeply -on my mind. My eyes did not leave the Captain, who, with his hand -stretched out to sea, was watching with a glowing eye the glorious -wreck. Perhaps I was never to know who he was, from whence he came, or -where he was going to, but I saw the man move, and apart from the -_savant_. It was no common misanthropy which had shut Captain Nemo and -his companions within the Nautilus, but a hatred, either monstrous or -sublime, which time could never weaken. Did this hatred still seek for -vengeance? The future would soon teach me that. But the Nautilus was -rising slowly to the surface of the sea, and the form of the Avenger -disappeared by degrees from my sight. Soon a slight rolling told me -that we were in the open air. At that moment a dull boom was heard. I -looked at the Captain. He did not move. - -"Captain?" said I. - -He did not answer. I left him and mounted the platform. Conseil and -the Canadian were already there. - -"Where did that sound come from?" I asked. - -"It was a gunshot," replied Ned Land. - -I looked in the direction of the vessel I had already seen. It was -nearing the Nautilus, and we could see that it was putting on steam. -It was within six miles of us. - -"What is that ship, Ned?" - -"By its rigging, and the height of its lower masts," said the Canadian, -"I bet she is a ship-of-war. May it reach us; and, if necessary, sink -this cursed Nautilus." - -"Friend Ned," replied Conseil, "what harm can it do to the Nautilus? -Can it attack it beneath the waves? Can its cannonade us at the bottom -of the sea?" - -"Tell me, Ned," said I, "can you recognise what country she belongs to?" - -The Canadian knitted his eyebrows, dropped his eyelids, and screwed up -the corners of his eyes, and for a few moments fixed a piercing look -upon the vessel. - -"No, sir," he replied; "I cannot tell what nation she belongs to, for -she shows no colours. But I can declare she is a man-of-war, for a -long pennant flutters from her main mast." - -For a quarter of an hour we watched the ship which was steaming towards -us. I could not, however, believe that she could see the Nautilus from -that distance; and still less that she could know what this submarine -engine was. Soon the Canadian informed me that she was a large, -armoured, two-decker ram. A thick black smoke was pouring from her two -funnels. Her closely-furled sails were stopped to her yards. She -hoisted no flag at her mizzen-peak. The distance prevented us from -distinguishing the colours of her pennant, which floated like a thin -ribbon. She advanced rapidly. If Captain Nemo allowed her to -approach, there was a chance of salvation for us. - -"Sir," said Ned Land, "if that vessel passes within a mile of us I -shall throw myself into the sea, and I should advise you to do the -same." - -I did not reply to the Canadian's suggestion, but continued watching -the ship. Whether English, French, American, or Russian, she would be -sure to take us in if we could only reach her. Presently a white smoke -burst from the fore part of the vessel; some seconds after, the water, -agitated by the fall of a heavy body, splashed the stern of the -Nautilus, and shortly afterwards a loud explosion struck my ear. - -"What! they are firing at us!" I exclaimed. - -"So please you, sir," said Ned, "they have recognised the unicorn, and -they are firing at us." - -"But," I exclaimed, "surely they can see that there are men in the -case?" - -"It is, perhaps, because of that," replied Ned Land, looking at me. - -A whole flood of light burst upon my mind. Doubtless they knew now how -to believe the stories of the pretended monster. No doubt, on board -the Abraham Lincoln, when the Canadian struck it with the harpoon, -Commander Farragut had recognised in the supposed narwhal a submarine -vessel, more dangerous than a supernatural cetacean. Yes, it must have -been so; and on every sea they were now seeking this engine of -destruction. Terrible indeed! if, as we supposed, Captain Nemo -employed the Nautilus in works of vengeance. On the night when we were -imprisoned in that cell, in the midst of the Indian Ocean, had he not -attacked some vessel? The man buried in the coral cemetery, had he not -been a victim to the shock caused by the Nautilus? Yes, I repeat it, -it must be so. One part of the mysterious existence of Captain Nemo -had been unveiled; and, if his identity had not been recognised, at -least, the nations united against him were no longer hunting a -chimerical creature, but a man who had vowed a deadly hatred against -them. All the formidable past rose before me. Instead of meeting -friends on board the approaching ship, we could only expect pitiless -enemies. But the shot rattled about us. Some of them struck the sea -and ricochetted, losing themselves in the distance. But none touched -the Nautilus. The vessel was not more than three miles from us. In -spite of the serious cannonade, Captain Nemo did not appear on the -platform; but, if one of the conical projectiles had struck the shell -of the Nautilus, it would have been fatal. The Canadian then said, -"Sir, we must do all we can to get out of this dilemma. Let us signal -them. They will then, perhaps, understand that we are honest folks." - -Ned Land took his handkerchief to wave in the air; but he had scarcely -displayed it, when he was struck down by an iron hand, and fell, in -spite of his great strength, upon the deck. - -"Fool!" exclaimed the Captain, "do you wish to be pierced by the spur -of the Nautilus before it is hurled at this vessel?" - -Captain Nemo was terrible to hear; he was still more terrible to see. -His face was deadly pale, with a spasm at his heart. For an instant it -must have ceased to beat. His pupils were fearfully contracted. He -did not speak, he roared, as, with his body thrown forward, he wrung -the Canadian's shoulders. Then, leaving him, and turning to the ship -of war, whose shot was still raining around him, he exclaimed, with a -powerful voice, "Ah, ship of an accursed nation, you know who I am! I -do not want your colours to know you by! Look! and I will show you -mine!" - -And on the fore part of the platform Captain Nemo unfurled a black -flag, similar to the one he had placed at the South Pole. At that -moment a shot struck the shell of the Nautilus obliquely, without -piercing it; and, rebounding near the Captain, was lost in the sea. He -shrugged his shoulders; and, addressing me, said shortly, "Go down, you -and your companions, go down!" - -"Sir," I cried, "are you going to attack this vessel?" - -"Sir, I am going to sink it." - -"You will not do that?" - -"I shall do it," he replied coldly. "And I advise you not to judge me, -sir. Fate has shown you what you ought not to have seen. The attack -has begun; go down." - -"What is this vessel?" - -"You do not know? Very well! so much the better! Its nationality to -you, at least, will be a secret. Go down!" - -We could but obey. About fifteen of the sailors surrounded the -Captain, looking with implacable hatred at the vessel nearing them. -One could feel that the same desire of vengeance animated every soul. -I went down at the moment another projectile struck the Nautilus, and I -heard the Captain exclaim: - -"Strike, mad vessel! Shower your useless shot! And then, you will not -escape the spur of the Nautilus. But it is not here that you shall -perish! I would not have your ruins mingle with those of the Avenger!" - -I reached my room. The Captain and his second had remained on the -platform. The screw was set in motion, and the Nautilus, moving with -speed, was soon beyond the reach of the ship's guns. But the pursuit -continued, and Captain Nemo contented himself with keeping his distance. - -About four in the afternoon, being no longer able to contain my -impatience, I went to the central staircase. The panel was open, and I -ventured on to the platform. The Captain was still walking up and down -with an agitated step. He was looking at the ship, which was five or -six miles to leeward. - -He was going round it like a wild beast, and, drawing it eastward, he -allowed them to pursue. But he did not attack. Perhaps he still -hesitated? I wished to mediate once more. But I had scarcely spoken, -when Captain Nemo imposed silence, saying: - -"I am the law, and I am the judge! I am the oppressed, and there is -the oppressor! Through him I have lost all that I loved, cherished, -and venerated--country, wife, children, father, and mother. I saw all -perish! All that I hate is there! Say no more!" - -I cast a last look at the man-of-war, which was putting on steam, and -rejoined Ned and Conseil. - -"We will fly!" I exclaimed. - -"Good!" said Ned. "What is this vessel?" - -"I do not know; but, whatever it is, it will be sunk before night. In -any case, it is better to perish with it, than be made accomplices in a -retaliation the justice of which we cannot judge." - -"That is my opinion too," said Ned Land, coolly. "Let us wait for -night." - -Night arrived. Deep silence reigned on board. The compass showed that -the Nautilus had not altered its course. It was on the surface, -rolling slightly. My companions and I resolved to fly when the vessel -should be near enough either to hear us or to see us; for the moon, -which would be full in two or three days, shone brightly. Once on -board the ship, if we could not prevent the blow which threatened it, -we could, at least we would, do all that circumstances would allow. -Several times I thought the Nautilus was preparing for attack; but -Captain Nemo contented himself with allowing his adversary to approach, -and then fled once more before it. - -Part of the night passed without any incident. We watched the -opportunity for action. We spoke little, for we were too much moved. -Ned Land would have thrown himself into the sea, but I forced him to -wait. According to my idea, the Nautilus would attack the ship at her -waterline, and then it would not only be possible, but easy to fly. - -At three in the morning, full of uneasiness, I mounted the platform. -Captain Nemo had not left it. He was standing at the fore part near -his flag, which a slight breeze displayed above his head. He did not -take his eyes from the vessel. The intensity of his look seemed to -attract, and fascinate, and draw it onward more surely than if he had -been towing it. The moon was then passing the meridian. Jupiter was -rising in the east. Amid this peaceful scene of nature, sky and ocean -rivalled each other in tranquillity, the sea offering to the orbs of -night the finest mirror they could ever have in which to reflect their -image. As I thought of the deep calm of these elements, compared with -all those passions brooding imperceptibly within the Nautilus, I -shuddered. - -The vessel was within two miles of us. It was ever nearing that -phosphorescent light which showed the presence of the Nautilus. I -could see its green and red lights, and its white lantern hanging from -the large foremast. An indistinct vibration quivered through its -rigging, showing that the furnaces were heated to the uttermost. -Sheaves of sparks and red ashes flew from the funnels, shining in the -atmosphere like stars. - -I remained thus until six in the morning, without Captain Nemo noticing -me. The ship stood about a mile and a half from us, and with the first -dawn of day the firing began afresh. The moment could not be far off -when, the Nautilus attacking its adversary, my companions and myself -should for ever leave this man. I was preparing to go down to remind -them, when the second mounted the platform, accompanied by several -sailors. Captain Nemo either did not or would not see them. Some -steps were taken which might be called the signal for action. They -were very simple. The iron balustrade around the platform was lowered, -and the lantern and pilot cages were pushed within the shell until they -were flush with the deck. The long surface of the steel cigar no -longer offered a single point to check its manoeuvres. I returned to -the saloon. The Nautilus still floated; some streaks of light were -filtering through the liquid beds. With the undulations of the waves -the windows were brightened by the red streaks of the rising sun, and -this dreadful day of the 2nd of June had dawned. - -At five o'clock, the log showed that the speed of the Nautilus was -slackening, and I knew that it was allowing them to draw nearer. -Besides, the reports were heard more distinctly, and the projectiles, -labouring through the ambient water, were extinguished with a strange -hissing noise. - -"My friends," said I, "the moment is come. One grasp of the hand, and -may God protect us!" - -Ned Land was resolute, Conseil calm, myself so nervous that I knew not -how to contain myself. We all passed into the library; but the moment -I pushed the door opening on to the central staircase, I heard the -upper panel close sharply. The Canadian rushed on to the stairs, but I -stopped him. A well-known hissing noise told me that the water was -running into the reservoirs, and in a few minutes the Nautilus was some -yards beneath the surface of the waves. I understood the manoeuvre. -It was too late to act. The Nautilus did not wish to strike at the -impenetrable cuirass, but below the water-line, where the metallic -covering no longer protected it. - -We were again imprisoned, unwilling witnesses of the dreadful drama -that was preparing. We had scarcely time to reflect; taking refuge in -my room, we looked at each other without speaking. A deep stupor had -taken hold of my mind: thought seemed to stand still. I was in that -painful state of expectation preceding a dreadful report. I waited, I -listened, every sense was merged in that of hearing! The speed of the -Nautilus was accelerated. It was preparing to rush. The whole ship -trembled. Suddenly I screamed. I felt the shock, but comparatively -light. I felt the penetrating power of the steel spur. I heard -rattlings and scrapings. But the Nautilus, carried along by its -propelling power, passed through the mass of the vessel like a needle -through sailcloth! - -I could stand it no longer. Mad, out of my mind, I rushed from my room -into the saloon. Captain Nemo was there, mute, gloomy, implacable; he -was looking through the port panel. A large mass cast a shadow on the -water; and, that it might lose nothing of her agony, the Nautilus was -going down into the abyss with her. Ten yards from me I saw the open -shell, through which the water was rushing with the noise of thunder, -then the double line of guns and the netting. The bridge was covered -with black, agitated shadows. - -The water was rising. The poor creatures were crowding the ratlines, -clinging to the masts, struggling under the water. It was a human -ant-heap overtaken by the sea. Paralysed, stiffened with anguish, my -hair standing on end, with eyes wide open, panting, without breath, and -without voice, I too was watching! An irresistible attraction glued me -to the glass! Suddenly an explosion took place. The compressed air -blew up her decks, as if the magazines had caught fire. Then the -unfortunate vessel sank more rapidly. Her topmast, laden with victims, -now appeared; then her spars, bending under the weight of men; and, -last of all, the top of her mainmast. Then the dark mass disappeared, -and with it the dead crew, drawn down by the strong eddy. - -I turned to Captain Nemo. That terrible avenger, a perfect archangel -of hatred, was still looking. When all was over, he turned to his -room, opened the door, and entered. I followed him with my eyes. On -the end wall beneath his heroes, I saw the portrait of a woman, still -young, and two little children. Captain Nemo looked at them for some -moments, stretched his arms towards them, and, kneeling down, burst -into deep sobs. - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE LAST WORDS OF CAPTAIN NEMO - -The panels had closed on this dreadful vision, but light had not -returned to the saloon: all was silence and darkness within the -Nautilus. At wonderful speed, a hundred feet beneath the water, it was -leaving this desolate spot. Whither was it going? To the north or -south? Where was the man flying to after such dreadful retaliation? I -had returned to my room, where Ned and Conseil had remained silent -enough. I felt an insurmountable horror for Captain Nemo. Whatever he -had suffered at the hands of these men, he had no right to punish thus. -He had made me, if not an accomplice, at least a witness of his -vengeance. At eleven the electric light reappeared. I passed into the -saloon. It was deserted. I consulted the different instruments. The -Nautilus was flying northward at the rate of twenty-five miles an hour, -now on the surface, and now thirty feet below it. On taking the -bearings by the chart, I saw that we were passing the mouth of the -Manche, and that our course was hurrying us towards the northern seas -at a frightful speed. That night we had crossed two hundred leagues of -the Atlantic. The shadows fell, and the sea was covered with darkness -until the rising of the moon. I went to my room, but could not sleep. -I was troubled with dreadful nightmare. The horrible scene of -destruction was continually before my eyes. From that day, who could -tell into what part of the North Atlantic basin the Nautilus would take -us? Still with unaccountable speed. Still in the midst of these -northern fogs. Would it touch at Spitzbergen, or on the shores of Nova -Zembla? Should we explore those unknown seas, the White Sea, the Sea -of Kara, the Gulf of Obi, the Archipelago of Liarrov, and the unknown -coast of Asia? I could not say. I could no longer judge of the time -that was passing. The clocks had been stopped on board. It seemed, as -in polar countries, that night and day no longer followed their regular -course. I felt myself being drawn into that strange region where the -foundered imagination of Edgar Poe roamed at will. Like the fabulous -Gordon Pym, at every moment I expected to see "that veiled human -figure, of larger proportions than those of any inhabitant of the -earth, thrown across the cataract which defends the approach to the -pole." I estimated (though, perhaps, I may be mistaken)--I estimated -this adventurous course of the Nautilus to have lasted fifteen or -twenty days. And I know not how much longer it might have lasted, had -it not been for the catastrophe which ended this voyage. Of Captain -Nemo I saw nothing whatever now, nor of his second. Not a man of the -crew was visible for an instant. The Nautilus was almost incessantly -under water. When we came to the surface to renew the air, the panels -opened and shut mechanically. There were no more marks on the -planisphere. I knew not where we were. And the Canadian, too, his -strength and patience at an end, appeared no more. Conseil could not -draw a word from him; and, fearing that, in a dreadful fit of madness, -he might kill himself, watched him with constant devotion. One morning -(what date it was I could not say) I had fallen into a heavy sleep -towards the early hours, a sleep both painful and unhealthy, when I -suddenly awoke. Ned Land was leaning over me, saying, in a low voice, -"We are going to fly." I sat up. - -"When shall we go?" I asked. - -"To-night. All inspection on board the Nautilus seems to have ceased. -All appear to be stupefied. You will be ready, sir?" - -"Yes; where are we?" - -"In sight of land. I took the reckoning this morning in the -fog--twenty miles to the east." - -"What country is it?" - -"I do not know; but, whatever it is, we will take refuge there." - -"Yes, Ned, yes. We will fly to-night, even if the sea should swallow -us up." - -"The sea is bad, the wind violent, but twenty miles in that light boat -of the Nautilus does not frighten me. Unknown to the crew, I have been -able to procure food and some bottles of water." - -"I will follow you." - -"But," continued the Canadian, "if I am surprised, I will defend -myself; I will force them to kill me." - -"We will die together, friend Ned." - -I had made up my mind to all. The Canadian left me. I reached the -platform, on which I could with difficulty support myself against the -shock of the waves. The sky was threatening; but, as land was in those -thick brown shadows, we must fly. I returned to the saloon, fearing -and yet hoping to see Captain Nemo, wishing and yet not wishing to see -him. What could I have said to him? Could I hide the involuntary -horror with which he inspired me? No. It was better that I should not -meet him face to face; better to forget him. And yet---- How long -seemed that day, the last that I should pass in the Nautilus. I -remained alone. Ned Land and Conseil avoided speaking, for fear of -betraying themselves. At six I dined, but I was not hungry; I forced -myself to eat in spite of my disgust, that I might not weaken myself. -At half-past six Ned Land came to my room, saying, "We shall not see -each other again before our departure. At ten the moon will not be -risen. We will profit by the darkness. Come to the boat; Conseil and -I will wait for you." - -The Canadian went out without giving me time to answer. Wishing to -verify the course of the Nautilus, I went to the saloon. We were -running N.N.E. at frightful speed, and more than fifty yards deep. I -cast a last look on these wonders of nature, on the riches of art -heaped up in this museum, upon the unrivalled collection destined to -perish at the bottom of the sea, with him who had formed it. I wished -to fix an indelible impression of it in my mind. I remained an hour -thus, bathed in the light of that luminous ceiling, and passing in -review those treasures shining under their glasses. Then I returned to -my room. - -I dressed myself in strong sea clothing. I collected my notes, placing -them carefully about me. My heart beat loudly. I could not check its -pulsations. Certainly my trouble and agitation would have betrayed me -to Captain Nemo's eyes. What was he doing at this moment? I listened -at the door of his room. I heard steps. Captain Nemo was there. He -had not gone to rest. At every moment I expected to see him appear, -and ask me why I wished to fly. I was constantly on the alert. My -imagination magnified everything. The impression became at last so -poignant that I asked myself if it would not be better to go to the -Captain's room, see him face to face, and brave him with look and -gesture. - -It was the inspiration of a madman; fortunately I resisted the desire, -and stretched myself on my bed to quiet my bodily agitation. My nerves -were somewhat calmer, but in my excited brain I saw over again all my -existence on board the Nautilus; every incident, either happy or -unfortunate, which had happened since my disappearance from the Abraham -Lincoln--the submarine hunt, the Torres Straits, the savages of Papua, -the running ashore, the coral cemetery, the passage of Suez, the Island -of Santorin, the Cretan diver, Vigo Bay, Atlantis, the iceberg, the -South Pole, the imprisonment in the ice, the fight among the poulps, -the storm in the Gulf Stream, the Avenger, and the horrible scene of -the vessel sunk with all her crew. All these events passed before my -eyes like scenes in a drama. Then Captain Nemo seemed to grow -enormously, his features to assume superhuman proportions. He was no -longer my equal, but a man of the waters, the genie of the sea. - -It was then half-past nine. I held my head between my hands to keep it -from bursting. I closed my eyes; I would not think any longer. There -was another half-hour to wait, another half-hour of a nightmare, which -might drive me mad. - -At that moment I heard the distant strains of the organ, a sad harmony -to an undefinable chant, the wail of a soul longing to break these -earthly bonds. I listened with every sense, scarcely breathing; -plunged, like Captain Nemo, in that musical ecstasy, which was drawing -him in spirit to the end of life. - -Then a sudden thought terrified me. Captain Nemo had left his room. -He was in the saloon, which I must cross to fly. There I should meet -him for the last time. He would see me, perhaps speak to me. A -gesture of his might destroy me, a single word chain me on board. - -But ten was about to strike. The moment had come for me to leave my -room, and join my companions. - -I must not hesitate, even if Captain Nemo himself should rise before -me. I opened my door carefully; and even then, as it turned on its -hinges, it seemed to me to make a dreadful noise. Perhaps it only -existed in my own imagination. - -I crept along the dark stairs of the Nautilus, stopping at each step to -check the beating of my heart. I reached the door of the saloon, and -opened it gently. It was plunged in profound darkness. The strains of -the organ sounded faintly. Captain Nemo was there. He did not see me. -In the full light I do not think he would have noticed me, so entirely -was he absorbed in the ecstasy. - -I crept along the carpet, avoiding the slightest sound which might -betray my presence. I was at least five minutes reaching the door, at -the opposite side, opening into the library. - -I was going to open it, when a sigh from Captain Nemo nailed me to the -spot. I knew that he was rising. I could even see him, for the light -from the library came through to the saloon. He came towards me -silently, with his arms crossed, gliding like a spectre rather than -walking. His breast was swelling with sobs; and I heard him murmur -these words (the last which ever struck my ear): - -"Almighty God! enough! enough!" - -Was it a confession of remorse which thus escaped from this man's -conscience? - -In desperation, I rushed through the library, mounted the central -staircase, and, following the upper flight, reached the boat. I crept -through the opening, which had already admitted my two companions. - -"Let us go! let us go!" I exclaimed. - -"Directly!" replied the Canadian. - -The orifice in the plates of the Nautilus was first closed, and -fastened down by means of a false key, with which Ned Land had provided -himself; the opening in the boat was also closed. The Canadian began -to loosen the bolts which still held us to the submarine boat. - -Suddenly a noise was heard. Voices were answering each other loudly. -What was the matter? Had they discovered our flight? I felt Ned Land -slipping a dagger into my hand. - -"Yes," I murmured, "we know how to die!" - -The Canadian had stopped in his work. But one word many times -repeated, a dreadful word, revealed the cause of the agitation -spreading on board the Nautilus. It was not we the crew were looking -after! - -"The maelstrom! the maelstrom!" Could a more dreadful word in a more -dreadful situation have sounded in our ears! We were then upon the -dangerous coast of Norway. Was the Nautilus being drawn into this gulf -at the moment our boat was going to leave its sides? We knew that at -the tide the pent-up waters between the islands of Ferroe and Loffoden -rush with irresistible violence, forming a whirlpool from which no -vessel ever escapes. From every point of the horizon enormous waves -were meeting, forming a gulf justly called the "Navel of the Ocean," -whose power of attraction extends to a distance of twelve miles. -There, not only vessels, but whales are sacrificed, as well as white -bears from the northern regions. - -It is thither that the Nautilus, voluntarily or involuntarily, had been -run by the Captain. - -It was describing a spiral, the circumference of which was lessening by -degrees, and the boat, which was still fastened to its side, was -carried along with giddy speed. I felt that sickly giddiness which -arises from long-continued whirling round. - -We were in dread. Our horror was at its height, circulation had -stopped, all nervous influence was annihilated, and we were covered -with cold sweat, like a sweat of agony! And what noise around our -frail bark! What roarings repeated by the echo miles away! What an -uproar was that of the waters broken on the sharp rocks at the bottom, -where the hardest bodies are crushed, and trees worn away, "with all -the fur rubbed off," according to the Norwegian phrase! - -What a situation to be in! We rocked frightfully. The Nautilus -defended itself like a human being. Its steel muscles cracked. -Sometimes it seemed to stand upright, and we with it! - -"We must hold on," said Ned, "and look after the bolts. We may still -be saved if we stick to the Nautilus." - -He had not finished the words, when we heard a crashing noise, the -bolts gave way, and the boat, torn from its groove, was hurled like a -stone from a sling into the midst of the whirlpool. - -My head struck on a piece of iron, and with the violent shock I lost -all consciousness. - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -CONCLUSION - -Thus ends the voyage under the seas. What passed during that -night--how the boat escaped from the eddies of the maelstrom--how Ned -Land, Conseil, and myself ever came out of the gulf, I cannot tell. - -But when I returned to consciousness, I was lying in a fisherman's hut, -on the Loffoden Isles. My two companions, safe and sound, were near me -holding my hands. We embraced each other heartily. - -At that moment we could not think of returning to France. The means of -communication between the north of Norway and the south are rare. And -I am therefore obliged to wait for the steamboat running monthly from -Cape North. - -And, among the worthy people who have so kindly received us, I revise -my record of these adventures once more. Not a fact has been omitted, -not a detail exaggerated. It is a faithful narrative of this -incredible expedition in an element inaccessible to man, but to which -Progress will one day open a road. - -Shall I be believed? I do not know. And it matters little, after all. -What I now affirm is, that I have a right to speak of these seas, under -which, in less than ten months, I have crossed 20,000 leagues in that -submarine tour of the world, which has revealed so many wonders. - -But what has become of the Nautilus? Did it resist the pressure of the -maelstrom? Does Captain Nemo still live? And does he still follow -under the ocean those frightful retaliations? Or, did he stop after -the last hecatomb? - -Will the waves one day carry to him this manuscript containing the -history of his life? Shall I ever know the name of this man? Will the -missing vessel tell us by its nationality that of Captain Nemo? - -I hope so. And I also hope that his powerful vessel has conquered the -sea at its most terrible gulf, and that the Nautilus has survived where -so many other vessels have been lost! If it be so--if Captain Nemo -still inhabits the ocean, his adopted country, may hatred be appeased -in that savage heart! May the contemplation of so many wonders -extinguish for ever the spirit of vengeance! May the judge disappear, -and the philosopher continue the peaceful exploration of the sea! If -his destiny be strange, it is also sublime. Have I not understood it -myself? Have I not lived ten months of this unnatural life? And to -the question asked by Ecclesiastes three thousand years ago, "That -which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?" two men -alone of all now living have the right to give an answer---- - -CAPTAIN NEMO AND MYSELF. - - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (slightly abridged), by Jules Verne - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA *** - -***** This file should be named 164-8.txt or 164-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/164/ - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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