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 giltheads, about one
and  a  half  inches  long,  tasting like dorys; and flying fire-fish like
submarine  swallows,  which, in dark nights, light alternately the air and
water with their phosphorescent light.{2 sentences missing here}
   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 species missing}
   "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 135O long. and 10O 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 130O 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 122O 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 bad 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 105O long. and 15O 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?" be 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.
   {opening  sentence  missing}  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   servants  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.
   {3 paragraphs are missing}
   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 12O 5' S. lat., and 94O
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. {one sentence stripped here}
   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  4O 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 9O 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  pearl  is  nothing but a 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, maybe a barren egg, maybe
a grain of sand, around which the pearly matter deposits itself year after
year  successively,  and  by  thin  concentric layers." {this paragraph is
edited}
   "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.
   {3 paragraphs missing}
   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