English
AtfirstIcouldhardlyseeanything.Myeyes,unaccustomedtothelight,quicklyclosed.WhenIwasabletoreopenthem,Istoodmorestupefiedeventhansurprised.
"Thesea!"Icried.
"Yes,"myunclereplied,"theLiedenbrockSea;andIdon'tsupposeanyotherdiscovererwilleverdisputemyclaimtonameitaftermyselfasitsfirstdiscoverer."
Avastsheetofwater,thecommencementofalakeoranocean,spreadfarawaybeyondtherangeoftheeye,remindingmeforciblyofthatopenseawhichdrewfromXenophon'stenthousandGreeks,aftertheirlongretreat,thesimultaneouscry,"Thalatta!thalatta!"thesea!thesea!
Thedeeplyindentedshorewaslinedwithabreadthoffineshiningsand,softlylappedbythewaves,andstrewnwiththesmallshellswhichhadbeeninhabitedbythefirstofcreatedbeings.
Thewavesbrokeonthisshorewiththehollowechoingmurmurpeculiartovastinclosedspaces.
Alightfoamflewoverthewavesbeforethebreathofamoderatebreeze,andsomeofthesprayfelluponmyface.
Onthisslightlyincliningshore,aboutahundredfathomsfromthelimitofthewaves,camedownthefootofahugewallofvastcliffs,whichrosemajesticallytoanenormousheight.
Someofthese,dividingthebeachwiththeirsharpspurs,formedcapesandpromontories,wornawaybytheceaselessactionofthesurf.
Fartherontheeyediscernedtheirmassiveoutlinesharplydefinedagainstthehazydistanthorizon.
Itwasquiteanocean,withtheirregularshoresofearth,butdesertandfrightfullywildinappearance.
Ifmyeyeswereabletorangeafaroverthisgreatsea,itwasbecauseapeculiarlightbroughttovieweverydetailofit.
Itwasnotthelightofthesun,withhisdazzlingshaftsofbrightnessandthesplendourofhisrays;norwasitthepaleanduncertainshimmerofthemoonbeams,thedimreflectionofanoblerbodyoflight.
No;theilluminatingpowerofthislight,itstremblingdiffusiveness,itsbright,clearwhiteness,anditslowtemperature,showedthatitmustbeofelectricorigin.
Itwaslikeanauroraborealis,acontinuouscosmicalphenomenon,fillingacavernofsufficientextenttocontainanocean.
Thevaultthatspannedthespaceabove,thesky,ifitcouldbecalledso,seemedcomposedofvastplainsofcloud,shiftingandvariablevapours,whichbytheircondensationmustatcertaintimesfallintorrentsofrain.
Ishouldhavethoughtthatundersopowerfulapressureoftheatmospheretherecouldbenoevaporation;andyet,underalawunknowntome,therewerebroadtractsofvapoursuspendedintheair.Butthen'theweatherwasfine.'
Theplayoftheelectriclightproducedsingulareffectsupontheupperstrataofcloud.
Deepshadowsreposedupontheirlowerwreaths;andoften,betweentwoseparatedfieldsofcloud,thereglideddownarayofunspeakablelustre.
Butitwasnotsolarlight,andtherewasnoheat.
Thegeneraleffectwassad,supremelymelancholy.
Insteadoftheshiningfirmament,spangledwithitsinnumerablestars,shiningsinglyorinclusters,Ifeltthatallthesesubduedandshadedfightswereribbedinbyvastwallsofgranite,whichseemedtooverpowermewiththeirweight,andthatallthisspace,greatasitwas,wouldnotbeenoughforthemarchofthehumblestofsatellites.
ThenIrememberedthetheoryofanEnglishcaptain,wholikenedtheearthtoavasthollowsphere,intheinteriorofwhichtheairbecameluminousbecauseofthevastpressurethatweigheduponit;whiletwostars,PlutoandProserpine,rolledwithinuponthecircuitoftheirmysteriousorbits.
Wewereinrealityshutupinsideanimmeasurableexcavation.
Itswidthcouldnotbeestimated,sincetheshoreranwideningasfaraseyecouldreach,norcoulditslength,forthedimhorizonboundedthenew.
Asforitsheight,itmusthavebeenseveralleagues.
Wherethisvaultresteduponitsgranitebasenoeyecouldtell;buttherewasacloudhangingfarabove,theheightofwhichweestimatedat12,000feet,agreaterheightthanthatofanyterrestrialvapour,andnodoubtduetothegreatdensityoftheair.
Thewordcaverndoesnotconveyanyideaofthisimmensespace;wordsofhumantongueareinadequatetodescribethediscoveriesofhimwhoventuresintothedeepabyssesofearth.
BesidesIcouldnottelluponwhatgeologicaltheorytoaccountfortheexistenceofsuchanexcavation.
Hadthecoolingoftheglobeproducedit?
Iknewofcelebratedcavernsfromthedescriptionsoftravellers,buthadneverheardofanyofsuchdimensionsasthis.
IfthegrottoofGuachara,inColombia,visitedbyHumboldt,hadnotgivenupthewholeofthesecretofitsdepthtothephilosopher,whoinvestigatedittothedepthof2,500feet,itprobablydidnotextendmuchfarther.
TheimmensemammothcaveinKentuckyisofgiganticproportions,sinceitsvaultedroofrisesfivehundredfeet[1]abovethelevelofanunfathomablelakeandtravellershaveexploreditsramificationstotheextentoffortymiles.
ButwhatwerethesecavitiescomparedtothatinwhichIstoodwithwonderandadmiration,withitsskyofluminousvapours,itsburstsofelectriclight,andavastseafillingitsbed?
Myimaginationfellpowerlessbeforesuchimmensity.
Igazeduponthesewondersinsilence.Wordsfailedmetoexpressmyfeelings.
IfeltasifIwasinsomedistantplanetUranusorNeptune–andinthepresenceofphenomenaofwhichmyterrestrialexperiencegavemenocognisance.
Forsuchnovelsensations,newwordswerewanted;andmyimaginationfailedtosupplythem.
Igazed,Ithought,Iadmired,withastupefactionmingledwithacertainamountoffear.
Theunforeseennatureofthisspectaclebroughtbackthecolourtomycheeks.
Iwasunderanewcourseoftreatmentwiththeaidofastonishment,andmyconvalescencewaspromotedbythisnovelsystemoftherapeutics;besides,thedenseandbreezyairinvigoratedme,supplyingmoreoxygentomylungs.
Itwillbeeasilyconceivedthatafteranimprisonmentoffortysevendaysinanarrowgalleryitwastheheightofphysicalenjoymenttobreatheamoistairimpregnatedwithsalineparticles.
[1]Onehundredandtwenty.(Trans.)
Iwasdelightedtoleavemydarkgrotto.Myuncle,alreadyfamiliarwiththesewonders,hadceasedtofeelsurprise.
"Youfeelstrongenoughtowalkalittlewaynow?"heasked.
"Yes,certainly;andnothingcouldbemoredelightful."
"Well,takemyarm,Axel,andletusfollowthewindingsoftheshore."
Ieagerlyaccepted,andwebegantocoastalongthisnewsea.
Onthelefthugepyramidsofrock,piledoneuponanother,producedaprodigioustitaniceffect.
Downtheirsidesflowednumberlesswaterfalls,whichwentontheirwayinbrawlingbutpellucidstreams.
Afewlightvapours,leapingfromrocktorock,denotedtheplaceofhotsprings;andstreamsflowedsoftlydowntothecommonbasin,glidingdownthegentleslopeswithasoftermurmur.
AmongstthesestreamsIrecognisedourfaithfultravellingcompanion,theHansbach,comingtoloseitslittlevolumequietlyinthemightysea,justasifithaddonenothingelsesincethebeginningoftheworld.
"Weshallseeitnomore,"Isaid,withasigh.
"Whatmatters,"repliedthephilosopher,"whetherthisoranotherservestoguideus?"
Ithoughthimratherungrateful.
Butatthatmomentmyattentionwasdrawntoanunexpectedsight.
Atadistanceoffivehundredpaces,attheturnofahighpromontory,appearedahigh,tufted,denseforest.
Itwascomposedoftreesofmoderateheight,formedlikeumbrellas,withexactgeometricaloutlines.
Thecurrentsofwindseemedtohavehadnoeffectupontheirshape,andinthemidstofthewindyblaststheystoodunmovedandfirm,justlikeaclumpofpetrifiedcedars.
Ihastenedforward.Icouldnotgiveanynametothesesingularcreations.
Weretheysomeofthetwohundredthousandspeciesofvegetablesknownhitherto,anddidtheyclaimaplaceoftheirowninthelacustrineflora?
No;whenwearrivedundertheirshademysurpriseturnedintoadmiration.
Therestoodbeforemeproductionsofearth,butofgiganticstature,whichmyuncleimmediatelynamed.
"Itisonlyaforestofmushrooms,"saidhe.
Andhewasright.Imaginethelargedevelopmentattainedbytheseplants,whichpreferawarm,moistclimate.
IknewthattheLycopodongiganteumattains,accordingtoBulliard,acircumferenceofeightorninefeet;butherewerepalemushrooms,thirtytofortyfeethigh,andcrownedwithacapofequaldiameter.Theretheystoodinthousands.
Nolightcouldpenetratebetweentheirhugecones,andcompletedarknessreignedbeneaththosegiants;theyformedsettlementsofdomesplacedinclosearrayliketheround,thatchedroofsofacentralAfricancity.
YetIwantedtopenetratefartherunderneath,thoughachillfelluponmeassoonasIcameunderthosecellularvaults.
Forhalfanhourwewanderedfromsidetosideinthedampshades,anditwasacomfortableandpleasantchangetoarriveoncemoreupontheseashore.
Butthesubterraneanvegetationwasnotconfinedtothesefungi.
Fartheronrosegroupsoftalltreesofcolourlessfoliageandeasytorecognise.
Theywerelowlyshrubsofearth,hereattaininggiganticsize;lycopodiums,ahundredfeethigh;thehugesigillaria,foundinourcoalmines;treeferns,astallasourfir–treesinnorthernlatitudes;lepidodendra,withcylindricalforkedstems,terminatedbylongleaves,andbristlingwithroughhairslikethoseofthecactus.
"Wonderful,magnificent,splendid!"criedmyuncle.
"Hereistheentirefloraofthesecondperiodoftheworld–thetransitionperiod.
These,humblegardenplantswithus,weretalltreesintheearlyages.Look,Axel,andadmireitall.
Neverhadbotanistsuchafeastasthis!"
"Youareright,myuncle.Providenceseemstohavepreservedinthisimmenseconservatorytheantediluvianplantswhichthewisdomofphilosophershassosagaciouslyputtogetheragain."
"Itisaconservatory,Axel;butisitnotalsoamenagerie?"
"Surelynotamenagerie!"
"Yes;nodoubtofit.Lookatthatdustunderyourfeet;seethebonesscatteredontheground."
"Sothereare!"Icried;"bonesofextinctanimals."
Ihadrushedupontheseremains,formedofindestructiblephosphatesoflime,andwithouthesitationInamedthesemonstrousbones,whichlayscatteredaboutlikedecayedtrunksoftrees.
"Hereisthelowerjawofamastodon,"[1]Isaid.
"Thesearethemolarteethofthedeinotherium;thisfemurmusthavebelongedtothegreatestofthosebeasts,themegatherium.
Itcertainlyisamenagerie,fortheseremainswerenotbroughtherebyadeluge.
Theanimalstowhichtheybelongedroamedontheshoresofthissubterraneansea,undertheshadeofthosearborescenttrees.Hereareentireskeletons.
AndyetIcannotunderstandtheappearanceofthesequadrupedsinagranitecavern."
[1]Theseanimalsbelongedtoalategeologicalperiod,thePliocene,justbeforetheglacialepoch,andthereforecouldhavenoconnectionwiththecarboniferousvegetation.(Trans.)
"Why?"
"Becauseanimallifeexistedupontheearthonlyinthesecondaryperiod,whenasedimentofsoilhadbeendepositedbytherivers,andtakentheplaceoftheincandescentrocksoftheprimitiveperiod."
"Well,Axel,thereisaverysimpleanswertoyourobjectionthatthissoilisalluvial."
"What!atsuchadepthbelowthesurfaceoftheearth?"
"Nodoubt;andthereisageologicalexplanationofthefact.
Atacertainperiodtheearthconsistedonlyofanelasticcrustorbark,alternatelyactedonbyforcesfromaboveorbelow,accordingtothelawsofattractionandgravitation.
Probablythereweresubsidencesoftheoutercrust,whenaportionofthesedimentarydepositswascarrieddownsuddenopenings."
"Thatmaybe,"Ireplied;"butiftherehavebeencreaturesnowextinctintheseundergroundregions,whymaynotsomeofthosemonstersbenowroamingthroughthesegloomyforests,orhiddenbehindthesteepcrags?"
Andasthisunpleasantnotiongotholdofme,Isurveyedwithanxiousscrutinytheopenspacesbeforeme;butnolivingcreatureappeareduponthebarrenstrand.
Ifeltrathertired,andwenttositdownattheendofapromontory,atthefootofwhichthewavescameandbeatthemselvesintospray.
Thencemyeyecouldsweepeverypartofthebay;withinitsextremityalittleharbourwasformedbetweenthepyramidalcliffs,wherethestillwaterssleptuntouchedbytheboisterouswinds.
Abrigandtwoorthreeschoonersmighthavemooredwithinitinsafety.
IalmostfanciedIshouldpresentlyseesomeshipissuefromit,fullsail,andtaketotheopenseaunderthesouthernbreeze.
Butthisillusionlastedaveryshorttime.
Weweretheonlylivingcreaturesinthissubterraneanworld.
Whenthewindlulled,adeepersilencethanthatofthedesertsfelluponthearid,nakedrocks,andweigheduponthesurfaceoftheocean.
Ithendesiredtopiercethedistanthaze,andtorendasunderthemysteriouscurtainthathungacrossthehorizon.Anxiousqueriesarosetomylips.Wheredidthatseaterminate?Wherediditleadto?
Shouldweeverknowanythingaboutitsoppositeshores?
Myunclemadenodoubtaboutitatall;Ibothdesiredandfeared.
Afterspendinganhourinthecontemplationofthismarvellousspectacle,wereturnedtotheshoretoregainthegrotto,andIfellasleepinthemidstofthestrangestthoughts.
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