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Yes:ourcompasswasnolongeraguide;theneedleflewfrompoletopolewithakindoffrenziedimpulse;itranroundthedial,andspunhitherandthitherasifitweregiddyorintoxicated.
Iknewquitewellthataccordingtothebestreceivedtheoriesthemineralcoveringoftheglobeisneveratabsoluterest;thechangesbroughtaboutbythechemicaldecompositionofitscomponentparts,theagitationcausedbygreatliquidtorrents,andthemagneticcurrents,arecontinuallytendingtodisturbit–evenwhenlivingbeingsuponitssurfacemayfancythatallisquietbelow.
Aphenomenonofthiskindwouldnothavegreatlyalarmedme,oratanyrateitwouldnothavegivenrisetodreadfulapprehensions.
Butotherfacts,othercircumstances,ofapeculiarnature,cametorevealtomebydegreesthetruestateofthecase.
Therecameincessantandcontinuousexplosions.
Icouldonlycomparethemtotheloudrattleofalongtrainofchariotsdrivenatfullspeedoverthestones,oraroarofunintermittingthunder.
Thenthedisorderedcompass,thrownoutofgearbytheelectriccurrents,confirmedmeinagrowingconviction.
Themineralcrustoftheglobethreatenedtoburstup,thegranitefoundationstocometogetherwithacrash,thefissurethroughwhichwewerehelplesslydrivenwouldbefilledup,thevoidwouldbefullofcrushedfragmentsofrock,andwepoorwretchedmortalsweretobeburiedandannihilatedinthisdreadfulconsummation.
"Myuncle,"Icried,"wearelostnow,utterlylost!"
"Whatareyouinafrightaboutnow?"wasthecalmrejoinder."Whatisthematterwithyou?"
"Thematter?Lookatthosequakingwalls!lookatthoseshiveringrocks.Don'tyoufeeltheburningheat?
Don'tyouseehowthewaterboilsandbubbles?
Areyoublindtothedensevapoursandsteamgrowingthickeranddensereveryminute?Seethisagitatedcompassneedle.
Itisanearthquakethatisthreateningus."
Myundauntedunclecalmlyshookhishead.
"Doyouthink,"saidhe,"anearthquakeiscoming?"
"Ido."
"Well,Ithinkyouaremistaken."
"What!don'tyourecognisethesymptoms?"
"Ofanearthquake?no!Iamlookingoutforsomethingbetter."
"Whatcanyoumean?Explain?"
"Itisaneruption,Axel."
"Aneruption!Doyoumeantoaffirmthatwearerunninguptheshaftofavolcano?"
"Ibelieveweare,"saidtheindomitableProfessorwithanairofperfectself–possession;"anditisthebestthingthatcouldpossiblyhappentousunderourcircumstances."
Thebestthing!Wasmyunclestarkmad?Whatdidthemanmean?andwhatwastheuseofsayingfacetiousthingsatatimelikethis?
"What!"Ishouted."Arewebeingtakenupinaneruption?
Ourfatehasflungushereamongburninglavas,moltenrocks,boilingwaters,andallkindsofvolcanicmatter;wearegoingtobepitchedout,expelled,tossedup,vomited,spitouthighintotheair,alongwithfragmentsofrock,showersofashesandscoria,inthemidstofatoweringrushofsmokeandflames;anditisthebestthingthatcouldhappentous!"
"Yes,"repliedtheProfessor,eyeingmeoverhisspectacles,"Idon'tseeanyotherwayofreachingthesurfaceoftheearth."
Ipassrapidlyoverthethousandideaswhichpassedthroughmymind.
Myunclewasright,undoubtedlyright;andneverhadheseemedtomemoredaringandmoreconfirmedinhisnotionsthanatthismomentwhenhewascalmlycontemplatingthechancesofbeingshotoutofavolcano!
Inthemeantimeupwewent;thenightpassedawayincontinualascent;thedinanduproararoundusbecamemoreandmoreintensified;Iwasstifledandstunned;Ithoughtmylasthourwasapproaching;andyetimaginationissuchastrongthingthateveninthissupremehourIwasoccupiedwithstrangeandalmostchildishspeculations.
ButIwasthevictim,notthemaster,ofmyownthoughts.
Itwasveryevidentthatwewerebeinghurriedupwarduponthecrestofawaveoferuption;beneathourraftwereboilingwaters,andunderthesethemoresluggishlavawasworkingitswayupinaheatedmass,togetherwithshoalsoffragmentsofrockwhich,whentheyarrivedatthecrater,wouldbedispersedinalldirectionshighandlow.
Wewereimprisonedintheshaftorchimneyofsomevolcano.Therewasnoroomtodoubtofthat.
Butthistime,insteadofSnaefell,anextinctvolcano,wewereinsideoneinfullactivity.Iwondered,therefore,wherecouldthismountainbe,andinwhatpartoftheworldweweretobeshotout.
Imadenodoubtbutthatitwouldbeinsomenorthernregion.
Beforeitsdisorderssetin,theneedlehadneverdeviatedfromthatdirection.
FromCapeSaknussemmwehadbeencarriedduenorthforhundredsofleagues.WereweunderIcelandagain?
WerewedestinedtobethrownupoutofHecla,orbywhichofthesevenotherfierycratersinthatisland?
WithinaradiusoffivehundredleaguestothewestIrememberedunderthisparalleloflatitudeonlytheimperfectlyknownvolcanoesofthenorth–eastcoastofAmerica.
Totheeasttherewasonlyoneinthe80thdegreeofnorthlatitude,theEskinJanMayenIsland,notfarfromSpitzbergen!
Certainlytherewasnolackofcraters,andthereweresomecapaciousenoughtothrowoutawholearmy!
ButIwantedtoknowwhichofthemwastoserveusforanexitfromtheinnerworld.
Towardsmorningtheascendingmovementbecameaccelerated.
Iftheheatincreased,insteadofdiminishing,asweapproachednearertothesurfaceoftheglobe,thiseffectwasduetolocalcausesalone,andthosevolcanic.
Themannerofourlocomotionleftnodoubtinmymind.
Anenormousforce,aforceofhundredsofatmospheres,generatedbytheextremepressureofconfinedvapours,wasdrivingusirresistiblyforward.
Buttowhatnumberlessdangersitexposedus!
Soonluridlightsbegantopenetratetheverticalgallerywhichwidenedaswewentup.
RightandleftIcouldseedeepchannels,likehugetunnels,outofwhichescapeddensevolumesofsmoke;tonguesoffirelappedthewalls,whichcrackledandsputteredundertheintenseheat.
"See,see,myuncle!"Icried.
"Well,thoseareonlysulphureousflamesandvapours,whichonemustexpecttoseeinaneruption.Theyarequitenatural."
"Butsupposetheyshouldwrapusround."
"Buttheywon'twrapusround."
"Butweshallbestifled."
"Weshall,notbestifledatall.Thegalleryiswidening,andifitbecomesnecessary,weshallabandontheraft,andcreepintoacrevice."
"Butthewater–therisingwater?"
"Thereisnomorewater,Axel;onlyalavapaste,whichisbearingusuponitssurfacetothetopofthecrater."
Theliquidcolumnhadindeeddisappeared,togiveplacetodenseandstillboilingeruptivematterofallkinds.
Thetemperaturewasbecomingunbearable.
Athermometerexposedtothisatmospherewouldhavemarked150°.Theperspirationstreamedfrommybody.
Butfortherapidityofourascentweshouldhavebeensuffocated.
ButtheProfessorgaveuphisideaofabandoningtheraft,anditwaswellhedid.Howeverroughlyjoinedtogether,thoseplanksaffordedusafirmersupportthanwecouldhavefoundanywhereelse.
Abouteightinthemorninganewincidentoccurred.Theupwardmovementceased.Theraftlaymotionless.
"Whatisthis?"Iasked,shakenbythissuddenstoppageasifbyashock.
"Itisahalt,"repliedmyuncle.
"Istheeruptionchecked?"Iasked.
"Ihopenot."
Irose,andtriedtolookaroundme.Perhapstheraftitself,stoppedinitscoursebyaprojection,wasstayingthevolcanictorrent.
Ifthiswerethecaseweshouldhavetoreleaseitassoonaspossible.
Butitwasnotso.Theblastofashes,scorix,andrubbishhadceasedtorise.
"Hastheeruptionstopped?"Icried.
"Ah!"saidmyunclebetweenhisclenchedteeth,"youareafraid.
Butdon'talarmyourself–thislullcannotlastlong.
Ithaslastednowfiveminutes,andinashorttimeweshallresumeourjourneytothemouthofthecrater."
Ashespoke,theProfessorcontinuedtoconsulthischronometer,andhewasagainrightinhisprognostications.
Theraftwassoonhurriedanddrivenforwardwitharapidbutirregularmovement,whichlastedabouttenminutes,andthenstoppedagain.
"Verygood,"saidmyuncle;"intenminutesmoreweshallbeoffagain,forourpresentbusinesslieswithanintermittentvolcano.Itgivesustimenowandthentotakebreath."
Thiswasperfectlytrue.Whenthetenminuteswereoverwestartedoffagainwithrenewedandincreasedspeed.
Wewereobligedtolayfastholdoftheplanksoftheraft,nottobethrownoff.Thenagaintheparoxysmwasover.
Ihavesincereflecteduponthissingularphenomenonwithoutbeingabletoexplainit.
Atanyrateitwasclearthatwewerenotinthemainshaftofthevolcano,butinalateralgallerywheretherewerefeltrecurrenttunesofreaction.
HowoftenthisoperationwasrepeatedIcannotsay.
AllIknowis,thatateachfreshimpulsewewerehurledforwardwithagreatlyincreasedforce,andweseemedasifweweremereprojectiles.
Duringtheshorthaltswewerestifledwiththeheat;whilstwewerebeingprojectedforwardthehotairalmoststoppedmybreath.
Ithoughtforamomenthowdelightfulitwouldbetofindmyselfcarriedsuddenlyintothearcticregions,withacold30°belowthefreezingpoint.
Myoverheatedbrainconjuredupvisionsofwhiteplainsofcoolsnow,whereImightrollandallaymyfeverishheat.
Littlebylittlemybrain,weakenedbysomanyconstantlyrepeatedshocks,seemedtobegivingwayaltogether.
ButforthestrongarmofHansIshouldmorethanoncehavehadmyheadbrokenagainstthegraniteroofofourburningdungeon.
Ihavethereforenoexactrecollectionofwhattookplaceduringthefollowinghours.
Ihaveaconfusedimpressionleftofcontinuousexplosions,louddetonations,ageneralshakingoftherocksallaroundus,andofaspinningmovementwithwhichourraftwasoncewhirledhelplesslyround.
Itrockeduponthelavatorrent,amidstadensefallofashes.
Snortingflamesdartedtheirfierytonguesatus.
Therewerewild,fiercepuffsofstormywindfrombelow,resemblingtheblastsofvastironfurnacesblowingallatonetime;andIcaughtaglimpseofthefigureofHanslightedupbythefire;andallthefeelingIhadleftwasjustwhatIimaginemustbethefeelingofanunhappycriminaldoomedtobeblownawayalivefromthemouthofacannon,justbeforethetriggerispulled,andtheflyinglimbsandragsoffleshandskinfillthequiveringairandspattertheblood–stainedground.
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