Whenitpliedmoreheavilytraveledseas,weoftensawwreckedhullsrottinginmidwater,andfartherdown,cannons,shells,anchors,chains,andathousandotherironobjectsrustingaway.
Meanwhile,continuouslysweptalongbytheNautilus,wherewelivedinnearisolation,weraisedtheTuamotuIslandsonDecember11,thatold"dangerousgroup"associatedwiththeFrenchglobalnavigatorCommanderBougainville;itstretchesfromDucieIslandtoLazareffIslandoveranareaof500leaguesfromtheeast–southeasttothewest–northwest,betweenlatitude13°30'and23°50'south,andbetweenlongitude125°30'and151°30'west.
Thisislandgroupcoversasurfaceareaof370squareleagues,andit'smadeupofsomesixtysubgroups,amongwhichwenotedtheGambiergroup,whichisaFrenchprotectorate.Theseislandsarecoralformations.
Lateron,thisnewislandwillbefusedtoitsneighboringislandgroups,andafifthcontinentwillstretchfromNewZealandandNewCaledoniaasfarastheMarquesasIslands.
Sailors'luckledtheNautilusstraighttoReaoIsland,oneofthemostunusualinthisgroup,whichwasdiscoveredin1822byCaptainBellaboardtheMinerva.
Madrepores,whichonemustguardagainstconfusingwithpreciouscoral,clothetheirtissueinalimestonecrust,andtheirvariationsinstructurehaveledmyfamousmentorProfessorMilne–Edwardstoclassifythemintofivedivisions.
Insomeplaces,theyformatolls,acircularringsurroundingalagoonorsmallinnerlakethatgapsplaceincontactwiththesea.
Elsewhere,theytaketheshapeofbarrierreefs,suchasthosethatexistalongthecoastsofNewCaledoniaandseveraloftheTuamotuIslands.
Instillotherlocalities,suchasRéunionIslandandtheislandofMauritius,theybuildfringingreefs,high,straightwallsnexttowhichtheocean'sdepthisconsiderable.
WhilecruisingalongonlyafewcablelengthsfromtheunderpinningofReaoIsland,Imarveledatthegiganticpieceofworkaccomplishedbythesemicroscopiclaborers.
Thesewallsweretheexpressachievementsofmadreporesknownbythenamesfirecoral,fingercoral,starcoral,andstonycoral.
Thesepolypsgrowexclusivelyintheagitatedstrataatthesurfaceofthesea,andsoit'sintheupperreachesthattheybeginthesesubstructures,whichsinklittlebylittletogetherwiththesecretedrubblebindingthem.
This,atleast,isthetheoryofMr.CharlesDarwin,whothusexplainstheformationofatolls—atheorysuperior,inmyview,totheonethatsaysthesemadreporicedificessitonthesummitsofmountainsorvolcanoessubmergedafewfeetbelowsealevel.
Icouldobservethesestrangewallsquiteclosely:oursoundinglinesindicatedthattheydroppedperpendicularlyformorethan300meters,andourelectricbeamsmadethebrightlimestonepositivelysparkle.
InreplytoaquestionConseilaskedmeaboutthegrowthrateofthesecolossalbarriers,Ithoroughlyamazedhimbysayingthatscientistsputitataneighthofaninchperbiennium.
What'smore,theformationofcoal—inotherwords,thepetrificationofforestsswallowedbyfloods—andthecoolingofbasalticrockslikewisecallforamuchlongerperiodoftime.
Imightaddthatthose'days'intheBiblemustrepresentwholeepochsandnotliterallythelapseoftimebetweentwosunrises,becauseaccordingtotheBibleitself,thesundoesn'tdatefromthefirstdayofCreation."
Oneday,carriedoffbyahurricanefromneighboringshores,someseedfellontotheselimestonebeds,mixingwithdecomposedparticlesoffishandmarineplantstoformvegetablehumus.
Tinyanimals—worms,insects—rodeashoreontreetrunkssnatchedfromislandstowindward.Turtlescametolaytheireggs.Birdsnestedintheyoungtrees.
AftertouchingtheTropicofCapricornatlongitude135°,itheadedwest–northwest,goingbackupthewholeintertropicalzone.
Althoughthesummersunlavisheditsraysonus,weneversufferedfromtheheat,becausethirtyorfortymetersunderwater,thetemperaturedidn'tgoover10°to12°centigrade.
Itswaterssuppliedexcellentfishforthetablesonboard:mackerel,bonito,albacore,andafewvarietiesofthatseaserpentnamedthemorayeel.
TheNautilushadcleared8,100miles.Welogged9,720mileswhenwepassedbetweentheTongaIslands,wherecrewsfromtheArgo,Port–au–Prince,andDukeofPortlandhadperished,andtheislandgroupofSamoa,sceneoftheslayingofCaptaindeLangle,friendofthatlong–lostnavigator,theCountdeLaPérouse.
ThenweraisedtheFijiIslands,wheresavagesslaughteredsailorsfromtheUnion,aswellasCaptainBureau,commanderoftheDarlingJosephineoutofNantes,France.
Extendingoveranexpanseof100leaguesnorthtosouth,andover90leagueseasttowest,thisislandgroupliesbetweenlatitude2°and6°south,andbetweenlongitude174°and179°west.
Itconsistsofanumberofislands,islets,andreefs,amongwhichwenotedtheislandsofVitiLevu,VanuaLevu,andKadavu.
ItwastheDutchnavigatorTasmanwhodiscoveredthisgroupin1643,thesameyeartheItalianphysicistTorricelliinventedthebarometerandKingLouisXIVascendedtheFrenchthrone.
Cominglater,CaptainCookin1774,RearAdmirald'Entrecasteauxin1793,andfinallyCaptainDumontd'Urvillein1827,untangledthewholechaoticgeographyofthisislandgroup.
TheNautilusdrewnearWaileaBay,anunluckyplaceforEngland'sCaptainDillon,whowasthefirsttoshedlightonthelongstandingmysterysurroundingthedisappearanceofshipsundertheCountdeLaPérouse.
ThisWaileaoysterbankmusthavebeenextensive,andforcertain,iftheyhadn'tbeencontrolledbynumerousnaturalchecks,theseclustersofshellfishwouldhaveendedupjam–packingthebay,sinceasmanyas2,000,000eggshavebeencountedinasingleindividual.
AndifMr.NedLanddidnotrepentofhisgluttonyatouroysterfest,it'sbecauseoystersaretheonlydishthatnevercausesindigestion.
Infact,ittakesnolessthansixteendozenoftheseheadlessmolluskstosupplythe315gramsthatsatisfyoneman'sminimumdailyrequirementfornitrogen.
OnDecember25theNautilusnavigatedamidtheislandgroupoftheNewHebrides,whichthePortugueseseafarerQueirósdiscoveredin1606,whichCommanderBougainvilleexploredin1768,andtowhichCaptainCookgaveitscurrentnamein1773.
Thisgroupischieflymadeupofninelargeislandsandformsa120–leaguestripfromthenorth–northwesttothesouth–southeast,lyingbetweenlatitude2°and15°south,andbetweenlongitude164°and168°.
Atthemomentofournoonsights,wepassedfairlyclosetotheislandofAurou,whichlookedtomelikeamassofgreenwoodscrownedbyapeakofgreatheight.
Thatdayitwasyuletide,anditstruckmethatNedLandbadlymissedcelebrating"Christmas,"thatgenuinefamilyholidaywhereProtestantsaresuchzealots.
Ihadn'tseenCaptainNemoforoveraweek,when,onthemorningofthe27th,heenteredthemainlounge,asusualactingasifhe'dbeengoneforjustfiveminutes.
Thisnamewasmagic!ItwasthenameofthoseisletswherevesselsundertheCountdeLaPérousehadmiscarried.Istraightenedsuddenly.
Inthenortheastthereemergedtwovolcanicislandsofunequalsize,surroundedbyacoralreefwhosecircuitmeasuredfortymiles.
WewerefacingtheislandofVanikoroproper,towhichCaptainDumontd'Urvillehadgiventhename"IslandoftheSearch";welayrightinfrontofthelittleharborofVana,locatedinlatitude16°4'southandlongitude164°32'east.
Itsshoresseemedcoveredwithgreeneryfromitsbeachestoitssummitsinland,crownedbyMt.Kapogo,whichis476fathomshigh.
Afterclearingtheouterbeltofrocksviaanarrowpassageway,theNautiluslayinsidethebreakerswheretheseahadadepthofthirtytofortyfathoms.
Underthegreenshadeofsometropicalevergreens,Ispottedafewsavageswholookedextremelystartledatourapproach.
Inthislong,blackishobjectadvancingflushwiththewater,didn'ttheyseesomefearsomecetaceanthattheywereobligedtoviewwithdistrust?
IrelatedtohimwhatthefinaldeedsofCaptainDumontd'Urvillehadbroughttolight,deedsdescribedhereinthisheavilycondensedsummaryofthewholematter.
In1785theCountdeLaPérouseandhissubordinate,CaptaindeLangle,weresentbyKingLouisXVIofFranceonavoyagetocircumnavigatetheglobe.
In1791,justlyconcernedaboutthefateofthesetwosloopsofwar,theFrenchgovernmentfittedouttwolargecargoboats,theSearchandtheHope,whichleftBrestonSeptember28underordersfromRearAdmiralBrunid'Entrecasteaux.
Twomonthslater,testimonyfromacertainCommanderBowen,aboardtheAlbemarle,allegedthatrubblefromshipwreckedvesselshadbeenseenonthecoastofNewGeorgia.
Butd'Entrecasteauxwasunawareofthisnews—whichseemedabitdubiousanyhow—andheadedtowardtheAdmiraltyIslands,whichhadbeennamedinareportbyoneCaptainHunterasthesiteoftheCountdeLaPérouse'sshipwreck.
Theylookedinvain.TheHopeandtheSearchpassedrightbyVanikorowithoutstoppingthere;andoverall,thisvoyagewasplaguedbymisfortune,ultimatelycostingthelivesofRearAdmirald'Entrecasteaux,twoofhissubordinateofficers,andseveralseamenfromhiscrew.
ItwasanoldhandatthePacific,theEnglishadventurerCaptainPeterDillon,whowasthefirsttopickupthetrailleftbycastawaysfromthewreckedvessels.
ThereanativeboatmanpulledalongsideinadugoutcanoeandsoldDillonasilverswordhiltbearingtheimprintofcharactersengravedwithacuttingtoolknownasaburin.
Furthermore,thisnativeboatmanclaimedthatduringastayinVanikorosixyearsearlier,hehadseentwoEuropeansbelongingtoshipsthathadrunagroundontheisland'sreefsmanyyearsbefore.
DillonguessedthattheshipsatissuewerethoseundertheCountdeLaPérouse,shipswhosedisappearancehadshakentheentireworld.
HetriedtoreachVanikoro,where,accordingtothenativeboatman,agooddealofrubblefromtheshipwreckcouldstillbefound,butwindsandcurrentspreventedhisdoingso.
DillonreturnedtoCalcutta.TherehewasabletointeresttheAsiaticSocietyandtheEastIndiaCompanyinhisdiscovery.
AshipnamedaftertheSearchwasplacedathisdisposal,andhedepartedonJanuary23,1827,accompaniedbyaFrenchdeputy.
ThisnewSearch,afterputtinginatseveralstopsoverthePacific,droppedanchorbeforeVanikoroonJuly7,1827,inthesameharborofVanawheretheNautiluswascurrentlyfloating.
ThereDilloncollectedmanyrelicsoftheshipwreck:ironutensils,anchors,eyeletsfrompulleys,swivelguns,aneighteen–poundshell,theremainsofsomeastronomicalinstruments,apieceofsternrail,andabronzebellbearingtheinscription"MadebyBazin,"thefoundrymarkatBrestArsenalaround1785.Therecouldnolongerbeanydoubt.
ThenheleftVanikoro,headedtowardNewZealand,droppedanchoratCalcuttaonApril7,1828,andreturnedtoFrance,wherehereceivedaverycordialwelcomefromKingCharlesX.
ButjustthentherenownedFrenchexplorerCaptainDumontd'Urville,unawareofDillon'sactivities,hadalreadysetsailtosearchelsewhereforthesiteoftheshipwreck.
Inessence,awhalingvesselhadreportedthatsomemedalsandaCrossofSt.LouishadbeenfoundinthehandsofsavagesintheLouisiadeIslandsandNewCaledonia.
SoCaptainDumontd'UrvillehadputtoseaincommandofavesselnamedaftertheAstrolabe,andjusttwomonthsafterDillonhadleftVanikoro,Dumontd'UrvilledroppedanchorbeforeHobart.
ThereheheardaboutDillon'sfindings,andhefurtherlearnedthatacertainJamesHobbs,chiefofficerontheUnionoutofCalcutta,hadputtoshoreonanislandlocatedinlatitude8°18'southandlongitude156°30'east,andhadnotedthenativesofthosewaterwaysmakinguseofironbarsandredfabrics.
Prettyperplexed,Dumontd'Urvilledidn'tknowifheshouldgivecredencetothesereports,whichhadbeencarriedinsomeofthelessreliablenewspapers;nevertheless,hedecidedtostartonDillon'strail.
OnFebruary10,1828,thenewAstrolabehovebeforeTikopiaIsland,tookonaguideandinterpreterinthepersonofadeserterwhohadsettledthere,pliedacoursetowardVanikoro,raiseditonFebruary12,sailedalongitsreefsuntilthe14th,andonlyonthe20thdroppedanchorinsideitsbarrierintheharborofVana.
Thisrathershadyconductarousedthesuspicionthatthenativeshadmistreatedthecastaways;andintruth,thenativesseemedafraidthatDumontd'UrvillehadcometoavengetheCountdeLaPérouseandhisunfortunatecompanions.
Butonthe26th,appeasedwithgiftsandseeingthattheydidn'tneedtofearanyreprisals,thenativesledthechiefofficer,Mr.Jacquinot,tothesiteoftheshipwreck.
Atthislocation,inthreeorfourfathomsofwaterbetweenthePaeuandVanareefs,therelaysomeanchors,cannons,andingotsofironandlead,allcakedwithlimestoneconcretions.
AlaunchandwhaleboatfromthenewAstrolabeweresteeredtothislocality,andaftergoingtoexhaustinglengths,theircrewsmanagedtodredgeupananchorweighing1,800pounds,acast–ironeight–poundercannon,aleadingot,andtwocopperswivelguns.
Questioningthenatives,CaptainDumontd'UrvillealsolearnedthatafterLaPérouse'stwoshipshadmiscarriedontheisland'sreefs,thecounthadbuiltasmallercraft,onlytogooffandmiscarryasecondtime.Where?Nobodyknew.
ThecommanderofthenewAstrolabethenhadamonumenterectedunderatuftofmangrove,inmemoryofthefamousnavigatorandhiscompanions.
ThenDumontd'Urvilletriedtodepart;buthiscrewswererundownfromthefeversragingontheseunsanitaryshores,andquiteillhimself,hewasunabletoweighanchoruntilMarch17.
Meanwhile,fearingthatDumontd'Urvillewasn'tabreastofDillon'sactivities,theFrenchgovernmentsentasloopofwartoVanikoro,theBayonnaiseunderCommanderLegoarantdeTromelin,whohadbeenstationedontheAmericanwestcoast.
DroppinganchorbeforeVanikoroafewmonthsafterthenewAstrolabe'sdeparture,theBayonnaisedidn'tfindanyadditionalevidencebutverifiedthatthesavageshadn'tdisturbedthememorialhonoringtheCountdeLaPérouse.
"So,"hesaidtome,"thecastawaysbuiltathirdshiponVanikoroIsland,andtothisday,nobodyknowswhereitwentandperished?"
CaptainNemodidn'treplybutsignaledmetofollowhimtothemainlounge.TheNautilussankafewmetersbeneaththewaves,andthepanelsopened.
Irushedtothewindowandsawcrustsofcoral:funguscoral,siphonulacoral,alcyoncoral,seaanemonefromthegenusCaryophylia,plusmyriadsofcharmingfishincludinggreenfish,damselfish,sweepers,snappers,andsquirrelfish;underneaththiscoralcoveringIdetectedsomerubbletheolddredgeshadn'tbeenabletotearfree—ironstirrups,anchors,cannons,shells,tacklefromacapstan,astempost,allobjectshailingfromthewreckedshipsandnowcarpetedinmovingflowers.
HedroppedanchorfirstatBotanyBay,visitedtheTongaIslandsandNewCaledonia,headedtowardtheSantaCruzIslands,andputinatNomuka,oneoftheislandsintheHa'apaigroup.
TheyheadedtotheSolomonIslands,andtheyperishedwithallhandsonthewesterlycoastofthechiefislandinthatgroup,betweenCapeDeceptionandCapeSatisfaction!"
CaptainNemoshowedmeatinbox,stampedwiththecoatofarmsofFranceandallcorrodedbysaltwater.HeopeneditandIsawabundleofpapers,yellowedbutstilllegible.
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