English
OnJanuary28,inlatitude9°4'north,whentheNautilusreturnedatnoontothesurfaceofthesea,itlayinsightoflandsomeeightmilestothewest.
Rightoff,Iobservedaclusterofmountainsabout2,000feethigh,whoseshapeswereverywhimsicallysculpted.
Afterourpositionfix,Ireenteredthelounge,andwhenourbearingswerereportedonthechart,IsawthatwewereofftheislandofCeylon,thatpearldanglingfromthelowerlobeoftheIndianpeninsula.
Iwentlookinginthelibraryforabookaboutthisisland,oneofthemostfertileintheworld.
Sureenough,IfoundavolumeentitledCeylonandtheSinghalesebyH.C.Sirr,Esq.
Reenteringthelounge,IfirstnotedthebearingsofCeylon,onwhichantiquitylavishedsomanydifferentnames.
Itwaslocatedbetweenlatitude5°55'and9°49'north,andbetweenlongitude79°42'and82°4'eastofthemeridianofGreenwich;itslengthis275miles;itsmaximumwidth,150miles;itscircumference,900miles;itssurfacearea,24,448squaremiles,inotherwords,alittlesmallerthanthatofIreland.
JustthenCaptainNemoandhischiefofficerappeared.
Thecaptainglancedatthechart.Then,turningtome:
"TheislandofCeylon,"hesaid,"isfamousforitspearlfisheries.Wouldyoubeinterested,ProfessorAronnax,invisitingoneofthosefisheries?"
"Certainly,Captain."
"Fine.It'seasilydone.
Only,whenweseethefisheries,we'llseenofishermen.Theannualharvesthasn'tyetbegun.Nomatter.
I'llgiveorderstomakefortheGulfofMannar,andwe'llarrivetherelatetonight."
Thecaptainsaidafewwordstohischiefofficerwhowentoutimmediately.
SoontheNautilusreentereditsliquidelement,andthepressuregaugeindicatedthatitwasstayingatadepthofthirtyfeet.
Withthechartundermyeyes,IlookedfortheGulfofMannar.
Ifounditbythe9thparalleloffthenorthwesternshoresofCeylon.
ItwasformedbythelongcurveoflittleMannarIsland.
ToreachitwehadtogoallthewayupCeylon'swestcoast.
"Professor,"CaptainNemothentoldme,"therearepearlfisheriesintheBayofBengal,theseasoftheEastIndies,theseasofChinaandJapan,plusthoseseassouthoftheUnitedStates,theGulfofPanamaandtheGulfofCalifornia;butit'soffCeylonthatsuchfishingreapsitsrichestrewards.
Nodoubtwe'llbearrivingalittleearly.
FishermengatherintheGulfofMannaronlyduringthemonthofMarch,andforthirtydayssome300boatsconcentrateonthelucrativeharvestofthesetreasuresfromthesea.
Eachboatismannedbytenoarsmenandtenfishermen.
Thelatterdivideintotwogroups,diveinrotation,anddescendtoadepthoftwelvemeterswiththehelpofaheavystoneclutchedbetweentheirfeetandattachedbyaropetotheirboat."
"Youmean,"Isaid,"thatsuchprimitivemethodsarestillallthattheyuse?"
"All,"CaptainNemoansweredme,"althoughthesefisheriesbelongtothemostindustrializedpeopleintheworld,theEnglish,towhomtheTreatyofAmiensgrantedthemin1802."
"Yetitstrikesmethatdivingsuitslikeyourscouldperformyeomanserviceinsuchwork."
"Yes,sincethosepoorfishermencan'tstaylongunderwater.
OnhisvoyagetoCeylon,theEnglishmanPercivalmademuchofaKaffirwhostayedunderfiveminuteswithoutcominguptothesurface,butIfindthathardtobelieve.
Iknowthatsomediverscanlastuptofifty–sevenseconds,andhighlyskillfulonestoeighty–seven;butsuchmenarerare,andwhenthepoorfellowsclimbbackonboard,thewatercomingoutoftheirnosesandearsistintedwithblood.
Ibelievetheaveragetimeunderwaterthatthesefishermencantolerateisthirtyseconds,duringwhichtheyhastilystufftheirlittlenetswithallthepearloysterstheycantearloose.
Butthesefishermengenerallydon'tlivetoadvancedage:theirvisionweakens,ulcersbreakoutontheireyes,soresformontheirbodies,andsomeareevenstrickenwithapoplexyontheoceanfloor."
"Yes,"Isaid,"it'sasadoccupation,andonethatexistsonlytogratifythewhimsoffashion.Buttellme,Captain,howmanyoysterscanaboatfishupinaworkday?"
"About40,000to50,000.It'sevensaidthatin1814,whentheEnglishgovernmentwentfishingonitsownbehalf,itsdiversworkedjusttwentydaysandbroughtup76,000,000oysters."
"Atleast,"Iasked,"thefishermenarewellpaid,aren'tthey?"
"Hardly,professor.InPanamatheymakejust$1.00perweek.Inmostplacestheyearnonlyapennyforeachoysterthathasapearl,andtheybringupsomanythathavenone!"
"Onlyonepennytothosepoorpeoplewhomaketheiremployersrich!That'satrocious!"
"Onthatnote,professor,"CaptainNemotoldme,"youandyourcompanionswillvisittheMannaroysterbank,andifbychancesomeeagerfishermanarrivesearly,well,wecanwatchhimatwork."
"Thatsuitsme,captain."
"Bytheway,ProfessorAronnax,youaren'tafraidofsharks,areyou?"
"Sharks?"Iexclaimed.
Thisstruckmeasaprettyneedlessquestion,tosaytheleast.
"Well?"CaptainNemowenton.
"Iadmit,Captain,I'mnotyetonveryfamiliartermswiththatgenusoffish."
"We'reusedtothem,therestofus,"CaptainNemoanswered."Andintimeyouwillbetoo.
Anyhow,we'llbearmed,andonourwaywemighthuntaman–eaterortwo.It'safascinatingsport.
So,professor,I'llseeyoutomorrow,brightandearly."
Thissaidinacarefreetone,CaptainNemoleftthelounge.
Ifyou'reinvitedtohuntbearsintheSwissmountains,youmightsay:"Ohgood,Igettogobearhuntingtomorrow!"
Ifyou'reinvitedtohuntlionsontheAtlasplainsortigersinthejunglesofIndia,youmightsay:"Ha!
Now'smychancetohuntlionsandtigers!"
Butifyou'reinvitedtohuntsharksintheirnativeelement,youmightwanttothinkitoverbeforeaccepting.
Asforme,Ipassedahandovermybrow,wherebeadsofcoldsweatwerebusyforming.
"Let'sthinkthisover,"Isaidtomyself,"andlet'stakeourtime.
Huntingottersinunderwaterforests,aswedidintheforestsofCrespoIsland,isanacceptableactivity.
Buttoroamthebottomoftheseawhenyou'realmostcertaintomeetman–eatersintheneighborhood,that'sanotherstory!
Iknowthatincertaincountries,particularlytheAndamanIslands,Negroesdon'thesitatetoattacksharks,daggerinonehandandnooseintheother;butIalsoknowthatmanywhofacethosefearsomeanimalsdon'tcomebackalive.
Besides,I'mnotaNegro,andevenifIwereaNegro,inthisinstanceIdon'tthinkalittlehesitationonmypartwouldbeoutofplace."
AndthereIwas,fantasizingaboutsharks,envisioninghugejawsarmedwithmultiplerowsofteethandcapableofcuttingamaninhalf.
Icouldalreadyfeeladefinitepainaroundmypelvicgirdle.
AndhowIresentedtheoffhandmannerinwhichthecaptainhadextendedhisdeplorableinvitation!
Youwouldhavethoughtitwasanissueofgoingintothewoodsonsomeharmlessfoxhunt!
"Thankheavens!"Isaidtomyself."Conseilwillneverwanttocomealong,andthat'llbemyexcusefornotgoingwiththecaptain."
AsforNedLand,IadmitIfeltlessconfidentofhiswisdom.Danger,howevergreat,heldaperennialattractionforhisaggressivenature.
IwentbacktoreadingSirr'sbook,butIleafedthroughitmechanically.BetweenthelinesIkeptseeingfearsome,wide–openjaws.
JustthenConseilandtheCanadianenteredwithacalm,evengleefulair.Littledidtheyknowwhatwaswaitingforthem.
"Yegods,sir!"NedLandtoldme."YourCaptainNemo—thedeviltakehim—hasjustmadeusaverypleasantproposition!"
"Oh!"Isaid"Youknowabout—"
"Withallduerespecttomaster,"Conseilreplied,"theNautilus'scommanderhasinvitedus,togetherwithmaster,foravisittomorrowtoCeylon'smagnificentpearlfisheries.
Hedidsointhemostcordialtermsandconductedhimselflikeatruegentleman."
"Hedidn'ttellyouanythingelse?"
"Nothing,sir,"theCanadianreplied."Hesaidyou'dalreadydiscussedthislittlestroll."
"Indeed,"Isaid."Butdidn'thegiveyouanydetailson—"
"Notaone,Mr.Naturalist.Youwillbegoingwithus,right?"
"Me?Whyyes,certainly,ofcourse!Icanseethatyouliketheidea,Mr.Land."
"Yes!Itwillbeareallyunusualexperience!"
"Andpossiblydangerous!"Iaddedinaninsinuatingtone.
"Dangerous?"NedLandreplied."Asimpletriptoanoysterbank?"
Assuredly,CaptainNemohadn'tseenfittoplanttheideaofsharksinthemindsofmycompanions.
Formypart,Istaredatthemwithanxiouseyes,asiftheywerealreadymissingalimbortwo.ShouldIalertthem?
Yes,surely,butIhardlyknewhowtogoaboutit.
"Wouldmaster,"Conseilsaidtome,"giveussomebackgroundonpearlfishing?"
"Onthefishingitself?"Iasked."Orontheoccupationalhazardsthat—"
"Onthefishing,"theCanadianreplied."Beforewetackletheterrain,ithelpstobefamiliarwithit."
"Allright,sitdown,myfriends,andI'llteachyoueverythingImyselfhavejustbeentaughtbytheEnglishmanH.C.Sirr!"
NedandConseiltookseatsonacouch,andrightofftheCanadiansaidtome:
"Sir,justwhatisapearlexactly?"
"MygallantNed,"Ireplied,"forpoetsapearlisatearfromthesea;forOrientalsit'sadropofsolidifieddew;fortheladiesit'sajeweltheycanwearontheirfingers,necks,andearsthat'soblonginshape,glassyinluster,andformedfrommother–of–pearl;forchemistsit'samixtureofcalciumphosphateandcalciumcarbonatewithalittlegelatinprotein;andfinally,fornaturalistsit'sasimplefesteringsecretionfromtheorganthatproducesmother–of–pearlincertainbivalves."
"BranchMollusca,"Conseilsaid,"classAcephala,orderTestacea."
"Correct,myscholarlyConseil.Nowthen,thoseTestaceacapableofproducingpearlsincluderainbowabalone,turbosnails,giantclams,andsaltwaterscallops—briefly,allthosethatsecretemother–of–pearl,inotherwords,thatblue,azure,violet,orwhitesubstanceliningtheinsidesoftheirvalves."
"Aremusselsincludedtoo?"theCanadianasked.
"Yes!ThemusselsofcertainstreamsinScotland,Wales,Ireland,Saxony,Bohemia,andFrance."
"Good!"theCanadianreplied."Fromnowonwe'llpaycloserattentionto'em."
"But,"Iwenton,"forsecretingpearls,theidealmolluskisthepearloysterMeleagrinamargaritifera,thatvaluableshellfish.
Pearlsresultsimplyfrommother–of–pearlsolidifyingintoaglobularshape.
Eithertheysticktotheoyster'sshell,ortheybecomeembeddedinthecreature'sfolds.
Onthevalvesapearlsticksfast;onthefleshitliesloose.
Butitsnucleusisalwayssomesmall,hardobject,sayasterileeggoragrainofsand,aroundwhichthemother–of–pearlisdepositedinthin,concentriclayersoverseveralyearsinsuccession."
"Canonefindseveralpearlsinthesameoyster?"Conseilasked.
"Yes,myboy.Therearesomeshellfishthatturnintorealjewelcoffers.Theyevenmentiononeoyster,aboutwhichIremaindubious,thatsupposedlycontainedatleast150sharks."
"150sharks!"NedLandyelped.
"DidIsaysharks?"Iexclaimedhastily."Imeant150pearls.Sharkswouldn'tmakesense."
"Indeed,"Conseilsaid."Butwillmasternowtellushowonegoesaboutextractingthesepearls?"
"Oneproceedsinseveralways,andoftenwhenpearlssticktothevalves,fishermenevenpullthemloosewithpliers.
Butusuallytheshellfisharespreadoutonmatsmadefromtheespartograssthatcoversthebeaches.
Thustheydieintheopenair,andbytheendoftendaysthey'verottedsufficiently.
Nextthey'reimmersedinhugetanksofsaltwater,thenthey'reopenedupandwashed.
Atthispointthesortersbegintheirtwofoldtask.
Firsttheyremovethelayersofmother–of–pearl,whichareknownintheindustrybythenameslegitimatesilver,bastardwhite,orbastardblack,andtheseareshippedoutincasesweighing125to150kilograms.
Thentheyremovetheoyster'smeatytissue,boilit,andfinallystrainit,inordertoextracteventhesmallestpearls."
"Dothepricesofthesepearlsdifferdependingontheirsize?"Conseilasked.
"Notonlyontheirsize,"Ireplied,"butalsoaccordingtotheirshape,theirwater—inotherwords,theircolor—andtheirorient—inotherwords,thatdappled,shimmeringglowthatmakesthemsodelightfultotheeye.
Thefinestpearlsarecalledvirginpearls,orparagons;theyforminisolationwithinthemollusk'stissue.
They'rewhite,oftenopaquebutsometimesofopalescenttransparency,andusuallysphericalorpear–shaped.
Thesphericalonesaremadeintobracelets;thepear–shapedonesintoearrings,andsincethey'rethemostvaluable,they'repricedindividually.
Theotherpearlsthatsticktotheoyster'sshellaremoreerraticallyshapedandarepricedbyweight.
Finally,classedinthelowestorder,thesmallestpearlsareknownbythenameseedpearls;they'repricedbythemeasuringcupandareusedmainlyinthecreationofembroideryforchurchvestments."
"Butitmustbealong,hardjob,sortingoutthesepearlsbysize,"theCanadiansaid.
"No,myfriend.Thattaskisperformedwithelevenstrainers,orsieves,thatarepiercedwithdifferentnumbersofholes.
Thosepearlsstayinginthestrainerswithtwentytoeightyholesareinthefirstorder.
Thosenotslippingthroughthesievespiercedwith100to800holesareinthesecondorder.
Finally,thosepearlsforwhichoneusesstrainerspiercedwith900to1,000holesmakeuptheseedpearls."
"Howingenious,"Conseilsaid,"toreducedividingandclassifyingpearlstoamechanicaloperation.Andcouldmastertellustheprofitsbroughtinbyharvestingthesebanksofpearloysters?"
"AccordingtoSirr'sbook,"Ireplied,"theseCeylonfisheriesarefarmedannuallyforatotalprofitof3,000,000man–eaters."
"Francs!"Conseilrebuked.
"Yes,francs!3,000,000!"Iwenton.
"ButIdon'tthinkthesefisheriesbringinthereturnstheyoncedid.
Similarly,theCentralAmericanfisheriesusedtomakeanannualprofitof₣4,000,000duringthereignofKingCharlesV,butnowtheybringinonlytwo–thirdsofthatamount.
Allinall,it'sestimatedthat₣9,000,000isthecurrentyearlyreturnforthewholepearl–harvestingindustry."
"But,"Conseilasked,"haven'tcertainfamouspearlsbeenquotedatextremelyhighprices?"
"Yes,myboy.TheysayJuliusCaesargaveServiliaapearlworth₣120,000inourcurrency."
"I'veevenheardstories,"theCanadiansaid,"aboutsomeladyinancienttimeswhodrankpearlsinvinegar."
"Cleopatra,"Conseilshotback.
"Itmusthavetastedprettybad,"NedLandadded.
"Abominable,Nedmyfriend,"Conseilreplied."Butwhenalittleglassofvinegarisworth₣1,500,000,itstasteisasmallpricetopay."
"I'msorryIdidn'tmarrythegal,"theCanadiansaid,throwinguphishandswithanairofdiscouragement.
"NedLandmarriedtoCleopatra?"Conseilexclaimed.
"ButIwasallsettotietheknot,Conseil,"theCanadianrepliedinallseriousness,"anditwasn'tmyfaultthewholebusinessfellthrough.
Ievenboughtapearlnecklaceformyfiancée,KateTender,butshemarriedsomebodyelseinstead.
Well,thatnecklacecostmeonly$1.50,butyoucanabsolutelytrustmeonthis,professor,itspearlsweresobig,theywouldn'thavegonethroughthatstrainerwithtwentyholes."
"MygallantNed,"Ireplied,laughing,"thosewereartificialpearls,ordinaryglassbeadswhoseinsideswerecoatedwithEssenceofOrient."
"Wow!"theCanadianreplied."ThatEssenceofOrientmustsellforquitealargesum."
"Aslittleaszero!ItcomesfromthescalesofaEuropeancarp,it'snothingmorethanasilversubstancethatcollectsinthewaterandispreservedinammonia.It'sworthless."
"Maybethat'swhyKateTendermarriedsomebodyelse,"repliedMr.Landphilosophically.
"But,"Isaid,"gettingbacktopearlsofgreatvalue,Idon'tthinkanysovereigneverpossessedonesuperiortothepearlownedbyCaptainNemo."
"Thisone?"Conseilsaid,pointingtoamagnificentjewelinitsglasscase.
"Exactly.AndI'mcertainlynotfaroffwhenIestimateitsvalueat2,000,000...uh..."
"Francs!"Conseilsaidquickly.
"Yes,"Isaid,"₣2,000,000,andnodoubtallitcostourcaptainwastheefforttopickitup."
"Ha!"NedLandexclaimed."Duringourstrolltomorrow,whosayswewon'trunintoonejustlikeit?"
"Bah!"Conseilputin.
"Andwhynot?"
"WhatgoodwouldapearlworthmillionsdoushereontheNautilus?"
"Here,no,"NedLandsaid."Butelsewhere...."
"Oh!Elsewhere!"Conseilputin,shakinghishead.
"Infact,"Isaid,"Mr.Landisright.AndifweeverbroughtbacktoEuropeorAmericaapearlworthmillions,itwouldmakethestoryofouradventuresmoreauthentic—andmuchmorerewarding."
"That'showIseeit,"theCanadiansaid.
"But,"saidConseil,whoperpetuallyreturnedtothedidacticsideofthings,"isthispearlfishingeverdangerous?"
"No,"Irepliedquickly,"especiallyifonetakescertainprecautions."
"Whatriskswouldyouruninajoblikethat?"NedLandsaid."Swallowingafewgulpsofsaltwater?"
"Whateveryousay,Ned."Then,tryingtoimitateCaptainNemo'scarefreetone,Iasked,"Bytheway,gallantNed,areyouafraidofsharks?"
"Me?"theCanadianreplied."I'maprofessionalharpooner!It'smyjobtomakeamockeryofthem!"
"Itisn'tanissue,"Isaid,"offishingforthemwithaswivelhook,hoistingthemontothedeckofaship,choppingoffthetailwithasweepoftheax,openingthebelly,rippingouttheheart,andtossingitintothesea."
"Soit'sanissueof...?"
"Yes,precisely."
"Inthewater?"
"Inthewater."
"Yegods,justgivemeagoodharpoon!Yousee,sir,thesesharksarebadlydesigned.Theyhavetorolltheirbelliesovertosnapyouup,andinthemeantime..."
NedLandhadawayofpronouncingtheword"snap"thatsentchillsdownthespine.
"Well,howaboutyou,Conseil?Whatareyourfeelingsabouttheseman–eaters?"
"Me?"Conseilsaid."I'mafraidImustbefrankwithmaster."
Goodforyou,Ithought.
"Ifmasterfacesthesesharks,"Conseilsaid,"Ithinkhisloyalmanservantshouldfacethemwithhim!"
Share this article to
FINISH