English
DuringthedayofJanuary29,theislandofCeylondisappearedbelowthehorizon,andataspeedoftwentymilesperhour,theNautilusglidedintothelabyrinthinechannelsthatseparatetheMaldiveandLaccadiveIslands.
ItlikewisehuggedKiltanIsland,ashoreofmadreporicorigindiscoveredbyVascodaGamain1499andoneofnineteenchiefislandsintheislandgroupoftheLaccadives,locatedbetweenlatitude10°and14°30'north,andbetweenlongitude50°72'and69°east.
Bythenwehadfared16,220miles,or7,500leagues,fromourstartingpointintheseasofJapan.
Thenextday,January30,whentheNautilusrosetothesurfaceoftheocean,therewasnomorelandinsight.
Settingitscoursetothenorth–northwest,theshipheadedtowardtheGulfofOman,carvedoutbetweenArabiaandtheIndianpeninsulaandprovidingaccesstothePersianGulf.
Thiswasobviouslyablindalleywithnopossibleoutlet.SowherewasCaptainNemotakingus?Iwasunabletosay.Whichdidn'tsatisfytheCanadian,whothatdayaskedmewhereweweregoing.
"We'regoing,Mr.Ned,wheretheCaptain'sfancytakesus."
"Hisfancy,"theCanadianreplied,"won'ttakeusveryfar.ThePersianGulfhasnooutlet,andifweenterthosewaters,itwon'tbelongbeforewereturninourtracks."
"Allright,we'llreturn,Mr.Land,andafterthePersianGulf,iftheNautiluswantstovisittheRedSea,theStraitofBabelMandebisstilltheretoletusin!"
"Idon'thavetotellyou,sir,"NedLandreplied,"thattheRedSeaisjustaslandlockedasthegulf,sincetheIsthmusofSuezhasn'tbeencutallthewaythroughyet;andevenifitwas,aboatassecretiveasourswouldn'triskacanalintersectedwithlocks.
SotheRedSeawon'tbeourwaybacktoEuropeeither."
"ButIdidn'tsaywe'dreturntoEurope."
"Whatdoyoufigure,then?"
"IfigurethataftervisitingtheseunusualwaterwaysofArabiaandEgypt,theNautiluswillgobackdowntotheIndianOcean,perhapsthroughMozambiqueChannel,perhapsofftheMascareneIslands,andthenmakefortheCapeofGoodHope."
"Andoncewe'reattheCapeofGoodHope?"theCanadianaskedwithtypicalpersistence.
"Wellthen,we'llenterthatAtlanticOceanwithwhichwearen'tyetfamiliar.What'swrong,Nedmyfriend?
Areyoutiredofthisvoyageundertheseas?
Areyouboredwiththeconstantlychangingsightoftheseunderwaterwonders?
Speakingformyself,I'llbeextremelydistressedtoseetheendofavoyagesofewmenwilleverhaveachancetomake."
"Butdon'tyourealize,ProfessorAronnax,"theCanadianreplied,"thatsoonwe'llhavebeenimprisonedforthreewholemonthsaboardthisNautilus?"
"No,Ned,Ididn'trealizeit,Idon'twanttorealizeit,andIdon'tkeeptrackofeverydayandeveryhour."
"Butwhenwillitbeover?"
"Initsappointedtime.Meanwhilethere'snothingwecandoaboutit,andourdiscussionsarefutile.
MygallantNed,ifyoucomeandtellme,'Achancetoescapeisavailabletous,'thenI'lldiscussitwithyou.
Butthatisn'tthecase,andinallhonesty,Idon'tthinkCaptainNemoeverventuresintoEuropeanseas."
ThisshortdialoguerevealsthatinmymaniafortheNautilus,Iwasturningintothespittingimageofitscommander.
AsforNedLand,heendedourtalkinhisbestspeechifyingstyle:"That'sallfineanddandy.Butinmyhumbleopinion,alifeinjailisalifewithoutjoy."
ForfourdaysuntilFebruary3,theNautilusinspectedtheGulfofOmanatvariousspeedsanddepths.
Itseemedtobetravelingatrandom,asifhesitatingoverwhichcoursetofollow,butitnevercrossedtheTropicofCancer.
AfterleavingthisgulfweraisedMuscatforaninstant,themostimportanttowninthecountryofOman.
Imarveledatitsstrangeappearanceinthemidstoftheblackrockssurroundingit,againstwhichthewhiteofitshousesandfortsstoodoutsharply.
Ispottedtheroundeddomesofitsmosques,theeleganttipsofitsminarets,anditsfresh,leafyterraces.
Butitwasonlyafleetingvision,andtheNautilussoonsankbeneaththedarkwavesofthesewaterways.
ThenourshipwentalongatadistanceofsixmilesfromtheArabiccoastsofMahraandHadhramaut,theirundulatinglinesofmountainsrelievedbyafewancientruins.
OnFebruary5wefinallyputintotheGulfofAden,agenuinefunnelstuckintotheneckofBabelMandebandbottlingtheseIndianwatersintheRedSea.
OnFebruary6theNautiluscruisedinsightofthecityofAden,perchedonapromontoryconnectedtothecontinentbyanarrowisthmus,asortofinaccessibleGibraltarwhosefortificationstheEnglishrebuiltaftercapturingitin1839.
Iglimpsedtheoctagonalminaretsofthistown,whichusedtobeoneofthewealthiest,busiestcommercialcentersalongthiscoast,astheArabhistorianIdrisitellsit.
IwasconvincedthatwhenCaptainNemoreachedthispoint,hewouldbackoutagain;butIwasmistaken,andmuchtomysurprise,hedidnothingofthesort.
Thenextday,February7,weenteredtheStraitofBabelMandeb,whosenamemeans"GateofTears"intheArabiclanguage.
Twentymileswide,it'sonlyfifty–twokilometerslong,andwiththeNautiluslaunchedatfullspeed,clearingitwastheworkofbarelyanhour.
ButIdidn'tseeathing,notevenPerimIslandwheretheBritishgovernmentbuiltfortificationstostrengthenAden'sposition.
ThereweremanyEnglishandFrenchsteamersplowingthisnarrowpassageway,linersgoingfromSueztoBombay,Calcutta,Melbourne,RéunionIsland,andMauritius;fartoomuchtrafficfortheNautilustomakeanappearanceonthesurface.Soitwiselystayedinmidwater.
Finally,atnoon,wewereplowingthewavesoftheRedSea.
TheRedSea:thatgreatlakesofamousinbiblicaltraditions,seldomreplenishedbyrains,fedbynoimportantrivers,continuallydrainedbyahighrateofevaporation,itswaterleveldroppingameterandahalfeveryyear!
Ifitwerefullylandlockedlikealake,thisoddgulfmightdryupcompletely;onthisscoreit'sinferiortoitsneighbors,theCaspianSeaandtheDeadSea,whoselevelsloweronlytothepointwheretheirevaporationexactlyequalstheamountsofwatertheytaketotheirhearts.
ThisRedSeais2,600kilometerslongwithanaveragewidthof240.
InthedaysofthePtolemiesandtheRomanemperors,itwasagreatcommercialarteryfortheworld,andwhenitsisthmushasbeencutthrough,itwillcompletelyregainthatbygoneimportancethattheSuezrailwayshavealreadybroughtbackinpart.
IwouldnotevenattempttounderstandthewhimthatinducedCaptainNemototakeusintothisgulf.
ButIwholeheartedlyapprovedoftheNautilus'senteringit.
Itadoptedamediumpace,sometimesstayingonthesurface,sometimesdivingtoavoidsomeship,andsoIcouldobserveboththeinsideandtopsideofthishighlyunusualsea.
OnFebruary8,asearlyasthefirsthoursofdaylight,Mochaappearedbeforeus:atownnowinruins,whosewallswouldcollapseatthemeresoundofacannon,andwhichsheltersafewleafydatetreeshereandthere.
Thisonce–importantcityusedtocontainsixpublicmarketplacesplustwenty–sixmosques,anditswalls,protectedbyfourteenforts,fashionedathree–kilometergirdlearoundit.
ThentheNautilusdrewnearthebeachesofAfrica,wheretheseaisconsiderablydeeper.
There,throughtheopenpanelsandinamidwaterofcrystalclarity,ourshipenabledustostudywonderfulbushesofshiningcoralandhugechunksofrockwrappedinsplendidgreenfursofalgaeandfucus.
Whatanindescribablesight,andwhatavarietyofsettingsandscenerywherethesereefsandvolcanicislandsleveledoffbytheLibyancoast!
ButsoontheNautilushuggedtheeasternshorewherethesetreeformsappearedinalltheirglory.
ThiswasoffthecoastofTihama,andtheresuchzoophytedisplaysnotonlyflourishedbelowsealevelbuttheyalsofashionedpicturesquenetworksthatunreeledashighastenfathomsaboveit;thelatterweremorewhimsicalbutlesscolorfulthantheformer,whichkepttheirbloomthankstothemoistvitalityofthewaters.
HowmanydelightfulhoursIspentinthiswayattheloungewindow!
HowmanynewspecimensofunderwaterfloraandfaunaImarveledatbeneaththelightofourelectricbeacon!
Mushroom–shapedfunguscoral,someslate–coloredseaanemoneincludingthespeciesThalassianthusasteramongothers,organ–pipecoralarrangedlikeflutesandjustbeggingforapufffromthegodPan,shellsuniquetothisseathatdwellinmadreporiccavitiesandwhosebasesaretwistedintosquatspirals,andfinallyathousandsamplesofapolyparyIhadn'tobserveduntilthen:thecommonsponge.
Firstdivisioninthepolypgroup,theclassSpongiariahasbeencreatedbyscientistspreciselyforthisunusualexhibitwhoseusefulnessisbeyonddispute.
Thespongeisdefinitelynotaplant,assomenaturalistsstillbelieve,butananimalofthelowestorder,apolyparyinferioreventocoral.
Itsanimalnatureisn'tindoubt,andwecan'taccepteventheviewsoftheancients,whoregardeditashalfwaybetweenplantandanimal.
ButImustsaythatnaturalistsarenotinagreementonthestructuralmodeofsponges.
Forsomeit'sapolypary,andforothers,suchasProfessorMilne–Edwards,it'sasingle,solitaryindividual.
TheclassSpongiariacontainsabout300speciesthatareencounteredinalargenumberofseasandevenincertainstreams,wherethey'vebeengiventhenamefreshwatersponges.
ButtheirwatersofchoicearetheRedSeaandtheMediterraneanneartheGreekIslandsorthecoastofSyria.
Thesewaterswitnessthereproductionandgrowthofsoft,delicatebathspongeswhosepricesrunashighas₣150apiece:theyellowspongefromSyria,thehornspongefromBarbary,etc.
ButsinceIhadnohopeofstudyingthesezoophytesintheseaportsoftheLevant,fromwhichwewereseparatedbytheinsuperableIsthmusofSuez,IhadtobecontentwithobservingtheminthewatersoftheRedSea.
SoIcalledConseiltomyside,whileatanaveragedepthofeighttoninemeters,theNautilusslowlyskimmedeverybeautifulrockontheeasterlycoast.
Therespongesgrewineveryshape,globular,stalklike,leaflike,fingerlike.
Withreasonableaccuracy,theyliveduptotheirnicknamesofbasketsponges,chalicesponges,distaffsponges,elkhornsponges,lion'spaws,peacock'stails,andNeptune'sgloves—designationsbestowedonthembyfishermen,morepoeticallyinclinedthanscientists.
Agelatinous,semifluidsubstancecoatedthefibroustissueofthesesponges,andfromthistissuethereescapedasteadytrickleofwaterthat,aftercarryingsustenancetoeachcell,wasbeingexpelledbyacontractingmovement.
Thisjellylikesubstancedisappearswhenthepolypdies,emittingammoniaasitrots.
Finallynothingremainsbutthefibers,eithergelatinousormadeofhorn,thatconstituteyourhouseholdsponge,whichtakesonarussethueandisusedforvarioustasksdependingonitsdegreeofelasticity,permeability,orresistancetosaturation.
Thesepolyparieswerestickingtorocks,shellsofmollusks,andeventhestalksofwaterplants.
Theyadornedthesmallestcrevices,somesprawling,othersstandingorhanginglikecoraloutgrowths.
ItoldConseilthatspongesarefishedupintwoways,eitherbydragnetorbyhand.
Thelattermethodcallsfortheservicesofadiver,butit'spreferablebecauseitsparesthepolypary'stissue,leavingitwithamuchhighermarketvalue.
Otherzoophytesswarmingnearthespongesconsistedchieflyofaveryelegantspeciesofjellyfish;molluskswererepresentedbyvarietiesofsquidthat,accordingtoProfessorOrbigny,areuniquetotheRedSea;andreptilesbyvirgataturtlesbelongingtothegenusChelonia,whichfurnishedourtablewithadaintybutwholesomedish.
Asforfish,theywerenumerousandoftenremarkable.
HerearetheonesthattheNautilus'snetsmostfrequentlyhauledonboard:rays,includingspottedraysthatwereovalinshapeandbrickredincolor,theirbodiesstrewnwitherraticbluespecklesandidentifiablebytheirjaggeddoublestings,silver–backedskates,commonstingrayswithstippledtails,butterflyraysthatlookedlikehugetwo–metercloaksflappingatmiddepth,toothlessguitarfishthatwereatypeofcartilaginousfishclosertotheshark,trunkfishknownasdromedariesthatwereoneandahalffeetlongandhadhumpsendinginbackward–curvingstings,serpentinemorayeelswithsilvertailsandbluishbacksplusbrownpectoralstrimmedingraypiping,aspeciesofbutterfishcalledthefiatoladeckedoutinthingoldstripesandthethreecolorsoftheFrenchflag,Montagueblenniesfourdecimeterslong,superbjackshandsomelyembellishedbysevenblackcrosswisestreakswithblueandyellowfinsplusgoldandsilverscales,snooks,standardmulletwithyellowheads,parrotfish,wrasse,triggerfish,gobies,etc.,plusathousandotherfishcommontotheoceanswehadalreadycrossed.
OnFebruary9theNautiluscruisedinthewidestpartoftheRedSea,measuring190milesstraightacrossfromSuakinonthewestcoasttoQunfidhaontheeastcoast.
Atnoonthatdayafterourpositionfix,CaptainNemoclimbedontotheplatform,whereIhappenedtobe.
Ivowednottolethimgobelowagainwithoutatleastsoundinghimoutonhisfutureplans.
Assoonashesawme,hecameover,graciouslyofferedmeacigar,andsaidtome:
"Well,professor,areyoupleasedwiththisRedSea?
Haveyouseenenoughofitshiddenwonders,itsfishandzoophytes,itsgardensofspongesandforestsofcoral?
Haveyouglimpsedthetownsbuiltonitsshores?"
"Yes,CaptainNemo,"Ireplied,"andtheNautilusiswonderfullysuitedtothiswholesurvey.Ah,it'sacleverboat!"
"Yes,sir,clever,daring,andinvulnerable!ItfearsneithertheRedSea'sdreadfulstormsnoritscurrentsandreefs."
"Indeed,"Isaid,"thisseaismentionedasoneoftheworst,andinthedaysoftheancients,ifI'mnotmistaken,ithadanabominablereputation."
"Thoroughlyabominable,ProfessorAronnax.
TheGreekandLatinhistorianscanfindnothingtosayinitsfavor,andtheGreekgeographerStraboaddsthatit'sespeciallyroughduringtherainyseasonandtheperiodofsummerprevailingwinds.
TheArabIdrisi,referringtoitbythenameGulfofColzoum,relatesthatshipsperishedinlargenumbersonitssandbanksandthatnooneriskednavigatingitbynight.
This,heclaims,isaseasubjecttofearfulhurricanes,strewnwithinhospitableislands,and'withnothinggoodtooffer,'eitheronitssurfaceorinitsdepths.
Asamatteroffact,thesameviewscanalsobefoundinArrian,Agatharchides,andArtemidorus."
"Onecaneasilysee,"Ianswered,"thatthosehistoriansdidn'tnavigateaboardtheNautilus."
"Indeed,"thecaptainrepliedwithasmile,"andinthisrespect,themodernsaren'tmuchfartheralongthantheancients.
Ittookmanycenturiestodiscoverthemechanicalpowerofsteam!
Whoknowswhetherwe'llseeasecondNautiluswithinthenext100years!Progressisslow,ProfessorAronnax."
"It'strue,"Ireplied."Yourshipisacenturyaheadofitstime,perhapsseveralcenturies.Itwouldbemostunfortunateifsuchasecretweretodiewithitsinventor!"
CaptainNemodidnotreply.Aftersomeminutesofsilence:
"Wewerediscussing,"hesaid,"theviewsofancienthistoriansonthedangersofnavigatingthisRedSea?"
"True,"Ireplied."Butweren'ttheirfearsexaggerated?"
"Yesandno,ProfessorAronnax,"answeredCaptainNemo,whoseemedtoknow"hisRedSea"byheart.
"Toamodernship,wellrigged,solidlyconstructed,andincontrolofitscoursethankstoobedientsteam,someconditionsarenolongerhazardousthatofferedallsortsofdangerstothevesselsoftheancients.
Picturethoseearlynavigatorsventuringforthinsailboatsbuiltfromplankslashedtogetherwithpalm–treeropes,caulkedwithpowderedresin,andcoatedwithdogfishgrease.
Theydidn'tevenhaveinstrumentsfortakingtheirbearings,theywentbyguessworkinthemidstofcurrentstheybarelyknew.
Undersuchconditions,shipwreckshadtobenumerous.
ButnowadayssteamersprovidingservicebetweenSuezandtheSouthSeashavenothingtofearfromthefuryofthisgulf,despitethecontrarywindsofitsmonsoons.
Theircaptainsandpassengersnolongerpreparefordeparturewithsacrificestoplacatethegods,andafterreturning,theydon'ttraipseinwreathsandgoldribbonstosaythanksatthelocaltemple."
"Agreed,"Isaid."Andsteamseemstohavekilledoffallgratitudeinseamen'shearts.Butsinceyouseemtohavemadeaspecialstudyofthissea,Captain,canyoutellmehowitgotitsname?"
"Manyexplanationsexistonthesubject,ProfessorAronnax.Wouldyouliketoheartheviewsofonechroniclerinthe14thcentury?"
"Gladly."
"ThisfancifulfellowclaimstheseawasgivenitsnameafterthecrossingoftheIsraelites,whenthePharaohperishedinthosewavesthatcametogetheragainatMoses'command:
Tomarkthatmiraculoussequel,theseaturnedaredwithoutequal.
Thusnoothercoursewoulddobuttonameitforitshue."
"Anartisticexplanation,CaptainNemo,"Ireplied,"butI'munabletorestcontentwithit.SoI'llaskyouforyourownpersonalviews."
"Heretheycome.Tomythinking,ProfessorAronnax,this'RedSea'designationmustberegardedasatranslationoftheHebrewwordEdrom,andiftheancientsgaveitthatname,itwasbecauseoftheuniquecolorofitswaters."
"Untilnow,however,I'veseenonlyclearwaves,withoutanyuniquehue."
"Surely,butaswemoveaheadtothefarendofthisgulf,you'llnoteitsoddappearance.IrecallseeingthebayofElTurcompletelyred,likealakeofblood."
"Andyouattributethiscolortothepresenceofmicroscopicalgae?"
"Yes.It'sapurplish,mucilaginoussubstanceproducedbythosetinybudsknownbythenametrichodesmia,40,000ofwhichareneededtooccupythespaceofonesquaremillimeter.
Perhapsyou'llencounterthemwhenwereachElTur."
"Hence,CaptainNemo,thisisn'tthefirsttimeyou'vegonethroughtheRedSeaaboardtheNautilus?"
"No,sir."
"Then,sinceyou'vealreadymentionedthecrossingoftheIsraelitesandthecatastrophethatbefelltheEgyptians,Iwouldaskifyou'veeverdiscoveredanytracesunderthewatersofthatgreathistoricevent?"
"No,professor,andforanexcellentreason."
"What'sthat?"
"It'sbecausethatsamelocalitywhereMosescrossedwithallhispeopleisnowsocloggedwithsand,camelscanbarelygettheirlegswet.
YoucanunderstandthatmyNautiluswouldn'thaveenoughwaterforitself."
"Andthatlocalityis...?"Iasked.
"ThatlocalityliesalittleaboveSuezinasoundthatusedtoformadeepestuarywhentheRedSeastretchedasfarastheBitterLakes.
Now,whetherornottheircrossingwasliterallymiraculous,theIsraelitesdidcrossthereinreturningtothePromisedLand,andthePharaoh'sarmydidperishatpreciselythatlocality.
SoIthinkthatexcavatingthosesandswouldbringtolightagreatmanyweaponsandtoolsofEgyptianorigin."
"Obviously,"Ireplied."Andforthesakeofarchaeology,let'shopethatsoonerorlatersuchexcavationsdotakeplace,oncenewtownsaresettledontheisthmusaftertheSuezCanalhasbeencutthrough—acanal,bytheway,oflittleusetoashipsuchastheNautilus!"
"Surely,butofgreatusetotheworldatlarge,"CaptainNemosaid.
"TheancientswellunderstoodtheusefulnesstocommerceofconnectingtheRedSeawiththeMediterranean,buttheyneverdreamedofcuttingacanalbetweenthetwo,andinsteadtheypickedtheNileastheirlink.
Ifwecantrusttradition,itwasprobablyEgypt'sKingSesostriswhostarteddiggingthecanalneededtojointheNilewiththeRedSea.
What'scertainisthatin615B.C.KingNechoIIwashardatworkonacanalthatwasfedbyNilewaterandranthroughtheEgyptianplainsoppositeArabia.
Thiscanalcouldbetraveledinfourdays,anditwassowide,twotriple–tieredgalleyscouldpassthroughitabreast.
ItsconstructionwascontinuedbyDariustheGreat,sonofHystaspes,andprobablycompletedbyKingPtolemyII.
Strabosawitusedforshipping;buttheweaknessofitsslopebetweenitsstartingpoint,nearBubastis,andtheRedSealeftitnavigableonlyafewmonthsoutoftheyear.
ThiscanalservedcommerceuntilthecenturyofRome'sAntonineemperors;itwasthenabandonedandcoveredwithsand,subsequentlyreinstatedbyArabia'sCaliphOmarI,andfinallyfilledinforgoodin761or762A.D.byCaliphAl–Mansur,inanefforttopreventsuppliesfromreachingMohammedibnAbdullah,whohadrebelledagainsthim.
DuringhisEgyptiancampaign,yourGeneralNapoleonBonapartediscoveredtracesofthisoldcanalintheSuezdesert,andwhenthetidecaughthimbysurprise,hewellnighperishedjustafewhoursbeforerejoininghisregimentatHadjaroth,theveryplacewhereMoseshadpitchedcamp3,300yearsbeforehim."
"Well,Captain,whattheancientshesitatedtoundertake,Mr.deLessepsisnowfinishingup;hisjoiningofthesetwoseaswillshortentheroutefromCadiztotheEastIndiesby9,000kilometers,andhe'llsoonchangeAfricaintoanimmenseisland."
"Yes,ProfessorAronnax,andyouhaveeveryrighttobeproudofyourfellowcountryman.
Suchamanbringsanationmorehonorthanthegreatestcommanders!
Likesomanyothers,hebeganwithdifficultiesandsetbacks,buthetriumphedbecausehehasthevolunteerspirit.
Andit'ssadtothinkthatthisdeed,whichshouldhavebeenaninternationaldeed,whichwouldhaveinsuredthatanyadministrationwentdowninhistory,willsucceedonlythroughtheeffortsofoneman.SoallhailtoMr.deLesseps!"
"Yes,allhailtothatgreatFrenchcitizen,"Ireplied,quitestartledbyhowemphaticallyCaptainNemohadjustspoken.
"Unfortunately,"hewenton,"Ican'ttakeyouthroughthatSuezCanal,butthedayaftertomorrow,you'llbeabletoseethelongjettiesofPortSaidwhenwe'reintheMediterranean."
"IntheMediterranean!"Iexclaimed.
"Yes,professor.Doesthatamazeyou?"
"Whatamazesmeisthinkingwe'llbetherethedayaftertomorrow."
"Ohreally?"
"Yes,captain,althoughsinceI'vebeenaboardyourvessel,Ishouldhaveformedthehabitofnotbeingamazedbyanything!"
"Butwhatisitthatstartlesyou?"
"ThethoughtofhowhideouslyfasttheNautiluswillneedtogo,ifit'stodoubletheCapeofGoodHope,circlearoundAfrica,andlieintheopenMediterraneanbythedayaftertomorrow."
"AndwhosaysitwillcircleAfrica,professor?What'sthistalkaboutdoublingtheCapeofGoodHope?"
"ButunlesstheNautilusnavigatesondrylandandcrossesovertheisthmus—"
"Orunderit,ProfessorAronnax."
"Underit?"
"Surely,"CaptainNemorepliedserenely."Underthattongueofland,naturelongagomadewhatmantodayismakingonitssurface."
"What!There'sapassageway?"
"Yes,anundergroundpassagewaythatI'venamedtheArabianTunnel.ItstartsbelowSuezandleadstotheBayofPelusium."
"Butisn'tthatisthmusonlycomposedofquicksand?"
"Toacertaindepth.Butatmerelyfiftymeters,oneencountersafirmfoundationofrock."
"Andit'sbyluckthatyoudiscoveredthispassageway?"Iasked,moreandmorestartled.
"Luckpluslogic,professor,andlogicevenmorethanluck."
"Captain,Ihearyou,butIcan'tbelievemyears."
"Oh,sir!Theoldsayingstillholdsgood:Aureshabentetnonaudient!
*Notonlydoesthispassagewayexist,butI'vetakenadvantageofitonseveraloccasions.
Withoutit,Iwouldn'thaveventuredtodayintosuchablindalleyastheRedSea."
*Latin:"Theyhaveearsbuthearnot."Ed.
"Isitindiscreettoaskhowyoudiscoveredthistunnel?"
"Sir,"thecaptainansweredme,"therecanbenosecretsbetweenmenwhowillneverleaveeachother."
IignoredthisinnuendoandwaitedforCaptainNemo'sexplanation.
"Professor,"hetoldme,"thesimplelogicofthenaturalistledmetodiscoverthispassageway,andIaloneamfamiliarwithit.
I'dnotedthatintheRedSeaandtheMediterraneanthereexistanumberofabsolutelyidenticalspeciesoffish:eels,butterfish,greenfish,bass,jewelfish,flyingfish.
Certainofthisfact,Iwonderedifthereweren'taconnectionbetweenthetwoseas.
Iftherewere,itsundergroundcurrenthadtogofromtheRedSeatotheMediterraneansimplybecauseoftheirdifferenceinlevel.
SoIcaughtalargenumberoffishinthevicinityofSuez.
Islippedcopperringsaroundtheirtailsandtossedthembackintothesea.
AfewmonthslateroffthecoastofSyria,Irecapturedafewspecimensofmyfish,adornedwiththeirtelltalerings.
Sothisprovedtomethatsomeconnectionexistedbetweenthetwoseas.
IsearchedforitwithmyNautilus,Idiscoveredit,Iventuredintoit;andsoon,professor,youalsowillhaveclearedmyArabictunnel!"
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