English
Thesameday,IreportedtoConseilandNedLandthatpartoftheforegoingconversationdirectlyconcerningthem.
WhenItoldthemwewouldbelyinginMediterraneanwaterswithintwodays,Conseilclappedhishands,buttheCanadianshruggedhisshoulders.
"Anunderwatertunnel!"heexclaimed."Aconnectionbetweentwoseas!Whoeverheardofsuchmalarkey!"
"Nedmyfriend,"Conseilreplied,"hadyoueverheardoftheNautilus?No,yethereitis!
Sodon'tshrugyourshoulderssoblithely,anddon'tdiscountsomethingwiththefeebleexcusethatyou'veneverheardofit."
"We'llsoonsee!"NedLandshotback,shakinghishead.
"Afterall,I'dlikenothingbetterthantobelieveinyourcaptain'slittlepassageway,andmayHeavengrantitreallydoestakeustotheMediterranean."
Thesameevening,atlatitude21°30'north,theNautiluswasafloatonthesurfaceoftheseaanddrawingnearertotheArabcoast.
IspottedJidda,animportantfinancialcenterforEgypt,Syria,Turkey,andtheEastIndies.
Icoulddistinguishwithreasonableclaritytheoveralleffectofitsbuildings,theshipsmadefastalongitswharves,andthosebiggervesselswhosedraftofwaterrequiredthemtodropanchorattheport'soffshoremooring.
Thesun,fairlylowonthehorizon,struckfullforceonthehousesinthistown,accentingtheirwhiteness.
Outsidethecitylimits,somewoodorreedhutsindicatedthequarterwherethebedouinslived.
SoonJiddafadedintotheshadowsofevening,andtheNautiluswentbackbeneaththemildlyphosphorescentwaters.
Thenextday,February10,severalshipsappeared,runningonouroppositetack.
TheNautilusresumeditsunderwaternavigating;butatthemomentofournoonsights,theseawasdesertedandtheshiproseagaintoitswaterline.
WithNedandConseil,Iwenttositontheplatform.Thecoasttotheeastlookedlikeaslightlyblurredmassinadampfog.
Leaningagainstthesidesoftheskiff,wewerechattingofonethingandanother,whenNedLandstretchedhishandtowardapointinthewater,sayingtome:
"Seeanythingoutthere,professor?"
"No,Ned,"Ireplied,"butyouknowIdon'thaveyoureyes."
"Takeagoodlook,"Nedwenton."There,aheadtostarboard,almostlevelwiththebeacon!Don'tyouseeamassthatseemstobemovingaround?"
"Right,"Isaidafterobservingcarefully,"Icanmakeoutsomethinglikealong,blackishobjectonthesurfaceofthewater."
"AsecondNautilus?"Conseilsaid.
"No,"theCanadianreplied,"unlessI'mbadlymistaken,that'ssomemarineanimal."
"AretherewhalesintheRedSea?"Conseilasked.
"Yes,myboy,"Ireplied,"they'resometimesfoundhere."
"That'snowhale,"continuedNedLand,whoseeyesneverstrayedfromtheobjecttheyhadsighted."We'reoldchums,whalesandI,andIcouldn'tmistaketheirlittleways."
"Let'swaitandsee,"Conseilsaid."TheNautilusisheadingthatdirection,andwe'llsoonknowwhatwe'reinfor."
Infact,thatblackishobjectwassoononlyamileawayfromus.Itlookedlikeahugereefstrandedinmidocean.Whatwasit?Istillcouldn'tmakeupmymind.
"Oh,it'smovingoff!It'sdiving!"NedLandexclaimed."Damnation!Whatcanthatanimalbe?Itdoesn'thaveaforkedtaillikebaleenwhalesorspermwhales,anditsfinslooklikesawed–offlimbs."
"Butinthatcase—"Iputin.
"Goodlord,"theCanadianwenton,"it'srolledoveronitsback,andit'sraisingitsbreastsintheair!"
"It'sasiren!"Conseilexclaimed."Withallduerespecttomaster,it'sanactualmermaid!"
Thatword"siren"putmebackontrack,andIrealizedthattheanimalbelongedtotheorderSirenia:marinecreaturesthatlegendshaveturnedintomermaids,halfwoman,halffish.
"No,"ItoldConseil,"that'snomermaid,it'sanunusualcreatureofwhichonlyafewspecimensareleftintheRedSea.That'sadugong."
"OrderSirenia,groupPisciforma,subclassMonodelphia,classMammalia,branchVertebrata,"Conseilreplied.
AndwhenConseilhasspoken,there'snothingelsetobesaid.
MeanwhileNedLandkeptstaring.Hiseyesweregleamingwithdesireatthesightofthatanimal.Hishandswerereadytohurlaharpoon.
Youwouldhavethoughthewaswaitingfortherightmomenttojumpoverboardandattackthecreatureinitsownelement.
"Oh,sir,"hetoldmeinavoicetremblingwithexcitement,"I'veneverkilledanythinglikethat!"
Hiswholebeingwasconcentratedinthislastword.
JustthenCaptainNemoappearedontheplatform.Hespottedthedugong.HeunderstoodtheCanadian'sframeofmindandaddressedhimdirectly:
"Ifyouheldaharpoon,Mr.Land,wouldn'tyourhandsbeitchingtoputittowork?"
"Positively,sir."
"Andjustforoneday,woulditdispleaseyoutoreturntoyourfisherman'stradeandaddthiscetaceantothelistofthoseyou'vealreadyhunteddown?"
"Itwouldn'tdispleasemeonebit."
"Allright,youcantryyourluck!"
"Thankyou,sir,"NedLandreplied,hiseyesablaze.
"Only,"thecaptainwenton,"Iurgeyoutoaimcarefullyatthisanimal,inyourownpersonalinterest."
"Isthedugongdangeroustoattack?"Iasked,despitetheCanadian'sshrugoftheshoulders.
"Yes,sometimes,"thecaptainreplied."Theseanimalshavebeenknowntoturnontheirassailantsandcapsizetheirlongboats.
ButwithMr.Landthatdangerisn'ttobefeared.Hiseyeissharp,hisarmissure.
IfIrecommendthatheaimcarefullyatthisdugong,it'sbecausetheanimalisjustlyregardedasfinegame,andIknowMr.Landdoesn'tdespiseachoicemorsel."
"Aha!"theCanadianputin."Thisbeastofferstheaddedluxuryofbeinggoodtoeat?"
"Yes,Mr.Land.Itsfleshisactualredmeat,highlyprized,andsetasidethroughoutMalaysiaforthetablesofaristocrats.
Accordingly,thisexcellentanimalhasbeenhuntedsobloodthirstilythat,likeitsmanateerelatives,ithasbecomemoreandmorescarce."
"Inthatcase,Captain,"Conseilsaidinallseriousness,"ontheoffchancethatthiscreaturemightbethelastofitsline,wouldn'titbeadvisabletospareitslife,intheinterestsofscience?"
"Maybe,"theCanadiananswered,"itwouldbebettertohuntitdown,intheinterestsofmealtime."
"Thenproceed,Mr.Land,"CaptainNemoreplied.
Justthen,asmuteandemotionlessasever,sevencrewmenclimbedontotheplatform.
Onecarriedaharpoonandlinesimilartothoseusedinwhalefishing.
Itsdeckpanelingopened,theskiffwaswrenchedfromitssocketandlaunchedtosea.
Sixrowerssatonthethwarts,andthecoxswaintookthetiller.
Ned,Conseil,andIfoundseatsinthestern.
"Aren'tyoucoming,Captain?"Iasked.
"No,sir,butIwishyouhappyhunting."
Theskiffpulledclear,andcarriedoffbyitssixoars,itheadedswiftlytowardthedugong,whichbythenwasfloatingtwomilesfromtheNautilus.
Arrivingwithinafewcablelengthsofthecetacean,ourlongboatsloweddown,andthescullsdippednoiselesslyintothetranquilwaters.
Harpooninhand,NedLandwenttotakehisstandintheskiff'sbow.
Harpoonsusedforhuntingwhalesareusuallyattachedtoaverylongropethatpaysoutquicklywhenthewoundedanimaldragsitwithhim.
Butthisropemeasurednomorethanabouttenfathoms,anditsendhadsimplybeenfastenedtoasmallbarrelthat,whilefloating,wouldindicatethedugong'smovementsbeneaththewaters.
IstoodupandcouldclearlyobservetheCanadian'sadversary.
Thisdugong—whichalsoboaststhenamehalicore—closelyresembledamanatee.
Itsoblongbodyendedinaverylongcaudalfinanditslateralfinsinactualfingers.
Itdiffersfromthemanateeinthatitsupperjawisarmedwithtwolong,pointedteeththatformdivergingtusksoneitherside.
ThisdugongthatNedLandwaspreparingtoattackwasofcolossaldimensions,easilyexceedingsevenmetersinlength.
Itdidn'tstirandseemedtobesleepingonthesurfaceofthewaves,acircumstancethatshouldhavemadeiteasiertocapture.
Theskiffapproachedcautiouslytowithinthreefathomsoftheanimal.
Theoarshungsuspendedabovetheirrowlocks.Iwascrouching.
Hisbodyleaningslightlyback,NedLandbrandishedhisharpoonwithexperthands.
Suddenlyahissingsoundwasaudible,andthedugongdisappeared.Althoughtheharpoonhadbeenforcefullyhurled,itapparentlyhadhitonlywater.
"Damnation!"exclaimedthefuriousCanadian."Imissedit!"
"No,"Isaid,"theanimal'swounded,there'sitsblood;butyourweapondidn'tstickinitsbody."
"Myharpoon!Getmyharpoon!"NedLandexclaimed.
Thesailorswentbacktotheirsculling,andthecoxswainsteeredthelongboattowardthefloatingbarrel.Wefisheduptheharpoon,andtheskiffstartedoffinpursuitoftheanimal.
Thelatterreturnedfromtimetotimetobreatheatthesurfaceofthesea.
Itswoundhadn'tweakeneditbecauseitwentwithtremendousspeed.
Drivenbyenergeticarms,thelongboatflewonitstrail.
Severaltimeswegotwithinafewfathomsofit,andtheCanadianhoveredinreadinesstostrike;butthenthedugongwouldstealawaywithasuddendive,anditprovedimpossibletoovertakethebeast.
I'llletyouassessthedegreeofangerconsumingourimpatientNedLand.
HehurledatthehaplessanimalthemostpotentswearwordsintheEnglishlanguage.
Formypart,Iwassimplydistressedtoseethisdugongoutwitoureveryscheme.
Wechaseditunflagginglyforafullhour,andI'dbeguntothinkitwouldprovetoodifficulttocapture,whentheanimalgottheuntimelyideaoftakingrevengeonus,anotionitwouldsoonhavecausetoregret.
Itwheeledontheskiff,toassaultusinitsturn.
ThismaneuverdidnotescapetheCanadian.
"Watchout!"hesaid.
Thecoxswainpronouncedafewwordsinhisbizarrelanguage,andnodoubthealertedhismentokeepontheirguard.
Arrivingwithintwentyfeetoftheskiff,thedugongstopped,sharplysniffingtheairwithitshugenostrils,piercednotatthetipofitsmuzzlebutonitstopside.
Thenitgathereditselfandsprangatus.
Theskiffcouldn'tavoidthecollision.Halfoverturned,itshippedatonortwoofwaterthatwehadtobailout.
Butthankstoourskillfulcoxswain,wewerefouledonthebiasratherthanbroadside,sowedidn'tcapsize.
Clingingtothestempost,NedLandthrusthisharpoonagainandagainintothegiganticanimal,whichimbeddeditsteethinourgunwaleandliftedthelongboatoutofthewaterasalionwouldliftadeer.
Wewerethrownontopofeachother,andIhavenoideahowtheventurewouldhaveendedhadnottheCanadian,stillthirstingforthebeast'sblood,finallypiercedittotheheart.
Ihearditsteethgrindonsheetiron,andthedugongdisappeared,takingourharpoonalongwithit.
Butthebarrelsoonpoppeduponthesurface,andafewmomentslatertheanimal'sbodyappearedandrolledoveronitsback.
Ourskiffrejoinedit,tookitintow,andheadedtotheNautilus.
Ittookpulleysofgreatstrengthtohoistthisdugongontotheplatform.Thebeastweighed5,000kilograms.
ItwascarvedupinsightoftheCanadian,whoremainedtowatcheverydetailoftheoperation.
Atdinnerthesameday,mystewardservedmesomeslicesofthisflesh,skillfullydressedbytheship'scook.
Ifounditexcellent,evenbetterthanvealifnotbeef.
Thenextmorning,February11,theNautilus'spantrywasenrichedbymoredaintygame.
AcoveyofternsalightedontheNautilus.
TheywereaspeciesofSternaniloticauniquetoEgypt:beakblack,headgrayandstippled,eyessurroundedbywhitedots,back,wings,andtailgrayish,bellyandthroatwhite,feetred.
AlsocaughtwereacoupledozenNileduck,superior–tastingwildfowlwhoseneckandcrownoftheheadarewhitespeckledwithblack.
BythentheNautilushadreducedspeed.Itmovedaheadatasaunter,sotospeak.IobservedthattheRedSea'swaterwasbecominglesssaltythecloserwegottoSuez.
Nearfiveo'clockintheafternoon,wesightedCapeRasMohammedtothenorth.ThiscapeformsthetipofArabiaPetraea,whichliesbetweentheGulfofSuezandtheGulfofAqaba.
TheNautilusenteredtheStraitofJubal,whichleadstotheGulfofSuez.
IcouldclearlymakeoutahighmountaincrowningRasMohammedbetweenthetwogulfs.
ItwasMt.Horeb,thatbiblicalMt.SinaionwhosesummitMosesmetGodfacetoface,thatsummitthemind'seyealwayspicturesaswreathedinlightning.
Atsixo'clock,sometimesafloatandsometimessubmerged,theNautiluspassedwelloutfromElTur,whichsatatthefarendofabaywhosewatersseemedtobedyedred,asCaptainNemohadalreadymentioned.
Thennightfellinthemidstofaheavysilenceoccasionallybrokenbythecallsofpelicansandnocturnalbirds,bythesoundofsurfchafingagainstrocks,orbythedistantmoanofasteamerchurningthewavesofthegulfwithnoisyblades.
Fromeighttonineo'clock,theNautilusstayedafewmetersbeneaththewaters.
Accordingtomycalculations,wehadtobequiteclosetoSuez.
Throughthepanelsinthelounge,Ispottedrockybottomsbrightlylitbyourelectricrays.
Itseemedtomethatthestraitwasgettingnarrowerandnarrower.
At9:15whenourboatreturnedtothesurface,Iclimbedontotheplatform.IwasquiteimpatienttoclearCaptainNemo'stunnel,couldn'tsitstill,andwantedtobreathethefreshnightair.
Soon,intheshadows,Ispottedapalesignallightglimmeringamileaway,halfdiscoloredbymist.
"Afloatinglighthouse,"saidsomeonenexttome.
Iturnedanddiscoveredthecaptain.
"That'sthefloatingsignallightofSuez,"hewenton."Itwon'tbelongbeforewereachtheentrancetothetunnel."
"Itcan'tbeveryeasytoenterit."
"No,sir.Accordingly,I'minthehabitofstayinginthepilothouseanddirectingmaneuversmyself.
Andnowifyou'llkindlygobelow,ProfessorAronnax,theNautilusisabouttosinkbeneaththewaves,anditwillonlyreturntothesurfaceafterwe'veclearedtheArabianTunnel."
IfollowedCaptainNemo.Thehatchclosed,theballasttanksfilledwithwater,andthesubmersiblesanksometenmetersdown.
JustasIwasabouttorepairtomystateroom,thecaptainstoppedme.
"Professor,"hesaidtome,"wouldyouliketogowithmetothewheelhouse?"
"Iwasafraidtoask,"Ireplied.
"Comealong,then.Thisway,you'lllearnthefullstoryaboutthiscombinationunderwaterandundergroundnavigating."
CaptainNemoledmetothecentralcompanionway.Inmidstairheopenedadoor,wentalongtheuppergangways,andarrivedatthewheelhouse,which,asyouknow,standsatoneendoftheplatform.
ItwasacabinmeasuringsixfeetsquareandcloselyresemblingthoseoccupiedbythehelmsmenofsteamboatsontheMississippiorHudsonrivers.
InthecenterstoodanuprightwheelgearedtoruddercablesrunningtotheNautilus'sstern.
Setinthecabin'swallswerefourdeadlights,windowsofbiconvexglassthatenabledthemanatthehelmtoseeineverydirection.
Thecabinwasdark;butmyeyessoongrewaccustomedtoitsdarknessandIsawthepilot,amuscularmanwhosehandsrestedonthepegsofthewheel.
Outside,theseawasbrightlylitbythebeaconshiningbehindthecabinattheotherendoftheplatform.
"Now,"CaptainNemosaid,"let'slookforourpassageway."
Electricwireslinkedthepilothousewiththeengineroom,andfromthiscabinthecaptaincouldsimultaneouslysignalheadingandspeedtohisNautilus.
Hepressedametalbuttonandatoncethepropellersloweddownsignificantly.
Istaredinsilenceatthehigh,sheerwallwewereskirtingjustthen,thefirmbaseofthesandymountainsonthecoast.
Foranhourwewentalongitinthisfashion,stayingonlyafewmetersaway.
CaptainNemonevertookhiseyesoffthetwoconcentriccirclesofthecompasshanginginthecabin.
Atameregesturefromhim,thehelmsmanwouldinstantlychangetheNautilus'sheading.
Standingbytheportdeadlight,Ispottedmagnificentcoralsubstructures,zoophytes,algae,andcrustaceanswithenormousquiveringclawsthatstretchedforthfromcrevicesintherock.
At10:15CaptainNemohimselftookthehelm.
Darkanddeep,awidegalleryopenedaheadofus.TheNautiluswasbrazenlyswallowedup.
Strangerumblingswereaudiblealongoursides.
ItwasthewateroftheRedSea,hurledtowardtheMediterraneanbythetunnel'sslope.
Ourenginestriedtoofferresistancebychurningthewaveswithpropellerinreverse,buttheNautiluswentwiththetorrent,asswiftasanarrow.
Alongthenarrowwallsofthispassageway,Isawonlybrilliantstreaks,hardlines,fieryfurrows,allscrawledbyourspeedingelectriclight.WithmyhandItriedtocurbthepoundingofmyheart.
At10:35CaptainNemoleftthesteeringwheelandturnedtome:
"TheMediterranean,"hetoldme.
Inlessthantwentyminutes,sweptalongbythetorrent,theNautilushadjustclearedtheIsthmusofSuez.
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