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Thenextmorning,February19,IbeheldtheCanadianenteringmystateroom.Iwasexpectingthisvisit.Heworeanexpressionofgreatdisappointment.
"Well,sir?"hesaidtome.
"Well,Ned,thefateswereagainstusyesterday."
"Yes!Thatdamnedcaptainhadtocallahaltjustasweweregoingtoescapefromhisboat."
"Yes,Ned,hehadbusinesswithhisbankers."
"Hisbankers?"
"Orratherhisbankvaults.BywhichImeanthisocean,wherehiswealthissaferthaninanynationaltreasury."
Ithenrelatedtheevening'sincidentstotheCanadian,secretlyhopinghewouldcomearoundtotheideaofnotdesertingthecaptain;butmynarrativehadnoresultotherthanNed'svoicingdeepregretthathehadn'tstrolledacrosstheVigobattlefieldonhisownbehalf.
"Anyhow,"hesaid,"it'snotoveryet!Myfirstharpoonmissed,that'sall!We'llsucceedthenexttime,andassoonasthisevening,ifneedbe..."
"What'stheNautilus'sheading?"Iasked.
"I'venoidea,"Nedreplied.
"Allright,atnoonwe'llfindoutwhatourpositionis!"
TheCanadianreturnedtoConseil'sside.
AssoonasIwasdressed,Iwentintothelounge.Thecompasswasn'tencouraging.
TheNautilus'scoursewassouth–southwest.WewereturningourbacksonEurope.
Icouldhardlywaituntilourpositionwasreportedonthechart.
Near11:30theballasttanksemptied,andthesubmersiblerosetothesurfaceoftheocean.Ileapedontotheplatform.NedLandwasalreadythere.
Nomoreshoreinsight.Nothingbuttheimmensenessofthesea.
Afewsailswereonthehorizon,nodoubtshipsgoingasfarasCapeSãoRoquetofindfavorablewindsfordoublingtheCapeofGoodHope.Theskywasovercast.Asquallwasontheway.
Furious,Nedtriedtoseethroughthemistsonthehorizon.Hestillhopedthatbehindallthatfogtherelaythoseshoreshelongedfor.
Atnoonthesunmadeamomentaryappearance.
Takingadvantageofthisriftintheclouds,thechiefofficertooktheorb'saltitude.
Thentheseagrewturbulent,wewentbelowagain,andthehatchclosedoncemore.
WhenIconsultedthechartanhourlater,IsawthattheNautilus'spositionwasmarkedatlongitude16°17'andlatitude33°22',agood150leaguesfromthenearestcoast.
Itwouldn'tdotoevendreamofescaping,andI'llletthereaderdecidehowpromptlytheCanadianthrewatantrumwhenIventuredtotellhimoursituation.
Asforme,Iwasn'texactlygrief–stricken.Ifeltasifaheavyweighthadbeenliftedfromme,andIwasabletoresumemyregulartasksinastateofcomparativecalm.
Neareleveno'clockintheevening,IreceivedamostunexpectedvisitfromCaptainNemo.HeaskedmeverygraciouslyifIfeltexhaustedfromourvigilthenightbefore.Isaidno.
"Then,ProfessorAronnax,Iproposeanunusualexcursion."
"Proposeaway,Captain."
"Sofaryou'vevisitedtheoceandepthsonlybydayandundersunlight.Wouldyouliketoseethesedepthsonadarknight?"
"Verymuch."
"Iwarnyou,thiswillbeanexhaustingstroll.We'llneedtowalklonghoursandscaleamountain.Theroadsaren'tterriblywellkeptup."
"Everythingyousay,Captain,justincreasesmycuriosity.I'mreadytogowithyou."
"Thencomealong,professor,andwe'llgoputonourdivingsuits."
Arrivingatthewardrobe,Isawthatneithermycompanionsnoranycrewmenwouldbecomingwithusonthisexcursion.CaptainNemohadn'tevensuggestedmyfetchingNedorConseil.
Inafewmomentswehadputonourequipment.Airtanks,abundantlycharged,wereplacedonourbacks,buttheelectriclampswerenotinreadiness.Icommentedonthistothecaptain.
"They'llbeuselesstous,"hereplied.
IthoughtIhadn'theardhimright,butIcouldn'trepeatmycommentbecausethecaptain'sheadhadalreadydisappearedintoitsmetalcovering.
Ifinishedharnessingmyself,Ifeltanalpenstockbeingplacedinmyhand,andafewminuteslater,aftertheusualprocedures,wesetfootontheflooroftheAtlantic,300metersdown.
Midnightwasapproaching.Thewaterswereprofoundlydark,butCaptainNemopointedtoareddishspotinthedistance,asortofwideglowshimmeringabouttwomilesfromtheNautilus.
Whatthisfirewas,whatsubstancesfedit,howandwhyitkeptburningintheliquidmass,Icouldn'tsay.
Anyhowitlitourway,althoughhazily,butIsoongrewaccustomedtothisuniquegloom,andinthesecircumstancesIunderstoodtheuselessnessoftheRuhmkorffdevice.
Sidebyside,CaptainNemoandIwalkeddirectlytowardthisconspicuousflame.Thelevelseafloorroseimperceptibly.
Wetooklongstrides,helpedbyouralpenstocks;butingeneralourprogresswasslow,becauseourfeetkeptsinkingintoakindofslimymudmixedwithseaweedandassortedflatstones.
Aswemovedforward,Iheardakindofpitter–patterabovemyhead.
Sometimesthisnoiseincreasedandbecameacontinuouscrackle.Isoonrealizedthecause.
Itwasaheavyrainfallrattlingonthesurfaceofthewaves.
InstinctivelyIworriedthatImightgetsoaked!Bywaterinthemidstofwater!
Icouldn'thelpsmilingatthisoutlandishnotion.
Buttotellthetruth,wearingtheseheavydivingsuits,younolongerfeeltheliquidelement,yousimplythinkyou'reinthemidstofairalittledenserthanaironland,that'sall.
Afterhalfanhourofwalking,theseafloorgrewrocky.
Jellyfish,microscopiccrustaceans,andsea–pencorallititfaintlywiththeirphosphorescentglimmers.
Iglimpsedpilesofstonescoveredbyacouplemillionzoophytesandtanglesofalgae.
Myfeetoftenslippedonthisviscousseaweedcarpet,andwithoutmyalpenstockIwouldhavefallenmorethanonce.
WhenIturnedaround,IcouldstillseetheNautilus'swhitishbeacon,whichwasstartingtogrowpaleinthedistance.
Thosepilesofstonesjustmentionedwerelaidoutontheoceanfloorwithadistinctbutinexplicablesymmetry.
Ispottedgiganticfurrowstrailingoffintothedistantdarkness,theirlengthincalculable.
TherealsowereotherpeculiaritiesIcouldn'tmakesenseof.
Itseemedtomethatmyheavyleadsoleswerecrushingalitterofbonesthatmadeadrycracklingnoise.
Sowhatwerethesevastplainswewerenowcrossing?
Iwantedtoaskthecaptain,butIstilldidn'tgraspthatsignlanguagethatallowedhimtochatwithhiscompanionswhentheywentwithhimonhisunderwaterexcursions.
Meanwhilethereddishlightguidingushadexpandedandinflamedthehorizon.
Thepresenceofthisfurnaceunderthewatershadmeextremelypuzzled.
Wasitsomesortofelectricaldischarge?
WasIapproachingsomenaturalphenomenonstillunknowntoscientistsonshore?
Or,rather(andthisthoughtdidcrossmymind),hadthehandofmanintervenedinthatblaze?Hadhumanbeingsfannedthoseflames?
InthesedeepstratawouldImeetupwithmoreofCaptainNemo'scompanions,friendshewasabouttovisitwholedlivesasstrangeashisown?
WouldIfindawholecolonyofexilesdownhere,mentiredoftheworld'swoes,menwhohadsoughtandfoundindependenceintheocean'slowerdepths?
Alltheseinsane,inadmissibleideasdoggedme,andinthisframeofmind,continuallyexcitedbytheseriesofwonderspassingbeforemyeyes,Iwouldn'thavebeensurprisedtofindonthisseabottomoneofthoseunderwatertownsCaptainNemodreamedabout!
Ourpathwasgettingbrighterandbrighter.
Theredglowhadturnedwhiteandwasradiatingfromamountainpeakabout800feethigh.
ButwhatIsawwassimplyareflectionproducedbythecrystalwatersofthesestrata.
Thefurnacethatwasthesourceofthisinexplicablelightoccupiedthefarsideofthemountain.
InthemidstofthestonemazesfurrowingthisAtlanticseafloor,CaptainNemomovedforwardwithouthesitation.Heknewthisdarkpath.
Nodoubthehadoftentraveleditandwasincapableoflosinghisway.
Ifollowedhimwithunshakeableconfidence.
HeseemedlikesomeSpiritoftheSea,andashewalkedaheadofme,Imarveledathistallfigure,whichstoodoutinblackagainsttheglowingbackgroundofthehorizon.
Itwasoneo'clockinthemorning.Wearrivedatthemountain'slowergradients.Butingrapplingwiththem,wehadtoventureupdifficulttrailsthroughahugethicket.
Yes,athicketofdeadtrees!Treeswithoutleaves,withoutsap,turnedtostonebytheactionofthewaters,andcrownedhereandtherebygiganticpines.
Itwaslikeastill–erectcoalfield,itsrootsclutchingbrokensoil,itsboughsclearlyoutlinedagainsttheceilingofthewaterslikethin,black,papercutouts.
PictureaforestclingingtothesidesofapeakintheHarzMountains,butasubmergedforest.
Thetrailswereclutteredwithalgaeandfucusplants,hostsofcrustaceansswarmingamongthem.
Iplungedon,scalingrocks,straddlingfallentreetrunks,snappingmarinecreepersthatswayedfromonetreetoanother,startlingthefishthatflittedfrombranchtobranch.
Carriedaway,Ididn'tfeelexhaustedanymore.
Ifollowedaguidewhowasimmunetoexhaustion.
Whatasight!HowcanIdescribeit!
HowcanIportraythesewoodsandrocksinthisliquidsetting,theirlowerpartsdarkandsullen,theirupperpartstintedredinthislightwhoseintensitywasdoubledbythereflectingpowerofthewaters!
Wescaledrocksthatcrumbledbehindus,collapsinginenormoussectionswiththehollowrumbleofanavalanche.
Toourrightandlefttherewerecarvedgloomygallerieswheretheeyelostitsway.
Hugegladesopenedup,seeminglyclearedbythehandofman,andIsometimeswonderedwhethersomeresidentsoftheseunderwaterregionswouldsuddenlyappearbeforeme.
ButCaptainNemokeptclimbing.Ididn'twanttofallbehind.Ifollowedhimboldly.Myalpenstockwasagreathelp.
Onewrongstepwouldhavebeendisastrousonthenarrowpathscutintothesidesofthesechasms,butIwalkedalongwithafirmtreadandwithouttheslightestfeelingofdizziness.
SometimesIleapedoveracrevassewhosedepthwouldhavemademerecoilhadIbeeninthemidstofglaciersonshore;sometimesIventuredoutonawobblingtreetrunkfallenacrossagorge,withoutlookingdown,havingeyesonlyformarvelingatthewildsceneryofthisregion.
There,leaningonerraticallycutfoundations,monumentalrocksseemedtodefythelawsofbalance.
Frombetweentheirstonyknees,treesspranguplikejetsunderfearsomepressure,supportingothertreesthatsupportedtheminturn.
Next,naturaltowerswithwide,steeplycarvedbattlementsleanedatanglesthat,ondryland,thelawsofgravitywouldneverhaveauthorized.
AndItoocouldfeelthedifferencecreatedbythewater'spowerfuldensity—despitemyheavyclothing,copperheadpiece,andmetalsoles,Iclimbedthemostimpossiblysteepgradientswithallthenimbleness,Iswearit,ofachamoisoraPyreneesmountaingoat!
Asformyaccountofthisexcursionunderthewaters,I'mwellawarethatitsoundsincredible!
I'mthechroniclerofdeedsseeminglyimpossibleandyetincontestablyreal.Thiswasnofantasy.ThiswaswhatIsawandfelt!
TwohoursafterleavingtheNautilus,wehadclearedthetimberline,and100feetaboveourheadsstoodthemountainpeak,formingadarksilhouetteagainstthebrilliantglarethatcamefromitsfarslope.
Petrifiedshrubsrambledhereandthereinsprawlingzigzags.
Fishroseinabodyatourfeetlikebirdsstartledintallgrass.
Therockymasswasgougedwithimpenetrablecrevices,deepcaves,unfathomableholesatwhosefarendsIcouldhearfearsomethingsmovingaround.
MybloodwouldcurdleasIwatchedsomeenormousantennabarmypath,orsawsomefrightfulpincersnapshutintheshadowofsomecavity!
Athousandspecksoflightglitteredinthemidstofthegloom.
Theyweretheeyesofgiganticcrustaceanscrouchingintheirlairs,giantlobstersrearinguplikespearcarriersandmovingtheirclawswithascrap–ironclanking,titaniccrabsaimingtheirbodieslikecannonsontheircarriages,andhideousdevilfishintertwiningtheirtentacleslikebushesofwrithingsnakes.
WhatwasthisastoundingworldthatIdidn'tyetknow?
Inwhatorderdidthesearticulatesbelong,thesecreaturesforwhichtherocksprovidedasecondcarapace?
Wherehadnaturelearnedthesecretoftheirvegetatingexistence,andforhowmanycenturieshadtheylivedintheocean'slowerstrata?
ButIcouldn'tlinger.CaptainNemo,onfamiliartermswiththesedreadfulanimals,nolongermindedthem.
Wearrivedatapreliminaryplateauwherestillothersurpriseswerewaitingforme.
Therepicturesqueruinstookshape,betrayingthehandofman,notourCreator.
Theywerehugestacksofstonesinwhichyoucoulddistinguishtheindistinctformsofpalacesandtemples,nowarrayedinhostsofblossomingzoophytes,andoveritall,notivybutaheavymantleofalgaeandfucusplants.
Butwhatpartoftheglobecouldthisbe,thislandswallowedbycataclysms?
Whohadsetuptheserocksandstoneslikethedolmensofprehistorictimes?
WherewasI,wherehadCaptainNemo'sfanciestakenme?
Iwantedtoaskhim.Unableto,Istoppedhim.Iseizedhisarm.Butheshookhishead,pointedtothemountain'stopmostpeak,andseemedtotellme:
"Comeon!Comewithme!Comehigher!"
Ifollowedhimwithonelastburstofenergy,andinafewminutesIhadscaledthepeak,whichcrownedthewholerockymassbysometenmeters.
Ilookedbackdownthesidewehadjustcleared.
Therethemountainroseonly700to800feetabovetheplains;butonitsfarslopeitcrownedtherecedingbottomofthispartoftheAtlanticbyaheighttwicethat.
Myeyesscannedthedistanceandtookinavastarealitbyintenseflashesoflight.
Inessence,thismountainwasavolcano.
Fiftyfeetbelowitspeak,amidashowerofstonesandslag,awidecratervomitedtorrentsoflavathatweredispersedinfierycascadesintotheheartoftheliquidmass.
Sosituated,thisvolcanowasanimmensetorchthatlitupthelowerplainsallthewaytothehorizon.
AsIsaid,thisunderwatercraterspewedlava,butnotflames.
Flamesneedoxygenfromtheairandareunabletospreadunderwater;butalavaflow,whichcontainsinitselftheprincipleofitsincandescence,canrisetoawhiteheat,overpowertheliquidelement,andturnitintosteamoncontact.
Swiftcurrentssweptawayallthisdiffusegas,andtorrentsoflavaslidtothefootofthemountain,likethedisgorgingsofaMt.VesuviusoverthecitylimitsofasecondTorredelGreco.
Infact,therebeneathmyeyeswasatowninruins,demolished,overwhelmed,laidlow,itsroofscavedin,itstemplespulleddown,itsarchesdislocated,itscolumnsstretchingovertheearth;intheseruinsyoucouldstilldetectthesolidproportionsofasortofTuscanarchitecture;fartheroff,theremainsofagiganticaqueduct;here,thecakedheightsofanacropolisalongwiththefluidformsofaParthenon;there,theremnantsofawharf,asifsomebygoneporthadlongagoharboredmerchantvesselsandtriple–tieredwargalleysontheshoresofsomelostocean;stillfartheroff,longrowsofcollapsingwalls,desertedthoroughfares,awholePompeiiburiedunderthewaters,whichCaptainNemohadresurrectedbeforemyeyes!
WherewasI?WherewasI?Ihadtofindoutatallcost,Iwantedtospeak,Iwantedtoripoffthecoppersphereimprisoningmyhead.
ButCaptainNemocameoverandstoppedmewithagesture.Then,pickingupapieceofchalkystone,headvancedtoablackbasalticrockandscrawledthisoneword:
ATLANTIS
Whatlightningflashedthroughmymind!Atlantis,thatancientlandofMeropismentionedbythehistorianTheopompus;Plato'sAtlantis;thecontinentwhoseveryexistencehasbeendeniedbysuchphilosophersandscientistsasOrigen,Porphyry,Iamblichus,d'Anville,Malte–Brun,andHumboldt,whoentereditsdisappearanceintheledgerofmythsandfolktales;thecountrywhoserealityhasneverthelessbeenacceptedbysuchotherthinkersasPosidonius,Pliny,AmmianusMarcellinus,Tertullian,Engel,Scherer,Tournefort,Buffon,andd'Avezac;Ihadthislandrightundermyeyes,furnishingitsownunimpeachableevidenceofthecatastrophethathadovertakenit!
SothiswasthesubmergedregionthathadexistedoutsideEurope,Asia,andLibya,beyondthePillarsofHercules,homeofthosepowerfulAtlanteanpeopleagainstwhomancientGreecehadwageditsearliestwars!
ThewriterwhosenarrativesrecordtheloftydeedsofthoseheroictimesisPlatohimself.
HisdialoguesTimæusandCritiasweredraftedwiththepoetandlegislatorSolonastheirinspiration,asitwere.
OnedaySolonwasconversingwithsomeelderlywisemenintheEgyptiancapitalofSais,atownalready8,000yearsofage,asdocumentedbytheannalsengravedonthesacredwallsofitstemples.
Oneoftheseeldersrelatedthehistoryofanothertown1,000yearsolderstill.
ThisoriginalcityofAthens,ninetycenturiesold,hadbeeninvadedandpartlydestroyedbytheAtlanteans.
TheseAtlanteans,hesaid,residedonanimmensecontinentgreaterthanAfricaandAsiacombined,takinginanareathatlaybetweenlatitude12°and40°north.TheirdominionextendedeventoEgypt.
TheytriedtoenforcetheirruleasfarasGreece,buttheyhadtoretreatbeforetheindomitableresistanceoftheHellenicpeople.Centuriespassed.
Acataclysmoccurred—floods,earthquakes.
AsinglenightanddaywereenoughtoobliteratethisAtlantis,whosehighestpeaks(Madeira,theAzores,theCanaries,theCapeVerdeIslands)stillemergeabovethewaves.
ThesewerethehistoricalmemoriesthatCaptainNemo'sscrawlsentrushingthroughmymind.
Thus,ledbythestrangestoffates,Iwastreadingunderfootoneofthemountainsofthatcontinent!
Myhandsweretouchingruinsmanythousandsofyearsold,contemporarywithprehistorictimes!
Iwaswalkingintheveryplacewherecontemporariesofearlymanhadwalked!
Myheavysoleswerecrushingtheskeletonsofanimalsfromtheageoffable,animalsthatusedtotakecoverintheshadeofthesetreesnowturnedtostone!
Oh,whywasIsoshortoftime!Iwouldhavegonedownthesteepslopesofthismountain,crossedthisentireimmensecontinent,whichsurelyconnectsAfricawithAmerica,andvisiteditsgreatprehistoriccities.
UndermyeyesthereperhapslaythewarliketownofMakhimosorthepiousvillageofEusebes,whosegiganticinhabitantslivedforwholecenturiesandhadthestrengthtoraiseblocksofstonethatstillwithstoodtheactionofthewaters.
Onedayperhaps,somevolcanicphenomenonwillbringthesesunkenruinsbacktothesurfaceofthewaves!
Numerousunderwatervolcanoeshavebeensightedinthispartoftheocean,andmanyshipshavefeltterrifictremorswhenpassingovertheseturbulentdepths.
Afewhaveheardhollownoisesthatannouncedsomestruggleoftheelementsfarbelow,othershavehauledinvolcanicashhurledabovethewaves.
Asfarastheequatorthiswholeseafloorisstillunderconstructionbyplutonicforces.
Andinsomeremoteepoch,builtupbyvolcanicdisgorgingsandsuccessivelayersoflava,whoknowswhetherthepeaksofthesefire–belchingmountainsmayreappearabovethesurfaceoftheAtlantic!
AsImusedinthisway,tryingtoestablishinmymemoryeverydetailofthisimpressivelandscape,CaptainNemowasleaninghiselbowsonamoss–coveredmonument,motionlessasifpetrifiedinsomemutetrance.
Washedreamingofthoselostgenerations,askingthemforthesecretofhumandestiny?
Wasitherethatthisstrangemancametorevivehimself,baskinginhistoricalmemories,relivingthatbygonelife,hewhohadnodesireforourmodernone?
Iwouldhavegivenanythingtoknowhisthoughts,tosharethem,understandthem!
Westayedinthisplaceanentirehour,contemplatingitsvastplainsinthelava'sglow,whichsometimestookonastartlingintensity.
Innerboilingssentquickshiversrunningthroughthemountain'scrust.
Noisesfromdeepunderneath,clearlytransmittedbytheliquidmedium,reverberatedwithmajesticamplitude.
Justthenthemoonappearedforaninstantthroughthewaterymass,castingafewpaleraysoverthissubmergedcontinent.
Itwasonlyafleetingglimmer,butitseffectwasindescribable.
Thecaptainstoodupandtookonelastlookattheseimmenseplains;thenhishandsignaledmetofollowhim.
Wewentswiftlydownthemountain.Oncepastthepetrifiedforest,IcouldseetheNautilus'sbeacontwinklinglikeastar.
Thecaptainwalkedstraighttowardit,andwewerebackonboardjustasthefirstglimmersofdawnwerewhiteningthesurfaceoftheocean.
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