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HowIgotintotheplatformI'munabletosay.
PerhapstheCanadiantransferredmethere.
ButIcouldbreathe,Icouldinhalethelife–givingseaair.
Nexttomemytwocompanionsweregettingtipsyonthefreshoxygenparticles.
Poorsoulswhohavesufferedfromlongstarvationmustn'tpounceheedlesslyonthefirstfoodgiventhem.
We,ontheotherhand,didn'thavetopracticesuchmoderation:wecouldsucktheatomsfromtheairbythelungful,anditwasthebreeze,thebreezeitself,thatpouredintousthisluxuriousintoxication!
"Ahhh!"Conseilwasputtingin."Whatfineoxygen!LetMasterhavenofearsaboutbreathing.There'senoughforeveryone."
AsforNedLand,hedidn'tsayaword,buthiswide–openjawswouldhavescaredoffashark.Andwhatpowerfulinhalations!TheCanadian"drew"likeafurnacegoingfullblast.
Ourstrengthreturnedpromptly,andwhenIlookedaround,Isawthatwewerealoneontheplatform.Nocrewmen.NotevenCaptainNemo.
ThosestrangeseamenontheNautiluswerecontentwiththeoxygencirculatinginside.
Notoneofthemhadcomeuptoenjoytheopenair.
ThefirstwordsIpronouncedwerewordsofappreciationandgratitudetomytwocompanions.
NedandConseilhadkeptmealiveduringthefinalhoursofourlongdeaththroes.
Butnoexpressionofthankscouldrepaythemfullyforsuchdevotion.
"Goodlord,Professor,"NedLandansweredme,"don'tmentionit!Whatdidwedothat'ssopraiseworthy?Notathing.Itwasaquestionofsimplearithmetic.Yourlifeisworthmorethanours.Sowehadtosaveit."
"No,Ned,"Ireplied,"itisn'tworthmore.Nobodycouldbebetterthanakindandgenerousmanlikeyourself!"
"Allright,allright!"theCanadianrepeatedinembarrassment.
"Andyou,mygallantConseil,yousufferedagreatdeal."
"Nottoomuch,tobecandidwithMaster.
Iwaslackingafewthroatfulsofair,butIwouldhavegottenby.
Besides,whenIsawMasterfainting,itleftmewithouttheslightestdesiretobreathe.
Ittookmybreathaway,inamannerof..."
Confoundedbythislapseintobanality,Conseillefthissentencehanging.
"Myfriends,"Ireplied,verymoved,"we'reboundtoeachotherforever,andI'mdeeplyindebtedtoyou—"
"WhichI'lltakeadvantageof,"theCanadianshotback.
"Eh?"Conseilputin.
"Yes,"NedLandwenton."YoucanrepayyourdebtbycomingwithmewhenIleavethisinfernalNautilus."
"Bytheway,"Conseilsaid,"arewegoinginafavorabledirection?"
"Yes,"Ireplied,"becausewe'regoinginthedirectionofthesun,andherethesunisduenorth."
"Sure,"NedLandwenton,"butitremainstobeseenwhetherwe'llmakefortheAtlanticorthePacific,inotherwords,whetherwe'llendupinwell–traveledordesertedseas."
Ihadnoreplytothis,andIfearedthatCaptainNemowouldn'ttakeushomewardbutratherintothathugeoceanwashingtheshoresofbothAsiaandAmerica.
Inthiswayhewouldcompletehisunderwatertouroftheworld,goingbacktothoseseaswheretheNautilusenjoyedthegreatestfreedom.
ButifwereturnedtothePacific,farfromeverypopulatedshore,whatwouldhappentoNedLand'splans?
Wewouldsoonsettlethisimportantpoint.TheNautilustraveledswiftly.
SoonwehadclearedtheAntarcticCircleplusthepromontoryofCapeHorn.
WewereabreastofthetipofSouthAmericabyMarch31atseveno'clockintheevening.
Bythenallourpastsufferingswereforgotten.
Thememoryofthatimprisonmentundertheicefadedfromourminds.Wehadthoughtsonlyofthefuture.
CaptainNemonolongerappeared,neitherintheloungenorontheplatform.
Thepositionsreportedeachdayontheworldmapwereputtherebythechiefofficer,andtheyenabledmetodeterminetheNautilus'sexactheading.
Nowthen,thateveningitbecameobvious,muchtomysatisfaction,thatwewerereturningnorthbytheAtlanticroute.
IsharedtheresultsofmyobservationswiththeCanadianandConseil.
"That'sgoodnews,"theCanadianreplied,"butwhere'stheNautilusgoing?"
"I'munabletosay,Ned."
"AftertheSouthPole,doesourcaptainwanttotackletheNorthPole,thengobacktothePacificbythenotoriousNorthwestPassage?"
"Iwouldn'tdoubledarehim,"Conseilreplied.
"Ohwell,"theCanadiansaid,"we'llgivehimthesliplongbeforethen."
"Inanyevent,"Conseiladded,"he'sasuperman,thatCaptainNemo,andwe'llneverregrethavingknownhim."
"Especiallyoncewe'velefthim,"NedLandshotback.
Thenextday,April1,whentheNautilusrosetothesurfaceofthewavesafewminutesbeforenoon,weraisedlandtothewest.
ItwasTierradelFuego,theLandofFire,anamegivenitbyearlynavigatorsaftertheysawnumerouscurlsofsmokerisingfromthenatives'huts.
ThisLandofFireformsahugeclusterofislandsoverthirtyleagueslongandeightyleagueswide,extendingbetweenlatitude53°and56°south,andbetweenlongitude67°50'and77°15'west.
Itscoastlinelookedflat,buthighmountainsroseinthedistance.
IeventhoughtIglimpsedMt.Sarmiento,whoseelevationis2,070metersabovesealevel:apyramid–shapedblockofshalewithaverysharpsummit,which,dependingonwhetherit'sclearorveiledinvapor,"predictsfairweatherorfoul,"asNedLandtoldme.
"Afirst–classbarometer,myfriend."
"Yes,sir,anaturalbarometerthatdidn'tletmedownwhenInavigatedthenarrowsoftheStraitofMagellan."
Justthenitspeakappearedbeforeus,standingoutdistinctlyagainstthebackgroundoftheskies.Thisforecastfairweather.Andsoitproved.
Goingbackunderthewaters,theNautilusdrewnearthecoast,cruisingalongitforonlyafewmiles.
ThroughtheloungewindowsIcouldseelongcreepersandgiganticfucusplants,bulb–bearingseaweedofwhichtheopenseaatthepolehadrevealedafewspecimens;withtheirsmooth,viscousfilaments,theymeasuredasmuchas300meterslong;genuinecablesmorethananinchthickandverytough,they'reoftenusedasmooringlinesforships.
Anotherweed,knownbythenamevelpandboastingfour–footleaves,wascrammedintothecoralconcretionsandcarpetedtheoceanfloor.
Itservedasbothnestandnourishmentformyriadsofcrustaceansandmollusks,forcrabsandcuttlefish.
Heresealsandotterscouldindulgeinasumptuousmeal,mixingmeatfromfishwithvegetablesfromthesea,liketheEnglishwiththeirIrishstews.
TheNautiluspassedovertheselush,luxuriantdepthswithtremendousspeed.
NeareveningitapproachedtheFalklandIslands,whoseruggedsummitsIrecognizedthenextday.Theseawasofmoderatedepth.
Sonotwithoutgoodreason,Iassumedthatthesetwoislands,plusthemanyisletssurroundingthem,usedtobepartoftheMagellancoastline.
TheFalklandIslandswereprobablydiscoveredbythefamousnavigatorJohnDavis,whogavethemthenameDavisSouthernIslands.
LaterSirRichardHawkinscalledthemtheMaidenland,aftertheBlessedVirgin.
Subsequently,atthebeginningofthe18thcentury,theywerenamedtheMalouinesbyfishermenfromSaint–MaloinBrittany,thenfinallydubbedtheFalklandsbytheEnglish,towhomtheybelongtoday.
Inthesewaterwaysournetsbroughtupfinesamplesofalgae,inparticularcertainfucusplantswhoserootswereladenwiththeworld'sbestmussels.
Geeseandduckalightedbythedozensontheplatformandsoontooktheirplacesintheship'spantry.
Asforfish,Ispecificallyobservedsomebonyfishbelongingtothegobygenus,especiallysomegudgeontwodecimeterslong,sprinkledwithwhitishandyellowspots.
Ilikewisemarveledatthenumerousmedusas,includingthemostbeautifuloftheirbreed,thecompassjellyfish,uniquetotheFalklandseas.
Someofthesejellyfishwereshapedlikeverysmooth,semisphericparasolswithrussetstripesandfringesoftwelveneatfestoons.
Otherslookedlikeupside–downbasketsfromwhichwideleavesandlongredtwigsweregracefullytrailing.
Theyswamwithquiveringsoftheirfourleaflikearms,lettingtheopulenttressesoftheirtentaclesdangleinthedrift.
Iwantedtopreserveafewspecimensofthesedelicatezoophytes,buttheyweremerelyclouds,shadows,illusions,meltingandevaporatingoutsidetheirnativeelement.
WhenthelasttipsoftheFalklandIslandshaddisappearedbelowthehorizon,theNautilussubmergedtoadepthbetweentwentyandtwenty–fivemetersandwentalongtheSouthAmericancoast.
CaptainNemodidn'tputinanappearance.
Wedidn'tleavethesePatagonianwaterwaysuntilApril3,sometimescruisingundertheocean,sometimesonitssurface.
TheNautiluspassedthewideestuaryformedbythemouthoftheRiodelaPlata,andonApril4welayabreastofUruguay,albeitfiftymilesout.
Keepingtoitsnortherlyheading,itfollowedthelongwindingsofSouthAmerica.
Bythenwehadfared16,000leaguessincecomingonboardintheseasofJapan.
Neareleveno'clockinthemorning,wecuttheTropicofCapricornonthe37thmeridian,passingwelloutfromCapeFrio.
MuchtoNedLand'sdispleasure,CaptainNemohadnolikingfortheneighborhoodofBrazil'spopulousshores,becauseheshotbywithdizzyingspeed.
Noteventheswiftestfishorbirdscouldkeepupwithus,andthenaturalcuriositiesintheseseascompletelyeludedourobservation.
Thisspeedwasmaintainedforseveraldays,andontheeveningofApril9,weraisedSouthAmerica'seasternmosttip,CapeSãoRoque.
ButthentheNautilusveeredawayagainandwentlookingforthelowestdepthsofanunderwatervalleygougedbetweenthiscapeandSierraLeoneonthecoastofAfrica.
AbreastoftheWestIndies,thisvalleyforksintotwoarms,andtothenorthitendsinanenormousdepression9,000metersdeep.
FromthislocalitytotheLesserAntilles,theocean'sgeologicprofilefeaturesasteeplycutcliffsixkilometershigh,andabreastoftheCapeVerdeIslands,there'sanotherwalljustasimposing;togetherthesetwobarricadesconfinethewholesubmergedcontinentofAtlantis.
Thefloorofthisimmensevalleyismadepicturesquebymountainsthatfurnishtheseunderwaterdepthswithscenicviews.
Thisdescriptionisbasedmostlyoncertainhand–drawnchartskeptintheNautilus'slibrary,chartsobviouslyrenderedbyCaptainNemohimselffromhisownpersonalobservations.
Fortwodayswevisitedthesedeepanddesertedwatersbymeansofourslantingfins.
TheNautiluswoulddolong,diagonaldivesthattookustoeverylevel.
ButonApril11itrosesuddenly,andtheshorereappearedatthemouthoftheAmazonRiver,ahugeestuarywhoseoutflowissoconsiderable,itdesaltstheseaoveranareaofseveralleagues.
WecuttheEquator.TwentymilestothewestlayGuiana,Frenchterritorywherewecouldeasilyhavetakenrefuge.
Butthewindwasblowingastronggust,andthefuriousbillowswouldnotallowustofacetheminamereskiff.
NodoubtNedLandunderstoodthisbecausehesaidnothingtome.
Formypart,ImadenoallusiontohisescapeplansbecauseIdidn'twanttopushhimintoanattemptthatwascertaintomisfire.
Iwasreadilycompensatedforthisdelaybyfascinatingresearch.
DuringthosetwodaysofApril11–12,theNautilusdidn'tleavethesurfaceofthesea,anditstrawlbroughtupasimplymiraculouscatchofzoophytes,fish,andreptiles.
Somezoophytesweredredgedupbythechainofourtrawl.
MostwerelovelyseaanemonebelongingtothefamilyActinidia,includingamongotherspecies,thePhyctalisprotexta,nativetothispartoftheocean:asmallcylindricaltrunkadornedwithverticallines,mottledwithredspots,andcrownedbyawondrousblossomingoftentacles.
Asformollusks,theyconsistedofexhibitsIhadalreadyobserved:turretsnails,oliveshellsofthe"tentolive"specieswithneatlyintersectinglinesandrussetspotsstandingoutsharplyagainstaflesh–coloredbackground,fancifulspiderconchsthatlookedlikepetrifiedscorpions,transparentglasssnails,argonauts,somehighlyediblecuttlefish,andcertainspeciesofsquidthatthenaturalistsofantiquityclassifiedwiththeflyingfish,whichareusedchieflyasbaitforcatchingcod.
Asforthefishinthesewaterways,InotedvariousspeciesthatIhadn'tyethadtheopportunitytostudy.
Amongcartilaginousfish:somebrooklamprey,atypeofeelfifteenincheslong,headgreenish,finsviolet,backbluishgray,bellyasilverybrownstrewnwithbrightspots,irisoftheeyeencircledingold,unusualanimalsthattheAmazon'scurrentmusthavesweptouttoseabecausetheirnaturalhabitatisfreshwater;stingrays,thesnoutpointed,thetaillong,slender,andarmedwithanextensivejaggedsting;smallone–metersharkswithgrayandwhitishhides,theirteetharrangedinseveralbackward–curvingrows,fishcommonlyknownbythenamecarpetshark;batfish,asortofreddishisoscelestrianglehalfameterlong,whosepectoralfinsareattachedbyfleshyextensionsthatmakethesefishlooklikebats,althoughanappendagemadeofhorn,locatednearthenostrils,earnsthemthenicknameofseaunicorns;lastly,acouplespeciesoftriggerfish,thecucuyowhosestippledflanksglitterwithasparklinggoldcolor,andthebrightpurpleleatherjacketwhosehuesglistenlikeapigeon'sthroat.
I'llfinishupthiscatalog,alittledrybutquiteaccurate,withtheseriesofbonyfishIobserved:eelsbelongingtothegenusApteronotuswhosesnow–whitesnoutisveryblunt,thebodypaintedahandsomeblackandarmedwithaverylong,slender,fleshywhip;longsardinesfromthegenusOdontognathus,likethree–decimeterpike,shiningwithabrightsilverglow;Guaranianmackerelfurnishedwithtwoanalfins;black–tintedrudderfishthatyoucatchbyusingtorches,fishmeasuringtwometersandboastingwhite,firm,plumpmeatthat,whenfresh,tasteslikeeel,whendried,likesmokedsalmon;semiredwrassesportingscalesonlyatthebasesoftheirdorsalandanalfins;gruntsonwhichgoldandsilvermingletheirlusterwiththatofrubyandtopaz;yellow–tailedgiltheadwhosefleshisextremelydaintyandwhosephosphorescentpropertiesgivethemawayinthemidstofthewaters;porgiestintedorange,withslendertongues;croakerswithgoldcaudalfins;blacksurgeonfish;four–eyedfishfromSurinam,etc.
This"etcetera"won'tkeepmefrommentioningonemorefishthatConseil,withgoodreason,willlongremember.
Oneofournetshadhauledupatypeofveryflatraythatweighedsometwentykilograms;withitstailcutoff,itwouldhaveformedaperfectdisk.
Itwaswhiteunderneathandreddishontop,withbigroundspotsofdeepblueencircledinblack,itshidequitesmoothandendinginadouble–lobedfin.
Laidoutontheplatform,itkeptstrugglingwithconvulsivemovements,tryingtoturnover,makingsucheffortsthatitsfinallungewasabouttoflipitintothesea.
ButConseil,beingverypossessiveofhisfish,rushedatit,andbeforeIcouldstophim,heseizeditwithbothhands.
Instantlytherehewas,thrownonhisback,legsintheair,hisbodyhalfparalyzed,andyelling:
"Oh,sir,sir!Willyouhelpme!"
Foronceinhislife,thepoorladdidn'taddressme"inthethirdperson."
TheCanadianandIsathimup;wemassagedhiscontractedarms,andwhenheregainedhisfivesenses,thateternalclassifiermumbledinabrokenvoice:
"Classofcartilaginousfish,orderChondropterygiawithfixedgills,suborderSelacia,familyRajiiforma,genuselectricray."
"Yes,myfriend,"Ianswered,"itwasanelectricraythatputyouinthisdeplorablestate."
"Oh,Mastercantrustmeonthis,"Conseilshotback."I'llberevengedonthatanimal!"
"How?"
"I'lleatit."
Whichhedidthatsameevening,butstrictlyasretaliation.Because,frankly,ittastedlikeleather.
PoorConseilhadassaultedanelectricrayofthemostdangerousspecies,thecumana.
Livinginaconductingmediumsuchaswater,thisbizarreanimalcanelectrocuteotherfishfromseveralmetersaway,sogreatisthepowerofitselectricorgan,anorganwhosetwochiefsurfacesmeasureatleasttwenty–sevensquarefeet.
Duringthecourseofthenextday,April12,theNautilusdrewnearthecoastofDutchGuiana,bythemouthoftheMaroniRiver.
Thereseveralgroupsofseacowswerelivinginfamilyunits.
Theseweremanatees,whichbelongtotheorderSirenia,likethedugongandSteller'sseacow.
Harmlessandunaggressive,thesefineanimalsweresixtosevenmeterslongandmusthaveweighedatleast4,000kilogramseach.
ItoldNedLandandConseilthatfarseeingnaturehadgiventhesemammalsamajorroletoplay.
Inessence,manatees,likeseals,aredesignedtograzetheunderwaterprairies,destroyingtheclustersofweedsthatobstructthemouthsoftropicalrivers.
"Anddoyouknow,"Iadded,"whathappenedsincemanhasalmostcompletelywipedoutthesebeneficialraces?
Rottingweedshavepoisonedtheair,andthispoisonedaircausestheyellowfeverthatdevastatesthesewonderfulcountries.
ThistoxicvegetationhasincreasedbeneaththeseasoftheTorridZone,sothediseasespreadsuncheckedfromthemouthoftheRiodelaPlatatoFlorida!"
AndifProfessorTousseneliscorrect,thisplagueisnothingcomparedtothescourgethatwillstrikeourdescendantsoncetheseasaredepopulatedofwhalesandseals.
Bythen,crowdedwithjellyfish,squid,andotherdevilfish,theoceanswillhavebecomehugecentersofinfection,becausetheirwaveswillnolongerpossess"thesehugestomachsthatGodhasentrustedwithscouringthesurfaceofthesea."
Meanwhile,withoutscorningthesetheories,theNautilus'screwcapturedhalfadozenmanatees.
Inessence,itwasanissueofstockingthelarderwithexcellentredmeat,evenbetterthanbeeforveal.
Theirhuntingwasnotafascinatingsport.
Themanateesletthemselvesbestruckdownwithoutofferinganyresistance.
Severalthousandkilosofmeatwerehauledbelow,tobedriedandstored.
ThesamedayanoddfishingpracticefurtherincreasedtheNautilus'sstores,sofullofgameweretheseseas.
Ourtrawlbroughtupinitsmeshesanumberoffishwhoseheadsweretoppedbylittleovalslabswithfleshyedges.
TheseweresuckerfishfromthethirdfamilyofthesubbrachianMalacopterygia.
Theseflatdisksontheirheadsconsistofcrosswiseplatesofmovablecartilage,betweenwhichtheanimalscancreateavacuum,enablingthemtosticktoobjectslikesuctioncups.
TheremorasIhadobservedintheMediterraneanwererelatedtothisspecies.
ButthecreatureatissueherewasanEcheneisosteochara,uniquetothissea.
Rightaftercatchingthem,ourseamendroppedtheminbucketsofwater.
Itsfishingfinished,theNautilusdrewnearertothecoast.
Inthislocalityanumberofseaturtlesweresleepingonthesurfaceofthewaves.
Itwouldhavebeendifficulttocapturethesevaluablereptiles,becausetheywakeupattheslightestsound,andtheirsolidcarapacesareharpoon–proof.
Butoursuckerfishwouldeffecttheircapturewithextraordinarycertaintyandprecision.
Intruth,thisanimalisalivingfishhook,promisingwealthandhappinesstothegreenestfishermaninthebusiness.
TheNautilus'smenattachedtoeachfish'stailaringthatwasbigenoughnottohamperitsmovements,andtothisringalongropewhoseotherendwasmooredonboard.
Thrownintothesea,thesuckerfishimmediatelybegantoplaytheirroles,goingandfasteningthemselvesontothebreastplatesoftheturtles.
Theirtenacitywassogreat,theywouldripapartratherthanletgo.
Theywerehauledin,stillstickingtotheturtlesthatcameaboardwiththem.
Inthiswaywecaughtseveralloggerheads,reptilesameterwideandweighing200kilos.
They'reextremelyvaluablebecauseoftheircarapaces,whicharecoveredwithbigslabsofhorn,thin,brown,transparent,withwhiteandyellowmarkings.
Besides,theywereexcellentfromanedibleviewpoint,withanexquisiteflavorcomparabletothegreenturtle.
ThisfishingendedourstayinthewaterwaysoftheAmazon,andthateveningtheNautilustooktothehighseasoncemore.
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