English
Intheaftermathofthisstorm,wewerethrownbacktotheeast.
AwaywentanyhopeofescapingtothelandingplacesofNewYorkortheSt.Lawrence.
Indespair,poorNedwentintoseclusionlikeCaptainNemo.
ConseilandInolongerlefteachother.
AsIsaid,theNautilusveeredtotheeast.
Tobemoreaccurate,Ishouldhavesaidtothenortheast.
Sometimesonthesurfaceofthewaves,sometimesbeneaththem,theshipwanderedfordaysamidthesemistssofearedbynavigators.
Thesearecausedchieflybymeltingice,whichkeepstheairextremelydamp.
Howmanyshipshaveperishedinthesewaterwaysastheytriedtogetdirectionsfromthehazylightsonthecoast!
Howmanycasualtieshavebeencausedbytheseopaquemists!
Howmanycollisionshaveoccurredwiththesereefs,wherethebreakingsurfiscoveredbythenoiseofthewind!
Howmanyvesselshaverammedeachother,despitetheirrunninglights,despitethewarningsgivenbytheirbosun'spipesandalarmbells!
Sothefloorofthisseahadtheappearanceofabattlefieldwhereeveryshipdefeatedbytheoceanstilllay,somealreadyoldandencrusted,othersnewerandreflectingourbeaconlightontheirironworkandcopperundersides.
Amongthesevessels,howmanywentdownwithallhands,withtheircrewsandhostsofimmigrants,atthesetroublespotssoprominentinthestatistics:CapeRace,St.PaulIsland,theStraitofBelleIsle,theSt.Lawrenceestuary!
Andinonlyafewyears,howmanyvictimshavebeenfurnishedtotheobituarynoticesbytheRoyalMail,Inman,andMontreallines;byvesselsnamedtheSolway,theIsis,theParamatta,theHungarian,theCanadian,theAnglo–Saxon,theHumboldt,andtheUnitedStates,allrunaground;bytheArcticandtheLyonnais,sunkincollisions;bythePresident,thePacific,andtheCityofGlasgow,lostforreasonsunknown;inthemidstoftheirgloomyrubble,theNautilusnavigatedasifpassingthedeadinreview!
ByMay15wewereoffthesoutherntipoftheGrandBanksofNewfoundland.
Thesebanksaretheresultofmarinesedimentation,anextensiveaccumulationoforganicwastebroughteitherfromtheequatorbytheGulfStream'scurrent,orfromtheNorthPolebythecountercurrentofcoldwaterthatskirtstheAmericancoast.
Here,too,erraticallydriftingchunkscollectfromtheicebreakup.
Hereahugeboneyardformsfromfish,mollusks,andzoophytesdyingoveritbythebillions.
TheseaisofnogreatdepthattheGrandBanks.Afewhundredfathomsatbest.
Buttothesouththereisadeep,suddenlyoccurringdepression,a3,000–meterpit.HeretheGulfStreamwidens.Itswaterscometofullbloom.
Itlosesitsspeedandtemperature,butitturnsintoasea.
AmongthefishthattheNautilusstartledonitsway,I'llmentionaone–meterlumpfish,blackishontopwithorangeonthebellyandrareamongitsbrethreninthatitpracticesmonogamy,agood–sizedeelpout,atypeofemeraldmoraywhoseflavorisexcellent,wolffishwithbigeyesinaheadsomewhatresemblingacanine's,viviparousblennieswhoseeggshatchinsidetheirbodieslikethoseofsnakes,bloatedgobio(orblackgudgeon)measuringtwodecimeters,grenadierswithlongtailsandgleamingwithasilveryglow,speedyfishventuringfarfromtheirHighArcticseas.
Ournetsalsohauledinabold,daring,vigorous,andmuscularfisharmedwithpricklesonitsheadandstingsonitsfins,arealscorpionmeasuringtwotothreemeters,theruthlessenemyofcod,blennies,andsalmon;itwasthebullheadofthenortherlyseas,afishwithredfinsandabrownbodycoveredwithnodules.
TheNautilus'sfishermenhadsometroublegettingagriponthisanimal,which,thankstotheformationofitsgillcovers,canprotectitsrespiratoryorgansfromanyparchingcontactwiththeairandcanliveoutofwaterforagoodwhile.
AndI'llmention—fortherecord—somelittlebandedblenniesthatfollowshipsintothenorthernmostseas,sharp–snoutedcarpexclusivetothenorthAtlantic,scorpionfish,andlastlythegadoidfamily,chieflythecodspecies,whichIdetectedintheirwatersofchoiceovertheseinexhaustibleGrandBanks.
BecauseNewfoundlandissimplyanunderwaterpeak,youcouldcallthesecodmountainfish.
WhiletheNautiluswasclearingapaththroughtheirtightranks,Conseilcouldn'trefrainfrommakingthiscomment:
"Mercy,lookatthesecod!"hesaid."Why,Ithoughtcodwereflat,likedaborsole!"
"Innocentboy!"Iexclaimed.
"Codareflatonlyatthegrocerystore,wherethey'recutopenandspreadoutondisplay.
Butinthewaterthey'relikemullet,spindle–shapedandperfectlybuiltforspeed."
"IcaneasilybelieveMaster,"Conseilreplied."Butwhatcrowdsofthem!Whatswarms!"
"Bah!Myfriend,there'dbemanymorewithouttheirenemies,scorpionfishandhumanbeings!Doyouknowhowmanyeggshavebeencountedinasinglefemale?"
"I'llgoallout,"Conseilreplied."500,000."
"11,000,000,myfriend."
"11,000,000!IrefusetoacceptthatuntilIcountthemmyself."
"Socountthem,Conseil.Butitwouldbelessworktobelieveme.
Besides,Frenchmen,Englishmen,Americans,Danes,andNorwegianscatchthesecodbythethousands.
They'reeateninprodigiousquantities,andwithouttheastonishingfertilityofthesefish,theseaswouldsoonbedepopulatedofthem.
Accordingly,inEnglandandAmericaalone,5,000shipsmannedby75,000seamengoaftercod.
Eachshipbringsbackanaveragecatchof4,400fish,making22,000,000.
OffthecoastofNorway,thetotalisthesame."
"Fine,"Conseilreplied,"I'lltakeMaster'swordforit.Iwon'tcountthem."
"Countwhat?"
"Those11,000,000eggs.ButI'llmakeonecomment."
"What'sthat?"
"Ifalltheireggshatched,justfourcodfishcouldfeedEngland,America,andNorway."
AsweskimmedthedepthsoftheGrandBanks,Icouldseeperfectlythoselongfishinglines,eacharmedwith200hooks,thateveryboatdangledbythedozens.
Thelowerendofeachlinedraggedthebottombymeansofasmallgrapplingiron,andatthesurfaceitwassecuredtothebuoy–ropeofacorkfloat.
TheNautilushadtomaneuvershrewdlyinthemidstofthisunderwaterspiderweb.
Buttheshipdidn'tstaylongintheseheavilytraveledwaterways.Itwentuptoaboutlatitude42°.
ThisbroughtitabreastofSt.John'sinNewfoundlandandHeart'sContent,wheretheAtlanticCablereachesitsendpoint.
Insteadofcontinuingnorth,theNautilustookaneasterlyheading,asiftogoalongthisplateauonwhichthetelegraphcablerests,wheremultiplesoundingshavegiventhecontoursoftheterrainwiththeutmostaccuracy.
ItwasonMay17,about500milesfromHeart'sContentand2,800metersdown,thatIspottedthiscablelyingontheseafloor.
Conseil,whomIhadn'talerted,mistookitatfirstforagiganticseasnakeandwasgearinguptoclassifyitinhisbestmanner.
ButIenlightenedthefineladandlethimdowngentlybygivinghimvariousdetailsonthelayingofthiscable.
Thefirstcablewasputdownduringtheyears1857–1858;butaftertransmittingabout400telegrams,itwentdead.
In1863engineersbuiltanewcablethatmeasured3,400kilometers,weighed4,500metrictons,andwasshippedaboardtheGreatEastern.Thisattemptalsofailed.
Nowthen,onMay25whilesubmergedtoadepthof3,836meters,theNautiluslayinpreciselythelocalitywherethissecondcablesufferedtherupturethatruinedtheundertaking.
Ithappened638milesfromthecoastofIreland.
Ataroundtwoo'clockintheafternoon,allcontactwithEuropebrokeoff.
Theelectriciansonboarddecidedtocutthecablebeforefishingitup,andbyeleveno'clockthateveningtheyhadretrievedthedamagedpart.
Theyrepairedthejointanditssplice;thenthecablewasresubmerged.
Butafewdayslateritsnappedagainandcouldn'tberecoveredfromtheoceandepths.
TheseAmericansrefusedtogiveup.ThedaringCyrusField,whohadriskedhiswholefortunetopromotethisundertaking,calledforanewbondissue.Itsoldoutimmediately.
Anothercablewasputdownunderbetterconditions.
Itssheavesofconductingwirewereinsulatedwithinagutta–perchacovering,whichwasprotectedbyapaddingoftextilematerialenclosedinametalsheath.
TheGreatEasternputbacktoseaonJuly13,1866.
Theoperationproceededapace.Yettherewasonehitch.
Astheygraduallyunrolledthisthirdcable,theelectriciansobservedonseveraloccasionsthatsomeonehadrecentlydrivennailsintoit,tryingtodamageitscore.
CaptainAnderson,hisofficers,andtheengineersputtheirheadstogether,thenpostedawarningthatiftheculpritweredetected,hewouldbethrownoverboardwithoutatrial.
Afterthat,thesevillainousattemptswerenotrepeated.
ByJuly23theGreatEasternwaslyingnofartherthan800kilometersfromNewfoundlandwhenitreceivedtelegraphednewsfromIrelandofanarmisticesignedbetweenPrussiaandAustriaaftertheBattleofSadova.
Throughthemistsonthe27th,itsightedtheportofHeart'sContent.
Theundertakinghadendedhappily,andinitsfirstdispatch,youngAmericaaddressedoldEuropewiththesewisewordssorarelyunderstood:"GlorytoGodinthehighest,andpeaceonearthtomenofgoodwill."
Ididn'texpecttofindthiselectriccableinmintcondition,asitlookedonleavingitsplaceofmanufacture.
Thelongsnakewascoveredwithseashellrubbleandbristlingwithforaminifera;acrustofcakedgravelprotecteditfromanymollusksthatmightboreintoit.
Itrestedserenely,shelteredfromthesea'smotions,underapressurefavorabletothetransmissionofthatelectricsparkthatgoesfromAmericatoEuropein32/100ofasecond.
Thiscablewillnodoubtlastindefinitelybecause,asobserversnote,itsgutta–perchacasingisimprovedbyastayinsaltwater.
Besides,onthiswell–chosenplateau,thecableneverliesatdepthsthatcouldcauseabreak.
TheNautilusfollowedittoitslowestreaches,located4,431metersdown,andeventhereitrestedwithoutanystressorstrain.
Thenwereturnedtothelocalitywherethe1863accidenthadtakenplace.
Theretheoceanfloorformedavalley120kilometerswide,intowhichyoucouldfitMt.Blancwithoutitssummitpokingabovethesurfaceofthewaves.
Thisvalleyisclosedofftotheeastbyasheerwall2,000metershigh.
WearrivedthereonMay28,andtheNautiluslaynofartherthan150kilometersfromIreland.
WouldCaptainNemoheadupnorthandbeachusontheBritishIsles?No.
Muchtomysurprise,hewentbackdownsouthandreturnedtoEuropeanseas.
AsweswungaroundtheEmeraldIsle,IspottedCapeClearforaninstant,plusthelighthouseonFastnetRockthatguidesallthosethousandsofshipssettingoutfromGlasgoworLiverpool.
Animportantquestionthenpoppedintomyhead.
WouldtheNautilusdaretotackletheEnglishChannel?
NedLand(whopromptlyreappearedafterwehuggedshore)neverstoppedquestioningme.WhatcouldIanswerhim?CaptainNemoremainedinvisible.
AftergivingtheCanadianaglimpseofAmericanshores,washeabouttoshowmethecoastofFrance?
ButtheNautiluskeptgravitatingsouthward.OnMay30,insightofLand'sEnd,itpassedbetweenthelowermosttipofEnglandandtheScillyIslands,whichitleftbehindtostarboard.
IfitwasgoingtoentertheEnglishChannel,itclearlyneededtoheadeast.Itdidnot.
AlldaylongonMay31,theNautilussweptaroundtheseainaseriesofcirclesthathadmedeeplypuzzled.
Itseemedtobesearchingforalocalitythatithadsometroublefinding.
AtnoonCaptainNemohimselfcametotakeourbearings.Hedidn'taddressawordtome.Helookedgloomierthanever.Whatwasfillinghimwithsuchsadness?
WasitourproximitytotheseEuropeanshores?
Washerelivinghismemoriesofthatcountryhehadleftbehind?Ifso,whatdidhefeel?Remorseorregret?
Foragoodwhilethesethoughtsoccupiedmymind,andIhadahunchthatfatewouldsoongiveawaythecaptain'ssecrets.
Thenextday,June1,theNautiluskepttothesametack.
Itwasobviouslytryingtolocatesomeprecisespotintheocean.
Justasonthedaybefore,CaptainNemocametotakethealtitudeofthesun.Theseawassmooth,theskiesclear.
Eightmilestotheeast,abigsteamshipwasvisibleonthehorizonline.
Noflagwasflappingfromthegaffofitsfore–and–aftsail,andIcouldn'ttellitsnationality.
Afewminutesbeforethesunpasseditszenith,CaptainNemoraisedhissextantandtookhissightswiththeutmostprecision.
Theabsolutecalmofthewavesfacilitatedthisoperation.
TheNautiluslaymotionless,neitherrollingnorpitching.
Iwasontheplatformjustthen.Afterdeterminingourposition,thecaptainpronouncedonlythesewords:
"It'srighthere!"
Hewentdownthehatch.Hadheseenthatvesselchangecourseandseeminglyheadtowardus?I'munabletosay.
Ireturnedtothelounge.Thehatchclosed,andIheardwaterhissingintheballasttanks.
TheNautilusbegantosinkonaverticalline,becauseitspropellerwasincheckandnolongerfurnishedanyforwardmotion.
Someminuteslateritstoppedatadepthof833metersandcametorestontheseafloor.
Theceilinglightsintheloungethenwentout,thepanelsopened,andthroughthewindowsIsaw,forahalf–mileradius,theseabrightlylitbythebeacon'srays.
Ilookedtoportandsawnothingbuttheimmensenessofthesetranquilwaters.
Tostarboard,aprominentbulgeontheseabottomcaughtmyattention.
Youwouldhavethoughtitwassomeruinenshroudedinacrustofwhitenedseashells,asifunderamantleofsnow.
Carefullyexaminingthismass,Icouldidentifytheswollenoutlinesofashipshornofitsmasts,whichmusthavesunkbowfirst.
Thiscasualtycertainlydatedfromsomefar–offtime.
Tobesocakedwiththelimestoneofthesewaters,thiswreckagemusthavespentmanyayearontheoceanfloor.
Whatshipwasthis?WhyhadtheNautiluscometovisititsgrave?Wasitsomethingotherthanamaritimeaccidentthathaddraggedthiscraftunderthewaters?
Iwasn'tsurewhattothink,butnexttomeIheardCaptainNemo'svoiceslowlysay:
"OriginallythisshipwaschristenedtheMarseillais.
Itcarriedseventy–fourcannonsandwaslaunchedin1762.
OnAugust13,1778,commandedbyLaPoype–Vertrieux,itfoughtvaliantlyagainstthePreston.
OnJuly4,1779,asamemberofthesquadronunderAdmirald'Estaing,itassistedinthecaptureoftheislandofGrenada.
OnSeptember5,1781,undertheCountdeGrasse,ittookpartintheBattleofChesapeakeBay.
In1794thenewRepublicofFrancechangedthenameofthisship.
OnApril16ofthatsameyear,itjoinedthesquadronatBrestunderRearAdmiralVillaretdeJoyeuse,whowasentrustedwithescortingaconvoyofwheatcomingfromAmericaunderthecommandofAdmiralVanStabel.
InthissecondyearoftheFrenchRevolutionaryCalendar,onthe11thand12thdaysintheMonthofPasture,thissquadronfoughtanencounterwithEnglishvessels.
Sir,todayisJune1,1868,orthe13thdayintheMonthofPasture.
Seventy–fouryearsagototheday,atthisveryspotinlatitude47°24'andlongitude17°28',thisshipsankafteraheroicbattle;itsthreemastsgone,waterinitshold,athirdofitscrewoutofaction,itpreferredtogotothebottomwithits356seamenratherthansurrender;andwithitsflagnailedupontheafterdeck,itdisappearedbeneaththewavestoshoutsof'LonglivetheRepublic!'"
"ThisistheAvenger!"Iexclaimed.
"Yes,sir!TheAvenger!Asplendidname!"CaptainNemomurmured,crossinghisarms.
Share this article to
FINISH