14. The Black River

In 3.832 million five hundred fifty eight myriameters
square, that is, more than thirty-eight million hectares, is evaluated per-tion of the
globe occupied by the waters [L9]. This liquid mass of 2200
fifty million cubic miles form a sphere with a diameter of sixty le-guides,
whose weight would be three quintillion tons. To get an idea of ​​what this
represents amount taken into account is that a billion quintifión what they
to unity, that is, there are so many thousand times mifiones a quintillion as there are units
in thousand mil-lion. And all this liquid mass is almost equivalent to that view-Terian all
rivers of the earth for forty thousand years.
During the geological epochs, the period of fire gave suce-water period. The ocean
It was universal at first. Then, gradually, in the Silurian times they were
apare-ciendo the mountaintops, emerged islands disappeared under floods
partial and reappeared new-mind, were welded together, formed continents,
end-mind, fixed geographically as we see today. The solid was
conquered the liquid thirty-seven mil-lion six hundred fifty-seven miles
square, or twelve thousand nine hundred and sixteen million hectares.
The configuration of the continents can divide the waters into five major parts:
Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the fndico ocean, ocean-tico Atlán
the Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific Ocean is located from north to south between the two polar circles, and from west to east
between Asia and America, so-bre an extension of one hundred and forty-five degrees in lon-gitud.
It is the quietest of seas; its currents are wide and slow; its tides,
mediocre; its rains, abun-dant. Such was the ocean that my fate Habi loved me
Walking in the strangest conditions.
? Lord teacher? Said Captain Nemo ?, if you'll join me fix
exactly our position and the starting point of this trip. They are the twelve
room. We will rise to the surface.
Captain Nemo pressed a buzzer three times. The pumps began to expel
water tanks. The gauge ticked different pressures
the upward movement of the Nautilus was accused, until it stopped.
? We have come? Said the captain.
I went to the central staircase leading to the launch pad-ma. I climbed the rungs of metal
and, through the open hatch, I came to the surface of the Nautilus.
The platform emerged only eighty centi-meters. The bow and stern
Nautilus finished off its spindle provi-tion that made him look like a long cigar.
I noticed that their steel plates, slightly overlapping, resembled scales
line the body of large terrestrial reptiles. So it could be explained that even with the
best glasses this boat had always been taken for a marine animal.
Towards the middle of the platform, the boat semiencajado hull of the ship, formed a
intumescencia light. A bow and stern rose, at low altitude, two cabins of walls
inclined and partially closed by thick glasses len-ticular: the first, aimed at
steersman who directed the Nautilus, and the other to accommodate the powerful electric lantern that ilu-sapping
course.
The sea was calm and pure heaven. The long vehicle just accused the undulations
Ocean. This slight breeze wrinkled the surface of the water. The horizon, clean
mists, facilitated observations. But there was nothing in sight. Or an obstacle, not a
islet. Neither me-nor vestige of Abraham Lincoln. Only the vast ocean.
Armed with his sextant, Captain Nemo took the altitude of the sun to set latitude.
He must wait a few mi-utes to the culmination of the sun occurs in the
hori-zon. While his remarks and proceeded to the slightest movement or alter its
muscles. The instrument would have been more motionless in a hand of marble.
? Noon? He said ?. Professor, whenever you want.
I gave one last look a bit yellowish sea by the proximity of land
Japanese, and descended the great sa-lon. There, the captain made the point and calculated
clockwork-mind its length, which controlled its previous obser-vations of
hour angles. Then he said:
? Lord Aronnax, 1370 found us 15 'west longitude.
? What I meridian? ? I asked sharply, with spe-Ranza me your answer
given the key to their nationality.
? I have several timers set to the meridian of Greenwich, Paris and
Washington. But, in his honor, I will serve the Paris.
His answer I gave nothing. The commander PROSI-led:
? Thirty-seven degrees and fifteen minutes of longitude west of the meridian of Paris,
minu thirty-seven degrees north latitude-tos, ie, about three hundred miles from the
coast of Japan. Today is November 8, at noon, and here and now begins our
voyage of exploration under the water.
? May God save us? I replied.
? And now, professor, will leave you with your studies. I have given the order to go toward the
Northeast I-fifty meters deep. Here are maps that you po-dra
following our defeat. This room is available. And now, with your permission, I will
retire.
Captain Nemo said goodbye and left me alone, lost in thought, which focused
exclusively on the commander of the Nautilus. Would he ever know what nation
She belonged to this strange man who boasted of not belonging to any? Who or what
He had been provo-car that professed to hate humanity, the hatred that sought such
After terrible revenge? Was he one of those unknown wise one of those geniuses
"Victims of scorn and humiliation" in the words of Conseil a Gali-leo
modern, or one of those men of science as the American Maury whose career has
revolucio been broken by policy-nes? I could not say. Chance had brought me on board
your boat, and I put my life in his hands. I was cold-BIA welcomed but
hospitably. But he had not yet shaken hands I held out and I had
offered his.
I stood for an hour lost in such thoughts, trying to clarify that
mystery of much interest to me. I sustraje these thoughts and watched the great
world map that was spread on the table. In-says my finger landed on the point
the fixed length and latitude intersected.
The sea has its rivers like the continents. CURRENT-tes are special, recognizable by their
temperature and color, among which the most notable is known as Gulf
Stream. Science has given over the globe di-direction of the five streams
Main: one in the North Atlan-tico, one in the South Atlantic, third in the Pacific
North, one in the South Pacific and the fifth in the southern Indian. It is likely that a sixth
current once existed in the northern Indian Ocean, when the Caspian and Aral seas,
one-two to the great lakes of Asia, formed a single Deagu extension.
In point pointing my finger on the world map is de-sarrollaba of these currents
of the Kuro? Sivo of ja-poneses [L10], the Black River, which runs dei Bay of Bengal
where you do heat the perpendicular rays of the tropical sun, passes through the Strait
Malacca, goes along the coasts of Asia, and is deflected in the North Pacific to the Aleutian,
arras-strating camphor trunks and centers indigenous products, and standing out among the
Ocean waves by pure indigo of its warm waters. This current is what the
Nauti-lus would go. I followed his gaze, looked lost in the immensity of
Pacific and was dragged me with her.
Ned Land and Conseil appeared in the doorway of the room. My two brave companions
They froze at the sight of the accumulated before him wonders.
? Where we are? Where we are? ? Exclaimed the Cana-dian ?. In the museum
Quebec?
? I would say that we are in the palace Sommerard? Conseil said.
My friends? I told them after they entered indicate ?, are neither in Canada nor in France,
but aboard the Nautilus and fifty meters below sea level.
? Must we believe the Lord, since so says? Re-plained Conseil ?, but
frankly this room is made to surprise even a flamenco like me.
? Be amazed, my friend, and look, as for a classified-dor like you have here regarding
occupation.
It was unnecessary at this point to stimulate Conseil. Good boy, leaning over the
showcases, and murmured the words of the language of naturalists class
gastropods-podos, bucínidos family, genus of Porcelain, is-specie of Cyproea
Madagascariensis ...
As well he murmured Conseil, Ned Land, little-quiliólogo with him, I questioned about
my interview with Captain Nemo. Had I been able to discover who he was, where
She came from, where he was going, to what depths dragged us? I did so a thousand questions without
I had time to answer.
I informed him everything I knew, or rather what he did not know, and asked him what was
which, in turn, she had heard and seen.
? I have not seen or heard anything? Replied the Canadian ?. Not even I could see
the ship's crew. Did the crew will also be electric?
? Power?
? Upon my word, so one might think. But you, Mr. Aron-nax? Asked Ned Land,
obsessed with his idea PUE-?, not tell me how many men are on board? Ten twenty,
cin-account, a hundred?
? I can not tell you, Ned. But believe me, leave for the moment the idea of ​​taking
Nautilus or run from it. This boat is a masterpiece of modern industry and
I regret not seeing. There are many who acep-Tarian willingly our
situation, even if not rather than see these wonders. So keep-Gase
quiet, and try to see what happens around our great grandfather.
? See? ? Said the harpooner ?. But if there is nothing! If you can not see anything in this prison
steel! We sailed as blind ...
No sooner had Ned Land uttered these last words, when suddenly
He made the darkness, a os-curidad absolute. The ceiling light was turned off, and as quick-mind
my eyes felt a painful sensation, Analogue-ga which produces the opposite way
the deep darkness into the bright light.
We had been silent and motionless, not knowing what a surprise, pleasant or
unpleasant, Os expected. He heard something like an object slide. It would
di-cho that something was maneuvering on the flanks of the Nautilus.
? It's the end of the end? Said Ned Land.
? Order of hydromedusae? Was heard to say to Conseil.
Suddenly, there was light on both sides of the room, a tra-ves two oblong openings.
The liquid masses aparecie-ron brightly lit by electric irradiation. Two
glass plates separated us from the sea. I shook the thought that he might break as
fragile wall. But strong copper armor kept and gave a resistance almost
infinite.
The sea was perfectly visible within a mile around the Nautilus. What
show! What pen could describe it? Who could paint the effects of light
tra-VES these transparent waters and the softness of its succession-going degradation until
lower and upper layers of the ocean?
Known is the clearness of the sea. It is known that its lim-pidez is even greater than that of
water rock. Mineral and organic substances held in suspension au-menthan
even transparency. In some parts of Océa-no, in the Antilles, one hundred forty-
five meters of water reveal the litter with stunning clarity and strength
penetration of sunlight does not seem to dete-nerse until a depth of
three hundred meters. But in the fluid medium that he ran the Nautilus electric glow
it occurred within the same water, which was not water but liquid bright light.
If the hypothesis Erhemberg, who believes in a fluorescent lighting supported
seabed, the na-ture has certainly reserved for one of marine life
its most prodigious performances, which I could judge by the thousand games of that light.
Each side had a window on those unexplored depths. Darkness
lounge enhanced the brightness outside, and noso-ters looked as if the pure crystal
It would have been a huge aquarium.
The Nautilus seemed motionless. The reason for this was that lack-ban benchmarks. A
Sometimes, however, water lines, divided by its spur, fleeing before us
rapidly.
Wondered, with his elbows on the windows, per-manecíamos silent in a
silence elo-quently expressing our astonishment. Conseil broke the silen-ce,
saying:
? I wanted you to see, Ned, well, look!
? It's curious! Curious! ? Said the Canadian, who, olvi-giving their anger and their projects
evasion, suffered an irresistible attraction ?. It would come here even further pari
admire this show!
? Ah! ? I cried ?, Now I can understand the life of this man. It has made a
world apart that reserves its most amazing wonders.
? But what about the fish? ? Said Ned Land ?. I see fish.
? What can it matter, friend Ned? Conseil said ?, because not you know?
? Tell me that to me, a fisherman like me! ? He exclaimed indignantly, Ned.
And for this reason, a dis-cussion was held between the two friends, they both knew the
fish, but each in a very different way.
It is known that fish are the fourth and last class of the branch of vertebrates.
Defined them very jus-rectly as "dual circulation vertebrate and cold-blooded
they breathe through gills and live in the water. " Compo-nen two different series: the
bony fish, ie of those whose backbone is constituted by bony vertebrae,
and cartilaginous fish, whose backbone is made of cartilaginous vertebrae.
The Canadian knew perhaps that distinction, but Con-Conseil know much more and, already joined
him amis-tad strong, he could not admit that he was less educated. So he said:
? Friend Ned, you're a killer fish, a skilled pes-er who has captured a large
number of these interest-ing animals. But I'll bet something you do not know
classi-carlos.
Yes? Seriously he replied the harpooner ?. They are classified in edible fish and fish
inedible.
? This is a gastronomic distinction. But tell me if co-noce the difference between fish
bony and cartilaginous fish-nosos.
? I think so, Conseil.
? And the subdivision of these two classes?
? I'm afraid not? Replied the Canadian.
? Well, friend Ned, listen well and retain. Bony fish are subdivided into six
orders: the acantopteri-leges, whose upper jaw is complete and mobile and whose
gills have the shape of a comb; This order comprises fifteen families, namely the
three quarters of the pe-ces known. Their prototype could be the perch.
? That is pretty good? Said Ned Land.
? Another order is the abs, which have the ale-tas ventral suspended under
abdomen and behind the pectoral, without being welded to the dorsal vertebrae order
It is divided into five families comprising most freshwater fish.
Types: carp and pike.
? Yuck! ? Exclaimed contemptuously Canadian ?. Pe-ces freshwater!
? There are also subbranquianos with ventral colo-ed under the pectoral and
immediately suspended from the dorsal vertebrae. This order contains four families,
and their types are flukes, roosters, turbot, len-guados, etcetera.
? Excellent! Great! She exclaimed the harpooner, that obstinately-tinuaba
consider exclusi-you fish from a gastronomic point of view.
Is there too? Conseil continued, undeterred? the legless, elongate body,
devoid of ventral fins and covered with a thick, clammy skin frequently.
This is an order that comes down to a family sun. Types: an-eagle and the electric eel.
? Mediocre, mediocre? He replied Ned Land.
? Fifth, the lofobranquios, having the man-díbulas full and free and whose
gills are form-das by small fringes arranged in pairs along the arches
gill. This order does not have more than one family. Types: the hippocampus and
Pegasus dra-Gones.
? Bad! Bad! ? Replied the harpooner.
? Y sixth and last, that of plectognatos, bone ma-xilar which is fixed to the side of
intermaxilar forming the Mandi-bull, whose palatal arch is engaged with suture
Skull-neo, which makes him still. This order has no real ventral fins; are
consists of two families and their types are tetrodones and fish? moon.
? That alone would be enough to dishonor a cauldron? Said the Canadian.
? Have you understood you, friend Ned? ? Asked the Conseil wise.
? Not a word, friend Conseil. But follow, follow, is very interesting.
? As for cartilaginous fish? He continued, waterproof-turbable, Conseil? are as
only three orders.
So much the better? Ned said.
? First, cyclostomes, whose jaws welded-tan is a mobile ring and
gills which are opened by numerous holes. One family whose type more
re-presentative is the lamprey.
Is there who likes replied Ned Land.
? Second, selacios, with results similar to those of cyclostomi gills, but with the
movable lower jaw. This order, which is the largest in the class, has two
families with stripes and sharks more representative types.
How? Do the rays and sharks in the same order? Well, friend Conseil, for the
well stripes I advise you not put them together in the same jar.
? And finally, esturionianos whose gills is opened by one slot with
a cap. There are four genera and sturgeon is the most representative type.
? Friend Conseil, allowed you the best for last, in my opinion, at least. And this is
everything?
Yes, my dear Ned, but note you to know this is to know nothing, because families
subdivided into genres, sul genera, species, varieties ...
? Well, look, Conseil? Said the harpooner, leaning on the glass ?, look at those
They are passing varieties.
? In fact, are fish? He exclaimed Conseil ?. One can believe in an aquarium.
? I do not? Replied ?, Then an aquarium is simply a jau-la, and these fish are free as
the bird in the air.
Well, Conseil, nómbremelos tell me what they are called, walk? Ned said.
? I'm not able to do? Conseil said ?. That concerns the Lord.
Indeed, good boy, inveterate classifi-er, was not a naturalist. I
I was not able to dis-tinguish a nice tuna. Otherwise the canadien-se,
naming all the fish without hesitation.
? A baliste? Told me.
And is it a Chinese baliste? Replied Ned Land.
? Gender of triggerfish, family esclerodermos, or-den of plectognatos -
Conseil muttered.
Decidedly, between the two, Ned and Conseil, had been a brilliant naturalist.
He was not mistaken the Canadian. A group of balis-tes, compressed body,
grain leather, armed with a sting in the back, evolved around the Nautilus,
agitating the four rows of sharp spines bristling carrying both sides of the
tail. Nothing more admirable than the pigmentation of their skin, gray on top and white on
de-under, with gold flecks that sparkled between Dark-ros water swirls. Between
them, undulating stripes moving-mind, like flags in the wind. With great joy
my part, I saw that streak including Chinese, pinkish beige top and bottom, provided
three stings behind the eye; a rare and dubious species identification at the time of
Lacepède, who only saw her on an album of dibujosjaponés.
For a couple of hours, everything is a water-colta army gave the Nautilus. Among their
games, its Stroke-tos in which rivaled in beauty, brightness and speed, dis-Tingui
Green labrum; the mullet barbatus marked with a double black stripe; the Eleotris goby,
rounded tail,
white dotted with purple spots on the back; Japanese, admirable rubble
mackerel of those seas, with blue body and silver head; whose bright azurores
only dispenses name of every description; esparos striped, with nuanced fins
blue and yellow; the esparos sashes adorned with a black band on the tail; the esparos
zonéforos elegantly corseted waists in six; the aulostomas, true
flute mouths or woodcock marinas, some of which reached a lon-gitud a
metro; salamanders of Japan; the equídneas brown, long snakes with bright eyes and
small and a wide mouth bristling with teeth ...
We watched the show with an in-finite we expressed admiration in
uncontrollable exclamations. Ned named the fish, Conseil classified them, and I
ex-tasiaba to the vivacity of their movements and the beauty of its forms. Never before
then I had been given to contemplate so alive and free in their natural element.
I will not quote all varieties, all that collection of the seas of Japan and China,
and they passed before our eyes dazzled. More numerous than the birds in the air,
all those fish went before us certainly attracted by the bright spotlight
power.
Suddenly he disappeared lovely view to close-rise steel panels and
light up the room. But long I stood still rapt in that vision, to
my gaze fixed on the instruments hanging on the walls. The compass showing
North? East, address the gauge indicated a pressure of five atmospheres
co-depth corresponding to fifty meters and electrical gave a slide
speed of fifteen miles an hour.
I expected Captain Nemo appeared, but did not. It was five in the clock.
Ned Land and Conseil returned to their cabin and I did the same. I found the food served,
It composed of a turtle soup, a múlido white meat, whose liver, prepa-rado
besides, it was delicious, steaks and emperor whose taste seemed higher than the
salmon.
I spent the evening reading, writing and thinking. Then I won sleep, I slept and
I slept soundly, while the Nautilus glided through the rapid co-current
the Black River