17. An underwater forest

We had finally reached the edge of the forest, one of the most beautiful of the immense
Captain Nemo's domains. He regarded it as his and it was attributed to the mis-mos
rights which were the first men in the pri-mere days of the world. And who
You could dispute the possession of this underwater land? Was there a PIO-nero
bolder I could go there, ax in hand, to dis-assemble those shady thickets?
Large Tree plants formed the forest, and as soon as we entered the me
He surprised by the unique arrangement of its branches that I had never been able to preserve ob-
any place.
None of the herbs which carpeted the ground, none of the branches bristled
bushes curved exten-day nor in a horizontal plane. All rose to the surface
Ocean. There was not a filament or a plant, for the Pollack-they were, not
keep straight, as vari-Llas iron. The wrack and lianas were developed
NEXT-do a rigid and perpendicular line, maintained by the density of that element
He had occurred. Still, when the hand away recovering plants
immediately first place. Was that the kingdom of verticality.
I soon get used to this strange arrangement, as well as the relative darkness
She enveloped us. The forest floor was strewn with sharp stones difficult to evi-tar. The
underwater flora seemed to be very complete, richer than the Arctic or
tropical. But during al-UNPACKING minutes unintentionally I confused the kingdoms together,
zoophytes by hydrophytes taking the animals by plants. Who would not
Confused? Fauna and flo-ra touch closely on the underwater world.
I noticed that all these plants were set to very-perficialmente its soil. Devoid of
roots, indifferent to lea-po solid? sand, shells, shells of mollusks or
foot-dras? that supports them, these plants do not ask more than a foothold, not
vitality. These plants do not come more self mistnas, and the beginning of its existence
is on, the water that sustains and feeds. Instead of sheets, most of them
formed strips of fancy-sos respects confined to a narrow range
colors: pink, crimson, light green olive, dark brown and red. There I saw, but not stuffed
and in the showcases of the Nautilus, the pa-dyne or pavonias, deployed to fans
They seemed so-tender the breeze; ceramias scarlet; Laminaria stretched their offspring
grocery; nereocísteas threadlike undulating they expanded to a height of about
fifteen meters; acetabularias bouquets whose stems grow at the vertex, and many others
pelagic plants, all devoid of flowers. "Cu-riosa anomaly foreign element? Has
said an ingenious naturalist? blooming in the animal kingdom and not the plant. "
Among those bushes, as big as the trees of the temperate zones, and under his wet
kneaded shadow real scrubs with natural flowers, hedges zoophytes the so-bre
meandrinas that opened, you striped like zebras by winding grooves; yellowish
cariofíleas of diaphanous tentacles; zoantharias beams as grass ... And, for
complete the illusion, the fish? Fly flew from branch to branch like a swarm of
hummingbirds, while Dactyl-buts, monocentros and lepisacantos yellow, bristlecone
jaws and sharp scales, stood in our way as a flock of snipe.
By one, with great satisfaction for me, Captain Nemo gave the sign, and we
we laid low beam wing-rias long slender phyllodes which stood like arrows.
Delicious was for me that moment of repose. We do not lack-ba more than the pleasure of
conversation, unable to speak or respond. I pulled my thick head
co-ber the Conseil and I saw his eyes shining with joy and how, as a sign of
satisfaction, stirring in his scuba world funnier way.
I was surprised not to be hungry after four hours of sea-cha, without being able to explain the
why. But instead, I felt a desire to sleep invincible as OCU-rre to
all divers. My eyes closed behind thick glasses and soon I fell into a
deep drowsiness that only the movement of the march had been able to hold up
then. Captain Nemo and his robust companion, lying at the crystal bed
and they slept.
I can not say how long I remained so deep in sleep, but I found watching
when I woke up and the sun was declining on the horizon. Captain Nemo had le-vantado
and and was desperezando my members when an unexpected appearance made me
to her feet. A few steps away, a monstrous sea spider, one meter high, me
looked with strange eyes, ready to throw-is about me. Although my immersion suit
it was thick enough-mind to protect this animal attack could not contain
a gesture of horror. Conseil and the sailor of the Nautilus awoke at that time. The
Captain Nemo showed the hideous crustacean his partner, who dealt him an instant
strong recoil. I saw the horrible legs writhing in terrible monster
convulsions.
That encounter made me think that those funds Dark-ros should be inhabited by others
most feared animals, whose attacks could not protect the helmet. No
I thought about it until then and decided to stay alert.
I supposed that this high marked the end of our former expedition, but I was wrong, and,
instead of returning to Nauti-lus, Captain Nemo continued bold excursion.
The ground continued deprimiéndose, and its slope, increasingly accused, led us to
greater depths. Se-laugh about three when we reached a estre-cho
valley wedged between high walls cut peak and if-positioned to about thirty rods
deep.
Thanks to the perfection of our equipment, so we exceeded in ninety meters
naturale limit the tax-za seemed until then to raids
man submarine.
I said one hundred fifty meters, but we lack of any instrument to assess the
depth, to know that even in the clearest seas, sunlight could not
penetrate beyond [L12]. And, indeed, the darkness had become very dense. Nothing was
visible and ten paces away. He walked, then fumbled when suddenly saw shine
a very bright light. Captain Nemo had just put into action your appliance. His
mate followed suit and Conseil and I followed suit. I turning a screw, established the
communication between the coil and the coil of glass, and the sea, illuminated by our
four headlight, became visible within a radius of about twenty meters.
Captain Nemo continued deep into the dark forest pro whose depth
shrubs were rarificándose. Ob-I Servé plant life disappeared faster than
animal. Pelagic abandoned plants and soil that was becoming arid, but
which they swarmed Total #-des prodigious zoophytes, articulated, molluscs and fish.
I thought, while we continued the march, that the light of our devices Ruhmkorff
It must necessarily attract some of the inhabitants of these dark backgrounds. But
although many came they did a lamentable distance to a hunter. Several
times I saw Captain Nemo stop and point his rifle to, after some moments of
observation, desist from throwing and resume the march.
The wonderful excursion ended at about four, to run into a wall of superb
It agglomerates rocks in giant blocks, an imposing mass, which led go-to
we. It was a huge granite cliff dark caves dug but not
He offered no practicable ramp. Were the cliffs of the island Crespo. It was the land.
Captain Nemo stopped and made a gesture high. For many desires that would
He had to cross that mu-grate I had to stand. That ended domains
ca-whistle Nemo, he wanted not exceed. COMENZA-ba beyond the portion of the balloon
He had sworn never walked again.
Leading his small troop, Captain Nemo's return began marching without
hesitation. I thought not to-mábamos the same path to return to the Nautilus. The
we were following very steep, and therefore very painful, he approached us
rapidly to the sea surface. But this return to the upper layers was not so
fast, without em-ever, to cause decompression that have occurred
serious disorder in our bodies and-finish in them internal injuries such as
fatal to bu-dashed. He soon reappeared and increased light, and, with the sun already low in the
horizon, refraction again festooned objects in a spectral ring.
We marched to ten meters deep, in the midst of a swarm of minnows
all species, more numer-ous that the birds in the air, more agile too, but still
He had not been offered to our eyes a water dam dig-na of a gunshot.
At that moment, I saw the captain aim his gun at something moving between
vegetation. He left the shooting, which pro-duced a faint whistle, and an animal dropped dead at
a few steps. It was a magnificent sea otter, the only exclusively Fourfold-do
navy. The piece, of a meter and a half long, should have a very high price. Your skin,
dark brown on the back and silvery below, was such that both are listed on
Russian and Chinese markets. The Finu-ra and luster of its coat assured him a value
minimum of two thousand francs. I watched with admiration the curious head ma-mífero
small rounded ears, round eyes, his white whiskers, like the
cat, webbed feet and nail his bushy tail. This beautiful car-nicero, subject
to intense persecution and hunting fishing-mers, it is become extremely rare. Are
He has taken refuge mainly in the northern parts of the Pacific, in which very
probably will soon extinct species.
Captain Nemo's companion piece to hom-bro, burst and continued the march.
For an hour, it took place before us a plain of sand that often amounted to
less than two meters from the surface. Then saw our image, clearly re-strapped,
drawn in reverse direction and, above non-SOther, it appeared identical entourage
nues-ters reproducing movements and our gestures faithfully, with the
Unlike marching head down and feet up.
Another notable effect was caused by the passage of thick clouds that formed and
They faded quickly. But think about it, I realized that no alleged clouds
but were due to the varying thickness of the wave background, cu-yas peaks are melted in
foam making waves. I not escape even my perception the rapid passage by the
sea ​​surface Shadow of birds flying over our heads. One of them
He gave me the opportunity to witness one of the most splendid shots you've moved
never the fibers of a hunter. A huge bird, perfect-mind visible, approached
planning. Ca-mate whistle Nemo carefully targeted and shot him when
He was only a few meters above the water. The bird fell thunderstruck, and
fall took him to reach the dies-tro hunter who seized him. It was a splendid
alba-meters, an admirable specimen of pelagic birds.
The launch had not interrupted our march. For about two hours, we continue
therefore walking sandy plains as we passed through meadows of seaweed
painfully. He could not tired anymore when I Guí Distin-a vague light a
half mile broke the darkness of the water. It was the lantern of the Nautilus. Before twenty
minu-tos we should find ourselves on board and there could breathe at ease, as was already the
impression that my deposit began his-minister to a low-oxygen air.
But I had to think and our arrival at the Nautilus would be li-geramente
delayed by an unexpected encounter.
I was about twenty steps behind Captain Nemo when I saw him go
sharply to me. With his strong arm he threw me to the ground while its
Mate-ro Conseil did the same. I do not know what to think, pron-to, before this sudden
attack, but I calmed immediate-mind to see that the captain was put to me and
motionless.
I was therefore lying on the ground and precisely the shelter of a mass of seaweed,
when he lifted his head spend huge masses I saw giving off flashes
phosphorescent. I froze the blood in the veins to recognize those masses
formidable threat of sharks. It was a couple of sharks, sharks terrible
huge tail, cold and glassy eyes that exude a phosphorescent material with holes
near the mouth open. Mons-truosos animals that crush a whole man in his
iron jaws! I do not know if Conseil was busy classifi-carlos, but for my part I
Silver watched her belly and mouth bristling with teeth tremendous from a
unscientific view, and in any case, more as a victim than as a naturalist.
Fortunately, these voracious animals look bad. Spend-ron no see, almost rozándonos
You brownish with fins. Thanks to that miraculously escaped a great danger-without
doubt that the encounter with a tiger in the jungle.
Half an hour later, guided by the electric glow, we reached the Nautilus. The door
Outside had remained open, and Captain Nemo closed it, once we hubimos
en-tered in the first cabin. Then he pressed a button. I heard maneuvered pumps
inside the vessel and in a moment, the cabin was emptied. He then opened the
interior door and spent the locker room.
Not without difficulty, we get rid of our heavy robes. Exhausted, falling
sleep and starvation regre-know my cabin, still astonished at the amazing
tour of the seabed.