18. Four Thousand Leagues Under the Pacific

At dawn the next day, November 18, easy replacement and my fatigue
Eve, mounted the platform at the time the second Nautilus pronounced
daily enigmatic phrase. It occurred to me that the phrase should refer to the state
sea ​​or that its meaning could be that of "Nothing in sight."
And indeed, the ocean was deserted. Not a single candle on the horizon. The heights of the
Crespo Island had disappeared-do overnight.
The sea absorbed prismatic colors except blue, and reflected in all
addresses admi-rable charging an indigo tone. On the waves they were drawn with
regu-ness wide stripes of moire.
I found myself admiring such magnificent effect of light on the ocean, when it appeared the
Captain Nemo, who, unaware of my presence, began to make a series of
astronomical observations. Then, once their operation was decided in the
projection of the beacon to immerse oneself in contemplation of the ocean.
Meanwhile, scores of sailors from the Nautilus, all of a vigorous and well
constituted complexion, came up to the platform to remove the nets are left to the
hampers overnight. Those sailors belonged to nationalities clear-mind
different, although the European type was strongly pronounced in all of them.
Attribution-ci, unequivocally, Irish, French, Greek and some Slavic or
Candian. But they were so sober of Lavras-pa, and the few that were used in that
idio-ma stranger whose origin was me tight, I should give up in-terrogarles.
Networks were hoisted aboard. Were trawl, se-fellowmen to those used on the coasts
Norman, wide bowl-sas kept ajar for a floating spar and chain
passed by the lower meshes. These networks, drawn, swept the sea and
They gathered all its products in its path. Curious that day rose from those samples
abundant fishing funds: frogfish, which his comic movements have earned them
the label of buffoons; Commerson black fish, equipped with their antennas;
undulating triggerfish, surrounded by red sashes; tetro-gifts, whose venom is extremely
subtle; some lam-Preas ridley; macrorrincos, scaly audience-das;
triquiuros, whose electrical power is equal to the electric eel and torpedo; notópteros
scaly, with par-das transverse strips; gadoids green; different varieties
gobies, and eventually some fish broader pro-portions; a branch of
a prominent head and lon-gitud almost a meter; several scombrids, including
Som-us beautiful, ornate blue and silver colors and three magnificent tuna to the CPE
speed of their march-BIA has not been saved in the network.
I figured at over a thousand pounds lifted by the network. It was a good haul, but not surprising,
because such networks, held in tow hard-nte several hours, captured in his prison
mesh around a water world. We should not, therefore, lack of food excellent
quality, and easily renewable by the speed of the Nautilus and the attraction of its light
power.
The fish is immediately introduced the trapdoor and was pantries, some
for fresh consumption and other preserved for their preparation.
After the fishing and renewed air supply, I thought the Nautilus would continue
its submarine trip and provided me and back to my stateroom, when Captain Nemo,
Turning to me, he said without preamble:
? Look at the ocean, professor. Is he not endowed with real life? You do not have attacks
his fits of anger and tenderness? Yesterday he slept like us and behold, it
awakens after a peaceful night.
So I spoke without greeting of any kind. Is hu-Biera said the stranger
character continued with me a conversation already begun.
? Look how wakes under the caresses of the sun to revi-vir his daytime existence!
Interesting study to observe the rhythm of your body. It has pulse, arteries, has
spies-mos, and I agree with Maury wise, it has des-covered in him
as real as circulation of blood in the animals.
Being obvious that Captain Nemo did not expect me nin-guna answer, I found useless
assent to his words with phrases such as "clearly", "so", "do you have
reason "... He spoke rather to himself, with long pauses between sentences. It was a
Meditation aloud.
Yes? He continued ?, the ocean has a real-tion flows, and to provoke has
enough to the Creator of all things in it multiply the calorie, salt and animalcules.
The heat creates, in effect, producing different densities and currents
crosscurrents. Evaporation, void in the hyperborean regions, very active in the
tropical, causes a permanent change between tropical and polar waters. Furthermore,
I caught running from top to bottom and from bottom to top to form the true
Océa breath-no. I saw the sea water molecule, hot on her-surface,
redescender to the depths, reach their maxi-mo density to two degrees below zero
for, on cooling thus be lighter and go back up. You see, at the poles, the
consequences of this phenomenon, and Enton-ces understand why, under this law
the proactive nature, freezing may never happen rather than their surface-
water.
While Captain Nemo finished his sentence, I would say, "The Pole! Is this bold
drive-character seeks us there? ".
Captain Nemo fell silent again in the con-contemplation of that element as
complete and constantly studied by him.
-The Sales? Continued then? are at sea in consi-siderable quantities, so that
if you could, Mr. pro-fessor, remove all material in solution would draw you
a mass of four million and a half leagues Cubi-cas that spread over the globe,
would form a layer more than ten meters [L13]. And do not think that the presence of these
sales is due to a freak of nature. No. Those sa-les make seawater
is less evaporable, winds snatch prevent excessive vapors,
that condenses and then liquefied, submerge the temperate zones. Huge paper
his balance on the econo-my Globe!
Captain Nemo stopped, straightened up, took a few steps
on the platform and returned to me. '
? In terms of diatomaceous? He continued ?, as these billions of
animalcules, of which only a drop of water contains millions and those that are needed
eight hundred thousand to give a weight of a miligra-mo, its role is no less important.
Sea salts absorb, assimilate the solid elements of water and verdade-ros
creators of limestone continents, manufactured corals and hard corals. And then drop
water, deprived of its mineral ele-ment, is lightened, it rises to the surface where ab-slurps
salts abandoned by evaporation, becomes heavier, and leads redesciende
animalcules new ele-tos to absorb. Hence, a double upstream and
descending, in a continuous movement, the movement of life. Life, more intense
that continent, more exuberant, more infinite, triumphant in all parts of
ocean, deadly to humans element has been said, but vital to myriads element
animals and me.
As he spoke, Captain Nemo-ba transfigured and provokes in me an extraordinary
emotion.
? So here's the real existence. I could conceive the foundation of cities
nautical, of underwater homes [L14] ation agglomerates, as the Nautilus,
ascende-laugh every morning to breathe the sea surface, as there is free cities
no independent cities. But who knows whether some despot ...
Captain Nemo stopped his sentence with a gesture he saw-slow. Then, as to expel a
fatal thought came to me saying:
? Lord Aronnax, do you know how deep the ocean?
? Be at least, Captain, which polls have revealed facts to the princi-pal
date.
? Could you quote them, so that I can control?
? Here are some? I said ?, or at least those that come to mind now. Yes
I am not mistaken, it has found an average depth of eight meters in 1200
North Atlantic and 2500 meters in the Medi-terranean. Polls more
Notable ATLANTI made in co-Sur near thirty-five degrees, they have twelve o'clock
thousand meters, fourteen thousand and ninety-one meters and fifteen thousand one hundred forty-nine meters.
In short, it is estimated that if the seabed was leveled its average depth
-estuary is about seven kilometers [L15].
? Well, Professor? Replied Captain Nemo ?, is-but show better. In
As for me-dia depth of this part of the Pacific, I can inform you that is
so-regret than four thousand meters.
That said, Captain Nemo headed to the hatch and disappeared down the stairs. You
I followed him and went to the great hall.
Then, the propeller began to move and slide showed a speed of twenty
miles per hour.
During the days and weeks that followed, I saw Captain Nemo rarely. His second
regularly he missed the point, which is consigned in the letter, in such a way that I po-day
follow exactly the route of the Nautilus.
Conseil and Land spent a lot of time with me. Conseil had told his friend the
wonders of our walk, and the Canadian regretted not joining us. But I
He expected to be presented again an occasion to visit the oceanic forests.
For a few hours and most days observatories they were discovered living and
our eyes do not get tired-ban to penetrate the mysteries of the underwater world.
The general course of the Nautilus was southeast and between one hundred and one hundred fifty-nia is mante
meters deep. One day, however, I do not know what whim, sailing
diagonally through its inclined planes, reached the water layers located two
thousand meters. The thermometer in-dicaba a temperature of four degrees Celsius,
tem-temperature at that depth that seems to be common to all latitudes [L16].
On November 26, at three in the morning, the Nautilus cleared the Tropic of Cancer to
1720 in length. 27 happened off the coast of the Sandwich Islands, where the illustrious Cook
He met his death on February 14, 1779. We had walked-do and four thousand eight hundred
sixty leagues from our starting point. The rise this morning to the launch pad-ma,
I could see, about two miles to leeward, Hawaii, the largest of the seven islands that make up the
archipelago of the same name. I could see clearly the boundaries of their crops,
diver-sas mountain ranges that run parallel to the coast and dominated by volcanoes
Mauna? Kea, rising to five thousand meters above sea level.
Among other samples collected by the networks in those places highlighted a flabelarias
pavonias, com-tablets polyps graceful forms that are unique to this part of the
Ocean.
The Nautilus remained toward the Southeast. He cut the ecua-dor on 1 December 1420
length, and 4 of the same month, after a quick voyage performed without incident,
sighted the archipelago of the Marquesas. A 80 57 'South lati-tude and 1390 32' in length
West, I saw about three miles Cape Martin, Nouka? Hiva, the main island of this
piélago arch, which belongs to France. I was only permitted to see the forested mountains
that were drawn on the horizon, because Captain Nemo avoided approaching land. There the
Networks beautiful fish specimens collected as a co-ríferas with fins
blue and golden tail, whose flesh is unrivaled; hologimnosos almost devoid of
flakes and a delicious flavor; ostorrincos jaw bone; all worthy
Table of Nautilus.
After leaving these delightful islands under French pabe-Llon, the Nautilus ran
about two thousand miles, from 4 to 11 December, with no mentionable fact that encuen-tro
an immense amount of squid, very curious molus-cos like cuttlefish. The
French fishermen designated by the name of encornets. Perte squid-necen to
the class of cephalopods and family including di-branquios them to
cuttlefish and the argonau-tas. These animals were particularly studied by
naturalists of antiquity, and, believe Ateneo, Medi-co Greek who lived before
Galen, provided of num-pink metaphors Agora speakers, while a
excellent table wealthy citizens plate.
It was during the night of 9 to 10 December when the Nautilus found that army
molluscs, which are particularly night-mind. They could number in the millions. They were in
emi-gration of the temperate zones to the less warm, if-guiendo the itinerary of
herring and sardines. Through thick glasses we saw them swim back
rapidly they are moving through their locomotor tube-guiendo persi fish and
molluscs, devouring the small temple-do derovados by the great and stirring in
one indescripti-ble confusion the ten feet that naturileza implanted them on the
head like a hair of pneumatic snakes. Despite its speed, the Nautilus
He sailed for several ho-ras in the middle of that animal bank and its networks hoisted on board
huge number of individuals including nine species recognized Pacific
ordered by D'Orbigny.
Thus, during the sea voyage he lavished constant-mind us their most beautiful
shows, varying them to in-finite and changing its decor and staging for
pleasure of our eyes. We were not only called with-tuning in the middle of the element
Create works of liquid-dor, but also to penetrate the mysteries of the scariest
Ocean.
During the day on December 11, I will-I was going in the great hall, while
Ned Land and Conseil obser-vaban the luminous waters through the glass. The Nautilus
Taba is still. It filled their deposits, stood at a depth of one thousand meters, region
sparsely populated, in which only big fish made rare appearances. I was
reading a delightful book by Jean Macé, servers stomach, and savoring their
ingenious lessons, how-do Conseil interrupted my reading:
? Will you come a moment, sir?
What happens, Conseil?
? Look sir.
I got up and went to the glass.
It illuminated by electric light, a huge mass negruz-ca, motionless, stood
suspended in the midst of the waters. I watched intently, trying to recognize the
nature of the gigantic cetacean. But another thought struck me suddenly.
? A ship! ? I exclaimed.
Yes? He replied the Canadian? a ship that sank.
Ned Land was not mistaken. We were at a boat cu-yos cut shrouds hung
even their chains. Your cas-co seemed to be in good condition, and must date from shipwreck
a few hours. Three pieces of masts, cut two feet above the bridge,
They indicated that the ship was to sacrifice his due-rigging. But defeated side,
-BIA has made water and even gave the band port. If sad was the sight of that helmet
lost under the water, it was even more of his bridge, which lay some bodies,
tied with ropes. He counted four? four men, one of whom remained in
Standing at the helm? and then a woman-gave me leaning out the poop with a child in her arms.
She was a young woman, and the spotlight of the Nautilus could see his ras-gos yet
decomposed by water. In a supreme effort is-had risen above its
head to his son, po-ber being whose arms were trying to hold the neck of the mother.
Frightful was the attitude of the four sailors, re-twisted in their movements
convulsive denouncing a last effort by plucking the strings they
league-ban the ship. Only, more serene, with the serious mien, his gray hair glued to the
front, and the clenched hand on the wheel, the helmsman seemed to lead even his
bar-co wrecked through the ocean depths.
What a scene! We were silent, heart palpi-tant, before this shipwreck
caught in the act and, so to speak, photographed in the last minute. And saw and advance
huge shark with glowing eyes came attracted by the lure of the flesh
human.
The Nautilus took a turn around the submerged vessel, and passed the stern of the same
I read his name: Flori-da, Sunderland.