AJourneytotheCentreoftheEarth

By

JulesVerne

CHAPTER1

MYUNCLEMAKESAGREATDISCOVERY

Lookingbacktoall thathasoccurredtomesincethateventfulday,Iamscarcely able to believe in the reality ofmy adventures.Theywere truly sowonderfulthatevennowIambewilderedwhenIthinkofthem.

My uncle was a German, having married my mother's sister, anEnglishwoman.Beingverymuchattachedtohisfatherlessnephew,heinvitedmetostudyunderhiminhishomeinthefatherland.Thishomewasinalargetown,andmyuncleaprofessorofphilosophy,chemistry,geology,mineralogy,andmanyotherologies.

One day, after passing some hours in the laboratory—my uncle beingabsent at the time—I suddenly felt the necessity of renovating the tissues—i.e.,Iwashungry,andwasabouttorouseupouroldFrenchcook,whenmyuncle, ProfessorVonHardwigg, suddenly opened the street door, and camerushingupstairs.

NowProfessorHardwigg,myworthyuncle,isbynomeansabadsortofman;heis,however,cholericandoriginal.Tobearwithhimmeanstoobey;andscarcelyhadhisheavy feet resoundedwithinour jointdomicile thanheshoutedformetoattenduponhim.

"Harry—Harry—Harry—"

Ihastenedtoobey,butbeforeIcouldreachhisroom,jumpingthreestepsatatime,hewasstampinghisrightfootuponthelanding.

"Harry!"hecried,inafrantictone,"areyoucomingup?"

Now to tell the truth, at that moment I was far more interested in thequestion as to what was to constitute our dinner than in any problem ofscience; to me soup was more interesting than soda, an omelette moretempting thanarithmetic,andanartichokeof ten timesmorevalue thananyamountofasbestos.

Butmyunclewasnotamantobekeptwaiting;soadjourningthereforeallminorquestions,Ipresentedmyselfbeforehim.

He was a very learned man. Nowmost persons in this category supplythemselves with information, as peddlers do with goods, for the benefit ofothers, and lay up stores in order to diffuse them abroad for the benefit ofsocietyingeneral.Notsomyexcellentuncle,ProfessorHardwigg;hestudied,heconsumedthemidnightoil,heporedoverheavytomes,anddigestedhuge

quartosandfoliosinordertokeeptheknowledgeacquiredtohimself.

Therewasareason,anditmayberegardedasagoodone,whymyuncleobjected to display his learning more than was absolutely necessary: hestammered;andwhenintentuponexplaining thephenomenaof theheavens,wasapttofindhimselfatfault,andalludeinsuchavaguewaytosun,moon,and stars that fewwere able to comprehend hismeaning.To tell the honesttruth,whentherightwordwouldnotcome,itwasgenerallyreplacedbyaverypowerfuladjective.

In connectionwith the sciences there aremany almost unpronounceablenames—namesverymuchresemblingthoseofWelshvillages;andmyunclebeing very fond of using them, his habit of stammering was not therebyimproved.Infact, therewereperiodsinhisdiscoursewhenhewouldfinallygiveupandswallowhisdiscomfiture—inaglassofwater.

As I said,myuncle,ProfessorHardwigg,wasavery learnedman;and Inow add a most kind relative. I was bound to him by the double ties ofaffectionand interest. I tookdeep interest inallhisdoings,andhopedsomeday to be almost as learnedmyself. Itwas a rare thing forme to be absentfromhis lectures.Likehim, Ipreferredmineralogy toall theother sciences.Myanxietywastogainrealknowledgeoftheearth.Geologyandmineralogyweretousthesoleobjectsoflife,andinconnectionwiththesestudiesmanyafairspecimenofstone,chalk,ormetaldidwebreakwithourhammers.

Steel rods, loadstones, glass pipes, and bottles of various acids wereoftener before us than our meals. My uncle Hardwigg was once known toclassifysixhundreddifferentgeologicalspecimensbytheirweight,hardness,fusibility,sound,taste,andsmell.

Hecorrespondedwithallthegreat,learned,andscientificmenoftheage.Iwas,therefore,inconstantcommunicationwith,atalleventsthelettersof,SirHumphryDavy,CaptainFranklin,andothergreatmen.

ButbeforeIstatethesubjectonwhichmyunclewishedtoconferwithme,Imustsayawordabouthispersonalappearance.Alas!myreaderswillseeaverydifferentportraitofhimat a future time, afterhehasgone through thefearfuladventuresyettoberelated.

Myunclewasfiftyyearsold;tall,thin,andwiry.Largespectacleshid,toacertain extent, his vast, round, and goggle eyes, while his nose wasirreverentlycomparedtoathinfile.Somuchindeeddiditresemblethatusefularticle,thatacompasswassaidinhispresencetohavemadeconsiderableN(Nasal)deviation.

Thetruthbeingtold,however,theonlyarticlereallyattractedtomyuncle'snosewastobacco.

Another peculiarity of hiswas, that he always stepped a yard at a time,clenchedhisfistsasifheweregoingtohityou,andwas,wheninoneofhispeculiarhumors,veryfarfromapleasantcompanion.

Itisfurthernecessarytoobservethathelivedinaverynicehouse,inthatverynicestreet,theKonigstrasseatHamburg.Thoughlyinginthecentreofatown, it was perfectly rural in its aspect—half wood, half bricks, with old-fashionedgables—oneofthefewoldhousessparedbythegreatfireof1842.

When I say a nicehouse, Imean a handsomehouse—old, tottering, andnot exactly comfortable to English notions: a house a little off theperpendicularandinclinedtofallintotheneighboringcanal;exactlythehouseforawanderingartisttodepict;allthemorethatyoucouldscarcelyseeitforivyandamagnificentoldtreewhichgrewoverthedoor.

My uncle was rich; his house was his own property, while he had aconsiderableprivateincome.Tomynotionthebestpartofhispossessionswashisgod-daughter,Gretchen.And theoldcook, theyoung lady, theProfessorandIwerethesoleinhabitants.

Ilovedmineralogy,Ilovedgeology.Tometherewasnothinglikepebbles—andifmyunclehadbeeninalittlelessofafury,weshouldhavebeenthehappiestoffamilies.ToprovetheexcellentHardwigg'simpatience,Isolemnlydeclarethatwhentheflowersinthedrawing-roompotsbegantogrow,heroseevery morning at four o'clock to make them grow quicker by pulling theleaves!

Havingdescribedmyuncle,Iwillnowgiveanaccountofourinterview.

He receivedme inhis study;aperfectmuseum,containingeverynaturalcuriositythatcanwellbeimagined—minerals,however,predominating.Everyonewasfamiliartome,havingbeencataloguedbymyownhand.Myuncle,apparentlyobliviousofthefactthathehadsummonedmetohispresence,wasabsorbedinabook.Hewasparticularlyfondofearlyeditions,tallcopies,anduniqueworks.

"Wonderful!"hecried,tappinghisforehead."Wonderful—wonderful!"

Itwasoneofthoseyellow-leavedvolumesnowrarelyfoundonstalls,andto me it appeared to possess but little value. My uncle, however, was inraptures.

Headmireditsbinding,theclearnessofitscharacters,theeasewithwhichitopenedinhishand,andrepeatedaloud,halfadozentimes,thatitwasvery,veryold.

Tomyfancyhewasmakingagreatfussaboutnothing,butitwasnotmyprovince to say so.On the contrary, I professed considerable interest in the

subject,andaskedhimwhatitwasabout.

"It is the Heims-Kringla of Snorre Tarleson," he said, "the celebratedIcelandicauthorofthetwelfthcentury—itisatrueandcorrectaccountoftheNorwegianprinceswhoreignedinIceland."

Mynextquestionrelatedtothelanguageinwhichitwaswritten.IhopedatalleventsitwastranslatedintoGerman.Myunclewasindignantattheverythought,anddeclaredhewouldn'tgiveapennyfora translation.HisdelightwastohavefoundtheoriginalworkintheIcelandictongue,whichhedeclaredtobeoneofthemostmagnificentandyetsimpleidiomsintheworld—whileatthesametimeitsgrammaticalcombinationswerethemostvariedknowntostudents.

"AboutaseasyasGerman?"wasmyinsidiousremark.

Myuncleshruggedhisshoulders.

"Thelettersatallevents,"Isaid,"areratherdifficultofcomprehension."

"It is a Runic manuscript, the language of the original population ofIceland,inventedbyOdinhimself,"criedmyuncle,angryatmyignorance.

Iwasabout toventureuponsomemisplaced jokeon thesubject,whenasmallscrapofparchmentfelloutoftheleaves.LikeahungrymansnatchingatamorselofbreadtheProfessorseizedit.Itwasaboutfiveinchesbythreeandwasscrawledoverinthemostextraordinaryfashion.

The lines shown here are an exact facsimile ofwhatwaswritten on thevenerable piece of parchment—and have wonderful importance, as theyinducedmyuncletoundertakethemostwonderfulseriesofadventureswhicheverfelltothelotofhumanbeings.

My uncle looked keenly at the document for some moments and thendeclaredthat itwasRunic.Thelettersweresimilar to those in thebook,butthenwhatdidtheymean?ThiswasexactlywhatIwantedtoknow.

NowasIhadastrongconvictionthattheRunicalphabetanddialectweresimplyaninventiontomystifypoorhumannature,IwasdelightedtofindthatmyuncleknewasmuchaboutthematterasIdid—whichwasnothing.Atalleventsthetremulousmotionofhisfingersmademethinkso.

"Andyet,"hemutteredtohimself,"itisoldIcelandic,Iamsureofit."

And my uncle ought to have known, for he was a perfect polyglotdictionary in himself. He did not pretend, like a certain learned pundit, tospeak the two thousand languagesand four thousand idiomsmadeuseof indifferentpartsoftheglobe,buthedidknowallthemoreimportantones.

It is a matter of great doubt to me now, to what violent measures my

uncle'simpetuositymighthaveledhim,hadnottheclockstrucktwo,andouroldFrenchcookcalledouttoletusknowthatdinnerwasonthetable.

"Botherthedinner!"criedmyuncle.

ButasIwashungry,Isalliedforthtothediningroom,whereItookupmyusual quarters.Out of politeness Iwaited threeminutes, but no sign ofmyuncle, the Professor. I was surprised. He was not usually so blind to thepleasureofagooddinner.ItwastheacmeofGermanluxury—parsleysoup,aham omelette with sorrel trimmings, an oyster of veal stewed with prunes,deliciousfruit,andsparklingMoselle.Forthesakeofporingoverthismustyold piece of parchment,my uncle forbore to share ourmeal. To satisfymyconscience,Iateforboth.

Theoldcookandhousekeeperwasnearlyoutofhermind.Aftertakingsomuch trouble, to find her master not appear at dinner was to her a saddisappointment—which,assheoccasionallywatchedthehavocIwasmakingontheviands,becamealsoalarm.Ifmyuncleweretocometotableafterall?

Suddenly,justasIhadconsumedthelastappleanddrunkthelastglassofwine,aterriblevoicewasheardatnogreatdistance.Itwasmyuncleroaringformetocometohim.Imadeverynearlyoneleapofit—soloud,sofiercewashistone.

CHAPTER2

THEMYSTERIOUSPARCHMENT

"I declare," cried my uncle, striking the table fiercely with his fist, "IdeclaretoyouitisRunic—andcontainssomewonderfulsecret,whichImustgetat,atanyprice."

Iwasabouttoreplywhenhestoppedme.

"Sitdown,"hesaid,quitefiercely,"andwritetomydictation."

Iobeyed.

"Iwillsubstitute,"hesaid,"aletterofouralphabetfor thatof theRunic:wewillthenseewhatthatwillproduce.Now,beginandmakenomistakes."

Thedictationcommencedwiththefollowingincomprehensibleresult:

mm.rnllsesruelseecJde

sgtssmfunteiefniedrke

kt,samnatrateSSaodrrn

emtnaeInuaectrrilSa

Atvaar.nscrcieaabs

ccdrmieeutulfrantu

dt,iacoseiboKediiY

Scarcelygivingme time to finish,myunclesnatched thedocument frommyhandsandexamineditwiththemostraptanddeepattention.

"Ishouldliketoknowwhatitmeans,"hesaid,afteralongperiod.

I certainlycouldnot tellhim,nordidheexpectme to—hisconversationbeinguniformlyansweredbyhimself.

"Ideclareitputsmeinmindofacryptograph,"hecried,"unless,indeed,the lettershavebeenwrittenwithoutany realmeaning;andyetwhy takesomuch trouble? Who knows but I may be on the verge of some greatdiscovery?"

My candid opinion was that it was all rubbish! But this opinion I keptcarefullytomyself,asmyuncle'scholerwasnotpleasanttobear.Allthistimehewascomparingthebookwiththeparchment.

"Themanuscriptvolumeandthesmallerdocumentarewrittenindifferenthands,"hesaid,"thecryptographisofmuchlaterdatethanthebook;thereisanundoubtedproofofthecorrectnessofmysurmise.[AnirrefragableproofItook it to be.] The first letter is a doubleM, which was only added to theIcelandic language in the twelfth century—this makes the parchment twohundredyearsposteriortothevolume."

Thecircumstancesappearedveryprobableandverylogical,butitwasallsurmisetome.

"Tomeitappearsprobablethatthissentencewaswrittenbysomeownerofthebook.Nowwhowastheowner,isthenextimportantquestion.Perhapsbygreatgoodluckitmaybewrittensomewhereinthevolume."

WiththesewordsProfessorHardwiggtookoffhisspectacles,and,takingapowerfulmagnifyingglass,examinedthebookcarefully.

Ontheflyleafwaswhatappearedtobeablotofink,butonexaminationproved to be a line of writing almost effaced by time. This was what hesought;and,aftersomeconsiderabletime,hemadeouttheseletters:

"ArneSaknussemm!"hecriedinajoyousandtriumphanttone,"thatisnotonlyanIcelandicname,butofalearnedprofessorofthesixteenthcentury,acelebratedalchemist."

Ibowedasasignofrespect.

"These alchemists," he continued, "Avicenna, Bacon, Lully, Paracelsus,were the true, the only learned men of the day. They made surprisingdiscoveries.MaynotthisSaknussemm,nephewmine,havehiddenonthisbitofparchmentsomeastoundinginvention?Ibelievethecryptographtohaveaprofoundmeaning—whichImustmakeout."

My uncle walked about the room in a state of excitement almostimpossibletodescribe.

"Itmaybeso,sir,"Itimidlyobserved,"butwhyconcealitfromposterity,ifitbeauseful,aworthydiscovery?"

"Why—how should I know? Did not Galileo make a secret of hisdiscoveriesinconnectionwithSaturn?Butweshallsee.UntilIdiscoverthemeaningofthissentenceIwillneithereatnorsleep."

"Mydearuncle—"Ibegan.

"Noryouneither,"headded.

ItwasluckyIhadtakendoubleallowancethatday.

"Inthefirstplace,"hecontinued,"theremustbeacluetothemeaning.Ifwecouldfindthat,therestwouldbeeasyenough."

Ibeganseriouslytoreflect.Theprospectofgoingwithoutfoodandsleepwasnotapromisingone,soIdeterminedtodomybesttosolvethemystery.Myuncle,meanwhile,wentonwithhissoliloquy.

"Theway to discover it is easy enough. In this document there are onehundred and thirty-two letters, giving seventy-nine consonants to fifty-threevowels. This is about the proportion found inmost southern languages, theidiomsofthenorthbeingmuchmorerichinconsonants.Wemayconfidentlypredict,therefore,thatwehavetodealwithasoutherndialect."

Nothingcouldbemorelogical.

"Now,"saidProfessorHardwigg,"totracetheparticularlanguage."

"AsShakespearesays,'thatisthequestion,"'wasmyrathersatiricalreply.

"ThismanSaknussemm,"hecontinued,"wasaverylearnedman:nowashe did not write in the language of his birthplace, he probably, like mostlearned men of the sixteenth century, wrote in Latin. If, however, I provewrong in this guess, wemust try Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, and evenHebrew.Myownopinion,though,isdecidedlyinfavorofLatin."

Thisproposition startledme.Latinwasmy favorite study, and it seemedsacrilegetobelievethisgibberishtobelongtothecountryofVirgil.

"BarbarousLatin,inallprobability,"continuedmyuncle,"butstillLatin."

"Veryprobably,"Ireplied,nottocontradicthim.

"Letusseeintothematter,"continuedmyuncle;"hereyouseewehaveaseriesofonehundredandthirty-twoletters,apparentlythrownpell-melluponpaper,withoutmethodororganization.Therearewordswhicharecomposedwhollyof consonants, such asmm.rnlls, otherswhich arenearly all vowels,thefifth,forinstance,whichisunteief,andoneofthelastoseibo.Thisappearsan extraordinary combination. Probably we shall find that the phrase isarranged according to somemathematical plan.Nodoubt a certain sentencehasbeenwrittenoutandthenjumbledup—someplantowhichsomefigureistheclue.Now,Harry,toshowyourEnglishwit—whatisthatfigure?"

Icouldgivehimnohint.Mythoughtswereindeedfaraway.Whilehewasspeaking I had caught sight of the portrait ofmy cousinGretchen, andwaswonderingwhenshewouldreturn.

Wewere affianced, and lovedone another very sincerely.Butmyuncle,who never thought even of such sublunary matters, knew nothing of this.Without noticing my abstraction, the Professor began reading the puzzlingcryptographallsortsofways,accordingtosometheoryofhisown.Presently,rousingmywanderingattention,hedictatedonepreciousattempttome.

Imildlyhandeditovertohim.Itreadasfollows:

mmessunkaSenrA.icefdoK.segnittamurtn

ecertserrette,rotaivsadua,ednecsedsadne

lacartniiilrJsiratracSarbmutabiledmek

meretarcsilucoYsleffenSnI.

Icouldscarcelykeepfromlaughing,whilemyuncle,onthecontrary,gotinatoweringpassion,struckthetablewithhisfist,dartedoutoftheroom,outofthehouse,andthentakingtohisheelswaspresentlylosttosight.

CHAPTER3

ANASTOUNDINGDISCOVERY

"Whatisthematter?"criedthecook,enteringtheroom;"whenwillmasterhavehisdinner?"

"Never."

"And,hissupper?"

"Idon'tknow.Hesayshewilleatnomore,neithershallI.Myunclehasdetermined to fast and make me fast until he makes out this abominableinscription,"Ireplied.

"Youwillbestarvedtodeath,"shesaid.

Iwas verymuch of the same opinion, but not liking to say so, sent heraway,andbegansomeofmyusualworkofclassification.ButtryasImight,nothingcouldkeepmefromthinkingalternatelyofthestupidmanuscriptandoftheprettyGretchen.

SeveraltimesIthoughtofgoingout,butmyunclewouldhavebeenangryatmyabsence.Attheendofanhour,myallottedtaskwasdone.Howtopassthetime?Ibeganbylightingmypipe.Likeallotherstudents, Idelightedintobacco;and,seatingmyselfinthegreatarmchair,Ibegantothink.

Where was my uncle? I could easily imagine him tearing along somesolitary road, gesticulating, talking to himself, cutting the airwith his cane,andstillthinkingoftheabsurdbitofhieroglyphics.Wouldhehituponsomeclue? Would he come home in better humor? While these thoughts werepassing throughmy brain, Imechanically took up the execrable puzzle andtried every imaginable way of grouping the letters. I put them together bytwos, by threes, fours, and fives—in vain. Nothing intelligible came out,except that the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenthmade ice in English; theeighty-fourth,eighty-fifth,andeighty-sixth,thewordsir;thenatlastIseemedtofindtheLatinwordsrota,mutabile,ira,nec,atra.

"Ha!thereseemstobesometruthinmyuncle'snotion,"thoughtI.

Then again I seemed to find the word luco, whichmeans sacred wood.TheninthethirdlineIappearedtomakeoutlabiled,aperfectHebrewword,andatthelastthesyllablesmere,are,mer,whichwereFrench.

It was enough to drive one mad. Four different idioms in this absurdphrase.Whatconnectioncould therebebetweenice,sir,anger,cruel,sacredwood, changing, mother, are, and sea? The first and the last might, in asentenceconnectedwithIceland,meanseaofice.Butwhatoftherestofthismonstrouscryptograph?

Iwas,infact,fightingagainstaninsurmountabledifficulty;mybrainwasalmostonfire;myeyeswerestrainedwithstaringattheparchment;thewholeabsurdcollectionoflettersappearedtodancebeforemyvisioninanumberofblack littlegroups.Mymindwaspossessedwith temporaryhallucination—Iwasstifling.Iwantedair.MechanicallyIfannedmyselfwiththedocument,ofwhichnowIsawthebackandthenthefront.

Imaginemysurprisewhenglancingat thebackof thewearisomepuzzle,the ink having gone through, I clearly made out Latin words, and amongotherscrateremandterrestre.

Ihaddiscoveredthesecret!

Itcameuponmelikeaflashoflightning.Ihadgottheclue.Allyouhadtodo to understand the documentwas to read it backwards.All the ingeniousideasoftheProfessorwererealized;hehaddictateditrightlytome;byamereaccidentIhaddiscoveredwhathesomuchdesired.

My delight,my emotionmay be imagined,my eyeswere dazzled and ItrembledsothatatfirstIcouldmakenothingofit.Onelook,however,wouldtellmeallIwishedtoknow.

"Letmeread,"Isaidtomyself,afterdrawingalongbreath.

I spread it beforemeon the table, I passedmy finger over each letter, Ispelleditthrough;inmyexcitementIreaditout.

Whathorrorandstupefactiontookpossessionofmysoul.Iwaslikeamanwhohad receivedaknock-downblow.Was it possible that I really read theterriblesecret,andithadreallybeenaccomplished!Amanhaddaredtodo—what?

Nolivingbeingshouldeverknow.

"Never!"criedI,jumpingup."Nevershallmyunclebemadeawareofthedread secret.Hewould be quite capable of undertaking the terrible journey.Nothingwouldcheckhim,nothingstophim.Worse,hewouldcompelmetoaccompany him, and we should be lost forever. But no; such folly andmadnesscannotbeallowed."

Iwasalmostbesidemyselfwithrageandfury.

"Myworthyuncleisalreadynearlymad,"Icriedaloud."Thiswouldfinishhim.Bysomeaccidenthemaymakethediscovery;inwhichcase,wearebothlost.Perishthefearfulsecret—lettheflamesforeverburyitinoblivion."

I snatched up book and parchment, andwas about to cast them into thefire,whenthedooropenedandmyuncleentered.

Ihadscarcelytimetoputdownthewretcheddocumentsbeforemyunclewas bymy side.Hewas profoundly absorbed.His thoughtswere evidentlybent on the terrible parchment. Some new combination had probably struckhimwhiletakinghiswalk.

He seated himself in his armchair, and with a pen began to make analgebraicalcalculation.Iwatchedhimwithanxiouseyes.Myfleshcrawledasitbecameprobablethathewoulddiscoverthesecret.

His combinations I knewnowwereuseless, I havingdiscovered theoneonly clue. For three mortal hours he continued without speaking a word,without raising his head, scratching, rewriting, calculating over and overagain. I knew that in time hemust hit upon the right phrase. The letters ofevery alphabet have only a certain number of combinations. But then yearsmightelapsebeforehewouldarriveatthecorrectsolution.

Stilltimewenton;nightcame,thesoundsinthestreetsceased—andstillmyunclewenton,notevenansweringourworthycookwhenshecalledustosupper.

Ididnotdareto leavehim,sowavedheraway,andat lastfellasleeponthesofa.

When I awoke my uncle was still at work. His red eyes, his pallidcountenance,hismattedhair,hisfeverishhands,hishecticallyflushedcheeks,showed how terrible had been his struggle with the impossible, and whatfearfulfatiguehehadundergoneduringthatlongsleeplessnight.Itmademequiteilltolookathim.Thoughhewasratherseverewithme,Ilovedhim,andmy heart ached at his sufferings. Hewas so overcome by one idea that hecouldnotevenget inapassion!Allhisenergieswerefocusedononepoint.AndIknewthatbyspeakingonelittlewordall thissufferingwouldcease.Icouldnotspeakit.

Myheartwas,nevertheless,incliningtowardshim.Why,then,didIremainsilent?Intheinterestofmyunclehimself.

"Nothingshallmakemespeak,"Imuttered."Hewillwanttofollowinthefootstepsoftheother!Iknowhimwell.Hisimaginationisaperfectvolcano,andtomakediscoveriesintheinterestsofgeologyhewouldsacrificehislife.I will therefore be silent and strictly keep the secret I have discovered. Toreveal itwouldbe suicidal.Hewouldnotonly rush,himself, todestruction,butdragmewithhim."

I crossedmy arms, looked anotherway and smoked—resolved never tospeak.

Whenour cookwanted to go out tomarket, or on anyother errand, shefoundthefrontdoorlockedandthekeytakenaway.Wasthisdonepurposelyornot?SurelyProfessorHardwiggdidnotintendtheoldwomanandmyselfto becomemartyrs to his obstinatewill.Werewe to be starved to death?Afrightfulrecollectioncametomymind.Oncewehadfedonbitsandscrapsforaweekwhilehesortedsomecuriosities.Itgavemethecrampeventothinkofit!

Iwantedmybreakfast,andIsawnowayofgettingit.Stillmyresolutionheld good. Iwould starve rather than yield.But the cook began to takeme

seriouslytotask.Whatwastobedone?Shecouldnotgoout;andIdarednot.

Myunclecontinuedcountingandwriting;hisimaginationseemedtohavetranslatedhimtotheskies.Heneitherthoughtofeatingnordrinking.Inthisway twelveo'clockcame round. Iwashungry, and therewasnothing in thehouse.Thecookhadeatenthelastbitofbread.Thiscouldnotgoon.Itdid,however, until two,whenmy sensationswere terrible. After all, I began tothink the document very absurd. Perhaps it might only be a gigantic hoax.Besides, some means would surely be found to keep my uncle back fromattemptinganysuchabsurdexpedition.On theotherhand, ifhedidattemptanythingsoquixotic, Ishouldnotbecompelled toaccompanyhim.Anotherline of reasoning partially decided me. Very likely he would make thediscoveryhimselfwhenIshouldhavesufferedstarvationfornothing.Undertheinfluenceofhungerthisreasoningappearedadmirable.Ideterminedtotellall.

Thequestionnowaroseastohowitwastobedone.Iwasstilldwellingonthethought,whenheroseandputonhishat.

What!gooutandlockusin?Never!

"Uncle,"Ibegan.

Hedidnotappeareventohearme.

"ProfessorHardwigg,"Icried.

"What,"heretorted,"didyouspeak?"

"Howaboutthekey?"

"Whatkey—thekeyofthedoor?"

"No—ofthesehorriblehieroglyphics?"

He looked at me from under his spectacles, and started at the oddexpression of my face. Rushing forward, he clutched me by the arm andkeenlyexaminedmycountenance.Hisverylookwasaninterrogation.

Isimplynodded.

With an incredulous shrug of the shoulders, he turned upon his heel.UndoubtedlyhethoughtIhadgonemad.

"Ihavemadeaveryimportantdiscovery."

His eyes flashed with excitement. His hand was lifted in a menacingattitude.Foramomentneitherofusspoke.It ishardtosaywhichwasmostexcited.

"You don't mean to say that you have any idea of the meaning of the

scrawl?"

"Ido,"wasmydesperatereply."Lookatthesentenceasdictatedbyyou."

"Well,butitmeansnothing,"wastheangryanswer.

"Nothingifyoureadfromlefttoright,butmark,iffromrighttoleft—"

"Backwards!" cried my uncle, in wild amazement. "Oh most cunningSaknussemm;andItobesuchablockhead!"

Hesnatchedupthedocument,gazedatitwithhaggardeye,andreaditoutasIhaddone.

Itreadasfollows:

InSneffelsYoculiscrateremkemdelibat

umbraScartarisJuliiintracalendasdescende,

audasviator,etterrestrecentrumattinges.

Kodfeci.ArneSaknussemm

WhichdogLatinbeingtranslated,readsasfollows:

DescendintothecraterofYoculofSneffels,whichtheshadeof

Scartariscaresses,beforethekalendsofJuly,audacioustraveler,

andyouwillreachthecentreoftheearth.Ididit.

ARNESAKNUSSEMM

Myuncle leaped three feet from the groundwith joy.He looked radiantandhandsome.Herushedabout theroomwildwithdelightandsatisfaction.He knocked over tables and chairs. He threw his books about until at last,utterlyexhausted,hefellintohisarmchair.

"What'so'clock?"heasked.

"Aboutthree."

"Mydinnerdoesnotseemtohavedonememuchgood,"heobserved."Letme have something to eat.We can then start at once. Get my portmanteauready."

"Whatfor?"

"Andyourown,"hecontinued."Westartatonce."

My horror may be conceived. I resolved however to show no fear.Scientificreasonsweretheonlyoneslikelytoinfluencemyuncle.Now,thereweremanyagainst this terrible journey.Thevery ideaofgoingdown to thecentre of the earth was simply absurd. I determined therefore to argue the

pointafterdinner.

Myuncle's ragewasnowdirectedagainst thecook forhavingnodinnerready.Myexplanationhoweversatisfiedhim,andhavinggottenthekey,shesooncontrivedtogetsufficienttosatisfyourvoraciousappetites.

Duringtherepastmyunclewasrathergaythanotherwise.Hemadesomeof those peculiar jokes which belong exclusively to the learned. As soon,however,asdessertwasover,hecalledmetohisstudy.Weeachtookachaironoppositesidesofthetable.

"Henry,"hesaid,inasoftandwinningvoice;"Ihavealwaysbelievedyouingenious,andyouhaverenderedmeaservicenevertobeforgotten.Withoutyou,thisgreat,thiswondrousdiscoverywouldneverhavebeenmade.Itismyduty,therefore,toinsistonyoursharingtheglory."

"Heisinagoodhumor,"thoughtI;"I'llsoonlethimknowmyopinionofglory."

"In the first place," he continued, "you must keep the whole affair aprofound secret. There is no more envious race of men than scientificdiscoverers.Manywouldstartonthesamejourney.Atallevents,wewillbethefirstinthefield."

"Idoubtyourhavingmanycompetitors,"wasmyreply.

"Amanof real scientificacquirementswouldbedelightedat thechance.We should find a perfect stream of pilgrims on the traces of ArneSaknussemm,ifthisdocumentwereoncemadepublic."

"But,mydearsir,isnotthispaperverylikelytobeahoax?"Iurged.

"The book inwhichwe find it is sufficient proof of its authenticity," hereplied.

"IthoroughlyallowthatthecelebratedProfessorwrotethelines,butonly,Ibelieve,asakindofmystification,"wasmyanswer.

Scarcelywerethewordsoutofmymouth,whenIwassorryIhadutteredthem.Myunclelookedatmewithadarkandgloomyscowl,andIbegantobealarmedfortheresultsofourconversation.Hismoodsoonchanged,however,andasmiletooktheplaceofafrown.

"Weshallsee,"heremarked,withdecisiveemphasis.

"But see,what is all this aboutYocul, andSneffels, and thisScartaris? Ihaveneverheardanythingaboutthem."

"Theverypoint towhich I amcoming. I lately received frommy friendAugustus Peterman, of Leipzig, amap. Take down the third atlas from the

secondshelf,seriesZ,plate4."

Irose,wenttotheshelf,andpresentlyreturnedwiththevolumeindicated.

"This,"saidmyuncle,"isoneofthebestmapsofIceland.Ibelieveitwillsettleallyourdoubts,difficultiesandobjections."

Withagrimhopetothecontrary,Istoopedoverthemap.

CHAPTER4

WESTARTONTHEJOURNEY

"Yousee,thewholeislandiscomposedofvolcanoes,"saidtheProfessor,"and remark carefully that they all bear the name of Yocul. The word isIcelandic,andmeansaglacier. Inmostof the loftymountainsof that regionthe volcanic eruptions come forth from icebound caverns. Hence the nameappliedtoeveryvolcanoonthisextraordinaryisland."

"ButwhatdoesthiswordSneffelsmean?"

TothisquestionIexpectednorationalanswer.Iwasmistaken.

"Follow my finger to the western coast of Iceland, there you seeReykjavik,itscapital.Followthedirectionofoneofitsinnumerablefjordsorarmsofthesea,andwhatdoyouseebelowthesixty-fifthdegreeoflatitude?"

"Apeninsula—verylikeathighboneinshape."

"Andinthecentreofit—?"

"Amountain."

"Well,that'sSneffels."

Ihadnothingtosay.

"That isSneffels—amountain about five thousand feet inheight, oneofthemostremarkableinthewholeisland,andcertainlydoomedtobethemostcelebratedintheworld,forthroughitscraterweshallreachthecentreoftheearth."

"Impossible!"criedI,startledandshockedatthethought.

"Whyimpossible?"saidProfessorHardwigginhisseveresttones.

"Because its crater is choked with lava, by burning rocks—by infinitedangers."

"Butifitbeextinct?"

"Thatwouldmakeadifference."

"Ofcourseitwould.Thereareaboutthreehundredvolcanoesonthewholesurfaceoftheglobe—butthegreaternumberareextinct.OftheseSneffelsisone. No eruption has occurred since 1219—in fact it has ceased to be avolcanoatall."

AfterthiswhatmorecouldIsay?Yes,—Ithoughtofanotherobjection.

"ButwhatisallthisaboutScartarisandthekalendsofJuly—?"

My uncle reflected deeply. Presently he gave forth the result of hisreflectionsinasententioustone."Whatappearsobscuretoyou,tomeislight.ThisveryphraseshowshowparticularSaknussemmis inhisdirections.TheSneffelsmountainhasmanycraters.Heiscarefulthereforetopointtheexactonewhichis thehighwayintotheInteriorof theEarth.Heletsusknow,forthispurpose, thatabout theendof themonthof June, the shadowofMountScartarisfallsupontheonecrater.Therecanbenodoubtaboutthematter."

Myunclehadananswerforeverything.

"I accept all your explanations" I said, "and Saknussemm is right. Hefoundout theentrance to thebowelsof theearth,hehas indicatedcorrectly,but that he or anyone else ever followed up the discovery is madness tosuppose."

"Whyso,youngman?"

"All scientific teaching, theoretical and practical, shows it to beimpossible."

"Icarenothingfortheories,"retortedmyuncle.

"Butisitnotwell-knownthatheatincreasesonedegreeforeveryseventyfeetyoudescendintotheearth?Whichgivesafineideaofthecentralheat.Allthematters which compose the globe are in a state of incandescence; evengold, platinum, and the hardest rocks are in a state of fusion.What wouldbecomeofus?"

"Don'tbealarmedattheheat,myboy."

"Howso?"

"Neitheryounor anybodyelseknowanythingabout the real stateof theearth's interior. All modern experiments tend to explode the older theories.Wereanysuchheattoexist,theuppercrustoftheearthwouldbeshatteredtoatoms,andtheworldwouldbeatanend."

Along,learnedandnotuninterestingdiscussionfollowed,whichendedinthiswise:

"Idonotbelieveinthedangersanddifficultieswhichyou,Henry,seemtomultiply;andtheonlywaytolearn,islikeArneSaknussemm,togoandsee."

"Well,"criedI,overcomeatlast,"letusgoandsee.Thoughhowwecandothatinthedarkisanothermystery."

"Fear nothing. We shall overcome these, and many other difficulties.Besides,asweapproachthecentre,Iexpecttofinditluminous—"

"Nothingisimpossible."

"Andnowthatwehavecometoathoroughunderstanding,notawordtoanylivingsoul.Oursuccessdependsonsecrecyanddispatch."

Thus ended ourmemorable conference, which roused a perfect fever inme.Leavingmyuncle,Iwentforthlikeonepossessed.ReachingthebanksoftheElbe,Ibegantothink.WasallIhadheardreallyandtrulypossible?Wasmyuncle inhissobersenses,andcould the interiorof theearthbereached?Was I the victim of amadman, orwas he a discoverer of rare courage andgrandeurofconception?

To a certain extent Iwas anxious to be off. Iwas afraidmy enthusiasmwouldcool.Ideterminedtopackupatonce.Attheendofanhour,however,onmywayhome,Ifoundthatmyfeelingshadverymuchchanged.

"I'mallabroad,"Icried;"'tisanightmare—Imusthavedreamedit."

At this moment I came face to face with Gretchen, whom I warmlyembraced.

"Soyouhavecometomeetme,"shesaid;"howgoodofyou.Butwhatisthematter?"

Well, itwas no usemincing thematter, I told her all. She listenedwithawe,andforsomeminutesshecouldnotspeak.

"Well?"Iatlastsaid,ratheranxiously.

"Whatamagnificent journey. If Iwereonlyaman!A journeyworthyofthe nephew of Professor Hardwigg. I should look upon it as an honor toaccompanyhim."

"MydearGretchen,Ithoughtyouwouldbethefirsttocryoutagainstthismadenterprise."

"No; on the contrary, I glory in it. It is magnificent, splendid—an ideaworthyofmyfather.HenryLawson,Ienvyyou."

Thiswas,asitwere,conclusive.Thefinalblowofall.

Whenweentered thehousewefoundmyunclesurroundedbyworkmen

andporters,whowerepackingup.Hewaspullingandhaulingatabell.

"Wherehaveyoubeenwastingyourtime?Yourportmanteauisnotpacked—mypapersarenotinorder—theprecioustailorhasnotbroughtmyclothes,normygaiters—thekeyofmycarpetbagisgone!"

Ilookedathimstupefied.Andstillhetuggedawayatthebell.

"Wearereallyoff,then?"Isaid.

"Yes—ofcourse,andyetyougooutforastroll,unfortunateboy!"

"Andwhendowego?"

"Thedayaftertomorrow,atdaybreak."

Iheardnomore;butdartedofftomylittlebedchamberandlockedmyselfin.Therewasnodoubtaboutitnow.Myunclehadbeenhardatworkalltheafternoon. The gardenwas full of ropes, rope ladders, torches, gourds, ironclamps,crowbars,alpenstocks,andpickaxes—enoughtoloadtenmen.

Ipasseda terriblenight. Iwascalledearly thenextday to learn that theresolutionofmyunclewasunchangedandirrevocable.Ialsofoundmycousinandaffiancedwifeaswarmonthesubjectaswasherfather.

Nextday,at fiveo'clock in themorning, thepostchaisewasat thedoor.Gretchen and the old cook received the keys of the house; and, scarcelypausingtowishanyonegood-by,westartedonouradventurousjourneyintothecentreoftheearth.

CHAPTER5

FIRSTLESSONSINCLIMBING

AtAltona,asuburbofHamburg,istheChiefStationoftheKielrailway,whichwas to take us to the shores of theBelt. In twentyminutes from themoment of our departurewewere inHolstein, and our carriage entered thestation.Ourheavy luggagewas takenout,weighed, labeled,andplaced inahugevan.Wethentookourtickets,andexactlyatseveno'clockwereseatedoppositeeachotherinafirstclassrailwaycarriage.

My uncle said nothing. He was too busy examining his papers, amongwhichofcoursewas thefamousparchment,andsomelettersof introductionfromtheDanishconsulwhichweretopavethewaytoanintroductiontotheGovernorofIceland.Myonlyamusementwaslookingoutofthewindow.Butaswepassedthroughaflatthoughfertilecountry,thisoccupationwasslightly

monotonous. In three hourswe reachedKiel, and our baggagewas at oncetransferredtothesteamer.

Wehadnowadaybeforeus,adelayofabouttenhours.Whichfactputmyuncleinatoweringpassion.Wehadnothingtodobuttowalkabouttheprettytownandbay.Atlength,however,wewentonboard,andathalfpasttenweresteamingdowntheGreatBelt.Itwasadarknight,withastrongbreezeandaroughsea,nothingbeingvisiblebut theoccasional fireson shore,withhereandtherealighthouse.AtseveninthemorningweleftKorsor,alittletownonthewesternsideofSeeland.

Here we took another railway, which in three hours brought us to thecapital, Copenhagen,where, scarcely taking time for refreshment,my unclehurriedouttopresentoneofhislettersofintroduction.ItwastothedirectoroftheMuseumofAntiquities,who,havingbeeninformedthatweweretouristsboundforIceland,didallhecouldtoassistus.Onewretchedhopesustainedmenow.Perhapsnovesselwasboundforsuchdistantparts.

Alas!a littleDanish schooner, theValkyrie,was to sailon the secondofJune for Reykjavik. The captain,M. Bjarne, was on board, and was rathersurprisedat theenergyandcordialitywithwhichhis futurepassengershookhimbythehand.TohimavoyagetoIcelandwasmerelyamatterofcourse.Myuncle,ontheotherhand,consideredtheeventofsublimeimportance.ThehonestsailortookadvantageoftheProfessor'senthusiasmtodoublethefare.

"On Tuesday morning at seven o'clock be on board," said M. Bjarne,handingusourreceipts.

"Excellent! Capital! Glorious!" remarkedmy uncle aswe sat down to alatebreakfast; "refreshyourself,myboy,andwewill takea run through thetown."

Our meal concluded, we went to the Kongens-Nye-Torw; to the king'smagnificentpalace;tothebeautifulbridgeoverthecanalneartheMuseum;tothe immense cenotaphofThorwaldsenwith its hideousnaval groups; to thecastleofRosenberg;andtoalltheotherlionsoftheplace-noneofwhichmyuncleevensaw,soabsorbedwasheinhisanticipatedtriumphs.

But one thing struck his fancy, and that was a certain singular steeplesituatedon the IslandofAmak,which is thesoutheastquarterof thecityofCopenhagen.My uncle at once orderedme to turn my steps that way, andaccordinglywewent on board the steam ferry boatwhich does duty on thecanal,andverysoonreachedthenoteddockyardquay.

In the first instance we crossed some narrow streets, where we metnumerousgroupsofgalleyslaves,withparticoloredtrousers,greyandyellow,working under the orders and the sticks of severe taskmasters, and finally

reachedtheVor-Frelser's-Kirk.

This church exhibited nothing remarkable in itself; in fact, the worthyProfessorhadonlybeenattractedtoitbyonecircumstance,whichwas,thatitsratherelevatedsteeplestartedfromacircularplatform,afterwhichtherewasanexteriorstaircase,whichwoundroundtotheverysummit.

"Letusascend,"saidmyuncle.

"ButInevercouldclimbchurchtowers,"Icried,"Iamsubjecttodizzinessinmyhead."

"Theveryreasonwhyyoushouldgoup.Iwanttocureyouofabadhabit."

"But,mygoodsir—"

"Itellyoutocome.Whatistheuseofwastingsomuchvaluabletime?"

It was impossible to dispute the dictatorial commands of my uncle. Iyieldedwithagroan.Onpaymentofafee,avergergaveusthekey.He,forone, was not partial to the ascent. My uncle at once showed me the way,runningupthestepslikeaschoolboy.IfollowedaswellasIcould,thoughnosooner was I outside the tower, than my head began to swim. There wasnothingoftheeagleaboutme.Theearthwasenoughforme,andnoambitiousdesiretosoareverenteredmymind.Still thingsdidnotgobadlyuntilIhadascended150steps,andwasneartheplatform,whenIbegantofeeltherushof cold air. I could scarcely stand, when clutching the railings, I lookedupwards.Therailingwasfrailenough,butnothingtothosewhichskirtedtheterriblewindingstaircase,thatappeared,fromwhereIstood,toascendtotheskies.

"Nowthen,Henry."

"Ican'tdoit!"Icried,inaccentsofdespair.

"Areyou,afterall,acoward,sir?"saidmyuncleinapitilesstone."Goup,Isay!"

Tothistherewasnoreplypossible.Andyetthekeenairactedviolentlyonmynervous system; sky, earth, all seemed to swim round,while the steeplerockedlikeaship.Mylegsgavewaylikethoseofadrunkenman.Icrawleduponmyhandsandknees;Ihauledmyselfupslowly,crawlinglikeasnake.PresentlyIclosedmyeyes,andallowedmyselftobedraggedupwards.

"Lookaroundyou," saidmyuncle ina sternvoice, "heavenknowswhatprofoundabyssesyoumayhavetolookdown.Thisisexcellentpractice."

Slowly,andshiveringallthewhilewithcold,Iopenedmyeyes.WhatthendidIsee?Myfirstglancewasupwardsatthecoldfleecyclouds,whichasbysome optical delusion appeared to stand still, while the steeple, the

weathercock,andourtwoselveswerecarriedswiftlyalong.Farawayononesidecouldbeseen thegrassyplain,whileon theother lay theseabathed intranslucent light. The Sund, or Sound as we call it, could be discoveredbeyondthepointofElsinore,crowdedwithwhitesails,which,atthatdistancelookedlikethewingsofseagulls;whiletotheeastcouldbemadeoutthefar-offcoastofSweden.Thewholeappearedamagicpanorama.

But faint andbewildered as Iwas, therewas no remedy for it.Rise andstandupImust.Despitemyprotestationsmyfirstlessonlastedquiteanhour.When,nearlytwohourslater,Ireachedthebosomofmotherearth,Iwaslikearheumaticoldmanbentdoublewithpain.

"Enough for oneday," saidmyuncle, rubbinghis hands, "wewill beginagaintomorrow."

Therewasnoremedy.Mylessonslastedfivedays,andattheendofthatperiod,Iascendedblithelyenough,andfoundmyselfabletolookdownintothedepthsbelowwithoutevenwinking,andwithsomedegreeofpleasure.

CHAPTER6

OURVOYAGETOICELAND

The hour of departure came at last. The night before, the worthy Mr.Thompson brought us the most cordial letters of introduction for BaronTrampe,GovernorofIceland,forM.Pictursson,coadjutortothebishop,andforM. Finsen,mayor of the town ofReykjavik. In return,my uncle nearlycrushedhishands,sowarmlydidheshakethem.

Onthesecondofthemonth,attwointhemorning,ourpreciouscargoofluggagewas takenonboard thegood shipValkyrie.We followed, andwereverypolitelyintroducedbythecaptaintoasmallcabinwithtwostandingbedplaces,neitherverywellventilatednorverycomfortable.Butinthecauseofsciencemenareexpectedtosuffer.

"Well,andhaveweafairwind?"criedmyuncle, inhismostmellifluousaccents.

"An excellentwind!" repliedCaptainBjarne; "we shall leave theSound,goingfreewithallsailsset."

Afewminutesafterwards,theschoonerstartedbeforethewind,underallthecanvasshecouldcarry,andenteredthechannel.Anhourlater,thecapitalofDenmarkseemedtosinkintothewaves,andwewereatnogreatdistancefrom the coast ofElsinore.Myunclewasdelighted; formyself,moody and

dissatisfied,IappearedalmosttoexpectaglimpseoftheghostofHamlet.

"Sublime madman," thought I, "you doubtless would approve ourproceedings.Youmightperhapsevenfollowustothecentreoftheearth,theretoresolveyoureternaldoubts."

Butnoghostoranythingelseappearedupontheancientwalls.Thefactis,the castle ismuch later than the timeof theheroicprinceofDenmark. It isnow the residenceof thekeeperof theStraitof theSound,and through thatSoundmorethanfifteenthousandvesselsofallnationspasseveryyear.

ThecastleofKronborgsoondisappearedinthemurkyatmosphere,aswellas the towerofHelsinborg,whichraises itsheadon theSwedishBank.Andhere the schooner began to feel in earnest the breezes of theKattegat. TheValkyrie was swift enough, but with all sailing boats there is the sameuncertainty.Hercargowascoal,furniture,pottery,woolenclothing,andaloadofcorn.Asusual,thecrewwassmall,fiveDanesdoingthewholeofthework.

"Howlongwillthevoyagelast?"askedmyuncle.

"Well,Ishouldthinkabouttendays,"repliedtheskipper,"unless,indeed,wemeetwithsomenortheastgalesamongtheFaroeIslands."

"At all events, there will be no very considerable delay," cried theimpatientProfessor.

"No,Mr.Hardwigg," said thecaptain, "no fearof that.At all events,weshallgettheresomeday."

Towards evening the schooner doubled Cape Skagen, the northernmostpartofDenmark,crossedtheSkagerrakduringthenight—skirtedtheextremepoint of Norway through the gut of Cape Lindesnes, and then reached theNorthern Seas. Two days laterwewere not far from the coast of Scotland,somewhere near what Danish sailors call Peterhead, and then the ValkyriestretchedoutdirectfortheFaroeIslands,betweenOrkneyandShetland.Ourvesselnow felt the full forceof theoceanwaves, and thewind shifting,wewithgreatdifficultymadetheFaroeIsles.Ontheeighthday,thecaptainmadeoutMyganness, thewesternmost of the isles, and from thatmoment headeddirect for Portland, a cape on the southern shores of the singular island forwhichwewerebound.

Thevoyageofferedno incidentworthyofrecord. Ibore itverywell,butmyuncle to his great annoyance, and even shame,was remarkably seasick!ThismaldemertroubledhimthemorethatitpreventedhimfromquestioningCaptain Bjarne as to the subject of Sneffels, as to the means ofcommunication,andthefacilitiesoftransport.Alltheseexplanationshehadtoadjourn to theperiodofhisarrival.His time,meanwhile,wasspent lying in

bed groaning, and dwelling anxiously on the hoped—for termination of thevoyage.Ididn'tpityhim.

OntheeleventhdaywesightedCapePortland,overwhichtoweredMountMyrdalsYokul,which,theweatherbeingclear,wemadeoutveryreadily.Thecapeitselfisnothingbutahugemountofgranitestandingnakedandalonetomeet the Atlantic waves. The Valkyrie kept off the coast, steering to thewestward.Onallsidesweretobeseenwhole"schools"ofwhalesandsharks.Aftersomehourswecameinsightofasolitaryrockintheocean,formingamightyvault,throughwhichthefoamingwavespouredwithintensefury.TheisletsofWestmanappearedtoleapfromtheocean,beingsolowinthewaterasscarcelytobeseenuntilyouwererightuponthem.FromthatmomenttheschoonerwassteeredtothewestwardinordertoroundCapeReykjanes, thewesternpointofIceland.

Myuncle,tohisgreatdisgust,wasunableeventocrawlondeck,soheavyaseawason,andthuslostthefirstviewoftheLandofPromise.Forty-eighthourslater,afterastormwhichdroveusfartoseaunderbarepoles,wecameoncemoreinsightofland,andwereboardedbyapilot,who,afterthreehoursofdangerousnavigation,broughttheschoonersafelytoananchorinthebayofFaxabeforeReykjavik.

Myunclecameoutofhiscabinpale,haggard,thin,butfullofenthusiasm,hiseyesdilatedwithpleasureandsatisfaction.Nearlythewholepopulationofthe townwason foot to seeus land.The factwas, that scarcely anyoneofthembutexpectedsomegoodsbytheperiodicalvessel.

ProfessorHardwiggwasinhastetoleavehisprison,orratherashecalledit,hishospital;butbeforeheattemptedtodoso,hecaughtholdofmyhand,ledmetothequarterdeckoftheschooner,tookmyarmwithhislefthand,andpointedinlandwithhisright,overthenorthernpartofthebay,towhereroseahightwo-peakedmountain—adoubleconecoveredwitheternalsnow.

"Beholdhewhisperedinanawe-strickenvoice,behold—MountSneffels!"

Thenwithoutfurtherremark,heputhisfingertohislips,frowneddarkly,anddescendedintothesmallboatwhichawaitedus.Ifollowed,andinafewminuteswestooduponthesoilofmysteriousIceland!

Scarcelywerewefairlyonshorewhenthereappearedbeforeusamanofexcellent appearance, wearing the costume of a military officer. He was,however,butacivilservant,amagistrate, thegovernoroftheisland—BaronTrampe.TheProfessorknewwhomhehadtodealwith.HethereforehandedhimthelettersfromCopenhagen,andabriefconversationinDanishfollowed,towhichIofcoursewasastranger,andforaverygoodreason,forIdidnotknowthelanguageinwhichtheyconversed.Iafterwardsheard,however,that

Baron Trampe placed himself entirely at the beck and call of ProfessorHardwigg.

MyunclewasmostgraciouslyreceivedbyM.Finsen,themayor,whoasfar as costume went, was quite as military as the governor, but also fromcharacterandoccupationquiteaspacific.Asforhiscoadjutor,M.Pictursson,hewasabsentonanepiscopalvisittothenorthernportionofthediocese.Wewerethereforecompelledtodeferthepleasureofbeingpresentedtohim.Hisabsence was, however, more than compensated by the presence of M.Fridriksson,professorofnaturalscienceinthecollegeofReykjavik,amanofinvaluableability.ThismodestscholarspokenolanguagessaveIcelandicandLatin.When,therefore,headdressedhimselftomeinthelanguageofHorace,weatoncecametounderstandoneanother.Hewas, infact, theonlypersonthat Idid thoroughlyunderstandduring thewholeperiodofmyresidence inthisbenightedisland.

Outofthreeroomsofwhichhishousewascomposed,twowereplacedatour service, and in a fewhourswewere installedwith all our baggage, theamountofwhichratherastonishedthesimpleinhabitantsofReykjavik.

"Now,Harry,"saidmyuncle,rubbinghishands,"angoeswell,theworsedifficultyisnowover."

"Howtheworsedifficultyover?"Icriedinfreshamazement.

"Doubtless.HereweareinIceland.Nothingmoreremainsbuttodescendintothebowelsoftheearth."

"Well,sir,toacertainextentyouareright.Wehaveonlytogodown—but,asfarasIamconcerned,thatisnotthequestion.Iwanttoknowhowwearetogetupagain."

"Thatistheleastpartofthebusiness,anddoesnotinanywaytroubleme.In themeantime, there is not anhour to lose. I amabout to visit the publiclibrary. Very likely I may find there some manuscripts from the hand ofSaknussemm.Ishallbegladtoconsultthem."

"In themeanwhile," I replied, "Iwill takeawalk through the town.Willyounotlikewisedoso?"

"Ifeelnointerestinthesubject,"saidmyuncle."Whatformeiscuriousinthisisland,isnotwhatisabovethesurface,butwhatisbelow."

Ibowedbywayofreply,putonmyhatandfurredcloak,andwentout.

ItwasnotaneasymattertoloseoneselfinthetwostreetsofReykjavik;Ihadthereforenoneedtoaskmyway.Thetownliesonaflatandmarshyplain,between twohills.Avast field of lava skirts it onone side, falling away interracestowardsthesea.OntheotherhandisthelargebayofFaxa,bordered

on the north by the enormous glacier of Sneffels, and in which bay theValkyriewasthentheonlyvesselatanchor.GenerallytherewereoneortwoEnglishorFrenchgunboats, towatchandprotect the fisheries in theoffing.Theywerenow,however,absentonduty.

The longestof the streetsofReykjavik runsparallel to the shore. In thisstreet the merchants and traders live in wooden huts made with beams ofwood,paintedred—mereloghuts,suchasyoufindinthewildsofAmerica.Theotherstreet, situatedmore to thewest, runs towarda little lakebetweenthe residences of the bishop and the other personages not engaged incommerce.

IhadsoonseenallIwantedofthesewearyanddismalthoroughfares.Hereand therewas a strip of discolored turf, like an oldworn-out bit ofwoolencarpet; and now and then a bit of kitchen garden, in which grew potatoes,cabbage,andlettuce,almostdiminutiveenoughtosuggesttheideaofLilliput.

In the centre of the new commercial street, I found the public cemetery,enclosedbyanearthenwall.Thoughnotverylarge,itappearednotlikelytobe filled for centuries. Fromhence Iwent to the house of theGovernor—amerehut incomparisonwith theMansionHouseofHamburg—butapalacealongsidetheotherIcelandichouses.Betweenthelittlelakeandthetownwasthechurch,builtinsimpleProtestantstyle,andcomposedofcalcinedstones,thrownupbyvolcanicaction.Ihavenottheslightestdoubtthatinhighwindsits red tiles were blown out, to the great annoyance of the pastor andcongregation. Upon an eminence close at hand was the national school, inwhichweretaughtHebrew,English,French,andDanish.

In three hours my tour was complete. The general impression uponmymindwassadness.Notrees,novegetation,sotospeak—onallsidesvolcanicpeaks—thehutsofturfandearth—morelikeroofsthanhouses.Thankstotheheatoftheseresidences,grassgrowsontheroof,whichgrassiscarefullycutforhay.Isawbutfewinhabitantsduringmyexcursion,butImetacrowdonthe beach, drying, salting and loading codfish, the principal article ofexportation.Themenappearedrobustbutheavy;fair-hairedlikeGermans,butofpensivemien—exilesofahigherscale in the ladderofhumanity than theEskimos,but,Ithought,muchmoreunhappy,sincewithsuperiorperceptionstheyarecompelledtolivewithinthelimitsofthePolarCircle.

Sometimestheygaveventtoaconvulsivelaugh,butbynochancedidtheysmile. Their costume consists of a coarse capote of black wool, known inScandinaviancountriesasthe"vadmel,"abroad-brimmedhat,trousersofredserge, and a piece of leather tiedwith strings for a shoe—a coarse kind ofmoccasin.Thewomen,thoughsad-lookingandmournful,hadratheragreeablefeatures, without much expression. They wear a bodice and petticoat of

sombervadmel.Whenunmarriedtheywearalittlebrownknittedcapoveracrownofplaitedhair;butwhenmarried,theycovertheirheadswithacoloredhandkerchief,overwhichtheytieawhitescarf.

CHAPTER7

CONVERSATIONANDDISCOVERY

WhenIreturned,dinnerwasready.Thismealwasdevouredbymyworthyrelativewith avidity and voracity.His shipboard diet had turned his interiorintoaperfectgulf.Therepast,whichwasmoreDanishthanIcelandic,wasinitself nothing, but the excessive hospitality of our host made us enjoy itdoubly.

Theconversationturneduponscientificmatters,andM.Fridrikssonaskedmyunclewhathethoughtofthepubliclibrary.

"Library,sir?"criedmyuncle;"itappearstomeacollectionofuselessoddvolumes,andabeggarlyamountofemptyshelves."

"What!" criedM.Fridriksson; "why,wehave eight thousandvolumesofmostrareandvaluableworks—someintheScandinavianlanguage,besidesallthenewpublicationsfromCopenhagen."

"Eight thousand volumes,my dear sir—why,where are they?" criedmyuncle.

"Scatteredoverthecountry,ProfessorHardwigg.Weareverystudious,mydear sir, though we do live in Iceland. Every farmer, every laborer, everyfishermancanbothreadandwrite—andwethinkthatbooksinsteadofbeinglockedupincupboards,farfromthesightofstudents,shouldbedistributedaswidelyaspossible.Thebooksofourlibraryarethereforepassedfromhandtohandwithoutreturningtothelibraryshelvesperhapsforyears."

"Thenwhenforeignersvisityou,thereisnothingforthemtosee?"

"Well, sir, foreignershave theirown libraries, andour first considerationis,thatourhumblerclassesshouldbehighlyeducated.Fortunately,theloveofstudyisinnateintheIcelandicpeople.In1816wefoundedaLiterarySocietyand Mechanics' Institute; many foreign scholars of eminence are honorarymembers;wepublishbooksdestined toeducateourpeople,and thesebookshaverenderedvaluableservices toourcountry.Allowmetohavethehonor,ProfessorHardwigg,toenrollyouasanhonorarymember?"

My uncle, who already belonged to nearly every literary and scientific

institution inEurope, immediatelyyieldedto theamiablewishesofgoodM.Fridriksson.

"Andnow,"hesaid,aftermanyexpressionsofgratitudeandgoodwill,"ifyouwilltellmewhatbooksyouexpectedtofind,perhapsImaybeofsomeassistancetoyou."

I watched my uncle keenly. For a minute or two he hesitated, as ifunwilling to speak; to speak openly was, perhaps, to unveil his projects.Nevertheless,aftersomereflection,hemadeuphismind.

"Well,M. Fridriksson," he said in an easy, unconcerned kind ofway, "Iwasdesirousofascertaining, ifamongothervaluableworks,youhadanyofthelearnedArneSaknussemm."

"ArneSaknussemm!"criedtheProfessorofReykjavik;"youspeakofoneof the most distinguished scholars of the sixteenth century, of the greatnaturalist,thegreatalchemist,thegreattraveler."

"Exactlyso."

"OneofthemostdistinguishedmenconnectedwithIcelandicscienceandliterature."

"Asyousay,sir—"

"Amanillustriousaboveall."

"Yes,sir,allthisistrue,buthisworks?"

"Wehavenoneofthem."

"NotinIceland?"

"TherearenoneinIcelandorelsewhere,"answeredtheother,sadly.

"Whyso?"

"BecauseArne Saknussemmwas persecuted for heresy, and in 1573 hisworks were publicly burnt at Copenhagen, by the hands of the commonhangman."

"Verygood!capital!"murmuredmyuncle,tothegreatastonishmentoftheworthyIcelander.

"Yousaid,sir—"

"Yes,yes,all isclear,Iseethelinkinthechain;everythingisexplained,andInowunderstandwhyArneSaknussemm,putoutofcourt,forcedtohidehismagnificentdiscoveries,wascompelledtoconcealbeneaththeveilofanincomprehensiblecryptograph,thesecret—"

"Whatsecret?"

"Asecret—which,"stammeredmyuncle.

"Haveyoudiscoveredsomewonderfulmanuscript?"criedM.Fridriksson.

"No!no,Iwascarriedawaybymyenthusiasm.Ameresupposition."

"Verygood,sir.But,really,toturntoanothersubject,Ihopeyouwillnotleaveourislandwithoutexaminingintoitsmineralogicalriches."

"Well, the fact is, Iamrather late.Somany learnedmenhavebeenherebeforeme."

"Yes,yes,butthereisstillmuchtobedone,"criedM.Fridriksson.

"Youthinkso,"saidmyuncle,hiseyestwinklingwithhiddensatisfaction.

"Yes,youhavenoideahowmanyunknownmountains,glaciers,volcanoestherearewhichremaintobestudied.Withoutmovingfromwherewesit,Icanshowyouone.Yonderontheedgeofthehorizon,youseeSneffels."

"Ohyes,Sneffels,"saidmyuncle.

"Oneof themostcuriousvolcanoes inexistence, thecraterofwhichhasbeenrarelyvisited."

"Extinct?"

"Extinct,anytimethesefivehundredyears,"wasthereadyreply.

"Well," saidmy uncle,who dug his nails into his flesh, and pressed hiskneestightlytogethertopreventhimself leapingupwithjoy."IhaveagreatmindtobeginmystudieswithanexaminationofthegeologicalmysteriesofthisMountSeffel—Feisel—whatdoyoucallit?"

"Sneffels,mydearsir."

This portion of the conversation took place in Latin, and I thereforeunderstoodallthathadbeensaid.IcouldscarcelykeepmycountenancewhenIfoundmyunclesocunninglyconcealinghisdelightandsatisfaction.Imustconfess that his artful grimaces, put on to conceal his happiness,made himlooklikeanewMephistopheles.

"Yes,yes,"hecontinued,"yourpropositiondelightsme.IwillendeavortoclimbtothesummitofSneffels,and,ifpossible,willdescendintoitscrater."

"Iverymuchregret,"continuedM.Fridriksson,"thatmyoccupationwillentirelyprecludethepossibilityofmyaccompanyingyou.ItwouldhavebeenbothpleasurableandprofitableifIcouldhavesparedthetime."

"No,no,athousandtimesno,"criedmyuncle."Idonotwishtodisturbthe

serenityofanyman.Ithankyou,however,withallmyheart.Thepresenceofone so learned as yourself, would no doubt have beenmost useful, but thedutiesofyourofficeandprofessionbeforeeverything."

Intheinnocenceofhissimpleheart,ourhostdidnotperceivetheironyoftheseremarks.

"I entirely approve your project," continued the Icelander after somefurther remarks. "It is a good idea to begin by examining this volcano.Youwillmake a harvest of curious observations. In the first place, how do youproposetogettoSneffels?"

"Bysea.Ishallcrossthebay.Ofcoursethatisthemostrapidroute."

"Ofcourse.Butstillitcannotbedone."

"Why?"

"WehavenotanavailableboatinallReykjavik,"repliedtheother.

"Whatistobedone?"

"You must go by land along the coast. It is longer, but much moreinteresting."

"ThenImusthaveaguide."

"Ofcourse;andIhaveyourveryman."

"SomebodyonwhomIcandepend."

"Yes,aninhabitantofthepeninsulaonwhichSneffelsissituated.Heisavery shrewd and worthy man, with whom you will be pleased. He speaksDanishlikeaDane."

"WhencanIseehim—today?"

"No,tomorrow;hewillnotbeherebefore."

"Tomorrowbeit,"repliedmyuncle,withadeepsigh.

Theconversationendedbycomplimentsonbothsides.DuringthedinnermyunclehadlearnedmuchastothehistoryofArneSaknussemm,thereasonsfor hismysterious andhieroglyphical document.He alsobecame aware thathis hostwould not accompany him on his adventurous expedition, and thatnextdayweshouldhaveaguide.

CHAPTER8

THEEIDER-DOWNHUNTER—OFFATLAST

ThateveningItookabriefwalkontheshorenearReykjavik,afterwhichIreturnedtoanearlysleeponmybedofcoarseplanks,whereIsleptthesleepofthejust.WhenIawokeIheardmyunclespeakingloudlyinthenextroom.Irose hastily and joined him. He was talking in Danish with a man of tallstature,andofperfectlyHerculeanbuild.Thismanappearedtobepossessedofverygreatstrength.Hiseyes,whichstartedratherprominentlyfromaverylargehead,thefacebelongingtowhichwassimpleandnaive,appearedveryquickandintelligent.Verylonghair,whicheveninEnglandwouldhavebeenaccounted exceedingly red, fell over his athletic shoulders. This native ofIcelandwas active and supple in appearance, though he scarcelymoved hisarms, being in fact one of thosemenwhodespise the habit of gesticulationcommontosouthernpeople.

Everything in this man's manner revealed a calm and phlegmatictemperament.Therewasnothingindolentabouthim,buthisappearancespokeoftranquillity.Hewasoneofthosewhoneverseemedtoexpectanythingfromanybody,who liked toworkwhenhe thoughtproper,andwhosephilosophynothingcouldastonishortrouble.

I began to comprehend his character, simply from the way in which helistenedtothewildandimpassionedverbiageofmyworthyuncle.WhiletheexcellentProfessorspokesentenceaftersentence,hestoodwithfoldedarms,utterlystill,motionlesstoallmyuncle'sgesticulations.WhenhewantedtosayNohemovedhisheadfromleft to right;whenheacquiescedhenodded,soslightlythatyoucouldscarcelyseetheundulationofhishead.Thiseconomyofmotionwascarriedtothelengthofavarice.

JudgingfromhisappearanceIshouldhavebeenalongtimebeforeIhadsuspectedhimtobewhathewas,amightyhunter.Certainlyhismannerwasnotlikelytofrightenthegame.How,then,didhecontrivetogetathisprey?

My surprise was slightly modified when I knew that this tranquil andsolemnpersonagewasonlyahunteroftheeiderduck,thedownofwhichis,afterall,thegreatestsourceoftheIcelanders'wealth.

Intheearlydaysofsummer,thefemaleoftheeider,aprettysortofduck,buildsitsnestamidtherocksofthefjords—thenamegiventoallnarrowgulfsinScandinaviancountries—withwhicheverypartoftheislandisindented.Nosoonerhastheeiderduckmadehernestthanshelinestheinsideofitwiththesoftestdownfromherbreast.Thencomesthehunterortrader,takingawaythenest,thepoorbereavedfemalebeginshertaskoveragain,andthiscontinuesaslongasanyeiderdownistobefound.

Whenshecanfindnomorethemalebirdsetstoworktoseewhathecando.As, however, his down is not so soft, and has therefore no commercial

value, thehunterdoesnot takethe trouble torobhimofhisnest lining.Thenestisaccordinglyfinished,theeggsarelaid,thelittleonesareborn,andnextyeartheharvestofeiderdownisagaincollected.

Now,astheeiderduckneverselectssteeprocksoraspectstobuilditsnest,butratherslopingandlowcliffsneartothesea,theIcelandichuntercancarryonhis tradeoperationswithoutmuchdifficulty.He is likea farmerwhohasneithertoplow,tosow,nortoharrow,onlytocollecthisharvest.

Thisgrave,sententious,silentperson,asphlegmaticasanEnglishmanonthe French stage, was named Hans Bjelke. He had called upon us inconsequenceof the recommendationofM.Fridriksson.Hewas, in fact, ourfutureguide. It struckme thathadIsought theworldover, Icouldnothavefoundagreatercontradictiontomyimpulsiveuncle.

They,however, readilyunderstoodone another.Neitherof themhadanythoughtaboutmoney;onewasreadytotakeallthatwasofferedhim,theotherreadytoofferanythingthatwasasked.Itmayreadilybeconceived,then,thatanunderstandingwassooncometobetweenthem.

Now,theunderstandingwas,thathewastotakeustothevillageofStapi,situatedonthesouthernslopeofthepeninsulaofSneffels,attheveryfootofthevolcano.Hans,theguide,toldusthedistancewasabouttwenty-twomiles,ajourneywhichmyunclesupposedwouldtakeabouttwodays.

Butwhenmyuncle came to understand that theywereDanishmiles, ofeight thousandyardseach,hewasobliged tobemoremoderate inhis ideas,and,consideringthehorribleroadswehadtofollow,toalloweightortendaysforthejourney.

Four horseswere prepared for us, two to carry the baggage, and two tobear the important weight of myself and uncle. Hans declared that nothingeverwouldmakehimclimbonthebackofanyanimal.Hekneweveryinchofthatpartofthecoast,andpromisedtotakeustheveryshortestway.

HisengagementwithmyunclewasbynomeanstoceasewithourarrivalatStapi;hewasfurthertoremaininhisserviceduringthewholetimerequiredforthecompletionofhisscientificinvestigations,atthefixedsalaryofthreerix-dollarsaweek,beingexactlyfourteenshillingsandtwopence,minusonefarthing,Englishcurrency.Onestipulation,however,wasmadebytheguide—the money was to be paid to him every Saturday night, failing which, hisengagementwasatanend.

Thedayofourdeparturewas fixed.Myunclewished tohand theeider-downhunteranadvance,butherefusedinoneemphaticword—

"Efter."

WhichbeingtranslatedfromIcelandicintoplainEnglishmeans—"After."

Thetreatyconcluded,ourworthyguideretiredwithoutanotherword.

"Asplendidfellow,"saidmyuncle;"onlyhelittlesuspectsthemarvelouspartheisabouttoplayinthehistoryoftheworld."

"Youmean,then,"Icriedinamazement,"thatheshouldaccompanyus?"

"Totheinterioroftheearth,yes,"repliedmyuncle."Whynot?"

Therewereyetforty-eighthourstoelapsebeforewemadeourfinalstart.Tomygreat regret,ourwhole timewas takenup inmakingpreparationsforourjourney.Allourindustryandabilityweredevotedtopackingeveryobjectin themostadvantageousmanner—the instrumentsononeside, thearmsonthe other, the tools here and the provisions there. There were, in fact, fourdistinctgroups.

Theinstrumentswereofcourseofthebestmanufacture:

1.AcentigradethermometerofEigel,countingupto150degrees,whichtomedidnotappearhalfenough—ortoomuch.Toohotbyhalf,ifthedegreeofheatwastoascendsohigh—inwhichcaseweshouldcertainlybecooked—notenough,ifwewantedtoascertaintheexacttemperatureofspringsormetalinastateoffusion.

2.Amanometerworkedbycompressedair,aninstrumentusedtoascertaintheupperatmosphericpressureontheleveloftheocean.Perhapsacommonbarometerwouldnothavedoneaswell,theatmosphericpressurebeinglikelytoincreaseinproportionaswedescendedbelowthesurfaceoftheearth.

3. A first-class chronometer made by Boissonnas, of Geneva, set at themeridianofHamburg,fromwhichGermanscalculate,astheEnglishdofromGreenwich,andtheFrenchfromParis.

4.Twocompasses,oneforhorizontalguidance, theother toascertain thedip.

5.Anightglass.

6.TwoRuhmkorffcoils,which,bymeansofacurrentofelectricity,wouldensureusaveryexcellent,easilycarried,andcertainmeansofobtaininglight.

7.Avoltaicbatteryonthenewestprinciple.

Our arms consisted of two rifles, with two revolving six-shooters.Whythesearmswereprovideditwasimpossibleformetosay.Ihadeveryreasontobelievethatwehadneitherwildbeastsnorsavagenativestofear.Myuncle,on theotherhand,wasquiteasdevoted tohisarsenalas tohiscollectionofinstruments,andaboveallwasverycarefulwithhisprovisionoffulminating

orguncotton,warranted tokeep inanyclimate,andofwhich theexpansiveforcewasknowntobegreaterthanthatofordinarygunpowder.

Our toolsconsistedof twopickaxes, twocrowbars,a silken ladder, threeiron-shodAlpinepoles,ahatchet, ahammer,adozenwedges, somepointedpiecesofiron,andaquantityofstrongrope.Youmayconceivethatthewholemadea tolerableparcel,especiallywhenImention that the ladder itselfwasthreehundredfeetlong!

Thentherecametheimportantquestionofprovisions.Thehamperwasnotverylargebuttolerablysatisfactory,forIknewthatinconcentratedessenceofmeatandbiscuittherewasenoughtolastsixmonths.TheonlyliquidprovidedbymyunclewasSchiedam.Ofwater,notadrop.Wehad,however,anamplesupplyofgourds,andmyunclecountedonfindingwater,andenoughtofillthem,assoonaswecommencedourdownwardjourney.Myremarksastothetemperature, thequality, andeven as to thepossibilityofnonebeing found,remainedwhollywithouteffect.

Tomakeuptheexactlistofourtravelinggear—fortheguidanceoffuturetravelers—add, that we carried a medicine and surgical chest with allapparatusnecessaryforwounds,fracturesandblows;lint,scissors,lancets—infact, a perfect collection of horrible looking instruments; a number of vialscontainingammonia,alcohol,ether,Goulardwater,aromaticvinegar, infact,everypossibleandimpossibledrug—finally,allthematerialsforworkingtheRuhmkorffcoil!

My uncle had also been careful to lay in a goodly supply of tobacco,several flasks of very fine gunpowder, boxes of tinder, besides a large beltcrammed full of notes andgold.Goodboots renderedwatertightwere tobefoundtothenumberofsixinthetoolbox.

"My boy, with such clothing, with such boots, and such generalequipment," saidmyuncle, ina stateof rapturousdelight, "wemayhope totravelfar."

It took awhole day to put all thesematters in order. In the eveningwedined with Baron Trampe, in company with the Mayor of Reykjavik, andDoctorHyaltalin, the greatmedicalman of Iceland.M.Fridrikssonwas notpresent, and Iwasafterwards sorry tohear thatheand thegovernordidnotagree on some matters connected with the administration of the island.Unfortunately,theconsequencewas,thatIdidnotunderstandawordthatwassaidatdinner—akindofsemiofficialreception.OnethingIcansay,myuncleneverleftoffspeaking.

The next day our labor came to an end. Our worthy host delighted myuncle, Professor Hardwigg, by giving him a good map of Iceland, a most

importantandpreciousdocumentforamineralogist.

Our last evening was spent in a long conversation withM. Fridriksson,whomIlikedverymuch—themorethatIneverexpectedtoseehimoranyoneelseagain.Afterthisagreeablewayofspendinganhourorso,Itriedtosleep.Invain;withtheexceptionofafewdozes,mynightwasmiserable.

At five o'clock in the morning I was awakened from the only real halfhour'ssleepof thenightby the loudneighingofhorsesundermywindow.Ihastily dressedmyself andwent down into the street.Hanswas engaged inputtingthefinishingstroketoourbaggage,whichhedidinasilent,quietwaythatwonmyadmiration,andyethediditadmirablywell.Myunclewastedagreat deal of breath in giving him directions, butworthyHans took not theslightestnoticeofhiswords.

At six o'clock all our preparations were completed, and M. Fridrikssonshookhandsheartilywithus.Myunclethankedhimwarmly,intheIcelandiclanguage,forhiskindhospitality,speakingtrulyfromtheheart.

AsformyselfIputtogetherafewofmybestLatinphrasesandpaidhimthehighestcompliments Icould.This fraternaland friendlydutyperformed,wesalliedforthandmountedourhorses.

Assoonaswewerequiteready,M.Fridrikssonadvanced,andbywayoffarewell, called after me in the words of Virgil—words which appeared tohavebeenmadeforus,travelersstartingforanuncertaindestination:

"Etquacunqueviamdederitfortunasequamur."

("Andwhichsoeverwaythougoest,mayfortunefollow!")

CHAPTER9

OURSTART—WEMEETWITHADVENTURESBYTHEWAY

The weather was overcast but settled, when we commenced ouradventurous and perilous journey.We had neither to fear fatiguing heat nordrenchingrain.Itwas,infact,realtouristweather.

As there was nothing I liked better than horse exercise, the pleasure ofridingthroughanunknowncountrycausedtheearlypartofourenterprisetobeparticularlyagreeabletome.

I began to enjoy the exhilarating delight of traveling, a life of desire,gratification and liberty. The truth is, that my spirits rose so rapidly, that Ibegantobeindifferenttowhathadonceappearedtobeaterriblejourney.

"After all," I said to myself, "what do I risk? Simply to take a journeythroughacuriouscountry, toclimba remarkablemountain, and if theworstcomestotheworst,todescendintothecraterofanextinctvolcano."

There could be no doubt that thiswas all this terrible Saknussemm haddone.As to the existence of a gallery, or of subterraneous passages leadingintotheinterioroftheearth,theideawassimplyabsurd,thehallucinationofadistempered imagination. All, then, that may be required of me I will docheerfully,andwillcreatenodifficulty.

ItwasjustbeforeweleftReykjavikthatIcametothisdecision.

Hans, our extraordinary guide, went first, walking with a steady, rapid,unvaryingstep.Ourtwohorseswiththeluggagefollowedoftheirownaccord,without requiringwhipor spur.Myuncleand Icamebehind,cuttingaverytolerablefigureuponoursmallbutvigorousanimals.

IcelandisoneofthelargestislandsinEurope.Itcontainsthirtythousandsquare miles of surface, and has about seventy thousand inhabitants.Geographershavedivideditintofourparts,andwehadtocrossthesouthwestquarterwhichinthevernaculariscalledSudvestrFjordungr.

Hans,ontakinghisdeparturefromReykjavik,hadfollowedthelineofthesea. We took our way through poor and sparse meadows, which made adesperateefforteveryyeartoshowalittlegreen.Theyveryrarelysucceedinagoodshowofyellow.

Theruggedsummitsof therockyhillsweredimlyvisibleon theedgeofthehorizon,throughthemistyfogs;everynowandthensomeheavyflakesofsnowshowedconspicuousinthemorninglight,whilecertainloftyandpointedrocks were first lost in the grey low clouds, their summits clearly visibleabove,likejaggedreefsrisingfromatroubloussea.

Everynowand then a spurof rock camedown through the aridground,leavingusscarcelyroomtopass.Ourhorses,however,appearednotonlywellacquaintedwiththecountry,butbyakindofinstinct,knewwhichwasthebestroad.Myunclehadnot even the satisfactionofurging forwardhis steedbywhip,spur,orvoice.Itwasutterlyuselesstoshowanysignsofimpatience.Icouldnothelpsmilingtoseehimlooksobigonhislittlehorse;hislonglegsnowandthentouchingthegroundmadehimlooklikeasix-footedcentaur.

"Goodbeast,goodbeast,"hewouldcry."Iassureyou,thatIbegintothinkno animal is more intelligent than an Icelandic horse. Snow, tempest,impracticable roads, rocks, icebergs—nothing stops him. He is brave; he issober;he issafe;henevermakesa falsestep;neverglidesorslips fromhispath.Idaretosaythatifanyriver,anyfjordhastobecrossed—andIhavenodoubttherewillbemany—youwillseehimenterthewaterwithouthesitation

likeanamphibiousanimal,andreachtheoppositesideinsafety.Wemustnot,however,attempttohurryhim;wemustallowhimtohavehisownway,andIwillundertaketosaythatbetweenusweshalldoourtenleaguesaday."

"Wemaydoso,"wasmyreply,"butwhataboutourworthyguide?"

"I havenot the slightest anxiety about him: that sort of people go aheadwithoutknowingevenwhattheyareabout.LookatHans.Hemovessolittlethat it is impossible for him to become fatigued. Besides, if he were tocomplainofweariness,hecouldhave the loanofmyhorse. I shouldhaveaviolent attack of the cramp if Iwere not to have some sort of exercise.Myarmsareright—butmylegsaregettingalittlestiff."

All this while we were advancing at a rapid pace. The country we hadreachedwasalreadynearlyadesert.Hereandtherecouldbeseenanisolatedfarm,somesolitarybur,orIcelandichouse,builtofwood,earth,fragmentsoflava—looking like beggars on the highway of life. These wretched andmiserablehutsexcitedinussuchpitythatwefelthalfdisposedtoleavealmsat everydoor. In this country there areno roads, paths arenearlyunknown,andvegetation,poorasitwas,slowlyasitreachedperfection,soonobliteratedalltracesofthefewtravelerswhopassedfromplacetoplace.

Nevertheless,thisdivisionoftheprovince,situatedonlyafewmilesfromthecapital,isconsideredoneofthebestcultivatedandmostthicklypeopledinallIceland.What,then,mustbethestateofthelessknownandmoredistantparts of the island? After traveling fully half a Danish mile, we had metneitherafarmeratthedoorofhishut,norevenawanderingshepherdwithhiswildandsavageflock.

Afewstraycowsandsheepwereonlyseenoccasionally.What,then,mustweexpectwhenwecometotheupheavedregions—tothedistrictsbrokenandroughenedfromvolcaniceruptionsandsubterraneouscommotions?

Wewere to learnthisall ingoodtime.Isaw,however,onconsultingthemap, that we avoided a good deal of this rough country, by following thewindinganddesolateshoresofthesea.Inreality,thegreatvolcanicmovementoftheisland,andallitsattendantphenomena,areconcentratedintheinteriorof the island; there, horizontal layers or strata of rocks, piled one upon theother,eruptionsofbasalticorigin,andstreamsoflava,havegiventhiscountryakindofsupernaturalreputation.

Little did I expect, however, the spectacle which awaited us when wereachedthepeninsulaofSneffels,whereagglomerationsofnature'sruinsformakindofterriblechaos.

Some two hours or more after we had left the city of Reykjavik, wereached the little town calledAoalkirkja, or the principal church. It consists

simplyof a fewhouses—notwhat inEnglandorGermanywe shouldcall ahamlet.

Hansstoppedhereonehalfhour.Hesharedourfrugalbreakfast,answeredYes,andNo tomyuncle'squestionsas to thenatureof the road,andat lastwhenaskedwhereweweretopassthenightwasaslaconicasusual.

"Gardar!"washisone-wordedreply.

Itookoccasiontoconsultthemap,toseewhereGardarwastobefound.AfterlookingkeenlyIfoundasmalltownofthatnameonthebordersoftheHvalfjord, about fourmiles fromReykjavik. I pointed this out tomyuncle,whomadeaveryenergeticgrimace.

"Onlyfourmilesoutoftwenty-two?Whyitisonlyalittlewalk."

Hewasabouttomakesomeenergeticobservationtotheguide,butHans,without taking the slightest notice of him, went in front of the horses, andwalkedaheadwiththesameimperturbablephlegmhehadalwaysexhibited.

Three hours later, still traveling over those apparently interminable andsandyprairies,wewerecompelled togo round theKollafjord,aneasierandshorter cut than crossing the gulfs. Shortly after we entered a place ofcommunal jurisdiction called Ejulberg, and the clock of which would thenhavestrucktwelve,ifanyIcelandicchurchhadbeenrichenoughtopossesssovaluableandusefulanarticle.Thesesacrededificesare,however,verymuchlikethesepeople,whodowithoutwatches—andnevermissthem.

Here the horses were allowed to take some rest and refreshment, thenfollowinganarrowstripofshorebetweenhighrocksandthesea,theytookuswithout further halt to the Aoalkirkja of Brantar, and after another mile toSaurboer Annexia, a chapel of ease, situated on the southern bank of theHvalfjord.

Itwasfouro'clockintheeveningandwehadtraveledfourDanishmiles,aboutequaltotwentyEnglish.

Thefjordwasinthisplaceabouthalfamileinwidth.Thesweepingandbrokenwavescamerollinginuponthepointedrocks;thegulfwassurroundedbyrockywalls—amightycliff, threethousandfeet inheight,remarkableforits brown strata, separated here and there by beds of tufa of a reddish hue.Now,whatevermay have been the intelligence of our horses, I had not theslightestrelianceuponthem,asameansofcrossingastormyarmofthesea.Torideoversaltwateruponthebackofalittlehorseseemedtomeabsurd.

"If they are really intelligent," I said to myself, "they will certainly notmaketheattempt.Inanycase,Ishalltrustrathertomyownintelligencethantheirs."

Butmyunclewasinnohumortowait.Hedughisheelsintothesidesofhissteed,andmadefortheshore.Hishorsewenttotheveryedgeofthewater,sniffedattheapproachingwaveandretreated.

My uncle, who was, sooth to say, quite as obstinate as the beast hebestrode, insisted on his making the desired advance. This attempt wasfollowed by a new refusal on the part of the horsewhich quietly shook hishead.Thisdemonstrationofrebellionwasfollowedbyavolleyofwordsandastoutapplicationofwhipcord;alsofollowedbykicksonthepartofthehorse,whichthrewitsheadandheelsupwardsandtriedtothrowhisrider.Atlengththesturdylittlepony,spreadingouthis legs, inastiffandludicrousattitude,gotfromundertheProfessor'slegs,andlefthimstanding,withbothfeetonaseparatestone,liketheColossusofRhodes.

"Wretched animal!" cried my uncle, suddenly transformed into a footpassenger—andasangryandashamedasadismountedcavalryofficeronthefieldofbattle.

"Farja,"saidtheguide,tappinghimfamiliarlyontheshoulder.

"What,aferryboat!"

"Der,"answeredHans,pointingtowherelaytheboatinquestion—"there."

"Well,"Icried,quitedelightedwiththeinformation;"soitis."

"Whydidyounotsaysobefore,"criedmyuncle;"whynotstartatonce?"

"Tidvatten,"saidtheguide.

"What doeshe say?" I asked, considerablypuzzledby thedelay and thedialogue.

"He says tide," replied my uncle, translating the Danish word for myinformation.

"OfcourseIunderstand—wemustwaittillthetideserves."

"Forbida?"askedmyuncle.

"Ja,"repliedHans.

Myunclefrowned,stampedhisfeetandthenfollowedthehorsestowheretheboatlay.

I thoroughlyunderstoodandappreciated thenecessityforwaiting,beforecrossing the fjord, for thatmomentwhen the sea at its highest point is in astateofslackwater.Asneithertheebbnorflowcanthenbefelt,theferryboatwasinnodangerofbeingcarriedouttosea,ordashedupontherockycoast.

Thefavorablemomentdidnotcomeuntilsixo'clockintheevening.Then

myuncle,myself,andguide,twoboatmenandthefourhorsesgotintoaveryawkwardflat-bottomboat.AccustomedasIhadbeentothesteamferryboatsof the Elbe, I found the long oars of the boatmen but sorry means oflocomotion.Weweremorethananhourincrossingthefjord;butatlengththepassagewasconcludedwithoutaccident.

HalfanhourlaterwereachedGardar.

CHAPTER10

TRAVELINGINICELAND

It ought, onewouldhave thought, to havebeennight, even in the sixty-fifth parallel of latitude; but still the nocturnal illumination did not surpriseme.ForinIceland,duringthemonthsofJuneandJuly,thesunneversets.

The temperature, however,was verymuch lower than I expected. Iwascold,buteven thatdidnotaffectmesomuchas ravenoushunger.Welcomeindeed,therefore,wasthehutwhichhospitablyopeneditsdoorstous.

Itwasmerelythehouseofapeasant,butinthematterofhospitality,itwasworthyofbeingthepalaceofaking.Aswealightedatthedoorthemasterofthehousecameforward,heldouthishand,andwithoutanyfurtherceremony,signaledtoustofollowhim.

Wefollowedhim,fortoaccompanyhimwasimpossible.Along,narrow,gloomy passage led into the interior of this habitation, made from beamsroughly squared by the ax. This passage gave ingress to every room. Thechambers were four in number—the kitchen, the workshop, where theweavingwascarriedon, thegeneralsleepingchamberof thefamily,and thebestroom,towhichstrangerswereespeciallyinvited.Myuncle,whoseloftystature had not been taken into consideration when the house was built,contrivedtoknockhisheadagainstthebeamsoftheroof.

Wewere introduced into our chamber, a kind of large roomwith a hardearthenfloor,andlightedbyawindow,thepanesofwhichweremadeofasortofparchmentfromtheintestinesofsheep—veryfarfromtransparent.

Thebeddingwascomposedofdryhaythrownintotwolongredwoodenboxes, ornamentedwith sentences painted in Icelandic. I really had no ideathatweshouldbemadesocomfortable.Therewasoneobjectiontothehouse,andthatwas,theverypowerfulodorofdriedfish,ofmaceratedmeat,andofsourmilk,which three fragrances combined did not at all suitmy olfactorynerves.

Assoonaswehadfreedourselvesfromourheavytravelingcostume,thevoiceofourhostwasheardcalling tous to come into thekitchen, theonlyroominwhichtheIcelandersevermakeanyfire,nomatterhowcolditmaybe.

My uncle, nothing loath, hastened to obey this hospitable and friendlyinvitation.Ifollowed.

The kitchen chimney was made on an antique model. A large stonestandinginthemiddleoftheroomwasthefireplace;above,intheroof,wasahole for the smoke to pass through.This apartmentwas kitchen, parlor anddiningroomallinone.

Onourentrance,ourworthyhost,asifhehadnotseenusbefore,advancedceremoniously,utteredawordwhichmeans"behappy,"andthenkissedbothofusonthecheek.

Hiswifefollowed,pronouncedthesameword,withthesameceremonial,thenthehusbandandwife,placingtheirrighthandsupontheirhearts,bowedprofoundly.

ThisexcellentIcelandicwomanwasthemotherofnineteenchildren,who,little and big, rolled, crawled, andwalked about in themidst of volumes ofsmokearisingfromtheangularfireplaceinthemiddleoftheroom.EverynowandthenIcouldseeafreshwhitehead,andaslightlymelancholyexpressionofcountenance,peeringatmethroughthevapor.

Bothmy uncle andmyself, however,were very friendlywith thewholeparty,andbeforewewereawareofit, therewerethreeorfouroftheselittleonesonourshoulders,asmanyonourboxes,andtheresthangingaboutourlegs.Thosewhocouldspeakkeptcryingoutsaellvertuineverypossibleandimpossiblekey.Thosewhodidnotspeakonlymadeallthemorenoise.

This concert was interrupted by the announcement of supper. At thismomentourworthyguide, theeider-duckhunter,cameinafterseeing to thefeedingand stablingof thehorses—whichconsisted in letting them loose tobrowseonthestuntedgreenoftheIcelandicprairies.Therewaslittleforthemtoeat,butmossandsomeverydryandinnutritiousgrass;nextdaytheywerereadybeforethedoor,sometimebeforewewere.

"Welcome,"saidHans.

Thentranquilly,withtheairofanautomaton,withoutanymoreexpressioninonekissthananother,heembracedthehostandhostessandtheirnineteenchildren.

Thisceremonyconcludedtothesatisfactionofallparties,weallsatdownto table, that is twenty-fourofus, somewhatcrowded.Thosewhowerebest

offhadonlytwojuvenilesontheirknees.

As soon, however, as the inevitable soup was placed on the table, thenatural taciturnity, commoneven to Icelandicbabies,prevailedoverall else.OurhostfilledourplateswithaportionoflichensoupofIcelandmoss,ofbynomeansdisagreeableflavor,anenormouslumpoffishfloatinginsourbutter.After that there came some skyr, a kind of curds and whey, served withbiscuitsandjuniper-berryjuice.Todrink,wehadblanda,skimmedmilkwithwater. Iwas hungry, so hungry, that byway of dessert I finished upwith abasinofthickoatenporridge.

Assoonasthemealwasover,thechildrendisappeared,whilstthegrownpeoplesataroundthefireplace,onwhichwasplacedturf,heather,cowdunganddriedfish-bones.Assoonaseverybodywassufficientlywarm,ageneraldispersion took place, all retiring to their respective couches. Our hostessofferedtopulloffourstockingsandtrousers,accordingtothecustomofthecountry,butaswegraciouslydeclinedtobesohonored,sheleftustoourbedofdryfodder.

Next day, at five in themorning, we took our leave of these hospitablepeasants.Myunclehadgreatdifficultyinmakingthemacceptasufficientandproperremuneration.

Hansthengavethesignaltostart.

Wehadscarcelygotahundredyards fromGardar,when thecharacterofthe country changed. The soil began to be marshy and boggy, and lessfavorable to progress. To the right, the range of mountains was prolongedindefinitely like agreat systemofnatural fortifications,ofwhichwe skirtedtheglacis.Wemetwithnumerousstreamsandrivuletswhichitwasnecessarytoford,andthatwithoutwettingourbaggage.Asweadvanced, thedesertedappearance increased, and yet now and then we could see human shadowsflittinginthedistance.Whenasuddenturnofthetrackbroughtuswithineasyreachofoneofthesespecters,Ifeltasuddenimpulseofdisgustatthesightofa swollen head,with shining skin, utterlywithout hair, andwhose repulsiveandrevoltingwoundscouldbeseenthroughhisrags.Theunhappywretchesnever came forward to beg; on the contrary, they ran away; not so quick,however,butthatHanswasabletosalutethemwiththeuniversalsaellvertu.

"Spetelsk,"saidhe.

"Aleper,"explainedmyuncle.

Theverysoundofsuchawordcausedafeelingofrepulsion.Thehorribleafflictionknownas leprosy,whichhasalmostvanishedbefore theeffectsofmodernscience,iscommoninIceland.Itisnotcontagiousbuthereditary,sothatmarriageisstrictlyprohibitedtotheseunfortunatecreatures.

Thesepoorlepersdidnottendtoenlivenourjourney,thesceneofwhichwas inexpressibly sad and lonely. The very last tufts of grassy vegetationappeared to die at our feet.Not a treewas to be seen, except a few stuntedwillowsaboutasbigasblackberrybushes.Nowandthenwewatchedafalconsoaringinthegreyandmistyair,takinghisflighttowardswarmerandsunnierregions.Icouldnothelpfeelingasenseofmelancholycomeoverme.IsighedformyownNativeLand,andwishedtobebackwithGretchen.

Wewerecompelledtocrossseverallittlefjords,andatlastcametoarealgulf.Thetidewasatitsheight,andwewereabletogooveratonce,andreachthehamletofAlftanes,aboutamilefarther.

Thatevening,afterfordingtheAlfaandtheHeta,tworiversrichintroutandpike,wewerecompelledtopassthenightinadesertedhouse,worthyofbeinghauntedbyall the faysofScandinavianmythology.TheKingofColdhadtakenuphisresidencethere,andmadeusfeelhispresenceallnight.

Thefollowingdaywasremarkablebyitslackofanyparticularincidents.Always the same damp and swampy soil; the same dreary uniformity; thesame sad and monotonous aspect of scenery. In the evening, havingaccomplished the half of our projected journey, we slept at the Annexia ofKrosolbt.

Forawholemilewehadunderourfeetnothingbutlava.Thisdispositionof the soil is called hraun: the crumbled lava on the surface was in someinstances like ship cables stretched out horizontally, in others coiled up inheaps; an immense field of lava came from the neighboringmountains, allextinctvolcanoes,butwhoseremainsshowedwhatoncetheyhadbeen.Hereandtherecouldbemadeoutthesteamfromhotwatersprings.

Therewasno time,however, forus to takemore thanacursoryviewofthesephenomena.Wehadtogoforwardwithwhatspeedwemight.Soonthesoft and swampy soil again appeared under the feet of our horses,while ateveryhundredyardswecameupononeormoresmalllakes.Ourjourneywasnow in a westerly direction; we had, in fact, swept round the great bay ofFaxa,andthetwinwhitesummitsofSneffelsrosetothecloudsatadistanceoflessthanfivemiles.

Thehorsesnowadvancedrapidly.Theaccidentsanddifficultiesofthesoilnolongercheckedthem.Iconfessthatfatiguebegantotellseverelyuponme;butmyunclewasasfirmandashardashehadbeenonthefirstday.IcouldnothelpadmiringboththeexcellentProfessorandtheworthyguide;fortheyappearedtoregardthisruggedexpeditionasamerewalk!

On Saturday, the 20th June, at six o'clock in the evening, we reachedBudir,asmalltownpicturesquelysituatedontheshoreoftheocean;andhere

theguideaskedforhismoney.Myunclesettledwithhimimmediately.Itwasnow the family of Hans himself, that is to say, his uncles, his cousins—german,whoofferedushospitality.Wewereexceedinglywell received,andwithouttakingtoomuchadvantageofthegoodnessoftheseworthypeople,Ishouldhavelikedverymuchtohaverestedwiththemafterthefatiguesofthejourney.Butmyuncle,whodidnotrequirerest,hadnoideaofanythingofthekind; and despite the fact that next daywas Sunday, Iwas compelled oncemoretomountmysteed.

Thesoilwasagainaffectedbytheneighborhoodofthemountains,whosegranitepeeredoutofthegroundliketopsofanoldoak.Wewereskirtingtheenormousbaseofthemightyvolcano.Myunclenevertookhiseyesfromoffit;hecouldnotkeepfromgesticulating,andlookingatitwithakindofsullendefiance asmuch as to say "That is the giant I havemade upmymind toconquer."

After four hours of steady traveling, the horses stopped of themselvesbeforethedoorofthepresbyteryofStapi.

CHAPTER11

WEREACHMOUNTSNEFFELS—THE"REYKIR"

Stapi is a town consisting of thirty huts, built on a large plain of lava,exposed to the rays of the sun, reflected from the volcano. It stretches itshumbletenementsalongtheendofalittlefjord,surroundedbyabasalticwallofthemostsingularcharacter.

Basaltisabrownrockofigneousorigin.Itassumesregularforms,whichastonish by their singular appearance. Here we found Nature proceedinggeometrically, and working quite after a human fashion, as if she hademployed the plummet line, the compass and the rule. If elsewhere sheproduces grand artistic effects by piling up huge masses without order orconnection—ifelsewhereweseetruncatedcones,imperfectpyramids,withanoddsuccessionoflines;here,asifwishingtogivealessoninregularity,andpreceding the architects of the early ages, she has erected a severe order ofarchitecture,whichneitherthesplendorsofBabylonnorthemarvelsofGreeceeversurpassed.

IhadoftenheardoftheGiant'sCausewayinIreland,andofFingal'sCaveinoneoftheHebrides,butthegrandspectacleofarealbasalticformationhadneveryetcomebeforemyeyes.

ThisatStapigaveusanideaofoneinallitswonderfulbeautyandgrace.

Thewallofthefjord,likenearlythewholeofthepeninsula,consistedofaseriesofverticalcolumns,inheightaboutthirtyfeet.Theseuprightpillarsofstone,ofthefinestproportions,supportedanarchivaultofhorizontalcolumnswhichformedakindofhalf-vaultedroofabove thesea.Atcertain intervals,andbelowthisnaturalbasin,theeyewaspleasedandsurprisedbythesightofovalopeningsthroughwhichtheoutwardwavescamethunderinginvolleysoffoam. Some banks of basalt, torn from their fastenings by the fury of thewaves,layscatteredonthegroundliketheruinsofanancienttemple—ruinseternallyyoung,overwhichthestormsofagessweptwithoutproducinganyperceptibleeffect!

This was the last stage of our journey. Hans had brought us alongwithfidelityandintelligence,andIbegantofeelsomewhatmorecomfortablewhenIreflectedthathewastoaccompanyusstillfartheronourway.

WhenwehaltedbeforethehouseoftheRector,asmallandincommodiouscabin,neitherhandsomenormorecomfortable thanthoseofhisneighbors,Isawamanintheactofshoeingahorse,ahammerinhishand,andaleathernaprontiedroundhiswaist.

"Behappy,"saidtheeider-downhunter,usinghisnationalsalutationinhisownlanguage.

"Goddag—goodday!"repliedtheformer,inexcellentDanish.

"Kyrkoherde,"criedHans,turningroundandintroducinghimtomyuncle.

"TheRector," repeated theworthyProfessor; "it appears,mydearHarry,thatthisworthymanistheRector,andisnotabovedoinghisownwork."

DuringthespeakingofthesewordstheguideintimatedtotheKyrkoherdewhat was the true state of the case. The good man, ceasing from hisoccupation,gaveakindofhalloo,uponwhichatallwoman,almostagiantess,came out of the hut. Shewas at least six feet high,which in that region issomethingconsiderable.

Myfirstimpressionwasoneofhorror.IthoughtshehadcometogiveustheIcelandickiss.Ihad,however,nothingtofear,forshedidnotevenshowmuchinclinationtoreceiveusintoherhouse.

Theroomdevotedtostrangersappearedtometobebyfartheworstinthepresbytery;itwasnarrow,dirtyandoffensive.Therewas,however,nochoiceaboutthematter.TheRectorhadnonotionofpracticingtheusualcordialandantiquehospitality.Far from it.Before thedaywasover, I foundwehad todeal with a blacksmith, a fisherman, a hunter, a carpenter, anything but aclergyman.Itmustbesaidinhisfavorthatwehadcaughthimonaweekday;probablyheappearedtogreateradvantageontheSunday.

These poor priests receive from the Danish Government a mostridiculously inadequate salary, and collect one quarter of the tithe of theirparish—notmore than sixtymarkscurrent,or aboutL310s. sterling.Hencethenecessityofworkingtolive.Intruth,wesoonfoundthatourhostdidnotcountcivilityamongthecardinalvirtues.

My uncle soon became aware of the kind of man he had to deal with.Insteadofaworthyandlearnedscholar,hefoundadullill-manneredpeasant.Hethereforeresolvedtostartonhisgreatexpeditionassoonaspossible.Hedidnotcareaboutfatigue,andresolvedtospendafewdaysinthemountains.

ThepreparationsforourdepartureweremadetheverynextdayafterourarrivalatStapi;HansnowhiredthreeIcelanderstotaketheplaceofthehorses—which could no longer carry our luggage. When, however, these worthyislandershadreachedthebottomofthecrater,theyweretogobackandleaveustoourselves.Thispointwassettledbeforetheywouldagreetostart.

Onthisoccasion,myunclepartlyconfidedinHans,theeider-duckhunter,andgavehimtounderstandthatitwashisintentiontocontinuehisexplorationofthevolcanotothelastpossiblelimits.

Hanslistenedcalmly,andthennoddedhishead.Togothere,orelsewhere,toburyhimselfinthebowelsoftheearth,ortotraveloveritssummits,wasallthesametohim!Asforme,amusedandoccupiedbytheincidentsoftravel,Ihadbeguntoforgettheinevitablefuture;butnowIwasoncemoredestinedtorealize theactual stateofaffairs.Whatwas tobedone?Runaway?But if Ireally had intended to leave Professor Hardwigg to his fate, it should havebeenatHamburgandnotatthefootofSneffels.

One idea,aboveallothers,began to troubleme:avery terrible idea,andonecalculatedtoshakethenervesofamanevenlesssensitivethanmyself.

"Letusconsiderthematter,"Isaidtomyself;"wearegoingtoascendtheSneffels mountain.Well and good.We are about to pay a visit to the verybottomofthecrater.Good,still.Othershavedoneitanddidnotperishfromthatcourse.

"That, however, is not thewholematter to be considered. If a roaddoesreally present itself by which to descend into the dark and subterraneousbowelsofMotherEarth,ifthisthriceunhappySaknussemmhasreallytoldthetruth, we shall be most certainly lost in the midst of the labyrinth ofsubterraneous galleries of the volcano.Now,we have no evidence to provethat Sneffels is really extinct. What proof have we that an eruption is notshortlyabouttotakeplace?Becausethemonsterhassleptsoundlysince1219,doesitfollowthatheisnevertowake?

"Ifhedoeswakewhatistobecomeofus?"

Thesewerequestionsworththinkingabout,anduponthemIreflectedlongand deeply. I could not lie down in search of sleep without dreaming oferuptions.ThemoreIthought,themoreIobjectedtobereducedtothestateofdrossandashes.

Icouldstanditnolonger;soIdeterminedatlasttosubmitthewholecasetomyuncle,inthemostadroitmannerpossible,andundertheformofsometotallyirreconcilablehypothesis.

Isoughthim.Ilaidbeforehimmyfears,andthendrewbackinordertolethimgethispassionoverathisease.

"Ihavebeenthinkingaboutthematter,"hesaid,inthequietesttoneintheworld.

Whatdidhemean?Washeat lastabout to listen to thevoiceofreason?Didhethinkofsuspendinghisprojects?Itwasalmosttoomuchhappinesstobetrue.

Ihowevermadenoremark.Infact,Iwasonlytooanxiousnottointerrupthim,andallowedhimtoreflectathisleisure.Aftersomemomentshespokeout.

"Ihavebeenthinkingaboutthematter,"heresumed."Eversincewehavebeen at Stapi, my mind has been almost solely occupied with the gravequestionwhichhasbeensubmittedtomebyyourself—fornothingwouldbeunwiserandmoreinconsistentthantoactwithimprudence."

"I heartily agree with you, my dear uncle," was my somewhat hopefulrejoinder.

"It is now six hundred years since Sneffels has spoken, but though nowreducedtoastateofuttersilence,hemayspeakagain.Newvolcaniceruptionsare always preceded by perfectly well-known phenomena. I have closelyexaminedtheinhabitantsofthisregion;Ihavecarefullystudiedthesoil,andIbeg to tell you emphatically, my dear Harry, there will be no eruption atpresent."

As I listened to his positive affirmations, I was stupefied and could saynothing.

"Iseeyoudoubtmyword,"saidmyuncle;"followme."

Iobeyedmechanically.

Leavingthepresbytery,theProfessortookaroadthroughanopeninginthebasalticrock,whichledfarawayfromthesea.Weweresooninopencountry,ifwe couldgive such a name to a place all coveredwithvolcanic deposits.The whole land seemed crushed under the weight of enormous stones—of

trap,ofbasalt,ofgranite,oflava,andofallothervolcanicsubstances.

I could seemany spouts of steam rising in the air. These white vapors,calledintheIcelandiclanguage"reykir,"comefromhotwaterfountains,andindicate by their violence the volcanic activity of the soil.Now the sight ofthese appeared to justify my apprehension. I was, therefore, all the moresurprisedandmortifiedwhenmyunclethusaddressedme.

"Youseeallthissmoke,Harry,myboy?"

"Yes,sir."

"Well, as long as you see them thus, you have nothing to fear from thevolcano."

"Howcanthatbe?"

"Becareful to remember this,"continued theProfessor. "At theapproachof an eruption these spouts of vapor redouble their activity—to disappearaltogether during the period of volcanic eruption; for the elastic fluids, nolongerhaving thenecessary tension, seek refuge in the interiorof thecrater,instead of escaping through the fissures of the earth. If, then, the steamremainsinitsnormalorhabitualstate,iftheirenergydoesnotincrease,andifyouaddtothis,theremarkthatthewindisnotreplacedbyheavyatmosphericpressure and dead calm, youmay be quite sure that there is no fear of anyimmediateeruption."

"But—"

"Enough,myboy.Whensciencehassentforthherfiat—itisonlytohearandobey."

Icamebacktothehousequitedowncastanddisappointed.Myunclehadcompletelydefeatedmewithhisscientificarguments.Nevertheless,Ihadstillonehope,andthatwas,whenoncewewereatthebottomofthecrater,thatitwouldbeimpossibleindefaultofagalleryortunnel,todescendanydeeper;andthis,despiteallthelearnedSaknussemmsintheworld.

Ipassed thewholeof the followingnightwithanightmareonmychest!and,afterunheard-ofmiseriesandtortures,foundmyselfintheverydepthsoftheearth,fromwhichIwassuddenlylaunchedintoplanetaryspace,undertheformofaneruptiverock!

Next day, June23d,Hans calmly awaited us outside the presbyterywithhis three companions loaded with provisions, tools, and instruments. Twoiron-shod poles, two guns, and two large game bags,were reserved formyuncleandmyself.Hans,whowasamanwhoneverforgoteventheminutestprecautions,hadaddedtoourbaggagealargeskinfullofwater,asanadditiontoourgourds.Thisassureduswaterforeightdays.

Itwasnineo'clock in themorningwhenwewerequiteready.Therectorandhishugewifeorservant,Ineverknewwhich,stoodatthedoortoseeusoff. They appeared to be about to inflict on us the usual final kiss of theIcelanders. To our supreme astonishment their adieu took the shape of aformidable bill, in which they even counted the use of the pastoral house,reallyandtrulythemostabominableanddirtyplaceIeverwasin.TheworthycouplecheatedandrobbeduslikeaSwissinnkeeper,andmadeusfeel,bythesumwehadtopay,thesplendorsoftheirhospitality.

Myuncle,however,paidwithoutbargaining.Amanwhohadmadeuphismind toundertake avoyage into the Interiorof theEarth, is not theman tohaggleoverafewmiserablerix-dollars.

Thisimportantmattersettled,Hansgavethesignalfordeparture,andsomefewmomentslaterwehadleftStapi.

CHAPTER12

THEASCENTOFMOUNTSNEFFELS

The huge volcanowhichwas the first stage of our daring experiment isabove five thousand feethigh.Sneffels is the terminationofa long rangeofvolcanicmountains,ofadifferentcharactertothesystemoftheislanditself.One of its peculiarities is its two huge pointed summits. From whence westarteditwasimpossibletomakeouttherealoutlinesofthepeakagainstthegreyfieldofsky.Allwecoulddistinguishwasavastdomeofwhite,whichfelldownwardsfromtheheadofthegiant.

Thecommencementofthegreatundertakingfilledmewithawe.Nowthatwehadactuallystarted,Ibegantobelieveintherealityoftheundertaking!

Ourpartyformedquiteaprocession.Wewalkedinsinglefile,precededbyHans,theimperturbableeider-duckhunter.Hecalmlyledusbynarrowpathswhere two persons could by no possibility walk abreast. Conversation waswhollyimpossible.Wehadallthemoreopportunitytoreflectandadmiretheawfulgrandeurofthescenearound.

Beyond the extraordinary basaltic wall of the fjord of Stapi we foundourselves making our way through fibrous turf, over which grew a scantyvegetation of grass, the residuum of the ancient vegetation of the swampypeninsula. The vast mass of this combustible, the field of which as yet isutterlyunexplored,would suffice towarm Iceland forawholecentury.Thismightyturfpit,measuredfromthebottomofcertainravines,isoftennotlessthanseventyfeetdeep,andpresentstotheeyetheviewofsuccessivelayersof

blackburned-uprockydetritus,separatedbythinstreaksofporoussandstone.

The grandeur of the spectacle was undoubted, as well as its arid anddesertedair.

As a true nephew of the great Professor Hardwigg, and despite mypreoccupation anddoleful fearsofwhatwas to come, I observedwithgreatinterestthevastcollectionofmineralogicalcuriositiesspreadoutbeforemeinthisvastmuseumofnaturalhistory.Lookingbacktomyrecentstudies,IwentoverinthoughtthewholegeologicalhistoryofIceland.

Thisextraordinaryandcuriousislandmusthavemadeitsappearancefromoutofthegreatworldofwatersatacomparativelyrecentdate.Likethecoralislandsof thePacific, itmay, foraughtweknow,bestill risingbyslowandimperceptibledegrees.

If this reallybe thecase, itsorigincanbeattributed toonlyonecause—thatofthecontinuedactionofsubterraneanfires.

Thiswasahappythought.

Ifso,ifthisweretrue,awaywiththetheoriesofSirHumphryDavy;awaywith the authority of the parchment of Arne Saknussemm; the wonderfulpretensionstodiscoveryonthepartofmyuncle—andtoourjourney!

Allmustendinsmoke.

Charmedwiththeidea,Ibeganmorecarefullytolookaboutme.Aseriousstudyofthesoilwasnecessarytonegativeorconfirmmyhypothesis.Itookinevery item of what I saw, and I began to comprehend the succession ofphenomenawhichhadprecededitsformation.

Iceland, being absolutely without sedimentary soil, is composedexclusivelyofvolcanictufa;thatistosay,ofanagglomerationofstonesandof rocksof aporous texture.Longbefore theexistenceofvolcanoes, itwascomposedofasolidbodyofmassivetraprockliftedbodilyandslowlyoutofthesea,bytheactionofthecentrifugalforceatworkintheearth.

Theinternalfires,however,hadnotasyetbursttheirboundsandfloodedtheexteriorcakeofMotherEarthwithhotandraginglava.

My readers must excuse this brief and somewhat pedantic geologicallecture.Butitisnecessarytothecompleteunderstandingofwhatfollows.

At a later period in theworld's history, a huge andmighty fissuremust,reasoning by analogy, have been dug diagonally from the southwest to thenortheastof the island, throughwhichbydegrees flowed thevolcanic crust.The great and wondrous phenomenon then went on without violence—theoutpouring was enormous, and the seething fused matter, ejected from the

bowels of the earth, spread slowly and peacefully in the form of vast levelplains,orwhatarecalledmamelonsormounds.

Itwasatthisepochthattherockscalledfeldspars,syenites,andporphyriesappeared.

But as a natural consequence of this overflow, the depth of the islandincreased. It can readily be believed what an enormous quantity of elasticfluids were piled up within its centre, when at last it afforded no otheropenings,aftertheprocessofcoolingthecrusthadtakenplace.

Atlengthatimecamewhendespitetheenormousthicknessandweightoftheuppercrust,themechanicalforcesofthecombustiblegasesbelowbecameso great, that they actually upheaved the weighty back and made forthemselves huge and gigantic shafts. Hence the volcanoes which suddenlyarose through the upper crust, and next the craters,which burst forth at thesummitofthesenewcreations.

Itwillbeseenthatthefirstphenomenainconnectionwiththeformationofthe island were simply eruptive; to these, however, shortly succeeded thevolcanicphenomena.

Through the newly formed openings, escaped the marvelous mass ofbasalticstoneswithwhich theplainwewerenowcrossingwascovered.Wewere trampling ourway over heavy rocks of dark grey color, which, whilecooling, had beenmoulded into six-sided prisms. In the "back distance"wecould see a number of flattened cones, which formerly were somany fire-vomitingmouths.

After thebasaltic eruptionwasappeasedand set at rest, thevolcano, theforceofwhichincreasedwiththatoftheextinctcraters,gavefreepassagetothefieryoverflowoflava,andtothemassofcindersandpumicestone,nowscatteredoverthesidesofthemountain,likedisheveledhairontheshouldersofaBacchante.

Here,inanutshell,IhadthewholehistoryofthephenomenafromwhichIceland arose.All take their rise in the fierce action of interior fires, and tobelievethatthecentralmassdidnotremaininastateofliquidfire,whitehot,wassimplyandpurelymadness.

Thisbeingsatisfactorilyproved (Q.E.D.),what insensate folly topretendtopenetrateintotheinteriorofthemightyearth!

Thismentallecturedeliveredtomyselfwhileproceedingonajourney,didmegood.Iwasquitereassuredastothefateofourenterprise;andthereforewent, like a brave soldiermounting a bristling battery, to the assault of oldSneffels.

Asweadvanced, theroadbecameeverymomentmoredifficult.Thesoilwasbrokenanddangerous.Therocksbrokeandgavewayunderourfeet,andwe had to be scrupulously careful in order to avoid dangerous and constantfalls.

HansadvancedascalmlyasifhehadbeenwalkingoverSalisburyPlain;sometimes he would disappear behind huge blocks of stone, and wemomentarily lost sightofhim.Therewas a littleperiodof anxiety and thentherewasashrillwhistle,justtotelluswheretolookforhim.

Occasionally hewould take it into his head to stop to pick up lumps ofrock, and silently pile themup into small heaps, in order thatwemight notloseourwayonourreturn.

Hehadnoideaofthejourneywewereabouttoundertake.

Atallevents, theprecautionwasagoodone; thoughhowutterlyuselessandunnecessary—butImustnotanticipate.

Threehoursofterriblefatigue,walkingincessantly,hadonlybroughtustothefootofthegreatmountain.Thiswillgivesomenotionofwhatwehadstilltoundergo.

Suddenly,however,Hanscriedahalt—thatis,hemadesignstothateffect—and a summary kind of breakfastwas laid out on the lava before us.Myuncle,whonowwassimplyProfessorHardwigg,wassoeagertoadvance,thatheboltedhis food likeagreedyclown.Thishalt for refreshmentwasalsoahalt for repose. The Professor was therefore compelled to wait the goodpleasureofhisimperturbableguide,whodidnotgivethesignalfordepartureforagoodhour.

ThethreeIcelanders,whowereastaciturnastheircomrade,didnotsayaword;butwentoneatinganddrinkingveryquietlyandsoberly.

From this, our first real stage, we began to ascend the slopes of theSneffelsvolcano.Itsmagnificentsnowynightcap,aswebegantocallit,byanoptical delusion very common inmountains, appeared tome to be close athand;andyethowmanylongwearyhoursmustelapsebeforewereacheditssummit.Whatunheard-offatiguemustweendure!

Thestonesonthemountainside,heldtogetherbynocementofsoil,boundtogetherbynorootsorcreepingherbs,gavewaycontinuallyunderour feet,andwentrushingbelowintotheplains,likeaseriesofsmallavalanches.

Incertainplacesthesidesofthisstupendousmountainwereatananglesosteepthatitwasimpossibletoclimbupwards,andwewerecompelledtogetroundtheseobstaclesasbestwemight.

ThosewhounderstandAlpine climbingwill comprehendourdifficulties.

Oftenwewere obliged to help each other along bymeans of our climbingpoles.

Imustsaythisformyuncle,thathestuckasclosetomeaspossible.Heneverlostsightofme,andonmanyoccasionshisarmsuppliedmewithfirmandsolid support.Hewas strong,wiry, andapparently insensible to fatigue.Another great advantage with him was that he had the innate sentiment ofequilibrium—for he never slipped or failed in his steps. The Icelanders,thoughheavilyloaded,climbedwiththeagilityofmountaineers.

Looking up, every now and then, at the height of the great volcano ofSneffels, itappearedtomewhollyimpossibletoreachtothesummitonthatside;atallevents,iftheangleofinclinationdidnotspeedilychange.

Fortunately, after an hour of unheard-of fatigues, and of gymnasticexercisesthatwouldhavebeentryingtoanacrobat,wecametoavastfieldofice, which wholly surrounded the bottom of the cone of the volcano. Thenatives called it the tablecloth, probably from some such reason as thedwellers in theCapeofGoodHopecall theirmountainTableMountain,andtheirroadsTableBay.

Here, to our mutual surprise, we found an actual flight of stone steps,whichwonderfullyassistedourascent.Thissingularflightofstairswas,likeeverythingelse,volcanic.Ithadbeenformedbyoneofthosetorrentsofstonescast up by the eruptions, and of which the Icelandic name is stina. If thissingular torrenthadnotbeenchecked in itsdescentby thepeculiarshapeoftheflanksofthemountain,itwouldhavesweptintothesea,andwouldhaveformednewislands.

Suchasitwas,itservedusadmirably.Theabruptcharacteroftheslopesmomentarilyincreased,buttheseremarkablestonesteps,alittlelessdifficultthan thoseof theEgyptianpyramids,were theone simplenaturalmeansbywhichwewereenabledtoproceed.

About seven in the evening of that day, after having clambered up twothousandoftheseroughsteps,wefoundourselvesoverlookingakindofspuror projection of the mountain—a sort of buttress upon which the conelikecrater,properlysocalled,leanedforsupport.

The ocean lay beneath us at a depth of more than three thousand twohundred feet—a grand andmighty spectacle.We had reached the region ofeternalsnows.

The cold was keen, searching and intense. The wind blew withextraordinaryviolence.Iwasutterlyexhausted.

Myworthyuncle, theProfessor, sawclearly thatmy legs refused further

service,andthat,infact,Iwasutterlyexhausted.Despitehishotandfeverishimpatience, he decided, with a sigh, upon a halt. He called the eider-duckhuntertohisside.Thatworthy,however,shookhishead.

"Ofvanfor,"washissolespokenreply.

"It appears," says my uncle with a woebegone look, "that we must gohigher."

He then turned to Hans, and asked him to give some reason for thisdecisiveresponse.

"Mistour,"repliedtheguide.

"Ja, mistour—yes, the mistour," cried one of the Icelandic guides in aterrifiedtone.

Itwasthefirsttimehehadspoken.

"Whatdoesthismysteriouswordsignify?"Ianxiouslyinquired.

"Look,"saidmyuncle.

Ilookeddownupontheplainbelow,andIsawavast,aprodigiousvolumeofpulverizedpumicestone,ofsand,ofdust,risingtotheheavensintheformof a mighty waterspout. It resembled the fearful phenomenon of a similarcharacterknowntothetravelersinthedesertofthegreatSahara.

ThewindwasdrivingitdirectlytowardsthatsideofSneffelsonwhichwewereperched.Thisopaqueveilstandingupbetweenusandthesunprojectedadeepshadowontheflanksofthemountain.Ifthissandspoutbrokeoverus,we must all be infallibly destroyed, crushed in its fearful embraces. Thisextraordinaryphenomenon,verycommonwhenthewindshakestheglaciers,andsweepsoverthearidplains,isintheIcelandictonguecalled"mistour."

"Hastigt,hastigt!"criedourguide.

NowIcertainlyknewnothingofDanish,butIthoroughlyunderstoodthathisgesturesweremeanttoquickenus.

Theguideturnedrapidlyinadirectionwhichwouldtakeustothebackofthecrater,allthewhileascendingslightly.

Wefollowedrapidly,despiteourexcessivefatigue.

A quarter of an hour later Hans paused to enable us to look back. Themightywhirlwindofsandwasspreadinguptheslopeofthemountaintothevery spotwherewehadproposed tohalt.Huge stoneswere caughtup, castintotheair,andthrownaboutasduringaneruption.Wewerehappilyalittleoutofthedirectionofthewind,andthereforeoutofreachofdanger.Butfortheprecautionandknowledgeofourguide,ourdislocatedbodies,ourcrushed

and broken limbs, would have been cast to the wind, like dust from someunknownmeteor.

Hans,however,didnotthinkitprudenttopassthenightonthebaresideofthecone.Wethereforecontinuedourjourneyinazigzagdirection.Thefifteenhundredfeetwhichremained tobeaccomplished tookusat least fivehours.The turnings andwindings, the no-thoroughfares, themarches andmarches,turned that insignificantdistance intoat least three leagues. Inever feltsuchmisery,fatigueandexhaustioninmylife.Iwasreadytofaintfromhungerandcold.Therarefiedairatthesametimepainfullyacteduponmylungs.

At last,when I thoughtmyself atmy last gasp, about eleven at night, itbeinginthatregionquitedark,wereachedthesummitofMountSneffels!Itwas in an awfulmoodofmind, that despitemy fatigue, before I descendedintothecraterwhichwastoshelterusforthenight,Ipausedtobeholdthesunrise at midnight on the very day of its lowest declension, and enjoyed thespectacleofitsghastlypalerayscastupontheislewhichlaysleepingatourfeet!

I no longer wondered at people traveling all the way from England toNorwaytobeholdthismagicalandwondrousspectacle.

CHAPTER13

THESHADOWOFSCARTARIS

Oursupperwaseatenwitheaseandrapidity,afterwhicheverybodydidthebesthecouldforhimselfwithinthehollowofthecrater.Thebedwashard,theshelter unsatisfactory, the situation painful—lying in the open air, fivethousandfeetabovethelevelofthesea!

Nevertheless,ithasseldomhappenedtometosleepsowellasIdidonthatparticular night. I did not even dream. Somuch for the effects ofwhatmyunclecalled"wholesomefatigue."

Nextday,whenweawokeundertheraysofabrightandglorioussun,wewerenearlyfrozenbythekeenair.Ileftmygranitecouchandmadeoneoftheparty to enjoy a view of the magnificent spectacle which developed itself,panorama-like,atourfeet.

IstoodupontheloftysummitofMountSneffels'southernpeak.ThenceIwas able to obtain a view of the greater part of the island. The opticaldelusion,commontoallloftyheights,raisedtheshoresoftheisland,whilethecentralportionsappeareddepressed.Itwasbynomeanstoogreataflightof

fancytobelievethatagiantpicturewasstretchedoutbeforeme.Icouldseethe deep valleys that crossed each other in every direction. I could seeprecipices looking like sides ofwells, lakes that seemed to be changed intoponds,ponds that looked likepuddles,and rivers thatwere transformed intopettybrooks.Tomyrightwereglaciersuponglaciers,andmultipliedpeaks,toppedwithlightcloudsofsmoke.

The undulation of these infinite numbers of mountains, whose snowysummitsmakethemlookasifcoveredbyfoam,recalledtomyremembrancethesurfaceofa storm-beatenocean. If I looked towards thewest, theoceanlaybeforemeinall itsmajesticgrandeur,acontinuationas itwere,of thesefleecyhilltops.

Wheretheearthendedandtheseabeganitwasimpossiblefortheeyetodistinguish.

Isoonfeltthatstrangeandmysterioussensationwhichisawakenedinthemindwhen looking down from lofty hilltops, and now Iwas able to do sowithoutanyfeelingofnervousness,havingfortunatelyhardenedmyselftothatkindofsublimecontemplation.

IwhollyforgotwhoIwas,andwhereIwas.Ibecameintoxicatedwithasenseofloftysublimity,withoutthoughtoftheabyssesintowhichmydaringwassoonabout toplungeme. Iwaspresently,however,broughtback to therealitiesoflifebythearrivaloftheProfessorandHans,whojoinedmeupontheloftysummitofthepeak.

Myuncle,turninginawesterlydirection,pointedouttomealightcloudofvapor,akindofhaze,withafaintoutlineoflandrisingoutofthewaters.

"Greenland!"saidhe.

"Greenland?"criedIinreply.

"Yes," continuedmyuncle,whoalwayswhenexplaininganything spokeasifhewereinaprofessor'schair;"wearenotmorethanthirty-fiveleaguesdistant from thatwonderful land.When the great annual breakup of the icetakesplace,whitebearscomeovertoIceland,carriedbythefloatingmassesoficefromthenorth.This,however,isamatteroflittleconsequence.Wearenowonthesummitofthegreat,thetranscendentSneffels,andhereareitstwopeaks,north and south.Hanswill tell you thenamebywhich thepeopleofIcelandcallthatonwhichwestand."

My uncle turned to the imperturbable guide, who nodded, and spoke asusual—oneword.

"Scartaris."

Myunclelookedatmewithaproudandtriumphantglance.

"Acrater,"hesaid,"youhear?"

Ididhear,butIwastotallyunabletomakereply.

The crater of Mount Sneffels represented an inverted cone, the gapingorificeapparentlyhalfamileacross;thedepthindefinitefeet.Conceivewhatthisholemusthavebeen likewhen fullof flameand thunder and lightning.The bottom of the funnel-shaped hollow was about five hundred feet incircumference,bywhichitwillbeseenthattheslopefromthesummittothebottom was very gradual, and we were therefore clearly able to get therewithoutmuchfatigueordifficulty.Involuntarily,Icomparedthiscratertoanenormousloadedcannon;andthecomparisoncompletelyterrifiedme.

"To descend into the interior of a cannon," I thought to myself, "whenperhapsitisloaded,andwillgooffattheleastshock,istheactofamadman."

But therewasno longeranyopportunity forme tohesitate.Hans,withaperfectly calm and indifferent air, took his usual post at the head of theadventurouslittleband.Ifollowedwithoututteringasyllable.

Ifeltlikethelambledtotheslaughter.

Inorder to render thedescent lessdifficult,Hans tookhiswaydown theinterioroftheconeinratherazigzagfashion,making,asthesailorssay,longtracks to the eastward, followed by equally long ones to the west. It wasnecessarytowalkthroughthemidstoferuptiverocks,someofwhich,shakenin theirbalance,went rollingdownwith thunderingclamor to thebottomoftheabyss.Thesecontinualfallsawokeechoesofsingularpowerandeffect.

Manyportionsof theconeconsistedof inferiorglaciers.Hans,wheneverhemetwithoneoftheseobstacles,advancedwithagreatshowofprecaution,sounding the soil with his long iron pole in order to discover fissures andlayers of deep soft snow. Inmany doubtful or dangerous places, it becamenecessaryforustobetiedtogetherbyalongropeinorderthatshouldanyoneofusbeunfortunateenoughtoslip,hewouldbesupportedbyhiscompanions.Thisconnectinglinkwasdoubtlessaprudentprecaution,butnotbyanymeansunattendedwithdanger.

Nevertheless,anddespiteallthemanifolddifficultiesofthedescent,alongslopeswithwhichourguidewaswhollyunacquainted,wemadeconsiderableprogresswithoutaccident.OneofourgreatparcelsofropeslippedfromoneoftheIcelandporters,andrushedbyashortcuttothebottomoftheabyss.

Bymiddaywewereattheendofourjourney.Ilookedupwards,andsawonlytheupperorificeofthecone,whichservedasacircularframetoaverysmallportionofthesky—aportionwhichseemedtomesingularlybeautiful.ShouldIeveragaingazeonthatlovelysunlitsky!

The only exception to this extraordinary landscape, was the Peak ofScartaris,whichseemedlostinthegreatvoidoftheheavens.

Thebottomof the craterwas composedof three separate shafts, throughwhich, during periods of eruption, when Sneffels was in action, the greatcentralfurnacesentforthitsburninglavaandpoisonousvapors.Eachofthesechimneysorshaftsgapedopen-mouthedinourpath.Ikeptasfarawayfromthemaspossible,notevenventuringtotakethefaintestpeepdownwards.

As for the Professor, after a rapid examination of their disposition andcharacteristics,hebecamebreathlessandpanting.Heranfromonetotheotherlikeadelightedschoolboy,gesticulatingwildly,andutteringincomprehensibleanddisjointedphrasesinallsortsoflanguages.

Hans,theguide,andhishumblercompanionsseatedthemselvesonsomepilesoflavaandlookedsilentlyon.Theyclearlytookmyuncleforalunatic;and—waitedtheresult.

SuddenlytheProfessorutteredawild,unearthlycry.AtfirstIimaginedhehadlosthisfooting,andwasfallingheadlongintooneoftheyawninggulfs.Nothingofthekind.Isawhim,hisarmsspreadouttotheirwidestextent,hislegs stretched apart, standing upright before an enormous pedestal, highenoughandblackenough tobearagiganticstatueofPluto.Hisattitudeandmienwere thatofamanutterlystupefied.Buthisstupefactionwasspeedilychangedtothewildestjoy.

"Harry! Harry! come here!" he cried; "make haste—wonderful—wonderful!"

Unable to understand what he meant, I turned to obey his commands.NeitherHansnortheotherIcelandersmovedastep.

"Look!" said the Professor, in something of the manner of the Frenchgeneral,pointingoutthepyramidstohisarmy.

And fullypartakinghis stupefaction, if not his joy, I readon the easternsideof thehugeblockof stone, thesamecharacters,halfeatenawayby thecorrosiveactionoftime,thename,tomeathousandtimesaccursed—

"ArneSaknussemm!" criedmyuncle, "now, unbeliever, do youbegin tohavefaith?"

Itwastotallyimpossibleformetoanswerasingleword.Iwentbacktomypile of lava, in a state of silent awe. The evidence was unanswerable,overwhelming!

In a few moments, however, my thoughts were far away, back in myGermanhome,withGretchenandtheoldcook.WhatwouldIhavegivenforoneofmycousin'ssmiles,foroneoftheancientdomestic'somelettes,andfor

myownfeatherbed!

HowlongIremainedinthisstateIknownot.AllIcansayis,thatwhenatlastIraisedmyheadfrombetweenmyhands,thereremainedatthebottomofthe crater onlymyself,my uncle andHans. The Icelandic porters had beendismissedandwerenowdescendingtheexteriorslopesofMountSneffels,ontheirwaytoStapi.HowheartilydidIwishmyselfwiththem!

Hansslepttranquillyatthefootofarockinakindofrilloflava,wherehehadmadehimself a rough and readybed.MYunclewaswalking about thebottomofthecraterlikeawildbeastinacage.Ihadnodesire,neitherhadIthe strength, to move frommy recumbent position. Taking example by theguide, I gaveway to a kind of painful somnolency, duringwhich I seemedbothtohearandfeelcontinuedheavingsandshudderingsinthemountain.

Inthiswaywepassedourfirstnightintheinteriorofacrater.

Nextmorning,agrey,cloudy,heavyskyhunglikeafunerealpalloverthesummitof thevolcaniccone. Ididnotnotice it somuch from theobscuritythatreignedaroundus,asfromtheragewithwhichmyunclewasdevoured.

Ifullyunderstoodthereason,andagainaglimpseofhopemademyheartleapwithjoy.Iwillbrieflyexplainthecause.

Of the three openings which yawned beneath our steps, only one couldhavebeenfollowedbytheadventurousSaknussemm.Accordingtothewordsof the learned Icelander, it was only to be known by that one particularmentioned in the cryptograph, that the shadowof Scartaris fell upon it, justtouchingitsmouthinthelastdaysofthemonthofJune.

Wewere,infact,toconsiderthepointedpeakasthestylusofanimmensesun-dial, the shadowofwhichpointedononegivenday, like the inexorablefingeroffate,totheyawningchasmwhichledintotheinterioroftheearth.

Now,asoftenhappensintheseregions,shouldthesunfailtoburstthroughthe clouds, no shadow. Consequently, no chance of discovering the rightaperture.Wehadalreadyreachedthe25thJune.Ifthekindlyheavenswouldonlyremaindenselycloudedforsixmoredays,weshouldhavetoputoffourvoyage of discovery for another year, when certainly there would be onepersonfewer in theparty. Ialreadyhadsufficientof themadandmonstrousenterprise.

It would be utterly impossible to depict the impotent rage of ProfessorHardwigg. The day passed away, and not the faintest outline of a shadowcouldbeseenatthebottomofthecrater.Hanstheguidenevermovedfromhisplace.Hemusthavebeencurioustoknowwhatwewereabout,ifindeedhecouldbelievewewereaboutanything.Asformyuncle,heneveraddresseda

wordtome.Hewasnursinghiswrathtokeepitwarm!Hiseyesfixedontheblackandfoggyatmosphere,hiscomplexionhideouswithsuppressedpassion.Neverhadhiseyesappearedsofierce,hisnosesoaquiline,hismouthsohardandfirm.

On the 26th no change for the better. A mixture of rain and snow fellduringthewholeday.HansveryquietlybuilthimselfahutoflavaintowhichheretiredlikeDiogenesintohistub.Itookamaliciousdelightinwatchingthethousandlittlecascadesthatfloweddownthesideofthecone,carryingwiththemattimesastreamofstonesintothe"vastydeep"below.

My unclewas almost frantic: to be sure, itwas enough tomake even apatientmanangry.Hehadreachedtoacertainextentthegoalofhisdesires,andyethewaslikelytobewreckedinport.

But if theheavensandtheelementsarecapableofcausingusmuchpainand sorrow, there are two sides to a medal. And there was reserved forProfessorHardwiggabrilliantandsuddensurprisewhichwastocompensatehimforallhissufferings.

Nextdaytheskywasstillovercast,butonSunday, the28th, the lastdaybut twoof themonth,witha suddenchangeofwindandanewmoon therecameachangeofweather.Thesunpoureditsbeamingraystotheverybottomofthecrater.

Each hillock, every rock, every stone, every asperity of the soil had itsshare of the luminous effulgence, and its shadow fell heavily on the soil.Amongothers,tohisinsanedelight,theshadowofScartariswasmarkedandclear,andmovedslowlywiththeradiantstartofday.

Myunclemovedwithitinastateofmentalecstasy.

Attwelveo'clockexactly,whenthesunhadattaineditshighestaltitudefortheday,theshadowfellupontheedgeofthecentralpit!

"Hereitis,"gaspedtheProfessorinanagonyofjoy,"hereitis—wehavefoundit.Forward,myfriends,intotheInterioroftheEarth."

IlookedcuriouslyatHanstoseewhatreplyhewouldmaketothisterrificannouncement.

"Forut,"saidtheguidetranquilly.

"Forwarditis,"answeredmyuncle,whowasnowintheseventhheavenofdelight.

When we were quite ready, our watches indicated thirteen minutes pastone!

CHAPTER14

THEREALJOURNEYCOMMENCES

Our real journey had now commenced. Hitherto our courage anddetermination had overcome all difficulties.Wewere fatigued at times; andthatwasall.Nowwewereabouttoencounterunknownandfearfuldangers.

Ihadnot asyetventured to takeaglimpsedown thehorrible abyss intowhich ina fewminutesmore Iwasabout toplunge.The fatalmomenthad,however,atlastarrived.Ihadstilltheoptionofrefusingoracceptingashareinthisfoolishandaudaciousenterprise.ButIwasashamedtoshowmorefearthan the eider-duck hunter. Hans seemed to accept the difficulties of thejourney so tranquilly, with such calm indifference, with such perfectrecklessnessofalldanger,thatIactuallyblushedtoappearlessofamanthanhe!

Had I been alone with my uncle, I should certainly have sat down andargued the point fully; but in the presence of the guide I heldmy tongue. Igaveonemomenttothethoughtofmycharmingcousin,andthenIadvancedtothemouthofthecentralshaft.

It measured about a hundred feet in diameter, which made about threehundred incircumference. I leanedoverarockwhichstoodon itsedge,andlookeddown.Myhairstoodonend,myteethchattered,mylimbstrembled.Iseemedutterly to losemycentreofgravity,whilemyheadwas in a sortofwhirl, like thatof adrunkenman.There isnothingmorepowerful than thisattractiontowardsanabyss.Iwasabouttofallheadlongintothegapingwell,whenIwasdrawnbackbya firmandpowerfulhand. Itwas thatofHans. IhadnottakenlessonsenoughattheFrelser's-KirkofCopenhagenintheartoflookingdownfromloftyeminenceswithoutblinking!

However, few as the minutes were during which I gazed down thistremendousandevenwondrousshaft,Ihadasufficientglimpseofit togiveme some idea of its physical conformation. Its sides,whichwere almost asperpendicular as those of a well, presented numerous projections whichdoubtlesswouldassistourdescent.

Itwas a sort ofwild and savage staircase,without bannister or fence.Aropefastenedabove,nearthesurface,wouldcertainlysupportourweightandenable us to reach the bottom, but how,whenwe had arrived at its utmostdepth,werewe to loosen it above?Thiswas, I thought, a questionof someimportance.

Myuncle,however,wasoneofthosemenwhoarenearlyalwaysprepared

withexpedients.Hehituponaverysimplemethodofobviatingthisdifficulty.Heunrolledacordaboutasthickasmythumb,andatleastfourhundredfeetinlength.Heallowedabouthalfofittogodownthepitandcatchinahitchoveragreatblockoflavawhichstoodontheedgeoftheprecipice.Thisdone,hethrewthesecondhalfafterthefirst.

Each of us could now descend by catching the two cords in one hand.Whenabouttwohundredfeetbelow,alltheexplorerhadtodowastoletgooneendandpullawayat theother,whenthecordwouldcomefallingathisfeet. Inorder togodown farther, all thatwasnecessarywas tocontinue thesameoperation.

Thiswasaveryexcellentproposition,andnodoubt,acorrectone.Goingdown appeared to me easy enough; it was the coming up again that nowoccupiedmythoughts.

"Now," said my uncle, as soon as he had completed this importantpreparation, "let us see about the baggage. It must be divided into threeseparate parcels, and each of usmust carry one on his back. I allude to themoreimportantandfragilearticles."

Myworthyand ingeniousuncledidnotappear toconsider thatwecameunderthedenomination.

"Hans,"hecontinued,"youwill takechargeof the toolsandsomeof theprovisions;you,Harry,musttakepossessionofanotherthirdoftheprovisionsandofthearms.Iwillloadmyselfwiththerestoftheeatables,andwiththemoredelicateinstruments."

"But,"Iexclaimed,"ourclothes,thismassofcordandladders—whowillundertaketocarrythemdown?"

"Theywillgodownofthemselves."

"Andhowso?"Iasked.

"Youshallsee."

Myunclewasnot fondofhalfmeasures,nordidhe likeanything in theway of hesitation. Giving his orders to Hans he had the whole of thenonfragilearticlesmadeupintoonebundle;andthepacket,firmlyandsolidlyfastened,wassimplypitchedovertheedgeofthegulf.

Iheardthemoaningofthesuddenlydisplacedair,andthenoiseoffallingstones.Myuncle leaningover theabyssfollowedthedescentofhis luggagewith a perfectly self-satisfied air, and did not rise until it had completelydisappearedfromsight.

"Nowthen,"hecried,"itisourturn."

Iputitingoodfaithtoanymanofcommonsense—wasitpossibletohearthisenergeticcrywithoutashudder?

The Professor fastened his case of instruments on his back. Hans tookcharge of the tools, I of the arms. The descent then commenced in thefollowing order: Hans went first, my uncle followed, and I went last. Ourprogresswasmadeinprofoundsilence—asilenceonlytroubledbythefallofpiecesofrock,whichbreakingfromthejaggedsides,fellwitharoarintothedepthsbelow.

I allowedmyself to slide, so to speak, holding frantically on the doublecordwith one hand andwith the other keepingmyself off the rocks by theassistanceofmyiron-shodpole.Oneideawasallthetimeimpresseduponmybrain.Ifearedthattheuppersupportwouldfailme.Thecordappearedtomefar toofragile tobear theweightof threesuchpersonsaswewere,withourluggage.Imadeaslittleuseof itaspossible, trustingtomyownagilityanddoing miracles in the way of feats of dexterity and strength upon theprojecting shelves and spurs of lava which my feet seemed to clutch asstronglyasmyhands.

Theguidewent first, Ihave said, andwhenoneof the slipperyand frailsupportsbrokefromunderhisfeethehadrecoursetohisusualmonosyllabicwayofspeaking.

"Gifakt—"

"Attention—lookout,"repeatedmyuncle.

In about half an hour we reached a kind of small terrace formed by afragmentofrockprojectingsomedistancefromthesidesoftheshaft.

Hansnowbegantohauluponthecordononesideonly,theothergoingasquietlyupwardastheothercamedown.Itfellatlast,bringingwithitashowerofsmallstones,lavaanddust,adisagreeablekindofrainorhail.

WhilewewereseatedonthisextraordinarybenchIventuredoncemoretolook downwards.With a sigh I discovered that the bottomwas still whollyinvisible.Werewe,then,goingdirecttotheinterioroftheearth?

The performance with the cord recommenced, and a quarter of an hourlaterwehadreachedtothedepthofanothertwohundredfeet.

Ihaveverystrongdoubtsif themostdeterminedgeologistwould,duringthat descent, have studied the nature of the different layers of earth aroundhim. I did not trouble my head much about the matter; whether we wereamongthecombustiblecarbon,Silurians,orprimitivesoil,Ineitherknewnorcaredtoknow.

Not so the inveterate Professor. He must have taken notes all the way

down,for,atoneofourhalts,hebeganabrieflecture.

"The farther we advance," said he, "the greater ismy confidence in theresult.ThedispositionofthesevolcanicstrataabsolutelyconfirmsthetheoriesofSirHumphryDavy.Wearestillwithintheregionoftheprimordialsoil,thesoilinwhichtookplacethechemicaloperationofmetalsbecominginflamedbycomingincontactwiththeairandwater.Iatonceregrettheoldandnowforeverexplodedtheoryofacentralfire.Atallevents,weshallsoonknowthetruth."

Suchwas the everlasting conclusion towhich he came. I, however,wasvery far frombeing in humor to discuss thematter. I had something else tothinkof.Mysilencewastakenforconsent;andstillwecontinuedtogodown.

At theexpirationof threehours,wewere, toallappearance,asfaroffasever fromthebottomof thewell.WhenI lookedupwards,however, Icouldseethattheupperorificewaseveryminutedecreasinginsize.Thesidesoftheshaftweregettingcloserandclosertogether,wewereapproachingtheregionsofeternalnight!

Andstillwecontinuedtodescend!

Atlength,Inoticedthatwhenpiecesofstoneweredetachedfromthesidesof this stupendous precipice, they were swallowed up with less noise thanbefore.Thefinalsoundwassoonerheard.Wewereapproachingthebottomoftheabyss!

AsIhadbeenverycarefultokeepaccountofallthechangesofcordwhichtookplace, Iwasable to tellexactlywhatwas thedepthwehadreached,aswellasthetimeithadtaken.

Wehadshiftedtheropetwenty-eighttimes,eachoperationtakingaquarterof anhour,which in allmade sevenhours.To thishad tobe added twenty-eight pauses; in all ten hours and a half. We started at one, it was now,therefore,abouteleveno'clockatnight.

Itdoesnotrequiregreatknowledgeofarithmetictoknowthattwenty-eighttimestwohundredfeetmakesfivethousandsixhundredfeetinall(morethananEnglishmile).

While Iwasmaking thismental calculation a voice broke the silence. ItwasthevoiceofHans.

"Halt!"hecried.

Icheckedmyselfverysuddenly, justat themomentwhenIwasabout tokickmyuncleonthehead.

"Wehavereachedtheendofourjourney,"saidtheworthyProfessorina

satisfiedtone.

"What,theinterioroftheearth?"saidI,slippingdowntohisside.

"No,youstupidfellow!butwehavereachedthebottomofthewell."

"And I suppose there is no farther progress to be made?" I hopefullyexclaimed.

"Oh,yes,Icandimlyseeasortoftunnel,whichturnsoffobliquelytotheright.At all events,wemust see about that tomorrow.Let us sup now, andseekslumberasbestwemay."

I thought it time, but made no observations on that point. I was fairlylaunched on a desperate course, and all I had to do was to go forwardhopefullyandtrustingly.

It was not even now quite dark, the light filtering down in a mostextraordinarymanner.

Weopenedtheprovisionbag,ateafrugalsupper,andeachdidhisbesttofindabedamid thepileofstones,dirt,and lavawhichhadaccumulated foragesatthebottomoftheshaft.

Ihappened togropeout thepileof ropes, ladders, andclotheswhichwehadthrowndown;anduponthemIstretchedmyself.Aftersuchaday'slabor,myroughbedseemedassoftasdown!

ForawhileIlayinasortofpleasanttrance.

Presently, after lying quietly for some minutes, I opened my eyes andlookedupwards.AsIdidsoImadeoutabrilliantlittledot,attheextremityofthislong,gigantictelescope.

Itwasastarwithoutscintillatingrays.Accordingtomycalculation,itmustbeBetaintheconstellationoftheLittleBear.

Afterthislittlebitofastronomicalrecreation,Idroppedintoasoundsleep.

CHAPTER15

WECONTINUEOURDESCENT

Ateighto'clockthenextmorning,afaintkindofdawnofdayawokeus.The thousandandoneprismsof the lavacollected the lightas itpassedandbroughtittouslikeashowerofsparks.

Wewereablewitheasetoseeobjectsaroundus.

"Well, Harry, my boy," cried the delighted Professor, rubbing his handstogether,"whatsayyounow?Didyoueverpassamoretranquilnightinourhouse in theKonigstrasse?No deafening sounds of cartwheels, no cries ofhawkers,nobadlanguagefromboatmenorwatermen!"

"Well,Uncle,wearequiteat thebottomof thiswell—but tome there issomethingterribleinthiscalm."

"Why," said the Professor hotly, "one would say you were alreadybeginningtobeafraid.Howwillyougetonpresently?Doyouknow,thatasyet,wehavenotpenetratedoneinchintothebowelsoftheearth."

"Whatcanyoumean,sir?"wasmybewilderedandastonishedreply.

"Imeantosaythatwehaveonlyjustreachedthesoiloftheislanditself.This long vertical tube, which ends at the bottom of the crater of Sneffels,ceasesherejustaboutonalevelwiththesea."

"Areyousure,sir?"

"Quitesure.Consultthebarometer."

Itwasquitetruethatthemercury,afterrisinggraduallyintheinstrument,aslongasourdescentwastakingplace,hadstoppedpreciselyattwenty-ninedegrees.

"You perceive," said the Professor, "we have as yet only to endure thepressureofair.Iamcurioustoreplacethebarometerbythemanometer."

The barometer, in fact, was about to become useless—as soon as theweightof theairwasgreater thanwhatwascalculatedasabove the leveloftheocean.

"But," said I, "is it not verymuch to be feared that this ever-increasingpressuremaynotintheendturnoutverypainfulandinconvenient?"

"No," said he. "We shall descend very slowly, and our lungs will begradually accustomed to breathe compressed air. It is well known thataeronauts have gone so high as to be nearly without air at all—why, then,shouldwenotaccustomourselves tobreathewhenwehave, say,a little toomuchofit?Formyself,IamcertainIshallpreferit.Letusnotloseamoment.Whereisthepacketwhichprecededusinourdescent?"

Ismilinglypointeditouttomyuncle.Hanshadnotseenit,andbelieveditcaughtsomewhereaboveus:"Huppe"ashephrasedit.

"Now," saidmy uncle, "let us breakfast, and break fast like peoplewhohavealongday'sworkbeforethem."

Biscuitanddriedmeat,washeddownbysomemouthfulsofwaterflavored

withSchiedam,wasthematerialofourluxuriousmeal.

As soon as it was finished, my uncle took from his pocket a notebookdestinedtobefilledbymemorandaofourtravels.Hehadalreadyplacedhisinstrumentsinorder,andthisiswhathewrote:

Monday,June29th

Chronometer,8h.17m.morning.

Barometer,29.6inches.

Thermometer,6degrees[43degreesFahr.]

Direction,E.S.E.

Thislastobservationreferredtotheobscuregallery,andwasindicatedtousbythecompass.

"Now,Harry,"criedtheProfessor,inanenthusiastictoneofvoice,"wearetruly about to take our first step into the Interior of theEarth; never beforevisited by man since the first creation of the world. You may consider,therefore,thatatthisprecisemomentourtravelsreallycommence."

Asmyunclemade this remark, he took in onehand theRuhmkorff coilapparatus,whichhungroundhisneck,andwith theotherheput theelectriccurrentintocommunicationwiththewormofthelantern.Andabrightlightatonceilluminedthatdarkandgloomytunnel!

Theeffectwasmagical!

Hans,whocarriedthesecondapparatus,haditalsoputintooperation.Thisingeniousapplicationof electricity topracticalpurposesenabledus tomovealong by the light of an artificial day, amid even the flow of the mostinflammableandcombustiblegases.

"Forward!"criedmyuncle.Eachtookuphisburden.Hanswentfirst,myunclefollowed,andIgoingthird,weenteredthesombergallery!

Justaswewereabouttoengulfourselvesinthisdismalpassage,Iliftedupmyhead,and through the tubelikeshaft saw that IcelandskyIwasnever toseeagain!

WasitthelastIshouldeverseeofanysky?

Thestreamoflavaflowingfromthebowelsoftheearthin1219hadforceditself a passage through the tunnel. It lined thewhole of the insidewith itsthick and brilliant coating. The electric light added very greatly to thebrilliancyoftheeffect.

Thegreat difficulty of our journeynowbegan.Howwerewe to prevent

ourselves from slipping down the steeply inclined plane? Happily somecracks,abrasuresofthesoil,andotherirregularities,servedtheplaceofsteps;andwedescendedslowly;allowingourheavyluggagetosliponbefore,attheendofalongcord.

But that which served as steps under our feet became in other placesstalactites.Thelava,veryporousincertainplaces,tooktheformoflittleroundblisters.Crystalsofopaquequartz,adornedwithlimpiddropsofnaturalglasssuspended to the roof like lusters, seemed to take fire aswepassedbeneaththem.Onewould have fancied that the genii of romancewere illuminatingtheirundergroundpalacestoreceivethesonsofmen.

"Magnificent, glorious!" I cried in amoment of involuntary enthusiasm,"Whataspectacle,Uncle!Doyounotadmirethesevariegatedshadesoflava,whichrunthroughawholeseriesofcolors,fromreddishbrowntopaleyellow—by the most insensible degrees? And these crystals, they appear likeluminousglobes."

"Youarebeginning to see the charmsof travel,MasterHarry," criedmyuncle."Waitabit,untilweadvancefarther.Whatwehaveasyetdiscoveredisnothing—onwards,myboy,onwards!"

Itwouldhavebeenafarmorecorrectandappropriateexpression,hadhesaid, "let us slide," forwewere going down an inclined planewith perfectease.Thecompassindicatedthatweweremovinginasoutheasterlydirection.The flow of lava had never turned to the right or the left. It had theinflexibilityofastraightline.

Nevertheless, to my surprise, we found no perceptible increase in heat.ThisprovedthetheoriesofHumphryDavytobefoundedontruth,andmorethanonceIfoundmyselfexaminingthethermometerinsilentastonishment.

Twohoursafterourdepartureitonlymarkedfifty-fourdegreesFahrenheit.I had every reason to believe from this that our descent was far morehorizontal thanvertical.As fordiscovering theexactdepth towhichwehadattained,nothingcouldbeeasier.TheProfessorasheadvancedmeasuredtheanglesofdeviationandinclination;buthekepttheresultofhisobservationstohimself.

Abouteighto'clock in theevening,myunclegave thesignal forhalting.Hans seated himself on the ground.The lampswere hung to fissures in thelavarock.Wewerenowinalargecavernwhereairwasnotwanting.Onthecontrary,itabounded.Whatcouldbethecauseofthis—towhatatmosphericagitationcouldbeascribedthisdraught?ButthiswasaquestionwhichIdidnot care to discuss just then. Fatigue and hunger made me incapable ofreasoning.Anunceasingmarchofsevenhourshadnotbeenkeptupwithout

greatexhaustion.Iwasreallyandtrulywornout;anddelightedenoughIwastohearthewordHalt.

Hanslaidoutsomeprovisionsonalumpoflava,andweeachsuppedwithkeen relish. One thing, however, caused us great uneasiness—our waterreservewasalreadyhalfexhausted.Myunclehad fullconfidence in findingsubterranean resources, but hithertowe had completely failed in so doing. Icouldnothelpcallingmyuncle'sattentiontothecircumstance.

"Andyouaresurprisedatthistotalabsenceofsprings?"hesaid.

"Doubtless—Iamveryuneasyonthepoint.Wehavecertainlynotenoughwatertolastusfivedays."

"Be quite easy on thatmatter," continuedmy uncle. "I answer for itweshallfindplentyofwater—infact,farmorethanweshallwant."

"Butwhen?"

"Whenweoncegetthroughthiscrustoflava.Howcanyouexpectspringstoforcetheirwaythroughthesesolidstonewalls?"

"Butwhatistheretoprovethatthisconcretemassoflavadoesnotextendtothecentreoftheearth?Idon'tthinkwehaveasyetdonemuchinaverticalway."

"Whatputsthatintoyourhead,myboy?"askedmyunclemildly.

"Well,itappearstomethatifwehaddescendedveryfarbelowthelevelofthesea—weshouldfinditratherhotterthanwehave."

"According to your system," said my uncle; "but what does thethermometersay?"

"Scarcely fifteendegrees byReaumur,which is only an increase of ninesinceourdeparture."

"Well,andwhatconclusiondoesthatbringyouto?"inquiredtheProfessor.

"The deduction I draw from this is very simple. According to the mostexactobservations,theaugmentationofthetemperatureoftheinterioroftheearth is one degree for every hundred feet. But certain local causes mayconsiderably modify this figure. Thus at Yakoust in Siberia, it has beenremarkedthattheheatincreasesadegreeeverythirty-sixfeet.Thedifferenceevidentlydependsontheconductibilityofcertainrocks.Intheneighborhoodofanextinctvolcano, ithasbeenremarkedthat theelevationof temperaturewasonlyonedegreeineveryfive-and-twentyfeet.Letus,then,gouponthiscalculation—whichisthemostfavorable—andcalculate."

"Calculateaway,myboy."

"Nothingeasier,"saidI,pullingoutmynotebookandpencil."Ninetimesonehundredandtwenty-fivefeetmakeadepthofelevenhundredandtwenty-fivefeet."

"Archimedescouldnothavespokenmoregeometrically."

"Well?"

"Well, according to my observations, we are at least ten thousand feetbelowthelevelofthesea."

"Canitbepossible?"

"Eithermycalculationiscorrect,orthereisnotruthinfigures."

ThecalculationsoftheProfessorwereperfectlycorrect.Wewerealreadysixthousandfeetdeeperdowninthebowelsoftheearththananyonehadeverbeenbefore.The lowest knowndepth towhichmanhadhithertopenetratedwasintheminesofKitzbuhel,intheTirol,andthoseofWurttemberg.

The temperature, which should have been eighty-one, was in this placeonlyfifteen.Thiswasamatterforseriousconsideration.

CHAPTER16

THEEASTERNTUNNEL

The next day was Tuesday, the 30th of June—and at six o'clock in themorningweresumedourjourney.

Westillcontinuedtofollowthegalleryoflava,aperfectnaturalpathway,aseasyofdescentassomeofthoseinclinedplaneswhich,inveryoldGermanhouses,servethepurposeofstaircases.Thiswentonuntilseventeenminutespasttwelve,thepreciseinstantatwhichwerejoinedHans,who,havingbeensomewhatinadvance,hadsuddenlystopped.

"Atlast,"criedmyuncle,"wehavereachedtheendoftheshaft."

Ilookedwonderinglyaboutme.Wewereinthecentreoffourcrosspaths—somberandnarrowtunnels.Thequestionnowaroseastowhichitwaswisetotake;andthisofitselfwasnosmalldifficulty.

My uncle, who did not wish to appear to have any hesitation about thematter before myself or the guide, at once made up his mind. He pointedquietlytotheeasterntunnel;and,withoutdelay,weenteredwithinitsgloomyrecesses.

Besides, had he entertained any feeling of hesitation itmight have beenprolongedindefinitely,fortherewasnoindicationbywhichtodetermineonachoice.Itwasabsolutelynecessarytotrusttochanceandgoodfortune!

The descent of this obscure and narrow gallery was very gradual andwinding.Sometimeswegazedthroughasuccessionofarches,itscourseveryliketheaislesofaGothiccathedral.Thegreatartisticsculptorsandbuildersofthe Middle Ages might have here completed their studies with advantage.Manymostbeautifulandsuggestiveideasofarchitecturalbeautywouldhavebeendiscoveredby them.Afterpassing through thisphaseof the cavernousway,wesuddenlycame,aboutamilefartheron,uponasquaresystemofarch,adoptedbytheearlyRomans,projectingfromthesolidrock,andkeepinguptheweightoftheroof.

Suddenlywewouldcomeuponaseriesoflowsubterraneantunnelswhichlooked like beaver holes, or thework of foxes—throughwhose narrow andwindingwayswehadliterallytocrawl!

Theheatstillremainedatquiteasupportabledegree.Withaninvoluntaryshudder, I reflected on what the heat must have been when the volcano ofSneffelswas pouring its smoke, flames, and streams of boiling lava—all ofwhich must have come up by the road we were now following. I couldimagine the torrents of hot seething stone darting on, bubbling up withaccompanimentsofsmoke,steam,andsulphurousstench!

"Only to think of the consequences," Imused, "if the old volcanowereoncemoretosettowork."

Ididnotcommunicatetheseratherunpleasantreflectionstomyuncle.Henot only would not have understood them, but would have been intenselydisgusted.Hisonly ideawas togoahead.Hewalked,he slid,heclamberedover piles of fragments, he rolled down heaps of broken lava, with anearnestnessandconvictionitwasimpossiblenottoadmire.

Atsixo'clockintheevening,afteraverywearisomejourney,butonenotsofatiguingasbefore,wehadmadesixmilestowardsthesouthward,buthadnotgonemorethanamiledownwards.

Myuncle,asusual,gavethesignaltohalt.Weateourmealinthoughtfulsilence,andthenretiredtosleep.

Ourarrangementsforthenightwereveryprimitiveandsimple.Atravelingrug,inwhicheachrolledhimself,wasallourbedding.Wehadnonecessitytofearcoldoranyunpleasantvisit.TravelerswhoburythemselvesinthewildsanddepthsoftheAfricandesert,whoseekprofitandpleasureintheforestsoftheNewWorld,arecompelledtotakeitinturntowatchduringthehoursofsleep;but in this regionof theearthabsolute solitudeandcomplete security

reignedsupreme.

Wehadnothingtofeareitherfromsavagesorfromwildbeasts.

Afteranight's sweet repose,weawokefreshand readyforaction.Therebeingnothingtodetainus,westartedonourjourney.Wecontinuedtoburrowthroughthelavatunnelasbefore.Itwasimpossibletomakeoutthroughwhatsoilweweremakingway.Thetunnel,moreover, insteadofgoingdownintothebowelsoftheearth,becameabsolutelyhorizontal.

I even thought, after some examination, that we were actually tendingupwards.Aboutteno'clockinthedaythisstateofthingsbecamesoclearthat,finding the change very fatiguing, I was obliged to slacken my pace andfinallycometoahalt.

"Well,"saidtheProfessorquickly,"whatisthematter?"

"Thefactis,Iamdreadfullytired,"wasmyearnestreply.

"What,"criedmyuncle,"tiredafterathreehours'walk,andbysoeasyaroad?"

"Easyenough,Idaresay,butveryfatiguing."

"Buthowcanthatbe,whenallwehavetodoistogodownwards."

"I beg your pardon, sir. For some time I have noticed thatwe are goingupwards."

"Upwards,"criedmyuncle,shrugginghisshoulders,"howcanthatbe?"

"Therecanbenodoubtaboutit.Forthelasthalfhourtheslopeshavebeenupward—and if we go on in thiswaymuch longerwe shall find ourselvesbackinIceland."

Myuncleshookhisheadwith theairofamanwhodoesnotwant tobeconvinced.Itriedtocontinuetheconversation.Hewouldnotanswerme,butoncemoregavethesignalfordeparture.HissilenceIthoughtwasonlycausedbyconcentratedill-temper.

However this might be, I once more took up my load, and boldly andresolutelyfollowedHans,whowasnowinadvanceofmyuncle.Ididnotliketobebeatenorevendistanced.Iwasnaturallyanxiousnottolosesightofmycompanions.Theveryideaofbeingleftbehind,lostinthatterriblelabyrinth,mademeshiveraswiththeague.

Besides,iftheascendingpathwasmorearduousandpainfultoclamber,Ihad one source of secret consolation and delight. It was to all appearancetakingusback to the surfaceof the earth.That of itselfwashopeful.EverystepItookconfirmedmeinmybelief,andIbeganalreadytobuildcastlesin

theairinrelationtomymarriagewithmyprettylittlecousin.

Abouttwelveo'clocktherewasagreatandsuddenchangeintheaspectoftherockysidesofthegallery.Ifirstnoticeditfromthediminutionoftheraysof lightwhich cast back the reflectionof the lamp.Frombeing coatedwithshining and resplendent lava, it became living rock.The sideswere slopingwalls,whichsometimesbecamequitevertical.

Wewerenowinwhatthegeologicalprofessorscallastateoftransition,inthe period of Silurian stones, so called because this specimen of earlyformation isverycommon inEngland in the counties formerly inhabitedbytheCelticnationknownasSilures.

"Icanseeclearlynow,"Icried;"thesedimentfromthewaterswhichoncecoveredthewholeearthformedduringthesecondperiodofitsexistencetheseschists and these calcareous rocks.We are turning our backs on the graniterocks,andarelikepeoplefromHamburgwhowouldgotoLubeckbywayofHanover."

Imight justaswellhavekeptmyobservations tomyself.Mygeologicalenthusiasm got the better, however, of my cooler judgment, and ProfessorHardwiggheardmyobservations.

"Whatisthematternow?"hesaid,inatoneofgreatgravity.

"Well,"criedI,"doyounotsee thesedifferent layersofcalcareousrocksandthefirstindicationofslatestrata?"

"Well;whatthen?"

"We have arrived at that period of the world's existence when the firstplantsandthefirstanimalsmadetheirappearance."

"Youthinkso?"

"Yes,look;examineandjudgeforyourself."

IinducedtheProfessorwithsomedifficultytocastthelightofhislamponthe sides of the longwinding gallery. I expected some exclamation to burstfromhislips.Iwasverymuchmistaken.TheworthyProfessorneverspokeaword.

Itwasimpossibletosaywhetherheunderstoodmeornot.Perhapsitwaspossiblethatinhispride—myuncleandalearnedprofessor—hedidnotliketo own that he was wrong in having chosen the eastern tunnel, or was hedeterminedatanypricetogototheendofit?Itwasquiteevidentwehadlefttheregionoflava,andthattheroadbywhichweweregoingcouldnottakeusbacktothegreatcraterofMountSneffels.

AswewentalongIcouldnothelpruminatingonthewholequestion,and

askedmyself if Ididnot lay toogreata stresson thesesuddenandpeculiarmodificationsoftheearth'scrust.

Afterall,Iwasverylikelytobemistaken—anditwaswithintherangeofprobabilityandpossibilitythatwewerenotmakingourwaythroughthestrataof rockswhich I believed I recognized piled on the lower layer of graniticformation.

"At all events, if I am right," I thought tomyself, "Imust certainly findsomeremainsofprimitiveplants,and itwillbeabsolutelynecessary togivewaytosuchindubitableevidence.Letushaveagoodsearch."

Iaccordinglylostnoopportunityofsearching,andhadnotgonemorethanaboutahundredyards,whentheevidenceIsoughtforcroppedupinthemostincontestablemannerbeforemyeyes.ItwasquitenaturalthatIshouldexpecttofindthesesigns,forduringtheSilurianperiodtheseascontainednofewerthanfifteenhundreddifferentanimalandvegetablespecies.Myfeet,solongaccustomedtothehardandaridlavasoil,suddenlyfoundthemselvestreadingonakindofsoftdust,theremainsofplantsandshells.

UponthewallsthemselvesIcouldclearlymakeouttheoutline,asplainasa sun picture, of the fucus and the lycopods. The worthy and excellentProfessorHardwiggcouldnotofcoursemakeanymistakeabout thematter;butIbelievehedeliberatelyclosedhiseyes,andcontinuedonhiswaywithafirmandunalterablestep.

Ibegan to think thathewascarryinghisobstinacyagreatdeal too far. Icouldno longeractwithprudenceorcomposure. Istoopedonasuddenandpickedupanalmostperfect shell,whichhadundoubtedlybelonged to someanimal verymuch resembling some of the present day. Having secured theprize,Ifollowedinthewakeofmyuncle.

"Doyouseethis?"Isaid.

"Well,saidtheProfessor,withthemostimperturbabletranquillity,"itistheshell of a crustaceous animal of the extinct order of the trilobites; nothingmore,Iassureyou."

"But,"criedI,muchtroubledathiscoolness,"doyoudrawnoconclusionfromit?"

"Well,ifImayask,whatconclusiondoyoudrawfromityourself?"

"Well,Ithought—"

"I know,my boy, what youwould say, and you are right, perfectly andincontestablyright.Wehavefinallyabandonedthecrustoflavaandtheroadbywhichthelavaascended.ItisquitepossiblethatImayhavebeenmistaken,butIshallbeunabletodiscovermyerroruntilIgettotheendofthisgallery."

"Youarequite right as far as that is concerned," I replied, "and I shouldhighly approve of your decision, if we had not to fear the greatest of alldangers."

"Andwhatisthat?"

"Wantofwater."

"Well, my dear Henry, it can't be helped. We must put ourselves onrations."

Andonhewent.

CHAPTER17

DEEPERANDDEEPER—THECOALMINE

In truth, we were compelled to put ourselves upon rations. Our supplywouldcertainly last notmore than threedays. I found thisout about suppertime. Theworst part of thematterwas that, inwhat is called the transitionrocks,itwashardlytobeexpectedweshouldmeetwithwater!

Ihadreadofthehorrorsofthirst,andIknewthatwherewewere,abrieftrialofitssufferingswouldputanendtoouradventures—andourlives!Butitwas utterly useless to discuss the matter with my uncle. He would haveansweredbysomeaxiomfromPlato.

During thewholeofnextdayweproceededonour journey through thisinterminablegallery,archafterarch,tunnelaftertunnel.Wejourneyedwithoutexchangingaword.WehadbecomeasmuteandreticentasHans,ourguide.

Theroadhadnolongeranupwardtendency;atallevents,ifithad,itwasnot tobemadeoutveryclearly.Sometimes therecouldbenodoubt thatweweregoingdownwards.Butthisinclinationwasscarcelytobedistinguished,andwasbynomeansreassuringtotheProfessor,becausethecharacterofthestrata was in no wise modified, and the transition character of the rocksbecamemoreandmoremarked.

Itwasaglorioussighttoseehowtheelectriclightbroughtoutthesparklesinthewallsofthecalcareousrocks,andtheoldredsandstone.OnemighthavefanciedoneselfinoneofthosedeepcuttingsinDevonshire,whichhavegiventheir name to this kind of soil. Some magnificent specimens of marbleprojectedfromthesidesofthegallery:someofanagategreywithwhiteveinsofvariegatedcharacter,othersofayellowspottedcolor,withredveins;fartheroffmightbe seen samplesof color inwhichcherry-tinted seamswere tobe

foundinalltheirbrightestshades.

The greater number of these marbles were stamped with the marks ofprimitiveanimals.Since thepreviousevening,natureandcreationhadmadeconsiderable progress. Instead of the rudimentary trilobites, I perceived theremainsofamoreperfectorder.Amongothers,thefishinwhichtheeyeofageologisthasbeenabletodiscoverthefirstformofthereptile.

The Devonian seas were inhabited by a vast number of animals of thisspecies, which were deposited in tens of thousands in the rocks of newformation.

Itwasquiteevidenttomethatwewereascendingthescaleofanimallifeofwhichmanformsthesummit.Myexcellentuncle,theProfessor,appearednottotakenoticeofthesewarnings.Hewasdeterminedatanyrisktoproceed.

He must have been in expectation of one of two things; either that averticalwellwasabouttoopenunderhisfeet,andthusallowhimtocontinuehisdescent,orthatsomeinsurmountableobstaclewouldcompelustostopandgobackbytheroadwehadsolongtraveled.Buteveningcameagain,and,tomyhorror,neitherhopewasdoomedtoberealized!

OnFriday,afteranightwhenIbegantofeelthegnawingagonyofthirst,and when in consequence appetite decreased, our little band rose and oncemore followed the turnings and windings, the ascents and descents, of thisinterminable gallery. All were silent and gloomy. I could see that evenmyunclehadventuredtoofar.

Afterabouttenhoursoffurtherprogress—aprogressdullandmonotonousto the last degree—I remarked that the reverberation, and reflection of ourlampsuponthesidesofthetunnel,hadsingularlydiminished.Themarble,theschist, the calcareous rocks, the red sandstone, had disappeared, leaving intheirplacesadarkandgloomywall,somberandwithoutbrightness.Whenwereachedaremarkablynarrowpartofthetunnel,Ileanedmylefthandagainsttherock.

When I tookmy hand away, and happened to glance at it, it was quiteblack.WehadreachedthecoalstrataoftheCentralEarth.

"Acoalmine!"Icried.

"Acoalminewithoutminers,"respondedmyuncle,alittleseverely.

"Howcanwetell?"

"Icantell,"repliedmyuncle,inasharpanddoctorialtone."Iamperfectlycertain that thisgallery throughsuccessive layersofcoalwasnotcutby thehandofman.Butwhetheritistheworkofnatureornotisoflittleconcerntous.Thehourforoureveningmealhascome—letussup."

Hans, the guide, occupied himself in preparing food. I had come to thatpoint when I could no longer eat. All I cared about were the few drops ofwater which fell to my share. What I suffered it is useless to record. Theguide'sgourd,notquitehalffull,wasallthatwasleftforusthree!

Having finished their repast, my two companions laid themselves downupontheirrugs,andfoundinsleeparemedyfortheirfatigueandsufferings.Asforme,Icouldnotsleep,Ilaycountingthehoursuntilmorning.

The next morning, Saturday, at six o'clock, we started again. Twentyminutes later we suddenly came upon a vast excavation. From its mightyextentIsawatoncethatthehandofmancouldhavehadnothingtodowiththiscoalmine;thevaultabovewouldhavefallenin;asitwas,itwasonlyheldtogetherbysomemiracleofnature.

This mighty natural cavern was about a hundred feet wide, by about ahundred and fifty high. The earth had evidently been cast apart by someviolent subterranean commotion. Themass, givingway to some prodigiousupheaving of nature, had split in two, leaving the vast gap into which weinhabitantsoftheearthhadpenetratedforthefirsttime.

Thewhole singular history of the coal periodwaswritten on those darkand gloomy walls. A geologist would have been able easily to follow thedifferentphasesofitsformation.Theseamsofcoalwereseparatedbystrataofsandstone,acompactclay,whichappearedtobecrusheddownbytheweightfromabove.

Atthatperiodoftheworldwhichprecededthesecondaryepoch,theearthwascoveredbyacoatingofenormousandrichvegetation,duetothedoubleaction of tropical heat and perpetual humidity.A vast atmospheric cloud ofvapor surrounded the earthonall sides, preventing the raysof the sun fromeverreachingit.

Hence theconclusion that these intenseheatsdidnotarisefromthisnewsourceofcaloric.

Perhapseventhestarofdaywasnotquitereadyforitsbrilliantwork—toillumineauniverse.Climatesdidnotasyetexist,andalevelheatpervadedthewholesurfaceoftheglobe—thesameheatexistingattheNorthPoleasattheequator.

Whencediditcome?Fromtheinterioroftheearth?

In spite of all the learned theories of Professor Hardwigg, a fierce andvehement fire certainly burned within the entrails of the great spheroid. Itsactionwasfelteventotheverytopmostcrustoftheearth;theplantstheninexistence, beingdeprivedof thevivifying raysof the sun, hadneitherbuds,

norflowers,norodor,buttheirrootsdrewastrongandvigorouslifefromtheburningearthofearlydays.

Therewerebutfewofwhatmaybecalledtrees—onlyherbaceousplants,immense turfs, briers, mosses, rare families, which, however, in those dayswerecountedbytensandtensofthousands.

It is entirely to this exuberant vegetation that coal owes its origin. Thecrustofthevastglobestillyieldedundertheinfluenceoftheseething,boilingmass,whichwasforeveratworkbeneath.Hencearosenumerousfissures,andcontinualfallinginoftheupperearth.Thedensemassofplantsbeingbeneaththewaters,soonformedthemselvesintovastagglomerations.

Thencameabouttheactionofnaturalchemistry;inthedepthsoftheoceanthevegetablemassatfirstbecameturf,then,thankstotheinfluenceofgasesand subterranean fermentation, they underwent the complete process ofmineralization.

Inthismanner,inearlydays,wereformedthosevastandprodigiouslayersofcoal,whichanever—increasingconsumptionmustutterlyuseupinaboutthreecenturiesmore,ifpeopledonotfindsomemoreeconomiclightthangas,andsomecheapermotivepowerthansteam.

Allthesereflections,thememoriesofmyschoolstudies,cametomymindwhile I gazed upon these mighty accumulations of coal, whose riches,however,are scarcely likely tobeeverutilized.Theworkingof theseminescouldonlybecarriedoutatanexpensethatwouldneveryieldaprofit.

The matter, however, is scarcely worthy consideration, when coal isscatteredoverthewholesurfaceoftheglobe,withinafewyardsoftheuppercrust. As I looked at these untouched strata, therefore, I knew they wouldremainaslongastheworldlasts.

Whilewestillcontinuedourjourney,Ialoneforgotthelengthoftheroad,by giving myself up wholly to these geological considerations. Thetemperaturecontinuedtobeverymuchthesameaswhilewewere travelingamidthelavaandtheschists.Ontheotherhandmysenseofsmellwasmuchaffected by a very powerful odor. I immediately knew that the gallery wasfilled to overflowingwith that dangerous gas theminers call fire damp, theexplosionofwhichhas caused such fearful and terrible accidents,making ahundredwidowsandhundredsoforphansinasinglehour.

Happily,wewereabletoillumineourprogressbymeansoftheRuhmkorffapparatus. Ifwe had been so rash and imprudent as to explore this gallery,torchinhand,aterribleexplosionwouldhaveputanendtoourtravels,simplybecausenotravelerswouldbeleft.

Ourexcursionthroughthiswondrouscoalmineintheverybowelsoftheearth lasted until evening. My uncle was scarcely able to conceal hisimpatience and dissatisfaction at the road continuing still to advance in ahorizontaldirection.

Thedarkness, dense andopaque a fewyards in advance and in the rear,rendered it impossible tomake out what was the length of the gallery. Formyself,Ibegantobelievethatitwassimplyinterminable,andwouldgooninthesamemannerformonths.

Suddenly,atsixo'clock,westoodinfrontofawall.Totheright,totheleftabove,below,nowherewasthereanypassage.Wehadreachedaspotwheretherockssaidinunmistakableaccents—NoThoroughfare.

Istoodstupefied.Theguidesimplyfoldedhisarms.Myunclewassilent.

"Well,well,somuchthebetter,"criedmyuncle,atlast,"Inowknowwhatweareabout.WearedecidedlynotupontheroadfollowedbySaknussemm.Allwehavetodoistogoback.Letustakeonenight'sgoodrest,andbeforethreedaysareover,Ipromiseyouweshallhaveregainedthepointwherethegalleriesdivided."

"Yes,wemay,ifourstrengthlastsaslong,"Icried,inalamentablevoice.

"Andwhynot?"

"Tomorrow, among us three, therewill not be a drop ofwater. It is justgone."

"Andyourcouragewithit,"saidmyuncle,speakinginaseveretone.

WhatcouldIsay?I turnedroundonmyside,andfromsheerexhaustionfell into a heavy sleep disturbed by dreams of water! And I awokeunrefreshed.

Iwouldhavebarteredadiamondmineforaglassofpurespringwater!

CHAPTER18

THEWRONGROAD!

Nextday,ourdeparturetookplaceataveryearlyhour.Therewasnotimefortheleastdelay.Accordingtomyaccount,wehadfivedays'hardworktogetbacktotheplacewherethegalleriesdivided.

I cannever tell all the sufferingswe endureduponour return.Myuncleborethemlikeamanwhohasbeeninthewrong—thatis,withconcentrated

andsuppressedanger;Hans,withall theresignationofhispacificcharacter;andI—IconfessthatIdidnothingbutcomplain,anddespair.Ihadnoheartforthisbadfortune.

Buttherewasoneconsolation.Defeatat theoutsetwouldprobablyupsetthewholejourney!

AsIhadexpectedfromthefirst,oursupplyofwatergavecompletelyoutonourfirstday'smarch.OurprovisionofliquidswasreducedtooursupplyofSchiedam;but thishorrible—nay,Iwillsay it—this infernal liquorburnt thethroat,andIcouldnotevenbearthesightofit.Ifoundthetemperaturetobestifling. I was paralyzed with fatigue. More than once I was about to fallinsensible to the ground. The whole party then halted, and the worthyIcelanderandmyexcellentuncledidtheirbest toconsoleandcomfortme.Icould,however,plainlyseethatmyunclewascontendingpainfullyagainsttheextreme fatigues of our journey, and the awful torture generated by theabsenceofwater.

AtlengthatimecamewhenIceasedtorecollectanything—whenallwasoneawfullhideous,fantasticdream!

Atlast,onTuesday,theseventhofthemonthofJuly,aftercrawlingonourhandsandkneesformanyhours,moredeadthanalive,wereachedthepointofjunctionbetweenthegalleries.Ilaylikealog,aninertmassofhumanfleshonthearidlavasoil.Itwasthenteninthemorning.

Hansandmyuncle,leaningagainstthewall,triedtonibbleawayatsomepiecesofbiscuit,whiledeepgroansandsighsescapedfrommyscorchedandswollenlips.ThenIfelloffintoakindofdeeplethargy.

PresentlyIfeltmyuncleapproach,andliftmeuptenderlyinhisarms.

"Poorboy,"Iheardhimsayinatoneofdeepcommiseration.

Iwasprofoundlytouchedbythesewords,beingbynomeansaccustomedtosignsofwomanlyweaknessintheProfessor.Icaughthistremblinghandsinmine and gave them a gentle pressure. He allowed me to do so withoutresistance,lookingatmekindlyallthetime.Hiseyeswerewetwithtears.

Ithensawhimtakethegourdwhichheworeathisside.Tomysurprise,orrathertomystupefaction,heplacedittomylips.

"Drink,myboy,"hesaid.

Was it possible my ears had not deceived me? Was my uncle mad? Ilookedathim,with,Iamsure,quiteanidioticexpression.Icouldnotbelievehim.Itoomuchfearedthecounteractionofdisappointment.

"Drink,"hesaidagain.

Had I heard aright? Before, however, I could askmyself the question asecond time, a mouthful of water cooled my parched lips and throat—onemouthful,butIdobelieveitbroughtmebacktolife.

Ithankedmyunclebyclaspingmyhands.Myheartwastoofulltospeak.

"Yes,"saidhe,"onemouthfulofwater,theverylast—doyouhear,myboy—theverylast!Ihavetakencareofitatthebottomofmybottleastheappleofmyeye.Twentytimes,ahundredtimes,Ihaveresistedthefearfuldesiretodrinkit.But—no—no,Harry,Isaveditforyou."

"Mydearuncle," I exclaimed, and thebig tears rolleddownmyhot andfeverishcheeks.

"Yes,mypoorboy,Iknewthatwhenyoureachedthisplace,thiscrossroadintheearth,youwouldfalldownhalfdead,andIsavedmylastdropofwaterinordertorestoreyou."

"Thanks,"Icried;"thanksfrommyheart."

As little as my thirst was really quenched, I had nevertheless partiallyrecoveredmystrength.Thecontractedmusclesofmythroatrelaxed—andtheinflammationofmylipsinsomemeasuresubsided.Atallevents,Iwasabletospeak.

"Well,"Isaid,"therecanbenodoubtnowastowhatwehavetodo.Waterhasutterlyfailedus;ourjourneyisthereforeatanend.Letusreturn."

WhileIspokethus,myuncleevidentlyavoidedmyface:hehelddownhishead;hiseyeswereturnedineverypossibledirectionbuttherightone.

"Yes,"Icontinued,gettingexcitedbymyownwords,"wemustgobacktoSneffels.Mayheavengiveus strength to enableusoncemore to revisit thelightofday.Wouldthatwenowstoodonthesummitofthecrater."

"Goback,"saidmyuncle,speakingtohimself,"andmustitbeso?"

"Goback—yes,andwithoutlosingasinglemoment,"Ivehementlycried.

Forsomemomentstherewassilenceunderthatdarkandgloomyvault.

"So,mydearHarry," said theProfessor in avery singular toneofvoice,"those few drops of water have not sufficed to restore your energy andcourage."

"Courage!"Icried.

"I see that you are quite as downcast as before—and still give way todiscouragementanddespair."

What, then,was themanmadeof,andwhatotherprojectswereentering

hisfertileandaudaciousbrain!

"Youarenotdiscouraged,sir?"

"What!Giveupjustasweareonthevergeofsuccess?"hecried."Never,nevershallitbesaidthatProfessorHardwiggretreated."

"Thenwemustmakeupourmindstoperish,"Icriedwithahelplesssigh.

"No, Harry, my boy, certainly not. Go, leave me, I am very far fromdesiringyourdeath.TakeHanswithyou.Iwillgoonalone."

"Youaskustoleaveyou?"

"Leaveme,Isay.Ihaveundertakenthisdangerousandperilousadventure.Iwillcarryittotheend—orIwillneverreturntothesurfaceofMotherEarth.Go,Harry—oncemoreIsaytoyou—go!"

My uncle as he spokewas terribly excited.His voice,which before hadbeentender,almostwomanly,becameharshandmenacing.Heappearedtobestruggling with desperate energy against the impossible. I did not wish toabandonhimatthebottomofthatabyss,while,ontheotherhand,theinstinctofpreservationtoldmetofly.

Meanwhile, our guide was looking on with profound calmness andindifference. He appeared to be an unconcerned party, and yet he perfectlywellknewwhatwasgoingonbetweenus.Ourgesturessufficientlyindicatedthedifferentroadseachwishedtofollow—andwhicheachtriedtoinfluencetheothertoundertake.ButHansappearednottotaketheslightestinterestinwhatwasreallyaquestionoflifeanddeathforusall,butwaitedquitereadyto obey the signal which should say go aloft, or to resume his desperatejourneyintotheinterioroftheearth.

How then I wished with all my heart and soul that I could make himunderstandmywords.My representations,my sighs and groans, the earnestaccentsinwhichIshouldhavespokenwouldhaveconvincedthatcold,hardnature.Thosefearfuldangersandperilsofwhichthestolidguidehadnoidea,Iwouldhavepointed themout tohim—Iwouldhave,as itwere,madehimseeandfeel.Betweenus,wemighthaveconvincedtheobstinateProfessor.Iftheworsthadcometotheworst,wecouldhavecompelledhimtoreturntothesummitofSneffels.

IquietlyapproachedHans.Icaughthishandinmine.Henevermovedamuscle. I indicated to him the road to the top of the crater. He remainedmotionless.Mypanting form,myhaggardcountenance,musthave indicatedtheextentofmysufferings.TheIcelandergentlyshookhisheadandpointedtomyuncle.

"Master,"hesaid.

ThewordisIcelandicaswellasEnglish.

"Themaster!"Icried,besidemyselfwithfury—"madman!no—Itellyouheisnotthemasterofourlives;wemustfly!wemustdraghimwithus!doyouhearme?Doyouunderstandme,Isay?"

IhavealreadyexplainedthatIheldHansbythearm.Itriedtomakehimrisefromhisseat.Istruggledwithhimandtriedtoforcehimaway.Myunclenowinterposed.

"My good Henry, be calm," he said. "You will obtain nothing frommydevotedfollower;therefore,listentowhatIhavetosay."

Ifoldedmyarms,aswellasIcould,andlookedmyunclefullintheface.

"Thiswretchedwantofwater,"hesaid,"isthesoleobstacletothesuccessofmyproject.Intheentiregallery,madeoflava,schist,andcoal,itistruewefound not one liquid molecule. It is quite possible that we may be morefortunateinthewesterntunnel."

Mysolereplywastoshakemyheadwithanairofdeepincredulity.

"Listen tome to theend," said theProfessor inhiswell-known lecturingvoice. "While you lay yonder without life or motion, I undertook areconnoitering journey into the conformation of this other gallery. I havediscoveredthatitgoesdirectlydownwardsintothebowelsoftheearth,andina few hours will take us to the old granitic formation. In this we shallundoubtedly find innumerable springs. The nature of the rockmakes this amathematicalcertainty,andinstinctagreeswithlogictosaythatitisso.Now,thisistheseriouspropositionwhichIhavetomaketoyou.WhenChristopherColumbus asked of hismen three days to discover the land of promise, hismenill,terrified,andhopeless,yetgavehimthreedays—andtheNewWorldwasdiscovered.NowI,theChristopherColumbusofthissubterraneanregion,onlyaskofyouonemoreday.If,whenthattimeisexpired,Ihavenotfoundthewaterofwhichweareinsearch,Isweartoyou,Iwillgiveupmymightyenterpriseandreturntotheearth'ssurface."

Despitemy irritation and despair, I knewhowmuch it costmy uncle tomake this proposition, and to hold such conciliatory language. Under thecircumstances,whatcouldIdobutyield?

"Well," I cried, "let it be as you wish, and may heaven reward yoursuperhumanenergy.Butas,unlesswediscoverwater,ourhoursarenumbered,letuslosenotime,butgoahead."

CHAPTER19

THEWESTERNGALLERY—ANEWROUTE

Ourdescentwasnowresumedbymeansofthesecondgallery.Hanstookuphispostinfrontasusual.WehadnotgonemorethanahundredyardswhentheProfessorcarefullyexaminedthewalls.

"Thisistheprimitiveformation—weareontherightroad—onwardsisourhope!"

When thewholeearthgotcool in the firsthoursof theworld'smorning,thediminutionofthevolumeoftheearthproducedastateofdislocationinitsuppercrust, followedbyruptures,crevassesandfissures.Thepassagewasafissureofthiskind,throughwhich,agesago,hadflowedtheeruptivegranite.Thethousandwindingsandturningsformedaninextricablelabyrinththroughtheancientsoil.

As we descended, successions of layers composing the primitive soilappearedwith theutmost fidelityofdetail.Geologicalscienceconsiders thisprimitivesoilasthebaseofthemineralcrust,andithasrecognizedthatitiscomposedofthreedifferentstrataorlayers,allrestingontheimmovablerockknownasgranite.

Nomineralogistshadeven found themselvesplaced in suchamarvelouspositiontostudynatureinallherrealandnakedbeauty.Thesoundingrod,ameremachine,couldnotbringtothesurfaceoftheearththeobjectsofvalueforthestudyofitsinternalstructure,whichwewereabouttoseewithourowneyes,totouchwithourownhands.

RememberthatIamwritingthisafterthejourney.

Across the streak of the rocks, colored by beautiful green tints, woundmetallicthreadsofcopper,ofmanganese,withtracesofplatinumandgold.Icouldnot helpgazing at these richesburied in the entrails ofMotherEarth,and ofwhich nomanwould have the enjoyment to the end of time! Thesetreasures—mightyandinexhaustible,wereburiedinthemorningoftheearth'shistory,at suchawfuldepths, thatnocrowbarorpickaxwilleverdrag themfromtheirtomb!

The light of our Ruhmkorff's coil, increased tenfold by the myriad ofprismaticmassesof rock, sent its jets of fire in everydirection, and I couldfancy myself traveling through a huge hollow diamond, the rays of whichproducedmyriadsofextraordinaryeffects.

Towards six o'clock, this festival of light began sensibly and visibly todecrease, and soon almost ceased. The sides of the gallery assumed acrystallized tint, with a somber hue; white mica began to commingle more

freelywithfeldsparandquartz,toformwhatmaybecalledthetruerock—thestonewhich ishardaboveall, that supports,withoutbeingcrushed, the fourstoriesoftheearth'ssoil.

Wewerewalledbyanimmenseprisonofgranite!

It was now eight o'clock, and still there was no sign of water. ThesufferingsIenduredwerehorrible.Myunclenowkeptattheheadofourlittlecolumn. Nothing could induce him to stop. I, meanwhile, had but one realthought.Myearwaskeenlyonthewatchtocatchthesoundofaspring.Butnopleasantsoundoffallingwaterfelluponmylisteningear.

But at last the time camewhenmy limbs refused to carryme longer. IcontendedheroicallyagainsttheterribletorturesIendured,becauseIdidnotwish tocompelmyuncle tohalt.TohimIknewthiswouldbe the last fatalstroke.

SuddenlyIfeltadeadlyfaintnesscomeoverme.Myeyescouldnolongersee;mykneesshook.Igaveonedespairingcry—andfell!

"Help,help,Iamdying!"

My uncle turned and slowly retraced his steps. He looked at me withfoldedarms,andthenallowedonesentencetoescape,inhollowaccents,fromhislips:

"Allisover."

The last thing I sawwasa face fearfullydistortedwithpainandsorrow;andthenmyeyesclosed.

When I again opened them, I saw my companions lying near me,motionless,wrapped in theirhuge traveling rugs.Were theyasleepordead?Formyself,sleepwaswhollyoutofthequestion.Myfaintingfitover,Iwaswakeful as the lark. I suffered toomuch for sleep to visit my eyelids—themore,thatIthoughtmyselfsickuntodeath—dying.Thelastwordsspokenbymyuncleseemedtobebuzzinginmyears—allisover!Anditwasprobablethat hewas right. In the state of prostration towhich Iwas reduced, itwasmadnesstothinkofeveragainseeingthelightofday.

Above were miles upon miles of the earth's crust. As I thought of it, Icould fancy the whole weight resting on my shoulders. I was crushed,annihilated!andexhaustedmyselfinvainattemptstoturninmygranitebed.

Hours upon hours passed away. A profound and terrible silence reignedaround us—a silence of the tomb.Nothing couldmake itself heard throughthesegiganticwallsofgranite.Theverythoughtwasstupendous.

Presently,despitemyapathy,despitethekindofdeadlycalmintowhichI

was cast, something arousedme. Itwas a slight but peculiar noise.While Iwaswatching intently, I observed that the tunnelwas becoming dark. Thengazing through the dim light that remained, I thought I saw the Icelandertakinghisdeparture,lampinhand.

Why had he acted thus? Did Hans the guide mean to abandon us?Myuncle layfastasleep—ordead. I tried tocryout,andarousehim.Myvoice,feeblyissuingfrommyparchedandfeveredlips,foundnoechointhatfearfulplace. My throat was dry, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. Theobscurityhadbythistimebecomeintense,andatlasteventhefaintsoundoftheguide'sfootstepswaslostintheblankdistance.Mysoulseemedfilledwithanguish,anddeathappearedwelcome,onlyletitcomequickly.

"Hansisleavingus,"Icried."Hans—Hans,ifyouareaman,comeback."

These words were spoken to myself. They could not be heard aloud.Nevertheless,afterthefirstfewmomentsofterrorwereover,Iwasashamedof my suspicions against a man who hitherto had behaved so admirably.Nothinginhisconductorcharacterjustifiedsuspicion.Moreover,amoment'sreflection reassured me. His departure could not be a flight. Instead ofascendingthegallery,hewasgoingdeeperdownintothegulf.Hadhehadanybaddesign,hiswaywouldhavebeenupwards.

ThisreasoningcalmedmealittleandIbegantohope!

Thegood,andpeaceful,andimperturbableHanswouldcertainlynothavearisenfromhissleepwithoutsomeseriousandgravemotive.Washebentonavoyageofdiscovery?Duringthedeep,stillsilenceofthenighthadheatlastheardthatsweetmurmuraboutwhichwewereallsoanxious?

CHAPTER20

WATER,WHEREISIT?ABITTERDISAPPOINTMENT

Duringa long, long,wearyhour, therecrossedmywildlydeliriousbrainallsortsofreasonsastowhatcouldhavearousedourquietandfaithfulguide.The most absurd and ridiculous ideas passed through my head, each moreimpossiblethantheother.IbelieveIwaseitherhalforwhollymad.

Suddenly,however,therearose,asitwerefromthedepthsoftheearth,avoiceofcomfort.Itwasthesoundoffootsteps!Hanswasreturning.

Presentlytheuncertainlightbegantoshineuponthewallsofthepassage,andthenitcameinviewfardowntheslopingtunnel.AtlengthHanshimselfappeared.

He approachedmy uncle, placed his hand upon his shoulder, and gentlyawakenedhim.Myuncle,assoonashesawwhoitwas,instantlyarose.

"Well!"exclaimedtheProfessor.

"Vatten,"saidthehunter.

IdidnotknowasinglewordoftheDanishlanguage,andyetbyasortofmysteriousinstinctIunderstoodwhattheguidehadsaid.

"Water,water!"Icried,inawildandfrantictone,clappingmyhands,andgesticulatinglikeamadman.

"Water!"murmuredmyuncle, in a voice of deep emotion and gratitude."Hvar?"("Where?")

"Nedat."("Below.")

"Where?below!"Iunderstoodeveryword.Ihadcaughtthehunterbythehands,andIshookthemheartily,whilehelookedonwithperfectcalmness.

The preparations for our departure did not take long, andwewere soonmakingarapiddescentintothetunnel.

An hour later we had advanced a thousand yards, and descended twothousandfeet.

At this moment I heard an accustomed and well-known sound runningalongthefloorsofthegraniterock—akindofdullandsullenroar,likethatofadistantwaterfall.

During the first half hour of our advance, not finding the discoveredspring,myfeelingsofintensesufferingappearedtoreturn.OncemoreIbegantoloseallhope.Myuncle,however,observinghowdownheartedIwasagainbecoming,tookuptheconversation.

"Hanswasright,"heexclaimedenthusiastically;"thatisthedullroaringofatorrent."

"Atorrent,"Icried,delightedatevenhearingthewelcomewords.

"There'snottheslightestdoubtaboutit,"hereplied,"asubterraneanriverisflowingbesideus."

Imadenoreply,buthastenedon,oncemoreanimatedbyhope.Ibegannoteven to feel thedeep fatiguewhichhitherto hadoverpoweredme.Theverysoundofthisgloriousmurmuringwateralreadyrefreshedme.Wecouldhearitincreasinginvolumeeverymoment.Thetorrent,whichforalongtimecouldbe heard flowing over our heads, now ran distinctly along the left wall,roaring,rushing,spluttering,andstillfalling.

SeveraltimesIpassedmyhandacrosstherockhopingtofindsometraceofhumidity—oftheslightestpercolation.Alas!invain.

Againahalfhourpassedinthesamewearytoil.Againweadvanced.

It nowbecame evident that the hunter, during his absence, had not beenabletocarryhisresearchesanyfarther.Guidedbyaninstinctpeculiar tothedwellers inmountain regions andwater finders, he "smelt" the living springthrough the rock. Still he had not seen the precious liquid. He had neitherquenchedhisownthirst,norbroughtusonedropinhisgourd.

Moreover, we soon made the disastrous discovery that, if our progresscontinued, we should soon be moving away from the torrent, the sound ofwhichgraduallydiminished.Weturnedback.Hanshaltedat theprecisespotwherethesoundofthetorrentappearednearest.

I could bear the suspense and suffering no longer, and seated myselfagainstthewall,behindwhichIcouldhearthewaterseethingandeffervescingnottwofeetaway.Butasolidwallofgranitestillseparatedusfromit!

Hanslookedkeenlyatme,and,strangeenough,foronceIthoughtIsawasmileonhisimperturbableface.

Herosefromastoneonwhichhehadbeenseated,andtookupthelamp.Icouldnothelprisingandfollowing.Hemovedslowlyalongthefirmandsolidgranitewall.Iwatchedhimwithmingledcuriosityandeagerness.Presentlyhehalted and placed his ear against the dry stone, moving slowly along andlisteningwiththemostextremecareandattention.Iunderstoodatoncethathewas searching for the exact spot where the torrent's roar was most plainlyheard.Thispointhesoonfoundinthelateralwallontheleftside,aboutthreefeetabovethelevelofthetunnelfloor.

Iwas in a state of intense excitement. I scarcely dared believewhat theeider-duckhunterwasabouttodo.Itwas,however, impossibleinamomentmore not to both understand and applaud, and even to smother him in myembraces,whenIsawhimraisetheheavycrowbarandcommenceanattackupontherockitself.

"Saved!"Icried.

"Yes,"criedmyuncle,evenmoreexcitedanddelightedthanmyself;"Hansisquiteright.Oh,theworthy,excellentman!Weshouldneverhavethoughtofsuchanidea."

Andnobodyelse,Ithink,wouldhavedoneso.Suchaprocess,simpleasitseemed,wouldmost certainlynothaveenteredourheads.Nothingcouldbemoredangerousthantobegintoworkwithpickaxesinthatparticularpartoftheglobe.Supposingwhilehewasatworkabreak-upweretotakeplace,and

supposingthetorrentoncehavinggainedaninchweretotakeanell,andcomepouringbodilythroughthebrokenrock!

Notoneofthesedangerswaschimerical.Theywereonlytooreal.Butatthat moment no fear of falling in of the roof, or even of inundation wascapableofstoppingus.Our thirstwasso intense that toquench itwewouldhavedugbelowthebedofoldOceanitself.

Hanswentquietly towork—aworkwhichneithermyunclenor Iwouldhaveundertakenatanyprice.Ourimpatiencewassogreatthatifwehadoncebegunwithpickaxandcrowbar,therockwouldsoonhavesplitintoahundredfragments.Theguide,onthecontrary,calm,ready,moderate,woreawaythehard rock by little steady blows of his instrument, making no attempt at alargerholethanaboutsixinches.AsIstood,Iheard,orIthoughtIheard,theroarof the torrentmomentarily increasing in loudness,andat timesIalmostfeltthepleasantsensationofwateruponmyparchedlips.

Attheendofwhatappearedanage,Hanshadmadeaholewhichenabledhiscrowbartoentertwofeetintothesolidrock.Hehadbeenatworkexactlyanhour. It appeared a dozen. Iwas gettingwildwith impatience.Myunclebegantothinkofusingmoreviolentmeasures.Ihadthegreatestdifficultyincheckinghim.Hehad indeed just got hold of his crowbarwhen a loud andwelcomehisswasheard.Thenastream,orrather jet,ofwaterburst throughthewallandcameoutwithsuchforceastohittheoppositeside!

Hans, the guide,whowas half upset by the shock,was scarcely able tokeepdownacryofpainandgrief.Iunderstoodhismeaningwhen,plungingmyhandsintothesparklingjet,Imyselfgaveawildandfranticcry.Thewaterwasscaldinghot!

"Boiling,"Icried,inbitterdisappointment.

"Well,nevermind,"saidmyuncle,"itwillsoongetcool."

Thetunnelbegantobefilledbycloudsofvapor,whileasmallstreamranaway into the interiorof the earth. In a short timewehad some sufficientlycooltodrink.Weswalloweditinhugemouthfuls.

Oh!whatexalteddelight—whatrichandincomparableluxury!Whatwasthiswater,whencediditcome?Touswhatwasthat?Thesimplefactwas—itwaswater;and,thoughstillwithatingleofwarmthaboutit,itbroughtbacktothe heart, that life which, but for it, must surely have faded away. I drankgreedily,almostwithouttastingit.

When, however, I had almost quenched my ravenous thirst, I made adiscovery.

"Why,itischalybeatewater!"

"Amostexcellentstomachic,"repliedmyuncle,"andhighlymineralized.HereisajourneyworthtwentytoSpa."

"It'sverygood,"Ireplied.

"I should think so. Water found six miles under ground. There is apeculiarlyinkyflavoraboutit,whichisbynomeansdisagreeable.Hansmaycongratulate himself on having made a rare discovery. What do you say,nephew,according to theusualcustomof travelers, tonamethestreamafterhim?"

"Good,"saidI.Andthenameof"Hansbach"("HansBrook")wasatonceagreedupon.

Hanswasnotabitmoreproudafterhearingourdeterminationthanhewasbefore.Afterhavingtakenaverysmallmodicumofthewelcomerefreshment,hehadseatedhimselfinacornerwithhisusualimperturbablegravity.

"Now,"saidI,"itisnotworthwhilelettingthiswaterruntowaste."

"Whatistheuse,"repliedmyuncle,"thesourcefromwhichthisriverrisesisinexhaustible."

"Nevermind," I continued, "letus fillourgoatskinandgourds, and thentrytostoptheopeningup."

My advice, after some hesitation, was followed or attempted to befollowed.Hanspickedupallthebrokenpiecesofgranitehehadknockedout,andusingsometowhehappenedtohaveabouthim,triedtoshutupthefissurehehadmadeinthewall.Allhedidwastoscaldhishands.Thepressurewastoogreat,andallourattemptswereutterfailures.

"It is evident," I remarked, "that the upper surface of these springs issituatedat averygreatheightabove—aswemay fairly infer from thegreatpressureofthejet."

"Thatisbynomeansdoubtful,"repliedmyuncle,"ifthiscolumnofwateris about thirty-two thousand feet high, the atmospheric pressure must besomethingenormous.Butanewideahasjuststruckme."

"Andwhatisthat?"

"Whybeatsomuchtroubletoclosethisaperture?"

"Because—"

Ihesitatedandstammered,havingnorealreason.

"Whenourwaterbottlesareempty,wearenotatallsurethatweshallbeabletofillthem,"observedmyuncle.

"Ithinkthatisveryprobable."

"Well, then, let thiswater run. Itwill, of course, naturally follow in ourtrack,andwillservetoguideandrefreshus."

"I think the ideaagoodone," Icried in reply,"andwith this rivuletasacompanion, there is no further reason why we should not succeed in ourmarvelousproject."

"Ah, my boy," said the Professor, laughing, "after all, you are cominground."

"Morethanthat,Iamnowconfidentofultimatesuccess."

"One moment, nephew mine. Let us begin by taking some hours ofrepose."

I had utterly forgotten that it was night. The chronometer, however,informedmeofthefact.Soonweweresufficientlyrestoredandrefreshed,andhadallfallenintoaprofoundsleep.

CHAPTER21

UNDERTHEOCEAN

By the next day we had nearly forgotten our past sufferings. The firstsensationIexperiencedwassurpriseatnotbeingthirsty,andIactuallyaskedmyself thereason.Therunningstream,whichflowedinripplingwaveletsatmyfeet,wasthesatisfactoryreply.

We breakfasted with a good appetite, and then drank our fill of theexcellentwater.Ifeltmyselfquiteanewman,readytogoanywheremyunclechosetolead.Ibegantothink.Whyshouldnotamanasseriouslyconvincedas my uncle, succeed, with so excellent a guide as worthy Hans, and sodevoted a nephew as myself? These were the brilliant ideas which nowinvaded my brain. Had the proposition now been made to go back to thesummit of Mount Sneffels, I should have declined the offer in a mostindignantmanner.

But fortunately there was no question of going up. We were about todescendfartherintotheinterioroftheearth.

"Letusbemoving,"Icried,awakeningtheechoesoftheoldworld.

WeresumedourmarchonThursdayateighto'clockin themorning.Thegreatgranitetunnel,asitwentroundbysinuousandwindingways,presented

everynowandthensharpturns,andinfactalltheappearanceofalabyrinth.Itsdirection,however,wasingeneraltowardsthesouthwest.Myunclemadeseveralpausesinordertoconsulthiscompass.

Thegallerynowbegantotrenddownwardsinahorizontaldirection,withabout two inches of fall in every furlong. The murmuring stream flowedquietlyatourfeet.Icouldnotbutcompareittosomefamiliarspirit,guidingusthroughtheearth,andIdabbledmyfingersinitstepidwater,whichsanglike a naiad as we progressed. My good humor began to assume amythologicalcharacter.

As formyunclehebegan to complainof thehorizontal characterof theroad. His route, he found, began to be indefinitely prolonged, instead of"slidingdownthecelestialray,"accordingtohisexpression.

Butwehadno choice; and as long asour road led towards the centre—howeverlittleprogresswemade,therewasnoreasontocomplain.

Moreover,fromtimetotimetheslopesweremuchgreater,thenaiadsangmoreloudly,andwebegantodipdownwardsinearnest.

As yet, however, I felt no painful sensation. I had not got over theexcitementofthediscoveryofwater.

That day and the next we did a considerable amount of horizontal, andrelativelyverylittlevertical,traveling.

OnFridayevening,thetenthofJuly,accordingtoourestimation,weoughtto have been thirty leagues to the southeast of Reykjavik, and about twoleaguesandahalfdeep.Wenowreceivedaratherstartlingsurprise.

Under our feet there opened a horriblewell.My unclewas so delightedthat he actually clappedhis hands—ashe sawhow steep and sharpwas thedescent.

"Ah,ah!"hecried,inrapturousdelight;"thiswilltakeusalongway.Lookattheprojectionsoftherock.Hah!"heexclaimed,"it'safearfulstaircase!"

Hans,however,whoinallourtroubleshadnevergivenuptheropes,tookcaresotodisposeofthemastopreventanyaccidents.Ourdescentthenbegan.Idarenotcallitaperilousdescent,forIwasalreadytoofamiliarwiththatsortofworktolookuponitasanythingbutaveryordinaryaffair.

Thiswellwasakindofnarrowopeninginthemassivegraniteofthekindknown as a fissure. The contraction of the terrestrial scaffolding, when itsuddenlycooled,hadbeenevidentlythecause.Ifithadeverservedinformertimesasakindoffunnel throughwhichpassed theeruptivemassesvomitedbySneffels, Iwasata loss toexplainhow ithad leftnomark.Wewere, infact, descending a spiral, something like those winding staircases in use in

modernhouses.

Wewerecompelledeveryquarterofanhourorthereaboutstositdowninorder to rest our legs.Our calves ached.We then seated ourselves on someprojecting rock with our legs hanging over, and gossiped while we ate amouthful—drinkingstillfromthepleasantlywarmrunningstreamwhichhadnotdesertedus.

It is scarcely necessary to say that in this curiously shaped fissure theHansbach had become a cascade to the detriment of its size. It was still,however,sufficient,andmore,forourwants.Besidesweknewthat,assoonasthe declivity ceased to be so abrupt, the stream must resume its peacefulcourse.Atthismomentitremindedmeofmyuncle,hisimpatienceandrage,whilewhenitflowedmorepeacefully,IpicturedtomyselftheplacidityoftheIcelandicguide.

Duringthewholeoftwodays,thesixthandseventhofJuly,wefollowedtheextraordinaryspiralstaircaseofthefissure,penetratingtwoleaguesfartherintothecrustoftheearth,whichputusfiveleaguesbelowthelevelofthesea.On the eighth, however, at twelve o'clock in the day, the fissure suddenlyassumedamuchmoregentleslopestilltrendinginasoutheastdirection.

Theroadnowbecamecomparativelyeasy,andatthesametimedreadfullymonotonous. It would have been difficult for matters to have turned outotherwise. Our peculiar journey had no chance of being diversified bylandscapeandscenery.Atallevents,suchwasmyidea.

At length, on Wednesday the fifteenth, we were actually seven leagues(twenty-onemiles) below the surface of the earth, and fifty leagues distantfromthemountainofSneffels.Though,ifthetruthbetold,wewereverytired,ourhealthhadresistedallsuffering,andwasinamostsatisfactorystate.Ourtraveler'sboxofmedicamentshadnotevenbeenopened.

Myunclewascarefultonoteeveryhourtheindicationsofthecompass,ofthemanometer,andofthethermometer,allwhichheafterwardspublishedinhis elaboratephilosophical and scientific accountof our remarkablevoyage.He was therefore able to give an exact relation of the situation. When,therefore,heinformedmethatwewerefiftyleaguesinahorizontaldirectiondistantfromourstartingpoint,Icouldnotsuppressaloudexclamation.

"Whatisthematternow?"criedmyuncle.

"Nothingveryimportant,onlyanideahasenteredmyhead,"wasmyreply.

"Well,outwithit,Myboy."

"It is my opinion that if your calculations are correct we are no longerunderIceland."

"Doyouthinkso?"

"Wecanveryeasilyfindout,"Ireplied,pullingoutamapandcompasses.

"Yousee,"Isaid,aftercarefulmeasurement,"thatIamnotmistaken.WearefarbeyondCapePortland;andthosefiftyleaguestothesoutheastwilltakeusintotheopensea."

"Undertheopensea,"criedmyuncle,rubbinghishandswithadelightedair.

"Yes,"Icried,"nodoubtoldOceanflowsoverourheads!"

"Well,mydearboy,whatcanbemorenatural!DoyounotknowthatintheneighborhoodofNewcastletherearecoalmineswhichhavebeenworkedfaroutunderthesea?"

Nowmyworthyuncle,theProfessor,nodoubtregardedthisdiscoveryasaverysimplefact,buttometheideawasbynomeansapleasantone.Andyetwhenonecametothinkthematteroverseriously,whatmattereditwhethertheplains andmountainsof Icelandwere suspendedoverourdevotedheads,orthemightybillowsof theAtlanticOcean?Thewholequestion restedon thesolidityofthegraniteroofaboveus.However,Isoongotusedtotheidealforthepassagenow level,now runningdown,and still always to the southeast,keptgoingdeeperanddeeperintotheprofoundabyssesofMotherEarth.

Threedayslater,ontheeighteenthdayofJuly,onaSaturday,wereachedakindofvastgrotto.MyuncleherepaidHanshisusualrix-dollars,anditwasdecidedthatthenextdayshouldbeadayofrest.

CHAPTER22

SUNDAYBELOWGROUND

I Awoke on Sunday morning without any sense of hurry and bustleattendantonanimmediatedeparture.Thoughthedaytobedevotedtoreposeand reflection was spent under such strange circumstances, and in sowonderfulaplace, the ideawasapleasantone.Besides,weallbegan togetusedtothiskindofexistence.Ihadalmostceasedtothinkofthesun,ofthemoon,ofthestars,ofthetrees,houses,andtowns;infact,aboutanyterrestrialnecessities.Inourpeculiarpositionwewerefarabovesuchreflections.

The grotto was a vast and magnificent hall. Along its granitic soil thestreamflowedplacidlyandpleasantly.Sogreatadistancewasitnowfromitsfierysourcethatitswaterwasscarcelylukewarm,andcouldbedrunkwithout

delayordifficulty.

After a frugalbreakfast, theProfessormadeuphismind todevote somehourstoputtinghisnotesandcalculationsinorder.

"In the firstplace,"hesaid, "Ihaveagoodmany toverifyandprove, inorderthatwemayknowourexactposition.Iwishtobeableonourreturntotheupperregionstomakeamapofourjourney,akindofverticalsectionoftheglobe,whichwillbe,asitwere,theprofileoftheexpedition."

"That would indeed be a curious work, Uncle; but can you make yourobservationswithanythinglikecertaintyandprecision?"

"I can. I have never on any occasion failed to note with great care theangles and slopes. I am certain as to having made no mistake. Take thecompassandexaminehowshepoints."

Ilookedattheinstrumentwithcare.

"Eastonequartersoutheast."

"Very good," resumed the Professor, noting the observation, and goingthrough some rapid calculations. "I make out that we have journeyed twohundredandfiftymilesfromthepointofourdeparture."

"ThenthemightywavesoftheAtlanticarerollingoverourheads?"

"Certainly."

"And at this very moment it is possible that fierce tempests are ragingabove,and thatmenandshipsarebattlingagainst theangryblasts justoverourheads?"

"Itisquitewithintherangeofpossibility,"rejoinedmyuncle,smiling.

"Andthatwhalesareplayinginshoals,thrashingthebottomofthesea,theroofofouradamantineprison?"

"Bequiteatrestonthatpoint;thereisnodangeroftheirbreakingthrough.But to return to our calculations.We are to the southeast, two hundred andfiftymilesfromthebaseofSneffels,and,accordingtomyprecedingnotes,Ithinkwehavegonesixteenleaguesinadownwarddirection."

"Sixteenleagues—fiftymiles!"Icried.

"Iamsureofit."

"But that is theextreme limitallowedbysciencefor the thicknessof theearth'scrust,"Ireplied,referringtomygeologicalstudies.

"Idonotcontravenethatassertion,"washisquietanswer.

"And at this stage of our journey, according to all known laws on theincreaseofheat,thereshouldbehereatemperatureoffifteenhundreddegreesofReaumur."

"Thereshouldbe—yousay,myboy."

"Inwhichcasethisgranitewouldnotexist,butbeinastateoffusion."

"Butyouperceive,myboy, that it is not so, and that facts, as usual, areverystubbornthings,overrulingalltheories."

"Iamforcedtoyieldtotheevidenceofmysenses,butIamneverthelessverymuchsurprised."

"What heat does the thermometer really indicate?" continued thephilosopher.

"Twenty-sevensix-tenths."

"So that science iswrong by fourteen hundred and seventy-four degreesandfour-tenths.According towhich, it isdemonstrated that theproportionalincreaseintemperatureisanexplodederror.HumphryDavyhereshinesforthinallhisglory.Heisright,andIhaveactedwiselytobelievehim.Haveyouanyanswertomaketothisstatement?"

HadIchosentohavespoken,Imighthavesaidagreatdeal.I innowayadmitted the theory of Humphry Davy—I still held out for the theory ofproportionalincreaseofheat,thoughIdidnotfeelit.

Iwasfarmorewillingtoallowthatthischimneyofanextinctvolcanowascoveredbylavaofakindrefractorytoheat—infactabadconductor—whichdidnotallowthegreatincreaseoftemperaturetopercolatethroughitssides.Thehotwaterjetsupportedmyviewofthematter.

Butwithoutenteringonalonganduselessdiscussion,orseekingfornewargumentstocontrovertmyuncle,Icontentedmyselfwithtakingupfactsastheywere.

"Well,sir,Itakeforgrantedthatallyourcalculationsarecorrect,butallowmetodrawfromthemarigorousanddefiniteconclusion."

"Goon,myboy—haveyoursay,"criedmyunclegoodhumoredly.

"At the place where we now are, under the latitude of Iceland, theterrestrialdepthisaboutfifteenhundredandeighty-threeleagues."

"Fifteenhundredeighty-threeandaquarter."

"Well, supposewesay sixteenhundred in roundnumbers.Now,outofavoyageofsixteenhundredleagueswehavecompletedsixteen."

"Asyousay,whatthen?"

"Attheexpenseofadiagonaljourneyofnolessthaneighty-fiveleagues."

"Exactly."

"Wehavebeentwentydaysaboutit."

"Exactlytwentydays."

"Nowsixteenisthehundredthpartofourcontemplatedexpedition.Ifwegooninthiswayweshallbetwothousanddays,thatisaboutfiveyearsandahalf,goingdown."

TheProfessorfoldedhisarms,listened,butdidnotspeak.

"Without counting that if a vertical descent of sixteen leagues costs us ahorizontalofeighty-five,weshallhavetogoabouteightthousandleaguestothe southeast, and we must therefore come out somewhere in thecircumferencelongbeforewecanhopetoreachthecentre."

"Bother your calculations," criedmy uncle in one of his old rages. "Onwhatbasisdotheyrest?Howdoyouknowthatthispassagedoesnottakeusdirect to the end we require? Moreover, I have in my favor, fortunately, aprecedent.What I have undertaken to do, another has done, and he havingsucceeded,whyshouldInotbeequallysuccessful?"

"Ihope,indeed,youwill,butstill,IsupposeImaybeallowedto—"

"Youareallowedtoholdyourtongue,"criedProfessorHardwigg,"whenyoutalksounreasonablyasthis."

IsawatoncethattheolddoctorialProfessorwasstillaliveinmyuncle—andfearfultorousehisangrypassions,Idroppedtheunpleasantsubject.

"Now, then," he explained, "consult the manometer. What does thatindicate?"

"Aconsiderableamountofpressure."

"Very good.You see, then, that by descending slowly, and by graduallyaccustomingourselves to thedensityof this lower atmosphere,we shall notsuffer."

"Well,Isupposenot,exceptitmaybeacertainamountofpainintheears,"wasmyrathergrimreply.

"That,mydearboy,isnothing,andyouwilleasilygetridofthatsourceofdiscomfort by bringing the exterior air in communication with the aircontainedinyourlungs."

"Perfectly," said I, for I had quite made up my mind in no wise to

contradictmyuncle."IshouldfancyalmostthatIshouldexperienceacertainamountof satisfaction inmakingaplunge into thisdenseatmosphere.Haveyoutakennoteofhowwonderfullysoundispropagated?"

"OfcourseIhave.Therecanbenodoubtthatajourneyintotheinterioroftheearthwouldbeanexcellentcurefordeafness."

"Butthen,Uncle,"Iventuredmildlytoobserve,"thisdensitywillcontinuetoincrease."

"Yes—according to a lawwhich, however, is scarcely defined. It is truethat the intensity of weight will diminish just in proportion to the depth towhichwego.Youknowverywellthatitisonthesurfaceoftheearththatitsactionismostpowerfullyfelt,whileonthecontrary,intheverycentreoftheearthbodiesceasetohaveanyweightatall."

"Iknowthatisthecase,butasweprogresswillnottheatmospherefinallyassumethedensityofwater?"

"I know it; when placed under the pressure of seven hundred and tenatmospheres,"criedmyunclewithimperturbablegravity.

"Andwhenwearestilllowerdown?"Iaskedwithnaturalanxiety.

"Well,lowerdown,thedensitywillbecomeevengreater."

"Then how shall we be able tomake our way through this atmosphericfog?"

"Well,myworthynephew,wemustballastourselvesbyfillingourpocketswithstones,"saidProfessorHardwigg.

"Faith,Uncle,youhaveananswerforeverything,"wasmyonlyreply.

Ibegantofeelthatitwasunwiseofmetogoanyfartherintothewidefieldof hypotheses for I should certainly have revived some difficulty, or ratherimpossibility,thatwouldhaveenragedtheProfessor.

Itwasevident,nevertheless, that theairunderapressurewhichmightbemultiplied by thousands of atmospheres, would end by becoming perfectlysolid,andthatthenadmittingourbodiesresistedthepressure,weshouldhaveto stop, in spite of all the reasonings in the world. Facts overcome allarguments.

But I thought it best not to urge this argument.My unclewould simplyhavequoted the exampleofSaknussemm.Supposing the learned Icelander'sjourneyever really tohave takenplace—therewasone simpleanswer tobemade:

Inthesixteenthcenturyneitherthebarometernorthemanometerhadbeen

invented—how,then,couldSaknussemmhavebeenabletodiscoverwhenhedidreachthecentreoftheearth?

Thisunanswerableand learnedobjection I,however,kept tomyself and,bracing up my courage, awaited the course of events—little aware of howadventurousyetweretobetheincidentsofourremarkablejourney.

The rest of this day of leisure and repose was spent in calculation andconversation.ImadeitapointtoagreewiththeProfessorineverything;butIenviedtheperfectindifferenceofHans,who,withouttakinganysuchtroubleabout the cause and effect,went blindly onwardswherever destiny chose toleadhim.

CHAPTER23

ALONE

It must in all truth be confessed, things as yet had gone on well, and Ishouldhaveactedinbadtastetohavecomplained.Ifthetruemediumofourdifficulties did not increase, it was within the range of possibility that wemightultimatelyreachtheendofourjourney.Thenwhatglorywouldbeours!IbeganinthenewlyarousedardorofmysoultospeakenthusiasticallytotheProfessor.Well, was I serious? Thewhole state in whichwe existedwas amystery—anditwasimpossibletoknowwhetherornotIwasinearnest.

Forseveraldaysafterourmemorablehalt,theslopesbecamemorerapid—somewereevenofamostfrightfulcharacter—almostvertical,sothatwewereforever going down into the solid interior mass. During some days, weactuallydescendedaleagueandahalf,eventwoleaguestowardsthecentreoftheearth.Thedescentsweresufficientlyperilous,andwhilewewereengagedin themwe learned fully to appreciate themarvelous coolnessofourguide,Hans. Without him we should have been wholly lost. The grave andimpassible Icelander devoted himself to us with themost incomprehensiblesang-froidandease;and,thankstohim,manyadangerouspasswasgotover,where,butforhim,weshouldinevitablyhavestuckfast.

Hissilenceincreasedeveryday.Ithinkthatwebegantobeinfluencedbythis peculiar trait in his character. It is certain that the inanimate objects bywhichyouaresurroundedhaveadirectactiononthebrain.Itmustbethataman who shuts himself up between four walls must lose the faculty ofassociatingideasandwords.Howmanypersonscondemnedtothehorrorsofsolitary confinement have gonemad—simply because the thinking facultieshavelaindormant!

Duringthetwoweeksthatfollowedourlastinterestingconversation,thereoccurrednothingworthyofbeingespeciallyrecorded.

I have, while writing thesememoirs, taxedmymemory in vain for oneincidentoftravelduringthisparticularperiod.

But thenextevent toberelated is terrible indeed. Itsverymemory,evennow,makesmysoulshudder,andmybloodruncold.

ItwasontheseventhofAugust.Ourconstantandsuccessivedescentshadtakenusquite thirty leagues into the interiorof the earth, that is to say thatthere were above us thirty leagues, nearly a hundred miles, of rocks, andoceans, and continents, and towns, to say nothing of living inhabitants.Wewereinasoutheasterlydirection,abouttwohundredleaguesfromIceland.

On that memorable day the tunnel had begun to assume an almosthorizontalcourse.

Iwasonthisoccasionwalkingoninfront.MyunclehadchargeofoneoftheRuhmkorffcoils,Ihadpossessionoftheother.BymeansofitslightIwasbusyexamining thedifferent layersofgranite. Iwascompletelyabsorbed inmywork.

Suddenlyhaltingandturninground,IfoundthatIwasalone!

"Well," thought I tomyself, "I have certainly beenwalking too fast—orelseHansandmyunclehavestoppedtorest.ThebestthingIcandoistogobackandfindthem.Luckily,thereisverylittleascenttotireme."

Iaccordinglyretracedmystepsand,whiledoingso,walkedforatleastaquarterofanhour.Ratheruneasy,Ipausedandlookedeagerlyaround.Notaliving soul. I called aloud. No reply. My voice was lost amid the myriadcavernousechoesitaroused!

Ibeganforthefirsttimetofeelseriouslyuneasy.Acoldshivershookmywholebody,andperspiration,chillandterrible,burstuponmyskin.

"Imust be calm," I said, speaking aloud, as boyswhistle to drive awayfear."TherecanbenodoubtthatIshallfindmycompanions.Therecannotbetworoads.ItiscertainthatIwasconsiderablyahead;allIhavetodoistogoback."

HavingcometothisdeterminationIascendedthetunnelforatleasthalfanhour,unabletodecideifIhadeverseencertainlandmarksbefore.Everynowand then I paused to discover if any loud appeal was made to me, wellknowingthatinthatdenseandintensifiedatmosphereIshouldhearitalongway off. But no. The most extraordinary silence reigned in this immensegallery.Onlytheechoesofmyownfootstepscouldbeheard.

At last I stopped. I could scarcely realize the fact ofmy isolation. IwasquitewillingtothinkthatIhadmadeamistake,butnotthatIwaslost.IfIhadmadeamistake,Imightfindmyway;iflost—Ishudderedtothinkofit.

"Come, come," said I tomyself, "since there is only one road, and theymustcomebyit,weshallatlastmeet.AllIhavetodoisstilltogoupwards.Perhaps,however,notseeingme,andforgettingIwasahead, theymayhavegonebackinsearchofme.Still,eveninthiscase,ifImakehaste,Ishallgetuptothem.Therecanbenodoubtaboutthematter."

ButasIspoketheselastwordsaloud,itwouldhavebeenquitecleartoanylistener—hadtherebeenone—thatIwasbynomeansconvincedofthefact.Moreoverinordertoassociatetogetherthesesimpleideasandtoreunitethemundertheformofreasoning,requiredsometime.Icouldnotallatoncebringmybraintothink.

Then another dread doubt fell uponmy soul.After all,was I ahead?Ofcourse Iwas.Hanswasnodoubt followingbehindprecededbymyuncle. Iperfectlyrecollectedhishavingstoppedforamomenttostraphisbaggageonhisshoulder.Inowrememberedthistriflingdetail.Itwas,Ibelieve,justatthatverymomentthatIhaddeterminedtocontinuemyroute.

"Again,"thoughtI,reasoningascalmlyaswaspossible,"thereisanothersure means of not losing my way, a thread to guide me through thelabyrinthine subterraneous retreat—one which I had forgotten—my faithfulriver."

This course of reasoning roused my drooping spirits, and I resolved toresumemyjourneywithoutfurtherdelay.Notimewastobelost.

Itwasat thismomentthatIhadreasontoblessthethoughtfulnessofmyuncle,whenherefusedtoallowtheeiderhuntertoclosetheorificesofthehotspring—thatsmallfissureinthegreatmassofgranite.Thisbeneficentspringafterhavingsavedusfromthirstduringsomanydayswouldnowenablemetoregaintherightroad.

Havingcometothismentaldecision,Imadeupmymind,beforeIstartedupwards,thatablutionwouldcertainlydomeagreatdealofgood.

I stopped to plungemy hands and forehead in the pleasantwater of theHansbachstream,blessingitspresenceasacertainconsolation.

Conceive my horror and stupefaction!—I was treading a hard, dusty,shingly road of granite. The stream on which I reckoned had whollydisappeared!

CHAPTER24

LOST!

No words in any human language can depict my utter despair. I wasliterallyburiedalive;withnootherexpectationbeforemebuttodieinalltheslowhorribletortureofhungerandthirst.

MechanicallyIcrawledabout,feelingthedryandaridrock.NevertomyfancyhadIeverfeltanythingsodry.

But, I frantically askedmyself, howhad I lost the courseof the flowingstream?TherecouldbenodoubtithadceasedtoflowinthegalleryinwhichInowwas.NowIbegan tounderstand thecauseof thestrangesilencewhichprevailedwhenlastItriedifanyappealfrommycompanionsmightperchancereachmyear.

It so happened that when I first took an imprudent step in the wrongdirection,Ididnotperceivetheabsenceoftheall-importantstream.

Itwasnowquite evident thatwhenwehalted, another tunnelmust havereceivedthewatersofthelittletorrent,andthatIhadunconsciouslyenteredadifferentgallery.Towhatunknowndepthshadmycompanionsgone?WherewasI?

Howtogetback!Clueorlandmarktherewasabsolutelynone!Myfeetleftnosignsonthegraniteandshingle.MybrainthrobbedwithagonyasItriedtodiscoverthesolutionofthisterribleproblem.Mysituation,afterallsophistryandreflection,hadfinallytobesummedupinthreeawfulwords—

Lost!Lost!!LOST!!!

Lost at a depth which, to my finite understanding, appeared to beimmeasurable.

Thesethirty leaguesof thecrustof theearthweigheduponmyshoulderslike the globe on the shoulders ofAtlas. I feltmyself crushed by the awfulweight.Itwasindeedapositiontodrivethesanestmantomadness!

I tried to bring my thoughts back to the things of the world so longforgotten. It was with the greatest difficulty that I succeeded in doing so.Hamburg, thehouseon theKonigstrasse,mydearcousinGretchen—all thatworldwhichhadbeforevanishedlikeashadowfloatedbeforemynowvividimagination.

There they were before me, but how unreal. Under the influence of aterriblehallucinationIsawalltheincidentsofourjourneypassbeforemelikethescenesofapanorama.Theshipand its inmates, Iceland,M.Fridriksson,

andthegreatsummitofMountSneffels!Isaidtomyselfthat,ifinmypositionIretainedthemostfaintandshadowyoutlineofahope,itwouldbeasuresignofapproachingdelirium.Itwerebettertogivewaywhollytodespair!

Infact,didIbutreasonwithcalmnessandphilosophy,whathumanpowerwas there in existence able to takemeback to the surface of the earth, andready, too, to split asunder, to rend in twain those huge and mighty vaultswhich stand above my head?Who could enable me to find my road—andregainmycompanions?

Insensatefollyandmadnesstoentertainevenashadowofhope!

"Oh,Uncle!"wasmydespairingcry.

This was the only word of reproach which came to my lips; for Ithoroughly understood how deeply and sorrowfully the worthy Professorwouldregretmyloss,andhowinhisturnhewouldpatientlyseekforme.

WhenIatlastbegantoresignmyselftothefactthatnofurtheraidwastobe expected from man, and knowing that I was utterly powerless to doanything for my own salvation, I kneeled with earnest fervor and askedassistance from Heaven. The remembrance of my innocent childhood, thememoryofmymother,knownonly inmy infancy, camewelling forth frommyheart.Ihadrecoursetoprayer.AndlittleasIhadarighttoberememberedbyHimwhomIhadforgotteninthehourofprosperity,andwhomIsotardilyinvoked,Iprayedearnestlyandsincerely.

Thisrenewalofmyyouthfulfaithbroughtaboutamuchgreateramountofcalm,andIwasenabledtoconcentrateallmystrengthandintelligenceontheterriblerealitiesofmyunprecedentedsituation.

I had about me that which I had at first wholly forgotten—three days'provisions.Moreover,mywater bottlewas quite full.Nevertheless, the onething which it was impossible to do was to remain alone. Try to find mycompanionsImust,atanyprice.ButwhichcourseshouldItake?ShouldIgoupwards,or againdescend?Doubtless itwas right to retracemy steps in anupwarddirection.

Bydoingthiswithcareandcoolness,ImustreachthepointwhereIhadturnedawayfromtheripplingstream.Imustfindthefatalbifurcationorfork.Onceat thisspot,once theriveratmyfeet, Icould,atallevents, regain theawfulcraterofMountSneffels.WhyhadInotthoughtofthisbefore?This,atlast,was a reasonable hope of safety.Themost important thing, then, to bedonewastodiscoverthebedoftheHansbach.

After a slightmeal and a draught ofwater, I rose like a giant refreshed.Leaningheavilyonmypole,Ibegantheascentofthegallery.Theslopewas

veryrapidandratherdifficult.ButIadvancedhopefullyandcarefully,likeamanwhoatlastismakinghiswayoutofaforest,andknowsthereisonlyoneroadtofollow.

During one whole hour nothing happened to check my progress. As Iadvanced,Itriedtorecollecttheshapeofthetunnel—torecalltomymemorycertain projections of rocks—topersuademyself that I had followed certainwindingroutesbefore.ButnooneparticularsigncouldIbringtomind,andIwas soon forced to allow that this gallerywould never takeme back to thepointatwhichIhadseparatedmyselffrommycompanions.Itwasabsolutelywithoutissue—amereblindalleyintheearth.

Themomentat lengthcamewhen,facingthesolidrock,Iknewmyfate,andfellinanimateonthearidfloor!

To describe the horrible state of despair and fear into which I then fellwould now be vain and impossible. My last hope, the courage which hadsustainedme,droopedbeforethesightofthispitilessgraniterock!

Lostinavastlabyrinth,thesinuositiesofwhichspreadineverydirection,without guide, clue or compass, I knew it was a vain and useless task toattemptflight.Allthatremainedtomewastoliedownanddie.Toliedownanddiethemostcruelandhorribleofdeaths!

Inmy state ofmind, the idea came intomy head that one day perhaps,whenmyfossilboneswerefound,theirdiscoverysofarbelowtheleveloftheearthmightgiverisetosolemnandinterestingscientificdiscussions.

Itriedtocryaloud,buthoarse,hollow,andinarticulatesoundsalonecouldmakethemselvesheardthroughmyparchedlips.Iliterallypantedforbreath.

In themidst of all these horrible sources of anguish and despair, a newhorrortookpossessionofmysoul.Mylamp,byfallingdown,hadgotoutoforder.Ihadnomeansofrepairingit.Itslightwasalreadybecomingpalerandpaler,andsoonwouldexpire.

With a strange sense of resignation and despair, Iwatched the luminouscurrent in the coil getting less and less. A procession of shadows movedflashingalongthegranitewall.Iscarcelydaredtolowermyeyelids,fearingtolosethelastsparkofthisfugitivelight.Everyinstantitseemedtomethatitwasabouttovanishandtoleavemeforever—inutterdarkness!

Atlast,onefinaltremblingflameremainedinthelamp;Ifolloweditwithall my power of vision; I gasped for breath; I concentrated upon it all thepowerofmysoul,asuponthelastscintillationoflightIwaseverdestinedtosee:andthenIwastobelostforeverinCimmerianandtenebrousshades.

A wild and plaintive cry escaped my lips. On earth during the most

profoundandcomparativelycompletedarkness,lightneverallowsacompletedestruction and extinctionof its power.Light is so diffuse, so subtle, that itpermeateseverywhere, andwhatever littlemay remain, the retinaof theeyewillsucceedinfindingit.Inthisplacenothing—theabsoluteobscuritymademeblindineverysense.

Myheadwasnowwhollylost.Iraisedmyarms,tryingtheeffectsofthefeeling in getting against the cold stonewall. Itwas painful in the extreme.Madnessmusthavetakenpossessionofme.IknewnotwhatIdid.Ibegantorun, to fly, rushing at haphazard in this inextricable labyrinth, always goingdownwards,runningwildlyunderneaththeterrestrialcrust,likeaninhabitantofthesubterraneanfurnaces,screaming,roaring,howling,untilbruisedbythepointedrocks, fallingandpickingmyselfupallcoveredwithblood,seekingmadlytodrinkthebloodwhichdrippedfrommytornfeatures,madbecausethisbloodonlytrickledovermyface,andwatchingalwaysforthishorridwallwhicheverpresentedtomethefearfulobstacleagainstwhichIcouldnotdashmyhead.

WherewasIgoing?Itwas impossible tosay. Iwasperfectly ignorantofthematter.

Several hours passed in this way. After a long time, having utterlyexhaustedmystrength,Ifellaheavyinertmassalongthesideofthetunnel,andlostconsciousness.

CHAPTER25

THEWHISPERINGGALLERY

WhenatlastIcamebacktoasenseoflifeandbeing,myfacewaswet,butwet,asIsoonknew,withtears.Howlongthisstateofinsensibilitylasted,itisquiteimpossibleformenowtosay.Ihadnomeansleft tomeoftakinganyaccountoftime.Neversincethecreationoftheworldhadsuchasolitudeasmineexisted.Iwascompletelyabandoned.

AftermyfallIlostmuchblood.Ifeltmyselffloodedwiththelife-givingliquid.My first sensationwas perhaps a natural one.Whywas I not dead?Because Iwas alive, therewas something left to do. I tried tomake upmymind to think no longer. As far as I was able, I drove away all ideas, andutterlyovercomebypainandgrief,Icrouchedagainstthegranitewall.

I justcommencedtofeel thefaintingcomingonagain,and thesensationthat this was the last struggle before complete annihilation—when, on asudden, a violent uproar reached my ears. It had some resemblance to the

prolonged rumbling voice of thunder, and I clearly distinguished sonorousvoices,lostoneaftertheother,inthedistantdepthsofthegulf.

Whence came this noise? Naturally, it was to be supposed from newphenomenawhichweretakingplaceinthebosomofthesolidmassofMotherEarth!Theexplosionofsomegaseousvapors,orthefallofsomesolid,ofthegraniticorotherrock.

AgainIlistenedwithdeepattention.Iwasextremelyanxioustohearifthisstrangeandinexplicablesoundwaslikelytoberenewed!Awholequarterofanhourelapsedinpainfulexpectation.Deepandsolemnsilencereignedinthetunnel.SostillthatIcouldhearthebeatingsofmyownheart!Iwaited,waitedwithastrangekindofhopefulness.

Suddenlymyear,whichleanedaccidentallyagainst thewall,appearedtocatch, as itwere, the faintest echoof a sound. I thought that I heardvague,incoherentanddistantvoices.Iquiveredalloverwithexcitementandhope!

"Itmustbehallucination,"Icried."Itcannotbe!itisnottrue!"

But no! By listeningmore attentively, I really did convincemyself thatwhatIheardwastrulythesoundofhumanvoices.Tomakeanymeaningoutof the sound,however,wasbeyondmypower. Iwas tooweakeven toheardistinctly.Stillitwasapositivefactthatsomeonewasspeaking.OfthatIwasquitecertain.

Therewasamomentoffear.Adreadfelluponmysoulthatitmightbemyownwordsbroughtbacktomebyadistantecho.Perhapswithoutknowingit,Imight have been crying aloud. I resolutely closedmy lips, and oncemoreplacedmyeartothehugegranitewall.

Yes,forcertain.Itwasintruththesoundofhumanvoices.

I now by the exercise of great determination dragged myself along thesidesofthecavern,untilIreachedapointwhereIcouldhearmoredistinctly.ButthoughIcoulddetectthesound,Icouldonlymakeoutuncertain,strange,andincomprehensiblewords.Theyreachedmyearasiftheyhadbeenspokeninalowtone—murmured,asitwere,afaroff.

At last, I made out the word forlorad repeated several times in a tonebetokeninggreatmentalanguishandsorrow.

Whatcouldthiswordmean,andwhowasspeakingit?ItmustbeeithermyuncleortheguideHans!If,therefore,Icouldhearthem,theymustsurelybeabletohearme.

"Help,"Icriedatthetopofmyvoice;"help,Iamdying!"

Ithenlistenedwithscarcelyabreath;Ipantedfortheslightestsoundinthe

darkness—acry,asigh,aquestion!Butsilencereignedsupreme.Noanswercame! In this way some minutes passed. A whole flood of ideas flashedthroughmymind. I began to fear thatmyvoice,weakenedby sickness andsuffering,couldnotreachmycompanionswhowereinsearchofme.

"Itmustbe they," Icried;"whoelsecouldbyanypossibilitybeburiedahundred miles below the level of the earth?" The mere supposition waspreposterous.

Ibegan, therefore, to listenagainwiththemostbreathlessattention.AsImovedmyearsalong thesideof theplace Iwas in, I foundamathematicalpoint as it were, where the voices appeared to attain their maximum ofintensity.Thewordforloradagaindistinctlyreachedmyear.Thencameagainthatrollingnoiselikethunderwhichhadawakenedmeoutoftorpor.

"Ibegintounderstand,"Isaid tomyselfaftersomelittle timedevotedtoreflection;"itisnotthroughthesolidmassthatthesoundreachesmyears.Thewalls of my cavernous retreat are of solid granite, and the most fearfulexplosionwouldnotmakeuproarenoughtopenetratethem.Thesoundmustcomealongthegalleryitself.TheplaceIwasinmustpossesssomepeculiaracousticpropertiesofitsown."

AgainIlistened;andthistime—yes,thistime—Iheardmynamedistinctlypronounced:castasitwereintospace.

Itwasmyuncle,theProfessor,whowasspeaking.Hewasinconversationwith theguide, and thewordwhichhad sooften reachedmyears, forlorad,wasaDanishexpression.

ThenIunderstooditall.Inordertomakemyselfheard,Itoomustspeakasitwerealongthesideofthegallery,whichwouldcarrythesoundofmyvoicejustasthewirecarriestheelectricfluidfrompointtopoint.

But therewasno time to lose. Ifmycompanionswereonly to removeafew feet from where they stood, the acoustic effect would be over, myWhisperingGallerywouldbedestroyed.Iagainthereforecrawledtowardsthewall,andsaidasclearlyanddistinctlyasIcould:

"UncleHardwigg."

Ithenawaitedareply.

Sound does not possess the property of traveling with such extremerapidity.Besidesthedensityoftheairatthatdepthfromlightandmotionwasvery far fromadding to the rapidity of circulation.Several seconds elapsed,whichtomyexcitedimagination,appearedages;andthesewordsreachedmyeagerears,andmovedmywildlybeatingheart:

"Harry,myboy,isthatyou?"

Ashortdelaybetweenquestionandanswer.

"Yes—yes."

"Whereareyou?"

"Lost!"

"Andyourlamp?"

"Out."

"Buttheguidingstream?"

"Islost!"

"Keepyourcourage,Harry.Wewilldoourbest."

"Onemoment,my uncle," I cried; "I have no longer strength to answeryour questions. But—for heaven's sake—do you—continue—to speak—tome!"Absolutesilence,Ifelt,wouldbeannihilation.

"Keep up your courage," said my uncle. "As you are so weak, do notspeak. We have been searching for you in all directions, both by goingupwardsanddownwardsinthegallery.Mydearboy,Ihadbeguntogiveoverall hope—and you can never knowwhat bitter tears of sorrow and regret Ihaveshed.Atlast,supposingyoutobestillontheroadbesidetheHansbach,weagaindescended, firingoffgunsas signals.Now,however, thatwehavefoundyou,andthatourvoicesreacheachother,itmaybealongtimebeforeweactuallymeet.Weareconversingbymeansofsomeextraordinaryacousticarrangementofthelabyrinth.Butdonotdespair,mydearboy.Itissomethinggainedeventoheareachother."

While he was speaking, my brain was at work reflecting. A certainundefinedhope,vagueandshapelessasyet,mademyheartbeatwildly.Inthefirstplace,itwasabsolutelynecessaryformetoknowonething.Ioncemore,therefore, leanedmyheadagainst thewall,which Ialmost touchedwithmylips,andagainspoke.

"Uncle."

"Myboy?"washisanswerafterafewmoments.

"It is of the utmost consequence that we should know how far we areasunder."

"Thatisnotdifficult."

"Youhaveyourchronometerathand?"Iasked.

"Certainly."

"Well, take it into your hand. Pronounce my name, noting exactly thesecondatwhichyouspeak.IwillreplyassoonasIhearyourwords—andyouwillthennoteexactlythemomentatwhichmyreplyreachesyou."

"Verygood;andthemeantimebetweenmyquestionandyouranswerwillbethetimeoccupiedbymyvoiceinreachingyou."

"ThatisexactlywhatImean,Uncle,"wasmyeagerreply.

"Areyouready?"

"Yes."

"Well, make ready, I am about to pronounce your name," said theProfessor.

Iappliedmyearclosetothesidesofthecavernousgallery,andassoonastheword"Harry"reachedmyear,I turnedroundand,placingmylipstothewall,repeatedthesound.

"Fortyseconds,"saidmyuncle."Therehaselapsedfortysecondsbetweenthe twowords. The sound, therefore, takes twenty seconds to ascend.Now,allowing a thousand and twenty feet for every second—we have twentythousandfourhundredfeet—aleagueandahalfandone-eighth."

Thesewordsfellonmysoullikeakindofdeathknell.

"Aleagueandahalf,"Imutteredinalowanddespairingvoice.

"Itshallbegotover,myboy,"criedmyuncleinacheerytone;"dependonus."

"Butdoyouknowwhethertoascendordescend?"Iaskedfaintlyenough.

"We have to descend, and I will tell youwhy.You have reached a vastopen space, a kind of bare crossroad, fromwhich galleries diverge in everydirection.Thatinwhichyouarenowlyingmustnecessarilybringyoutothispoint,foritappearsthatallthesemightyfissures,thesefracturesoftheglobe'sinterior,radiatefromthevastcavernwhichweatthismomentoccupy.Rouseyourself,then,havecourageandcontinueyourroute.Walkifyoucan,ifnotdrag yourself along—slide, if nothing else is possible. The slope must beratherrapid—andyouwillfindstrongarmstoreceiveyouattheendofyourjourney.Makeastart,likeagoodfellow."

Thesewordsservedtorousesomekindofcourageinmysinkingframe.

"Farewellforthepresent,gooduncle,Iamabouttotakemydeparture.Assoonas I start,ourvoiceswill cease tocommingle.Farewell, then,untilwemeetagain."

"Adieu,Harry—untilwesayWelcome."Suchwere the lastwordswhich

reachedmyanxiousearsbeforeIcommencedmywearyandalmosthopelessjourney.

Thiswonderfulandsurprisingconversationwhichtookplace throughthevastmassoftheearth'slabyrinth,thesewordsexchanged,thespeakersbeingabout five miles apart—ended with hopeful and pleasant expressions. Ibreathed one more prayer to Heaven, I sent up words of thanksgiving—believinginmyinmostheartthatHehadledmetotheonlyplacewherethevoicesofmyfriendscouldreachmyears.

This apparently astounding acoustic mystery is easily explainable bysimple natural laws; it arose from the conductibility of the rock. There aremanyinstancesofthissingularpropagationofsoundwhicharenotperceptibleinitslessmediatepositions.IntheinteriorgalleryofSt.Paul's,andamidthecurious caverns in Sicily, these phenomena are observable. The mostmarvelousofthemallisknownastheEarofDionysius.

Thesememoriesofthepast,ofmyearlyreadingandstudies,camefreshtomy thoughts. Moreover, I began to reason that if my uncle and I couldcommunicate at sogreat adistance,no seriousobstacle couldexist betweenus.AllIhadtodowastofollowthedirectionwhencethesoundhadreachedme;andlogicallyputtingit,Imustreachhimifmystrengthdidnotfail.

Iaccordinglyrosetomyfeet.Isoonfound,however,thatIcouldnotwalk;that Imustdragmyselfalong.TheslopeasIexpectedwasveryrapid;but Iallowedmyselftoslipdown.

Soontherapidityofthedescentbegantoassumefrightfulproportions;andmenacedafearfulfall.Iclutchedatthesides;Igraspedatprojectionsofrocks;Ithrewmyselfbackwards.Allinvain.MyweaknesswassogreatIcoulddonothingtosavemyself.

Suddenlyearthfailedme.

Iwasfirstlaunchedintoadarkandgloomyvoid.Ithenstruckagainsttheprojecting asperities of a vertical gallery, a perfect well.My head boundedagainstapointedrock,andIlostallknowledgeofexistence.AsfarasIwasconcerned,deathhadclaimedmeforhisown.

CHAPTER26

ARAPIDRECOVERY

When I returned to the consciousness of existence, I found myselfsurroundedbyakindofsemiobscurity,lyingonsomethickandsoftcoverlets.

Myunclewaswatching—hiseyesfixedintentlyonmycountenance,agraveexpressiononhisface,atearinhiseye.Atthefirstsighwhichstruggledfrommy bosom, he took hold ofmy hand.When he sawmy eyes open and fixthemselvesuponhis,heutteredaloudcryofjoy."Helives!helives!"

"Yes,mygooduncle,"Iwhispered.

"My dear boy," continued the grim Professor, clasping me to his heart,"youaresaved!"

Iwasdeeplyandunaffectedly touchedby the tone inwhich thesewordswereuttered,andevenmorebythekindlycarewhichaccompaniedthem.TheProfessor,however,wasoneofthosemenwhomustbeseverelytriedinorderto induce any display of affection or gentle emotion. At this moment ourfriendHans,theguide,joinedus.Hesawmyhandinthatofmyuncle,andIventure to say that, taciturn as he was, his eyes beamed with livelysatisfaction.

"Goddag,"hesaid.

"Good day, Hans, good day," I replied, in as hearty a tone as I couldassume,"andnow,Uncle, thatweare together, tellmewhereweare.Ihavelostallideaofourposition,asofeverythingelse."

"Tomorrow,Harry, tomorrow," he replied. "Today you are far tooweak.Your head is surrounded with bandages and poultices that must not betouched. Sleep, my boy, sleep, and tomorrow you will know all that yourequire."

"But,"Icried,"letmeknowwhato'clockitis—whatdayitis?"

"Itisnoweleveno'clockatnight,andthisisoncemoreSunday.Itisnowtheninthof themonthofAugust.And Idistinctlyprohibityou fromaskinganymorequestionsuntilthetenthofthesame."

Iwas, if the truthwere told,veryweakindeed,andmyeyessoonclosedinvoluntarily.Ididrequireagoodnight'srest,andIwentoffreflectingatthelastmoment thatmy perilous adventure in the interior of the earth, in totaldarkness,hadlastedfourdays!

Onthemorningofthenextday,atmyawakening,Ibegantolookaroundme.Mysleepingplace,madeofallourtravelingbedding,wasinacharminggrotto,adornedwithmagnificentstalagmites,glitteringinallthecolorsoftherainbow,thefloorofsoftandsilverysand.

Adimobscurityprevailed.Notorch,nolampwaslighted,andyetcertainunexplained beams of light penetrated from without, and made their waythroughtheopeningofthebeautifulgrotto.

I,moreover,heardavagueandindefinitemurmur,liketheebbandflowofwavesuponastrand,andsometimesIverilybelievedIcouldhearthesighingofthewind.

Ibegantobelievethat,insteadofbeingawake,Imustbedreaming.Surelymybrainhadnotbeenaffectedbymyfall,andallthatoccurredduringthelasttwenty-four hours was not the frenzied visions of madness? And yet aftersomereflection,a trialofmyfaculties,IcametotheconclusionthatIcouldnotbemistaken.Eyesandearscouldnotsurelybothdeceiveme.

"Itisarayoftheblesseddaylight,"Isaidtomyself,"whichhaspenetratedthrough somemighty fissure in the rocks. But what is the meaning of thismurmur ofwaves, this unmistakablemoaning of the salt-sea billows? I canhear, too,plainly enough, thewhistlingof thewind.But can I be altogethermistaken? If my uncle, during my illness, has but carried me back to thesurface of the earth! Has he, on my account, given up his wondrousexpedition,orinsomestrangemannerhasitcometoanend?"

Iwaspuzzlingmybrainovertheseandotherquestions,whentheProfessorjoinedme.

"Goodday,Harry,"hecriedinajoyoustone."Ifancyyouarequitewell."

"Iamverymuchbetter,"Ireplied,actuallysittingupinmybed.

"I knew that would be the end of it, as you slept both soundly andtranquilly.HansandIhaveeachtakenturntowatch,andeveryhourwehaveseenvisiblesignsofamelioration."

"Youmustberight,Uncle,"wasmyreply,"forIfeelasifIcoulddojusticetoanymealyoucouldputbeforeme."

"Youshalleat,myboy,youshalleat.Thefeverhasleftyou.Ourexcellentfriend Hans has rubbed your wounds and bruises with I know not whatointment, of which the Icelanders alone possess the secret. And they havehealedyourbruises in themostmarvelousmanner.Ah,he'sawisefellowisMasterHans."

Whilehewasspeaking,myunclewasplacingbeforemeseveralarticlesoffood,which,despitehisearnestinjunctions,Ireadilydevoured.Assoonasthefirst rage of hunger was appeased, I overwhelmed him with questions, towhichhenownolongerhesitatedtogiveanswers.

Ithenlearned,forthefirsttime,thatmyprovidentialfallhadbroughtmeto thebottomofanalmostperpendiculargallery.As I camedown,amidstaperfectshowerofstones,theleastofwhichfallingonmewouldhavecrushedmetodeath,theycametotheconclusionthatIhadcarriedwithmeanentiredislocatedrock.Ridingasitwereonthisterriblechariot,Iwascastheadlong

intomyuncle'sarms.AndintothemIfell,insensibleandcoveredwithblood.

"It is indeedamiracle,"was theProfessor's final remark, "thatyouwerenot killed a thousand times over.But let us take care never to separate; forsurelyweshouldrisknevermeetingagain."

"Letustakecareneveragaintoseparate."

Thesewordsfellwithasortofchilluponmyheart.Thejourney,then,wasnotover.Ilookedatmyunclewithsurpriseandastonishment.Myuncle,afteraninstant'sexaminationofmycountenance,said:"Whatisthematter,Harry?"

"Iwant toaskyouaveryseriousquestion.YousaythatIamall right inhealth?"

"Certainlyyouare."

"Andallmylimbsaresoundandcapableofnewexertion?"Iasked.

"Mostundoubtedly."

"Butwhataboutmyhead?"wasmynextanxiousquestion.

"Well,yourhead, except thatyouhaveoneor twocontusions, is exactlywhereitoughttobe—onyourshoulders,"saidmyuncle,laughing.

"Well, my own opinion is that my head is not exactly right. In fact, Ibelievemyselfslightlydelirious."

"Whatmakesyouthinkso?"

"IwillexplainwhyIfancyIhavelostmysenses,"Icried."HavewenotreturnedtothesurfaceofMotherEarth?"

"Certainlynot."

"ThentrulyImustbemad,fordoInotseethelightofday?doInothearthewhistlingofthewind?andcanInotdistinguishthewashofagreatsea?"

"Andthatisallthatmakesyouuneasy?"saidmyuncle,withasmile.

"Canyouexplain?"

"I will notmake any attempt to explain; for the wholematter is utterlyinexplicable.Butyoushallseeandjudgeforyourself.Youwillthenfindthatgeological science is as yet in its infancy—and that we are doomed toenlightentheworld."

"Let us advance, then," I cried eagerly, no longer able to restrain mycuriosity.

"Wait a moment, my dear Harry," he responded; "you must takeprecautionsafteryourillnessbeforegoingintotheopenair."

"Theopenair?"

"Yes,myboy. I have towarn you that thewind is rather violent—and Ihavenowishforyoutoexposeyourselfwithoutnecessaryprecautions."

"ButIbegtoassureyouthatIamperfectlyrecoveredfrommyillness."

"Havejustalittlepatience,myboy.Arelapsewouldbeinconvenienttoallparties.Wehaveno time to lose—asourapproachingseavoyagemaybeoflongduration."

"Seavoyage?"Icried,morebewilderedthanever.

"Yes. Youmust take another day's rest, andwe shall be ready to go onboardbytomorrow,"repliedmyuncle,withapeculiarsmile.

"Goonboard!"Thewordsutterlyastonishedme.

Goonboard—whatandhow?Hadwecomeuponariver,alake,hadwediscoveredsomeinlandsea?Wasavessellyingatanchorinsomepartoftheinterioroftheearth?

Mycuriositywasworkeduptotheveryhighestpitch.Myunclemadevainattemptstorestrainme.Whenatlast,however,hediscoveredthatmyfeverishimpatiencewoulddomoreharm thangood—and that the satisfactionofmywishescouldalonerestoremetoacalmstateofmind—hegaveway.

I dressed myself rapidly—and then taking the precaution to please myuncle,ofwrappingmyselfinoneofthecoverlets,Irushedoutofthegrotto.

CHAPTER27

THECENTRALSEA

AtfirstIsawabsolutelynothing.Myeyes,whollyunusedtotheeffulgenceof light, couldnotbear the suddenbrightness; and Iwascompelled toclosethem.WhenIwasable toreopen them,Istoodstill, farmorestupefied thanastonished.Notallthewildesteffectsofimaginationcouldhaveconjuredupsuchascene!"Thesea—thesea,"Icried.

"Yes," repliedmyuncle, in a toneofpardonablepride; "theCentralSea.Nofuturenavigatorwilldenythefactofmyhavingdiscoveredit;andhenceofacquiringarightofgivingitaname."

Itwasquitetrue.Avast,limitlessexpanseofwater,theendofalakeifnotof an ocean, spread before us, until it was lost in the distance. The shore,which was very much indented, consisted of a beautiful soft golden sand,

mixedwithsmallshells,thelong-desertedhomeofsomeofthecreaturesofapast age. The waves broke incessantly—and with a peculiarly sonorousmurmur, tobefoundinundergroundlocalities.Aslightfrothyflakearoseasthewindblewalongthepellucidwaters;andmanyadashofspraywasblowninto my face. The mighty superstructure of rock which rose above to aninconceivableheight leftonlyanarrowopening—butwherewestood, therewasa largemarginof strand.Onall sideswerecapesandpromontoriesandenormouscliffs,partiallywornbytheeternalbreakingofthewaves,throughcountlessages!AndasIgazedfromsidetoside,themightyrocksfadedawaylikeafleecyfilmofcloud.

Itwasinrealityanocean,withalltheusualcharacteristicsofaninlandsea,onlyhorriblywild—sorigid,coldandsavage.

One thingstartledandpuzzledmegreatly.Howwas it that Iwasable tolookuponthatvastsheetofwaterinsteadofbeingplungedinutterdarkness?Thevast landscapebeforemewaslituplikeday.But therewaswantingthedazzling brilliancy, the splendid irradiation of the sun; the pale coldilluminationofthemoon;thebrightnessofthestars.Theilluminatingpowerin this subterranean region, from its trembling and Rickering character, itsclear dry whiteness, the very slight elevation of its temperature, its greatsuperioritytothatofthemoon,wasevidentlyelectric;somethinginthenatureoftheauroraborealis,onlythatitsphenomenawereconstant,andabletolightupthewholeoftheoceancavern.

Thetremendousvaultaboveourheads,thesky,sotospeak,appearedtobecomposed of a conglomeration of nebulous vapors, in constant motion. Ishouldoriginallyhavesupposed that,undersuchanatmosphericpressureasmustexistinthatplace,theevaporationofwatercouldnotreallytakeplace,and yet from the action of some physical law, which escapedmymemory,therewereheavy anddense clouds rolling along thatmightyvault, partiallyconcealing the roof.Electric currentsproducedastonishingplayof light andshade in the distance, especially around the heavier clouds. Deep shadowswerecastbeneath,andthensuddenly,betweentwoclouds,therewouldcomearayofunusualbeauty,andremarkableintensity.Andyetitwasnotlikethesun,foritgavenoheat.

The effect was sad and excruciatingly melancholy. Instead of a noblefirmament of blue, studdedwith stars, therewas aboveme a heavy roof ofgranite,whichseemedtocrushme.

Gazingaround,IbegantothinkofthetheoryoftheEnglishcaptainwhocomparedtheearthtoavasthollowsphereintheinteriorofwhichtheair isretained in a luminous state by means of atmospheric pressure, while twostars,PlutoandProserpine,circled there in theirmysteriousorbits.Afterall,

supposetheoldfellowwasright!

Intruth,wewereimprisoned—boundas itwere, inavastexcavation.Itswidth it was impossible to make out; the shore, on either hand, wideningrapidlyuntillosttosight;whileitslengthwasequallyuncertain.Ahazeonthedistanthorizonboundedourview.Astoitsheight,wecouldseethatitmustbemanymilestotheroof.Lookingupward,itwasimpossibletodiscoverwherethestupendousroofbegan.Thelowestofthecloudsmusthavebeenfloatingatanelevationoftwothousandyards,aheightgreaterthanthatofterrestrialvapors,whichcircumstancewasdoubtlessowingtotheextremedensityoftheair.

I use the word "cavern" in order to give an idea of the place. I cannotdescribe its awful grandeur; human language fails to convey an idea of itssavagesublimity.Whetherthissingularvacuumhadorhadnotbeencausedbythesuddencoolingoftheearthwheninastateoffusion,Icouldnotsay.Ihadreadofmostwonderfulandgiganticcaverns—but,noneinanywaylikethis.

The great grotto of Guachara, in Colombia, visited by the learnedHumboldt;thevastandpartiallyexploredMammothCaveinKentucky—whatweretheseholesintheearthtothatinwhichIstoodinspeechlessadmiration!with itsvaporyclouds, itselectric light,and themightyoceanslumbering initsbosom!Imagination,notdescription,canalonegiveanideaofthesplendorandvastnessofthecave.

Igazedat thesemarvels inprofoundsilence.WordswereutterlywantingtoindicatethesensationsofwonderIexperienced.Iseemed,asIstooduponthat mysterious shore, as if I were some wandering inhabitant of a distantplanet,presentforthefirsttimeatthespectacleofsometerrestrialphenomenabelonging to another existence. To give body and existence to such newsensations would have required the coinage of new words—and here myfeeblebrainfounditselfwhollyatfault. I lookedon,I thought, I reflected,Iadmired,inastateofstupefactionnotaltogetherunmingledwithfear!

The unexpected spectacle restored some color to my pallid cheeks. Iseemed to be actually getting better under the influence of this novelty.Moreover, the vivacity of the dense atmosphere reanimated my body byinflatingmylungswithunaccustomedoxygen.

Itwillbereadilyconceivedthatafteranimprisonmentofforty-sevendays,inadarkandmiserabletunnelitwaswithinfinitedelightthatIbreathedthissalineair.Itwaslikethegenial,revivinginfluenceofthesaltseawaves.

Myunclehadalreadygotoverthefirstsurprise.

WiththeLatinpoetHoracehisideawasthat—

NottoadmireisalltheartIknow,

Tomakemanhappyandtokeephimso.

"Well,"hesaid,aftergivingmetimethoroughlytoappreciatethemarvelsofthisundergroundsea,"doyoufeelstrongenoughtowalkupanddown?"

"Certainly," was my ready answer, "nothing would give me greaterpleasure."

"Wellthen,myboy,"hesaid,"leanonmyarm,andwewillstrollalongthebeach."

Iacceptedhisoffereagerly,andwebegantowalkalongtheshoresofthisextraordinarylake.Toourleftwereabruptrocks,piledoneupontheother—astupendoustitanicpile;downtheirsidesleapedinnumerablecascades,whichatlast,becominglimpidandmurmuringstreams,werelostinthewatersofthelake. Light vapors, which rose here and there, and floated in fleecy cloudsfromrock to rock, indicatedhot springs,whichalsopoured their superfluityintothevastreservoiratourfeet.

Among them I recognized our old and faithful stream, the Hansbach,which, lost in that wild basin, seemed as if it had been flowing since thecreationoftheworld.

"Weshallmissourexcellentfriend,"Iremarked,withadeepsigh.

"Bah!"saidmyuncletestily,"whatmattersit?Thatoranother,itisallthesame."

I thought the remarkungrateful, and felt almost inclined to say so; but Iforbore.

At this moment my attention was attracted by an unexpected spectacle.After we had gone about five hundred yards, we suddenly turned a steeppromontory,andfoundourselvesclosetoaloftyforest!Itconsistedofstraighttrunks with tufted tops, in shape like parasols. The air seemed to have noeffectuponthesetrees—whichinspiteofatolerablebreezeremainedasstillandmotionlessasiftheyhadbeenpetrified.

Ihastenedforward.Icouldfindnonameforthesesingularformations.Didtheynot belong to the two thousand andmore known trees—orwerewe tomakethediscoveryofanewgrowth?Bynomeans.Whenweatlastreachedtheforest,andstoodbeneaththetrees,mysurprisegavewaytoadmiration.

In truth, Iwas simply in the presence of a very ordinary product of theearth, of singular and gigantic proportions. My uncle unhesitatingly calledthembytheirrealnames.

"Itisonly,"hesaid,inhiscoolestmanner,"aforestofmushrooms."

On close examination I found that he was not mistaken. Judge of thedevelopmentattainedby thisproductofdamphotsoils. Ihadheard that theLycoperdon giganteum reaches nine feet in circumference, but here werewhitemushrooms,nearlyfortyfeethigh,andwith topsofequaldimensions.Theygrewincountlessthousands—thelightcouldnotmakeitswaythroughtheir massive substance, and beneath them reigned a gloomy and mysticdarkness.

StillIwishedtogoforward.Thecoldintheshadesofthissingularforestwasintense.Fornearlyanhourwewanderedaboutinthisvisibledarkness.AtlengthIleftthespot,andoncemorereturnedtotheshoresofthelake,tolightandcomparativewarmth.

But the amazing vegetation of subterraneous land was not confined togiganticmushrooms.Newwondersawaitedusateverystep.Wehadnotgonemanyhundredyards,whenwecameuponamightygroupofothertreeswithdiscolored leaves—the common humble trees of Mother Earth, of anexorbitantandphenomenalsize:lycopodsahundredfeethigh;floweringfernsastallaspines;giganticgrasses!

"Astonishing, magnificent, splendid!" cried my uncle; "here we havebeforeusthewholefloraofthesecondperiodoftheworld,thatoftransition.Beholdthehumbleplantsofourgardens,whichinthefirstagesoftheworldweremightytrees.Lookaroundyou,mydearHarry.Nobotanisteverbeforegazedonsuchasight!"

Myuncle's enthusiasm, always a littlemore thanwas required,wasnowexcusable.

"Youareright,Uncle,"Iremarked."Providenceappearstohavedesignedthepreservationinthisvastandmysterioushothouseofantediluvianplants,toprovethesagacityoflearnedmeninfiguringthemsomarvelouslyonpaper."

"Well said,myboy—verywell said; it is indeedamightyhothouse.Butyou would also be within the bounds of reason and common sense, if youaddedthatitisalsoavastmenagerie."

Ilookedratheranxiouslyaround.Iftheanimalswereasexaggeratedastheplants,thematterwouldcertainlybeserious.

"Amenagerie?"

"Doubtless.Lookatthedustwearetreadingunderfoot—beholdtheboneswithwhichthewholesoiloftheseashoreiscovered—"

"Bones,"Ireplied,"yes,certainly,thebonesofantediluviananimals."

I stooped down as I spoke, and picked up one or two singular remains,relicsofabygoneage.Itwaseasytogiveanametothesegiganticbones,in

someinstancesasbigastrunksoftrees.

"Here is, clearly, the lower jawbone of a mastodon," I cried, almost aswarmly and enthusiastically as my uncle; "here are the molars of theDinotherium;hereisalegbonewhichbelongedtotheMegatherium.Youareright,Uncle, it is indeedamenagerie;for themightyanimals towhichthesebonesoncebelonged,have livedanddiedon theshoresof this subterraneansea,undertheshadowoftheseplants.Look,yonderarewholeskeletons—andyet—"

"Andyet,nephew?"saidmyuncle,noticingthatIsuddenlycametoafullstop.

"I do not understand the presence of such beasts in granite caverns,howevervastandprodigious,"wasmyreply.

"Why not?" said my uncle, with very much of his old professionalimpatience.

"Becauseitiswellknownthatanimallifeonlyexistedonearthduringthesecondary period, when the sedimentary soil was formed by the alluviums,andthusreplacedthehotandburningrocksoftheprimitiveage."

"I have listened to you earnestly andwith patience,Harry, and I have asimple and clear answer to your objections: and that is, that this itself is asedimentarysoil."

"Howcanthatbeatsuchenormousdepthfromthesurfaceoftheearth?"

"The fact can be explained both simply and geologically. At a certainperiod,theearthconsistedonlyofanelasticcrust,liabletoalternativeupwardanddownwardmovementsinvirtueofthelawofattraction.Itisveryprobablethat many a landslip took place in those days, and that large portions ofsedimentarysoilwerecastintohugeandmightychasms."

"Quite possible," I dryly remarked. "But, Uncle, if these antediluviananimals formerly lived in these subterranean regions,whatmore likely thanthat one of thesemonstersmay at thismoment be concealed behind one ofyondermightyrocks."

AsIspoke,Ilookedkeenlyaround,examiningwithcareeverypointofthehorizon;butnothingaliveappearedtoexistonthesedesertedshores.

Inowfeltratherfatigued,andtoldmyuncleso.Thewalkandexcitementweretoomuchformeinmyweakstate.Ithereforeseatedmyselfattheendofapromontory,atthefootofwhichthewavesbrokeinincessantrolls.Ilookedroundabayformedbyprojectionsofvastgraniticrocks.Attheextremeendwasalittleportprotectedbyhugepyramidsofstones.Abrigandthreeorfourschoonersmighthavelaintherewithperfectease.Sonaturaldiditseem,that

everyminutemyimaginationinducedmetoexpectavesselcomingoutunderallsailandmakingfortheopenseaundertheinfluenceofawarmsoutherlybreeze.

But the fantastic illusion never lastedmore than aminute.Wewere theonlylivingcreaturesinthissubterraneanworld!

Duringcertainperiodstherewasanuttercessationofwind,whenasilencedeeper,moreterriblethanthesilenceofthedesertfelluponthesesolitaryandaridrocks—andseemedtohanglikealeadenweightuponthewatersofthissingular ocean. I sought, amid the awful stillness, to penetrate through thedistant fog, to tear down the veil which concealed themysterious distance.Whatunspokenwordsweremurmuredbymytremblinglips—whatquestionsdid Iwish toaskanddidnot!Wheredid this seaend—towhatdid it lead?Shouldweeverbeabletoexamineitsdistantshores?

Butmyunclehadnodoubtsaboutthematter.Hewasconvincedthatourenterprise would in the end be successful. Formy part, I was in a state ofpainful indecision—I desired to embark on the journey and to succeed, andstillIfearedtheresult.

After we had passed an hour or more in silent contemplation of thewondrousspectacle,weroseandwentdowntowardsthebankonourwaytothegrotto,whichIwasnotsorrytogain.Afteraslightrepast,Isoughtrefugeinslumber,andat length,aftermanyand tediousstruggles, sleepcameovermywearyeyes.

CHAPTER28

LAUNCHINGTHERAFT

Onthemorningofthenextday,tomygreatsurprise,Iawokecompletelyrestored. I thought a bath would be delightful after my long illness andsufferings.So,soonafterrising,IwentandplungedintothewatersofthisnewMediterranean.Thebathwascool,freshandinvigorating.

I came back to breakfast with an excellent appetite. Hans, our worthyguide, thoroughlyunderstoodhow tocook sucheatables aswewereable toprovide; he had both fire and water at discretion, so that he was enabledslightlytovarythewearymonotonyofourordinaryrepast.

OurmorningmealwaslikeacapitalEnglishbreakfast,withcoffeebywayof a windup. And never had this delicious beverage been so welcome andrefreshing.

Myunclehadsufficientregardformystateofhealthnottointerruptmeintheenjoymentofthemeal,buthewasevidentlydelightedwhenIhadfinished.

"Nowthen,"saidhe,"comewithme.Itistheheightofthetide,andIamanxioustostudyitscuriousphenomena."

"What!"'Icried,risinginastonishment,"didyousaythetide,Uncle?"

"CertainlyIdid."

"Youdonotmeantosay,"Ireplied,inatoneofrespectfuldoubt,"thattheinfluenceofthesunandmoonisfeltherebelow."

"Andpraywhynot?Arenotallbodiesinfluencedbythelawofuniversalattraction?Whyshouldthisvastundergroundseabeexemptfromthegenerallaw, the rule of the universe? Besides, there is nothing like that which isprovedanddemonstrated.Despitethegreatatmosphericpressuredownhere,youwillnotice that this inlandsearisesandfallswithasmuchregularityastheAtlanticitself."

Asmyuncle spoke,we reached the sandy shore, and sawandheard thewavesbreakingmonotonouslyonthebeach.Theywereevidentlyrising.

"Thisistrulytheflood,"Icried,lookingatthewateratmyfeet.

"Yes,myexcellentnephew,"repliedmyuncle,rubbinghishandswiththegustoofaphilosopher,"andyouseebytheseseveralstreaksoffoamthatthetiderisesatleasttenortwelvefeet."

"Itisindeedmarvelous."

"Bynomeans,"heresponded;"onthecontrary,itisquitenatural."

"Itmayappearsoinyoureyes,mydearuncle,"wasmyreply,"butallthephenomenaoftheplaceappeartometopartakeofthemarvelous.ItisalmostimpossibletobelievethatwhichIsee.Whoinhiswildestdreamscouldhaveimagined that, beneath the crust ofour earth, there could exist a realocean,withebbingandflowingtides,withitschangesofwinds,andevenitsstorms!Iforoneshouldhavelaughedthesuggestiontoscorn."

"But,Harry,myboy,whynot?" inquiredmyuncle,withapityingsmile;"isthereanyphysicalreasoninoppositiontoit?"

"Well, if we give up the great theory of the central heat of the earth, Icertainly can offer no reasons why anything should be looked upon asimpossible."

"Thenyouwillown,"headded,"thatthesystemofSirHumphryDavyiswhollyjustifiedbywhatwehaveseen?"

"I allow that it is—and that point once granted, I certainly can see no

reasonfordoubtingtheexistenceofseasandotherwonders,evencountries,intheinterioroftheglobe."

"Thatisso—butofcoursethesevariedcountriesareuninhabited?"

"Well,Igrantthatitismorelikelythannot:still,Idonotseewhythisseashouldnothavegivensheltertosomespeciesofunknownfish."

"Hitherto we have not discovered any, and the probabilities are ratheragainstoureverdoingso,"observedtheProfessor.

Iwaslosingmyskepticisminthepresenceofthesewonders.

"Well,Iamdeterminedtosolvethequestion.Itismyintentiontotrymyluckwithmyfishinglineandhook."

"Certainly; make the experiment," said my uncle, pleased with myenthusiasm."Whileweareaboutit,itwillcertainlybeonlypropertodiscoverallthesecretsofthisextraordinaryregion."

"But, after all, where are we now?" I asked; "all this time I have quiteforgotten to ask you a question, which, doubtless, your philosophicalinstrumentshavelongsinceanswered."

"Well,"repliedtheProfessor,"examiningthesituationfromonlyonepointofview,wearenowdistantthreehundredandfiftyleaguesfromIceland."

"Somuch?"wasmyexclamation.

"Ihavegoneoverthematterseveraltimes,andamsurenottohavemadeamistakeoffivehundredyards,"repliedmyunclepositively.

"Andastothedirection—arewestillgoingtothesoutheast?"

"Yes,with awestern declination of nineteen degrees, forty-twominutes,justasitisabove.AsfortheinclinationIhavediscoveredaverycuriousfact."

"Whatmaythatbe,Uncle?Yourinformationinterestsme."

"Why, that the needle instead of dipping towards the pole as it does onearth,inthenorthernhemisphere,hasanupwardtendency."

"This proves," I cried, "that the great point of magnetic attraction liessomewherebetweenthesurfaceoftheearthandthespotwehavesucceededinreaching."

"Exactly, my observant nephew," exclaimed my uncle, elated anddelighted, "and it is quite probable that ifwe succeed in getting toward thepolarregions—somewhereneartheseventy-thirddegreeoflatitude,whereSirJamesRoss discovered themagnetic pole,we shall behold the needle pointdirectly upward. We have therefore discovered by analogy, that this great

centreofattractionisnotsituatedataverygreatdepth."

"Well,"saidI,rathersurprised,"thisdiscoverywillastonishexperimentalphilosophers.Itwasneversuspected."

"Science, great, mighty and in the end unerring," replied my uncledogmatically, "science has fallen intomany errors—errorswhich have beenfortunate and useful rather than otherwise, for they have been thesteppingstonestotruth."

Aftersomefurtherdiscussion,Iturnedtoanothermatter.

"Haveyouanyideaofthedepthwehavereached?"

"Wearenow,"continuedtheProfessor,"exactlythirty-fiveleagues—aboveahundredmiles—downintotheinterioroftheearth."

"So,"saidI,aftermeasuringthedistanceonthemap,"wearenowbeneaththeScottishHighlands,andhaveoverourheadstheloftyGrampianHills."

"You are quite right," said the Professor, laughing; "it sounds veryalarming,theweightbeingheavy—butthevaultwhichsupportsthisvastmassofearthandrockissolidandsafe; themightyArchitectof theUniversehasconstructeditofsolidmaterials.Man,eveninhishighestflightsofvividandpoeticimagination,neverthoughtofsuchthings!Whatarethefinestarchesofour bridges, what the vaulted roofs of our cathedrals, to that mighty domeabove us, and beneathwhich floats an oceanwith its storms and calms andtides!"

"I admire it all as much as you can, Uncle, and have no fear that ourgraniteskywillfalluponourheads.Butnowthatwehavediscussedmattersof science and discovery, what are your future intentions? Are you notthinkingofgettingbacktothesurfaceofourbeautifulearth?"

Thiswassaidmoreasafeelerthanwithanyhopeofsuccess.

"Goback,nephew,"criedmyuncleinatoneofalarm,"youarenotsurelythinking of anything so absurd or cowardly.No,my intention is to advanceand continue our journey. We have as yet been singularly fortunate, andhenceforthIhopeweshallbemoreso."

"But,"saidI,"howarewetocrossyonderliquidplain?"

"Itisnotmyintentiontoleapintoitheadforemost,oreventoswimacrossit, like Leander over theHellespont.But as oceans are, after all, only greatlakes,inasmuchastheyaresurroundedbyland,sodoesitstandtoreason,thatthiscentralseaiscircumscribedbygranitesurroundings."

"Doubtless,"wasmynaturalreply.

"Well, then,doyounot think thatwhenoncewereach theotherend,weshallfindsomemeansofcontinuingourjourney?"

"Probably,butwhatextentdoyouallowtothisinternalocean?"

"Well, I should fancy it to extend about forty or fifty leagues—more orless."

"Butevensupposingthisapproximationtobeacorrectone—whatthen?"Iasked.

"My dear boy,we have no time for further discussion.We shall embarktomorrow."

I looked aroundwith surprise and incredulity. I could see nothing in theshapeofboatorvessel.

"What!" I cried, "we are about to launchout upon anunknown sea; andwhere,ifImayask,isthevesseltocarryus?"

"Well,mydearboy,itwillnotbeexactlywhatyouwouldcallavessel.Forthepresentwemustbecontentwithagoodandsolidraft."

"A raft," I cried, incredulously, "butdownherea raft is as impossibleofconstructionasavessel—andIamatalosstoimagine—"

"My goodHarry—if youwere to listen instead of talking somuch, youwouldhear,"saidmyuncle,waxingalittleimpatient.

"Ishouldhear?"

"Yes—certainknockswiththehammer,whichHansisnowemployingtomaketheraft.Hehasbeenatworkformanyhours."

"Makingaraft?"

"Yes."

"Butwherehashefoundtreessuitableforsuchaconstruction?"

"He found the trees all ready to his hand. Come, and you shall see ourexcellentguideatwork."

MoreandmoreamazedatwhatIheardandsaw,Ifollowedmyunclelikeoneinadream.

Afterawalkofaboutaquarterofanhour,IsawHansatworkontheothersideof thepromontorywhich formedour natural port.A fewminutesmoreand Iwas beside him. Tomy great surprise, on the sandy shore lay a half-finished raft. Itwasmade frombeamsof a verypeculiarwood, and a greatnumber of limbs, joints, boughs, and pieces lay about, sufficient to haveconstructedafleetofshipsandboats.

Iturnedtomyuncle,silentwithastonishmentandawe.

"Wheredidallthiswoodcomefrom?"Icried;"whatwoodisit?"

"Well, there is pinewood, fir, and the palms of the northern regions,mineralizedbytheactionofthesea,"hereplied,sententiously.

"Canitbepossible?"

"Yes,"saidthelearnedProfessor,"whatyouseeiscalledfossilwood."

"Butthen,"criedI,afterreflectingforamoment,"likethelignites,itmustbeashardandasheavyasiron,andthereforewillcertainlynotfloat."

"Sometimes that is the case. Many of these woods have become trueanthracites, but others again, like those you see before you, have onlyundergone one phase of fossil transformation. But there is no proof likedemonstration,"addedmyuncle,pickingoneor twoof thesepreciouswaifsandcastingthemintothesea.

The piece ofwood, after having disappeared for amoment, came to thesurface,andfloatedaboutwiththeoscillationproducedbywindandtide.

"Areyouconvinced?"saidmyuncle,withaself-satisfiedsmile.

"Iamconvinced,"Icried,"thatwhatIseeisincredible."

The fact was that my journey into the interior of the earth was rapidlychanging all preconceived notions, and day by day preparing me for themarvelous.

Ishouldnothavebeensurprisedtohaveseenafleetofnativecanoesafloatuponthatsilentsea.

Theverynextevening,thankstotheindustryandabilityofHans,theraftwasfinished.Itwasabouttenfeetlongandfivefeetwide.Thebeamsboundtogether with stout ropes, were solid and firm, and once launched by ourunitedefforts,theimprovisedvesselfloatedtranquillyuponthewatersofwhattheProfessorhadwellnamedtheCentralSea.

CHAPTER29

ONTHEWATERS—ARAFTVOYAGE

OnthethirteenthofAugustwewereupbetimes.Therewasnotimetobelost.Wenowhadtoinaugurateanewkindoflocomotion,whichwouldhavetheadvantageofbeingrapidandnotfatiguing.

Amast,madeoftwopiecesofwoodfastenedtogether,togiveadditionalstrength,ayardmade fromanotherone, thesaila linensheet fromourbed.Wewere fortunately innowantofcordage,and thewholeon trialappearedsolidandseaworthy.

At sixo'clock in themorning,when the eager andenthusiasticProfessorgave thesignal toembark, thevictuals, the luggage,allour instruments,ourweapons, andagoodly supplyof sweetwater,whichwehadcollected fromspringsintherocks,wereplacedontheraft.

Hanshad,withconsiderableingenuity,contrivedarudder,whichenabledhimtoguidethefloatingapparatuswithease.Hetookthetiller,asamatterofcourse. Theworthymanwas as good a sailor as he was a guide and duckhunter.Ithenletgothepainterwhichheldustotheshore,thesailwasbroughttothewind,andwemadearapidoffing.

Ourseavoyagehadatlengthcommenced;andoncemoreweweremakingfordistantandunknownregions.

Just as we were about to leave the little port where the raft had beenconstructed,myuncle,whowasvery strong as to geographic nomenclature,wantedtogiveitaname,andamongothers,suggestedmine.

"Well,"saidI,"beforeyoudecideIhaveanothertopropose."

"Well;outwithit."

"I should like to call itGretchen.PortGretchenwill soundverywell onourfuturemap."

"Wellthen,PortGretchenletitbe,"saidtheProfessor.

And thus it was that the memory of my dear girl was attached to ouradventurousandmemorableexpedition.

When we left the shore the wind was blowing from the northward andeastward. We went directly before the wind at a much greater speed thanmighthavebeenexpectedfromaraft.Thedenselayersofatmosphereatthatdepth had great propelling power and acted upon the sailwith considerableforce.

Attheendofanhour,myuncle,whohadbeentakingcarefulobservations,wasenabledtojudgeoftherapiditywithwhichwemoved.Itwasfarbeyondanythingseenintheupperworld.

"If," he said, "we continue to advance at our present rate,we shall havetraveledatleastthirtyleaguesintwenty-fourhours.Withamereraftthisisanalmostincrediblevelocity."

Icertainlywassurprised,andwithoutmakinganyreplywentforwardupon

the raft. Already the northern shore was fading away on the edge of thehorizon.Thetwoshoresappearedtoseparatemoreandmore,leavingawideandopenspaceforourdeparture.BeforemeIcouldseenothingbutthevastandapparentlylimitlesssea—uponwhichwefloated—theonlylivingobjectsinsight.

Huge and dark clouds cast their grey shadows below—shadows whichseemed to crush that colorless and sullen water by their weight. Anythingmore suggestiveofgloomandof regionsofnetherdarkness Ineverbeheld.Silveryraysofelectriclight,reflectedhereandthereuponsomesmallspotsofwater,broughtupluminoussparklesinthelongwakeofourcumbrousbark.Presentlywewerewhollyoutofsightofland;notavestigecouldbeseen,noranyindicationofwhereweweregoing.SostillandmotionlessdidweseemwithoutanydistantpointtofixoureyesonthatbutforthephosphoriclightatthewakeoftheraftIshouldhavefanciedthatwewerestillandmotionless.

ButIknewthatwewereadvancingataveryrapidrate.

About twelve o'clock in the day, vast collections of seaweed werediscovered surrounding us on all sides. I was aware of the extraordinaryvegetativepowerof theseplants,whichhavebeenknowntocreepalongthebottomofthegreatocean,andstoptheadvanceoflargeships.Butneverwereseaweedseverseen,sogiganticandwonderfulas thoseof theCentralSea.Icouldwellimaginehow,seenatadistance,tossingandheavingonthesummitof thebillows, the long linesofalgaehavebeen takenfor living things,andthushavebeenfertilesourcesofthebeliefinseaserpents.

Our raft swept past great specimens of fucus or seawrack, from three tofour thousand feet in length, immense, incredibly long, looking like snakesthatstretchedoutfarbeyondourhorizon.Itaffordedmegreatamusementtogaze on their variegated ribbon-like endless lengths.Hour after hour passedwithout our coming to the termination of these floating weeds. If myastonishmentincreased,mypatiencewaswell-nighexhausted.

What natural force could possibly have produced such abnormal andextraordinaryplants?Whatmusthavebeentheaspectoftheglobe,duringthefirst centuriesof its formation,whenunder thecombinedactionofheat andhumidity,thevegetablekingdomoccupieditsvastsurfacetotheexclusionofeverythingelse?

Thesewere considerations of never-ending interest for the geologist andthephilosopher.

Allthiswhilewewereadvancingonourjourney;andatlengthnightcame;butasIhadremarkedtheeveningbefore,theluminousstateoftheatmospherewas in nothing diminished.Whatever was the cause, it was a phenomenon

uponthedurationofwhichwecouldcalculatewithcertainty.

As soon as our supper had beendisposed of, and some little speculativeconversation indulged in, I stretched myself at the foot of the mast, andpresentlywenttosleep.

Hansremainedmotionlessatthetiller,allowingtherafttoriseandfallonthewaves.Thewindbeingaft,andthesailsquare,allhehadtodowastokeephisoarinthecentre.

Ever since we had taken our departure from the newly named PortGretchen,myworthyunclehaddirectedmetokeeparegularlogofourday'snavigation, with instructions to put down even themostminute particulars,everyinterestingandcuriousphenomenon,thedirectionofthewind,ourrateofsailing,thedistancewewent;inaword,everyincidentofourextraordinaryvoyage.

Fromourlog,therefore,ItellthestoryofourvoyageontheCentralSea.

Friday,August14th.Asteadybreezefromthenorthwest.Raftprogressingwith extreme rapidity, and going perfectly straight. Coast still dimly visibleabout thirty leagues to leeward. Nothing to be seen beyond the horizon infront.Theextraordinaryintensityofthelightneitherincreasesnordiminishes.It is singularly stationary. The weather remarkably fine; that is to say, thecloudshaveascendedveryhigh,andare lightandfleecy,andsurroundedbyanatmosphereresemblingsilverinfusion.

Thermometer,+32degreescentigrade.

Abouttwelveo'clockinthedayourguideHanshavingpreparedandbaitedahook,casthislineintothesubterraneanwaters.Thebaitheusedwasasmallpieceofmeat,bymeansofwhichheconcealedhishook.AnxiousasIwas,Iwas for a long time doomed to disappointment.Were thesewaters suppliedwith fish or not? That was the important question. No—was my decidedanswer.Thentherecameasuddenandratherhardtug.Hanscoollydrewitin,andwithitafish,whichstruggledviolentlytoescape.

"Afish!"criedmyuncle.

"Itisasturgeon!"Icried,"certainlyasmallsturgeon."

TheProfessorexaminedthefishcarefully,notingeverycharacteristic;andhedidnotcoincideinmyopinion.Thefishhadaflathead,roundbody,andthelowerextremitiescoveredwithbonyscales;itsmouthwaswhollywithoutteeth,thepectoralfins,whichwerehighlydeveloped,sprouteddirectfromthebody,whichproperlyspeakinghadno tail.Theanimalcertainlybelonged totheorderinwhichnaturalistsclassthesturgeon,butitdifferedfromthatfishinmanyessentialparticulars.

My uncle, after all, was not mistaken. After a long and patientexamination,hesaid:

"This fish,my dear boy, belongs to a familywhich has been extinct forages, and of which no trace has ever been found on earth, except fossilremainsintheDevonianstrata."

"Youdonotmeantosay,"Icried,"thatwehavecapturedalivespecimenofafishbelongingtotheprimitivestockthatexistedbeforethedeluge?"

"We have," said the Professor, who all this time was continuing hisobservations, "andyoumayseebycareful examination that these fossil fishhave no identity with existing species. To hold in one's hand, therefore, alivingspecimenoftheorder,isenoughtomakeanaturalisthappyforlife."

"But,"criedI,"towhatfamilydoesitbelong?"

"TotheorderofGanoides—anorderoffishhavingangularscales,coveredwithbright enamel—formingoneof the familyof theCephalaspides,of thegenus—"

"Well,sir,"Iremarked,asInoticedmyunclehesitatedtoconclude.

"To the genus Pterychtis—yes, I am certain of it. Still, though I amconfident of the correctness of my surmise, this fish offers to our notice aremarkablepeculiarity,neverknowntoexistinanyotherfishbutthosewhichare thenativesof subterraneanwaters,wells, lakes, incaverns, and suchlikehiddenpools."

"Andwhatmaythatbe?"

"Itisblind."

"Blind!"Icried,muchsurprised.

"Notonlyblind,"continued theProfessor,"butabsolutelywithoutorgansofsight."

Inowexaminedourdiscoveryformyself.Itwassingular,tobesure,butitwasreallyafact.This,however,mightbeasolitaryinstance,Isuggested.Thehookwasbaitedagainandoncemorethrownintothewater.Thissubterraneanoceanmusthavebeen tolerablywellsuppliedwithfish, for in twohourswetooka largenumberofPterychtis,aswellasother fishbelonging toanothersupposedextinctfamily—theDipterides(agenusoffish,furnishedwithtwofinsonly,whencethename),thoughmyunclecouldnotclassitexactly.All,withoutexception,however,wereblind.Thisunexpectedcaptureenabledustorenewourstockofprovisionsinaverysatisfactoryway.

We were now convinced that this subterranean sea contained only fishknowntousasfossilspecimens—andfishandreptilesalikewereallthemore

perfectthefartherbacktheydatedtheirorigin.

We began to hope that we should find some of those saurians whichsciencehassucceededinreconstructingfrombitsofboneorcartilage.

I tookupthe telescopeandcarefullyexaminedthehorizon—lookedoverthewholesea;itwasutterlyandentirelydeserted.Doubtlesswewerestilltoonearthecoast.

Afteranexaminationof theocean, I lookedupward, towards the strangeand mysterious sky.Why should not one of the birds reconstructed by theimmortal Cuvier flap his stupendous wings aloft in the dull strata ofsubterraneanair?Itwould,ofcourse,findquitesufficientfoodfromthefishinthe sea. I gazed for some timeupon the void above. Itwas as silent and asdesertedastheshoreswehadbutlatelyleft.

Nevertheless, though I could neither see nor discover anything, myimaginationcarriedmeawayintowildhypotheses.Iwasinakindofwakingdream. I thought I saw on the surface of the water those enormousantediluvian turtles as big as floating islands. Upon those dull and sombershores passed a spectral row of the mammifers of early days, the greatLiptotherium found in the cavernous hollow of the Brazilian hills, theMesicotherium,anativeoftheglacialregionsofSiberia.

Farther on, the pachydermatous Lophrodon, that gigantic tapir, whichconcealed itself behind rocks, ready to do battle for its prey with theAnoplotherium,asingularanimalpartakingofthenatureoftherhinoceros,thehorse,thehippopotamusandthecamel.

TherewasthegiantMastodon,twistingandturninghishorridtrunk,withwhichhecrushedtherocksoftheshoretopowder,whiletheMegatherium—hisbackraisedlikeacatinapassion,hisenormousclawsstretchedout,dugintotheearthforfood,atthesametimethatheawokethesonorousechoesofthewholeplacewithhisterribleroar.

Higher up still, the first monkey ever seen on the face of the globeclambered,gambolingandplayingupthegranitehills.Stillfartheraway,ranthe Pterodactyl, with thewinged hand, gliding or rather sailing through thedenseandcompressedairlikeahugebat.

Above all, near the leaden granitic sky, were immense birds, morepowerfulthanthecassowaryandtheostrich,whichspreadtheirmightywingsandflutteredagainstthehugestonevaultoftheinlandsea.

I thought, suchwas the effect ofmy imagination, that I saw thiswholetribeofantediluviancreatures. Icarriedmyselfback tofarages, longbeforemanexisted—when,infact,theearthwasintooimperfectastateforhimto

liveuponit.

My dream was of countless ages before the existence of man. Themammifers first disappeared, then themighty birds, then the reptiles of thesecondaryperiod, presently the fish, the crustacea, themollusks, and finallythevertebrata.Thezoophytesoftheperiodoftransitionintheirturnsankintoannihilation.

Thewholepanoramaoftheworld'slifebeforethehistoricperiod,seemedto be born over again, andminewas the only human heart that beat in thisunpeopledworld!Therewerenomoreseasons;therewerenomoreclimates;thenaturalheatoftheworldincreasedunceasingly,andneutralizedthatofthegreatradiantSun.

Vegetation was exaggerated in an extraordinary manner. I passed like ashadowinthemidstofbrushwoodasloftyasthegianttreesofCalifornia,andtrod underfoot the moist and humid soil, reeking with a rank and variedvegetation.

Ileanedagainstthehugecolumn-liketrunksofgianttrees,towhichthoseofCanadawereasferns.Wholeagespassed,hundredsuponhundredsofyearswereconcentratedintoasingleday.

Next, unrolledbeforeme like apanorama, came thegreat andwondrousseriesofterrestrialtransformations.Plantsdisappeared;thegraniticrockslostall trace of solidity; the liquid statewas suddenly substituted for thatwhichhad before existed. This was caused by intense heat acting on the organicmatter of the earth.Thewaters flowedover thewhole surface of the globe;theyboiled;theywerevolatilized,orturnedintovapor;akindofsteamcloudwrapped the whole earth, the globe itself becoming at last nothing but onehugesphereofgas,indescribableincolor,betweenwhiteheatandred,asbigandasbrilliantasthesun.

In the very centre of this prodigious mass, fourteen hundred thousandtimes as large as our globe, Iwaswhirled round in space, and brought intocloseconjunctionwiththeplanets.Mybodywassubtilized,orratherbecamevolatile, and commingled in a state of atomic vapor, with the prodigiousclouds,whichrushedforwardlikeamightycometintoinfinitespace!

What an extraordinary dream! Where would it finally take me? Myfeverish handbegan towrite down themarvelous details—detailsmore likethe imaginings of a lunatic than anything sober and real. I had during thisperiodofhallucinationforgotteneverything—theProfessor,theguide,andtheraftonwhichwewerefloating.Mymindwasinastateofsemioblivion.

"Whatisthematter,Harry?"saidmyunclesuddenly.

My eyes, which were wide opened like those of a somnambulist, werefixeduponhim,butIdidnotseehim,norcouldIclearlymakeoutanythingaroundme.

"Takecare,myboy,"againcriedmyuncle,"youwillfallintothesea."

Asheutteredthesewords,Ifeltmyselfseizedontheothersidebythefirmhandofourdevotedguide.HaditnotbeenforthepresenceofmindofHans,Imustinfalliblyhavefallenintothewavesandbeendrowned.

"Haveyougonemad?"criedmyuncle,shakingmeontheotherside.

"What—whatisthematter?"Isaidatlast,comingtomyself.

"Areyouill,Henry?"continuedtheProfessorinananxioustone.

"No—no;butIhavehadanextraordinarydream.It,however,haspassedaway. All now seems well," I added, looking around me with strangelypuzzledeyes.

"All right," said my uncle; "a beautiful breeze, a splendid sea. We aregoing along at a rapid rate, and if I amnot out inmy calculationswe shallsoonseeland.Ishallnotbesorrytoexchangethenarrowlimitsofourraftforthemysteriousstrandofthesubterraneanocean."

Asmyuncleutteredthesewords,Iroseandcarefullyscannedthehorizon.Butthelineofwaterwasstillconfoundedwiththeloweringcloudsthathungaloft,andinthedistanceappearedtotouchtheedgeofthewater.

CHAPTER30

TERRIFICSAURIANCOMBAT

Saturday, August 15th. The sea still retains its uniform monotony. Thesame leaden hue, the same eternal glare from above. No indication of landbeinginsight.Thehorizonappearstoretreatbeforeus,moreandmoreasweadvance.

Myhead,stilldullandheavyfromtheeffectsofmyextraordinarydream,whichIcannotasyetbanishfrommymind.

TheProfessor,whohasnotdreamed,is,however,inoneofhismoroseandunaccountablehumors.Spendshistimeinscanningthehorizon,ateverypointofthecompass.Histelescopeisraisedeverymomenttohiseyes,andwhenhefindsnothing togiveanyclue toourwhereabouts,heassumesaNapoleonicattitudeandwalksanxiously.

Iremarkedthatmyuncle,theProfessor,hadastrongtendencytoresumehis old impatient character, and I could not but make a note of thisdisagreeablecircumstanceinmyjournal.Isawclearlythatithadrequiredalltheinfluenceofmydangerandsuffering,toextractfromhimonescintillationof humane feeling.Now that Iwas quite recovered, his original nature hadconqueredandobtainedtheupperhand.

And,afterall,whathadhetobeangryandannoyedabout,nowmorethanat any other time?Was not the journey being accomplished under themostfavorable circumstances? Was not the raft progressing with the mostmarvelousrapidity?

What, then, could be the matter? After one or two preliminary hems, Ideterminedtoinquire.

"Youseemuneasy,Uncle," said I,when forabout thehundredth timeheputdownhistelescopeandwalkedupanddown,mutteringtohimself.

"No,Iamnotuneasy,"herepliedinadryharshtone,"bynomeans."

"PerhapsIshouldhavesaidimpatient,"Ireplied,softeningtheforceofmyremark.

"Enoughtomakemeso,Ithink."

"Andyetweareadvancingatarateseldomattainedbyaraft,"Iremarked.

"Whatmattersthat?"criedmyuncle."Iamnotvexedattheratewegoat,butIamannoyedtofindtheseasomuchvasterthanIexpected."

I then recollected that the Professor, before our departure, had estimatedthelengthofthissubterraneanoceanasatmostaboutthirtyleagues.Nowwehadtraveledatleastoverthricethatdistancewithoutdiscoveringanytraceofthedistantshore.Ibegantounderstandmyuncle'sanger.

"Wearenotgoingdown,"suddenlyexclaimedtheProfessor."Wearenotprogressingwithourgreatdiscoveries.Allthisisutterlossoftime.Afterall,Ididnotcomefromhome toundertakeapartyofpleasure.Thisvoyageonaraftoverapondannoysandweariesme."

He called this adventurous journey a party of pleasure, and this greatinlandseaapond!

"But," argued I, "if we have followed the route indicated by the greatSaknussemm,wecannotbegoingfarwrong."

"'Thatisthequestion,'asthegreat,theimmortalShakespeare,hasit.Arewe following the route indicated by that wondrous sage? Did Saknussemmeverfallinwiththisgreatsheetofwater?Ifhedid,didhecrossit?Ibegintofearthattherivuletweadoptedforaguidehasleduswrong."

"In any case, we can never regret having come thus far. It is worth thewholejourneytohaveenjoyedthismagnificentspectacle—itissomethingtohaveseen."

"I care nothing about seeing, nor about magnificent spectacles. I camedown into the interiorof theearthwithanobject, and thatobject Imean toattain. Don't talk to me about admiring scenery, or any other sentimentaltrash."

AfterthisI thoughtitwell toholdmytongue,andallowtheProfessortobitehislipsuntilthebloodcame,withoutfurtherremark.

Atsixo'clockintheevening,ourmatter-of-factguide,Hans,askedforhisweek's salary, and receiving his three rix-dollars, put them carefully in hispocket.Hewasperfectlycontentedandsatisfied.

Sunday,August16th.Nothingnewtorecord.Thesameweatherasbefore.Thewindhas a slight tendency to freshenup,with signs of an approachinggale.WhenIawoke,myfirstobservationwasinregardtotheintensityofthelight. I keep on fearing, day after day, that the extraordinary electricphenomenonshouldbecomefirstobscured,andthengowhollyout,leavingusin total darkness.Nothing, however, of the kind occurs. The shadow of theraft,itsmastandsails,isclearlydistinguishedonthesurfaceofthewater.

Thiswondrous sea is, after all, infinite in its extent. Itmust be quite aswide as the Mediterranean—or perhaps even as the great Atlantic Ocean.Why,afterall,shoulditnotbeso?

Myunclehasonmorethanoneoccasion,trieddeep-seasoundings.Hetiedthecrossofoneofourheaviestcrowbarstotheextremityofacord,whichheallowedtorunouttotheextentoftwohundredfathoms.Wehadthegreatestdifficultyinhoistinginournovelkindoflead.

Whenthecrowbarwasfinallydraggedonboard,Hanscalledmyattentiontosomesingularmarksuponitssurface.Thepieceofironlookedasifithadbeencrushedbetweentwoveryhardsubstances.

Ilookedatourworthyguidewithaninquiringglance.

"Tander,"saidhe.

OfcourseIwasatalosstounderstand.Iturnedroundtowardsmyuncle,absorbed in gloomy reflections. I had little wish to disturb him from hisreverie.IaccordinglyturnedoncemoretowardsourworthyIcelander.

Hansveryquietlyandsignificantlyopenedhismouthonceortwice,asifintheactofbiting,andinthiswaymademeunderstandhismeaning.

"Teeth!"criedI,withstupefaction,asIexaminedthebarofironwithmore

attention.

Yes.Therecanbenodoubtaboutthematter.Theindentationsonthebarofiron are the marks of teeth!What jaws must the owner of such molars bepossessedof!Havewethen,comeuponamonsterofunknownspecies,whichstillexistswithinthevastwasteofwaters—amonstermorevoraciousthanashark,more terribleandbulky than thewhale? I amunable towithdrawmyeyesfromthebarofiron,actuallyhalfcrushed!

Is,then,mydreamabouttocometrue—adreadandterriblereality?

All day my thoughts were bent upon these speculations, and myimagination scarcely regained a degree of calmness and power of reflectionuntilafterasleepofmanyhours.

This day, as on other Sundays, we observed as a day of rest and piousmeditation.

Monday, August 17th. I have been trying to realize from memory theparticular instincts of those antediluvian animals of the secondary period,whichsucceedingtothemollusca, tothecrustacea,andtothefish,precededthe appearance of the race of mammifers. The generation of reptiles thenreignedsupremeupon theearth.Thesehideousmonsters ruledeverything inthe seas of the secondaryperiod,which formed the strata ofwhich the Juramountainsarecomposed.Naturehadendowedthemwithperfectorganization.Whatagigantic structurewas theirs;whatvast andprodigious strength theypossessed!

Theexistingsaurians,whichincludeallsuchreptilesaslizards,crocodiles,and alligators, even the largest and most formidable of their class, are butfeeble imitationsof theirmightysires, theanimalsofages longago. If thereweregiantsinthedaysofold,therewerealsogiganticanimals.

IshudderedasIevolvedfrommymindtheideaandrecollectionoftheseawfulmonsters.Noeyeofmanhad seen them in the flesh.They took theirwalksabroadupon the faceof theearth thousandsofagesbeforemancameinto existence, and their fossil bones, discovered in the limestone, haveallowedustoreconstructthemanatomically,andthustogetsomefaintideaoftheircolossalformation.

I recollect once seeing in thegreatMuseumofHamburg the skeletonofoneofthesewonderfulsaurians.Itmeasurednolessthanthirtyfeetfromthenose to the tail. Am I, then, an inhabitant of the earth of the present day,destinedtofindmyselffacetofacewitharepresentativeofthisantediluvianfamily?Icanscarcelybelieveitpossible;Icanhardlybelieveittrue.Andyetthesemarksofpowerfulteethuponthebarofiron!Cantherebeadoubtfromtheirshapethatthebiteisthebiteofacrocodile?

My eyes stare wildly and with terror upon the subterranean sea. EverymomentIexpectoneofthesemonsterstorisefromitsvastcavernousdepths.

I fancy that theworthyProfessor in somemeasure sharesmynotions, ifnotmy fears, for, after an attentive examination of the crowbar, he cast hiseyesrapidlyoverthemightyandmysteriousocean.

"Whatcouldpossesshimtoleavetheland,"Ithought,"asifthedepthofthis water was of any importance to us. No doubt he has disturbed someterriblemonster inhiswateryhome,andperhapswemaypaydearlyforourtemerity."

Anxious tobeprepared for theworst, I examinedourweapons, and sawthattheywereinafitstateforuse.Myunclelookedonatmeandnoddedhisheadapprovingly.He,too,hasnoticedwhatwehavetofear.

Alreadytheupliftingofthewatersonthesurfaceindicatesthatsomethingis in motion below. The danger approaches. It comes nearer and nearer. Itbehoovesustobeonthewatch.

Tuesday,August18th.Eveningcameatlast,thehourwhenthedesireforsleepcausedoureyelidstobeheavy.Nightthereisnot,properlyspeaking,inthis place, any more than there is in summer in the arctic regions. Hans,however, is immovable at the rudder.Whenhe snatches amoment of rest Ireallycannotsay.Itakeadvantageofhisvigilancetotakesomelittlerepose.

ButtwohoursafterIwasawakenedfromaheavysleepbyanawfulshock.Theraftappearedtohavestruckuponasunkenrock.Itwasliftedrightoutofthe water by some wondrous and mysterious power, and then started offtwentyfathomsdistant.

"Eh, what is it?" cried my uncle starting up. "Are we shipwrecked, orwhat?"

Hansraisedhishandandpointedtowhere,abouttwohundredyardsoff,alargeblackmasswasmovingupanddown.

Ilookedwithawe.Myworstfearswererealized.

"Itisacolossalmonster!"Icried,claspingmyhands.

"Yes,"criedtheagitatedProfessor,"andthereyonderisahugesealizardofterriblesizeandshape."

"Andfartheronbeholdaprodigiouscrocodile.Lookathishideous jaws,andthatrowofmonstrousteeth.Ha!hehasgone."

"Awhale!awhale!"shoutedtheProfessor,"Icanseeherenormousfins.See,see,howsheblowsairandwater!"

Two liquidcolumns rose toavastheightabove the levelof thesea, intowhichtheyfellwithaterrificcrash,wakinguptheechoesofthatawfulplace.Westoodstill—surprised,stupefied,terror-strickenatthesightofthisgroupoffearfulmarinemonsters,morehideousintherealitythaninmydream.Theywereof supernaturaldimensions; thevery smallestof thewholepartycouldwitheasehavecrushedourraftandourselveswithasinglebite.

Hans, seizing the rudder which had flown out of his hand, puts it hardaweatherinordertoescapefromsuchdangerousvicinity;butnosoonerdoeshedoso,thanhefindsheisflyingfromScyllatoCharybdis.Toleewardisaturtleaboutfortyfeetwide,andaserpentquiteaslong,withanenormousandhideousheadpeeringfromoutthewaters.

Lookwhichwaywewill,itisimpossibleforustofly.Thefearfulreptilesadvanceduponus;theyturnedandtwistedabouttheraftwithawfulrapidity.Theyformedaroundourdevotedvesselaseriesofconcentriccircles.Itookupmyrifleindesperation.Butwhateffectcanarifleballproduceuponthearmorscaleswithwhichthebodiesofthesehorridmonstersarecovered?

Weremainstillanddumbfromutterhorror.Theyadvanceuponus,nearerand nearer. Our fate appears certain, fearful and terrible. On one side themighty crocodile, on the other the great sea serpent. The rest of the fearfulcrowd of marine prodigies have plunged beneath the briny waves anddisappeared!

Iamabouttofireatanyriskandtrytheeffectofashot.Hans,theguide,however, interfered by a sign to check me. The two hideous and ravenousmonsterspassedwithinfiftyfathomsoftheraft,andthenmadearushatoneanother—theirfuryandragepreventingthemfromseeingus.

Thecombatcommenced.Wedistinctlymadeouteveryactionof the twohideousmonsters.

But tomy excited imagination the other animals appeared about to takepartinthefierceanddeadlystruggle—themonster,thewhale,thelizard,andthe turtle. I distinctly saw them every moment. I pointed them out to theIcelander.Butheonlyshookhishead.

"Tva,"hesaid.

"What—twoonlydoeshesay.Surelyheismistaken,"Icriedinatoneofwonder.

"Heisquiteright,"repliedmyunclecoollyandphilosophically,examiningthe terrible duel with his telescope and speaking as if he were in a lectureroom.

"Howcanthatbe?"

"Yes, it is so. The first of these hideous monsters has the snout of aporpoise, theheadofa lizard, the teethofacrocodile;and it is this thathasdeceived us. It is the most fearful of all antediluvian reptiles, the world—renownedIchthyosaurusorgreatfishlizard."

"Andtheother?"

"Theotherisamonstrousserpent,concealedunderthehardvaultedshellof the turtle, the terrible enemy of its fearful rival, the Plesiosaurus, or seacrocodile."

Hanswasquiteright.Thetwomonstersonly,disturbedthesurfaceofthesea!

At last have mortal eyes gazed upon two reptiles of the great primitiveocean!IseetheflamingredeyesoftheIchthyosaurus,eachasbig,orbiggerthan a man's head. Nature in its infinite wisdom had gifted this wondrousmarineanimalwithanopticalapparatusofextremepower,capableofresistingthepressureoftheheavylayersofwaterwhichrolledoverhiminthedepthsoftheoceanwhereheusuallyfed.Ithasbysomeauthorstrulybeencalledthewhaleofthesaurianrace,foritisasbigandquickinitsmotionsasourkingoftheseas.Thisonemeasuresnotlessthanahundredfeetinlength,andIcanformsomeideaofhisgirthwhenIseehimlifthisprodigioustailoutof thewaters. His jaw is of awful size and strength, and according to the best-informed naturalists, it does not contain less than a hundred and eighty-twoteeth.

TheotherwasthemightyPlesiosaurus,aserpentwithacylindricaltrunk,withashortstumpytail,withfinslikeabankofoarsinaRomangalley.

Itswholebodycoveredbyacarapaceorshell,anditsneck,asflexibleasthatofaswan,rosemorethanthirtyfeetabovethewaves,atowerofanimatedflesh!

These animals attacked one another with inconceivable fury. Such acombat was never seen before bymortal eyes, and to us who did see it, itappearedmorelikethephantasmagoriccreationofadreamthananythingelse.Theyraisedmountainsofwater,whichdashedinsprayovertheraft,alreadytossedtoandfrobythewaves.Twentytimesweseemedonthepointofbeingupsetandhurledheadlong into thewaves.Hideoushissesappeared toshakethegloomygraniteroofofthatmightycavern—hisseswhichcarriedterrortoourhearts.Theawfulcombatantsheldeachotherinatightembrace.Icouldnotmakeoutonefromtheother.Still thecombatcouldnotlastforever;andwoeuntous,whichsoeverbecamethevictor.

Onehour,twohours,threehourspassedaway,withoutanydecisiveresult.The struggle continuedwith the same deadly tenacity, butwithout apparent

result.Thedeadlyopponentsnowapproached,nowdrewawayfromtheraft.Onceortwicewefanciedtheywereabouttoleaveusaltogether,butinsteadofthat,theycamenearerandnearer.

Wecrouchedontheraftreadytofireatthematamoment'snotice,poorastheprospectofhurtingorterrifyingthemwas.Stillweweredeterminednottoperishwithoutastruggle.

Suddenly theIchthyosaurusand thePlesiosaurusdisappearedbeneath thewaves, leaving behind them a maelstrom in the midst of the sea.We werenearlydrawndownbytheindraftofthewater!

Several minutes elapsed before anything was again seen. Was thiswonderfulcombat toendinthedepthsof theocean?Wasthelastactof thisterribledramatotakeplacewithoutspectators?

Itwasimpossibleforustosay.

Suddenly,atnogreatdistancefromus,anenormousmassrisesoutofthewaters—the head of the great Plesiosaurus. The terrible monster is nowwounded unto death. I can see nothing now of his enormous body.All thatcouldbedistinguishedwashisserpent-likeneck,whichhetwistedandcurledinalltheagoniesofdeath.Nowhestruckthewaterswithitasifithadbeenagiganticwhip,andthenagainwriggledlikeawormcutintwo.Thewaterwasspurteduptoagreatdistanceinalldirections.Agreatportionofitsweptoverourraftandnearlyblindedus.Butsoontheendofthebeastapproachednearerandnearer; hismovements slackenedvisibly; his contortions almost ceased;andatlastthebodyofthemightysnakelayaninert,deadmassonthesurfaceofthenowcalmandplacidwaters.

AsfortheIchthyosaurus,hashegonedowntohismightycavernundertheseatorest,orwillhereappeartodestroyus?

Thisquestionremainedunanswered.Andwehadbreathingtime.

CHAPTER31

THESEAMONSTER

Wednesday, August 19th. Fortunately the wind, which for the presentblows with some violence, has allowed us to escape from the scene of theunparalleled and extraordinary struggle. Hans with his usual imperturbablecalm remained at the helm. My uncle, who for a short time had beenwithdrawnfromhisabsorbingreveriesbythenovelincidentsofthisseafight,fellbackagainapparentlyintoabrownstudy.Hiseyeswerefixedimpatiently

onthewidespreadocean.

Ourvoyagenowbecamemonotonousanduniform.Dullasithasbecome,I have no desire to have it broken by any repetition of the perils andadventuresofyesterday.

Thursday, August 20th. The wind is now N. N. E., and blows veryirregularly.Ithaschangedtofitfulgusts.Thetemperatureisexceedinglyhigh.Wearenowprogressingattheaveragerateofabouttenmilesandahalfperhour.

About twelve o'clock a distant sound as of thunder fell upon our ears. Imakeanoteofthefactwithoutevenventuringasuggestionastoitscause.Itwasonecontinuedroarasofaseafallingovermightyrocks.

"Far off in the distance," said theProfessor dogmatically, "there is somerock or some island against which the sea lashed to fury by the wind, isbreakingviolently."

Hans,withoutsayingaword,clamberedtothetopofthemast,butcouldmake out nothing. The oceanwas level in every direction as far as the eyecouldreach.

Three hours passed away without any sign to indicate what might bebeforeus.Thesoundbegantoassumethatofamightycataract.

I expressed my opinion on this point strongly to my uncle. He merelyshookhishead.I,however,amstronglyimpressedbyaconvictionthatIamnotwrong.Areweadvancingtowardssomemightywaterfallwhichshallcastus into the abyss? Probably thismode of descending into the abyssmay beagreeable to the Professor, because it would be something like the verticaldescentheissoeagertomake.Ientertainaverydifferentopinion.

Whateverbethetruth,itiscertainthatnotmanyleaguesdistanttheremustbesomeveryextraordinaryphenomenon,forasweadvancetheroarbecomessomethingmightyandstupendous.Isitinthewater,orintheair?

Icasthastyglancesaloftatthesuspendedvapors,andIseektopenetratetheirmighty depths. But the vault above is tranquil. The clouds, which arenow elevated to the very summit, appear utterly still and motionless, andcompletelylostintheirradiationofelectriclight.Itisnecessary,therefore,toseekforthecauseofthisphenomenonelsewhere.

Iexaminethehorizon,nowperfectlycalm,pure,andfreefromallhaze.Itsaspect still remains unchanged. But if this awful noise proceeds from acataract—if, so to speak in plain English, this vast interior ocean isprecipitatedintoalowerbasin—ifthesetremendousroarsareproducedbythenoise of falling waters, the current would increase in activity, and its

increasingswiftnesswouldgivemesomeideaoftheextentoftheperilwithwhichwearemenaced.Iconsultthecurrent.Itsimplydoesnotexist:thereisno such thing. An empty bottle cast into the water lies to leeward withoutmotion.

Aboutfouro'clockHansrises,clambersupthemast,andreachesthetruckitself.Fromthiselevatedpositionhislooksarecastaround.Theytakeinavastcircumferenceoftheocean.Atlast,hiseyesremainfixed.Hisfaceexpressesnoastonishment,buthiseyesslightlydilate.

"Hehasseensomethingatlast,"criedmyuncle.

"Ithinkso,"Ireplied.

Hanscamedown,stoodbesideus,andpointedwithhisrighthandto thesouth.

"Dernere,"hesaid.

"There,"repliedmyuncle.

Andseizinghis telescope,he lookedat itwithgreatattentionforaboutaminute,whichtomeappearedanage.Iknewnotwhattothinkorexpect.

"Yes,yes,"hecriedinatoneofconsiderablesurprise,"thereitis."

"What?"Iasked.

"Atremendousspurtofwaterrisingoutofthewaves."

"Someothermarinemonster,"Icried,alreadyalarmed.

"Perhaps."

"Then let us steermore to thewestward, forwe knowwhatwe have toexpectfromantediluviananimals,"wasmyeagerreply.

"Goahead,"saidmyuncle.

I turned towards Hans. Hans was at the tiller steering with his usualimperturbablecalm.

Nevertheless,iffromthedistancewhichseparatedusfromthiscreature,adistancewhichmustbeestimatedatnotlessthanadozenleagues,onecouldseethecolumnofwaterspurtingfromtheblow-holeofthegreatanimal,hisdimensionsmustbesomethingpreternatural.Toflyis,therefore,thecoursetobesuggestedbyordinaryprudence.Butwehavenotcomeintothatpartoftheworldtobeprudent.Suchismyuncle'sdetermination.

We,accordingly,continuedtoadvance.Thenearerwecome,theloftieristhespoutingwater.Whatmonstercanfillhimselfwithsuchhugevolumesofwater,andthenunceasinglyspoutthemoutinsuchloftyjets?

Ateighto'clockintheevening,reckoningasaboveground,wherethereisdayandnight,wearenotmore than two leagues from themightybeast. Itslong,black,enormous,mountainousbody,liesonthetopofthewaterlikeanisland. But then sailors have been said to have gone ashore on sleepingwhales,mistakingthemforland.Isitillusion,orisitfear?Itslengthcannotbelessthanathousandfathoms.What,then,isthiscetaceousmonsterofwhichnoCuviereverthought?

Itisquitemotionlessandpresentstheappearanceofsleep.Theseaseemsunabletolifthimupwards;itisratherthewaveswhichbreakonhishugeandgiganticframe.Thewaterspout,risingtoaheightoffivehundredfeet,breaksinspraywithadull,sullenroar.

Weadvance,likesenselesslunatics,towardsthismightymass.

IhonestlyconfessthatIwasabjectlyafraid.IdeclaredthatIwouldgonofarther. I threatened inmy terror to cut the sheet of the sail. I attacked theProfessorwithconsiderableacrimony,callinghimfoolhardy,mad,Iknownotwhat.Hemadenoanswer.

Suddenly the imperturbable Hans once more pointed his finger to themenacingobject:

"Holme!"

"Anisland!"criedmyuncle.

"An island?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders at this poor attempt atdeception.

"Ofcourseitis,"criedmyuncle,burstingintoaloudandjoyouslaugh.

"Butthewaterspout?"

"Geyser,"saidHans.

"Yes,ofcourse—ageyser,"repliedmyuncle,stilllaughing,"ageyserlikethosecommoninIceland.Jetslikethisarethegreatwondersofthecountry."

AtfirstIwouldnotallowthatIhadbeensogrosslydeceived.Whatcouldbemoreridiculousthantohavetakenanislandforamarinemonster?Butkickasonemay, onemust yield to evidence, and Iwas finally convincedofmyerror.Itwasnothing,afterall,butanaturalphenomenon.

Asweapproachednearerandnearer,thedimensionsoftheliquidsheafofwaters became truly grand and stupendous. The island had, at a distance,presentedtheappearanceofanenormouswhale,whoseheadrosehighabovethe waters. The geyser, a word the Icelanders pronounce geysir, and whichsignifies fury, rosemajestically from its summit.Dull detonations are heardeverynowandthen,andtheenormousjet,takenasitwerewithsuddenfury,

shakes itsplumeofvapor,andbounds into thefirst layerof theclouds. It isalone. Neither spurts of vapor nor hot springs surround it, and the wholevolcanicpowerofthatregionisconcentratedinonesublimecolumn.Theraysofelectric lightmixwith thisdazzlingsheaf,everydropas it fallsassumingtheprismaticcolorsoftherainbow.

"Letusgoonshore,"saidtheProfessor,aftersomeminutesofsilence.

It is necessary, however, to take great precaution, in order to avoid theweightoffallingwaters,whichwouldcausetherafttofounderinaninstant.Hans,however, steersadmirably, andbringsus to theotherextremityof theisland.

Iwasthefirsttoleapontherock.Myunclefollowed,whiletheeider-duckhunterremainedstill,likeamanaboveanychildishsourcesofastonishment.We were now walking on granite mixed with siliceous sandstone; the soilshiveredunderourfeetlikethesidesofboilersinwhichover-heatedsteamisforcibly confined. It is burning.We soon came in sight of the little centralbasin from which rose the geyser. I plunged a thermometer into the waterwhich ran bubbling from the centre, and itmarked a heat of a hundred andsixty-threedegrees!

Thiswater, therefore,camefromsomeplacewhere theheatwas intense.ThiswassingularlyincontradictionwiththetheoriesofProfessorHardwigg.Icouldnothelptellinghimmyopiniononthesubject.

"Well,"saidhesharply,"andwhatdoesthisproveagainstmydoctrine?"

"Nothing," replied I dryly, seeing that I was runningmy head against aforegoneconclusion.

Nevertheless,Iamcompelledtoconfessthatuntilnowwehavebeenmostremarkably fortunate, and that this voyage is being accomplished in mostfavorable conditions of temperature; but it appears evident, in fact, certain,thatweshall sooneror laterarriveatoneof those regionswhere thecentralheat will reach its utmost limits, and will go far beyond all the possiblegradationsofthermometers.

Visions of theHades of the ancients, believed to be in the centre of theearth,floatedthroughmyimagination.

Weshall,however,seewhatweshallsee.That is theProfessor'sfavoritephrasenow.Havingchristenedthevolcanicislandbythenameofhisnephew,theleaderoftheexpeditionturnedawayandgavethesignalforembarkation.

I stood still, however, for some minutes, gazing upon the magnificentgeyser.Isoonwasabletoperceivethattheupwardtendencyofthewaterwasirregular;nowitdiminished in intensity,and then,suddenly, it regainednew

vigor,which I attributed to the variation of the pressure of the accumulatedvaporsinitsreservoir.

At lastwe took our departure, going carefully round the projecting, andratherdangerous,rocksofthesouthernside.Hanshadtakenadvantageofthisbriefhalttorepairtheraft.

Beforewetookourfinaldeparturefromtheisland,however,Imadesomeobservationstocalculatethedistancewehadgoneover,andIputthemdowninmyjournal.SinceweleftPortGretchen,wehadtraveledtwohundredandseventyleagues—morethaneighthundredmiles—onthisgreatinlandsea;wewere, therefore, six hundred and twenty leagues from Iceland, and exactlyunderEngland.

CHAPTER32

THEBATTLEOFTHEELEMENTS

Friday, August 21st. This morning the magnificent geyser had whollydisappeared. The wind had freshened up, and we were fast leaving theneighborhoodofHenry'sIsland.Eventheroaringsoundofthemightycolumnwaslosttotheear.

Theweather,if,underthecircumstances,wemayusesuchanexpression,is about tochangevery suddenly.Theatmosphere isbeinggradually loadedwith vapors, which carry with them the electricity formed by the constantevaporation of the saline waters; the clouds are slowly but sensibly fallingtowards the sea, andare assumingadark-olive texture; theelectric rays canscarcelypiercethroughtheopaquecurtainwhichhasfallenlikeadropscenebeforethiswondroustheater,onthestageofwhichanotherandterribledramaissoontobeenacted.Thistimeitisnofightofanimals;itisthefearfulbattleoftheelements.

IfeelthatIamverypeculiarlyinfluenced,asallcreaturesareonlandwhenadelugeisabouttotakeplace.

Thecumuli,aperfectlyovalkindofcloud,pileduponthesouth,presentedamostawfulandsinisterappearance,withthepitilessaspectoftenseenbeforeastorm.Theairisextremelyheavy;theseaiscomparativelycalm.

Inthedistance,thecloudshaveassumedtheappearanceofenormousballsofcotton,orratherpods,piledoneabovetheotherinpicturesqueconfusion.Bydegrees,theyappeartoswellout,break,andgaininnumberwhattheyloseingrandeur;theirheavinessissogreatthattheyareunabletoliftthemselves

fromthehorizon;butundertheinfluenceoftheuppercurrentsofair,theyaregraduallybrokenup,becomemuchdarker,andthenpresenttheappearanceofonesinglelayerofaformidablecharacter;nowandthenalightercloud,stilllit up fromabove, reboundsupon thisgreycarpet, and is lost in theopaquemass.

Therecanbenodoubtthattheentireatmosphereissaturatedwithelectricfluid; I ammyselfwholly impregnated;myhairs literally standonendas ifundertheinfluenceofagalvanicbattery.Ifoneofmycompanionsventuredtotouchme,Ithinkhewouldreceiveratheraviolentandunpleasantshock.

Aboutteno'clockinthemorning,thesymptomsofthestormbecamemorethoroughanddecisive;thewindappearedtosoftendownasiftotakebreathforarenewedattack;thevastfunerealpallaboveuslookedlikeahugebag—like thecaveofAEolus, inwhich thestormwascollecting its forces for theattack.

ItriedallIcouldnottobelieveinthemenacingsignsofthesky,andyetIcouldnotavoidsaying,asitwereinvoluntarily:

"Ibelievewearegoingtohavebadweather."

TheProfessormademeno answer.Hewas in a horrible, in a detestablehumor—toseetheoceanstretchinginterminablybeforehiseyes.Onhearingmywordshesimplyshruggedhisshoulders.

"Weshallhaveatremendousstorm,"Isaidagain,pointingtothehorizon."Thesecloudsarefallinglowerandloweruponthesea,asiftocrushit."

Agreatsilenceprevailed.Thewindwhollyceased.Natureassumedadeadcalm,andceased tobreathe.Upon themast,where Inoticeda sortof slightignisfatuus,thesailhangsinlooseheavyfolds.Theraftismotionlessinthemidstofadarkheavysea—withoutundulation,withoutmotion.Itisasstillasglass.Butaswearemakingnoprogress,whatistheuseofkeepingupthesail,whichmaybethecauseofourperditionifthetempestshouldsuddenlystrikeuswithoutwarning.

"Letuslowerthesail,"Isaid,"itisonlyanactofcommonprudence."

"No—no,"criedmyuncle, inanexasperated tone, "ahundred times,no.Letthewindstrikeusanddoitsworst,letthestormsweepusawaywhereitwill—onlyletmeseetheglimmerofsomecoast—ofsomerockycliffs,evenif theydashourraft intoa thousandpieces.No!keepupthesail—nomatterwhathappens."

Thesewordswerescarcelyutteredwhenthesouthernhorizonunderwentasuddenandviolentchange.The longaccumulatedvaporswereresolved intowater, and the air required to fill up the void produced became awild and

ragingtempest.

Itcamefromthemostdistantcornersofthemightycavern.Itragedfromevery point of the compass. It roared; it yelled; it shrieked with glee as ofdemonsletloose.Thedarknessincreasedandbecameindeeddarknessvisible.

The raft rose and fell with the storm, and bounded over thewaves.Myunclewascastheadlonguponthedeck.Iwithgreatdifficultydraggedmyselftowardshim.Hewasholdingonwithmightandmain to theendofacable,and appeared to gaze with pleasure and delight at the spectacle of theunchainedelements.

Hansnevermovedamuscle.Hislonghairdrivenhitherandthitherbythetempest and scattered wildly over his motionless face, gave him a mostextraordinary appearance—for every single hair was illuminated by littlesparklingsprigs.

Hiscountenancepresentstheextraordinaryappearanceofanantediluvianman,atruecontemporaryoftheMegatherium.

Still themastholdsgoodagainst thestorm.Thesailspreadsoutandfillslikeasoapbubbleabout toburst.Theraft rushesonatapace impossible toestimate,butstilllessswiftlythanthebodyofwaterdisplacedbeneathit,therapidityofwhichmaybeseenbythelineswhichflyrightandleftinthewake.

"The sail, the sail!" I cried, making a trumpet of my hands, and thenendeavoringtolowerit.

"Letitalone!"saidmyuncle,moreexasperatedthanever.

"Nej,"saidHans,gentlyshakinghishead.

Nevertheless, the rain formed a roaring cataract before this horizon ofwhichwewereinsearch,andtowhichwewererushinglikemadmen.

Butbefore thiswildernessofwatersreachedus, themightyveilofcloudwastornintwain;theseabegantofoamwildly;andtheelectricity,producedbysomevastandextraordinarychemicalactionintheupperlayerofcloud,isbroughtintoplay.Tothefearfulclapsofthunderareaddeddazzlingflashesoflightning, such as I hadnever seen.The flashes crossedone another, hurledfrom every side;while the thunder came pealing like an echo.Themass ofvapor becomes incandescent; the hailstones which strike the metal of ourbootsandourweaponsareactuallyluminous;thewavesastheyriseappeartobe fire-eating monsters, beneath which seethes an intense fire, their crestssurmountedbycombsofflame.

My eyes are dazzled, blinded by the intensity of light, my ears aredeafenedbytheawfulroarof theelements.Iamcompelledtoholdontothemast,whichbendslikeareedbeneaththeviolenceofthestorm,towhichnone

everbeforeseenbymarinersboreanyresemblance.

Heremytravelingnotesbecomeveryincomplete,looseandvague.Ihaveonlybeenabletomakeoutoneortwofugitiveobservations,jotteddowninameremechanicalway.But even theirbrevity, even theirobscurity, show theemotionswhichovercameme.

Sunday, August 23rd. Where have we got to? In what region are wewandering?Wearestillcarriedforwardwithinconceivablerapidity.

The night has been fearful, something not to be described. The stormshowsnosignsofcessation.Weexistinthemidstofanuproarwhichhasnoname.Thedetonationsasofartilleryareincessant.Ourearsliterallybleed.Weareunabletoexchangeaword,orheareachotherspeak.

The lightning never ceases to flash for a single instant. I can see thezigzags after a rapid dart strike the arched roof of thismightiest ofmightyvaults. If itwere togivewayandfalluponus!Other lightningsplungetheirforked streaks in everydirection, and take the formofglobesof fire,whichexplode likebombshellsoverabeleagueredcity.Thegeneralcrashand roardonotapparentlyincrease;ithasalreadygonefarbeyondwhathumanearcanappreciate.Ifallthepowdermagazinesintheworldweretoexplodetogether,itwouldbeimpossibleforustohearworsenoise.

There is a constant emission of light from the storm clouds; the electricmatter is incessantly released; evidently thegaseousprinciplesof theair areoutoforder;innumerablecolumnsofwaterrushuplikewaterspouts,andfallbackuponthesurfaceoftheoceaninfoam.

Whither are we going? My uncle still lies at full length upon the raft,withoutspeaking—withouttakinganynoteoftime.

Theheatincreases.Ilookatthethermometer,tomysurpriseitindicates—Theexactfigureishererubbedoutinmymanuscript.

Monday,August24th.Thisterriblestormwillneverend.Whyshouldnotthisstateoftheatmosphere,sodenseandmurky,oncemodified,againremaindefinitive?

Weareutterlybrokenandharassedbyfatigue.Hansremainsjustasusual.The raft runs to the southeast invariably. We have now already run twohundredleaguesfromthenewlydiscoveredisland.

About twelveo'clock the stormbecameworse thanever.Weareobligednowtofasteneverybitofcargotightlyonthedeckoftheraft,oreverythingwould be swept away. We make ourselves fast, too, each man lashing theother. Thewaves drive over us, so that several timeswe are actually underwater.

We had been under the painful necessity of abstaining from speech forthreedaysandthreenights.Weopenedourmouths,wemovedourlips,butnosoundcame.Evenwhenweplacedourmouthstoeachother'searsitwasthesame.

Thewindcarriedthevoiceaway.

Myuncleoncecontrivedtogethisheadclosetomineafterseveralalmostvainendeavors.Heappearedtomynearlyexhaustedsensestoarticulatesomeword. Ihadanotion,more from intuition thananythingelse, thathesaid tome,"Wearelost."

I took out my notebook, from which under the most desperatecircumstancesIneverparted,andwroteafewwordsaslegiblyasIcould:

"Takeinsail."

Withadeepsighhenoddedhisheadandacquiesced.

Hisheadhadscarcelytimetofallbackinthepositionfromwhichhehadmomentarilyraiseditthanadiskorballoffireappearedontheveryedgeoftheraft—ourdevoted,ourdoomedcraft.Themastandsailarecarriedawaybodily,andIseethemsweptawaytoaprodigiousheightlikeakite.

Wewerefrozen,actuallyshiveredwithterror.Theballoffire,halfwhite,half azure-colored, about the size of a ten-inch bombshell, moved along,turning with prodigious rapidity to leeward of the storm. It ran about here,there, and everywhere, it clambered up one of the bulwarks of the raft, itleapeduponthesackofprovisions,andthenfinallydescendedlightly,felllikeafootballandlandedonourpowderbarrel.

Horriblesituation.Anexplosionofcoursewasnowinevitable.

Byheaven'smercy,itwasnotso.

Thedazzlingdiskmovedononeside,itapproachedHans,wholookedatitwith singular fixity; then it approached my uncle, who cast himself on hisknees toavoid it; itcame towardsme,as I stoodpaleandshuddering in thedazzling light and heat; it pirouetted roundmy feet, which I endeavored towithdraw.

Anodorofnitrousgasfilledthewholeair;itpenetratedtothethroat,tothelungs.Ifeltreadytochoke.

WhyisitthatIcannotwithdrawmyfeet?Aretheyrivetedtotheflooringoftheraft?

No.

The fall of the electric globe has turned all the iron on board into

loadstones—the instruments, the tools, the arms are clanging together withawful and horrible noise; the nails ofmy heavy boots adhere closely to theplateofironincrustatedinthewood.Icannotwithdrawmyfoot.

Itistheoldstoryagainofthemountainofadamant.

Atlast,byaviolentandalmostsuperhumaneffort,Itearitawayjustastheballwhichisstillexecutingitsgyratorymotionsisabouttorunrounditanddragmewithit—if—

Oh, what intense stupendous light! The globe of fire bursts—we areenveloped in cascades of living fire, which flood the space around withluminousmatter.

Thenallwentoutanddarknessoncemore fellupon thedeep! Ihad justtime toseemyuncleoncemorecastapparentlysenselesson the flooringoftheraft,Hansatthehelm,"spittingfire"undertheinfluenceoftheelectricitywhichseemedtohavegonethroughhim.

Whitherarewegoing,Iask?andechoanswers,Whither?

Tuesday, August 25th. I have just come out of a long fainting fit. Theawful and hideous storm still continues; the lightning has increased invividness,andpoursoutitsfierywrathlikeabroodofserpentsletlooseintheatmosphere.

Are we still upon the sea? Yes, and being carried alongwith incrediblevelocity.

WehavepassedunderEngland,undertheChannel,underFrance,probablyunderthewholeextentofEurope.

Anotherawfulclamorinthedistance.Thistimeitiscertainthattheseaisbreakingupontherocksatnogreatdistance.Then—

CHAPTER33

OURROUTEREVERSED

HereendswhatIcall"MyJournal"ofourvoyageonboardtheraft,whichjournalwashappilysavedfromthewreck.IproceedwithmynarrativeasIdidbeforeIcommencedmydailynotes.

Whathappenedwhentheterribleshocktookplace,whentheraftwascastupontherockyshore,itwouldbeimpossibleformenowtosay.Ifeltmyselfprecipitatedviolently into theboilingwaves,and if Iescaped fromacertain

andcrueldeath,itwaswhollyowingtothedeterminationofthefaithfulHans,who,clutchingmebythearm,savedmefromtheyawningabyss.

ThecourageousIcelanderthencarriedmeinhispowerfularms,faroutofthe reachof thewaves, and laidmedownupon a burning expanse of sand,whereIfoundmyselfsometimeafterwardsinthecompanyofmyuncle,theProfessor.

Thenhequietlyreturnedtowardsthefatalrocks,againstwhichthefuriouswaveswerebeating,inordertosaveanystraywaifsfromthewreck.Thismanwas always practical and thoughtful. I could not utter a word; I was quiteovercomewithemotion;mywholebodywasbrokenandbruisedwithfatigue;ittookhoursbeforeIwasanythinglikemyself.

Meanwhile,therefellafearfuldelugeofrain,drenchingustotheskin.Itsveryviolence,however,proclaimed theapproachingendof thestorm.Someoverhangingrocksaffordedusaslightprotectionfromthetorrents.

Under this shelter, Hans prepared some food, which, however, I wasunable to touch; and, exhausted by the three weary days and nights ofwatching,wefellintoadeepandpainfulsleep.Mydreamswerefearful,butatlastexhaustednatureassertedhersupremacy,andIslumbered.

Next day when I awoke the change was magical. The weather wasmagnificent.Airandsea,asifbymutualconsent,hadregainedtheirserenity.Everytraceofthestorm,eventhefaintest,haddisappeared.Iwassalutedonmy awakening by the first joyous tones I had heard from the Professor formanyaday.Hisgaiety,indeed,wassomethingterrible.

"Well, my lad," he cried, rubbing his hands together, "have you sleptsoundly?"

Might it not have been supposed that we were in the old house on theKonigstrasse;thatIhadjustcomedownquietlytomybreakfast;andthatmymarriagewithGretchenwastotakeplacethatveryday?Myuncle'scoolnesswasexasperating.

Alas,consideringhowthe tempesthaddrivenus inaneasterlydirection,wehadpassedunderthewholeofGermany,underthecityofHamburgwhereI had been so happy, under the very street which contained all I loved andcaredforintheworld.

Itwasapositivefact that Iwasonlyseparatedfromherbyadistanceoffortyleagues.Butthesefortyleagueswereofhard,impenetrablegranite!

Allthesedrearyandmiserablereflectionspassedthroughmymind,beforeIattemptedtoanswermyuncle'squestion.

"Why,what is thematter?" he cried. "Cannot you saywhether youhave

sleptwellornot?"

"Ihavesleptverywell,"wasmyreply,"buteveryboneinmybodyaches.Isupposethatwillleadtonothing."

"Nothingatall,myboy.Itisonlytheresultofthefatigueofthelastfewdays—thatisall."

"You appear—if I may be allowed to say so—to be very jolly thismorning,"Isaid.

"Delighted,mydearboy,delighted.Wasneverhappierinmylife.Wehaveatlastreachedthewished-forport."

"Theendofourexpedition?"criedI,inatoneofconsiderablesurprise.

"No;buttotheconfinesofthatseawhichIbegantofearwouldneverend,butgoroundthewholeworld.Wewillnowtranquillyresumeourjourneybyland,andonceagainendeavortodiveintothecentreoftheearth."

"Mydearuncle,"Ibegan,inahesitatingkindofway,"allowmetoaskyouonequestion."

"Certainly,Harry;adozenifyouthinkproper."

"Onewillsuffice.Howaboutgettingback?"Iasked.

"How about getting back?What a question to ask.We have not as yetreachedtheendofourjourney."

"Iknowthat.AllIwanttoknowishowyouproposeweshallmanagethereturnvoyage?"

"In the most simple manner in the world," said the imperturbableProfessor."Oncewereachtheexactcentreofthissphere,eitherweshallfindanewroadbywhichtoascendtothesurface,orweshallsimplyturnroundandgobackbythewaywecame.Ihaveeveryreasontobelievethatwhilewearetravelingforward,itwillnotclosebehindus."

"Thenoneofthefirstmatterstoseetowillbetorepairtheraft,"wasmyrathermelancholyresponse.

"Of course. We must attend to that above all things," continued theProfessor.

"Thencomestheall-importantquestionofprovisions,"Iurged."Haveweanythinglikeenoughlefttoenableustoaccomplishsuchgreat,suchamazing,designsasyoucontemplatecarryingout?"

"Ihaveseenintothematter,andmyanswerisintheaffirmative.Hansisaverycleverfellow,andIhavereasontobelievethathehassavedthegreater

part of the cargo. But the best way to satisfy your scruples is to come andjudgeforyourself."

Sayingwhich,heledthewayoutofthekindofopengrottoinwhichwehadtakenshelter.IhadalmostbeguntohopethatwhichIshouldratherhavefeared, and thiswas the impossibility of such a shipwreck leaving even theslightest signs ofwhat it had carried as freight. Iwas, however, thoroughlymistaken.

AssoonasIreachedtheshoresofthisinlandsea,IfoundHansstandinggravelyinthemidstofalargenumberofthingslaidoutincompleteorder.Myunclewrunghishandswithdeepandsilentgratitude.Hisheartwastoofullforspeech.

Thisman,whosesuperhumandevotiontohisemployersInotonlyneversawsurpassed,norevenequaled,hadbeenhardatworkallthetimeweslept,andattheriskofhislifehadsucceededinsavingthemostpreciousarticlesofourcargo.

Of course, under the circumstances, we necessarily experienced severalsevere losses.Ourweaponshadwhollyvanished.Butexperiencehad taughtus to do without them. The provision of powder had, however, remainedintact,afterhavingnarrowlyescapedblowingusalltoatomsinthestorm.

"Well," said the Professor, who was now ready to make the best ofeverything, "aswehavenoguns, allwehave todo is togiveupall ideaofhunting."

"Yes, my dear sir, we can do without them, but what about all ourinstruments?"

"Hereisthemanometer,themostusefulofall,andwhichIgladlyacceptinlieuof therest.With italoneIcancalculate thedepthasweproceed;by itsmeansaloneIshallbeabletodecidewhenwehavereachedthecentreoftheearth.Ha,ha!butforthislittleinstrumentwemightmakeamistake,andruntheriskofcomingoutattheantipodes!"

Allthiswassaidamidburstsofunnaturallaughter.

"Butthecompass,"Icried,"withoutthatwhatcanwedo?"

"Hereit is,safeandsound!"hecried,withreal joy,"ah,ah,andherewehave the chronometer and the thermometers. Hans the hunter is indeed aninvaluableman!"

It was impossible to deny this fact. As far as the nautical and otherinstruments were concerned, nothing was wanting. Then on furtherexamination, I found ladders, cords, pickaxes, crowbars, and shovels, allscatteredaboutontheshore.

Therewas, however, finally themost important question of all, and thatwas,provisions.

"Butwhatarewetodoforfood?"Iasked.

"Letusseetothecommissariatdepartment",repliedmyunclegravely.

Theboxeswhichcontainedoursupplyoffoodforthevoyagewereplacedinarowalongthestrand,andwereinacapitalstateofpreservation;theseahad in every case respected their contents, and to sum up in one sentence,taking into consideration, biscuits, salt meat, Schiedam and dried fish, wecould still calculate on having about four months' supply, if used withprudenceandcaution.

"Fourmonths,"criedthesanguineProfessor inhighglee."Thenweshallhaveplentyoftimebothtogoandtocome,andwithwhatremainsIundertaketogiveagranddinnertomycolleaguesoftheJohanneum."

Isighed.Ishouldbythistimehavebecomeusedtothetemperamentofmyuncle,andyetthismanastonishedmemoreandmoreeveryday.HewasthegreatesthumanenigmaIeverhadknown.

"Now,"he, "beforewedoanythingelse,wemust lay ina stockof freshwater.Therainhasfalleninabundance,andfilledthehollowsofthegranite.Thereisarichsupplyofwater,andwehavenofearofsufferingfromthirst,which inour circumstances isof the last importance.As for the raft, I shallrecommendHans torepair it to thebestofhisabilities; thoughIhaveeveryreasontobelieveweshallnotrequireitagain."

"How is that?" I cried, more amazed than ever at my uncle's style ofreasoning.

"Ihaveanidea,mydearboy;itisnoneotherthanthissimplefact;weshallnotcomeoutbythesameopeningasthatbywhichweentered."

Ibegantolookatmyunclewithvaguesuspicion.Anideahadmorethanoncetakenpossessionofme;andthiswas, thathewasgoingmad.Andyet,littledidIthinkhowtrueandprophetichiswordsweredoomedtobe.

"And now," he said, "having seen to all these matters of detail, tobreakfast."

I followed him to a sort of projecting cape, after he had given his lastinstructionstoourguide.Inthisoriginalposition,withdriedmeat,biscuit,anda delicious cup of tea,wemade a satisfactorymeal—Imay say one of themost welcome and pleasant I ever remember. Exhaustion, the keenatmosphere, thestateofcalmaftersomuchagitation,allcontributed togiveme an excellent appetite. Indeed, it contributed very much to producing apleasantandcheerfulstateofmind.

Whilebreakfastwasinhand,andbetweenthesipsofwarmtea,Iaskedmyuncleifhehadanyideaofhowwenowstoodinrelationtotheworldabove.

"Formypart,"Iadded,"Ithinkitwillberatherdifficulttodetermine."

"Well,ifwewerecompelledtofixtheexactspot,"saidmyuncle,"itmightbedifficult,sinceduringthethreedaysofthatawfultempestIcouldkeepnoaccounteitherof thequicknessofourpace,orof thedirection inwhich theraftwasgoing.Still,wewill endeavor toapproximate to the truth.Weshallnot,Ibelieve,besoveryfarout."

"Well, if I recollect rightly," I replied, "our lastobservationwasmadeatthegeyserisland."

"Harry's Island, my boy! Harry's Island. Do not decline the honor ofhaving named it; given your name to an island discovered by us, the firsthumanbeingswhotroditsincethecreationoftheworld!"

"Let it be so, then. At Harry's Island we had already gone over twohundredandseventyleaguesofsea,andwewere,Ibelieve,aboutsixhundredleagues,moreorless,fromIceland."

"Good.Iamgladtoseethatyouremembersowell.Letusstartfromthatpoint,andletuscountfourdaysofstorm,duringwhichourrateoftravelingmusthavebeenverygreat.Ishouldsaythatourvelocitymusthavebeenabouteightyleaguestothetwenty-fourhours."

I agreed that I thought this a fair calculation. There were then threehundredleaguestobeaddedtothegrandtotal.

"Yes, and theCentralSeamust extendat least sixhundred leagues fromsidetoside.Doyouknow,myboy,Harry,thatwehavediscoveredaninlandlakelargerthantheMediterranean?"

"Certainly,andweonlyknowofitsextentinoneway.Itmaybehundredsofmilesinlength."

"Verylikely."

"Then," said I, after calculating for some for some minutes, "if yourprevisions are right,weare at thismoment exactlyunder theMediterraneanitself."

"Doyouthinkso?"

"Yes, I amalmost certain of it.Arewenot nine hundred leagues distantfromReykjavik?"

"Thatisperfectlytrue,andafamousbitofroadwehavetraveled,myboy.ButwhyweshouldbeundertheMediterraneanmorethanunderTurkeyorthe

AtlanticOceancanonlybeknownwhenwearesureofnothavingdeviatedfromourcourse;andofthisweknownothing."

"Idonotthinkweweredrivenveryfarfromourcourse;thewindappearstometohavebeenalwaysaboutthesame.MyopinionisthatthisshoremustbesituatedtothesoutheastofPortGretchen."

"Good—Ihopeso.Itwill,however,beeasytodecidethematterbytakingthebearings fromourdeparturebymeansof thecompass.Comealong,andwewillconsultthatinvaluableinvention."

TheProfessornowwalkedeagerly in thedirectionof the rockwhere theindefatigableHanshadplacedtheinstrumentsinsafety.Myunclewasgayandlighthearted;herubbedhishands,andassumedallsortsofattitudes.Hewastoallappearanceoncemoreayoungman.SinceIhadknownhim,neverhadhebeensoamiableandpleasant.Ifollowedhim,rathercurioustoknowwhetherIhadmadeanymistakeinmyestimationofourposition.

Assoonaswehadreachedtherock,myuncletookthecompass,placedithorizontallybeforehim,andlookedkeenlyattheneedle.

Ashe had at first shaken it to give it vivacity, it oscillated considerably,andthenslowlyassumeditsrightpositionundertheinfluenceofthemagneticpower.

The Professor bent his eyes curiously over the wondrous instrument. Aviolentstartimmediatelyshowedtheextentofhisemotion.

Heclosedhiseyes,rubbedthem,andtookanotherandakeenersurvey.

Then he turned slowly round to me, stupefaction depicted on hiscountenance.

"Whatisthematter?"saidI,beginningtobealarmed.

He could not speak. He was too overwhelmed for words. He simplypointedtotheinstrument.

Iexamined iteagerlyaccording tohismutedirections,anda loudcryofsurpriseescapedmylips.Theneedleofthecompasspointedduenorth—inthedirectionweexpectedwasthesouth!

Itpointedtotheshoreinsteadoftothehighseas.

Ishookthecompass;Iexamineditwithacuriousandanxiouseye.Itwasin a state of perfection.No blemish in anyway explained the phenomenon.Whateverpositionweforcedtheneedleinto,itreturnedinvariablytothesameunexpectedpoint.

Itwasuselessattemptingtoconcealfromourselvesthefataltruth.

Therecouldbenodoubtaboutit,unwelcomeaswasthefact,thatduringthe tempest, there had been a sudden slant ofwind, ofwhichwe had beenunabletotakeanyaccount,andthustherafthadcarriedusbacktotheshoreswehadleft,apparentlyforever,somanydaysbefore!

CHAPTER34

AVOYAGEOFDISCOVERY

It would be altogether impossible for me to give any idea of the utterastonishment which overcame the Professor on making this extraordinarydiscovery.Amazement,incredulity,andragewereblendedinsuchawayastoalarmme.

During the whole course ofmy Life I had never seen aman at first sochapfallen;andthensofuriouslyindignant.

Theterriblefatiguesofourseavoyage,thefearfuldangerswehadpassedthrough,hadall,all,gonefornothing.Wehadtobeginthemalloveragain.

Insteadofprogressing,aswefondlyexpected,duringavoyageofsomanydays,wehadretreated.Everyhourofourexpeditionontherafthadbeensomuchlosttime!

Presently, however, the indomitable energy ofmy uncle overcame everyotherconsideration.

"So," he said, between his set teeth, "fatalitywill playme these terribletricks.Theelementsthemselvesconspiretooverwhelmmewithmortification.Air,fire,andwatercombinetheirunitedeffortstoopposemypassage.Well,they shall seewhat the earnestwill of a determinedman can do. Iwill notyield,Iwillnotretreatevenoneinch;andweshallseewhoshalltriumphinthisgreatcontest—manornature."

Standing upright on a rock, irritated andmenacing, ProfessorHardwigg,liketheferociousAjax,seemedtodefythefates.I,however,tookuponmyselftointerfere,andtoimposesomesortofcheckuponsuchinsensateenthusiasm.

"Listentome,Uncle,"Isaid,inafirmbuttemperatetoneofvoice,"theremust be some limit to ambition here below. It is utterly useless to struggleagainst theimpossible.Praylistentoreason.Weareutterlyunpreparedforasea voyage; it is simply madness to think of performing a journey of fivehundredleaguesuponawretchedpileofbeams,withacounterpaneforasail,a paltry stick for amast, and a tempest to contendwith. Aswe are totallyincapableofsteeringourfrailcraft,weshallbecomethemereplaythingofthe

storm,andit isactingthepartofmadmenifwe,asecondtime,runanyriskuponthisdangerousandtreacherousCentralSea."

TheseareonlyafewofthereasonsandargumentsIputtogether—reasonsandargumentswhich tomeappearedunanswerable. Iwasallowed togoonwithout interruption for about ten minutes. The explanation to this I soondiscovered.TheProfessorwasnotevenlistening,anddidnothearawordofallmyeloquence.

"Totheraft!"hecriedinahoarsevoice,whenIpausedforareply.

Suchwas the result ofmy strenuous effort to resist his ironwill. I triedagain;Ibeggedandimploredhim;Igotintoapassion;butIhadtodealwithawillmore determined thanmy own. I seemed to feel like thewaveswhichfought and battled against the huge mass of granite at our feet, which hadsmiledgrimlyforsomanyagesattheirpunyefforts.

Hans,meanwhile,withouttakingpartinourdiscussion,hadbeenrepairingtheraft.Onewouldhavesupposedthatheinstinctivelyguessedatthefurtherprojectsofmyuncle.

By means of some fragments of cordage, he had again made the raftseaworthy.

WhileIhadbeenspeaking,hehadhoistedanewmastandsail, thelatteralreadyflutteringandwavinginthebreeze.

TheworthyProfessorspokeafewwordstoourimperturbableguide,whoimmediately began to put our baggage on board and to prepare for ourdeparture.Theatmospherewasnowtolerablyclearandpure,andthenortheastwindblewsteadilyandserenely.Itappearedlikelytolastforsometime.

What, then, could I do?Could I undertake to resist the ironwill of twomen?ItwassimplyimpossibleifevenIcouldhavehopedforthesupportofHans. This, however, was out of the question. It appeared to me that theIcelander had set aside all personal will and identity. He was a picture ofabnegation.

I couldhope for nothing fromone so infatuatedwith anddevoted tohismaster.AllIcoulddo,therefore,wastoswimwiththestream.

In a mood of stolid and sullen resignation, I was about to take myaccustomed place on the raft when my uncle placed his hand upon myshoulder.

"Thereisnohurry,myboy,"hesaid,"weshallnotstartuntiltomorrow."

Ilookedthepictureofresignationtothedirewilloffate.

"Underthecircumstances,"hesaid,"Ioughttoneglectnoprecautions.As

fatehascastmeupontheseshores,Ishallnotleavewithouthavingcompletelyexaminedthem."

Inordertounderstandthisremark,Imustexplainthatthoughwehadbeendrivenbacktothenorthernshore,wehadlandedataverydifferentspotfromthatwhichhadbeenourstartingpoint.

Port Gretchen must, we calculated, be very much to the westward.Nothing, therefore, was more natural and reasonable than that we shouldreconnoiterthisnewshoreuponwhichwehadsounexpectedlylanded.

"Letusgoonajourneyofdiscovery,"Icried.

AndleavingHanstohisimportantoperation,westartedonourexpedition.Thedistancebetweentheforeshoreathighwaterandthefootoftherockswasconsiderable.Itwouldtakeabouthalfanhour'swalkingtogetfromonetotheother.

Aswe trudgedalong,our feetcrushed innumerableshellsofeveryshapeandsize—oncethedwellingplaceofanimalsofeveryperiodofcreation.

Iparticularlynoticedsomeenormousshells—carapaces(turtleandtortoisespecies)thediameterofwhichexceededfifteenfeet.

They had in past ages belonged to those gigantic Glyptodons of thePliocene period, of which the modern turtle is but a minute specimen. Inaddition,thewholesoilwascoveredbyavastquantityofstonyrelics,havingthe appearance of flints worn by the action of the waves, and lying insuccessive layers one above the other. I came to the conclusion that in pastages theseamusthavecovered thewholedistrict.Upon thescatteredrocks,now lying far beyond its reach, the mighty waves of ages had left evidentmarksoftheirpassage.

Onreflection,thisappearedtomepartiallytoexplaintheexistenceofthisremarkable ocean, forty leagues below the surface of the earth's crust.Accordingtomynew,andperhapsfanciful, theory, this liquidmassmustbegradually lost in the deep bowels of the earth. I had also no doubt that thismysterious sea was fed by infiltration of the ocean above, throughimperceptiblefissures.

Nevertheless, itwasimpossiblenottoadmitthat thesefissuresmustnowbe nearly choked up, for if not, the cavern, or rather the immense andstupendous reservoir,would have been completely filled in a short space oftime. Perhaps even this water, having to contend against the accumulatedsubterraneousfiresoftheinterioroftheearth,hadbecomepartiallyvaporized.Hence theexplanationof thoseheavycloudssuspendedoverourheads,andthe superabundant display of that electricity which occasioned such terrible

stormsinthisdeepandcavernoussea.

Thislucidexplanationofthephenomenawehadwitnessedappearedtomequitesatisfactory.Howevergreatandmightythemarvelsofnaturemayseemto us, they are always to be explained by physical reasons. Everything issubordinatetosomegreatlawofnature.

It nowappeared clear thatwewerewalking upon a kind of sedimentarysoil,formedlikeallthesoilsofthatperiod,sofrequentonthesurfaceoftheglobe, by the subsidence of thewaters. The Professor,whowas now in hiselement,carefullyexaminedeveryrockyfissure.Lethimonlyfindanopeninganditdirectlybecameimportanttohimtoexamineitsdepth.

For a whole mile we followed the windings of the Central Sea, whensuddenlyanimportantchangetookplaceintheaspectofthesoil.Itseemedtohavebeenrudelycastup,convulsionized,asitwere,byaviolentupheavingofthelowerstrata.Inmanyplaces,hollowshereandhillocksthereattestedgreatdislocationsatsomeotherperiodoftheterrestrialmass.

Weadvancedwithgreatdifficultyoverthebrokenmassesofgranitemixedwithflint,quartz,andalluvialdeposits,whenalargefield,moreeventhanafield,aplainofbones,appearedsuddenlybeforeoureyes! It looked likeanimmensecemetery,wheregenerationaftergenerationhadmingledtheirmortaldust.

Loftybarrowsofearlyremainsroseat intervals.Theyundulatedawaytothelimitsofthedistanthorizonandwerelostinathickandbrownfog.

On that spot, some three square miles in extent, was accumulated thewhole history of animal life—scarcely one creature upon the comparativelymodernsoiloftheupperandinhabitedworldhadnotthereexisted.

Nevertheless,wewere drawn forward by an all-absorbing and impatientcuriosity.Ourfeetcrushedwithadryandcracklingsoundtheremainsofthoseprehistoricfossils, forwhich themuseumsofgreatcitiesquarrel,evenwhenthey obtain only rare and curious morsels. A thousand such naturalists asCuvier would not have sufficed to recompose the skeletons of the organicbeingswhichlayinthismagnificentosseouscollection.

Iwasutterlyconfounded.Myunclestoodforsomeminuteswithhisarmsraisedonhightowardsthethickgranitevaultwhichservedusforasky.Hismouthwaswideopen;hiseyessparkledwildlybehindhisspectacles(whichhehadfortunatelysaved),hisheadbobbedupanddownandfromsidetoside,whilehiswholeattitudeandmienexpressedunboundedastonishment.

Hestoodin thepresenceofanendless,wondrous,andinexhaustiblyrichcollectionofantediluvianmonsters,piledupforhisownprivateandpeculiar

satisfaction.

Fancyanenthusiasticloverofbookscarriedsuddenlyintotheverymidstof the famous library of Alexandria burned by the sacrilegious Omar, andwhichsomemiraclehadrestoredtoitspristinesplendor!SuchwassomethingofthestateofmindinwhichUncleHardwiggwasnowplaced.

For some time he stood thus, literally aghast at the magnitude of hisdiscovery.

Butitwasevenagreaterexcitementwhen,dartingwildlyoverthismassoforganic dust, he caught up a naked skull and addressed me in a quiveringvoice:

"Harry,myboy—Harry—thisisahumanhead!"

"Ahumanhead,Uncle!"Isaid,nolessamazedandstupefiedthanhimself.

"Yes, nephew. Ah! Mr. Milne-Edwards—ah! Mr. De Quatrefages—whyareyounotherewhereIam—I,ProfessorHardwigg!"

CHAPTER35

DISCOVERYUPONDISCOVERY

In order fully to understand the exclamationmade bymyuncle, and hisallusionstotheseillustriousandlearnedmen,itwillbenecessarytoenterintocertainexplanationsinregardtoacircumstanceof thehighest importancetopaleontology,orthescienceoffossillife,whichhadtakenplaceashorttimebeforeourdeparturefromtheupperregionsoftheearth.

On the 28th ofMarch, 1863, some navigators under the direction ofM.Boucher de Perthes,were atwork in the great quarries ofMoulin-Quignon,nearAbbeville, in the department of theSomme, in France.While atwork,theyunexpectedlycameuponahumanjawboneburiedfourteenfeetbelowthesurfaceofthesoil.Itwasthefirstfossilofthekindthathadeverbeenbroughtto the light of day. Near this unexpected human relic were found stonehatchetsandcarvedflints,coloredandclothedbytimeinoneuniformbrillianttintofverdigris.

ThereportofthisextraordinaryandunexpecteddiscoveryspreadnotonlyalloverFrance,butoverEnglandandGermany.Manylearnedmenbelongingto various scientific bodies, and noteworthy among others, Messrs. Milne-EdwardsandDeQuatrefages,tooktheaffairverymuchtoheart,demonstratedtheincontestableauthenticityoftheboneinquestion,andbecame—tousethe

phrase then recognized in England—the most ardent supporters of the"jawbonequestion."

To the eminent geologists of theUnitedKingdomwho looked upon thefact as certain—Messrs. Falconer, Buck, Carpenter, and others—were soonunited the learnedmen of Germany, and among those in the first rank, themosteager,themostenthusiastic,wasmyworthyuncle,ProfessorHardwigg.

TheauthenticityofahumanfossiloftheQuaternaryperiodseemedthentobeincontestablydemonstrated,andeventobeadmittedbythemostskeptical.

This system or theory, call it what you will, had, it is true, a bitteradversaryinM.EliedeBeaumont.Thislearnedman,whoholdssuchahighplace in thescientificworld,holds that thesoilofMoulin-Quignondoesnotbelongtothediluviumbuttoamuchlessancientstratum,and,inaccordancewith Cuvier in this respect, he would by no means admit that the humanspecies was contemporary with the animals of the Quaternary epoch. Myworthy uncle, Professor Hardwigg, in concert with the great majority ofgeologists, had held firm, had disputed, discussed, and finally, afterconsiderable talkingandwriting,M.EliedeBeaumonthadbeenprettywellleftaloneinhisopinions.

Wewerefamiliarwithallthedetailsofthisdiscussion,butwerefarfrombeingawarethenthatsinceourdeparturethematterhadentereduponanewphase.Othersimilarjawbones,thoughbelongingtoindividualsofvariedtypesand very different natures, had been found in the movable grey sands ofcertain grottoes in France, Switzerland, and Belgium; together with arms,utensils,tools,bonesofchildren,ofmenintheprimeoflife,andofoldmen.The existence of men in the Quaternary period became, therefore, morepositiveeveryday.

Butthiswasfarfrombeingall.Newremains,dugupfromthePlioceneorTertiarydeposits,hadenabledthemorefar-seeingoraudaciousamonglearnedmentoassignevenafargreaterdegreeofantiquitytothehumanrace.Theseremains,itistrue,werenotthoseofmen;thatis,werenotthebonesofmen,butobjectsdecidedlyhavingservedthehumanrace:shinbones,thighbonesoffossil animals, regularly scooped out, and in fact sculptured—bearing theunmistakablesignsofhumanhandiwork.

Bymeans of thesewondrous and unexpected discoveries,man ascendedendless centuries in the scale of time; he, in fact, preceded the mastodon;becamethecontemporaryoftheElephasmeridionalis—thesouthernelephant;acquiredanantiquityofoverahundredthousandyears,sincethatisthedategivenbythemosteminentgeologiststothePlioceneperiodoftheearth.Suchwas then the state of paleontologic science, and what we moreover knewsufficedtoexplainourattitudebeforethisgreatcemeteryoftheplainsofthe

HardwiggOcean.

ItwillnowbeeasytounderstandtheProfessor'smingledastonishmentandjoywhen,onadvancingabouttwentyyards,hefoundhimselfinthepresenceof, I may say face to face with, a specimen of the human race actuallybelongingtotheQuaternaryperiod!

It was indeed a human skull, perfectly recognizable. Had a soil of verypeculiarnature,likethatofthecemeteryofSt.MichelatBordeaux,preservedit during countless ages?Thiswas the question I askedmyself, butwhich Iwaswholly unable to answer. But this headwith stretched and parchmentyskin,withtheteethwhole,thehairabundant,wasbeforeoureyesasinlife!

I stood mute, almost paralyzed with wonder and awe before this dreadapparition of another age. My uncle, who on almost every occasion was agreat talker,remainedforatimecompletelydumfounded.Hewastoofullofemotion for speech tobepossible.Afterawhile,however,we raisedup thebody to which the skull belonged. We stood it on end. It seemed, to ourexcitedimaginations,tolookatuswithitsterribleholloweyes.

Aftersomeminutesofsilence,themanwasvanquishedbytheProfessor.Human instincts succumbed to scientific pride and exultation. ProfessorHardwigg,carriedawaybyhisenthusiasm,forgotallthecircumstancesofourjourney, the extraordinary position in which we were placed, the immensecavernwhichstretchedfarawayoverourheads.TherecanbenodoubtthathethoughthimselfattheInstitutionaddressinghisattentivepupils,forheputonhismostdoctorialstyle,wavedhishand,andbegan:

"Gentlemen,IhavethehonoronthisauspiciousoccasiontopresenttoyouamanoftheQuaternaryperiodofourglobe.Manylearnedmenhavedeniedhisveryexistence,whileotherablepersons,perhapsofevenhigherauthority,have affirmed their belief in the reality of his life. If the St. Thomases ofpaleontology were present, they would reverentially touch him with theirfingersandbelieveinhisexistence,thusacknowledgingtheirobstinateheresy.I know that science should be careful in relation to all discoveries of thisnature.IamnotwithouthavingheardofthemanyBarnumsandotherquackswhohavemadea tradeof suchlikepretendeddiscoveries. Ihave,ofcourse,heardofthediscoveryof thekneebonesofAjax,of thepretendedfindingofthebodyofOrestesbytheSpartiates,andofthebodyofAsterius, tenspanslong,fifteenfeet—ofwhichwereadinPausanias.

"IhavereadeverythinginrelationtotheskeletonofTrapani,discoveredinthe fourteenth century, and which many persons chose to regard as that ofPolyphemus,andthehistoryofthegiantdugupduringthesixteenthcenturyin the environs of Palmyra. You arewell aware as I am, gentlemen, of theexistenceofthecelebratedanalysismadenearLucerne,in1577,ofthegreat

boneswhich the celebratedDoctorFelixPlaterdeclaredbelonged to agiantaboutnineteenfeethigh.IhavedevouredallthetreatisesofCassanion,andallthosememoirs,pamphlets,speeches,andrepliespublishedinreferencetotheskeletonofTeutobochus,kingoftheCimbri,theinvaderofGaul,dugoutofagravel pit in Dauphine, in 1613. In the eighteenth century I should havedenied,withPeterCampet, theexistenceofthepreadamitesofScheuchzer.IhavehadinmyhandsthewritingcalledGigans—"

Heremyunclewasafflictedbythenaturalinfirmitywhichpreventedhimfrompronouncingdifficultwordsinpublic.Itwasnotexactlystuttering,butastrangesortofconstitutionalhesitation.

"ThewritingnamedGigans—"herepeated.

He,however,couldgetnofurther.

"Giganteo—"

Impossible!Theunfortunatewordwouldnotcomeout.TherewouldhavebeengreatlaughterattheInstitution,hadthemistakehappenedthere.

"Gigantosteology!" at last exclaimed Professor Hardwigg between twosavagegrowls.

Havinggotoverourdifficulty,andgettingmoreandmoreexcited—

"Yes, gentlemen, I amwell acquaintedwith all thesematters, and know,also, that Cuvier and Blumenbach fully recognized in these bones theundeniableremainsofmammothsoftheQuaternaryperiod.Butafterwhatwenowsee,toallowadoubtistoinsultscientificinquiry.Thereisthebody;youcanseeit;youcantouchit.Itisnotaskeleton,itisacompleteanduninjuredbody,preservedwithananthropologicalobject."

Ididnotattempttocontrovertthissingularandastoundingassertion.

"IfIcouldbutwashthiscorpseinasolutionofsulphuricacid,"continuedmy uncle, "I would undertake to remove all the earthy particles, and theseresplendent shells,which are incrusted all over this body.But I amwithoutthispreciousdissolvingmedium.Nevertheless,suchasitis,thisbodywilltellitsownhistory."

Here the Professor held up the fossil body, and exhibited it with raredexterity.Noprofessionalshowmancouldhaveshownmoreactivity.

"Asonexaminationyouwillsee,"myunclecontinued,"itisonlyaboutsixfeetinlength,whichisalongwayfromthepretendedgiantsofearlydays.Astotheparticularracetowhichitbelonged,itisincontestablyCaucasian.Itisofthewhiterace,thatis,ofourown.Theskullofthisfossilbeingisaperfectovoidwithoutany remarkableorprominentdevelopmentof thecheekbones,

and without any projection of the jaw. It presents no indication of theprognathism which modifies the facial angle. Measure the angle foryourselves,andyouwillfindthatitisjustninetydegrees.ButIwilladvancestillfartherontheroadofinquiryanddeduction,andIdareventuretosaythatthishumansampleorspecimenbelongstotheJapheticfamily,whichspreadovertheworldfromIndiatotheuttermostlimitsofwesternEurope.Thereisnooccasion,gentlemen,tosmileatmyremarks."

Ofcoursenobodysmiled.But theexcellentProfessorwassoaccustomedto beaming countenances at his lectures, that he believed he saw all hisaudiencelaughingduringthedeliveryofhislearneddissertation.

"Yes," he continued, with renewed animation, "this is a fossil man, acontemporary of the mastodons, with the bones of which this wholeamphitheateriscovered.ButifIamcalledontoexplainhowhecametothisplace, how these various strata bywhich he is covered have fallen into thisvastcavity,Icanundertaketogiveyounoexplanation.Doubtless,ifwecarryourselvesback to theQuaternaryepoch,weshall find thatgreat andmightyconvulsions took place in the crust of the earth; the continually coolingoperation, throughwhich the earth had to pass, produced fissures, landslips,andchasms,throughwhichalargeportionoftheearthmadeitsway.Icometonoabsoluteconclusion,butthereistheman,surroundedbytheworksofhishands,hishatchetsandhiscarvedflints,whichbelongtothestonyperiod;andtheonlyrationalsuppositionis, that, likemyself,hevisitedthecentreof theearthasatravelingtourist,apioneerofscience.Atallevents,therecanbenodoubt of his great age, and of his being one of the oldest race of humanbeings."

TheProfessorwith thesewordsceasedhisoration, and Iburst forth intoloudand"unanimous"applause.Besides,afterall,myunclewasright.Muchmorelearnedmenthanhisnephewwouldhavefounditratherhardtorefutehisfactsandarguments.

Anothercircumstancesoonpresented itself.This fossilizedbodywasnotthe only one in this vast plain of bones—the cemetery of an extinctworld.Otherbodieswerefound,aswetrodthedustyplain,andmyunclewasabletochoosethemostmarvelousofthesespecimensinordertoconvincethemostincredulous.

In truth, it was a surprising spectacle, the successive remains ofgenerationsandgenerationsofmenandanimalsconfounded together inonevastcemetery.Butagreatquestionnowpresenteditselftoournotice,andonewewereactuallyafraidtocontemplateinallitsbearings.

Had these once animated beings been buried so far beneath the soil bysometremendousconvulsionofnature,aftertheyhadbeenearthtoearthand

ashestoashes,orhadtheylivedherebelow,inthissubterraneanworld,underthisfactitioussky,borne,married,andgiveninmarriage,anddiedatlast,justlikeordinaryinhabitantsoftheearth?

Uptothepresentmoment,marinemonsters,fish,andsuchlikeanimalshadalonebeenseenalive!

Thequestionwhichrenderedusratheruneasy,wasapertinentone.Wereany of thesemen of the abyss wandering about the deserted shores of thiswondrousseaofthecentreoftheearth?

Thiswas a questionwhich renderedmevery uneasy and uncomfortable.How, should they really be in existence, would they receive us men fromabove?

CHAPTER36

WHATISIT?

Fora longandwearyhourwe trampedover thisgreatbedofbones.Weadvancedregardlessofeverything,drawnonbyardentcuriosity.Whatothermarvelsdidthisgreatcaverncontain—whatotherwondroustreasuresforthescientificman?Myeyeswerequitepreparedforanynumberofsurprises,myimaginationlivedinexpectationofsomethingnewandwonderful.

The borders of the great Central Ocean had for some time disappearedbehindthehills thatwerescatteredover thegroundoccupiedbytheplainofbones.TheimprudentandenthusiasticProfessor,whodidnotcarewhetherhelosthimselfornot,hurriedmeforward.Weadvancedsilently,bathedinwavesofelectricfluid.

By reason of a phenomenon which I cannot explain, and thanks to itsextremediffusion,nowcomplete,thelightilluminedequallythesidesofeveryhill and rock. Its seat appeared to be nowhere, in no determined force, andproducednoshadewhatever.

The appearance presented was that of a tropical country at midday insummer—inthemidstoftheequatorialregionsandundertheverticalraysofthesun.

Allsignsofvaporhaddisappeared.Therocks,thedistantmountains,someconfused masses of far-off forests, assumed a weird and mysterious aspectunderthisequaldistributionoftheluminousfluid!

We resembled, to a certain extent, the mysterious personage in one of

Hoffmann'sfantastictales—themanwholosthisshadow.

Afterwehadwalkedaboutamilefarther,wecameto theedgeofavastforestnot,however,oneofthevastmushroomforestswehaddiscoverednearPortGretchen.

It was the glorious and wild vegetation of the Tertiary period, in all itssuperb magnificence. Huge palms, of a species now unknown, superbpalmacites—a genus of fossil palms from the coal formation—pines, yews,cypress, and conifers or cone-bearing trees, thewholebound togetherby aninextricableandcomplicatedmassofcreepingplants.

A beautiful carpet of mosses and ferns grew beneath the trees. Pleasantbrooksmurmuredbeneathumbrageousboughs,littleworthyofthisname,fornoshadedidtheygive.Upontheirbordersgrewsmalltreelikeshrubs,suchasareseeninthehotcountriesonourowninhabitedglobe.

The one thing wanting in these plants, these shrubs, these trees—wascolor!Foreverdeprivedof thevivifyingwarmthof thesun, theywerevapidand colorless.All shadewas lost in oneuniform tint, of a brownand fadedcharacter. The leaves were wholly devoid of verdure, and the flowers, sonumerous during the Tertiary period which gave them birth, were withoutcolorandwithoutperfume,somethinglikepaperdiscoloredbylongexposuretotheatmosphere.

Myuncleventuredbeneaththegiganticgroves.Ifollowedhim,thoughnotwithout a certain amount of apprehension. Since nature had shown herselfcapableofproducingsuchstupendousvegetablesupplies,whymightwenotmeetwithmammalsjustaslarge,andthereforedangerous?

I particularly remarked, in the clearings left by trees that had fallen andbeenpartiallyconsumedbytime,manyleguminous(beanlike)shrubs,suchasthe maple and other eatable trees, dear to ruminating animals. Then thereappearedconfoundedtogetherandintermixed,thetreesofsuchvariedlands,specimensofthevegetationofeverypartoftheglobe;therewastheoaknearthe palm tree, the Australian eucalyptus, an interesting class of the orderMyrtaceae—leaningagainst the tallNorwegianpine, thepoplarof thenorth,mixing itsbrancheswith thoseof theNewZealandkauris. Itwasenough todrivethemostingeniousclassifieroftheupperregionsoutofhismind,andtoupsetallhisreceivedideasaboutbotany.

SuddenlyIstoppedshortandrestrainedmyuncle.

Theextremediffusenessofthelightenabledmetoseethesmallestobjectsinthedistantcopses.IthoughtIsaw—no,Ireallydidseewithmyowneyes—immense, gigantic animals moving about under the mighty trees. Yes, theyweretrulygiganticanimals,awholeherdofmastodons,notfossils,butliving,

andexactly like thosediscovered in1801,on themarshybanksof thegreatOhio,inNorthAmerica.

Yes, I could see these enormous elephants, whose trunks were tearingdownlargeboughs,andworkinginandoutthetreeslikealegionofserpents.Icouldhearthesoundsofthemightytusksuprootinghugetrees!

Theboughscrackled,andthewholemassesofleavesandgreenbrancheswentdownthecapaciousthroatsoftheseterriblemonsters!

Thatwondrousdream,whenIsawtheantehistoricaltimesrevivified,whentheTertiaryandQuaternaryperiodspassedbeforeme,wasnowrealized!

Andtherewewerealone,fardowninthebowelsoftheearth,atthemercyofitsferociousinhabitants!

Myunclepaused,fullofwonderandastonishment.

"Come!"hesaidatlast,whenhisfirstsurprisewasover,"Comealong,myboy,andletusseethemnearer."

"No,"repliedI,restraininghiseffortstodragmeforward,"wearewhollywithout arms. What should we do in the midst of that flock of giganticquadrupeds?Comeaway,Uncle,I imploreyou.Nohumancreaturecanwithimpunitybravetheferociousangerofthesemonsters."

"No human creature," said my uncle, suddenly lowering his voice to amysteriouswhisper,"youaremistaken,mydearHenry.Look!lookyonder!ItseemstomethatIbeholdahumanbeing—abeinglikeourselves—aman!"

I looked, shruggingmyshoulders,decided topush incredulity to itsverylastlimits.Butwhatevermighthavebeenmywish,Iwascompelledtoyieldtotheweightofoculardemonstration.

Yes—notmorethanaquarterofamileoff,leaningagainstthetrunkofanenormoustree,wasahumanbeing—aProteusofthesesubterraneanregions,anewsonofNeptunekeepingthisinnumerableherdofmastodons.

Immanispecoriscustos,immanioripse!

Yes—itwasnolongerafossilwhosecorpsewehadraisedfromthegroundin the great cemetery, but a giant capable of guiding and driving theseprodigiousmonsters.Hisheightwasabovetwelvefeet.Hishead,asbigasthehead of a buffalo,was lost in amane ofmatted hair. It was indeed a hugemane, like thosewhich belonged to the elephants of the earlier ages of theworld.

In his hand was a branch of a tree, which served as a crook for thisantediluvianshepherd.

Weremainedprofoundlystill,speechlesswithsurprise.

Butwemightatanymomentbeseenbyhim.Nothingremainedforusbutinstantflight.

"Come,come!"Icried,draggingmyunclealong;and,forthefirsttime,hemadenoresistancetomywishes.

Aquarterofanhourlaterwewerefarawayfromthatterriblemonster!

Now that I think of the matter calmly, and that I reflect upon itdispassionately; now thatmonths, years, have passed since this strange andunnaturaladventurebefellus—whatamItothink,whatamItobelieve?

No,itisutterlyimpossible!Ourearsmusthavedeceivedus,andoureyeshavecheatedus!wehavenotseenwhatwebelievedwehadseen.Nohumanbeing could by any possibility have existed in that subterranean world! Nogenerationofmencouldinhabitthelowercavernsoftheglobewithouttakingnoteof thosewhopeopledthesurface,withoutcommunicationwiththem.Itwasfolly,folly,folly!nothingelse!

Iamrather inclined toadmit theexistenceofsomeanimal resembling instructurethehumanrace—ofsomemonkeyofthefirstgeologicalepochs,likethatdiscoveredbyM.LartetintheossiferousdepositofSansan.

Butthisanimal,orbeing,whichsoeveritwas,surpassedinheightallthingsknowntomodernscience.Nevermind.Howeverunlikelyitmaybe,itmighthave been a monkey—but a man, a living man, and with him a wholegenerationofgiganticanimals,buriedintheentrailsoftheearth—itwastoomonstroustobebelieved!

CHAPTER37

THEMYSTERIOUSDAGGER

During this time,wehad left thebrightand transparent forest farbehindus.Weweremutewith astonishment, overcome by a kind of feelingwhichwasnextdoortoapathy.Wekeptrunninginspiteofourselves.ItwasaperfectRight,whichresembledoneof thosehorriblesensationswesometimesmeetwithinourdreams.

InstinctivelywemadeourwaytowardstheCentralSea,andIcannotnowtellwhatwild thoughtspassed throughmymind,norofwhatfolliesImighthavebeenguilty,butforaveryseriouspreoccupationwhichbroughtmebacktopracticallife.

Though Iwas aware thatwewere treading on a soil quite new to us, I,however,everynowandthennoticedcertainaggregationsofrock,theshapeofwhichforciblyremindedmeofthosenearPortGretchen.

This confirmed, moreover, the indications of the compass and ourextraordinaryandunlooked-for,aswellas involuntary, return to thenorthofthisgreatCentralSea. Itwasso likeourstartingpoint, that Icouldscarcelydoubt the realityofourposition.Streamsandcascadesfell inhundredsoverthenumerousprojectionsoftherocks.

I actually thought I could seeour faithful andmonotonousHansand thewonderfulgrottoinwhichIhadcomebacktolifeaftermytremendousfall.

Then,asweadvancedstillfarther,thepositionofthecliffs,theappearanceofastream, theunexpectedprofileofa rock, threwmeagain intoastateofbewilderingdoubt.

Aftersometime,Iexplainedmystateofmentalindecisiontomyuncle.Heconfessedtoasimilarfeelingofhesitation.Hewastotallyunabletomakeuphismindinthemidstofthisextraordinarybutuniformpanorama.

"Therecanbenodoubt,"Iinsisted,"thatwehavenotlandedexactlyattheplace whence we first took our departure; but the tempest has brought usaboveourstartingpoint.Ithink,therefore,thatifwefollowthecoastweshalloncemorefindPortGretchen."

"In that case," criedmyuncle, "it is useless to continue our exploration.Theverybest thingwecando is tomakeourwayback to theraft.Areyouquitesure,Harry,thatyouarenotmistaken?"

"Itisdifficult,"wasmyreply,"tocometoanydecision,foralltheserocksareexactly alike.There isnomarkeddifferencebetween them.At the sametime,theimpressiononmymindisthatIrecognizethepromontoryatthefootofwhichourworthyHansconstructedtheraft.Weare,Iamnearlyconvinced,near the little port: if this be not it," I added, carefully examining a creekwhichappearedsingularlyfamiliartomymind.

"MydearHarry—if thiswere thecase,weshouldfind tracesofourownfootsteps,somesignsofourpassage;andIcanreallyseenothingtoindicateourhavingpassedthisway."

"ButIseesomething,"Icried,inanimpetuoustoneofvoice,asIrushedforwardandeagerlypickedupsomethingwhichshoneinthesandundermyfeet.

"Whatisit?"criedtheastonishedandbewilderedProfessor.

"This,"wasmyreply.

AndIhandedtomystartledrelativearustydagger,ofsingularshape.

"Whatmadeyoubringwithyousouselessaweapon?"heexclaimed."Itwasneedlesslyhamperingyourself."

"Ibringit?Itisquitenewtome.Ineversawitbefore—areyousureitisnotoutofyourcollection?"

"NotthatIknowof,"saidtheProfessor,puzzled."Ihavenorecollectionofthecircumstance.Itwasnevermyproperty."

"This is very extraordinary," I said, musing over the novel and singularincident.

"Notatall.Thereisaverysimpleexplanation,Harry.TheIcelandersareknown to keep up the use of these antiquatedweapons, and thismust havebelongedtoHans,whohasletitfallwithoutknowingit."

I shook my head. That dagger had never been in the possession of thepacificandtaciturnHans.Iknewhimandhishabitstoowell.

"Then what can it be—unless it be the weapon of some antediluvianwarrior," I continued, "of some living man, a contemporary of that mightyshepherdfromwhomwehavejustescaped?Butno—mysteryuponmystery—thisisnoweaponofthestonyepoch,norevenofthebronzeperiod.Itismadeofexcellentsteel—"

EreIcouldfinishmysentence,myunclestoppedmeshortfromenteringuponawholetrainoftheories,andspokeinhismostcoldanddecidedtoneofvoice.

"Calm yourself, my dear boy, and endeavor to use your reason. Thisweapon,uponwhichwehavefallensounexpectedly, isa truedague,oneofthosewornbygentlemenintheirbeltsduringthesixteenthcentury.Itsusewastogivethecoupdegrace,thefinalblow,tothefoewhowouldnotsurrender.ItisclearlyofSpanishworkmanship.Itbelongsneithertoyou,nortome,northeeider-downhunter,nor toanyof the livingbeingswhomaystillexistsomarvelouslyintheinterioroftheearth."

"Whatcanyoumean,Uncle?"Isaid,nowlostinahostofsurmises.

"Lookcloselyatit,"hecontinued;"thesejaggededgeswerenevermadebytheresistanceofhumanbloodandbone.Thebladeiscoveredwitharegularcoating of ironmold and rust,which is not a day old, not a year old, not acenturyold,butmuchmore—"

The Professor began to get quite excited, according to custom, andwasallowinghimself tobe carried awaybyhis fertile imagination. I couldhavesaidsomething.Hestoppedme.

"Harry," he cried, "we are now on the verge of a great discovery. Thisbladeofadaggeryouhavesomarvelouslydiscovered,afterbeingabandonedupon the sand for more than a hundred, two hundred, even three hundredyears,hasbeen indentedbysomeoneendeavoring tocarvean inscriptionontheserocks."

"Butthisponiardnevergothereofitself,"Iexclaimed,"itcouldnothavetwisteditself.Someone,therefore,musthaveprecededusupontheshoresofthisextraordinarysea."

"Yes,aman."

"Butwhatmanhasbeensufficientlydesperatetodosuchathing?"

"Amanwho has somewherewritten his namewith this very dagger—amanwhohasendeavoredoncemoretoindicatetherightroadtotheinterioroftheearth.Letuslookaround,myboy.Youknownottheimportanceofyoursingularandhappydiscovery."

Prodigiouslyinterested,wewalkedalongthewallofrock,examiningthesmallestfissures,whichmightfinallyexpandintothemuchwished—forgullyorshaft.

Weat lastreachedaspotwheretheshorebecameextremelynarrow.Theseaalmostbathedthefootoftherocks,whichwerehereveryloftyandsteep.Therewasscarcelyapathwiderthantwoyardsatanypoint.Atlast,underahuge over-hanging rock, we discovered the entrance of a dark and gloomytunnel.

There,onasquaretabletofgranite,whichhadbeensmoothedbyrubbingitwithanotherstone,wecouldseetwomysterious,andmuchwornletters,thetwoinitialsoftheboldandextraordinarytravelerwhohadprecededusonouradventurousjourney.

"A.S.!"criedmyuncle."Yousee,Iwasright.ArneSaknussemm,alwaysArneSaknussemm!"

CHAPTER38

NOOUTLET—BLASTINGTHEROCK

Eversincethecommencementofourmarvelousjourney,Ihadexperiencedmanysurprises,hadsufferedfrommany illusions. I thought that Iwascase-hardened against all surprises and could neither see nor hear anything toamazemeagain.

Iwaslikeamanywho,havingbeenroundtheworld,findshimselfwhollyblaseandproofagainstthemarvelous.

When, however, I saw these two letters,which had been engraven threehundredyearsbefore,Istoodfixedinanattitudeofmutesurprise.

Notonlywastherethesignatureofthelearnedandenterprisingalchemistwritten in the rock,but Iheld inmyhand thevery identical instrumentwithwhichhehadlaboriouslyengravedit.

It was impossible, without showing an amount of incredulity scarcelybecomingasaneman,todenytheexistenceofthetraveler,andtherealityofthatvoyagewhichIbelievedallalongtohavebeenamyth—themystificationofsomefertilebrain.

While these reflections were passing through my mind, my uncle, theProfessor,gavewaytoanaccessoffeverishandpoeticalexcitement.

"Wonderfulandgloriousgenius,greatSaknussemm,"hecried,"youhaveleftnostoneunturned,noresourceomitted,toshowtoothermortalsthewayinto the interiorofourmightyglobe, andyour fellowcreatures can find thetrailleftbyyourillustriousfootsteps,threehundredyearsago,atthebottomoftheseobscuresubterraneanabodes.Youhavebeencarefultosecureforothersthe contemplation of these wonders and marvels of creation. Your nameengravedateveryimportantstageofyourgloriousjourneyleadsthehopefultravelerdirect to thegreat andmightydiscovery towhichyoudevoted suchenergyandcourage.Theaudacioustraveler,whoshallfollowyourfootstepstothe last,willdoubtless findyour initialsengravedwithyourownhanduponthecentreoftheearth.Iwillbethataudacioustraveler—I,too,willsignmynameupontheverysamespot,uponthecentralgranitestoneofthiswondrousworkof theCreator.But in justice toyourdevotion, toyourcourage,and toyourbeing the first to indicate the road, let this cape, seenbyyouupon theshores of this sea discovered by you, be called, of all time, CapeSaknussemm."

This iswhatIheard,andIbegantoberousedtothepitchofenthusiasmindicatedbythosewords.Afierceexcitementrousedme.Iforgoteverything.Thedangersof thevoyageand theperilsof the return journeywerenowasnothing!

Whatanothermanhaddoneinagespastcould,Ifelt,bedoneagain;Iwasdetermined to do it myself, and now nothing that man had accomplishedappearedtomeimpossible.

"Forward—forward,"Icriedinaburstofgenuineandheartyenthusiasm.

I had already started in the direction of the somber and gloomy gallery

whentheProfessorstoppedme;he,themansorashandhasty,he,themansoeasilyrousedtothehighestpitchofenthusiasm,checkedme,andaskedmetobepatientandshowmorecalm.

"Letusreturntoourgoodfriend,Hans,"hesaid;"wewill thenbringtheraftdowntothisplace."

Imustsaythat thoughIatonceyieldedtomyuncle'srequest, itwasnotwithoutdissatisfaction,andIhastenedalongtherocksofthatwonderfulcoast.

"Doyouknow,mydearuncle,"Isaid,aswewalkedalong,"thatwehavebeensingularlyhelpedbyaconcurrenceofcircumstances,rightuptothisverymoment."

"Soyoubegintoseeit,doyou,Harry?"saidtheProfessorwithasmile.

"Doubtless," I responded, "and strangely enough, even the tempest hasbeen themeansofputtinguson the right road.Blessingson the tempest! Itbroughtussafelybacktotheveryspotfromwhichfineweatherwouldhavedrivenusforever.Supposingwehadsucceededinreachingthesouthernanddistantshoresofthisextraordinarysea,whatwouldhavebecomeofus?ThenameofSaknussemmwouldneverhaveappeared tous,andat thismomentweshouldhavebeencastawayuponaninhospitablecoast,probablywithoutanoutlet."

"Yes, Harry, my boy, there is certainly something providential in thatwanderingatthemercyofwindandwavestowardsthesouth:wehavecomebackexactlynorth;andwhatisbetterstill,wefalluponthisgreatdiscoveryofCape Saknussemm. I mean to say, that it is more than surprising; there issomething in itwhich is far beyondmy comprehension. The coincidence isunheardof,marvelous!"

"What matter! It is not our duty to explain facts, but to make the bestpossibleuseofthem."

"Doubtless,myboy;butifyouwillallowme—"saidthereallydelightedProfessor.

"Excuseme,sir,butIseeexactlyhowitwillbe;weshalltakethenorthernroute; we shall pass under the northern regions of Europe, under Sweden,under Russia, under Siberia, and who knows where—instead of buryingourselves under the burning plains and deserts of Africa, or beneath themightywavesoftheocean;andthatisall,atthisstageofourjourney,thatIcaretoknow.Letusadvance,andHeavenwillbeourguide!"

"Yes,Harry,youare right,quite right;all is for thebest.Letusabandonthis horizontal sea,which could never have led to anything satisfactory.Weshalldescend,descend,andeverlastinglydescend.Doyouknow,mydearboy,

that to reach the interior of the earth we have only five thousand miles totravel!"

"Bah!" I cried, carried away by a burst of enthusiasm, "the distance isscarcelyworthspeakingabout.Thethingistomakeastart."

Mywild,mad, and incoherent speeches continued until we rejoined ourpatientandphlegmaticguide.Allwas,wefound,preparedforan immediatedeparture.Therewasnotasingleparcelbutwhatwasinitsproperplace.Wealltookupourpostsontheraft,andthesailbeinghoisted,Hansreceivedhisdirections, and guided the frail bark towardsCape Saknussemm, aswe haddefinitelynamedit.

Thewindwasveryunfavorabletoacraft thatwasunabletosailclosetothe wind. It was constructed to go before the blast. We were continuallyreducedtopushingourselvesforwardbymeansofpoles.Onseveraloccasionstherocksranfaroutintodeepwaterandwewerecompelledtomakealonground.At last,after three longandwearyhoursofnavigation, that is tosay,aboutsixo'clockintheevening,wefoundaplaceatwhichwecouldland.

Ijumpedonshorefirst.Inmypresentstateofexcitementandenthusiasm,Iwasalwaysfirst.MyuncleandtheIcelanderfollowed.Thevoyagefromtheport to this point of the sea had by no means calmed me. It had ratherproduced the opposite effect. I even proposed to burn our vessel, that is, todestroy our raft, in order to completely cut off our retreat. But my unclesternlyopposedthiswildproject.Ibegantothinkhimparticularlylukewarmandunenthusiastic.

"Atanyrate,mydearuncle,"Isaid,"letusstartwithoutdelay."

"Yes,myboy,Iamquiteaseagertodosoasyoucanbe.But,inthefirstplace,letusexaminethismysteriousgallery,inordertofindifweshallneedtoprepareandmendourladders."

MyunclenowbegantoseetotheefficiencyofourRuhmkorffcoil,whichwoulddoubtlesssoonbeneeded;theraft,securelyfastenedtoarock,wasleftalone. Moreover, the opening into the new gallery was not twenty pacesdistantfromthespot.Ourlittletroop,withmyselfatthehead,advanced.

Theorifice,whichwasalmostcircular,presentedadiameterofaboutfivefeet;thesombertunnelwascutinthelivingrock,andcoatedontheinsidebythe differentmaterialwhichhadoncepassed through it in a state of fusion.The lower part was about level with the water, so that we were able topenetratetotheinteriorwithoutdifficulty.

We followed an almost horizontal direction;when, at the endof about adozen paces, our further advance was checked by the interposition of an

enormousblockofgraniterock.

"Accursedstone!"Icriedfuriously,onperceivingthatwewerestoppedbywhatseemedaninsurmountableobstacle.

In vain we looked to the right, in vain we looked to the left; in vainexamineditaboveandbelow.Thereexistednopassage,nosignofanyothertunnel. Iexperienced themostbitterandpainfuldisappointment.SoenragedwasIthatIwouldnotadmittherealityofanyobstacle.Istoopedtomyknees;Ilookedunderthemassofstone.Nohole,nointerstice.Ithenlookedabove.Thesamebarrierofgranite!Hans,with the lamp,examined thesidesof thetunnelineverydirection.

Butallinvain!Itwasnecessarytorenounceallhopeofpassingthrough.

I had seated myself upon the ground. My uncle walked angrily andhopelesslyupanddown.Hewasevidentlydesperate.

"But," I cried, after some moments' thought, "what about ArneSaknussemm?"

"Youareright,"repliedmyuncle,"hecanneverhavebeencheckedbyalumpofrock."

"No—ten thousand times no," I cried,with extremevivacity. "This hugelumpofrock,inconsequenceofsomesingularconcussion,orprocess,oneofthosemagnetic phenomenawhich have so often shaken the terrestrial crust,has in some unexpectedway closed up the passage.Many andmany yearshavepassedawaysince the returnofSaknussemm,and the fallof thishugeblockofgranite.Isitnotquiteevidentthatthisgallerywasformerlytheoutletforthepent-uplavaintheinterioroftheearth,andthattheseeruptivemattersthencirculated freely?Lookat these recent fissures in thegranite roof; it isevidentlyformedofpiecesofenormousstone,placedhereasifbythehandofagiant,whohadworkedtomakeastrongandsubstantialarch.Oneday,afteranunusuallystrongshock,thevastrockwhichstandsinourway,andwhichwasdoubtlessthekeyofakindofarch,fellthroughtoalevelwiththesoilandhasbarredourfurtherprogress.Weareright, then,inthinkingthatthisisanunexpectedobstacle,withwhichSaknussemmdidnotmeet;andifwedonotupset it in someway,we are unworthy of following in the footsteps of thegreatdiscoverer;andincapableoffindingourwaytothecentreoftheearth!"

In this wild way I addressed my uncle. The zeal of the Professor, hisearnestlongingforsuccess,hadbecomepartandparcelofmybeing.Iwhollyforgotthepast;Iutterlydespisedthefuture.Nothingexistedformeuponthesurfaceof thisspheroidinthebosomofwhichIwasengulfed,notowns,nocountry,noHamburg,noKoenigstrasse,notevenmypoorGretchen,whobythistimewouldbelievemeutterlylostintheinterioroftheearth!

"Well,"criedmyuncle,rousedtoenthusiasmbymywords,"Letusgotoworkwith pickaxes,with crowbars,with anything that comes to hand—butdownwiththeseterriblewalls."

"Itisfartootoughandtoobigtobedestroyedbyapickaxorcrowbar,"Ireplied.

"Whatthen?"

"AsIsaid,itisuselesstothinkofovercomingsuchadifficultybymeansofordinarytools."

"Whatthen?"

"What else but gunpowder, a subterranean mine? Let us blow up theobstaclethatstandsinourway."

"Gunpowder!"

"Yes;allwehavetodoistogetridofthispaltryobstacle."

"Towork,Hans,towork!"criedtheProfessor.

The Icelander went back to the raft, and soon returned with a hugecrowbar,withwhichhebegantodigaholeintherock,whichwastoserveasamine.Itwasbynomeansaslighttask.Itwasnecessaryforourpurposetomakeacavitylargeenoughtoholdfiftypoundsoffulminatingguncotton,theexpansivepowerofwhichisfourtimesasgreatasthatofordinarygunpowder.

I had now roused myself to an almost miraculous state of excitement.WhileHanswasatwork,Iactivelyassistedmyuncletopreparealongwick,madefromdampgunpowder,themassofwhichwefinallyenclosedinabagoflinen.

"Weareboundtogothrough,"Icried,enthusiastically.

"Weareboundtogothrough,"respondedtheProfessor,tappingmeontheback.

Atmidnight, ourwork asminerswas completely finished; the charge offulminating cottonwas thrust into thehollow, and thematch,whichwehadmadeofconsiderablelength,wasready.

Asparkwasnowsufficient to ignite this formidableengine,and toblowtherocktoatoms!

"Wewillnowrestuntiltomorrow."

Itwasabsolutelynecessarytoresignmyselftomyfate,andtoconsenttowaitfortheexplosionforsixwearyhours!

CHAPTER39

THEEXPLOSIONANDITSRESULTS

The next day, which was the twenty-seventh of August, was a datecelebratedinourwondroussubterraneanjourney.Ineverthinkofitevennow,but I shudderwithhorror.Myheartbeatswildlyat theverymemoryof thatawfulday.

From this time forward, our reason, our judgment, our human ingenuity,have nothing to dowith the course of events.We are about to become theplaythingofthegreatphenomenaoftheearth!

Atsixo'clockwewereallupandready.Thedreadedmomentwasarrivingwhenwewereabouttoseekanopeningintotheinterioroftheearthbymeansofgunpowder.Whatwouldbetheconsequencesofbreakingthroughthecrustoftheearth?

Ibeggedthatitmightbemydutytosetfiretothemine.Ilookeduponitasanhonor.This taskonceperformed, Icould rejoinmyfriendsupon the raft,whichhadnotbeenunloaded.Assoonaswewereallready,weweretosailawaytosomedistancetoavoidtheconsequencesoftheexplosion,theeffectsofwhichwouldcertainlynotbeconcentratedintheinterioroftheearth.

Theslowmatchwecalculatedtoburnforabouttenminutes,moreorless,before it reached the chamber in which the great body of powder wasconfined.Ishouldthereforehaveplentyoftimetoreachtheraftandputofftoasafedistance.

I prepared to execute my self-allotted task—not, it must be confessed,withoutconsiderableemotion.

After a hearty repast,myuncle and thehunter-guide embarkedonboardtheraft,whileIremainedaloneuponthedesolateshore.

Iwas providedwith a lanternwhichwas to enableme to set fire to thewickoftheinfernalmachine.

"Go,myboy,"saidmyuncle,"andHeavenbewithyou.Butcomebackassoonasyoucan.Ishallbeallimpatience."

"Beeasyonthatmatter,"Ireplied,"thereisnofearofmydelayingontheroad."

Havingsaidthis,Iadvancedtowardtheopeningofthesombergallery.Myheartbeatwildly.Iopenedmylanternandseizedtheextremityofthewick.

TheProfessor,whowaslookingon,heldhischronometerinhishand.

"Areyouready?"criedhe.

"Quiteready."

"Well,then,fireaway!"

Ihastenedtoputthelighttothewick,whichcrackledandsparkled,hissingandspitting likea serpent; then, runningas fastas Icould, I returned to theshore.

"Getonboard,mylad,andyou,Hans,shoveoff,"criedmyuncle.

ByavigorousapplicationofhispoleHanssentus flyingover thewater.Theraftwasquitetwentyfathomsdistant.

It was a moment of palpitating interest, of deep anxiety.My uncle, theProfessor,nevertookhiseyesoffthechronometer.

"Onlyfiveminutesmore,"hesaidinalowtone,"onlyfour,onlythree."

Mypulsewentahundredtotheminute.Icouldhearmyheartbeating.

"Only two, one! Now, then, mountains of granite, crumble beneath thepowerofman!"

Whathappenedafterthat?Astotheterrificroaroftheexplosion,IdonotthinkIheardit.But theformoftherockscompletelychangedinmyeyes—theyseemedtobedrawnasidelikeacurtain.Isawafathomless,abottomlessabyss, which yawned beneath the turgid waves. The sea, which seemedsuddenlytohavegonemad, thenbecameonegreatmountainousmass,uponthetopofwhichtheraftroseperpendicularly.

Wewereallthrowndown.Inlessthanasecondthelightgaveplacetothemostprofoundobscurity.ThenIfeltallsolidsupportgivewaynottomyfeet,buttotheraftitself.Ithoughtitwasgoingbodilydownatremendouswell.Itriedtospeak,toquestionmyuncle.Nothingcouldbeheardbuttheroaringofthemightywaves.Weclungtogetherinuttersilence.

Despite theawfuldarkness,despite thenoise, thesurprise, theemotion,Ithoroughlyunderstoodwhathadhappened.

Beyondtherockwhichhadbeenblownup,thereexistedamightyabyss.Theexplosionhadcausedakindofearthquakeinthissoil,brokenbyfissuresand rents. The gulf, thus suddenly thrown open, was about to swallow theinlandseawhich,transformedintoamightytorrent,wasdragginguswithit.

Onlyoneideafilledmymind.Wewereutterlyandcompletelylost!

Onehour,twohours—whatmoreIcannotsay,passedinthismanner.We

sat close together, elbow touching elbow, knee touching knee!We held oneanother'shandsnot tobe thrownoff theraft.Weweresubjected to themostviolent shocks, whenever our sole dependence, a frail wooden raft, struckagainst the rocky sidesof the channel.Fortunately forus, these concussionsbecame less and less frequent, which made me fancy that the gallery wasgettingwider andwider.Therecouldbenownodoubt thatwehadchancedupontheroadoncefollowedbySaknussemm,butinsteadofgoingdowninapropermanner,wehad,throughourownimprudence,drawnawholeseawithus!

Theseideaspresentedthemselvestomymindinaveryvagueandobscuremanner. I felt rather than reasoned. Iputmy ideas togetheronlyconfusedly,whilespinningalonglikeamangoingdownawaterfall.Tojudgebytheairwhich,asitwere,whippedmyface,wemusthavebeenrushingataperfectlylightningrate.

To attempt under these circumstances to light a torch was simplyimpossible, and the last remains of our electricmachine, of our Ruhmkorffcoil,hadbeendestroyedduringthefearfulexplosion.

I was therefore verymuch confused to see at last a bright light shiningclose tome.Thecalmcountenanceof theguide seemed togleamuponme.The clever and patient hunter had succeeded in lighting the lantern; andthough,inthekeenandthoroughdraft,theflameflickeredandvacillatedandwasnearlyputout,itservedpartiallytodissipatetheawfulobscurity.

The gallery intowhichwe had enteredwas verywide. Iwas, therefore,quiterightinthatpartofmyconjecture.Theinsufficientlightdidnotallowusto see both of the walls at the same time. The slope of waters, which wascarryingusaway,wasfargreaterthanthatofthemostrapidriverofAmerica.The whole surface of the stream seemed to be composed of liquid arrows,darted forwardwith extreme violence and power. I can give no idea of theimpressionitmadeuponme.

The raft, at times, caught in certainwhirlpools, and rushed forward, yetturned on itself all the time. How it did not upset I shall never be able tounderstand.Whenitapproachedthesidesofthegallery,Itookcaretothrowuponthemthelightof thelantern,andIwasableto judgeof therapidityofmotion by looking at the projectingmasses of rock, which as soon as seenwere again invisible. So rapid was our progress that points of rock at aconsiderabledistanceonefromtheotherappearedlikeportionsoftransverselines, which enclosed us in a kind of net, like that of a line of telegraphicwires.

Ibelievewewerenowgoingatarateofnotlessthanahundredmilesanhour.

My uncle and I looked at one another with wild and haggard eyes; weclungconvulsivelytothestumpofthemast,which,atthemomentwhenthecatastrophetookplace,hadsnappedshortoff.Weturnedourbacksasmuchaspossibletothewind,inordernottobestifledbyarapidityofmotionwhichnothinghumancouldfaceandlive.

Andstillthelongmonotonoushourswenton.Thesituationdidnotchangeintheleast,thoughadiscoveryIsuddenlymadeseemedtocomplicateitverymuch.

Whenwehadslightlyrecoveredourequilibrium,Iproceededtoexamineourcargo.I thenmadetheunsatisfactorydiscoverythat thegreaterpartof ithadutterlydisappeared.

I became alarmed, and determined to discoverwhatwere our resources.Myheartbeatattheidea,butitwasabsolutelynecessarytoknowonwhatwehadtodepend.Withthisview,Itookthelanternandlookedaround.

Of all our former collection of nautical and philosophical instruments,thereremainedonlythechronometerandthecompass.Theladdersandropeswerereducedtoasmallpieceofropefastenedtothestumpofthemast.Notapickax, not a crowbar, not a hammer, and, farworse than all, no food—notenoughforoneday!

Thisdiscoverywasapreludetoacertainandhorribledeath.

Seatedgloomilyontheraft,claspingthestumpofthemastmechanically,IthoughtofallIhadreadastosufferingsfromstarvation.

Irememberedeverythingthathistoryhadtaughtmeonthesubject,andIshudderedattheremembranceoftheagoniestobeendured.

Maddened at the prospects of enduring the miseries of starvation, IpersuadedmyselfthatImustbemistaken.Iexaminedthecracksintheraft;Ipoked between the joints and beams; I examined every possible hole andcorner.Theresultwas—simplynothing!

Ourstockofprovisionsconsistedofnothingbutapieceofdrymeatandsomesoakedandhalf-moldybiscuits.

Igazedaroundmescaredandfrightened.Icouldnotunderstandtheawfultruth. And yet of what consequence was it in regard to any new danger?Supposing thatwe had had provisions formonths, and even for years, howcouldweevergetoutoftheawfulabyssintowhichwewerebeinghurledbytheirresistibletorrentwehadletloose?

Why shouldwe trouble ourselves about the sufferings and tortures to beendured fromhungerwhendeath stared us in the face under somanyotherswifterandperhapsevenmorehorridforms?

Itwasverydoubtful,underthecircumstancesinwhichwewereplaced,ifweshouldhavetimetodieofinanition.

Butthehumanframeissingularlyconstituted.

Iknownothowitwas;but,fromsomesingularhallucinationofthemind,Iforgot thereal,serious,andimmediatedanger towhichwewereexposed, tothinkofthemenacesofthefuture,whichappearedbeforeusinalltheirnakedterror.Besides,afterall,suggestedHope,perhapswemightfinallyescapethefuryoftheragingtorrent,andoncemorerevisittheglimpsesofthemoon,onthesurfaceofourbeautifulMotherEarth.

Howwas it to be done? I had not the remotest idea.Wherewerewe tocomeout?Nomatter,sothatwedid.

One chance in a thousand is always a chance, while death from hungergaveusnoteventhefaintestglimpseofhope.Itlefttotheimaginationnothingbutblankhorror,withoutthefaintestchanceofescape!

I had the greatestmind to reveal all tomy uncle, to explain to him theextraordinaryandwretchedpositiontowhichwewerereduced,inorderthat,between the two,wemightmakeacalculationas to theexact spaceof timewhichremainedforustolive.

Itwas,itappearedtome,theonlythingtobedone.ButIhadthecouragetoholdmy tongue, tognawatmyentrails like theSpartanboy. Iwished toleavehimallhiscoolness.

Atthismoment,thelightofthelanternslowlyfell,andatlastwentout!

Thewickhadwhollyburnt to anend.Theobscuritybecameabsolute. Itwasno longerpossible tosee through the impenetrabledarkness!Therewasonetorchleft,butitwasimpossibletokeepitalight.Then,likeachild,Ishutmyeyes,thatImightnotseethedarkness.

Afteragreat lapseof time, the rapidityofour journey increased. Icouldfeelitbytherushofairuponmyface.Theslopeofthewaterswasexcessive.Ibegantofeelthatwewerenolongergoingdownaslope;wewerefalling.Ifeltasonedoesinadream,goingdownbodily—falling;falling;falling!

I felt that thehandsofmyuncle andHanswerevigorously claspingmyarms.

Suddenly,afteralapseoftimescarcelyappreciable,Ifeltsomethinglikeashock.Therafthadnotstruckahardbody,buthadsuddenlybeencheckedinits course. A waterspout, a liquid column of water, fell upon us. I feltsuffocating.Iwasbeingdrowned.

Stillthesuddeninundationdidnotlast.InafewsecondsIfeltmyselfonce

moreabletobreathe.MyuncleandHanspressedmyarms,andtheraftcarriedusallthreeaway.

CHAPTER40

THEAPEGIGANS

It is difficult for me to determine what was the real time, but I shouldsuppose,byaftercalculation,thatitmusthavebeentenatnight.

I lay inastupor,ahalfdream,duringwhichI sawvisionsofastoundingcharacter.Monstersofthedeepweresidebysidewiththemightyelephantineshepherd.Giganticfishandanimalsseemedtoformstrangeconjunctions.

The raft took a sudden turn,whirled round, entered another tunnel—thistime illumined in a most singular manner. The roof was formed of porousstalactite,throughwhichamoonlitvaporappearedtopass,castingitsbrilliantlightuponourgauntandhaggardfigures.Thelightincreasedasweadvanced,while theroofascended;untilat last,wewereoncemore inakindofwatercavern,theloftydomeofwhichdisappearedinaluminouscloud!

A rugged cavern of small extent appeared to offer a halting place to ourwearybodies.

Myuncleandtheguidemovedasmeninadream.Iwasafraidtowakenthem,knowingthedangerofsuchasuddenstart.Iseatedmyselfbesidethemtowatch.

AsIdidso,Ibecameawareofsomethingmovinginthedistance,whichatonce fascinatedmyeyes. Itwas floating,apparently,upon thesurfaceof thewater, advancing bymeans ofwhat at first appeared paddles. I lookedwithglaringeyes.Oneglancetoldmethatitwassomethingmonstrous.

Butwhat?

Itwas thegreat "shark-crocodile"of the earlywritersongeology.Aboutthe size of an ordinary whale, with hideous jaws and two gigantic eyes, itadvanced. Its eyes fixed on me with terrible sternness. Some indefinitewarningtoldmethatithadmarkedmeforitsown.

Iattemptedtorise—toescape,nomatterwhere,butmykneesshookunderme;mylimbstrembledviolently;Ialmostlostmysenses.Andstillthemightymonsteradvanced.Myuncleandtheguidemadenoefforttosavethemselves.

Withastrangenoise,likenoneotherIhadeverheard,thebeastcameon.Hisjawswereatleastsevenfeetapart,andhisdistendedmouthlookedlarge

enoughtohaveswallowedaboatfulofmen.

Wewereabout ten feetdistantwhen Idiscovered thatmuchashisbodyresembledthatofacrocodile,hismouthwaswhollythatofashark.

Histwofoldnaturenowbecameapparent.Tosnatchusupatamouthfulitwasnecessary forhim to turnonhisback,whichmotionnecessarilycausedhislegstokickuphelplesslyintheair.

Iactuallylaughedevenintheveryjawsofdeath!

But next minute, with a wild cry, I darted away into the interior of thecave, leavingmyunhappycomrades to their fate!Thiscavernwasdeepanddreary.Afteraboutahundredyards,Ipausedandlookedaround.

Thewholefloor,composedofsandandmalachite,wasstrewnwithbones,freshlygnawedbonesof reptilesand fish,withamixtureofmammalia.Myverysoulgrewsickasmybodyshudderedwithhorror.Ihadtruly,accordingtotheoldproverb,fallenoutofthefryingpanintothefire.Somebeastlargerandmoreferociouseventhantheshark-crocodileinhabitedthisden.

What could I do?Themouth of the cavewas guarded by one ferociousmonster,theinteriorwasinhabitedbysomethingtoohideoustocontemplate.Flightwasimpossible!

Onlyoneresourceremained,andthatwastofindsomesmallhidingplacetowhichthefearfuldenizensofthecaverncouldnotpenetrate.Igazedwildlyaround,andat lastdiscovereda fissure in the rock, towhich I rushed in thehopeofrecoveringmyscatteredsenses.

Crouchingdown,Iwaitedshiveringasinanaguefit.Nomanisbraveinpresence of an earthquake, or a bursting boiler, or an exploding torpedo. Icouldnotbeexpectedtofeelmuchcourageinpresenceofthefearfulfatethatappearedtoawaitme.

Anhourpassed.Iheardallthetimeastrangerumblingoutsidethecave.

Whatwasthefateofmyunhappycompanions?Itwasimpossibleformetopausetoinquire.MyownwretchedexistencewasallIcouldthinkof.

Suddenlyagroaning,asoffiftybearsinafight,felluponmyears—hisses,spitting,moaning,hideoustohear—andthenIsaw—

Never, were ages to pass over my head, shall I forget the horribleapparition.

ItwastheApeGigans!

Fourteenfeethigh,coveredwithcoarsehair,ofablackishbrown,thehaironthearms,fromtheshouldertotheelbowjoints,pointingdownwards,while

thatfromthewristtotheelbowpointedupwards,itadvanced.Itsarmswereaslongasitsbody,whileitslegswereprodigious.Ithadthick,long,andsharplypointedteeth—likeamammothsaw.

Itstruckitsbreastasitcameonsmellingandsniffing,remindingmeofthestorieswereadinourearlychildhoodofgiantswhoatetheFleshofmenandlittleboys!

Suddenly it stopped. My heart beat wildly, for I was conscious that,somehowor other, the fearfulmonster had smelledmeout andwaspeeringaboutwithhishideouseyestotryanddiscovermywhereabouts.

My reading, which as a rule is a blessing, but which on this occasion,seemedmomentarily toproveacurse, toldme the real truth. Itwas theApeGigans,theantediluviangorilla.

Yes!This awfulmonster, confined by good fortune to the interior of theearth,wastheprogenitorofthehideousmonsterofAfrica.

He glared wildly about, seeking something—doubtless myself. I gavemyselfupforlost.Nohopeofsafetyorescapeseemedtoremain.

Atthismoment, justasmyeyesappearedtocloseindeath, therecameastrangenoisefromtheentranceofthecave;andturning,thegorillaevidentlyrecognizedsomeenemymoreworthyhisprodigioussizeandstrength.Itwasthehugeshark-crocodile,whichperhapshavingdisposedofmyfriends,wascominginsearchoffurtherprey.

The gorilla placed himself on the defensive, and clutching a bone someseven or eight feet in length, a perfect club, aimed a deadly blow at thehideous beast, which reared upwards and fell with all its weight upon itsadversary.

Aterriblecombat,thedetailsofwhichitisimpossibletogive,nowensued.Thestrugglewasawfulandferocious,I,however,didnotwaittowitnesstheresult.Regardingmyselfas theobjectofcontention, Ideterminedtoremovefromthepresenceofthevictor.Isliddownfrommyhidingplace,reachedtheground, and gliding against the wall, strove to gain the open mouth of thecavern.

But I had not taken many steps when the fearful clamor ceased, to befollowed by a mumbling and groaning which appeared to be indicative ofvictory.

I looked back and saw the huge ape, gorywith blood, coming aftermewithglaringeyes,withdilatednostrilsthatgaveforthtwocolumnsofheatedvapor.Icouldfeelhishotandfetidbreathonmyneck;andwithahorridjump—awokefrommynightmaresleep.

Yes—itwasalladream.Iwasstillontheraftwithmyuncleandtheguide.

The relief was not instantaneous, for under the influence of the hideousnightmare my senses had become numbed. After a while, however, myfeelingsweretranquilized.Thefirstofmyperceptionswhichreturnedinfullforcewasthatofhearing.Ilistenedwithacuteandattentiveears.Allwasstillasdeath.AllIcomprehendedwassilence.Totheroaringofthewaters,whichhadfilledthegallerywithawfulreverberations,succeededperfectpeace.

Aftersomelittletimemyunclespoke,inalowandscarcelyaudibletone:"Harry,boy,whereareyou?"

"Iamhere,"wasmyfaintrejoinder.

"Well,don'tyouseewhathashappened?Wearegoingupwards."

"Mydearuncle,whatcanyoumean?"wasmyhalf-deliriousreply.

"Yes,I tellyouweareascendingrapidly.Ourdownwardjourneyisquitechecked."

Iheldoutmyhand,and,aftersomelittledifficulty,succeededintouchingthewall.Myhandwas in an instant coveredwithblood.The skinwas tornfromtheflesh.Wewereascendingwithextraordinaryrapidity.

"Thetorch—thetorch!"criedtheProfessor,wildly;"itmustbelighted."

Hans, the guide, aftermany vain efforts, at last succeeded in lighting it,and the flame, having now nothing to prevent its burning, shed a tolerablyclearlight.Wewereenabledtoformanapproximateideaofthetruth.

"It is just as I thought," saidmy uncle, after amoment or two of silentattention."Weareinanarrowwellaboutfourfathomssquare.Thewatersofthe great inland sea, having reached the bottomof the gulf are now forcingthemselvesupthemightyshaft.Asanaturalconsequence,wearebeingcastuponthesummitofthewaters."

"ThatIcansee,"wasmylugubriousreply;"butwherewillthisshaftend,andtowhatfallarewelikelytobeexposed?"

"Of that I am as ignorant as yourself. All I know is, that we should bepreparedfortheworst.Wearegoingupatafearfullyrapidrate.AsfarasIcanjudge,weareascendingattherateoftwofathomsasecond,ofahundredandtwentyfathomsaminute,orrathermorethanthreeandahalfleaguesanhour.Atthisrate,ourfatewillsoonbeamatterofcertainty."

"Nodoubtofit,"wasmyreply."ThegreatconcernIhavenow,however,isto knowwhether this shaft has any issue. It may end in a granite roof—inwhich case we shall be suffocated by compressed air, or dashed to atomsagainst the top. I fancy, already, that the air is beginning to be close and

condensed.Ihaveadifficultyinbreathing."

Thismight be fancy, or itmight be the effect of our rapidmotion, but Icertainlyfeltagreatoppressionofthechest.

"Henry,"said theProfessor,"Idobelievethat thesituationis toacertainextentdesperate.Thereremain,however,manychancesofultimatesafety,andI have, inmy ownmind, been revolving them over, during your heavy butagitatedsleep.Ihavecometothislogicalconclusion—whereaswemayatanymoment perish, so at any moment we may be saved! We need, therefore,prepareourselvesforwhatevermayturnupinthegreatchapterofaccidents."

"Butwhatwouldyouhaveusdo?"Icried."Arewenotutterlyhelpless?"

"No!Whilethereislifethereishope.Atallevents,thereisonethingwecando—eat,andthusobtainstrengthtofacevictoryordeath."

Ashespoke,Ilookedatmyunclewithahaggardglance.Ihadputoffthefatal communication as long as possible. Itwas now forced uponme, and Imusttellhimthetruth.

StillIhesitated.

"Eat,"Isaid,inadeprecatingtoneasiftherewerenohurry.

"Yes, and at once. I feel like a starving prisoner," he said, rubbing hisyellowandshiveringhandstogether.

And,turningroundtotheguide,hespokesomehearty,cheeringwords,asIjudgedfromhistone,inDanish.Hansshookhisheadinaterriblysignificantmanner.Itriedtolookunconcerned.

"What!" cried the Professor, "you do not mean to say that all ourprovisionsarelost?"

"Yes,"wasmy lowly spoken reply, as I held out something inmyhand,"thismorselofdriedmeatisallthatremainsforusthree."

Myunclegazedatmeas ifhecouldnot fullyappreciate themeaningofmy words. The blow seemed to stun him by its severity. I allowed him toreflectforsomemoments.

"Well," said I, aftera shortpause, "whatdoyou thinknow?Is thereanychanceof our escaping fromourhorrible subterraneandangers?Arewenotdoomedtoperishinthegreathollowsofthecentreoftheearth?"

Butmypertinentquestionsbroughtnoanswer.Myuncleeitherheardmenot,orappearednottodoso.

And in thisway awhole hour passed.Neither of us cared to speak. Formyself, I began to feel the most fearful and devouring hunger. My

companions, doubtless, felt the same horrible tortures, but neither of themwould touch thewretchedmorsel ofmeat that remained. It lay there, a lastremnantofallourgreatpreparationsforthemadandsenselessjourney!

Ilookedback,withwonderment,tomyownfolly.FullywasIawarethat,despite his enthusiasm, and the ever-to-be-hated scroll of Saknussemm,myuncleshouldneverhavestartedonhisperilousvoyage.Whatmemoriesofthehappypast,whatprevisionsofthehorriblefuture,nowfilledmybrain!

CHAPTER41

HUNGER

Hunger,prolonged,istemporarymadness!Thebrainisatworkwithoutitsrequired food, and the most fantastic notions fill the mind. Hitherto I hadneverknownwhathungerreallymeant.Iwaslikelytounderstanditnow.

Andyet,threemonthsbeforeIcouldtellmyterriblestoryofstarvation,asIthoughtit.AsaboyIusedtomakefrequentexcursionsintheneighborhoodoftheProfessor'shouse.

Myunclealwaysactedonsystem,andhebelievedthat,inadditiontothedayofrestandworship,thereshouldbeadayofrecreation.Inconsequence,IwasalwaysfreetodoasIlikedonaWednesday.

Now, as I had a notion to combine the useful and the agreeable, myfavoritepastimewasbirds'nesting.Ihadoneofthebestcollectionsofeggsinallthetown.Theywereclassified,andunderglasscases.

Therewasacertainwood,which,byrisingatearlymorn,andtakingthecheaptrain,Icouldreachateleveninthemorning.HereIwouldbotanizeorgeologize at my will. My uncle was always glad of specimens for hisherbarium,andstonestoexamine.WhenIhadfilledmywallet,Iproceededtosearchfornests.

Afterabouttwohoursofhardwork,I,oneday,satdownbyastreamtoeatmyhumblebutcopious lunch.Howtheremembranceof thespicedsausage,the wheaten loaf, and the beer, made my mouth water now! I would havegiveneveryprospectofworldlywealthforsuchameal.Buttomystory.

Whileseatedthusatmyleisure,Ilookedupattheruinsofanoldcastle,atnogreatdistance. Itwas the remainsofanhistoricaldwelling, ivy-clad,andnowfallingtopieces.

Whilelooking,Isawtwoeaglescirclingaboutthesummitofaloftytower.

I soon became satisfied that there was a nest. Now, in all my collection, Ilackedeggsofthenativeeagleandthelargeowl.

Mymindwasmadeup.Iwouldreachthesummitofthattower,orperishintheattempt.Iwentnearer,andsurveyedtheruins.Theoldstaircase,yearsbefore, had fallen in. The outer walls were, however, intact. There was nochancethatway,unlessI lookedtotheivysolelyforsupport.Thiswas,asIsoonfoundout,futile.

Thereremainedthechimney,whichstillwentuptothetop,andhadonceservedtocarryoffthesmokefromeverystoryofthetower.

Up this I determined to venture. Itwas narrow, rough, and therefore themoreeasilyclimbed.Itookoffmycoatandcreptintothechimney.Lookingup,Isawasmall,lightopening,proclaimingthesummitofthechimney.

Up—upIwent,forsometimeusingmyhandsandknees,afterthefashionofachimneysweep.Itwasslowwork,but,therebeingcontinualprojections,thetaskwascomparativelyeasy.Inthisway,Ireachedhalfway.Thechimneynow became narrower. The atmosphere was close, and, at last, to end thematter,Istuckfast.Icouldascendnohigher.

There could be no doubt of this, and there remained no resource but todescend, and give up my glorious prey in despair. I yielded to fate andendeavored todescend.But I couldnotmove.Someunseen andmysteriousobstacle intervened and stopped me. In an instant the full horror of mysituationseizedme.

Iwasunabletomoveeitherway,andwasdoomedtoaterribleandhorribledeath, thatof starvation. Inaboy'smind,however, there is anextraordinaryamount of elasticity and hope, and I began to think of all sorts of plans toescapemygloomyfate.

Inthefirstplace,Irequirednofoodjustatpresent,havinghadanexcellentmeal,andwas thereforeallowed timefor reflection.Myfirst thoughtwas totry andmove themortarwithmyhand.Had Ipossessedaknife, somethingmighthavebeendone,butthatusefulinstrumentIhadleftinmycoatpocket.

Isoonfoundthatalleffortsofthiskindwerevainanduseless,andthatallIcouldhopetodowastowriggledownwards.

ButthoughIjerkedandstruggled,andstrovetoturn,itwasall invain.Icouldnotmoveaninch,onewayortheother.Andtimeflewrapidly.Myearlyrising probably contributed to the fact that I felt sleepy, and gradually gavewaytothesensationofdrowsiness.

Islept,andawokeindarkness,ravenouslyhungry.

Nighthadcome,andstillIcouldnotmove.Iwastightbound,anddidnot

succeed in changingmy position an inch. I groaned aloud.Never since thedaysofmyhappychildhood,whenitwasahardshiptogofrommealtomealwithouteating,hadIreallyexperiencedhunger.Thesensationwasasnovelasitwaspainful.Ibegannowtolosemyheadandtoscreamandcryoutinmyagony.Somethingappeared,startledbymynoise.Itwasaharmlesslizard,butitappearedtomealoathsomereptile.AgainImadetheoldruinsresoundwithmycries,andfinallysoexhaustedmyselfthatIfainted.

HowlongIlayinakindoftranceorsleepIcannotsay,butwhenagainIrecoveredconsciousnessitwasday.HowillIfelt,howhungerstillgnawedatme, itwouldbehard tosay. Iwas tooweak toscreamnow,far tooweak tostruggle.

SuddenlyIwasstartledbyaroar.

"Are you there,Henry?" said the voice ofmyuncle; "are you there,myboy?"

I could only faintly respond, but I alsomade a desperate effort to turn.Somemortarfell.TothisIowedmybeingdiscovered.Whenthesearchtookplace, itwas easily seen thatmortar and small pieces of stone had recentlyfallenfromabove.Hencemyuncle'scry.

"Becalm,"hecried,"ifwepulldownthewholeruin,youshallbesaved."

Theyweredeliciouswords,butIhadlittlehope.

Soonhowever,aboutaquarterofanhourlaterIheardavoiceaboveme,atoneoftheupperfireplaces.

"Areyoubeloworabove?"

"Below,"wasmyreply.

In an instant a basketwas loweredwithmilk, a biscuit, and an egg.Myunclewas fearful to be too readywith his supply of food. I drank themilkfirst, for thirst had nearly deadened hunger. I then,much refreshed, atemybreadandhardegg.

They were now at work at the wall. I could hear a pickax.Wishing toescapealldanger fromthis terribleweaponImadeadesperatestruggle,andthebelt,whichsurroundedmywaistandwhichhadbeenhitchedonastone,gaveway.Iwasfree,andonlyescapedfallingdownbyarapidmotionofmyhandsandknees.

In tenminutesmore Iwas inmyuncle's arms, after being twodays andnights in that horrible prison. My occasional delirium prevented me fromcountingtime.

Iwasweeksrecoveringfromthatawfulstarvationadventure;andyetwhat

wasthattothehideoussufferingsInowendured?

After dreaming for some time, and thinking of this and othermatters, Ioncemore looked aroundme.Wewere still ascendingwith fearful rapidity.Everynowandthentheairappearedtocheckourrespirationasitdoesthatofaeronautswhen the ascension of the balloon is too rapid.But if they feel adegreeofcoldinproportiontotheelevationtheyattainintheatmosphere,weexperienced quite a contrary effect. The heat began to increase in a mostthreateningandexceptionalmanner.Icannottellexactlythemean,butIthinkitmusthavereachedonehundredtwenty-twodegreesFahrenheit.

Whatwasthemeaningofthisextraordinarychangeinthetemperature?Asfar as we had hitherto gone, facts had proved the theories of Davy and ofLidenbrock tobecorrect.Untilnow,all thepeculiarconditionsof refractoryrocks,of electricity, ofmagnetism,hadmodified thegeneral lawsofnature,andhadcreated forus amoderate temperature; for the theoryof the centralfire,remained,inmyeyes,theonlyexplainableone.

Werewe,then,goingtoreachapositioninwhichthesephenomenawereto be carried out in all their rigor, and inwhich the heat would reduce therockstoastateoffusion?

Suchwasmynotunnatural fear, and I didnot conceal the fact frommyuncle.Mywayofdoingsomightbecoldandheartless,butIcouldnothelpit.

"Ifwearenotdrowned,orsmashedintopancakes,andifwedonotdieofstarvation,wehavethesatisfactionofknowingthatwemustbeburnedalive."

My uncle, in presence of this brusque attack, simply shrugged hisshoulders,andresumedhisreflections—whatevertheymightbe.

An hour passed away, and except that therewas a slight increase in thetemperaturenoincidentmodifiedthesituation.

Myuncleatlast,ofhisownaccord,brokesilence.

"Well,Henry,myboy,"hesaid,inacheerfulway,"wemustmakeupourminds."

"Makeupourmindstowhat?"Iasked,inconsiderablesurprise.

"Well—to something. We must at whatever risk recruit our physicalstrength. If we make the fatal mistake of husbanding our little remnant offood,wemayprobablyprolongourwretchedexistenceafewhours—butweshallremainweaktotheend."

"Yes," I growled, "to the end. That, however, will not keep us longwaiting."

"Well,onlyletachanceofsafetypresentitself—onlyallowthatamoment

ofactionbenecessary—whereshallwefindthemeansofactionifweallowourselvestobereducedtophysicalweaknessbyinanition?"

"Whenthispieceofmeatisdevoured,Uncle,whathopewillthereremainuntous?"

"None,mydearHenry,none.Butwillitdoyouanygoodtodevouritwithyoureyes?Youappeartometoreasonlikeonewithoutwillordecision,likeabeingwithoutenergy."

"Then,"criedI,exasperatedtoadegreewhichisscarcelytobeexplained,"youdonotmeantotellme—thatyou—thatyou—havenotlostallhope."

"Certainlynot,"repliedtheProfessorwithconsummatecoolness.

"You mean to tell me, Uncle, that we shall get out of this monstroussubterraneanshaft?"

"Whilethereislifethereishope.Ibegtoassert,Henry,thataslongasaman'sheartbeats,aslongasaman'sfleshquivers,Idonotallowthatabeinggiftedwiththoughtandwillcanallowhimselftodespair."

What a nerve!Themanplaced in a position like thatwe occupiedmusthavebeenverybravetospeaklikethis.

"Well,"Icried,"whatdoyoumeantodo?"

"Eatwhatremainsofthefoodwehaveinourhands;letusswallowthelastcrumb.ItwillbelHeavenwilling,ourlastrepast.Well,nevermind—insteadofbeingexhaustedskeletons,weshallbemen."

"True,"mutteredIinadespairingtone,"letustakeourfill."

"Wemust,"repliedmyuncle,withadeepsigh,"callitwhatyouwill."

My uncle took a piece of the meat that remained, and some crusts ofbiscuitwhichhadescapedthewreck.Hedividedthewholeintothreeparts.

Each had one pound of food to last him as long as he remained in theinterioroftheearth.

Eachnowactedinaccordancewithhisownprivatecharacter.

Myuncle,theProfessor,ategreedily,butevidentlywithoutappetite,eatingsimply from some mechanical motion. I put the food inside my lips, andhungryasIwas,chewedmymorselwithoutpleasure,andwithoutsatisfaction.

Hans, the guide, just as if he had been eider-down hunting, swallowedeverymouthful,asthoughitwereausualaffair.Helookedlikeamanequallypreparedtoenjoysuperfluityortotalwant.

Hans,inallprobability,wasnomoreusedtostarvationthanourselves,but

hishardyIcelandicnaturehadpreparedhimformanysufferings.As longashe received his three rix-dollars every Saturday night, he was prepared foranything.

Thefactwas,Hansnevertroubledhimselfaboutmuchexcepthismoney.Hehadundertakentoserveacertainmanatsomuchperweek,andnomatterwhatevilsbefellhisemployerorhimself,heneverfoundfaultorgrumbled,solongashiswagesweredulypaid.

Suddenlymyunclerousedhimself.Hehadseenasmileonthefaceofourguide.Icouldnotmakeitout.

"Whatisthematter?"saidmyuncle.

"Schiedam,"saidtheguide,producingabottleofthispreciousfluid.

Wedrank.Myuncleandmyselfwillowntoourdyingdaythathencewederivedstrength toexistuntil the lastbittermoment.ThatpreciousbottleofHollands was in reality only half full; but, under the circumstances, it wasnectar.

It tooksomeminutesformyselfandmyuncletoformadecidedopiniononthesubject.TheworthyProfessorswallowedabouthalfapintanddidnotseemabletodrinkanymore.

"Fortrafflig,"saidHans,swallowingnearlyallthatwasleft.

"Excellent—verygood," saidmyuncle,with asmuchgusto as if hehadjustleftthestepsoftheclubatHamburg.

Ihadbeguntofeelasiftherehadbeenonegleamofhope.Nowallthoughtofthefuturevanished!

Wehad consumed our last ounce of food, and itwas five o'clock in themorning!

CHAPTER42

THEVOLCANICSHAFT

Man'sconstitutionissopeculiarthathishealthispurelyanegativematter.No sooner is the rage of hunger appeased than it becomes difficult tocomprehend themeaning of starvation. It is onlywhen you suffer that youreallyunderstand.

As to anyone who has not endured privation having any notion of thematter,itissimplyabsurd.

Withus,afteralongfast,somemouthfulsofbreadandmeat,alittlemoldybiscuit and salt beef triumphed over all our previous gloomy and saturninethoughts.

Nevertheless, after this repast each gave way to his own reflections. IwonderedwhatwerethoseofHans—themanoftheextremenorth,whowasyetgiftedwith thefatalisticresignationofOrientalcharacter.But theutmoststretchoftheimaginationwouldnotallowmetorealizethetruth.Asformyindividual self,my thoughts had ceased to be anythingbutmemories of thepast,andwereallconnectedwiththatupperworldwhichInevershouldhaveleft. I saw it all now, the beautiful house in the Konigstrasse, my poorGretchen,thegoodMartha;theyallpassedbeforemymindlikevisionsofthepast. Every time any of the lugubrious groanings which were to bedistinguished in thehollowsaround fell uponmyears, I fancied I heard thedistantmurmurofthegreatcitiesabovemyhead.

Asformyuncle,alwaysthinkingofhisscience,heexaminedthenatureofthe shaft bymeans of a torch.He closely examined the different strata oneabovetheother,inordertorecognizehissituationbygeologicaltheory.Thiscalculation, or rather this estimation, could by no means be anything butapproximate.Butalearnedman,aphilosopher,isnothingifnotaphilosopher,when he keeps his ideas calm and collected; and certainly the Professorpossessedthisqualitytoperfection.

Iheardhim,asIsatinsilence,murmuringwordsofgeologicalscience.AsIunderstoodhisobjectandhismeaning,Icouldnotbutinterestmyselfdespitemypreoccupationinthatterriblehour.

"Eruptivegranite,"hesaidtohimself,"wearestillintheprimitiveepoch.Butwearegoingup—goingup,stillgoingup.Butwhoknows?Whoknows?"

Thenhe stillhoped.He felt along thevertical sidesof the shaftwithhishand,andsomefewminuteslater,hewouldgoonagaininthefollowingstyle:

"Thisisgneiss.Thisismicaschist—siliceousmineral.Goodagain;thisistheepochoftransition,atallevents,weareclosetothem—andthen,andthen—"

What could the Professor mean? Could he, by any conceivable means,measure the thickness of the crust of the earth suspended above our heads?Did he possess any possible means of making any approximation to thiscalculation?No.

Themanometerwaswanting, andno summaryestimationcould take theplaceofit.

And yet, as we progressed, the temperature increased in the most

extraordinary degree, and I began to feel as if I were bathed in a hot andburning atmosphere. Never before had I felt anything like it. I could onlycompareittothehotvaporfromanironfoundry,whentheliquidironisinastateofebullitionandrunsover.Bydegrees,andoneaftertheother,Hans,myuncle, and myself had taken off our coats and waistcoats. They wereunbearable.Even the slightest garmentwas not only uncomfortable, but thecauseofextremesuffering.

"Are we ascending to a living fire?" I cried; when, to my horror andastonishment,theheatbecamegreaterthanbefore.

"No,no,"saidmyuncle,"itissimplyimpossible,quiteimpossible."

"Andyet,"saidI,touchingthesideoftheshaftwithmynakedhand,"thiswallisliterallyburning."

At thismoment, feeling as I did that the sides of this extraordinarywallwere redhot, I plungedmyhands into thewater to cool them. I drew thembackwithacryofdespair.

"Thewaterisboiling!"Icried.

Myuncle, theProfessor,madeno replyother than agestureof rage anddespair.

Somethingverylikethetruthhadprobablystruckhisimagination.

But I could take no share in either what was going on, or in hisspeculations.Aninvincibledreadhadtakenpossessionofmybrainandsoul.Icould only look forward to an immediate catastrophe, such a catastrophe asnoteven themostvivid imaginationcouldhave thoughtof.An idea, at firstvagueanduncertain,wasgraduallybeingchangedintocertainty.

I tremulously rejected it at first, but it forced itself uponme by degreeswith extreme obstinacy. It was so terrible an idea that I scarcely dared towhisperittomyself.

And yet all the while certain, and as it were, involuntary observationsdeterminedmyconvictions.Bythedoubtfulglareof the torch,Icouldmakeout some singular changes in the granitic strata; a strange and terriblephenomenonwasabouttobeproduced,inwhichelectricityplayedapart.

Thenthisboilingwater,thisterribleandexcessiveheat?Ideterminedasalastresourcetoexaminethecompass.

Thecompasshadgonemad!

Yes,whollystarkstaringmad.Theneedlejumpedfrompoletopolewithsuddenandsurprisingjerks,ranround,orasitissaid,boxedthecompass,andthenransuddenlybackagainasifithadthevertigo.

I was aware that, according to the best acknowledged theories, it was areceived notion that the mineral crust of the globe is never, and never hasbeen,inastateofcompleterepose.

Itisperpetuallyundergoingthemodificationscausedbythedecompositionofinternalmatter,theagitationconsequentontheflowingofextensiveliquidcurrents, the excessive action of magnetism which tends to shake itincessantly,atatimewheneventhemultitudinousbeingsonitssurfacedonotsuspecttheseethingprocesstobegoingon.

Stillthisphenomenonwouldnothavealarmedmealone;itwouldnothavearousedinmymindaterrible,anawfulidea.

Butotherfactscouldnotallowmyself-delusiontolast.

Terribledetonations, likeHeaven'sartillery,begantomultiplythemselveswith fearful intensity. I could only compare them with the noise made byhundredsofheavilyladenchariotsbeingmadlydrivenoverastonepavement.Itwasacontinuousrollofheavythunder.

And then the mad compass, shaken by the wild electric phenomena,confirmedmeinmyrapidlyformedopinion.Themineralcrustwasabouttoburst,theheavygranitemasseswereabouttorejoin,thefissurewasabouttoclose,thevoidwasabouttobefilledup,andwepooratomstobecrushedinitsawfulembrace!

"Uncle,Uncle!"Icried,"wearewholly,irretrievablylost!"

"What,then,myyoungfriend,isyournewcauseofterrorandalarm?"hesaidinhiscalmestmanner."Whatfearyounow?"

"WhatdoIfearnow!"Icriedinfierceandangrytones."Doyounotseethatthewallsoftheshaftareinmotion?Doyounotseethatthesolidgranitemasses are cracking? Do you not feel the terrible, torrid heat? Do you notobserve theawfulboilingwateronwhichwe float?Doyounot remark thismadneedle?Everysignandportentofanawfulearthquake!"

Myunclecoollyshookhishead.

"Anearthquake,"herepliedinthemostcalmandprovokingtone.

"Yes."

"Mynephew,Itellyouthatyouareutterlymistaken,"hecontinued.

"Doyounot,canyounot,recognizeallthewell-knownsymtons—"

"Of an earthquake? By no means. I am expecting something far moreimportant."

"My brain is strained beyond endurance—what, what do you mean?" I

cried.

"Aneruption,Harry."

"Aneruption,"Igasped."Weare,then,inthevolcanicshaftofacraterinfullactionandvigor."

"Ihaveeveryreasontothinkso,"saidtheProfessorinasmilingtone,"andIbegtotellyouthatitisthemostfortunatethingthatcouldhappentous."

Themostfortunatething!Hadmyunclereallyandtrulygonemad?Whatdidhemeanby theseawfulwords—whatdidhemeanby this terriblecalm,thissolemnsmile?

"What!"criedI,intheheightofmyexasperation,"weareonthewaytoaneruption,arewe?Fatalityhascastusintoawellofburningandboilinglava,ofrocksonfire,ofboilingwater,inaword,filledwitheverykindoferuptivematter? We are about to be expelled, thrown up, vomited, spit out of theinterioroftheearth,incommonwithhugeblocksofgranite,withshowersofcinders and scoriae, in a wild whirlwind of flame, and you say—the mostfortunatethingwhichcouldhappentous."

"Yes," replied the Professor, looking at me calmly from under hisspectacles,"it is theonlychancewhich remains tousofeverescaping fromtheinterioroftheearthtothelightofday."

It is quite impossible that I can put on paper the thousand strange,wildthoughtswhichfollowedthisextraordinaryannouncement.

Butmyunclewasright,quite right,andneverhadheappeared tomesoaudacious and so convinced as when he lookedme calmly in the face andspoke of the chances of an eruption—of our being cast uponMother Earthoncemorethroughthegapingcraterofavolcano!

Nevertheless,whilewewerespeakingwewerestillascending;wepassedthewhole night going up, or to speakmore scientifically, in an ascensionalmotion. The fearful noise redoubled; I was ready to suffocate. I seriouslybelievedthatmylasthourwasapproaching,andyet,sostrangeisimagination,allIthoughtofwassomechildishhypothesisorother.Insuchcircumstancesyoudonotchooseyourownthoughts.Theyovercomeyou.

Itwasquiteevident thatwewerebeingcastupwardsbyeruptivematter;undertherafttherewasamassofboilingwater,andunderthiswasaheaviermassoflava,andanaggregateofrockswhich,onreachingthesummitofthewater,wouldbedispersedineverydirection.

Thatwewereinsidethechimneyofavolcanotherecouldnolongerbetheshadowofadoubt.Nothingmoreterriblecouldbeconceived!

Buton thisoccasion, insteadofSneffels, anoldandextinctvolcano,wewere inside amountain of fire in full activity. Several times I foundmyselfasking,whatmountainwasit,andonwhatpartoftheworldweshouldbeshotout.Asifitwereofanyconsequence!

In the northern regions, there could be no reasonable doubt about that.Before it went decidedly mad, the compass had never made the slightestmistake. From the cape of Saknussemm, we had been swept away to thenorthwardmanyhundreds of leagues.Now the questionwas,wereweoncemoreunderIceland—shouldwebebelchedforthon to theearth throughthecraterofMountHecla,orshouldwereappearthroughoneoftheothersevenfirefunnelsoftheisland?Takinginmymentalvisionaradiusoffivehundredleaguestothewestward,Icouldseeunderthisparallelonlythelittle-knownvolcanoesofthenorthwestcoastofAmerica.

To the east one only existed somewhere about the eightieth degree oflatitude,theEsk,upontheislandofJanMayen,notfarfromthefrozenregionsofSpitsbergen.

Itwasnotcratersthatwerewanting,andmanyofthemwerebigenoughtovomit a whole army; all I wished to know was the particular one towardswhichweweremakingwithsuchfearfulvelocity.

Ioftenthinknowofmyfolly:asifIshouldeverhaveexpectedtoescape!

Towardsmorning,theascendingmotionbecamegreaterandgreater.Ifthedegreeofheat increasedinsteadofdecreasing,asweapproachedthesurfaceof theearth, itwas simplybecause thecauseswere local andwhollydue tovolcanic influence. Our very style of locomotion left inmymind no doubtupon the subject. An enormous force, a force of several hundreds ofatmospheresproducedbythevaporsaccumulatedandlongcompressedintheinterioroftheearth,washoistingusupwardswithirresistiblepower.

Butthoughwewereapproachingthelightofday,towhatfearfuldangerswereweabouttobeexposed?

Instantdeathappearedtheonlyfatewhichwecouldexpectorcontemplate.

Soonadim,sepulchrallightpenetratedtheverticalgallery,whichbecamewiderandwider.Icouldmakeouttotherightandleftlongdarkcorridorslikeimmensetunnels,fromwhichawfulandhorridvaporspouredout.Tonguesoffire,sparklingandcrackling,appearedabouttolickusup.

Thehourhadcome!

"Look,Uncle,look!"Icried.

"Well, what you see are the great sulphurous flames. Nothing morecommoninconnectionwithaneruption."

"Butiftheylapusround!"Iangrilyreplied.

"Theywillnotlapusround,"washisquietandsereneanswer.

"Butitwillbeallthesameintheendiftheystifleus,"Icried.

"Weshallnotbestifled.Thegalleryisrapidlybecomingwiderandwider,andifitbenecessary,wewillpresentlyleavetheraftandtakerefugeinsomefissureintherock."

"Butthewater,thewater,whichiscontinuallyascending?"Idespairinglyreplied.

"There is no longer anywater,Harry," he answered, "but a kind of lavapaste, which is heaving us up, in companywith itself, to themouth of thecrater."

Intruth,theliquidcolumnofwaterhadwhollydisappearedtogiveplaceto dense masses of boiling eruptive matter. The temperature was becomingutterly insupportable, and a thermometer exposed to this atmosphere wouldhavemarked between one hundred and eighty-nine and one hundred ninetydegreesFahrenheit.

Perspirationrushedfromeverypore.Butfortheextraordinaryrapidityofourascentweshouldhavebeenstifled.

Nevertheless,theProfessordidnotcarryouthispropositionofabandoningtheraft;andhedidquitewisely.Thosefewill-joinedbeamsoffered,anyway,asolidsurface—asupportwhichelsewheremusthaveutterlyfailedus.

Towards eight o'clock in the morning a new incident startled us. Theascensionalmovementsuddenlyceased.Theraftbecamestillandmotionless.

"What is thematternow?"Isaid,querulously,verymuchstartledbythischange.

"Asimplehalt,"repliedmyuncle.

"Istheeruptionabouttofail?"Iasked.

"Ihopenot."

Withoutmakingany reply, I rose. I tried to lookaroundme.Perhaps theraft,checkedbysomeprojectingrock,opposedamomentaryresistancetotheeruptivemass.Inthiscase,itwasabsolutelynecessarytoreleaseitasquicklyaspossible.

Nothing of the kind had occurred.The columnof cinders, of scoriae, ofbrokenrocksandearth,hadwhollyceasedtoascend.

"I tell you, Uncle, that the eruption has stopped," was my oracular

decision.

"Ah,"saidmyuncle,"youthinkso,myboy.Youarewrong.Donotbeintheleastalarmed;thissuddenmomentofcalmwillnotlastlong,beassured.Ithasalreadyenduredfiveminutes,andbeforewearemanyminutesolderweshallbecontinuingourjourneytothemouthofthecrater."

All the time he was speaking the Professor continued to consult hischronometer, and he was probably right in his prognostics. Soon the raftresumed its motion, in a very rapid and disorderly way, which lasted twominutesorthereabout;andthenagainitstoppedassuddenlyasbefore.

"Good,"saidmyuncle,observingthehour,"intenweshallstartagain."

"Intenminutes?"

"Yes—precisely.Wehave todowith avolcano, the eruptionofwhich isintermittent.Wearecompelledtobreathejustasitdoes."

Nothingcouldbemoretrue.Attheexactminutehehadindicated,wewereagainlaunchedonhighwithextremerapidity.Nottobecastofftheraft,itwasnecessarytoholdontothebeams.Thenthehoistagainceased.

Many times since have I thought of this singular phenomenon withoutbeingabletofindforitanysatisfactoryexplanation.Nevertheless,itappearedquitecleartome,thatwewerenotintheprincipalchimneyofthevolcano,butin an accessory conduit, where we felt the counter shock of the great andprincipaltunnelfilledbyburninglava.

Itisimpossibleformetosayhowmanytimesthismaneuverwasrepeated.AllthatIcanrememberis,thatoneveryascensionalmotion,wewerehoistedup with ever increasing velocity, as if we had been launched from a hugeprojectile.Duringthesuddenhaltswewerenearlystifled;duringthemomentsofprojectionthehotairtookawayourbreath.

Ithoughtforamomentofthevoluptuousjoyofsuddenlyfindingmyselfinthehyperboreanregionswiththecoldthirtydegreesbelowzero!

My exalted imagination pictured to itself the vast snowy plains of thearcticregions,andIwasimpatienttorollmyselfontheicycarpetoftheNorthPole.

By degrees my head, utterly overcome by a series of violent emotions,began to giveway to hallucination. Iwas delirious.Had it not been for thepowerfularmsofHans,theguide,Ishouldhavebrokenmyheadagainstthegranitemassesoftheshaft.

Ihave,inconsequence,keptnoaccountofwhatfollowedformanyhours.I have a vague and confused remembrance of continual detonations, of the

shakingofthehugegraniticmass,andoftheraftgoingroundlikeaspinningtop.Itfloatedonthestreamofhotlava,amidstafallingcloudofcinders.Thehugeflamesroaring,wrappedusaround.

A storm of wind which appeared to be cast forth from an immenseventilator rousedup the interior firesof theearth. Itwasahot, incandescentblast!

AtlastIsawthefigureofHansasifenvelopedinthehugehaloofburningblaze, and no other sense remained tome but that sinister dreadwhich thecondemned victim may be supposed to feel when led to the mouth of acannon, at the supreme moment when the shot is fired and his limbs aredispersedintoemptyspace.

CHAPTER43

DAYLIGHTATLAST

WhenIopenedmyeyesIfeltthehandoftheguideclutchingmefirmlybythe belt.With his other hand he supported my uncle. I was not grievouslywounded,butbruisedalloverinthemostremarkablemanner.

AfteramomentIlookedaround,andfoundthatIwaslyingdownontheslopeofamountainnot twoyards fromayawninggulf intowhich I shouldhavefallenhadImadetheslightestfalsestep.Hanshadsavedmefromdeath,whileIrolledinsensibleontheflanksofthecrater.

"Where arewe?" dreamily askedmyuncle,who literally appeared to bedisgustedathavingreturnedtoearth.

The eider-downhunter simply shrugged his shoulders as amark of totalignorance.

"InIceland?"saidI,notpositivelybutinterrogatively.

"Nej,"saidHans.

"Howdoyoumean?"criedtheProfessor;"no—whatareyourreasons?"

"Hansiswrong,"saidI,rising.

Afteralltheinnumerablesurprisesofthisjourney,ayetmoresingularonewasreservedtous.Iexpectedtoseeaconecoveredbysnow,byextensiveandwidespreadglaciers, in themidstof theariddesertsof theextremenorthernregions,beneaththefullraysofapolarsky,beyondthehighestlatitudes.

Butcontrary toallourexpectations, I,myuncle,and the Icelander,were

castupontheslopeofamountaincalcinedbytheburningraysofasunwhichwasliterallybakinguswithitsfires.

I couldnotbelievemyeyes,but theactualheatwhichaffectedmybodyallowedmenochanceofdoubting.Wecameoutofthecraterhalfnaked,andtheradiantstarfromwhichwehadaskednothingfortwomonths,wasgoodenoughtobeprodigaltousoflightandwarmth—alightandwarmthwecouldeasilyhavedispensedwith.

Whenoureyeswereaccustomedtothelightwehadlostsightofsolong,Iused them to rectify the errors of my imagination.Whatever happened, weshouldhavebeenatSpitsbergen,andIwasinnohumortoyieldtoanythingbutthemostabsoluteproof.

Aftersomedelay,theProfessorspoke.

"Hem!"he said, in ahesitatingkindofway, "it reallydoesnot look likeIceland."

"ButsupposingitweretheislandofJanMayen?"Iventuredtoobserve.

"Not in the least,myboy.This is not oneof thevolcanoesof thenorth,withitshillsofgraniteanditscrownofsnow."

"Nevertheless—"

"Look,look,myboy,"saidtheProfessor,asdogmaticallyasusual.

Right above our heads, at a great height, opened the crater of a volcanofromwhichescaped,fromonequarterofanhourtotheother,withaveryloudexplosion,aloftyjetofflamemingledwithpumicestone,cinders,andlava.Icould feel the convulsions of nature in themountain,which breathed like ahugewhale,throwingupfromtimetotimefireandairthroughitsenormousvents.

Below,andfloatingalongaslopeofconsiderableangularity,thestreamoferuptivematterspreadawaytoadepthwhichdidnotgivethevolcanoaheightofthreehundredfathoms.

Its base disappeared in a perfect forest of green trees, among which Iperceivedolives,figtrees,andvinesloadedwithrichgrapes.

Certainlythiswasnottheordinaryaspectofthearcticregions.Aboutthattherecouldnotbetheslightestdoubt.

When the eyewas satisfied at its glimpseof this verdant expanse, it fellupon the waters of a lovely sea or beautiful lake, which made of thisenchantedlandanislandofnotmanyleaguesinextent.

On the side of the rising sunwas to be seen a little port, crowdedwith

houses,andnearwhich theboatsandvesselsofpeculiarbuildwere floatinguponazurewaves.

Beyond, groups of islands rose above the liquid plain, so numerous andclosetogetherastoresembleavastbeehive.

Towards thesettingsun,somedistantshoreswere tobemadeouton theedge of the horizon. Some presented the appearance of blue mountains ofharmoniousconformation;uponothers,muchmoredistant, thereappearedaprodigiously lofty cone, above the summit of which hung dark and heavyclouds.

Towards the north, an immense expanse of water sparkled beneath thesolarrays,occasionallyallowingtheextremityofamastortheconvexityofasailbellyingtothewind,tobeseen.

The unexpected character of such a scene added a hundredfold to itsmarvelousbeauties.

"Wherecanwebe?"Iasked,speakinginalowandsolemnvoice.

Hans shut his eyeswith an air of indifference, andmy uncle looked onwithoutclearlyunderstanding.

"Whatever thismountainmay be," he said, at last, "Imust confess it israther warm. The explosions do not leave off, and I do not think it isworthwhiletohavelefttheinteriorofavolcanoandremainheretoreceiveahugepieceofrockuponone'shead.Letuscarefullydescendthemountainanddiscovertherealstateofthecase.Toconfessthetruth,Iamdyingofhungerandthirst."

Decidedly the Professor was no longer a truly reflective character. Formyself, forgetting allmy necessities, ignoringmy fatigues and sufferings, Ishouldhave remained still for severalhours longer—but itwasnecessary tofollowmycompanions.

Theslopeofthevolcanowasverysteepandslippery;weslidoverpilesofashes,avoidingthestreamsofhotlavawhichglidedaboutlikefieryserpents.Still, while we were advancing, I spoke with extreme volubility, for myimaginationwastoofullnottoexplodeinwords.

"WeareinAsia!"Iexclaimed;"weareonthecoastofIndia,inthegreatMalayislands, inthecentreofOceania.Wehavecrossedtheonehalfof theglobetocomeoutrightattheantipodesofEurope!"

"Butthecompass!"exclaimedmyuncle;"explainthattome!"

"Yes—thecompass,"Isaidwithconsiderablehesitation."Igrantthat isadifficulty.Accordingtoit,wehavealwaysbeengoingnorthward."

"Thenitlied."

"Hem—tosayitliedisratheraharshword,"wasmyanswer.

"ThenweareattheNorthPole—"

"ThePole—no—well—wellIgiveitup,"wasmyreply.

Theplaintruthwas,thattherewasnoexplanationpossible.Icouldmakenothingofit.

Andallthewhilewewereapproachingthisbeautifulverdure,hungerandthirsttormentedmefearfully.Happily,aftertwolonghours'march,abeautifulcountry spread out before us, covered by olives, pomegranates, and vines,whichappearedtobelongtoanybodyandeverybody.Inanyevent,inthestateofdestitutionintowhichwehadfallen,wewerenotinamoodtopondertooscrupulously.

Whatdelightitwastopressthesedeliciousfruitstoourlips,andtobiteatgrapesandpomegranatesfreshfromthevine.

Notfaroff,nearsomefreshandmossygrass,underthedeliciousshadeofsome trees, I discovered a spring of freshwater, inwhichwe voluptuouslylavedourfaces,hands,andfeet.

Whilewewere all givingway to the delights of new-found pleasures, alittlechildappearedbetweentwotuftedolivetrees.

"Ah,"criedI,"aninhabitantofthishappycountry."

The little fellowwas poorly dressed, weak, and suffering, and appearedterribly alarmed at our appearance. Half-naked, with tangled, matted andraggedbeards,wedidlooksupremelyill-favored;andunlessthecountrywasabanditland,wewerenotlikelytoalarmtheinhabitants!

Just as the boy was about to take to his heels, Hans ran after him, andbroughthimback,despitehiscriesandkicks.

Myuncletriedtolookasgentleaspossible,andthenspokeinGerman.

"Whatisthenameofthismountain,myfriend?"

Thechildmadenoreply.

"Good,"saidmyuncle,withaverypositiveairofconviction,"wearenotinGermany."

HethenmadethesamedemandinEnglish,ofwhichlanguagehewasanexcellentscholar.

The child shook its head andmade no reply. I began to be considerablypuzzled.

"Is hedumb?" cried theProfessor,whowas rather proudof his polyglotknowledgeoflanguages,andmadethesamedemandinFrench.

Theboyonlystaredinhisface.

"ImustperforcetryhiminItalian,"saidmyuncle,withashrug.

"Dovenoisiamo?"

"Yes,tellmewhereweare?"Iaddedimpatientlyandeagerly.

Againtheboyremainedsilent.

"My fine fellow,doyouordoyounotmean to speak?" criedmyuncle,whobegantogetangry.Heshookhim,andspokeanotherdialectoftheItalianlanguage.

"Comesinomaquestaisola?"—"Whatisthenameofthisisland?"

"Stromboli," replied the rickety little shepherd, dashing away fromHansanddisappearingintheolivegroves.

Wethoughtlittleenoughabouthim.

Stromboli!Whateffecton the imaginationdid these fewwordsproduce!WewereinthecentreoftheMediterranean,amidsttheeasternarchipelagoofmythologicalmemory,intheancientStrongylos,whereAEoluskeptthewindandthetempestchainedup.Andthosebluemountains,whichrosetowardstherisingsun,werethemountainsofCalabria.

AndthatmightyvolcanowhichroseonthesouthernhorizonwasEtna,thefierceandcelebratedEtna!

"Stromboli!Stromboli!"Irepeatedtomyself.

Myuncleplayedaregularaccompanimenttomygesturesandwords.Weweresingingtogetherlikeanancientchorus.

Ah—whata journey—whatamarvelousandextraordinary journey!Herewehad entered the earthbyonevolcano, andwehad comeout by another.Andthisotherwassituatedmore than twelvehundred leaguesfromSneffelsfromthatdrearcountryofIcelandcastawayontheconfinesoftheearth.Thewondrous changes of this expedition had transported us to the mostharmonious and beautiful of earthly lands.Wehad abandoned the region ofeternalsnowsforthatofinfiniteverdure,andhadleftoverourheadsthegrayfogoftheicyregionstocomebacktotheazureskyofSicily!

Afteradeliciousrepastof fruitsandfreshwater,weagaincontinuedourjourneyinordertoreachtheportofStromboli.Tosayhowwehadreachedtheislandwould scarcely have been prudent. The superstitious character of theItalianswould have been atwork, andwe should have been called demons

vomited from the infernal regions. It was therefore necessary to pass forhumble and unfortunate shipwrecked travelers. Itwas certainly less strikingandromantic,butitwasdecidedlysafer.

Asweadvanced,Icouldhearmyworthyunclemutteringtohimself:

"Butthecompass.Thecompassmostcertainlymarkednorth.ThisisafactIcannotexplaininanyway."

"Well, the fact is," said I, with an air of disdain, "we must not explainanything.Itwillbemuchmoreeasy."

"IshouldliketoseeaprofessoroftheJohanneumInstitutionwhoisunabletoexplainacosmicphenomenon—itwouldindeedbestrange."

And speaking thus, my uncle, half-naked, his leathern purse round hisloins, and his spectacles upon his nose, became once more the terribleProfessorofMineralogy.

An hour after leaving the wood of olives, we reached the fort of SanVicenza,whereHansdemandedthepriceofhisthirteenthweekofservice.Myunclepaidhim,withverymanywarmshakesofthehand.

At thatmoment, ifhedidnot indeedquite shareournatural emotion,heallowed his feelings so far to give way as to indulge in an extraordinaryexpressionforhim.

Withthetipsoftwofingershegentlypressedourhandsandsmiled.

CHAPTER44

THEJOURNEYENDED

This is the final conclusion of a narrative which will be probablydisbelieved even by people who are astonished at nothing. I am, however,armedatallpointsagainsthumanincredulity.

WewerekindlyreceivedbytheStrombolitefishermen,whotreatedusasshipwreckedtravelers.Theygaveusclothesandfood.Afteradelayofforty-eighthours,onthe30thofSeptemberalittlevesseltookustoMessina,whereafewdaysofdelightfulandcompletereposerestoredustoourselves.

On Friday, the 4th ofOctober,we embarked in theVolturne, one of thepostalpacketsoftheImperialMessageriesofFrance;andthreedayslaterwelanded at Marseilles, having no other care on our minds but that of ourprecious but erratic compass. This inexplicable circumstance tormented me

terribly.Onthe9thofOctober,intheevening,wereachedHamburg.

WhatwastheastonishmentofMartha,whatthejoyofGretchen!Iwillnotattempttodefineit.

"Nowthen,Harry,thatyoureallyareahero,"shesaid,"thereisnoreasonwhyyoushouldeverleavemeagain."

Ilookedather.Shewasweepingtearsofjoy.

IleaveittobeimaginedifthereturnofProfessorHardwiggmadeordidnotmakea sensation inHamburg.Thanks to the indiscretionofMartha, thenews of his departure for the interior of the earth had been spread over thewholeworld.

No onewould believe it—andwhen they saw him come back in safetytheybelieveditalltheless.

ButthepresenceofHansandmanystrayscrapsofinformationbydegreesmodifiedpublicopinion.

Then my uncle became a great man and I the nephew of a great man,which, at all events, is something.Hamburggave a festival in our honor.ApublicmeetingoftheJohanneumInstitutionwasheld,atwhichtheProfessorrelatedthewholestoryofhisadventures,omittingonlythefactsinconnectionwiththecompass.

Thatsamedayhedeposited in thearchivesof the town thedocumenthehad found written by Saknussemm, and he expressed his great regret thatcircumstances,strongerthanhiswill,didnotallowhimtofollowtheIcelandictraveler's trackinto theverycentreof theearth.Hewasmodest inhisglory,buthisreputationonlyincreased.

So much honor necessarily created for him many envious enemies. Ofcourse they existed, and as his theories, supported by certain facts,contradicted the system of science upon the question of central heat, hemaintained his own views both with pen and speech against the learned ofeverycountry.AlthoughIstillbelieveinthetheoryofcentralheat,Iconfessthat certaincircumstances,hithertovery illdefined,maymodify the lawsofsuchnaturalphenomena.

At themomentwhen thesequestionswerebeingdiscussedwith interest,myuncle received a rude shock—one that he felt verymuch.Hans, despiteeverythinghecouldsay to thecontrary,quittedHamburg; theman towhomweowedsomuchwouldnotallowus topayourdeepdebtofgratitude.Hewastakenwithnostalgia;aloveforhisIcelandichome.

"Farval,"saidhe,oneday,andwiththisoneshortwordofadieu,hestartedforReykjavik,whichhesoonreachedinsafety.

Weweredeeplyattachedtoourbraveeider-duckhunter.Hisabsencewillnevercausehimtobeforgottenbythosewhoseliveshesaved,andIhope,atsomenotdistantday,toseehimagain.

To conclude, I may say that our journey into the interior of the earthcreated an enormous sensation throughout the civilized world. It wastranslatedandprinted inmany languages.All the leading journalspublishedextractsfromit,whichwerecommentated,discussed,attacked,andsupportedwithequalanimationbythosewhobelievedinitsepisodes,andbythosewhowereutterlyincredulous.

Wonderful!Myuncleenjoyedduringhislifetimeallthegloryhedeserved;and hewas even offered a large sum ofmoney, byMr. Barnum, to exhibithimselfintheUnitedStates;whileIamcrediblyinformedbyatravelerthatheistobeseeninwaxworkatMadameTussaud's!

But one care preyed upon his mind, a care which rendered him veryunhappy.Onefactremainedinexplicable—thatofthecompass.Foralearnedmantobebaffledbysuchaninexplicablephenomenonwasveryaggravating.ButHeavenwasmerciful,andintheendmyunclewashappy.

Oneday,whileheputsomemineralsbelongingtohiscollectioninorder,Ifelluponthefamouscompassandexamineditkeenly.

Forsixmonthsithadlainunnoticedanduntouched.

Ilookedatitwithcuriosity,whichsoonbecamesurprise.Igavealoudcry.TheProfessor,whowasathand,soonjoinedme.

"Whatisthematter?"hecried.

"Thecompass!"

"Whatthen?"

"Whyitsneedlepointstothesouthandnottothenorth."

"Mydearboy,youmustbedreaming."

"Iamnotdreaming.See—thepolesarechanged."

"Changed!"

Myuncleputonhisspectacles,examinedtheinstrument,andleapedwithjoy,shakingthewholehouse.

Aclearlightfelluponourminds.

"Here it is!"hecried,assoonashehadrecovered theuseofhisspeech,"after we had once passed Cape Saknussemm, the needle of this compasspointedtothesouthwardinsteadofthenorthward."

"Evidently."

"Ourerror isnoweasilyexplained.But towhatphenomenondoweowethisalterationintheneedle?"

"Nothingmoresimple."

"Explainyourself,myboy.Iamonthorns."

"During the storm, upon the Central Sea, the ball of fire whichmade amagnetoftheironinourraft,turnedourcompasstopsy-turvy."

"Ah!"criedtheProfessor,withaloudandringinglaugh,"itwasatrickofthatinexplicableelectricity."

From that hour my uncle was the happiest of learned men, and I thehappiest of ordinary mortals. For my pretty Virland girl, abdicating herpositionasward,tookherplaceinthehouseintheKonigstrasseinthedoublequalityofnieceandwife.

We need scarcely mention that her uncle was the illustrious ProfessorHardwigg, corresponding member of all the scientific, geographical,mineralogical,andgeologicalsocietiesofthefivepartsoftheglobe.

EndoftheVoyageExtraordinaire