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Updated: May 9, 2025
But what was this portion of the globe which had been swallowed by cataclysms? Who had placed those rocks and stones like cromlechs of prehistoric times? Where was I? Whither had Captain Nemo's fancy hurried me? I would fain have asked him; not being able to, I stopped him I seized his arm.
"Ah!" suddenly exclaimed Ned Land, "it is not one whale; there are ten there are twenty it is a whole troop! And I not able to do anything! hands and feet tied!" "But, friend Ned," said Conseil, "why do you not ask Captain Nemo's permission to chase them?" Conseil had not finished his sentence when Ned Land had lowered himself through the panel to seek the Captain.
"With my companions?" I asked. "If they're agreeable." "We're yours to command, captain." "Then kindly put on your diving suits." As for the dead or dying man, he hadn't come into the picture. I rejoined Ned Land and Conseil. I informed them of Captain Nemo's proposition. Conseil was eager to accept, and this time the Canadian proved perfectly amenable to going with us.
When it was just a few meters above the waves, Captain Nemo's companion took aim and fired. The animal dropped, electrocuted, and its descent brought it within reach of our adroit hunter, who promptly took possession of it. It was an albatross of the finest species, a wonderful specimen of these open-sea fowl. This incident did not interrupt our walk.
"Suit yourself!" was Lane's brief response. Percy knew that Budge would rather go without him. He heard him give a whistle as he examined Nemo's leg; the animal cringed and whimpered. "Poor fellow! Too bad!" sympathized Lane. The remark was evidently intended for Percy's ears. At least the lad took it so. He felt sorry if Nemo was really hurt. Lane went out, and Percy turned over for another nap.
I hesitated before giving it. "You may speak," said the Captain. "This man does not understand French." I gave a last look at the wounded man. "He will be dead in two hours." "Can nothing save him?" "Nothing." Captain Nemo's hand contracted, and some tears glistened in his eyes, which I thought incapable of shedding any. For some moments I still watched the dying man, whose life ebbed slowly.
I wasn't sure what to think, but next to me I heard Captain Nemo's voice slowly say: "Originally this ship was christened the Marseillais. It carried seventy-four cannons and was launched in 1762. On August 13, 1778, commanded by La Poype-Vertrieux, it fought valiantly against the Preston.
But although it could neither sink nor split open, it was in serious danger of being permanently attached to these reefs, and that would have been the finish of Captain Nemo's submersible. I was mulling this over when the captain approached, cool and calm, forever in control of himself, looking neither alarmed nor annoyed. "An accident?" I said to him. "No, an incident," he answered me.
Before I had time to express the surprise this new proposition caused me, a camera was carried into the lounge at Captain Nemo's request. The liquid setting, electrically lit, unfolded with perfect clarity through the wide-open panels. No shadows, no blurs, thanks to our artificial light. Not even sunshine could have been better for our purposes.
It is upon these banks, and on these waters, says Michelet, that man is renewed in one of the most powerful climates of the globe. But, beautiful as it was, I could only take a rapid glance at the basin whose superficial area is two million of square yards. Even Captain Nemo's knowledge was lost to me, for this puzzling person did not appear once during our passage at full speed.
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