Home Categories science fiction twenty thousand leagues under the sea

Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Adventure Action

During the voyage of the Lincoln, there were no accidents during these days.But something happened which made Ned Land display his astonishing skill, and which at the same time justified the confidence we place in him. On June 30, in the Maruin Sea, the Lincoln inquired about the narwhal from American whaling ships, all of which said they had encountered it.But the captain of one of the whalers, the Monroe, knew that Ned Land was on board.Ask for his help in hunting down a whale that has been spotted.Captain Farragut wanted to see what Ned Land was capable of, so he allowed him to go aboard the Monroe.Our Canadian friend was lucky enough to shoot not only one but two whales, he threw a double fork, one straight into the heart of one whale, and after a few minutes of pursuit the other was also caught .

There is no doubt that if the monster we are chasing actually collides with Ned Land's harpoon, I will never bet that the monster will be safe. The warship sailed along the southeastern coast of America at an astonishing speed. On July 3, we reached the mouth of the Strait of Magellan, at the same latitude as the Virgin Strait.But Captain Farragut was unwilling to pass through this tortuous strait, and wanted to go around Cape Horn. The whole crew unanimously supported his proposition.Indeed, where shall we meet that narwhal in this narrow channel?Most sailors are sure that the monster cannot pass through the strait, because it is so big that the strait cannot accommodate it.This is the rock that juts out from the southern tip of the American continent.In the past, Dutch sailors gave it the name of their hometown and called it Cape Horn.Now the ship is heading northwest, and tomorrow the battleship's wheels will be churning in the waves of the Pacific.

"Keep your eyes wide open! Keep your eyes wide open!" repeated the sailors on the Lincoln. They all opened their eyes wide.Indeed, eyes and binoculars seemed dazzled by the vista of the $2,000 prize, unwilling to rest for a moment.Day and night, everyone pays attention to the ocean, and people with day blindness can see clearly in the dark.50% more chance than others to get this bonus. I'm not personally tempted by money, but I'm just as observant of the sea from a boat.Except for a few minutes to eat, and a few hours to sleep, I never leave the deck, whether in the sun or in the rain.Sometimes leaning on the bow coaming, sometimes leaning on the stern railing, I can't take my eyes off the sky, staring at the endless, white waves!Several times, when a wayward whale showed its gray back on the waves, I, like all the crew on board, immediately became excited.Immediately the deck of the battleship was crowded with people, and sailors and officers poured out from under the tents like a torrent.Everyone's heart was beating and their eyes were twinkling, watching the whale's action.I watched with such attention that my eyes were so dark that I was almost blind.But Conseil was always as if nothing had happened, and said to me repeatedly in a quiet tone:

"Perhaps sir could see better if he would spare his eyesight and keep his eyes open!" However, Kong rejoiced!The Lincoln turned around and rushed towards the animal it found. It turned out to be an ordinary fin whale, or an ordinary bighead whale, and it disappeared amid everyone's cursing after a while! But the weather is fine.The ship was sailing in good condition, it was the season of bad weather in the southern hemisphere, and July here was about the same as January in our Europe.But the sea is calm, and people can see far away at a glance. Ned.Lan always had an air of disbelief; he didn't even look at the ocean unless it was his turn to keep watch on deck—at least not when he didn't spot a whale.His miraculous eyesight was of great use, but for eight hours out of twelve the obstinate Canadian was only reading or sleeping in his stateroom, and how many times I rebuked him for his indifference and indifference.

"Forget it!" he replied, "Mr. Aronnax, there is nothing. Even if there is a monster in the sea, may we have a chance to see it? Aren't we picking it up randomly? It is said that in the northern sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean , and I do not deny that this undiscovered monster was seen again: but two months have passed since that encounter, and if you judge by the whims of your narwhal, it never Willing to stay in this part of the sea for a long time! It moves extremely fast and is elusive. And, professor, you know better than me that nature's creation never contradicts itself. It never makes animals that are slow in nature have the ability to move fast, Because this ability is not necessary for it. Therefore, if such an animal existed, it would have gone far away!"

After hearing what he said, I couldn't answer.Clearly, we are indeed acting blindly.But what can I do?Our chances were limited, but no one had yet doubted the success of the matter, and not a single sailor on board would have wagered that there was no narwhal, that it would not appear. On July 20, the Tropic of Capricornus was orthogonal at longitude 105 degrees, and on the 27th of the same month, we crossed the equator line at west longitude 110 degrees.Since then, the ship has been heading west, sailing into the central sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean.Captain Farragut was right, sailing into deep water, away from continents and islands that the monster seemed reluctant to approach.It might be better that way, and the chances better; "probably because the sea, close to the land, is not deep enough for this monster!" said the bosun.After adding coal, the battleship passed through the Pamotu Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Hawaiian Islands, crossed the Tropic of Cancer at 32 degrees east longitude, and headed for the China Sea.

We're finally at the place where this monster was most recently active!Honestly.We hardly lived a life on board.My heart was beating too hard, and I might have an untreatable blood tumor in the future.All the crew members were extremely nervous. I can't describe the level.Everyone does not eat or sleep.There were ten or twenty commotions a day due to miscalculations or misreadings by sailors on the lookout.This continuous commotion aggravated people's tension even more, so that it had to produce a reaction. For three months (during these three months, one day is really equal to a century), the Lincoln sailed all over the northern Pacific Ocean, sometimes rushing towards the whale she saw, sometimes suddenly leaving the course, sometimes turning the bow suddenly, Sometimes it comes to a sudden stop... It doesn't hesitate to break the machine and waste power, and there is no place from the coast of Japan to the coast of America that it has not searched.However, nothing was seen!All I saw was the vast and boundless sea!As for the huge narwhal, the hidden island, the sunken broken ship, the flying away reef, and any mysterious things, they didn't see it!

Thus, the repercussions happened.The first is disappointment in the hearts of the people, which opens a gap for the skeptical psychology.Another emotion arose on board, and the factors that caused this emotion were three parts ashamed and seven parts angry.It is naturally "stupid" to stare at a fantasy, but it is more annoying!All the reasons built up like a rock over the past year collapsed completely, and everyone wanted to eat and sleep to make up for the time lost because of their own stupidity. Because of the inherent volatility, it is easy to run from one extreme to the other.Those who had been the most ardent supporters of the expedition were now the most ardent opponents.This time the reverberations came from the bilge, from the warehouse keeper's post to the officers' mess in the ship's staff.There is no doubt that if Captain Farragut hadn't been particularly persistent, the ship would have turned around and sailed south.

But this futile search can no longer be dragged on for too long.The Lincoln had done her best, and there was really nothing to blame.The men of the United States Admiralty who had been sent to the ship had never shown such patience and enthusiasm; they were not to blame for the failure; there was nothing to do now but return. Suggestions about returning to the voyage were put forward to the captain.The ship people did not listen and insisted on their own opinions.The sailors openly expressed dissatisfaction, and of course affairs on board were affected.I dare not say that there will be a mutiny on the ship, but after persisting for a period of time, Captain Farragut, like Columbus in the past, asks everyone to be patient for another three days.If the monster does not appear at the end of three days, the man at the helm will turn the wheel three times, and the Lincoln will head for the coast of Europe.

This promise was made on November 2, and its effect was first of all to restore the failure mentality of the entire crew.Everyone looked at the ocean with new attention.Everyone was to have a last look at the ocean as a memento of the expedition.The binoculars are in constant use, never empty for a moment.This is the final challenge to the giant narwhal.For this summons to "appear in court", it can never find any reason to ignore it Two days passed, and the Lincoln moved slowly at a low speed.On the surface of the sea, where the animal might be encountered, people tried every means to attract its attention or stimulate its dull nerves.Great chunks of bacon were hauled behind the boat--but I should say it pleased the sharks quite a bit.As soon as the Lincoln came to a stop, many small boats were put down, and immediately set off to all sides around the battleship, so that no part of the sea would not be searched. The night of November 4th arrived, and the hidden secret of the ocean floor was still unrevealed.

Tomorrow, at noon, November 5th, the prescribed time limit will expire.Shortly after noon, Captain Farragut was to fulfill his promise to have the warship leave the northern waters of the Pacific and sail southeast. The ship was at 31° 15' north latitude and 136° 42' east longitude.Japan is essentially just below us, about two hundred miles or so.Night is coming.Eight o'clock was striking on board.Patches of dark clouds obscured the first quarter crescent moon.The ripples of the sea spread peacefully behind the boat. At this moment I leaned against the starboard coaming of the bow.Conseil stood beside me, looking forward.The whole crew, climbing on the ropes of the cable ladder, carefully inspected the shrinking and darkening horizon.The officers searched the darkening sides with their night-glasses.Sometimes the moon spits out a ray of light from among the clouds, making the dark sea shine brightly; I looked at Conseil and saw that his mood was also somewhat affected by the ship's general influence.At least that's how I feel.Perhaps, for the first time, his nerves were shaken by the power of curiosity. "Well, Conseil," I said to him, "this is the last chance for the prize of two thousand dollars." Instead of getting the bounty, the government of the United States could promise a hundred thousand dollars, and it wouldn't be poor for that." "You're right, Conseil; after all, it's a stupid thing to do, and we've taken part in it without much thought. What a waste of time, what a drain on energy! Or else, six months ago, we'd returned to the Arrived in France..." "In Mister's little house!" Conseil replied, "In Mister's museum! I have already classified Mister's biological fossils! Mister's wild boars have long been kept in cages in the botanical garden, attracting the whole city of Paris." All curious people come to visit!" "Exactly as you said, Conseil, and, I think, we have not yet calculated how much we will be laughed at!" "No," Conseil replied calmly, "I think people will laugh at you sir. Should I say...?" "Go on, Conseil." "Okay, that's the reward sir deserves!" "That's right!" "If a man is fortunate enough to be a scholar like sir, he should never venture to..." Conseil did not finish his "compliment".In the silence of the whole ship, a voice was heard, that of Ned Land, calling out: "Look! The guy we've been looking for so long is there, leaning towards us!"
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