Chapter 19 Chapter 19 "We Must Ration"

The next day, Tuesday, June 30, at six o'clock in the morning, we began our descent again.We still go down the tunnel of lava, which naturally slopes just like the stairs in an old-fashioned house.It was not until 12:17 that we caught up with Hanns who had stopped. "Ah!" cried the uncle, "we have come to the end of the tunnel." I looked around; in front of us was the intersection of two roads, which were dark and narrow.Which one shall we race for?This is the hard problem to decide. Uncle, however, would not hesitate before me or Hanns; he pointed to the tunnel to the east, through which the three of us were presently busy.

Besides, in front of these two roads, it is useless to hesitate.Because there is no indication that you can decide which one to choose.Totally hit and miss. The slope of the Datiao new tunnel is very small, and its parts are very different; sometimes a series of arches appears before us, like the corridor of a Gothic church; medieval architects may have studied various forms of steeples here. architecture.A mile further on we had to keep our heads down under the low Roman dome on the thick pillars halfway into the lava wall. The temperature was not unbearable.I couldn't help imagining what it would be like to see this lava spewing out of Snaefer along the now quiet road.I also imagine the scene of this raging lava flow erupting at the four corners of the tunnel; and the pressure of high-heat steam in this narrow space!

"What if, now," I thought, "the old volcano, after such a long period of inactivity, made a joke again?" I don't tell Uncle Liedenbrok these fantasies—he won't understand them.His only thought was to go on, to slide, to roll and roll on the slippery road, with a conviction that anyone would have to admire. At six o'clock in the afternoon, after a fairly smooth day's work, we headed south six miles, a quarter of a mile in deep soil.Uncle said to take a break.We didn't talk much, just ate, and went to sleep after the meal without much thought. Our sleeping conditions were simple; each curled up in a travel blanket.We don't have to be afraid of the cold or distractions.Voyagers in the wilds of Africa or the forests of the New World must take turns at night; here is absolute peace and safety--no need to fear wild beasts or savages.

Waking up in the morning, feeling refreshed and comfortable, we started traveling again, as before, going down the lava tunnel.But this time it is not going down, it is completely advancing along the ground level.In my opinion we've only moved up a little bit.This became more pronounced about ten o'clock in the morning, and at last I grew very tired and had to walk slowly. "What's the matter, Aksai?" the professor asked impatiently. "Well, I'm tired," I replied. "What, just walked for three hours on a flat path...?" "The road may be smooth, but it is tiring."

"What? You just walk down and feel...?" "Please say again, do you mean to go up?" "Up!" said the uncle, shrugging his shoulders. "Of course. The slope changed half an hour ago, and if we keep going like this, we'll be sure to get to the ground in Iceland again." The professor shook his head with disapproval.He made no answer, but moved on, and I knew that his silence was due to a fit of temper. I picked up my luggage bravely again, and quickly followed Hanns, who was now also behind my uncle.My chief concern was not to be left behind, not to be able to find my companions, nor to be frightened by the thought of wandering in the maze.

Besides, as walking was getting more and more tiring, I comforted myself with the thought that the road would bring me back to the ground again.This has become hope and is confirmed every step of the way. After noon, the nature of the lava walls changed.I noticed that they no longer reflected our lights as brightly.It no longer has a layer of lava, the rocks gradually slope, and the bedrock is often upright.We are currently in a period of transition—the Silurian period. "Obviously," I exclaimed, "the gneiss, the limestone, and the shale are all left over from the water, and we're obviously moving away from the granite! We're just like the people of Hamburg trying to get from the Hanover Road to the Lüber gram!"

I should have kept these words to myself, but my geological training outweighed my prudence, so at last my uncle heard me shout them. "What's the matter?" he said. "Look!" I answered him, pointing out the gneiss and limestone and shale. "How about it?" "We've gotten to the rocks where plants and animals first appeared." "Oh, do you think so?" "See for yourself!" I asked him to observe the lava wall with a lamp all the way.However, he did not express his opinion, and still walked forward quietly.Either he refused to admit that he had chosen the wrong tunnel to the east, or he decided to explore to the end.Apparently we're off the lava way, and we're not on the way to Snaefer.

I also wondered if I was mistaken, and decided to search for remains of the original plant, which might strengthen my claim. When I had walked almost a hundred yards, I finally got the irrefutable proof that in Silurian times, the river water contained more than fifteen hundred kinds of plants and animals.My feet, accustomed to the hard lava, kicked up a cloud of leftover vegetation and hides.I saw distinctly the marks of seaweed and stone pine on the rock face; Professor Liedenbrock must have known them, but I believe he closed his eyes to look at them—at any rate he was advancing with even steps with.

He was a little too stubborn, and I couldn't bear it any longer.I picked up a well-maintained animal hide that was visited by the ground beetle, then turned to my uncle and said, "Look!" "Well," he said grimly, "it's the skin of an extinct crustacean among the ancient arthropods, and that's all." "But can't you imagine—?" "What do you suppose? I do too. We've left the granite and lava flows. I may be wrong, but I'll see when we get to the end of this tunnel." "Yes, uncle; if we are not threatened with ever-increasing danger, I shall agree."

"What danger?" "Lack of water." "Then we must implement rationing, Aksai."