I will go where you go."

Captain Nemo then led me aft; and in passing before Ned's and
Conseil's cabin, I called my two companions, who followed promptly.
We then came to a cell near the machinery-room, in which we put
on our walking-dress.



CHAPTER XV

A WALK ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

This cell was, to speak correctly, the arsenal and wardrobe of the Nautilus.
A dozen diving apparatuses hung from the partition waiting our use.

Ned Land, on seeing them, showed evident repugnance to dress
himself in one.

"But, my worthy Ned, the forests of the Island of Crespo are nothing
but submarine forests."

"Good!" said the disappointed harpooner, who saw his dreams
of fresh meat fade away. "And you, M. Aronnax, are you going
to dress yourself in those clothes?"

"There is no alternative, Master Ned."

"As you please, sir," replied the harpooner, shrugging his shoulders;
"but, as for me, unless I am forced, I will never get into one."

"No one will force you, Master Ned," said Captain Nemo.

"Is Conseil going to risk it?" asked Ned.

"I follow my master wherever he goes," replied Conseil.

At the Captain's call two of the ship's crew came to help us dress
in these heavy and impervious clothes, made of india-rubber without seam,
and constructed expressly to resist considerable pressure.
One would have thought it a suit of armour, both supple and resisting.
This suit formed trousers and waistcoat. The trousers were
finished off with thick boots, weighted with heavy leaden soles.
The texture of the waistcoat was held together by bands of copper,
which crossed the chest, protecting it from the great pressure
of the water, and leaving the lungs free to act; the sleeves ended
in gloves, which in no way restrained the movement of the hands.
There was a vast difference noticeable between these consummate
apparatuses and the old cork breastplates, jackets, and other
contrivances in vogue during the eighteenth century.

Captain Nemo and one of his companions (a sort of Hercules,
who must have possessed great strength), Conseil and myself
were soon enveloped in the dresses. There remained nothing
more to be done but to enclose our heads in the metal box.
But, before proceeding to this operation, I asked the Captain's
permission to examine the guns.

One of the Nautilus men gave me a simple gun, the butt end
of which, made of steel, hollow in the centre, was rather large.
It served as a reservoir for compressed air, which a valve,
worked by a spring, allowed to escape into a metal tube.
A box of projectiles in a groove in the thickness of the butt
end contained about twenty of these electric balls, which,
by means of a spring, were forced into the barrel of the gun.
As soon as one shot was fired, another was ready.

"Captain Nemo," said I, "this arm is perfect, and easily handled:
I only ask to be allowed to try it. But how shall we gain the bottom
of the sea?"

"At this moment, Professor, the Nautilus is stranded in five fathoms,
and we have nothing to do but to start."

"But how shall we get off?"

"You shall see."

Captain Nemo thrust his head into the helmet, Conseil and I did the same,
not without hearing an ironical "Good sport!" from the Canadian.
The upper part of our dress terminated in a copper collar upon which
was screwed the metal helmet. Three holes, protected by thick glass,
allowed us to see in all directions, by simply turning our head
in the interior of the head-dress. As soon as it was in position,
the Rouquayrol apparatus on our backs began to act; and, for my part,
I could breathe with ease.

With the Ruhmkorff lamp hanging from my belt, and the gun in my hand,
I was ready to set out. But to speak the truth, imprisoned in
these heavy garments, and glued to the deck by my leaden soles,
it was impossible for me to take a step.

But this state of things was provided for. I felt myself being
pushed into a little room contiguous to the wardrobe room.
My companions followed, towed along in the same way. I heard
a water-tight door, furnished with stopper plates, close upon us,
and we were wrapped in profound darkness.

After some minutes, a loud hissing was heard. I felt the cold
mount from my feet to my chest. Evidently from some part of the


<< previous page | next page >>

Jump to page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 |