20000-Leagues-Under-the-Seas-2nd-version-151

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CHAPTER	8
The	Bay	of	Vigo
THE	ATLANTIC!	A	vast	expanse	of	water	whose	surface	area	is	25,000,000
square	miles,	with	a	length	of	9,000	miles	and	an	average	width	of	2,700.	A
major	sea	nearly	unknown	to	the	ancients,	except	perhaps	the	Carthaginians,
those	Dutchmen	of	antiquity	who	went	along	the	west	coasts	of	Europe	and
Africa	on	their	commercial	junkets!	An	ocean	whose	parallel	winding	shores
form	an	immense	perimeter	fed	by	the	world’s	greatest	rivers:	the	St.	Lawrence,
Mississippi,	Amazon,	Plata,	Orinoco,	Niger,	Senegal,	Elbe,	Loire,	and	Rhine,
which	bring	it	waters	from	the	most	civilized	countries	as	well	as	the	most
undeveloped	areas!	A	magnificent	plain	of	waves	plowed	continuously	by	ships
of	every	nation,	shaded	by	every	flag	in	the	world,	and	ending	in	those	two
dreadful	headlands	so	feared	by	navigators,	Cape	Horn	and	the	Cape	of
Tempests!
The	Nautilus	broke	these	waters	with	the	edge	of	its	spur	after	doing	nearly
10,000	leagues	in	three	and	a	half	months,	a	track	longer	than	a	great	circle	of
the	earth.	Where	were	we	heading	now,	and	what	did	the	future	have	in	store	for
us?
Emerging	from	the	Strait	of	Gibraltar,	the	Nautilus	took	to	the	high	seas.	It
returned	to	the	surface	of	the	waves,	so	our	daily	strolls	on	the	platform	were
restored	to	us.
I	climbed	onto	it	instantly,	Ned	Land	and	Conseil	along	with	me.	Twelve	miles
away,	Cape	St.	Vincent	was	hazily	visible,	the	southwestern	tip	of	the	Hispanic
peninsula.	The	wind	was	blowing	a	pretty	strong	gust	from	the	south.	The	sea
was	swelling	and	surging.	Its	waves	made	the	Nautilus	roll	and	jerk	violently.	It
was	nearly	impossible	to	stand	up	on	the	platform,	which	was	continuously
buffeted	by	this	enormously	heavy	sea.	After	inhaling	a	few	breaths	of	air,	we
went	below	once	more.
I	repaired	to	my	stateroom.	Conseil	returned	to	his	cabin;	but	the	Canadian,
looking	rather	worried,	followed	me.	Our	quick	trip	through	the	Mediterranean
hadn’t	allowed	him	to	put	his	plans	into	execution,	and	he	could	barely	conceal
his	disappointment.
After	the	door	to	my	stateroom	was	closed,	he	sat	and	stared	at	me	silently.
“Ned	my	friend,”	I	told	him,	“I	know	how	you	feel,	but	you	mustn’t	blame
yourself.	Given	the	way	the	Nautilus	was	navigating,	it	would	have	been	sheer
insanity	to	think	of	escaping!”
Ned	Land	didn’t	reply.	His	pursed	lips	and	frowning	brow	indicated	that	he	was
in	the	grip	of	his	monomania.
“Look	here,”	I	went	on,	“as	yet	there’s	no	cause	for	despair.	We’re	going	up	the
coast	of	Portugal.	France	and	England	aren’t	far	off,	and	there	we’ll	easily	find
refuge.	Oh,	I	grant	you,	if	the	Nautilus	had	emerged	from	the	Strait	of	Gibraltar
and	made	for	that	cape	in	the	south,	if	it	were	taking	us	toward	those	regions	that
have	no	continents,	then	I’d	share	your	alarm.	But	we	now	know	that	Captain
Nemo	doesn’t	avoid	the	seas	of	civilization,	and	in	a	few	days	I	think	we	can
safely	take	action.”
Ned	Land	stared	at	me	still	more	intently	and	finally	unpursed	his	lips:
“We’ll	do	it	this	evening,”	he	said.
I	straightened	suddenly.	I	admit	that	I	was	less	than	ready	for	this	announcement.
I	wanted	to	reply	to	the	Canadian,	but	words	failed	me.
“We	agreed	to	wait	for	the	right	circumstances,”	Ned	Land	went	on.	“Now
we’ve	got	those	circumstances.	This	evening	we’ll	be	just	a	few	miles	off	the
coast	of	Spain.	It’ll	be	cloudy	tonight.	The	wind’s	blowing	toward	shore.	You
gave	me	your	promise,	Professor	Aronnax,	and	I’m	counting	on	you.”
Since	I	didn’t	say	anything,	the	Canadian	stood	up	and	approached	me:
“We’ll	do	it	this	evening	at	nine	o’clock,”	he	said.	“I’ve	alerted	Conseil.	By	that
time	Captain	Nemo	will	be	locked	in	his	room	and	probably	in	bed.	Neither	the
mechanics	or	the	crewmen	will	be	able	to	see	us.	Conseil	and	I	will	go	to	the
central	companionway.	As	for	you,	Professor	Aronnax,	you’ll	stay	in	the	library
two	steps	away	and	wait	for	my	signal.	The	oars,	mast,	and	sail	are	in	the	skiff.
I’ve	even	managed	to	stow	some	provisions	inside.	I’ve	gotten	hold	of	a	monkey
wrench	to	unscrew	the	nuts	bolting	the	skiff	to	the	Nautilus’s	hull.	So
	CHAPTER 8