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1THE BLACK RIVER The portion of the terrestrial globe which is covered by water is estimated at upwards of eighty
2millions of acres. This fluid mass comprises two billions two hundred and fifty millions of cubic miles, forming a
3spherical body of a diameter of sixty leagues, the weight of which would be three quintillions of tons. To comprehend
4the meaning of these figures, it is necessary to observe that a quintillion is to a billion as a billion is to unity; in
5other words, there are as many billions in a quintillion as there are units in a billion. This mass of fluid is equal to
6about the quantity of water which would be discharged by all the rivers of the earth in forty thousand years. During the
7geological epochs, the igneous period succeeded to the aqeous. The ocean originally prevailed everywhere. Then by
8degrees, in the silurian period, the tops of the mountains began to appear, the islands emerged, then disappeared in
9partial deluges, reappeared, became settled, formed continents, till at length the earth became geographically arranged,
10as we see in the present day. The solid had wrested from the liquid thirty-seven million six hundred and fifty-seven
11square miles, equal to twelve billion nine hundred and sixty millions of acres. The shape of continents allows us to
12divide the waters into five great portions: the Arctic or Frozen Ocean, the Antarctic or Frozen Ocean, the Indian, the
13Atlantic, and the Pacific Oceans. The Pacific Ocean extends from north to south between the two polar circles, and from
14east to west between Asia and America, over an extent of 145 degrees of longitude. It is the quietest of seas; its
15currents are broad and slow, it has medium tides, and abundant rain. Such was the ocean that my fate destined me first
16to travel over under these strange conditions. "Sir," said Captain Nemo, "we will, if you please, take our bearings and
17fix the starting-point of this voyage. It is a quarter to twelve; I will go up again to the surface." The Captain
18pressed an electric clock three times. The pumps began to drive the water from the tanks; the needle of the manometer
19marked by a different pressure the ascent of the Nautilus, then it stopped. "We have arrived," said the Captain. I went
20to the central staircase which opened on to the platform, clambered up the iron steps, and found myself on the upper
21part of the Nautilus. The platform was only three feet out of water. The front and back of the Nautilus was of that
22spindle-shape which caused it justly to be compared to a cigar. I noticed that its iron plates, slightly overlaying each
23other, resembled the shell which clothes the bodies of our large terrestrial reptiles. It explained to me how natural it
24was, in spite of all glasses, that this boat should have been taken for a marine animal. Toward the middle of the
25platform the long-boat, half buried in the hull of the vessel, formed a slight excrescence. Fore and aft rose two cages
26of medium height with inclined sides, and partly closed by thick lenticular glasses; one destined for the steersman who
27directed the Nautilus, the other containing a brilliant lantern to give light on the road. The sea was beautiful, the
28sky pure. Scarcely could the long vehicle feel the broad undulations of the ocean. A light breeze from the east rippled
29the surface of the waters. The horizon, free from fog, made observation easy. Nothing was in sight. Not a quicksand, not
30an island. A vast desert. Captain Nemo, by the help of his sextant, took the altitude of the sun, which ought also to
31give the latitude. He waited for some moments till its disc touched the horizon. Whilst taking observations not a muscle
32moved, the instrument could not have been more motionless in a hand of marble. [Illustration] Captain Nemo took the
33Sun's altitude "Twelve o'clock, sir," said he. "When you like----" I cast a last look upon the sea, slightly yellowed by
34the Japanese coast, and descended to the saloon. "And now, sir, I leave you to your studies," added the Captain; "our
35course is E.N.E., our depth is twenty-six fathoms. Here are maps on a large scale by which you may follow it. The saloon
36is at your disposal, and with your permission, I will retire." Captain Nemo bowed, and I remained alone, lost in
37thoughts all bearing on the commander of the Nautilus. For a whole hour was I deep in these reflections, seeking to
38pierce this mystery so interesting to me. Then my eyes fell upon the vast planisphere spread upon the table, and I
39placed my finger on the very spot where the given latitude and longitude crossed. The sea has its large rivers like the
40continents. They are special currents known by their temperature and their colour. The most remarkable of these is known
41by the name of the Gulf Stream. Science has decided on the globe the direction of five principal currents: one in the
42North Atlantic, a second in the South, a third in the North Pacific, a fourth in the South, and a fifth in the Southern
43Indian Ocean. It is even probable that a sixth current existed at one time or another in the Northern Indian Ocean, when
44the Caspian and Aral Seas formed but one vast sheet of water. At this point indicated on the planisphere one of these
45currents was rolling, the Kuro-Scivo of the Japanese, the Black River, which, leaving the Gulf of Bengal, where it is
46warmed by the perpendicular rays of a tropical sun, crosses the Straits of Malacca along the coast of Asia, turns into
47the North Pacific to the Aleutian Islands, carrying with it trunks of camphor-trees and other indigenous productions,
48and edging the waves of the ocean with the pure indigo of its warm water. It was this current that the Nautilus was to
49follow. I followed it with my eye; saw it lose itself in the vastness of the Pacific, and felt myself drawn with it,
50when Ned Land and Conseil appeared at the door of the saloon. My two brave companions remained petrified at the sight of
51the wonders spread before them. "Where are we, where are we?" exclaimed the Canadian. "In the museum at Quebec?" "My
52friends," I answered, making a sign for them to enter, "you are not in Canada, but on board the Nautilus, fifty yards
53below the level of the sea." "But, M. Aronnax," said Ned Land, "can you tell me how many men there are on board? Ten,
54twenty, fifty, a hundred?" "I cannot answer you, Mr. Land; it is better to abandon for a time all idea of seizing the
55Nautilus or escaping from it. This ship is a masterpiece of modern industry, and I should be sorry not to have seen it.
56Many people would accept the situation forced upon us, if only to move amongst such wonders. So be quiet and let us try
57and see what passes around us." "See!" exclaimed the harpooner, "but we can see nothing in this iron prison! We are
58walking--we are sailing--blindly." Ned Land had scarcely pronounced these words when all was suddenly darkness. The
59luminous ceiling was gone, and so rapidly that my eyes received a painful impression. We remained mute, not stirring,
60and not knowing what surprise awaited us, whether agreeable or disagreeable. A sliding noise was heard: one would have
61said that panels were working at the sides of the Nautilus. "It is the end of the end!" said Ned Land. Suddenly light
62broke at each side of the saloon, through two oblong openings. The liquid mass appeared vividly lit up by the electric
63gleam. Two crystal plates separated us from the sea. At first I trembled at the thought that this frail partition might
64break, but strong bands of copper bound them, giving an almost infinite power of resistance. The sea was distinctly
65visible for a mile all round the Nautilus. What a spectacle! What pen can describe it? Who could paint the effects of
66the light through those transparent sheets of water, and the softness of the successive graduations from the lower to
67the superior strata of the ocean? We know the transparency of the sea and that its clearness is far beyond that of
68rock-water. The mineral and organic substances which it holds in suspension heightens its transparency. In certain parts
69of the ocean at the Antilles, under seventy-five fathoms of water, can be seen with surprising clearness a bed of sand.
70The penetrating power of the solar rays does not seem to cease for a depth of one hundred and fifty fathoms. But in this
71middle fluid travelled over by the Nautilus, the electric brightness was produced even in the bosom of the waves. It was
72no longer luminous water, but liquid light.
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