We had advanced one degree more in this Antarctic region.
Of the liquid surface of the sea there was no longer a glimpse.
Under the spur of the Nautilus lay stretched a vast plain,entangled with confused blocks.Here and there sharp points and slender needles rising to a height of 200feet;further on a steep shore,hewn as it were with an axe and clothed with greyish tints;huge mirrors,reflecting a few rays of sunshine,half drowned in the fog.
And over this desolate face of nature a stern silence reigned,scarcely broken by the flapping of the wings of petrels and puffins.
Everything was frozen--even the noise.The Nautilus was then obliged to stop in its adventurous course amid these fields of ice.
In spite of our efforts,in spite of the powerful means employed to break up the ice,the Nautilus remained immovable.
Generally,when we can proceed no further,we have return still open to us;but here return was as impossible as advance,for every pass had closed behind us;and for the few moments when we were stationary,we were likely to be entirely blocked,which did indeed happen about two o'clock in the afternoon,the fresh ice forming around its sides with astonishing rapidity.
Iwas obliged to admit that Captain Nemo was more than imprudent.
Iwas on the platform at that moment.The Captain had been observing our situation for some time past,when he said to me:
"Well,sir,what do you think of this?"
"Ithink that we are caught,Captain."
"So,M.Aronnax,you really think that the Nautilus cannot disengage itself?""With difficulty,Captain;for the season is already too far advanced for you to reckon on the breaking of the ice.""Ah!sir,"said Captain Nemo,in an ironical tone,"you will always be the same.You see nothing but difficulties and obstacles.
Iaffirm that not only can the Nautilus disengage itself,but also that it can go further still.""Further to the South?"Iasked,looking at the Captain.
"Yes,sir;it shall go to the pole."
"To the pole!"Iexclaimed,unable to repress a gesture of incredulity.
"Yes,"replied the Captain,coldly,"to the Antarctic pole--to that unknown point from whence springs every meridian of the globe.
You know whether Ican do as Iplease with the Nautilus!"Yes,Iknew that.Iknew that this man was bold,even to rashness.
But to conquer those obstacles which bristled round the South Pole,rendering it more inaccessible than the North,which had not yet been reached by the boldest navigators--was it not a mad enterprise,one which only a maniac would have conceived?It then came into my head to ask Captain Nemo if he had ever discovered that pole which had never yet been trodden by a human creature?
"No,sir,"he replied;"but we will discover it together.
Where others have failed,Iwill not fail.Ihave never yet led my Nautilus so far into southern seas;but,Irepeat,it shall go further yet.""Ican well believe you,Captain,"said I,in a slightly ironical tone.
"Ibelieve you!Let us go ahead!There are no obstacles for us!
Let us smash this iceberg!Let us blow it up;and,if it resists,let us give the Nautilus wings to fly over it!""Over it,sir!"said Captain Nemo,quietly;"no,not over it,but under it!""Under it!"Iexclaimed,a sudden idea of the Captain's projects flashing upon my mind.Iunderstood;the wonderful qualities of the Nautilus were going to serve us in this superhuman enterprise.
"Isee we are beginning to understand one another,sir,"said the Captain,half smiling."You begin to see the possibility--Ishould say the success--of this attempt.That which is impossible for an ordinary vessel is easy to the Nautilus.If a continent lies before the pole,it must stop before the continent;but if,on the contrary,the pole is washed by open sea,it will go even to the pole.""Certainly,"said I,carried away by the Captain's reasoning;"if the surface of the sea is solidified by the ice,the lower depths are free by the Providential law which has placed the maximum of density of the waters of the ocean one degree higher than freezing-point;and,if Iam not mistaken,the portion of this iceberg which is above the water is as one to four to that which is below.""Very nearly,sir;for one foot of iceberg above the sea there are three below it.If these ice mountains are not more than 300feet above the surface,they are not more than 900beneath.
And what are 900feet to the Nautilus?"
"Nothing,sir."
"It could even seek at greater depths that uniform temperature of sea-water,and there brave with impunity the thirty or forty degrees of surface cold.""Just so,sir--just so,"Ireplied,getting animated.
"The only difficulty,"continued Captain Nemo,"is that of remaining several days without renewing our provision of air.""Is that all?The Nautilus has vast reservoirs;we can fill them,and they will supply us with all the oxygen we want.""Well thought of,M.Aronnax,"replied the Captain,smiling.
"But,not wishing you to accuse me of rashness,Iwill first give you all my objections.""Have you any more to make?"