h in forty thousand years.

During the geological epochs the ocean originally prevailed everywhere.
Then by degrees, in the silurian period, the tops of the mountains
began to appear, the islands emerged, then disappeared in partial
deluges, reappeared, became settled, formed continents, till at length
the earth became geographically arranged, as we see in the present day.
The solid had wrested from the liquid thirty-seven million six hundred
and fifty-seven square miles, equal to twelve billions nine hundred and
sixty millions of acres.

The shape of continents allows us to divide the waters into five great
portions: the Arctic or Frozen Ocean, the Antarctic, or Frozen Ocean,
the Indian, the Atlantic, and the Pacific Oceans.

The Pacific Ocean extends from north to south between the two Polar
Circles, and from east to west between Asia and America, over an extent
of 145 degrees of longitude. It is the quietest of seas; its currents
are broad and slow, it has medium tides, and abundant rain. Such was
the ocean that my fate destined me first to travel over under these
strange conditions.

"Sir," said Captain Nemo, "we will, if you please, take our bearings
and fix the starting-point of this voyage. It is a quarter to twelve;
I will go up again to the surface."

The Captain pressed an electric clock three times. The pumps began to
drive the water from the tanks; the needle of the manometer marked by a
different pressure the ascent of the Nautilus, then it stopped.

"We have arrived," said the Captain.

I went to the central staircase which opened on to the platform,
clambered up the iron steps, and found myself on the upper part of the
Nautilus.

The platform was only three feet out of water. The front and back of
the Nautilus was of that spindle-shape which caused it justly to be
compared to a cigar. I noticed that its iron plates, slightly
overlaying each other, resembled the shell which clothes the bodies of
our large terrestrial reptiles. It explained to me how natural it was,
in spite of all glasses, that this boat should have been taken for a
marine animal.

Toward the middle of the platform the longboat, half buried in the hull
of the vessel, formed a slight excrescence. Fore and aft rose two
cages of medium height with inclined sides, and partly closed by thick
lenticular glasses; one destined for the steersman who directed the
Nautilus, the other containing a brilliant lantern to give light on