izon. He still hoped that
behind all that fog stretched the land he so longed for.

At noon the sun showed itself for an instant. The second profited by
this brightness to take its height. Then, the sea becoming more
billowy, we descended, and the panel closed.

An hour after, upon consulting the chart, I saw the position of the
Nautilus was marked at 16 deg. 17' long., and 33 deg. 22' lat., at 150
leagues from the nearest coast. There was no means of flight, and I
leave you to imagine the rage of the Canadian when I informed him of
our situation.

For myself, I was not particularly sorry. I felt lightened of the load
which had oppressed me, and was able to return with some degree of
calmness to my accustomed work.

That night, about eleven o'clock, I received a most unexpected visit
from Captain Nemo. He asked me very graciously if I felt fatigued from
my watch of the preceding night. I answered in the negative.

"Then, M. Aronnax, I propose a curious excursion."

"Propose, Captain?"

"You have hitherto only visited the submarine depths by daylight, under
the brightness of the sun. Would it suit you to see them in the
darkness of the night?"

"Most willingly."

"I warn you, the way will be tiring. We shall have far to walk, and
must climb a mountain. The roads are not well kept."

"What you say, Captain, only heightens my curiosity; I am ready to
follow you."

"Come then, sir, we will put on our diving-dresses."

Arrived at the robing-room, I saw that neither of my companions nor any
of the ship's crew were to follow us on this excursion. Captain Nemo
had not even proposed my taking with me either Ned or Conseil.

In a few moments we had put on our diving-dresses; they placed on our
backs the reservoirs, abundantly filled with air, but no electric lamps
were prepared. I called the Captain's attention to the fact.

"They will be useless," he replied.

I thought I had not heard aright, but I could not repeat my
observation, for the Captain's head had already disappeared in its
metal case. I finished harnessing myself. I felt them put an
iron-pointed stick into my hand, and some minutes later, after going
through the usual form, we set foot on the bottom of the Atlantic at a
depth of 150 fathoms. Midnight was near. The waters were profoundly
dark, but Captain Nemo pointed out in the distance a reddish spot, a
sort of large light shining brilliantly about two miles from the
Nautilus. Wh