d by the clearness of the waters. The
source of this inexplicable light was a fire on the opposite side of
the mountain.

In the midst of this stony maze furrowing the bottom of the Atlantic,
Captain Nemo advanced without hesitation. He knew this dreary road.
Doubtless he had often travelled over it, and could not lose himself.
I followed him with unshaken confidence. He seemed to me like a genie
of the sea; and, as he walked before me, I could not help admiring his
stature, which was outlined in black on the luminous horizon.

It was one in the morning when we arrived at the first slopes of the
mountain; but to gain access to them we must venture through the
difficult paths of a vast copse.

Yes; a copse of dead trees, without leaves, without sap, trees
petrified by the action of the water and here and there overtopped by
gigantic pines. It was like a coal-pit still standing, holding by the
roots to the broken soil, and whose branches, like fine black paper
cuttings, showed distinctly on the watery ceiling. Picture to yourself
a forest in the Hartz hanging on to the sides of the mountain, but a
forest swallowed up. The paths were encumbered with seaweed and fucus,
between which grovelled a whole world of crustacea. I went along,
climbing the rocks, striding over extended trunks, breaking the sea
bind-weed which hung from one tree to the other; and frightening the
fishes, which flew from branch to branch. Pressing onward, I felt no
fatigue. I followed my guide, who was never tired. What a spectacle!
How can I express it? how paint the aspect of those woods and rocks in
this medium--their under parts dark and wild, the upper coloured with
red tints, by that light which the reflecting powers of the waters
doubled? We climbed rocks which fell directly after with gigantic
bounds and the low growling of an avalanche. To right and left ran
long, dark galleries, where sight was lost. Here opened vast glades
which the hand of man seemed to have worked; and I sometimes asked
myself if some inhabitant of these submarine regions would not suddenly
appear to me.

But Captain Nemo was still mounting. I could not stay behind. I
followed boldly. My stick gave me good help. A false step would have
been dangerous on the narrow passes sloping down to the sides of the
gulfs; but I walked with firm step, without feeling any giddiness. Now
I jumped a crevice, the depth of which would have made me hesitate had
it been