be
distinguished from cow's milk. I tasted it, and was of his opinion.
It was a useful reserve to us, for in the shape of salt butter or
cheese it would form an agreeable variety from our ordinary food. From
that day I noticed with uneasiness that Ned Land's ill-will towards
Captain Nemo increased, and I resolved to watch the Canadian's gestures
closely.

CHAPTER XIII

THE ICEBERG

The Nautilus was steadily pursuing its southerly course, following the
fiftieth meridian with considerable speed. Did he wish to reach the
pole? I did not think so, for every attempt to reach that point had
hitherto failed. Again, the season was far advanced, for in the
Antarctic regions the 13th of March corresponds with the 13th of
September of northern regions, which begin at the equinoctial season.
On the 14th of March I saw floating ice in latitude 55 deg., merely
pale bits of debris from twenty to twenty-five feet long, forming banks
over which the sea curled. The Nautilus remained on the surface of the
ocean. Ned Land, who had fished in the Arctic Seas, was familiar with
its icebergs; but Conseil and I admired them for the first time. In
the atmosphere towards the southern horizon stretched a white dazzling
band. English whalers have given it the name of "ice blink." However
thick the clouds may be, it is always visible, and announces the
presence of an ice pack or bank. Accordingly, larger blocks soon
appeared, whose brilliancy changed with the caprices of the fog. Some
of these masses showed green veins, as if long undulating lines had
been traced with sulphate of copper; others resembled enormous
amethysts with the light shining through them. Some reflected the
light of day upon a thousand crystal facets. Others shaded with vivid
calcareous reflections resembled a perfect town of marble. The more we
neared the south the more these floating islands increased both in
number and importance.

At 60 deg. lat. every pass had disappeared. But, seeking carefully,
Captain Nemo soon found a narrow opening, through which he boldly
slipped, knowing, however, that it would close behind him. Thus,
guided by this clever hand, the Nautilus passed through all the ice
with a precision which quite charmed Conseil; icebergs or mountains,
ice-fields or smooth plains, seeming to have no limits, drift-ice or
floating ice-packs, plains broken up, called palchs when they are
circular, and streams when they are made up of long stri