Chapter 18. Four Thousand Leagues Under the Pacific

           ThisterriblespectaclewastheforerunneroftheseriesofmaritimecatastrophesthattheNautiluswasdestinedtomeetwithinitsroute.Aslongasitwentthroughmorefrequentedwaters,weoftensawthehullsofshipwreckedvesselsthatwererottinginthedepths,anddeeperdowncannons,bullets,anchors,chains,andathousandotherironmaterialseatenupbyrust.However,onthe11thofDecemberwesightedthePomotouIslands,theold"dangerousgroup"ofBougainville,thatextendoveraspaceof500leaguesatE.S.E.toW.N.W.,fromtheIslandDucietothatofLazareff.Thisgroupcoversanareaof370squareleagues,anditisformedofsixtygroupsofislands,amongwhichtheGambiergroupisremarkable,overwhichFranceexercisessway.Thesearecoralislands,slowlyraised,butcontinuous,createdbythedailyworkofpolypi.Thenthisnewislandwillbejoinedlaterontotheneighboringgroups,andafifthcontinentwillstretchfromNewZealandandNewCaledonia,andfromthencetotheMarquesas.

           Oneday,whenIwassuggestingthistheorytoCaptainNemo,herepliedcoldly:

           "Theearthdoesnotwantnewcontinents,butnewmen."

           On15thofDecember,welefttotheeastthebewitchinggroupoftheSocietiesandthegracefulTahiti,queenofthePacific.Isawinthemorning,somemilestothewindward,theelevatedsummitsoftheisland.Thesewatersfurnishedourtablewithexcellentfish,mackerel,bonitos,andsomevarietiesofasea-serpent.