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Chapter 4. The Red Sea

           Iadmireditsstrangeaspect,surroundedbyblackrocksuponwhichitswhitehousesandfortsstoodinrelief.Isawtheroundeddomesofitsmosques,theelegantpointsofitsminarets,itsfreshandverdantterraces.Butitwasonlyavision!TheNautilussoonsankunderthewavesofthatpartofthesea.

           WepassedalongtheArabiancoastofMahrahandHadramaut,foradistanceofsixmiles,itsundulatinglineofmountainsbeingoccasionallyrelievedbysomeancientruin.The5thofFebruaryweatlastenteredtheGulfofAden,aperfectfunnelintroducedintotheneckofBab-el-mandeb,throughwhichtheIndianwatersenteredtheRedSea.

           The6thofFebruary,theNautilusfloatedinsightofAden,percheduponapromontorywhichanarrowisthmusjoinstothemainland,akindofinaccessibleGibraltar,thefortificationsofwhichwererebuiltbytheEnglishaftertakingpossessionin1839.Icaughtaglimpseoftheoctagonminaretsofthistown,whichwasatonetimetherichestcommercialmagazineonthecoast.

           IcertainlythoughtthatCaptainNemo,arrivedatthispoint,wouldbackoutagain;butIwasmistaken,forhedidnosuchthing,muchtomysurprise.

           Thenextday,the7thofFebruary,weenteredtheStraitsofBab-el-mandeb,thenameofwhich,intheArabtongue,meansTheGateofTears.

           Totwentymilesinbreadth,itisonlythirty-twoinlength.AndfortheNautilus,startingatfullspeed,thecrossingwasscarcelytheworkofanhour.ButIsawnothing,noteventheIslandofPerim,withwhichtheBritishGovernmenthasfortifiedthepositionofAden.

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