Chapter 7. The Mediterranean in Forty-Eight Hours

           TheMediterranean,theblueseaparexcellence,"thegreatsea"oftheHebrews,"thesea"oftheGreeks,the"marenostrum"oftheRomans,borderedbyorange-trees,aloes,cacti,andsea-pines;embalmedwiththeperfumeofthemyrtle,surroundedbyrudemountains,saturatedwithpureandtransparentair,butincessantlyworkedbyundergroundfires;aperfectbattlefieldinwhichNeptuneandPlutostilldisputetheempireoftheworld!

           Itisuponthesebanks,andonthesewaters,saysMichelet,thatmanisrenewedinoneofthemostpowerfulclimatesoftheglobe.But,beautifulasitwas,Icouldonlytakearapidglanceatthebasinwhosesuperficialareaistwomillionofsquareyards.EvenCaptainNemo’sknowledgewaslosttome,forthispuzzlingpersondidnotappearonceduringourpassageatfullspeed.IestimatedthecoursewhichtheNautilustookunderthewavesoftheseaataboutsixhundredleagues,anditwasaccomplishedinforty-eighthours.Startingonthemorningofthe16thofFebruaryfromtheshoresofGreece,wehadcrossedtheStraitsofGibraltarbysunriseonthe18th.

           ItwasplaintomethatthisMediterranean,enclosedinthemidstofthosecountrieswhichhewishedtoavoid,wasdistastefultoCaptainNemo.Thosewavesandthosebreezesbroughtbacktoomanyremembrances,ifnottoomanyregrets.Herehehadnolongerthatindependenceandthatlibertyofgaitwhichhehadwhenintheopenseas,andhisNautilusfeltitselfcrampedbetweenthecloseshoresofAfricaandEurope.

           Ourspeedwasnowtwenty-fivemilesanhour.ItmaybewellunderstoodthatNedLand,tohisgreatdisgust,wasobligedtorenouncehisintendedflight.Hecouldnotlaunchthepinnace,goingattherateoftwelveorthirteenyardseverysecond.