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Chapter 9. A Lost Continent

           Ifeltthemputaniron-pointedstickintomyhand,andsomeminuteslater,aftergoingthroughtheusualform,wesetfootonthebottomoftheAtlanticatadepthof150fathoms.Midnightwasnear.Thewaterswereprofoundlydark,butCaptainNemopointedoutinthedistanceareddishspot,asortoflargelightshiningbrilliantlyabouttwomilesfromtheNautilus.Whatthisfiremightbe,whatcouldfeedit,whyandhowitlituptheliquidmass,Icouldnotsay.Inanycase,itdidlightourway,vaguely,itistrue,butIsoonaccustomedmyselftothepeculiardarkness,andIunderstood,undersuchcircumstances,theuselessnessoftheRuhmkorffapparatus.

           Asweadvanced,Iheardakindofpatteringabovemyhead.Thenoiseredoubling,sometimesproducingacontinualshower,Isoonunderstoodthecause.Itwasrainfallingviolently,andcrispingthesurfaceofthewaves.InstinctivelythethoughtflashedacrossmymindthatIshouldbewetthrough!Bythewater!inthemidstofthewater!Icouldnothelplaughingattheoddidea.But,indeed,inthethickdiving-dress,theliquidelementisnolongerfelt,andoneonlyseemstobeinanatmospheresomewhatdenserthantheterrestrialatmosphere.Nothingmore.

           Afterhalfanhour’swalkthesoilbecamestony.Medusae,microscopiccrustacea,andpennatuleslititslightlywiththeirphosphorescentgleam.Icaughtaglimpseofpiecesofstonecoveredwithmillionsofzoophytesandmassesofseaweed.Myfeetoftenslippeduponthisstickycarpetofseaweed,andwithoutmyiron-tippedstickIshouldhavefallenmorethanonce.Inturninground,IcouldstillseethewhitishlanternoftheNautilusbeginningtopaleinthedistance.

           Buttherosylightwhichguidedusincreasedandlitupthehorizon.Thepresenceofthisfireunderwaterpuzzledmeinthehighestdegree.

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