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Chapter 9. A Lost Continent

           Itwaslikeacoal-pitstillstanding,holdingbytherootstothebrokensoil,andwhosebranches,likefineblackpapercuttings,showeddistinctlyonthewateryceiling.PicturetoyourselfaforestintheHartzhangingontothesidesofthemountain,butaforestswallowedup.Thepathswereencumberedwithseaweedandfucus,betweenwhichgrovelledawholeworldofcrustacea.Iwentalong,climbingtherocks,stridingoverextendedtrunks,breakingtheseabind-weedwhichhungfromonetreetotheother;andfrighteningthefishes,whichflewfrombranchtobranch.Pressingonward,Ifeltnofatigue.Ifollowedmyguide,whowasnevertired.Whataspectacle!HowcanIexpressit?howpainttheaspectofthosewoodsandrocksinthismediumtheirunderpartsdarkandwild,theuppercolouredwithredtints,bythatlightwhichthereflectingpowersofthewatersdoubled?Weclimbedrockswhichfelldirectlyafterwithgiganticboundsandthelowgrowlingofanavalanche.Torightandleftranlong,darkgalleries,wheresightwaslost.Hereopenedvastgladeswhichthehandofmanseemedtohaveworked;andIsometimesaskedmyselfifsomeinhabitantofthesesubmarineregionswouldnotsuddenlyappeartome.

           ButCaptainNemowasstillmounting.Icouldnotstaybehind.Ifollowedboldly.Mystickgavemegoodhelp.Afalsestepwouldhavebeendangerousonthenarrowpassesslopingdowntothesidesofthegulfs;butIwalkedwithfirmstep,withoutfeelinganygiddiness.NowIjumpedacrevice,thedepthofwhichwouldhavemademehesitatehaditbeenamongtheglaciersontheland;nowIventuredontheunsteadytrunkofatreethrownacrossfromoneabysstotheother,withoutlookingundermyfeet,havingonlyeyestoadmirethewildsitesofthisregion.

           There,monumentalrocks,leaningontheirregularly-cutbases,seemedtodefyalllawsofequilibrium.

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