Chapter 10. The Underwater Coalfields

           Thenextday,the20thofFebruary,Iawokeverylate:thefatiguesofthepreviousnighthadprolongedmysleepuntileleveno’clock.Idressedquickly,andhastenedtofindthecoursetheNautiluswastaking.Theinstrumentsshowedittobestilltowardthesouth,withaspeedoftwentymilesanhourandadepthoffiftyfathoms.

           Thespeciesoffishesheredidnotdiffermuchfromthosealreadynoticed.Therewereraysofgiantsize,fiveyardslong,andendowedwithgreatmuscularstrength,whichenabledthemtoshootabovethewaves;sharksofmanykinds;amongstothers,onefifteenfeetlong,withtriangularsharpteeth,andwhosetransparencyrendereditalmostinvisibleinthewater.

           AmongstbonyfishConseilnoticedsomeaboutthreeyardslong,armedattheupperjawwithapiercingsword;otherbright-colouredcreatures,knowninthetimeofAristotlebythenameofthesea-dragon,whicharedangeroustocaptureonaccountofthespikesontheirback.

           Aboutfouro’clock,thesoil,generallycomposedofathickmudmixedwithpetrifiedwood,changedbydegrees,anditbecamemorestony,andseemedstrewnwithconglomerateandpiecesofbasalt,withasprinklingoflava.Ithoughtthatamountainousregionwassucceedingthelongplains;andaccordingly,afterafewevolutionsoftheNautilus,Isawthesoutherlyhorizonblockedbyahighwallwhichseemedtocloseallexit.Itssummitevidentlypassedtheleveloftheocean.Itmustbeacontinent,oratleastanisland—oneoftheCanaries,oroftheCapeVerdeIslands.Thebearingsnotbeingyettaken,perhapsdesignedly,Iwasignorantofourexactposition.Inanycase,suchawallseemedtometomarkthelimitsofthatAtlantis,ofwhichwehadinrealitypassedoveronlythesmallestpart.