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Chapter 10. The Underwater Coalfields

           Iapproached,andwasboundtobelievemyowneyes.Thereataholeboredinoneofthedragon-treesweresomethousandsoftheseingeniousinsects,socommoninalltheCanaries,andwhoseproduceissomuchesteemed.Naturallyenough,theCanadianwishedtogatherthehoney,andIcouldnotwellopposehiswish.Aquantityofdryleaves,mixedwithsulphur,helitwithasparkfromhisflint,andhebegantosmokeoutthebees.Thehummingceasedbydegrees,andthehiveeventuallyyieldedseveralpoundsofthesweetesthoney,withwhichNedLandfilledhishaversack.

           "WhenIhavemixedthishoneywiththepasteofthebread-fruit,"saidhe,"Ishallbeabletoofferyouasucculentcake."

           "‘Ponmyword,"saidConseil,"itwillbegingerbread."

           "Nevermindthegingerbread,"saidI;"letuscontinueourinterestingwalk."

           Ateveryturnofthepathwewerefollowing,thelakeappearedinallitslengthandbreadth.Thelanternlitupthewholeofitspeaceablesurface,whichknewneitherripplenorwave.TheNautilusremainedperfectlyimmovable.Ontheplatform,andonthemountain,theship’screwwereworkinglikeblackshadowsclearlycarvedagainsttheluminousatmosphere.Wewerenowgoingroundthehighestcrestofthefirstlayersofrockwhichupheldtheroof.Ithensawthatbeeswerenottheonlyrepresentativesoftheanimalkingdomintheinteriorofthisvolcano.Birdsofpreyhoveredhereandthereintheshadows,orfledfromtheirnestsonthetopoftherocks.Thereweresparrowhawks,withwhitebreasts,andkestrels,anddowntheslopesscampered,withtheirlonglegs,severalfinefatbustards.

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