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Chapter 13. The Ice Bank

           Thepreparationsforthisaudaciousattemptnowbegan.ThepowerfulpumpsoftheNautiluswereworkingairintothereservoirsandstoringitathighpressure.Aboutfouro’clock,CaptainNemoannouncedtheclosingofthepanelsontheplatform.Ithrewonelastlookatthemassiveicebergwhichweweregoingtocross.Theweatherwasclear,theatmospherepureenough,thecoldverygreat,being12°belowzero;but,thewindhavinggonedown,thistemperaturewasnotsounbearable.AbouttenmenmountedthesidesoftheNautilus,armedwithpickaxestobreaktheicearoundthevessel,whichwassoonfree.Theoperationwasquicklyperformed,forthefreshicewasstillverythin.Weallwentbelow.Theusualreservoirswerefilledwiththenewly-liberatedwater,andtheNautilussoondescended.IhadtakenmyplacewithConseilinthesaloon;throughtheopenwindowwecouldseethelowerbedsoftheSouthernOcean.Thethermometerwentup,theneedleofthecompassdeviatedonthedial.Atabout900feet,asCaptainNemohadforeseen,wewerefloatingbeneaththeundulatingbottomoftheiceberg.ButtheNautiluswentlowerstillitwenttothedepthoffourhundredfathoms.Thetemperatureofthewateratthesurfaceshowedtwelvedegrees,itwasnowonlyten;wehadgainedtwo.IneednotsaythetemperatureoftheNautiluswasraisedbyitsheatingapparatustoamuchhigherdegree;everymanoeuvrewasaccomplishedwithwonderfulprecision.

           "Weshallpassit,ifyouplease,sir,"saidConseil.

           "Ibelieveweshall,"Isaid,inatoneoffirmconviction.

           Inthisopensea,theNautilushadtakenitscoursedirecttothepole,withoutleavingthefifty-secondmeridian.From67°30’to90°,twenty-twodegreesandahalfoflatituderemainedtotravel;thatis,aboutfivehundredleagues.

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