Chapter 18. The Devilfish

           ForseveraldaystheNautiluskeptofffromtheAmericancoast.EvidentlyitdidnotwishtoriskthetidesoftheGulfofMexicooroftheseaoftheAntilles.April16th,wesightedMartiniqueandGuadaloupefromadistanceofaboutthirtymiles.Isawtheirtallpeaksforaninstant.TheCanadian,whocountedoncarryingouthisprojectsintheGulf,byeitherlandingorhailingoneofthenumerousboatsthatcoastfromoneislandtoanother,wasquitedisheartened.Flightwouldhavebeenquitepracticable,ifNedLandhadbeenabletotakepossessionoftheboatwithouttheCaptain’sknowledge.Butintheopenseaitcouldnotbethoughtof.TheCanadian,Conseil,andIhadalongconversationonthissubject.ForsixmonthswehadbeenprisonersonboardtheNautilus.Wehadtravelled17,000leagues;and,asNedLandsaid,therewasnoreasonwhyitshouldcometoanend.WecouldhopenothingfromtheCaptainoftheNautilus,butonlyfromourselves.Besides,forsometimepasthehadbecomegraver,moreretired,lesssociable.Heseemedtoshunme.Imethimrarely.Formerlyhewaspleasedtoexplainthesubmarinemarvelstome;nowheleftmetomystudies,andcamenomoretothesaloon.Whatchangehadcomeoverhim?Forwhatcause?Formypart,Ididnotwishtoburywithmemycuriousandnovelstudies.Ihadnowthepowertowritethetruebookofthesea;andthisbook,soonerorlater,Iwishedtoseedaylight.ThelandnearestuswasthearchipelagooftheBahamas.Thererosehighsubmarinecliffscoveredwithlargeweeds.Itwasabouteleveno’clockwhenNedLanddrewmyattentiontoaformidablepricking,likethestingofanant,whichwasproducedbymeansoflargeseaweeds.

           "Well,"Isaid,"thesearepropercavernsforpoulps,andIshouldnotbeastonishedtoseesomeofthesemonsters."