20000 льє під водою

Chapter 18. The Devilfish

           Butthemostastonishingfact,andwhichdoesnotpermitofthedenialoftheexistenceofthesegiganticanimals,happenedsomeyearsago,in1861."

           "Whatisthefact?"askedNedLand.

           "Thisisit.In1861,tothenorth-eastofTeneriffe,verynearlyinthesamelatitudeweareinnow,thecrewofthedespatch-boatAlectorperceivedamonstrouscuttlefishswimminginthewaters.CaptainBouguerwentneartotheanimal,andattackeditwithharpoonandguns,withoutmuchsuccess,forballsandharpoonsglidedoverthesoftflesh.Afterseveralfruitlessattemptsthecrewtriedtopassaslip-knotroundthebodyofthemollusc.Thenooseslippedasfarasthetailfinsandtherestopped.Theytriedthentohaulitonboard,butitsweightwassoconsiderablethatthetightnessofthecordseparatedthetailfromthebody,and,deprivedofthisornament,hedisappearedunderthewater."

           "Indeed!isthatafact?"

           "Anindisputablefact,mygoodNed.Theyproposedtonamethispoulp‘Bouguer’scuttlefish.’"

           "Whatlengthwasit?"askedtheCanadian.

           "Diditnotmeasureaboutsixyards?"saidConseil,who,postedatthewindow,wasexaminingagaintheirregularwindingsofthecliff.

           "Precisely,"Ireplied.

           "Itshead,"rejoinedConseil,"wasitnotcrownedwitheighttentacles,thatbeatthewaterlikeanestofserpents?"

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 343 з 384