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Chapter 7. A Whale of Unknown Species

           scales.Theblowproducedametallicsound;and,incrediblethoughitmaybe,itseemed,Imightsay,asifitwasmadeofrivetedplates.

           Therewasnodoubtaboutit!Thismonster,thisnaturalphenomenonthathadpuzzledthelearnedworld,andoverthrownandmisledtheimaginationofseamenofbothhemispheres,itmustbeownedwasastillmoreastonishingphenomenon,inasmuchasitwasasimplyhumanconstruction.

           Wehadnotimetolose,however.Wewerelyinguponthebackofasortofsubmarineboat,whichappeared(asfarasIcouldjudge)likeahugefishofsteel.NedLand’smindwasmadeuponthispoint.ConseilandIcouldonlyagreewithhim.

           Justthenabubblingbeganatthebackofthisstrangething(whichwasevidentlypropelledbyascrew),anditbegantomove.Wehadonlyjusttimetoseizeholdoftheupperpart,whichroseaboutsevenfeetoutofthewater,andhappilyitsspeedwasnotgreat.

           "Aslongasitsailshorizontally,"mutteredNedLand,"Idonotmind;but,ifittakesafancytodive,Iwouldnotgivetwostrawsformylife."

           TheCanadianmighthavesaidstillless.Itbecamereallynecessarytocommunicatewiththebeings,whatevertheywere,shutupinsidethemachine.Isearchedallovertheoutsideforanaperture,apanel,oramanhole,touseatechnicalexpression;butthelinesoftheironrivets,solidlydrivenintothejointsoftheironplates,wereclearanduniform.Besides,themoondisappearedthen,andleftusintotaldarkness.

           Atlastthislongnightpassed.Myindistinctremembrancepreventsmydescribingalltheimpressionsitmade.Icanonlyrecallonecircumstance.Duringsomelullsofthewindandsea,IfanciedIheardseveraltimesvaguesounds,asortoffugitiveharmonyproducedbywordsofcommand.

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