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CHAPTER IX. THE SUNKEN CITY.
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The diving-suits were a very clever invention. They were superior to the old style for the fact that the diver had free use of his limbs and was hampered1 by no life-line or tube.

34Frank gave instruction to Barney and Pomp to remain aboard the Diver and keep a good watch of the two divers2 all the while. Then he helped Wade3 to don his suit and put on his own.

They were now ready to leave the boat.

This was accomplished4 in an ingenious manner. Of course, it would be impossible to merely open a door and step out.

Water would rush in and flood the cabin.

But Frank had provided a vestibule with two doors, one opening into the cabin and the other out on deck.

He had merely to enter the vestibule and close the cabin door. Then, by turning a valve, the vestibule would fill with water. It was easy then to open the outer door and walk out.

The return was accomplished much the same, though the pressure of a lever set the force-pump at work and cleared the water from the vestibule in quick time.

Frank and Wade entered the vestibule, and a few moments later were out on the vessel’s deck.

They clambered down the side and stood upon the pavement of the sunken city.

It was a strange sensation.

Probably no other men living could boast of the same experience. Down the street of the sunken city they walked.

It required Wade some little time to get used to the pressure, he being inexperienced.

But soon he had overcome the unpleasant sensation and was quite himself again. Together they strolled along the thoroughfare.

There was no conversation, for one could not have heard the other speak at that depth. Moreover, the helmets deadened the sound.

But conversation could be carried on by placing the two helmets close together and shouting. This was only resorted to in case of necessity.

The buildings of the sunken city were of two stories only and not at all pretentious—like the ruins of Palenque.

But there was one higher-arched structure, just back from the street, which claimed their attention.

There was a quantity of curious carving5 and scroll-work in its front. Frank concluded that it must be either a palace or a temple.

He was determined6 to ascertain7.

Motioning to Wade he entered the place. The scientist was not slow to follow him.

Each wore upon his helmet a small electric globe. This made objects plain in the place.

35As they passed through the great portico8 it was easy to see at once what sort of a place it was. For a moment they were spellbound.

It was unquestionably a temple.

In front of them was a broad dais of stone. Upon this there rested a gigantic and grotesque9 image. It was plainly an idol10.

The ancient inhabitants of the sunken city were then idolators. This fact was settled.

The idol was fully11 fifteen feet in height, and in shape was a cross between a sphynx and satyr. Its eyes were of some brilliant stone.

Around the temple were other idols12 of various sizes. Each had its dais, and there were the worn hollows in the stone made by the knees of kneeling thousands.

Frank placed his helmet close to Wade’s and shouted:

“Is this discovery of value to you?”

“Much!” replied the scientist; “it establishes the fact of idolatry, and also that these people were much like the Aztecs and worshiped the same gods. There are the idols Quetzal and Quetzalcoatl. They are Aztec gods.”

“That is certainly a great point,” replied Frank. “Yonder I can see some hieroglyphics13 on a stone. Is it possible to read them?”

“I am not familiar enough with Aztec cryptography,” said Wade. “I shall not attempt it.”

But another discovery was made.

Before the large idol was a broad and richly carved altar. Below it was a pit for the reception of the blood of the victims.

The two explorers gazed upon this gruesome object with a thrill.

“Many a poor wretch14 has gone to his doom15 on that stony16 surface,” declared Frank. “What barbarity!”

“True,” agreed Wade; “the ancient ideas of sacrifice were something simply savage17.”

No small object of any kind of metal could be found. Every vestige18 of any material but stone had been absorbed by time and the water.

So Wade could find no other specimen19 to take with him but a small idol, which he placed in his pocket.

“I shall keep this for a talisman,” he declared. “Perhaps it will bring me good luck!”

“I believe I will do the same,” said Frank; “so here goes.”

He also took one of the idols. Then they left the temple.

Once out upon the street again they began to look for another object of interest.

36This soon turned up.

Passing through a sort of peristyle they came out into a large court, in the center of which was a large basin. Here no doubt a fountain had once played.

This court had no doubt once been the scene of magnificence. There was every indication of it.

Statues of the nude20 adorned21 its circle. These were hardly to be compared with Grecian sculpture, but they represented a very good knowledge of the art.

Instinctively22 both men pictured the place as it might once have been.

Flowering trees and shrubs23, noble palms and trailing vines had once made the spot beautiful.

The sunlight had once glinted in upon these alabaster24 walls, with their setting of beautiful green. It had given light to a gay assemblage of dark-skinned people, and fell upon the state throne of the king.

For this stood at one end of the court just as it must have stood in those old days. It was a great chair of carven stone, with a canopy25 over it, or at least the frame where the canopy had once been.

But nothing was left of all this magnificence but the bare walls. These alone were imperishable.

Only their marble sides and columns remained. All else was dust.

Time and the action of the water had worn them away.

“This is probably the king’s palace,” said Frank; “don’t you think so?”

“Yes,” agreed Wade. “I tell you these were no ordinary people.”

“I believe you.”

But they did not conduct their research much further.

There were chambers26 beyond the whole interior of the sunken palace, but the two explorers had seen enough.

Frank began to wonder if all was well aboard the Diver, and as for Wade, his head ached to bursting.

So Frank said:

“Have you gone far enough, Wade?”

The scientist nodded his head.

“Yes,” he said, “I am satisfied. Let us go back.”

Frank was glad to lead the way out again into the street. They then turned their footsteps toward the submarine boat.

Barney and Pomp were waiting for them. Straight to the gangway they came.

In a few moments they were safe in the cabin once more. The trip had been a success.

But Wade was still looking ahead, and was anxious to continue on his way along the isthmus27.

37So the Diver arose and headed for awhile over the sunken city. Then it left it behind.

The presence of the sunken city settled a number of facts. It was true beyond peradventure that there had once been an isthmus between Capes28 San Antonio and Catoche.

It was also certain that there had once dwelt upon it a race of people of great intelligence. That the sea had wiped all out of existence was certain.

Wade studied the matter thoroughly29 and most scientifically. So he said to Frank:

“I have seen enough; let us go along.”

“All right,” agreed Frank. “A due west course is sure to bring us to Yucatan.”

“Very true,” agreed Wade, “but above all things go well armed and prepared for trouble. I feel sure that we have not seen the last of that schooner30!”

The young inventor could not help a laugh at Wade’s earnestness.

“That is your bugbear,” he said. “How are they going to injure us at this depth of the sea? They have only the very crudest of diving-suits.”

“I don’t know,” replied Wade, “but I cannot help a feeling of that sort. I believe we have not seen the last of Poole.”

“It is a little curious that we have not as yet come to the sunken isle31,” said Frank. “That I must regard as only a small part of the isthmus which did not sink in the first earthquake.”

“Beyond a doubt,” agreed Wade. “In that case we shall certainly come across it.”

“We will keep a lookout32. It should be in about this latitude33.”

The course they were pursuing was along the northern shore of the isthmus. It was easy to follow its conformation.

As Frank had declared, they could not be far from the sunken Isle of Mona. And, indeed, a few hours later they came upon precipitous bluffs34 and forests of decaying trees.

The island was beneath them. There was no doubt of this. The voyagers were alive with the keenest of interest.

Ordinarily there would have been but a scant35 desire to search for the buried treasure. But their experience with Poole had aroused their interest.

Frank had a strong inclination36 to visit the scene of the treasure hunt. So he held the Diver closely along the island and shore.

It was remembered that Poole had described the gold cave as upon the northern shore. When attacked by the 38Caribs he and his companions had escaped in their boat, so it could not have been far from the surf to the cave.

It should, therefore, be easy to find. Barney and Pomp were especially on the lookout.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 hampered 3c5fb339e8465f0b89285ad0a790a834     
妨碍,束缚,限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
  • So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。
2 divers hu9z23     
adj.不同的;种种的
参考例句:
  • He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人,要他们和他作伴。
  • Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作,同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。
3 wade nMgzu     
v.跋涉,涉水;n.跋涉
参考例句:
  • We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
  • We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。
4 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
5 carving 5wezxw     
n.雕刻品,雕花
参考例句:
  • All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
  • He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。
6 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
7 ascertain WNVyN     
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清
参考例句:
  • It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
  • We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。
8 portico MBHyf     
n.柱廊,门廊
参考例句:
  • A large portico provides a suitably impressive entrance to the chapel.小教堂入口处宽敞的柱廊相当壮观。
  • The gateway and its portico had openings all around.门洞两旁与廊子的周围都有窗棂。
9 grotesque O6ryZ     
adj.怪诞的,丑陋的;n.怪诞的图案,怪人(物)
参考例句:
  • His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。
  • Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。
10 idol Z4zyo     
n.偶像,红人,宠儿
参考例句:
  • As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子,他是父母的宠儿。
  • Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。
11 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
12 idols 7c4d4984658a95fbb8bbc091e42b97b9     
偶像( idol的名词复数 ); 受崇拜的人或物; 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物; 神像
参考例句:
  • The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
  • Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从,经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。
13 hieroglyphics 875efb138c1099851d6647d532c0036f     
n.pl.象形文字
参考例句:
  • Hieroglyphics are carved into the walls of the temple. 寺庙的墙壁上刻着象形文字。
  • His writing is so bad it just looks like hieroglyphics to me. 他写的糟透了,对我来说就像天书一样。
14 wretch EIPyl     
n.可怜的人,不幸的人;卑鄙的人
参考例句:
  • You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他,还埋怨他,真不知好歹。
  • The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。
15 doom gsexJ     
n.厄运,劫数;v.注定,命定
参考例句:
  • The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
  • The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。
16 stony qu1wX     
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的
参考例句:
  • The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干,而且布满了石头。
  • He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。
17 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
18 vestige 3LNzg     
n.痕迹,遗迹,残余
参考例句:
  • Some upright stones in wild places are the vestige of ancient religions.荒原上一些直立的石块是古老宗教的遗迹。
  • Every vestige has been swept away.一切痕迹都被一扫而光。
19 specimen Xvtwm     
n.样本,标本
参考例句:
  • You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
  • This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。
20 nude CHLxF     
adj.裸体的;n.裸体者,裸体艺术品
参考例句:
  • It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
  • She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。
21 adorned 1e50de930eb057fcf0ac85ca485114c8     
[计]被修饰的
参考例句:
  • The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
  • And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。
22 instinctively 2qezD2     
adv.本能地
参考例句:
  • As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近,她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
24 alabaster 2VSzd     
adj.雪白的;n.雪花石膏;条纹大理石
参考例句:
  • The floor was marble tile,and the columns alabaster.地板是由大理石铺成的,柱子则是雪花石膏打造而成。
  • Her skin was like alabaster.她的皮肤光洁雪白。
25 canopy Rczya     
n.天篷,遮篷
参考例句:
  • The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
  • They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。
26 chambers c053984cd45eab1984d2c4776373c4fe     
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅
参考例句:
  • The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间:Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网
27 isthmus z31xr     
n.地峡
参考例句:
  • North America is connected with South America by the Isthmus of Panama.巴拿马海峡把北美同南美连接起来。
  • The north and south of the island are linked by a narrow isthmus.岛的北部和南部由一条狭窄的地峡相连。
28 capes 2a2d1f6d8808b81a9484709d3db50053     
碎谷; 斗篷( cape的名词复数 ); 披肩; 海角; 岬
参考例句:
  • It was cool and they were putting on their capes. 夜里阴冷,他们都穿上了披风。
  • The pastor smiled to give son's two Capes five cents money. 牧师微笑着给了儿子二角五分钱。
29 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
30 schooner mDoyU     
n.纵帆船
参考例句:
  • The schooner was driven ashore.那条帆船被冲上了岸。
  • The current was bearing coracle and schooner southward at an equal rate.急流正以同样的速度将小筏子和帆船一起冲向南方。
31 isle fatze     
n.小岛,岛
参考例句:
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
32 lookout w0sxT     
n.注意,前途,瞭望台
参考例句:
  • You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
  • It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来,公司的前景可就不妙了。
33 latitude i23xV     
n.纬度,行动或言论的自由(范围),(pl.)地区
参考例句:
  • The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
  • The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。
34 bluffs b61bfde7c25e2c4facccab11221128fc     
恐吓( bluff的名词复数 ); 悬崖; 峭壁
参考例句:
  • Two steep limestone bluffs rise up each side of the narrow inlet. 两座陡峭的石灰石断崖耸立在狭窄的入口两侧。
  • He bluffs his way in, pretending initially to be a dishwasher and then later a chef. 他虚张声势的方式,假装最初是一个洗碗机,然后厨师。
35 scant 2Dwzx     
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略
参考例句:
  • Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
  • Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候,许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。
36 inclination Gkwyj     
n.倾斜;点头;弯腰;斜坡;倾度;倾向;爱好
参考例句:
  • She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
  • I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。


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