In truth, we were compelled to put ourselves upon rations1. Our supply would certainly last not more than three days. I found this out about supper time. The worst part of the matter was that, in what is called the transition rocks, it was hardly to be expected we should meet with water!
I had read of the horrors of thirst, and I knew that where we were, a brief trial of its sufferings would put an end to our adventures—and our lives! But it was utterly2 useless to discuss the matter with my uncle. He would have answered by some axiom from Plato.
During the whole of next day we proceeded on our journey through this interminable gallery, arch after arch, tunnel after tunnel. We journeyed without exchanging a word. We had become as mute and reticent3 as Hans, our guide.
The road had no longer an upward tendency; at all events, if it had, it was not to be made out very clearly. Sometimes there could be no doubt that we were going downwards4. But this inclination5 was scarcely to be distinguished6, and was by no means reassuring7 to the Professor, because the character of the strata8 was in no wise modified, and the transition character of the rocks became more and more marked.
It was a glorious sight to see how the electric light brought out the sparkles in the walls of the calcareous rocks, and the old red sandstone. One might have fancied oneself in one of those deep cuttings in Devonshire, which have given their name to this kind of soil. Some magnificent specimens9 of marble projected from the sides of the gallery: some of an agate10 grey with white veins11 of variegated12 character, others of a yellow spotted13 color, with red veins; farther off might be seen samples of color in which cherry-tinted seams were to be found in all their brightest shades.
The greater number of these marbles were stamped with the marks of primitive14 animals. Since the previous evening, nature and creation had made considerable progress. Instead of the rudimentary trilobites, I perceived the remains15 of a more perfect order. Among others, the fish in which the eye of a geologist16 has been able to discover the first form of the reptile17.
The Devonian seas were inhabited by a vast number of animals of this species, which were deposited in tens of thousands in the rocks of new formation.
It was quite evident to me that we were ascending18 the scale of animal life of which man forms the summit. My excellent uncle, the Professor, appeared not to take notice of these warnings. He was determined19 at any risk to proceed.
He must have been in expectation of one of two things; either that a vertical20 well was about to open under his feet, and thus allow him to continue his descent, or that some insurmountable obstacle would compel us to stop and go back by the road we had so long traveled. But evening came again, and, to my horror, neither hope was doomed21 to be realized!
On Friday, after a night when I began to feel the gnawing22 agony of thirst, and when in consequence appetite decreased, our little band rose and once more followed the turnings and windings23, the ascents24 and descents, of this interminable gallery. All were silent and gloomy. I could see that even my uncle had ventured too far.
After about ten hours of further progress—a progress dull and monotonous25 to the last degree—I remarked that the reverberation26, and reflection of our lamps upon the sides of the tunnel, had singularly diminished. The marble, the schist, the calcareous rocks, the red sandstone, had disappeared, leaving in their places a dark and gloomy wall, somber27 and without brightness. When we reached a remarkably28 narrow part of the tunnel, I leaned my left hand against the rock.
When I took my hand away, and happened to glance at it, it was quite black. We had reached the coal strata of the Central Earth.
"A coal mine!" I cried.
"How can we tell?"
"I can tell," replied my uncle, in a sharp and doctorial tone. "I am perfectly30 certain that this gallery through successive layers of coal was not cut by the hand of man. But whether it is the work of nature or not is of little concern to us. The hour for our evening meal has come—let us sup."
Hans, the guide, occupied himself in preparing food. I had come to that point when I could no longer eat. All I cared about were the few drops of water which fell to my share. What I suffered it is useless to record. The guide's gourd31, not quite half full, was all that was left for us three!
Having finished their repast, my two companions laid themselves down upon their rugs, and found in sleep a remedy for their fatigue32 and sufferings. As for me, I could not sleep, I lay counting the hours until morning.
The next morning, Saturday, at six o'clock, we started again. Twenty minutes later we suddenly came upon a vast excavation33. From its mighty34 extent I saw at once that the hand of man could have had nothing to do with this coal mine; the vault35 above would have fallen in; as it was, it was only held together by some miracle of nature.
This mighty natural cavern36 was about a hundred feet wide, by about a hundred and fifty high. The earth had evidently been cast apart by some violent subterranean37 commotion38. The mass, giving way to some prodigious39 upheaving of nature, had split in two, leaving the vast gap into which we inhabitants of the earth had penetrated40 for the first time.
The whole singular history of the coal period was written on those dark and gloomy walls. A geologist would have been able easily to follow the different phases of its formation. The seams of coal were separated by strata of sandstone, a compact clay, which appeared to be crushed down by the weight from above.
At that period of the world which preceded the secondary epoch41, the earth was covered by a coating of enormous and rich vegetation, due to the double action of tropical heat and perpetual humidity. A vast atmospheric42 cloud of vapor43 surrounded the earth on all sides, preventing the rays of the sun from ever reaching it.
Hence the conclusion that these intense heats did not arise from this new source of caloric.
Perhaps even the star of day was not quite ready for its brilliant work—to illumine a universe. Climates did not as yet exist, and a level heat pervaded44 the whole surface of the globe—the same heat existing at the North Pole as at the equator.
Whence did it come? From the interior of the earth?
In spite of all the learned theories of Professor Hardwigg, a fierce and vehement45 fire certainly burned within the entrails of the great spheroid. Its action was felt even to the very topmost crust of the earth; the plants then in existence, being deprived of the vivifying rays of the sun, had neither buds, nor flowers, nor odor, but their roots drew a strong and vigorous life from the burning earth of early days.
There were but few of what may be called trees—only herbaceous plants, immense turfs, briers, mosses46, rare families, which, however, in those days were counted by tens and tens of thousands.
It is entirely47 to this exuberant48 vegetation that coal owes its origin. The crust of the vast globe still yielded under the influence of the seething49, boiling mass, which was forever at work beneath. Hence arose numerous fissures50, and continual falling in of the upper earth. The dense51 mass of plants being beneath the waters, soon formed themselves into vast agglomerations52.
Then came about the action of natural chemistry; in the depths of the ocean the vegetable mass at first became turf, then, thanks to the influence of gases and subterranean fermentation, they underwent the complete process of mineralization.
In this manner, in early days, were formed those vast and prodigious layers of coal, which an ever—increasing consumption must utterly use up in about three centuries more, if people do not find some more economic light than gas, and some cheaper motive53 power than steam.
All these reflections, the memories of my school studies, came to my mind while I gazed upon these mighty accumulations of coal, whose riches, however, are scarcely likely to be ever utilized54. The working of these mines could only be carried out at an expense that would never yield a profit.
The matter, however, is scarcely worthy55 consideration, when coal is scattered56 over the whole surface of the globe, within a few yards of the upper crust. As I looked at these untouched strata, therefore, I knew they would remain as long as the world lasts.
While we still continued our journey, I alone forgot the length of the road, by giving myself up wholly to these geological considerations. The temperature continued to be very much the same as while we were traveling amid the lava57 and the schists. On the other hand my sense of smell was much affected58 by a very powerful odor. I immediately knew that the gallery was filled to overflowing59 with that dangerous gas the miners call fire damp, the explosion of which has caused such fearful and terrible accidents, making a hundred widows and hundreds of orphans60 in a single hour.
Happily, we were able to illumine our progress by means of the Ruhmkorff apparatus61. If we had been so rash and imprudent as to explore this gallery, torch in hand, a terrible explosion would have put an end to our travels, simply because no travelers would be left.
Our excursion through this wondrous62 coal mine in the very bowels63 of the earth lasted until evening. My uncle was scarcely able to conceal64 his impatience65 and dissatisfaction at the road continuing still to advance in a horizontal direction.
The darkness, dense and opaque66 a few yards in advance and in the rear, rendered it impossible to make out what was the length of the gallery. For myself, I began to believe that it was simply interminable, and would go on in the same manner for months.
Suddenly, at six o'clock, we stood in front of a wall. To the right, to the left above, below, nowhere was there any passage. We had reached a spot where the rocks said in unmistakable accents—No Thoroughfare.
I stood stupefied. The guide simply folded his arms. My uncle was silent.
"Well, well, so much the better," cried my uncle, at last, "I now know what we are about. We are decidedly not upon the road followed by Saknussemm. All we have to do is to go back. Let us take one night's good rest, and before three days are over, I promise you we shall have regained67 the point where the galleries divided."
"Yes, we may, if our strength lasts as long," I cried, in a lamentable68 voice.
"And why not?"
"Tomorrow, among us three, there will not be a drop of water. It is just gone."
"And your courage with it," said my uncle, speaking in a severe tone.
What could I say? I turned round on my side, and from sheer exhaustion69 fell into a heavy sleep disturbed by dreams of water! And I awoke unrefreshed.
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1
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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strata
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| n.地层（复数）；社会阶层 | |
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specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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agate
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| n.玛瑙 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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variegated
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| adj.斑驳的，杂色的 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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geologist
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| n.地质学家 | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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23
windings
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| （道路、河流等）蜿蜒的，弯曲的( winding的名词复数 )； 缠绕( wind的现在分词 )； 卷绕； 转动（把手） | |
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24
ascents
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| n.上升( ascent的名词复数 )；（身份、地位等的）提高；上坡路；攀登 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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reverberation
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| 反响； 回响； 反射； 反射物 | |
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somber
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| adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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excavation
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| n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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40
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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41
epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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42
atmospheric
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| adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的 | |
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vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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44
pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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46
mosses
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| n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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47
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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48
exuberant
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| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
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49
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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50
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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52
agglomerations
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| n.成团，结块（agglomeration的复数形式） | |
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53
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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54
utilized
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| v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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56
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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57
lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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58
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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59
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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60
orphans
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| 孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
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61
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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62
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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63
bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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64
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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66
opaque
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| adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的 | |
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67
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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68
lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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69
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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70
bartered
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| v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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