The ship could not have been in better hands. The lieutenant was well informed in many matters outside the pale of his profession, and his attainments9 were alike creditable to himself and to the liberal friend who had given him his education. He had an excellent crew, consisting of Tiglew the engineer, four sailors named Niegoch, Tolstoy, Etkef, and Panofka, and Mochel the cook. These men, without exception, were all sons of the count’s tenants10, and so tenaciously11, even out at sea, did they cling to their old traditions, that it mattered little to them what physical disorganization ensued, so long as they felt they were sharing the experiences of their lord and master. The late astounding12 events, however, had rendered Procope manifestly uneasy, and not the less so from his consciousness that the count secretly partook of his own anxiety.
Steam up and canvas spread, the schooner13 started eastwards14. With a favorable wind she would certainly have made eleven knots an hour had not the high waves somewhat impeded15 her progress. Although only a moderate breeze was blowing, the sea was rough, a circumstance to be accounted for only by the diminution16 in the force of the earth’s attraction rendering17 the liquid particles so buoyant, that by the mere18 effect of oscillation they were carried to a height that was quite unprecedented19. M. Arago has fixed20 twenty-five or twenty-six feet as the maximum elevation21 ever attained22 by the highest waves, and his astonishment23 would have been very great to see them rising fifty or even sixty feet. Nor did these waves in the usual way partially24 unfurl themselves and rebound25 against the sides of the vessel26; they might rather be described as long undulations carrying the schooner (its weight diminished from the same cause as that of the water) alternately to such heights and depths, that if Captain Servadac had been subject to seasickness27 he must have found himself in sorry plight28. As the pitching, however, was the result of a long uniform swell29, the yacht did not labor30 much harder than she would against the ordinary short strong waves of the Mediterranean; the main inconvenience that was experienced was the diminution in her proper rate of speed.
For a few miles she followed the line hitherto presumably occupied by the coast of Algeria; but no land appeared to the south. The changed positions of the planets rendered them of no avail for purposes of nautical31 observation, nor could Lieutenant Procope calculate his latitude32 and longitude33 by the altitude of the sun, as his reckonings would be useless when applied34 to charts that had been constructed for the old order of things; but nevertheless, by means of the log, which gave him the rate of progress, and by the compass which indicated the direction in which they were sailing, he was able to form an estimate of his position that was sufficiently35 free from error for his immediate36 need.
Happily the recent phenomena37 had no effect upon the compass; the magnetic needle, which in these regions had pointed7 about 22 degrees from the north pole, had never deviated38 in the least — a proof that, although east and west had apparently39 changed places, north and south continued to retain their normal position as cardinal40 points. The log and the compass, therefore, were able to be called upon to do the work of the sextant, which had become utterly41 useless.
On the first morning of the cruise Lieutenant Procope, who, like most Russians, spoke42 French fluently, was explaining these peculiarities43 to Captain Servadac; the count was present, and the conversation perpetually recurred44, as naturally it would, to the phenomena which remained so inexplicable45 to them all.
“It is very evident,” said the lieutenant, “that ever since the 1st of January the earth has been moving in a new orbit, and from some unknown cause has drawn46 nearer to the sun.”
“No doubt about that,” said Servadac; “and I suppose that, having crossed the orbit of Venus, we have a good chance of running into the orbit of Mercury.”
“And finish up by a collision with the sun!” added the count.
“There is no fear of that, sir. The earth has undoubtedly47 entered upon a new orbit, but she is not incurring48 any probable risk of being precipitated49 onto the sun.”
“Can you satisfy us of that?” asked the count.
“I can, sir. I can give you a proof which I think you will own is conclusive50. If, as you suppose, the earth is being drawn on so as to be precipitated against the sun, the great center of attraction of our system, it could only be because the centrifugal and centripetal51 forces that cause the planets to rotate in their several orbits had been entirely52 suspended: in that case, indeed, the earth would rush onwards towards the sun, and in sixty-four days and a half the catastrophe53 you dread54 would inevitably55 happen.”
“And what demonstration56 do you offer,” asked Servadac eagerly, “that it will not happen?”
“Simply this, captain: that since the earth entered her new orbit half the sixty-four days has already elapsed, and yet it is only just recently that she has crossed the orbit of Venus, hardly one-third of the distance to be traversed to reach the sun.”
The lieutenant paused to allow time for reflection, and added: “Moreover, I have every reason to believe that we are not so near the sun as we have been. The temperature has been gradually diminishing; the heat upon Gourbi Island is not greater now than we might ordinarily expect to find in Algeria. At the same time, we have the problem still unsolved that the Mediterranean has evidently been transported to the equatorial zone.”
Both the count and the captain expressed themselves reassured57 by his representations, and observed that they must now do all in their power to discover what had become of the vast continent of Africa, of which, they were hitherto failing so completely to find a vestige58.
Twenty-four hours after leaving the island, the Dobryna had passed over the sites where Tenes, Cherchil, Koleah, and Sidi-Feruch once had been, but of these towns not one appeared within range of the telescope. Ocean reigned59 supreme60. Lieutenant Procope was absolutely certain that he had not mistaken his direction; the compass showed that the wind had never shifted from the west, and this, with the rate of speed as estimated by the log, combined to assure him that at this date, the 2d of February, the schooner was in lat. 36 degrees 49 min N. and long. 3 degrees 25 min E., the very spot which ought to have been occupied by the Algerian capital. But Algiers, like all the other coast-towns, had apparently been absorbed into the bowels61 of the earth.
Captain Servadac, with clenched62 teeth and knitted brow, stood sternly, almost fiercely, regarding the boundless63 waste of water. His pulse beat fast as he recalled the friends and comrades with whom he had spent the last few years in that vanished city. All the images of his past life floated upon his memory; his thoughts sped away to his native France, only to return again to wonder whether the depths of ocean would reveal any traces of the Algerian metropolis64.
“Is it not impossible,” he murmured aloud, “that any city should disappear so completely? Would not the loftiest eminences65 of the city at least be visible? Surely some portion of the Casbah must still rise above the waves? The imperial fort, too, was built upon an elevation of 750 feet; it is incredible that it should be so totally submerged. Unless some vestiges66 of these are found, I shall begin to suspect that the whole of Africa has been swallowed in some vast abyss.”
Another circumstance was most remarkable67. Not a material object of any kind was to be noticed floating on the surface of the water; not one branch of a tree had been seen drifting by, nor one spar belonging to one of the numerous vessels68 that a month previously69 had been moored70 in the magnificent bay which stretched twelve miles across from Cape71 Matafuz to Point Pexade. Perhaps the depths might disclose what the surface failed to reveal, and Count Timascheff, anxious that Servadac should have every facility afforded him for solving his doubts, called for the sounding-line. Forthwith, the lead was greased and lowered. To the surprise of all, and especially of Lieutenant Procope, the line indicated a bottom at a nearly uniform depth of from four to five fathoms72; and although the sounding was persevered73 with continuously for more than two hours over a considerable area, the differences of level were insignificant74, not corresponding in any degree to what would be expected over the site of a city that had been terraced like the seats of an amphitheater. Astounding as it seemed, what alternative was left but to suppose that the Algerian capital had been completely leveled by the flood?
The sea-bottom was composed of neither rock, mud, sand, nor shells; the sounding-lead brought up nothing but a kind of metallic75 dust, which glittered with a strange iridescence76, and the nature of which it was impossible to determine, as it was totally unlike what had ever been known to be raised from the bed of the Mediterranean.
“You must see, lieutenant, I should think, that we are not so near the coast of Algeria as you imagined.”
The lieutenant shook his head. After pondering awhile, he said: “If we were farther away I should expect to find a depth of two or three hundred fathoms instead of five fathoms. Five fathoms! I confess I am puzzled.”
For the next thirty-six hours, until the 4th of February, the sea was examined and explored with the most unflagging perseverance77. Its depth remained invariable, still four, or at most five, fathoms; and although its bottom was assiduously dredged, it was only to prove it barren of marine78 production of any type.
The yacht made its way to lat. 36 degrees, and by reference to the charts it was tolerably certain that she was cruising over the site of the Sahel, the ridge79 that had separated the rich plain of the Mitidja from the sea, and of which the highest peak, Mount Boujereah, had reached an altitude of 1,200 feet; but even this peak, which might have been expected to emerge like an islet above the surface of the sea, was nowhere to be traced. Nothing was to be done but to put about, and return in disappointment towards the north.
Thus the Dobryna regained80 the waters of the Mediterranean without discovering a trace of the missing province of Algeria.
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1
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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emancipated
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| adj.被解放的，不受约束的v.解放某人（尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚）( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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attainments
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| 成就，造诣； 获得( attainment的名词复数 )； 达到； 造诣； 成就 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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tenaciously
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| 坚持地 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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eastwards
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| adj.向东方（的），朝东（的）；n.向东的方向 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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rebound
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| v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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seasickness
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| n.晕船 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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deviated
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| v.偏离，越轨( deviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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42
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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43
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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44
recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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45
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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46
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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47
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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48
incurring
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| 遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 ) | |
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49
precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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50
conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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51
centripetal
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| adj.向心的 | |
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52
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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53
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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54
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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55
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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56
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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57
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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58
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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60
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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61
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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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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eminences
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| 卓越( eminence的名词复数 )； 著名； 高地； 山丘 | |
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vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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72
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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76
iridescence
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| n.彩虹色；放光彩；晕色；晕彩 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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78
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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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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