After a long and somewhat wavering discussion, it was at length decided7 that the schooner8 should take advantage of the favorable wind and weather, and proceed at first towards the east, thus following the outline of what had formerly9 represented the coast of Africa, until that coast had been lost in boundless10 sea.
Not a vestige11 of it all remained; from Cape12 Matafuz to Tunis it had all gone, as though it had never been. The maritime13 town of Dellis, built like Algiers, amphitheater-wise, had totally disappeared; the highest points were quite invisible; not a trace on the horizon was left of the Jurjura chain, the topmost point of which was known to have an altitude of more than 7,000 feet.
Unsparing of her fuel, the Dobryna made her way at full steam towards Cape Blanc. Neither Cape Negro nor Cape Serrat was to be seen. The town of Bizerta, once charming in its oriental beauty, had vanished utterly14; its marabouts, or temple-tombs, shaded by magnificent palms that fringed the gulf15, which by reason of its narrow mouth had the semblance16 of a lake, all had disappeared, giving place to a vast waste of sea, the transparent17 waves of which, as still demonstrated by the sounding-line, had ever the same uniform and arid18 bottom.
In the course of the day the schooner rounded the point where, five weeks previously19, Cape Blanc had been so conspicuous20 an object, and she was now stemming the waters of what once had been the Bay of Tunis. But bay there was none, and the town from which it had derived21 its name, with the Arsenal22, the Goletta, and the two peaks of Bou-Kournein, had all vanished from the view. Cape Bon, too, the most northern promontory23 of Africa and the point of the continent nearest to the island of Sicily, had been included in the general devastation24.
Before the occurrence of the recent prodigy25, the bottom of the Mediterranean26 just at this point had formed a sudden ridge27 across the Straits of Libya. The sides of the ridge had shelved to so great an extent that, while the depth of water on the summit had been little more than eleven fathoms28, that on either hand of the elevation29 was little short of a hundred fathoms. A formation such as this plainly indicated that at some remote epoch30 Cape Bon had been connected with Cape Furina, the extremity31 of Sicily, in the same manner as Ceuta has doubtless been connected with Gibraltar.
Lieutenant32 Procope was too well acquainted with the Mediterranean to be unaware33 of this peculiarity34, and would not lose the opportunity of ascertaining35 whether the submarine ridge still existed, or whether the sea-bottom between Sicily and Africa had undergone any modification36.
Both Timascheff and Servadac were much interested in watching the operations. At a sign from the lieutenant, a sailor who was stationed at the foot of the fore-shrouds dropped the sounding-lead into the water, and in reply to Procope’s inquiries37, reported —“Five fathoms and a flat bottom.”
The next aim was to determine the amount of depression on either side of the ridge, and for this purpose the Dobryna was shifted for a distance of half a mile both to the right and left, and the soundings taken at each station. “Five fathoms and a flat bottom,” was the unvaried announcement after each operation. Not only, therefore, was it evident that the submerged chain between Cape Bon and Cape Furina no longer existed, but it was equally clear that the convulsion had caused a general leveling of the sea-bottom, and that the soil, degenerated38, as it has been said, into a metallic39 dust of unrecognized composition, bore no trace of the sponges, sea-anemones, star-fish, sea-nettles, hydrophytes, and shells with which the submarine rocks of the Mediterranean had hitherto been prodigally40 clothed.
The Dobryna now put about and resumed her explorations in a southerly direction. It remained, however, as remarkable41 as ever how completely throughout the voyage the sea continued to be deserted42; all expectations of hailing a vessel43 bearing news from Europe were entirely44 falsified, so that more and more each member of the crew began to be conscious of his isolation45, and to believe that the schooner, like a second Noah’s ark, carried the sole survivors46 of a calamity47 that had overwhelmed the earth.
On the 9th of February the Dobryna passed over the site of the city of Dido, the ancient Byrsa — a Carthage, however, which was now more completely destroyed than ever Punic Carthage had been destroyed by Scipio Afri-canus or Roman Carthage by Hassan the Saracen.
In the evening, as the sun was sinking below the eastern horizon, Captain Servadac was lounging moodily48 against the taffrail. From the heaven above, where stars kept peeping fitfully from behind the moving clouds, his eye wandered mechanically to the waters below, where the long waves were rising and falling with the evening breeze.
All at once, his attention was arrested by a luminous50 speck51 straight ahead on the southern horizon. At first, imagining that he was the victim of some spectral52 illusion, he observed it with silent attention; but when, after some minutes, he became convinced that what he saw was actually a distant light, he appealed to one of the sailors, by whom his impression was fully49 corroborated53. The intelligence was immediately imparted to Count Timascheff and the lieutenant.
“Is it land, do you suppose?” inquired Servadac, eagerly.
“I should be more inclined to think it is a light on board some ship,” replied the count.
“Whatever it is, in another hour we shall know all about it,” said Servadac.
“No, captain,” interposed Lieutenant Procope; “we shall know nothing until to-morrow.”
“What! not bear down upon it at once?” asked the count in surprise.
“No, sir; I should much rather lay to and wait till daylight. If we are really near land, I should be afraid to approach it in the dark.”
The count expressed his approval of the lieutenant’s caution, and thereupon all sail was shortened so as to keep the Dobryna from making any considerable progress all through the hours of night. Few as those hours were, they seemed to those on board as if their end would never come. Fearful lest the faint glimmer54 should at any moment cease to be visible, Hector Servadac did not quit his post upon the deck; but the light continued unchanged. It shone with about the same degree of luster55 as a star of the second magnitude, and from the fact of its remaining stationary56, Procope became more and more convinced that it was on land and did not belong to a passing vessel.
At sunrise every telescope was pointed57 with keenest interest towards the center of attraction. The light, of course, had ceased to be visible, but in the direction where it had been seen, and at a distance of about ten miles, there was the distinct outline of a solitary58 island of very small extent; rather, as the count observed, it had the appearance of being the projecting summit of a mountain all but submerged. Whatever it was, it was agreed that its true character must be ascertained59, not only to gratify their own curiosity, but for the benefit of all future navigators. The schooner accordingly was steered60 directly towards it, and in less than an hour had cast anchor within a few cables’ lengths of the shore.
The little island proved to be nothing more than an arid rock rising abruptly61 about forty feet above the water. It had no outlying reefs, a circumstance that seemed to suggest the probability that in the recent convulsion it had sunk gradually, until it had reached its present position of equilibrium62.
Without removing his eye from his telescope, Servadac exclaimed: “There is a habitation on the place; I can see an erection of some kind quite distinctly. Who can tell whether we shall not come across a human being?”
Lieutenant Procope looked doubtful. The island had all the appearance of being deserted, nor did a cannon-shot fired from the schooner have the effect of bringing any resident to the shore. Nevertheless, it was undeniable that there was a stone building situated63 on the top of the rock, and that this building had much the character of an Arabian mosque64.
The boat was lowered and manned by the four sailors; Servadac, Timascheff and Procope were quickly rowed ashore65, and lost no time in commencing their ascent66 of the steep acclivity. Upon reaching the summit, they found their progress arrested by a kind of wall, or rampart of singular construction, its materials consisting mainly of vases, fragments of columns, carved bas-reliefs, statues, and portions of broken stelae, all piled promiscuously67 together without any pretense68 to artistic69 arrangement. They made their way into the enclosure, and finding an open door, they passed through and soon came to a second door, also open, which admitted them to the interior of the mosque, consisting of a single chamber70, the walls of which were ornamented71 in the Arabian style by sculptures of indifferent execution. In the center was a tomb of the very simplest kind, and above the tomb was suspended a large silver lamp with a capacious reservoir of oil, in which floated a long lighted wick, the flame of which was evidently the light that had attracted Servadac’s attention on the previous night.
“Must there not have been a custodian72 of the shrine73?” they mutually asked; but if such there had ever been, he must, they concluded, either have fled or have perished on that eventful night. Not a soul was there in charge, and the sole living occupants were a flock of wild cormorants74 which, startled at the entrance of the intruders, rose on wing, and took a rapid flight towards the south.
An old French prayer-book was lying on the corner of the tomb; the volume was open, and the page exposed to view was that which contained the office for the celebration of the 25th of August. A sudden revelation dashed across Servadac’s mind. The solemn isolation of the island tomb, the open breviary, the ritual of the ancient anniversary, all combined to apprise75 him of the sanctity of the spot upon which he stood.
“The tomb of St. Louis!” he exclaimed, and his companions involuntarily followed his example, and made a reverential obeisance76 to the venerated77 monument.
It was, in truth, the very spot on which tradition asserts that the canonized monarch78 came to die, a spot to which for six centuries and more his countrymen had paid the homage79 of a pious80 regard. The lamp that had been kindled81 at the memorial shrine of a saint was now in all probability the only beacon82 that threw a light across the waters of the Mediterranean, and even this ere long must itself expire.
There was nothing more to explore. The three together quitted the mosque, and descended83 the rock to the shore, whence their boat re-conveyed them to the schooner, which was soon again on her southward voyage; and it was not long before the tomb of St. Louis, the only spot that had survived the mysterious shock, was lost to view.
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1
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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2
transcended
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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3
elucidate
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| v.阐明，说明 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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6
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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9
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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10
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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11
vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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12
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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13
maritime
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| adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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16
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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18
arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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19
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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20
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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21
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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22
arsenal
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| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
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23
promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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24
devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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25
prodigy
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| n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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27
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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28
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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29
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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31
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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32
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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33
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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34
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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35
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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36
modification
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| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
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37
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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38
degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
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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40
prodigally
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| adv.浪费地，丰饶地 | |
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41
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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42
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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43
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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44
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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45
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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46
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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47
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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48
moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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49
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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50
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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51
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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52
spectral
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| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
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53
corroborated
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| v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的过去式 ) | |
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54
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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55
luster
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| n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉 | |
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56
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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57
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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58
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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59
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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61
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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62
equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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63
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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64
mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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65
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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66
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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67
promiscuously
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| adv.杂乱地，混杂地 | |
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68
pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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69
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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70
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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71
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
custodian
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| n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守 | |
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73
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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74
cormorants
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| 鸬鹚，贪婪的人( cormorant的名词复数 ) | |
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75
apprise
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| vt.通知，告知 | |
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76
obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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77
venerated
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| 敬重（某人或某事物），崇敬( venerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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78
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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79
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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80
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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81
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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82
beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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83
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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