BY THE NEXT MORNING, November 18, I was fully1 recovered from my exhaustion2 of the day before, and I climbed onto the platform just as the Nautilus's chief officer was pronouncing his daily phrase. It then occurred to me that these words either referred to the state of the sea, or that they meant: "There's nothing in sight."
And in truth, the ocean was deserted3. Not a sail on the horizon. The tips of Crespo Island had disappeared during the night. The sea, absorbing every color of the prism except its blue rays, reflected the latter in every direction and sported a wonderful indigo4 tint5. The undulating waves regularly took on the appearance of watered silk with wide stripes.
I was marveling at this magnificent ocean view when Captain Nemo appeared. He didn't seem to notice my presence and began a series of astronomical6 observations. Then, his operations finished, he went and leaned his elbows on the beacon7 housing, his eyes straying over the surface of the ocean.
Meanwhile some twenty of the Nautilus's sailors--all energetic, well-built fellows--climbed onto the platform. They had come to pull up the nets left in our wake during the night. These seamen8 obviously belonged to different nationalities, although indications of European physical traits could be seen in them all. If I'm not mistaken, I recognized some Irishmen, some Frenchmen, a few Slavs, and a native of either Greece or Crete. Even so, these men were frugal9 of speech and used among themselves only that bizarre dialect whose origin I couldn't even guess. So I had to give up any notions of questioning them.
The nets were hauled on board. They were a breed of trawl resembling those used off the Normandy coast, huge pouches10 held half open by a floating pole and a chain laced through the lower meshes11. Trailing in this way from these iron glove makers12, the resulting receptacles scoured13 the ocean floor and collected every marine14 exhibit in their path. That day they gathered up some unusual specimens15 from these fish-filled waterways: anglerfish whose comical movements qualify them for the epithet16 "clowns," black Commerson anglers equipped with their antennas17, undulating triggerfish encircled by little red bands, bloated puffers whose venom18 is extremely insidious19, some olive-hued lampreys, snipefish covered with silver scales, cutlass fish whose electrocuting power equals that of the electric eel20 and the electric ray, scaly21 featherbacks with brown crosswise bands, greenish codfish, several varieties of goby, etc.; finally, some fish of larger proportions: a one-meter jack22 with a prominent head, several fine bonito from the genus Scomber decked out in the colors blue and silver, and three magnificent tuna whose high speeds couldn't save them from our trawl.
I estimate that this cast of the net brought in more than 1,000 pounds of fish. It was a fine catch but not surprising. In essence, these nets stayed in our wake for several hours, incarcerating23 an entire aquatic24 world in prisons made of thread. So we were never lacking in provisions of the highest quality, which the Nautilus's speed and the allure25 of its electric light could continually replenish27.
These various exhibits from the sea were immediately lowered down the hatch in the direction of the storage lockers28, some to be eaten fresh, others to be preserved.
After its fishing was finished and its air supply renewed, I thought the Nautilus would resume its underwater excursion, and I was getting ready to return to my stateroom, when Captain Nemo turned to me and said without further preamble29:
"Look at this ocean, professor! Doesn't it have the actual gift of life? Doesn't it experience both anger and affection? Last evening it went to sleep just as we did, and there it is, waking up after a peaceful night!"
No hellos or good mornings for this gent! You would have thought this eccentric individual was simply continuing a conversation we'd already started!
"See!" he went on. "It's waking up under the sun's caresses30! It's going to relive its daily existence! What a fascinating field of study lies in watching the play of its organism. It owns a pulse and arteries31, it has spasms32, and I side with the scholarly Commander Maury, who discovered that it has a circulation as real as the circulation of blood in animals."
I'm sure that Captain Nemo expected no replies from me, and it seemed pointless to pitch in with "Ah yes," "Exactly," or "How right you are!" Rather, he was simply talking to himself, with long pauses between sentences. He was meditating33 out loud.
"Yes," he said, "the ocean owns a genuine circulation, and to start it going, the Creator of All Things has only to increase its heat, salt, and microscopic34 animal life. In essence, heat creates the different densities35 that lead to currents and countercurrents. Evaporation36, which is nil37 in the High Arctic regions and very active in equatorial zones, brings about a constant interchange of tropical and polar waters. What's more, I've detected those falling and rising currents that make up the ocean's true breathing. I've seen a molecule38 of salt water heat up at the surface, sink into the depths, reach maximum density39 at -2 degrees centigrade, then cool off, grow lighter40, and rise again. At the poles you'll see the consequences of this phenomenon, and through this law of farseeing nature, you'll understand why water can freeze only at the surface!"
As the captain was finishing his sentence, I said to myself: "The pole! Is this brazen41 individual claiming he'll take us even to that location?"
Meanwhile the captain fell silent and stared at the element he had studied so thoroughly42 and unceasingly. Then, going on:
"Salts," he said, "fill the sea in considerable quantities, professor, and if you removed all its dissolved saline content, you'd create a mass measuring 4,500,000 cubic leagues, which if it were spread all over the globe, would form a layer more than ten meters high. And don't think that the presence of these salts is due merely to some whim44 of nature. No. They make ocean water less open to evaporation and prevent winds from carrying off excessive amounts of steam, which, when condensing, would submerge the temperate45 zones. Salts play a leading role, the role of stabilizer for the general ecology of the globe!"
Captain Nemo stopped, straightened up, took a few steps along the platform, and returned to me:
"As for those billions of tiny animals," he went on, "those infusoria that live by the millions in one droplet46 of water, 800,000 of which are needed to weigh one milligram, their role is no less important. They absorb the marine salts, they assimilate the solid elements in the water, and since they create coral and madrepores, they're the true builders of limestone47 continents! And so, after they've finished depriving our water drop of its mineral nutrients48, the droplet gets lighter, rises to the surface, there absorbs more salts left behind through evaporation, gets heavier, sinks again, and brings those tiny animals new elements to absorb. The outcome: a double current, rising and falling, constant movement, constant life! More intense than on land, more abundant, more infinite, such life blooms in every part of this ocean, an element fatal to man, they say, but vital to myriads49 of animals--and to me!"
When Captain Nemo spoke50 in this way, he was transfigured, and he filled me with extraordinary excitement.
"There," he added, "out there lies true existence! And I can imagine the founding of nautical51 towns, clusters of underwater households that, like the Nautilus, would return to the surface of the sea to breathe each morning, free towns if ever there were, independent cities! Then again, who knows whether some tyrant52 . . ."
Captain Nemo finished his sentence with a vehement53 gesture. Then, addressing me directly, as if to drive away an ugly thought:
"Professor Aronnax," he asked me, "do you know the depth of the ocean floor?"
"At least, captain, I know what the major soundings tell us."
"Could you quote them to me, so I can double-check them as the need arises?"
"Here," I replied, "are a few of them that stick in my memory. If I'm not mistaken, an average depth of 8,200 meters was found in the north Atlantic, and 2,500 meters in the Mediterranean54. The most remarkable55 soundings were taken in the south Atlantic near the 35th parallel, and they gave 12,000 meters, 14,091 meters, and 15,149 meters. All in all, it's estimated that if the sea bottom were made level, its average depth would be about seven kilometers."
"Well, professor," Captain Nemo replied, "we'll show you better than that, I hope. As for the average depth of this part of the Pacific, I'll inform you that it's a mere43 4,000 meters."
This said, Captain Nemo headed to the hatch and disappeared down the ladder. I followed him and went back to the main lounge. The propeller56 was instantly set in motion, and the log gave our speed as twenty miles per hour.
Over the ensuing days and weeks, Captain Nemo was very frugal with his visits. I saw him only at rare intervals57. His chief officer regularly fixed58 the positions I found reported on the chart, and in such a way that I could exactly plot the Nautilus's course.
Conseil and Land spent the long hours with me. Conseil had told his friend about the wonders of our undersea stroll, and the Canadian was sorry he hadn't gone along. But I hoped an opportunity would arise for a visit to the forests of Oceania.
Almost every day the panels in the lounge were open for some hours, and our eyes never tired of probing the mysteries of the underwater world.
The Nautilus's general heading was southeast, and it stayed at a depth between 100 and 150 meters. However, from lord-knows-what whim, one day it did a diagonal dive by means of its slanting59 fins60, reaching strata61 located 2,000 meters underwater. The thermometer indicated a temperature of 4.25 degrees centigrade, which at this depth seemed to be a temperature common to all latitudes63.
On November 26, at three o'clock in the morning, the Nautilus cleared the Tropic of Cancer at longitude64 172 degrees. On the 27th it passed in sight of the Hawaiian Islands, where the famous Captain Cook met his death on February 14, 1779. By then we had fared 4,860 leagues from our starting point. When I arrived on the platform that morning, I saw the Island of Hawaii two miles to leeward65, the largest of the seven islands making up this group. I could clearly distinguish the tilled soil on its outskirts66, the various mountain chains running parallel with its coastline, and its volcanoes, crowned by Mauna Kea, whose elevation67 is 5,000 meters above sea level. Among other specimens from these waterways, our nets brought up some peacock-tailed flabellarian coral, polyps flattened68 into stylish69 shapes and unique to this part of the ocean.
The Nautilus kept to its southeasterly heading. On December 1 it cut the equator at longitude 142 degrees, and on the 4th of the same month, after a quick crossing marked by no incident, we raised the Marquesas Islands. Three miles off, in latitude62 8 degrees 57' south and longitude 139 degrees 32' west, I spotted70 Martin Point on Nuku Hiva, chief member of this island group that belongs to France. I could make out only its wooded mountains on the horizon, because Captain Nemo hated to hug shore. There our nets brought up some fine fish samples: dolphinfish with azure71 fins, gold tails, and flesh that's unrivaled in the entire world, wrasse from the genus Hologymnosus that were nearly denuded72 of scales but exquisite73 in flavor, knifejaws with bony beaks74, yellowish albacore that were as tasty as bonito, all fish worth classifying in the ship's pantry.
After leaving these delightful75 islands to the protection of the French flag, the Nautilus covered about 2,000 miles from December 4 to the 11th. Its navigating76 was marked by an encounter with an immense school of squid, unusual mollusks that are near neighbors of the cuttlefish77. French fishermen give them the name "cuckoldfish," and they belong to the class Cephalopoda, family Dibranchiata, consisting of themselves together with cuttlefish and argonauts. The naturalists78 of antiquity79 made a special study of them, and these animals furnished many ribald figures of speech for soapbox orators80 in the Greek marketplace, as well as excellent dishes for the tables of rich citizens, if we're to believe Athenaeus, a Greek physician predating Galen.
It was during the night of December 9-10 that the Nautilus encountered this army of distinctly nocturnal mollusks. They numbered in the millions. They were migrating from the temperate zones toward zones still warmer, following the itineraries81 of herring and sardines82. We stared at them through our thick glass windows: they swam backward with tremendous speed, moving by means of their locomotive tubes, chasing fish and mollusks, eating the little ones, eaten by the big ones, and tossing in indescribable confusion the ten feet that nature has rooted in their heads like a hairpiece of pneumatic snakes. Despite its speed, the Nautilus navigated83 for several hours in the midst of this school of animals, and its nets brought up an incalculable number, among which I recognized all nine species that Professor Orbigny has classified as native to the Pacific Ocean.
During this crossing, the sea continually lavished84 us with the most marvelous sights. Its variety was infinite. It changed its setting and decor for the mere pleasure of our eyes, and we were called upon not simply to contemplate85 the works of our Creator in the midst of the liquid element, but also to probe the ocean's most daunting86 mysteries.
During the day of December 11, I was busy reading in the main lounge. Ned Land and Conseil were observing the luminous87 waters through the gaping88 panels. The Nautilus was motionless. Its ballast tanks full, it was sitting at a depth of 1,000 meters in a comparatively unpopulated region of the ocean where only larger fish put in occasional appearances.
Just then I was studying a delightful book by Jean Macé, The Servants of the Stomach, and savoring89 its ingenious teachings, when Conseil interrupted my reading.
"Would master kindly90 come here for an instant?" he said to me in an odd voice.
"What is it, Conseil?"
"It's something that master should see."
I stood up, went, leaned on my elbows before the window, and I saw it.
In the broad electric daylight, an enormous black mass, quite motionless, hung suspended in the midst of the waters. I observed it carefully, trying to find out the nature of this gigantic cetacean. Then a sudden thought crossed my mind.
"A ship!" I exclaimed.
"Yes," the Canadian replied, "a disabled craft that's sinking straight down!"
Ned Land was not mistaken. We were in the presence of a ship whose severed91 shrouds92 still hung from their clasps. Its hull93 looked in good condition, and it must have gone under only a few hours before. The stumps94 of three masts, chopped off two feet above the deck, indicated a flooding ship that had been forced to sacrifice its masting. But it had heeled sideways, filling completely, and it was listing to port even yet. A sorry sight, this carcass lost under the waves, but sorrier still was the sight on its deck, where, lashed95 with ropes to prevent their being washed overboard, some human corpses96 still lay! I counted four of them--four men, one still standing97 at the helm-- then a woman, halfway98 out of a skylight on the afterdeck, holding a child in her arms. This woman was young. Under the brilliant lighting99 of the Nautilus's rays, I could make out her features, which the water hadn't yet decomposed100. With a supreme101 effort, she had lifted her child above her head, and the poor little creature's arms were still twined around its mother's neck! The postures102 of the four seamen seemed ghastly to me, twisted from convulsive movements, as if making a last effort to break loose from the ropes that bound them to their ship. And the helmsman, standing alone, calmer, his face smooth and serious, his grizzled hair plastered to his brow, his hands clutching the wheel, seemed even yet to be guiding his wrecked103 three-master through the ocean depths!
What a scene! We stood dumbstruck, hearts pounding, before this shipwreck104 caught in the act, as if it had been photographed in its final moments, so to speak! And already I could see enormous sharks moving in, eyes ablaze105, drawn106 by the lure26 of human flesh!
Meanwhile, turning, the Nautilus made a circle around the sinking ship, and for an instant I could read the board on its stern:
The Florida
Sunderland, England
第二天，11月18日，昨日的疲劳，完全歇过来了，我走到平合上，诺第留斯号的船副正在这个时候说出他每日必说的那句话。于是我心中想，这句话是跟海面的情形有关系，它的意思或者是:"我们什么都望不见."
这时洋面上空无一物。天边一只船也没有。克利斯波岛的高地在夜间走过不见了。海洋把三棱镜分出的其他颜色都吸收了，只把蓝色向四面八方反射出去，带上一种十分好看的靛蓝色。好像一幅条纹宽阔的天光蓝毛布，在层叠的波涛上很规律地摊开。
我正欣赏海洋的美丽景色，尼摩船长出来了。好像他没有看见我在乎台上，开始做他的一连串天文观察。一会儿，做完观察，他时靠着探照灯笼间，他的眼光注视着洋面。
同时又有二十名左右的诺第留斯号的水手，走到平台上来，他们都是身强力壮的大汉，他们来收昨天晚上撒在船后的鱼网。这些水手虽然看来全都是欧洲人的体型，但显然是属于不同的国籍。我想我不至弄错，我认出其中有爱尔兰人、法国人、好几个斯拉夫人、一个希腊人或克里特岛人。不过，这些人都不爱说话，他们彼此间使用的谱言，使我甚至于无从猜想它的源流。所以我没有法子去问他们，跟他们交谈。
鱼网被拉上船来。网是袋形的，跟诺曼底沿海使用的很相似，这网是阔大的口袋，用一根浮在水上的横木和一条串起下层网眼的链索把网口在水中支开。这些口袋似的网挂在铁框上，拉在船后面，像苕帚在海底扫刷一般，一路上，经过的鱼无一幸免，全被打捞上来。这一天打到了许多新奇类型的鱼，比如：海蛙鱼，这鱼的动作很滑稽可笑，所以被称为丑角鱼。黑色的噪噗鱼带有许多触须。带波纹的弯箭鱼有红色花纹围起来。弯月形馥鱼，这鱼有极端厉害的毒汁。好几条橄揽色的八目鳗。海豹鱼，这鱼身上满是银白的鳞。旋毛鱼，这鱼发电的力量相等于电鳗和电鱼。多鳞的纹翅鱼，这鱼身上有古铜色横斜的带纹。淡青色的鳖鱼。好几种虾虎鱼等。最后是些身材较长大的鱼，一条头部隆起的加郎鱼，好几条一米长的美丽的鲤鱼，身上带天蓝和银白相间的颜色，三条华丽的金枪鱼。不管它们行动得多快，可也没能躲过袋网，脱不了身。
我估计一下，这一回袋网所获得的鱼超过一千斤。是一次很好的成绩，但并不特别出奇。因为网在船后拖拉着有好几个钟头，各种水产动物当然装到这罗网里面来。因此，我们并不至缺乏质量优良的食品，诺第留斯号的快速度，和它的电光的吸引力，可以不断地捕捉到鱼类。
这些种类不同的海产动物立即从放开的嵌板送到下面的食物储藏室，有些要趁新鲜食用，有些要保存起来。
鱼捕完了，空气调换了，我想诺第留斯号又要作海底旅行了；当我正准备回房的时候，尼摩船长向我回转身来，没有什么客套，直截了当地对我说：
“您看这海洋，教授，它不是赋有真实的生命吗？它不是具有愤怒和温情吗？昨天，它跟我们一般安静地睡着，现在，过了平安的一夜，它又动起来了。”
不说早安，不说晚安！谁也要认为这个奇怪的人物现在只不过是把已经开了头的谈话继续说下去.
“请看，”他又说，“它在太阳的抚摩下苏醒了! 它又要过它的日间生活了！观察它有机生活的变化作用, 实在是很有兴趣的学术研究呢。它有脉搏、有血管、有起伏，我觉得科学家莫利是对的，他发现海洋跟动物身上的血液循环一样，有真正的循环作用。”
当然尼摩船长并不等待我的答话， 我觉得跟他说许多“当然” 、“一定”和“您对”，没有什么用处。他说话，与其说是对着我，不如说是对着他自己，他说完每一句后，中间停顿相当长的时间。这实在是一种特殊形式的沉思.
“是的，”他说，“海洋有真正的循环作用，要引起这作用，单由造物者在海中增加热、盐和微生动物就成了。正是，热力造成海水的不同密度，使海中发生许多顺流和逆流。水汽蒸发，在北极区域完全没有，在赤道地带就很为活动，造成热带海水和极圈海水间永远不停的交流。此外，我又注意过那些由上而下和由下而上的水流，．形成真正的海洋呼吸作用。我看见了海水的分子，在水面上受到热力，沉人根深的地方，至零下二度的时候，密度到了最大，然后，温度再降低，它的重量减轻，又浮上来了。您将在极圈地方看到这种现象所产生的结果，您将了解到，冰冻作用之所以只在水面上才发生，就是由于有远见的大自然的这个规律。”
当尼摩船长说完了他这句话的时候，我自己心中说：“极圈吗！这个大胆的人一直要把我们带到极圈中去吗！
不过船长这时不作声，他全神注视他时刻不停地细心研究的海洋。一会儿他又说起话来：
“教授，海水中盐的分量是多到了不得的，如果您把溶解在海中的盐提出来，您可以造成一个四百五十万立方里的体积的盐堆，在地球上全面滩开来；可以铺成十来高的一层表皮。您不要以为海中有这些盐是大自然无意识的任性行为！不是的。盐质使海永不容易蒸发，使海风不能将分量过多的水汽带走，不然的话，水汽重化为水，简直就要把温带地方完全淹没了。这真是巨大得了不得的作用，是调节全地球的力量，使其保持平衡的伟大作用！”
尼摩船长不作声了，站起来，在乎台上走了几步，又向我走回来。他说：
“至于那些原生秒水虫，那些一滴水中便有亿千万的不可计数的微生动物，它们在一毫克的水量中便有八十万个，它们的作用也是一样重要。它们吸收了海中的盐，消化了水中的固体物质，它们是真正石灰质陆地的造成者，因为它们制造了珊瑚和水熄啊！这滴水，当它的矿物质被吸去了的时候，变轻了，又浮到水面上来，在水面吸收了由于蒸发作用而抛弃在那里的盐质，又变重了，沉下去，重新给那些微生动物带来了可吸收的新物质。因此而发生上下循环不已的潮流，永远是不停的运动，永远是不断的生命。生命力，比在陆地上更强大的生命力，在海洋的所有部分更丰富地，更无穷地尽量发展。人们说，海洋是人类致命的地方，但对无数的动物——和对我，它是真正生命的所在！”
当尼摩船长这样说话的时候，他的容貌完全改变了，使哉产生一种特殊的心情。他又说：
‘所以，海洋中才有真正的生活！我打算建设水中的城市，集体的海底住宅，像诺第留斯号一般，每天早晨浮上水面来呼吸。如果成功的话, 那一定是自由自在的城市，独立自主的城市！不过，又有谁知道，不会有些专制魔王……、
尼摩船长做个激烈的手势结束了他这句话。一会儿。他直接来问我，好像要把一些不祥的思想驱逐出去似的，他问：
“阿龙纳斯先生，您知道海洋有多深吗？”
“船长，我至少知道一些主要的探测海深所得的结果。”
“您可以给我举出来，让我必要时加以检查吗？"
“下面是我从记忆中可以说出来的一些数字。 ”我答，"如果我没有记错，北大西洋的平均深度为八千二百米，地中海为二千五百米。在南大西洋，南纬35度的地方，做了成绩优良的探测，结果有的是一万二千米，有的是一万四千零九十一米，有的又是一万五千一百四十九米，总起来说，照一般的估计，如果把海底平均起来，它的平均深度可能是七千米左右."
“好，教授，，尼摩船长答，“我希望，我们可以给您说些更确切的数字。就是我们目前所在的太平洋这一部分的平均深度仅仅为四千米。”
说了这话后，尼摩船长向嵌板走去，从铁梯下去不见了。我跟着他下来，我回到客厅中。推进器立即发动起来，测程器指的是每小时二十海里的速度。
好些日子，好几周过去了，尼摩船长根少过来访问。我也只是在十分少有的机会才看见他。他的副手按时来作航线记录，一一记在图上，所以我可以很正确地了解诺第留斯号所走的路线。
康塞尔和尼德·兰跟我一起、谈了很长的时间。康塞尔把我们在海底散步的时候所见到的新奇事物告诉了他的朋友，加拿大人很后悔他没有跟我们一道去。但我希望以后还会有游历海底森林的机会。客厅的嵌板差不多每天都有好几个钟头要打开来，我们的眼睛尽情地观察海底世界的秘密，总看不厌。
诺第留斯号所走的大方向是东南方，它所在的深度总是保持在一百米和一百五十米之间。但有一天，我不知道因为什么理由，它使用那两块纵斜机板，沿着纵斜线潜下去，一直到二千米的深度.温度表正指摄氏4．25度，好像在这样深度的水里，不管在什么地带，温度都是共同一律的：
11月26日早晨三点， 诺第留斯号在西经172度上越过了北回归线。27 H，它远远可以望见夏威夷群岛， 这是1779年2日14日有名的航海家库克①被杀死的地方。我们自出发以来到现在，已经走了四千八百六十里了。这天早晨，我上平台望见在下凤两里左右的夏威夷岛，它是形成这群岛的七个岛中最大的一个。我清楚地看到它的已经开发地带的边缘，跟海岸线平行的各支山脉和拔海立千米的火山群；高耸在它上面的，是摩那罗亚火山：在这一带海中伪其它品种中间，鱼网还打到了孔雀扇形珊瑚，那是外形美观的扁平水螅类，是这一部分太平洋的特产动物。”
诺第留斯号的方向仍是向着东南方。12月1月，它在西经142度上越过赤道线；4日，经过顺利的迅速行驶后，我们望见了马贵斯群岛。相距三海里远，在南纬8度57分， 西经139度32分，我看见奴加衣瓦岛的马丁尖呻，这是法属马贵斯群岛中的最重要的一个岛。我只看到天边满是丛林密布的山岭，因为尼摩船长不喜欢接近陆地，所以我没看见别的。在这一带海面上，鱼网打得了好些美丽的鱼类。比如哥利芬鱼，天蓝色的鳍，金黄色的尾巴，肉味鲜美无比。赤裸鱼，差不多没有鳞甲，但也很好吃；带骨腮的骨眶鱼，黑黄的塔查鱼，比鲤鱼还好吃；所有这些鱼都值得放到船上餐厅中供人食用。
离开了由法国国旗保护的这些使人神往的美丽海岛后， 从12月4日至11日，诺第留斯号共走了四千里左右。这次航行碰见了一大群抢乌贼，这是很奇异的软体动物，跟墨鱼很相像。法国渔人称它们为水黄蜂，它们属于头足纲。双鳃目，其中包括肛鱼和墨鱼。这类鱼，古代生物学家特别加以研究，它们给古代希腊公众会场的演说家提供了好些譬喻语，根据生于嘉利安①之前的希腊医生阿典尼②所说的话，这类鱼在希腊的有钱公民的食桌上，也是一盘很美味的菜。
就是在12月9日和10 日夜间，诺第留斯号碰见一大群喜欢夜出的软体动物。估计起来，它们的数目不止数千百万。它们遵循着槽白鱼和沙丁鱼所走的路线，从温带地方转移到较暖的水域去。我们通过很厚的透亮玻璃，看见它们向后倒退，极端迅速地游泳，运用它们的运动卿管转动，追赶鱼类和软体动物，吃小鱼，或被大鱼吃掉。它们把天生就的头上十只腿脚在难以形容地胡乱抓爬，好像小孩玩的蛇形吹气管子。诺第留斯号，不管它走得多么快，但在这大群动物中间也走了好几个钟头，鱼网打到了无数的这种抢乌贼，其中我看到了被奥宾尼③分类的九种太平洋品种。
人们看到，在这次航行中，海洋把所有的各种奇妙景象不断地摆出来，它时时更换布景和场面，使我们的眼睛看来十分愉快，我们不单被吸引，要在海水里面观察造物者的作品，并且还要来理解海洋底下最惊人的秘密。
12月11日，我整天都在客厅中看书。尼德·兰和康塞尔通过打开的嵌板，注视那明亮的海水。诺第留斯号停住不动了。它的储水池满装着水。它在水深一千米的地方，这是海洋中很少有生物居留的区域，只有大鱼偶然在这里出现。“我这时正读让·马西②著的一本很有趣味的书——胃的调理者，我正津津有味地读着书中美妙的教导的时候，被康塞尔的说话声打断。
“请先生来一下行吗?"他带着很惊异的声音对我说。
“有什么事，康塞尔？，
“先生请来看吧。”
我站起来，我时靠着玻璃，我看着。
在电光照耀中，我看见一团巨大的黑东西，静止不动，悬在海水中间。我很注意地观察它，想法辨认这条巨大晾鱼类动物的性质。但心中忽然醒悟，喊道：
“一只船！”
“是的，”加拿大人回答，”一只撞在暗礁上沉了的船！”
尼德·兰并没有弄错。我们面前是一只船，上面弄断了的护桅索仍然挂在链上二船壳看来还很好，船沉下来至多不过是几小时以前的事。三根断桅从甲板上两英尺高的地方砍下来，表明这只遇难的船不得不把桅墙牺牲了。但船是侧躺着，内部装得很满，是向左舷倾斜的。这种落在波涛中的残骸的景象，看来实在是凄惨；更为凄惨的，是看见甲板上还有躺着挂在绳索上的尸体！我看见有四具尸体——四个男子，其中一人站在舵边一还有一个妇人手中抱着一个小孩，在船尾眺板格子上站着。这妇人还年轻。有诺第留斯号的电光的照亮，我可以看出她那还没有被海水所腐蚀的面容。她作最后绝望的努力，把小孩举在她头上，这可怜的小生命正把两只小手抱着妈妈的脖子呢！四个水手的姿态我觉得非常伯人，因为他们身躯抽搐得不成样子，他们作最后的努力，摆脱那把他们缠在船上的绳索，然后才死去。唯有那个看航路的舵手，比较镇定，面貌很清楚、很严肃，灰白的头发贴在前额，痉挛的手放在舵轮上，他好像是还在深深的海底驾驶着他那只遇难的三桅船！
多么伯人的场面！我们沉默不能作声，在这真实的沉船事故面前，可以说在这最后一刻掇下来的沉船景象面前，我们的心跳动得厉害！我又看见了一些巨大的鲛鱼，眼睛冒火。被这人肉的饵物所引动，已经向前游来了！
这时，诺第留斯号向前行驶，绕过沉没的船，我因此可以看见写在船尾牌子上的船名：
佛罗利达号，山德兰港。
收听单词发音 |
1
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
exhaustion
|
|
| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
indigo
|
|
| n.靛青，靛蓝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tint
|
|
| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
astronomical
|
|
| adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
beacon
|
|
| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
seamen
|
|
| n.海员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
frugal
|
|
| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
pouches
|
|
| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
meshes
|
|
| 网孔( mesh的名词复数 )； 网状物； 陷阱； 困境 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
makers
|
|
| n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
scoured
|
|
| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
marine
|
|
| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
epithet
|
|
| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
antennas
|
|
| [生] 触角，触须（antenna的复数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
venom
|
|
| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
insidious
|
|
| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
eel
|
|
| n.鳗鲡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
scaly
|
|
| adj.鱼鳞状的；干燥粗糙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
incarcerating
|
|
| vt.监禁，禁闭（incarcerate的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
24
aquatic
|
|
| adj.水生的，水栖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
allure
|
|
| n.诱惑力，魅力；vt.诱惑，引诱，吸引 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
lure
|
|
| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
replenish
|
|
| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
lockers
|
|
| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
preamble
|
|
| n.前言；序文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
caresses
|
|
| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
arteries
|
|
| n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
spasms
|
|
| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
meditating
|
|
| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
microscopic
|
|
| adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
densities
|
|
| 密集( density的名词复数 )； 稠密； 密度（固体、液体或气体单位体积的质量）； 密度（磁盘存贮数据的可用空间） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
evaporation
|
|
| n.蒸发，消失 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
nil
|
|
| n.无，全无，零 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
molecule
|
|
| n.分子，克分子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
density
|
|
| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
lighter
|
|
| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
brazen
|
|
| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
whim
|
|
| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
temperate
|
|
| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
droplet
|
|
| n.小滴，飞沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
limestone
|
|
| n.石灰石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
nutrients
|
|
| n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
myriads
|
|
| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
nautical
|
|
| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
tyrant
|
|
| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
vehement
|
|
| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
Mediterranean
|
|
| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
propeller
|
|
| n.螺旋桨，推进器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
slanting
|
|
| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
fins
|
|
| [医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
strata
|
|
| n.地层（复数）；社会阶层 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
latitude
|
|
| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
latitudes
|
|
| 纬度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
longitude
|
|
| n.经线，经度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
leeward
|
|
| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
outskirts
|
|
| n.郊外，郊区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
elevation
|
|
| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
stylish
|
|
| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
azure
|
|
| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
denuded
|
|
| adj.[医]变光的，裸露的v.使赤裸( denude的过去式和过去分词 )；剥光覆盖物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
exquisite
|
|
| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
beaks
|
|
| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
navigating
|
|
| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
cuttlefish
|
|
| n.乌贼，墨鱼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
naturalists
|
|
| n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
antiquity
|
|
| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
orators
|
|
| n.演说者，演讲家( orator的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
itineraries
|
|
| n.旅程，行程( itinerary的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
sardines
|
|
| n. 沙丁鱼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
navigated
|
|
| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
lavished
|
|
| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
contemplate
|
|
| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
daunting
|
|
| adj.使人畏缩的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
luminous
|
|
| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
gaping
|
|
| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
savoring
|
|
| v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的现在分词 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
severed
|
|
| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
shrouds
|
|
| n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 )；寿衣；遮蔽物；覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 )；保密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
stumps
|
|
| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
corpses
|
|
| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
halfway
|
|
| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
decomposed
|
|
| 已分解的，已腐烂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
postures
|
|
| 姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
wrecked
|
|
| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
shipwreck
|
|
| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
ablaze
|
|
| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |