Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-11-22
CHAPTER ~.

ard. whom Captain Memo had
placed at my service He In
formed me that the captain wished me
10 join him IN 4 submarine hunt
rose hurriedly. dressed. and went into
The saloon.
Captain Memo was awaiting me.
M. Aronnax." said he, ARE you
ready to start?"
II am ready"
Then please TO follow me-"
And my companions. captain?"
They have been told and are wait
Ing"
"Are we not to put on our divers
dresses?" asked |.
mot yet ! have not allowed the
Nautilus to come too near this coast
and we are some distance from the
Manaar bank but the boat is ready and
will take US to the exact point Of dis
embarkins, which will save us long
way. 1t carries our diving apparatus,
which we will put on when we begin
our submarine journey"
Captain Memo conducted me to the
central staircase. which led on to the
platform. Ned and Conseil were al
ready there. delighted ut the idea Of
the pleasure party" which was pre-
pairing. Five sailors from the Nauti.
lus. with their oars. waited in the boat,
which he'd been made fast against the
side.
The night was still dark. Layers of
clouds covered the sky. allowing but
few stars to be seen. looked on the
side where the land lay and saw moth
ing but a dark line inclosing three
parts Of the horizon from southwest to
northwest The Nautilus, having re-
turned during the night up the west
ern coast Of Ceylon. was now west of
the bay or, rather. gulf. formed by
the mainland and the island Of Manaar
There. under the dark waters. stretch
ed the pintadine bank. an inexhausti
BILE field Of pearls. the length of which
is more than twenty miles.
Captain Memo. Ned Land Conseil
and l took our places in the stern of
the boat. The master went to the til
Ter, his four companions leaned on
their oars, the painter was cast off. and
we sheered off.
The boat went toward the south
The oarsmen did not hurry. l noticed
that their strokes, strong in the water,
followed each other only every ten
seconds according to the method gen.
orally adopted in the navy. While the
craft was running by it's own velocity
the liquid drops struck the dark depths
of the waves crisply like spats Of melt
ed lead. A little billow. spreading
wide, gave slight roll to the boat.
and some samphire reeds tapped be-
fore it.
We were silent. What was Captain
Memo thinking Of? Perhaps of the
land he was approaching and which be
found too near to him. contrary to the
Canadians opinion. who thought it too
far Off, AS to Conseil he was merely
there from curiosity.
y About half past 5 the first tints on
the horizon showed the upper line OF
coast more distinctly. Flat enough in
the eacts 1t rose a little to the south
Five miles still lay between us. and
1t was indistinct, owing to the mist on
the water. At 6 o'clock it became sud-
denly daylight, with that rapidity Pc
culiar to tropical regions which know
neither dawn nor twilight The solar
rays pierced the curtain Of clouds piled
up on the eastern horizon. and the ra-
diant orb rose rapidly. saw land dis
tinctly. With a few trees scattered
here and there. The boat neared Ma
mar island which was rounded to the
south. Captain Memo rose from his
seat and watched the sea
At sign from him the anchor was
dropped. but the chain scarcely ran.
for 1t was little more than yard
deep, and this spot was one Of tue
highest points Of the bank of pinta
y dimes.
AHere we are, NJ Aronnax," said
Captain Memo. "You see that inclosed
bay? Here in a month will be as
sembled the numerous fishing boats Of
the exporters, and these are the waters
their divers will ransack so boldly.
Happily, this bay is we'll situated for
that kind Of fishing 1t is sheltered
from the strongest winds. The sea is
never very rough here. which makes
1t favorable for the divers work. We
Will now put on our dresses and begin
our walk"
did not answer and while watch
Ing the suspected waves began with
the help Of the sailors to put on nv
heavy sea dress. Captain Memo and
my companions were also dressing.
, None Of the Nautilus men were to &C.
company us Oh this new excursion
Soon we were enveloped to the throat
In india rubber clothing. the air ap-
paratus fixed to our backs by braces.
AS to the Ruhmkorf apparatus, there
was no necessity for it. Before put
ting my head into the copper cap had
asked the question of the captain.
'They would be useless" he replied.
I'VE are going to no great depth, and
the solar rays will be enough to light
our walk. Besides, it would not be
prudent to carry the electric light in
these waters. Its brilliancy might at
tract some Of the dangerous inha bitants
of the coast most inopportunely."
AS Captain Memo pronounced these
words ! turned to Conseil. and Ned
Land. But my two friends had al
ready incased their heads in the metal
cap. and they could neither hear nor
anlWer.
u