The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-12-04

and "Around the World I'm Eighty
Days. All the languages of the world
know the tales, and most theaters
know the last named, M well AZ 'ssii-
ehaeI Strogoff."
He died at Amlens, where his home
| has long been pointed out. March "a
1905.
TT WAS leaning forward on the star,
+ board bulwark, my servant Con
sell beside me, when the voice OF
Ned Land, the big harpOoner, broke
the silence. 'Look! There is the
thing we are looking forw he cried.
We all saw the sea monster, or
whatever it was. which we had been
hunting for months. 1t made off as
we charged. We gave chase. Through
out all that night and next day we
pursued. We stopped. 1t stopped.
Once 1t allowed US to creep close to
it; and as we crept it rammed us.
The shock of collision threw me into
the sea. would have drowned but for
my faithful Conseil. He supported me
to the hard metallic hack of the mon
ster. Here we were Joined by Ned
Land. AS we were resting there, eight
masked men came through hatch
and drew MS down into the bowels of
what we now saw was not a monster,
but strange kind of sea craft. Thus
began the strange voyage with that
remarkable character who called him
self Captain Memo. and in that strange
wonderful ship which he called the
Nautilus.
The Nautilus was q cigar-shaped
steel ship of 232 feet In length, IS feet
beam and 1,5t0 TONS dead weight.
There were two hlllls, one inside the
other joined by T-shaped irons, which
rendered them of almost nncrushabIe
strength. She was driven by electric
engines of Tremendous power. Tanks
which could be filled or emptied at
will enabled her to cruise on the sur
face or under the water as she pleased
She was fitted with all kinds Of
working and lounglng quarters In 4
library were books on the sciences,
morals, literature of almost every Ian:
guage. There was drawing rougs
with luminous ceiling which served
also as a museum, and into which an
intelligent hand had gathered stbma-
rine treasures Of the world: the raaest
shells, pearls Of all colors and beyond
price, every variety Of undersea vege-.
tation j. also paintings Of the masters,
admirable statues in marble and
bronze, a great organ piano.
From the inside of her staircase.
led to a platform or deck from which
rose two cages, partly enclosed by
thick glasses One cage was for the
helmsman, the other contained an cleo.
trio searchlight to light the course
of the ship in dark waters. On this
platform also was place wherein was
stored a long-boat.
Captain Memo was tall and robustly-
built, with pale skin, lofty brow. and
the fine taper hands of highly nerv-.
ous temperament. He spoke French,
English. German, Latin, all equally
wen. lie iHdy nave He>tiif tIIfft t-tfNkt
lie may have been fifty years old y
IT was on November g, 1896, with.
the coastsof Japan in view, that fhis
strange captain told us we were pris-'
.oners for him to do with as he pleased.
"And now" he added, sour course Isl
E. n. e. and our cruising depth &c
fathoms. leave ron to the resources
Of these quarters and your own re-
iections.'
We remained mute. not knowing
what surprise awaited us. Suddenly a
dazzling light broke in on MS. We saw
that only glass panels separated us from
q sea which was Illuminated far to
either side by the powerful electric
CLEANS from the ship. What spec
'taclel An army OF undersea creatures
escorted us. They were various and
beautifnl In the clear water, many
known. but hundreds unknown to us.
We heard and saw nothing Of the