The diamond drill., 1921-02-12
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 for !" he cried.
We all saw the sea monster. or
whatever II was, which we had been
hunting for months. II made of as
we charged. We gave chase. Through
out all that night and next day we
pursued. We stopped. 1t stopped.
Once IL allowed us TO creep close TO
II; and as we crept Il 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 back OF the mon
ster. Here we were Joined by Ned
Land. As we were resting there, eight
masked men came through a hatch
and drew us down into the bowels OF
what we now saw was not 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 a cigar-shaped
steel ship OF 232 feet in length, % feet
beam and 1900 tons dead weight.
There were two hulls, one inside the
other joined by T-shaped irons, which
rendered them OF almost uncrushable
strength. She was driven by electric
engines OF tremendous power Tanks
which could be filed 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 lounging quarters. In
library were books on the sciences,
morals. literature OF almost every Ian
guage. There was a drawing room
with a luminous ceiling which served
also as a museum. and into which an
intelligent hand had gathered subma-
rine treasures OF the world: the rarest
shells. pearls Of all colors and beyond
price, every variety OF undersea vege-
tation; also paintings OF the masters.
admirable statues In marble and
bronze. great organ plano.
From the inside OF her a staircase
led TO 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 searchIIght TO light the course
OF the ship I'm dark waters. On this
platform also was a 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 a highly nerv-
GUS temperament. He spoke French.
English. German, Latin. all equally
well He may have been thirty-five.
he may have been fifty years old.
II was on November 9. 1866. with
the coast OF japan In view, that this
strange captain told us we were pris-
oners for him 10 do with as he pleased.
"And now," he added, "our course Is
II. N. II. and our cruising depth 20
fathoms. leave you 20 the resources
Of these quarters and your own re-
fiections."
We remained mute. not knowing
what surprise awaited us. Suddenly
dazzling light broke in on US. We saw
that only glass panels separated us from
sea which was Illuminated far 10
either side by the powerful electric
CLEANS from the ship. What a spec
tnclei An army Of undersea creatures
escorted us. They were various and
beautiful In the clear water. many
known, but hundreds unknown TO us.
We heard and saw nothing Of the