CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
THE AWAKENING OF THE VOLCANO--THE FINE SEASON--CONTINUATION OF WORK--THEEVENING OF THE 15TH OF OCTOBER--A TELEGRAM--A QUESTION--AN ANSWER--DEPARTURE FOR THE CORRAL--THE NOTICE--THE ADDITIONAL WIRE--THE BASALTCOAST--AT HIGH TIDE--AT LOW TIDE--THE CAVERN--A DAZZLING LIGHT.
The colonists, warned by the engineer, left their work and gazed insilence at the summit of Mount Franklin.
The volcano had awoke, and the vapour had penetrated the mineral layerheaped up at the bottom of the crater. But would the subterranean firesprovoke any violent eruption? This was an event which could not beforeseen. However, even while admitting the possibility of an eruption,it was not probable that the whole of Lincoln Island would suffer fromit. The flow of volcanic matter is not always disastrous, and theisland had already undergone this trial, as was shown by the streams oflava hardened on the northern slopes of the mountain. Besides, from theshape of the crater--the opening broken in the upper edge--the matterwould be thrown to the side opposite the fertile regions of the island.
However, the past did not necessarily answer for the future. Often, atthe summit of volcanoes, the old craters close and new ones open. Thishas occurred in the two hemispheres--at Etna, Popocatepetl, at Orizaba--and on the eve of an eruption there is everything to be feared. Infact, an earthquake--a phenomenon which often accompanies volcaniceruptions--is enough to change the interior arrangement of a mountain,and to open new outlets for the burning lava.
Cyrus Harding explained these things to his companions, and, withoutexaggerating the state of things, he told them all the pros and cons.After all they could not prevent it. It did not appear likely thatGranite House would be threatened unless the ground was shaken by anearthquake. But the corral would be in great danger should a new crateropen in the southern side of Mount Franklin.
From that day the smoke never disappeared from the top of the mountain,and it could even be perceived that it increased in height andthickness, without any flame mingling in its heavy volumes. Thephenomenon was still concentrated in the lower part of the centralcrater.
However, with the fine days work had been continued. The building ofthe vessel was hastened as much as possible, and, by means of thewaterfall on the shore, Cyrus Harding managed to establish an hydraulicsaw-mill, which rapidly cut up the trunks of trees into planks andjoists. The mechanism of this apparatus was as simple as those used inthe rustic saw-mills of Norway. A first horizontal movement to move thepiece of wood, a second vertical movement to move the saw--this was allthat was wanted; and the engineer succeeded by means of a wheel, twocylinders, and pulleys properly arranged. Towards the end of the monthof September the skeleton of the vessel, which was to be rigged as aschooner, lay in the dockyard. The ribs were almost entirely completed,and, all the timbers having been sustained by a provisional band, theshape of the vessel could already be seen. This schooner, sharp in thebows, very slender in the after-part, would evidently be suitable for along voyage, if wanted; but laying the planking would still take aconsiderable time. Very fortunately, the iron-work of the pirate brighad been saved after the explosion. From the planks and injured ribsPencroft and Ayrton had extracted the bolts and a large quantity ofcopper nails. It was so much work saved for the smiths, but thecarpenters had much to do.
Ship-building was interrupted for a week for the harvest, the haymaking,and the gathering in of the different crops on the plateau. This workfinished, every moment was devoted to finishing the schooner. Whennight came the workmen were really quite exhausted. So as not to loseany time they had changed the hours for their meals; they dined attwelve o'clock, and only had their supper when daylight failed them.They then ascended to Granite House, when they were always ready to goto bed.
Sometimes, however, when the conversation bore on some interestingsubject the hour for sleep was delayed for a time. The colonists thenspoke of the future, and talked willingly of the changes which a voyagein the schooner to inhabited lands would make in their situation. Butalways, in the midst of these plans, prevailed the thought of asubsequent return to Lincoln Island. Never would they abandon thiscolony, founded with so much labour and with such success, and to whicha communication with America would afford a fresh impetus. Pencroft andNeb especially hoped to end their days there.
"Herbert," said the sailor, "you will never abandon Lincoln Island?"
"Never, Pencroft, and especially if you make up your mind to staythere."
"That was made up long ago, my boy," answered Pencroft. "I shall expectyou. You will bring me your wife and children, and I shall make jollylittle chaps of your youngsters!"
"That's agreed," replied Herbert, laughing and blushing at the sametime.
"And you, Captain Harding," resumed Pencroft enthusiastically, "you willbe still the governor of the island! Ah! how many inhabitants could itsupport? Ten thousand at least!"
They talked in this way, allowing Pencroft to run on, and at last thereporter actually started a newspaper--the _New Lincoln Herald_!
So is man's heart. The desire to perform a work which will endure,which will survive him, is the origin of his superiority over all otherliving creatures here below. It is this which has established hisdominion, and this it is which justifies it, over all the world.
After that, who knows if Jup and Top had not themselves their littledream of the future.
Ayrton silently said to himself that he would like to see Lord Glenarvanagain and show himself to all restored.
One evening, on the 15th of October, the conversation was prolongedlater than usual. It was nine o'clock. Already, long badly-concealedyawns gave warning of the hour of rest, and Pencroft was proceedingtowards his bed, when the electric bell, placed in the dining-room,suddenly rang.
All were there, Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Ayrton,Pencroft, Neb. Therefore none of the colonists were at the corral.
Cyrus Harding rose. His companions stared at each other, scarcelybelieving their ears.
"What does that mean?" cried Neb. "Was it the devil who rang it?"
No one answered.
"The weather is stormy," observed Herbert. "Might not its influence ofelectricity--"
Herbert did not finish his phrase. The engineer, towards whom all eyeswere turned, shook his head negatively.
"We must wait," said Gideon Spilett. "If it is a signal, whoever it maybe who has made it, he will renew it."
"But who do you think it is?" cried Neb. "Who?" answered Pencroft, "buthe--"
The sailor's sentence was cut short by a new tinkle of the bell.
Harding went to the apparatus, and sent this question to the corral:--
"What do you want?"
A few moments later the needle, moving on the alphabetic dial, gave thisreply to the tenants of Granite House:--
"Come to the corral immediately."
"At last!" exclaimed Harding.
Yes! At last! The mystery was about to be unveiled. The colonists'fatigue had disappeared before the tremendous interest which was aboutto urge them to the corral, and all wish for rest had ceased. Withouthaving uttered a word, in a few moments they had left Granite House, andwere standing on the beach. Jup and Top alone were left behind. Theycould do without them.
The night was black. The new moon had disappeared at the same time asthe sun. As Herbert had observed great stormy clouds formed a loweringand heavy vault, preventing any star rays. A few lightning-flashes,reflections from a distant storm, illuminated the horizon.
It was possible that a few hours later the thunder would roll over theisland itself. The night was very threatening. But however deep thedarkness was, it would not prevent them from finding the familiar roadto the corral.
They ascended the left bank of the Mercy, reached the plateau, passedthe bridge over Creek Glycerine, and advanced through the forest.
They walked at a good pace, a prey to the liveliest emotions. There wasno doubt but that they were now going to learn the long-sea
rched-foranswer to the enigma, the name of that mysterious being, so deeplyconcerned in their life, so generous in his influence, so powerful inhis action! Must not this stranger have indeed mingled with theirexistence, have known the smallest details, have heard all that was saidin Granite House, to have been able always to act in the very nick oftime?
Every one, wrapped up in his own reflections, pressed forward. Underthe arch of trees the darkness was such that the edge of the road evencould not be seen. Not a sound in the forest. Both animals and birds,influenced by the heaviness of the atmosphere, remained motionless andsilent. Not a breath disturbed the leaves. The footsteps of thecolonists alone resounded on the hardened ground.
During the first quarter of an hour the silence was only interrupted bythis remark from Pencroft:--
"We ought to have brought a torch."
And by this reply from the engineer:--
"We shall find one at the corral."
Harding and his companions had left Granite House at twelve minutes pastnine. At forty-seven minutes past nine they had traversed three out ofthe five miles which separated the mouth of the Mercy from the corral.
At that moment sheets of lightning spread over the island and illuminedthe dark trees. The flashes dazzled and almost blinded them. Evidentlythe storm would not be long in bursting forth.
The flashes gradually became brighter and more rapid. Distant thundergrowled in the sky. The atmosphere was stifling.
The colonists proceeded as if they were urged onwards by someirresistible force.
At ten o'clock a vivid flash showed them the palisade, and as theyreached the gate the storm burst forth with tremendous fury.
In a minute the corral was crossed, and Harding stood before the hut.
Probably the house was occupied by the stranger, since it was fromthence that the telegram had been sent. However, no light shone throughthe window.
The engineer knocked at the door.
No answer.
Cyrus Harding opened the door, and the settlers entered the room, whichwas perfectly dark. A light was struck by Neb, and in a few moments thelantern was lighted and the light thrown into every corner of the room.
There was no one there. Everything was in the state in which it hadbeen left.
"Have we been deceived by an illusion?" murmured Cyrus Harding.
No! that was not possible! The telegram had clearly said--
"Come to the corral immediately."
They approached the table specially devoted to the use of the wire.Everything was in order--the pile and the box containing it, as well asall the apparatus.
"Who came here the last time?" asked the engineer.
"I did, captain," answered Ayrton.
"And that was--"
"Four days ago."
"Ah! a note!" cried Herbert, pointing to a paper lying on the table.
On this paper were written these words in English:--
"Follow the new wire."
"Forward!" cried Harding, who understood that the despatch had not beensent from the corral, but from the mysterious retreat, communicatingdirectly with Granite House by means of a supplementary wire joined tothe old one.
Neb took the lighted lantern, and all left the corral. The storm thenburst forth with tremendous violence. The interval between eachlightning-flash and each thunder-clap diminished rapidly. The summit ofthe volcano, with its plume of vapour, could be seen by occasionalflashes.
There was no telegraphic communication in any part of the corral betweenthe house and the palisade; but the engineer, running straight to thefirst post, saw by the light of a flash a new wire hanging from theisolater to the ground.
"There it is!" said he.
This wire lay along the ground, and was surrounded with an isolatingsubstance like a submarine cable, so as to assure the free transmissionof the current. It appeared to pass through the wood and the southernspurs of the mountain, and consequently it ran towards the west.
"Follow it!" said Cyrus Harding.
And the settlers immediately pressed forward, guided by the wire.
The thunder continued to roar with such violence that not a word couldbe heard. However, there was no occasion for speaking, but to getforward as fast as possible.
Cyrus Harding and his companions then climbed the spur rising betweenthe corral valley and that of Falls River, which they crossed at itsnarrowest part. The wire, sometimes stretched over the lower branchesof the trees, sometimes lying on the ground, guided them surely. Theengineer had supposed that the wire would perhaps stop at the bottom ofthe valley, and that the stranger's retreat would be there.
Nothing of the sort. They were obliged to ascend the south-westernspur, and re-descend on that arid plateau terminated by thestrangely-wild basalt cliff. From time to time one of the colonistsstooped down and felt for the wire with his hands; but there was now nodoubt that the wire was running directly towards the sea. There, to acertainty, in the depths of those rocks, was the dwelling so long soughtfor in vain.
The sky was literally on fire. Flash succeeded flash. Several struckthe summit of the volcano in the midst of the thick smoke. It appearedthere as if the mountain was vomiting flame. At a few minutes to eleventhe colonists arrived on the high cliff overlooking the ocean to thewest. The wind had risen. The surf roared 500 feet below.
Harding calculated that they had gone a mile and a half from the coral.
At this point the wire entered among the rocks, following the steep sideof a narrow ravine. The settlers followed it at the risk of occasioninga fall of the slightly-balanced rocks, and being dashed into the sea.The descent was extremely perilous, but they did not think of thedanger; they were no longer masters of themselves, and an irresistibleattraction drew them towards this mysterious place as the magnet drawsiron.
Thus they almost unconsciously descended this ravine, which even inbroad daylight would have been considered impracticable.
The stones rolled and sparkled like fiery balls when they crossedthrough the gleams of light. Harding was first--Ayrton last. On theywent, step by step. Now they slid over the slippery rock; then theystruggled to their feet and scrambled on.
At last the wire touched the rocks on the beach. The colonists hadreached the bottom of the basalt cliff.
There appeared a narrow ridge, running horizontally and parallel withthe sea. The settlers followed the wire along it. They had not gone ahundred paces when the ridge by a moderate incline sloped down to thelevel of the sea.
The engineer seized the wire and found that it disappeared beneath thewaves.
His companions were stupefied.
A cry of disappointment, almost a cry of despair, escaped them! Mustthey then plunge beneath the water and seek there for some submarinecavern? In their excited state they would not have hesitated to do it.
The engineer stopped them.
He led his companions to a hollow in the rocks, and there--
"We must wait," said he. "The tide is high. At low-water the way willbe open."
"But what can make you think--" asked Pencroft.
"He would not have called us if the means had been wanting to enable usto reach him!"
Cyrus Harding spoke in a tone of such thorough conviction that noobjection was raised. His remark, besides, was logical. It was quitepossible that an opening, practicable at low-water, though hidden now bythe high tide, opened at the foot of the cliff.
There was some time to wait. The colonists remained silently crouchingin a deep hollow. Rain now began to fall in torrents. The thunder wasre-echoed among the rocks with a grand sonorousness.
The colonists' emotion was great. A thousand strange and extraordinaryideas crossed their brains, and they expected some grand and superhumanapparition, which alone could come up to the notion they had formed ofthe mysterious genius of the island.
At midnight, Harding, carrying the lantern, descended to the beach toreconnoitre.
The engineer was not
mistaken. The beginning of an immense excavationcould be seen under the water. There the wire, bending at a rightangle, entered the yawning gulf.
Cyrus Harding returned to his companions, and said simply--
"In an hour the opening will be practicable."
"It is there, then?" said Pencroft.
"Did you doubt it?" returned Harding.
"But this cavern must be filled with water to a certain height,"observed Herbert.
"Either the cavern will be completely dry," replied Harding, "and inthat case we can traverse it on foot, or it will not be dry, and somemeans of transport will be put at our disposal."
An hour passed. All climbed down through the rain to the level of thesea. There was now eight feet of the opening above the water. It waslike the arch of a bridge, under which rushed the foaming water.
Leaning forward, the engineer saw a black object floating on the water.He drew it towards him. It was a boat, moored to some interiorprojection of the cave. This boat was iron-plated. Two oars lay at thebottom.
"Jump in!" said Harding.
In a moment the settlers were in the boat. Neb and Ayrton took theoars, Pencroft the rudder. Cyrus Harding in the bows, with the lantern,lighted the way.
The elliptical roof, under which the boat at first passed, suddenlyrose; but the darkness was too deep, and the light of the lantern tooslight, for either the extent, length, height, or depth of the cave tobe ascertained. Solemn silence reigned in this basaltic cavern. Not asound could penetrate into it, even the thunder peals could not pierceits thick sides.
Such immense caves exist in various parts of the world, natural cryptsdating from the geological epoch of the globe. Some are filled by thesea; others contain entire lakes in their sides. Such is Fingal's Cave,in the island of Staffa, one of the Hebrides; such are the caves ofMorgat, in the bay of Douarucuez, in Brittany, the caves of Bonifacier,in Corsica, those of Lyse-Fjord, in Norway; such are the immense Mammothcaverns in Kentucky, 500 feet in height, and more than twenty miles inlength! In many parts of the globe, nature has excavated these caverns,and preserved them for the admiration of man.
Did the cavern which the settlers were now exploring extend to thecentre of the island? For a quarter of an hour the boat had beenadvancing, making _detours_, indicated to Pencroft by the engineer inshort sentences, when all at once--
"More to the right!" he commanded. The boat, altering its course, cameup alongside the right wall. The engineer wished to see if the wirestill ran along the side. The wire was there fastened to the rock."Forward!" said Harding.
And the two oars, plunging into the dark waters, urged the boat onwards.
On they went for another quarter of an hour, and a distance ofhalf-a-mile must have been cleared from the mouth of the cave, whenHarding's voice was again heard. "Stop!" said he.
The boat stopped, and the colonists perceived a bright lightilluminating the vast cavern, so deeply excavated in the bowels of theisland, of which nothing had ever led them to suspect the existence.
At a height of a hundred feet rose the vaulted roof, supported on basaltshafts. Irregular arches, strange mouldings, appeared on the columnserected by nature in thousands from the first epochs of the formation ofthe globe. The basalt pillars, fitted one into the other, measured fromforty to fifty feet in height, and the water, calm in spite of thetumult outside, washing their base. The brilliant focus of light,pointed out by the engineer, touched every point of rock, and floodedthe walls with light. By reflection the water reproduced the brilliantsparkles, so that the boat appeared to be floating between twoglittering zones.
They could not be mistaken in the nature of the irradiation thrown fromthe centre light, whose clear rays broke all the angles, all theprojections of the cavern. This light proceeded from an electricsource, and its white colour betrayed its origin. It was the sun ofthis cave, and it filled it entirely.
At a sign from Cyrus Harding the oars again plunged into the water,causing a regular shower of gems, and the boat was urged forward towardsthe light, which was now not more than half a cable's length distant.
At this place the breadth of the sheet of water measured nearly 350feet, and beyond the dazzling centre could be seen an enormous basalticwall, blocking up any issue on that side. The cavern widened hereconsiderably, the sea forming a little lake. But the roof, the sidewalls, the end cliff, all the prisms, all the peaks, were flooded withthe electric fluid, so that the brilliancy belonged to them, and as ifthe light issued from them.
In the centre of the lake a long cigar-shaped object floated on thesurface of the water, silent, motionless. The brilliancy which issuedfrom it escaped from its sides as from two kilns heated to a white heat.This apparatus, similar in shape to an enormous whale, was about 250feet long, and rose about ten or twelve above the water.
The boat slowly approached it. Cyrus Harding stood up in the bows. Hegazed, a prey to violent excitement. Then, all at once, seizing thereporter's arm--
"It is he! It can only be he!" he cried, "he!--"
Then, falling back on the seat, he murmured a name which Gideon Spilettalone could hear.
The reporter evidently knew this name, for it had a wonderful effectupon him, and he answered in a hoarse voice--
"He! an outlawed man!"
"He!" said Harding.
At the engineer's command the boat approached this singular floatingapparatus. The boat touched the left side, from which escaped a ray oflight through a thick glass.
Harding and his companions mounted on the platform. An open hatchwaywas there. All darted down the opening.
At the bottom of the ladder was a deck, lighted by electricity. At theend of this deck was a door, which Harding opened.
A richly-ornamented room, quickly traversed by the colonists, was joinedto a library, over which a luminous ceiling shed a flood of light.
At the end of the library a large door, also shut, was opened by theengineer.
An immense saloon--a sort of museum, in which were heaped up, with allthe treasures of the mineral world, works of art, marvels of industry--appeared before the eyes of the colonists, who almost thought themselvessuddenly transported into a land of enchantment.
Stretched on a rich sofa they saw a man, who did not appear to noticetheir presence.
Then Harding raised his voice, and to the extreme surprise of hiscompanions, he uttered these words--
"Captain Nemo, you asked for us! We are here."