The next morning at four o'clock I was awakened by the steward whom Captain Nemo had placed at my service.
I rose hurriedly,dressed,and went into the saloon.
Captain Nemo was awaiting me.
"M.Aronnax,"said he,"are you ready to start?""I am ready."
"Then please to follow me."
"And my companions,Captain?"
"They have been told and are waiting."
"Are we not to put on our diver's dresses?"asked I .
"Not yet.I 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 disembarking,which will save us a long way.
It carries our diving apparatus,which we will put on when we begin our submarine journey."Captain Nemo conducted me to the central staircase,which led on the platform.Ned and Conseil were already there,delighted at the idea of the "pleasure party"which was preparing.
Five sailors from the Nautilus,with their oars,waited in the boat,which had been made fast against the side.
The night was still dark.Layers of clouds covered the sky,allowing but few stars to be seen.I looked on the side where the land lay,and saw nothing but a dark line enclosing three parts of the horizon,from south-west to north west.
The Nautilus,having returned during the night up the western coast of Ceylon,was now west of the bay,or rather gulf,formed by the mainland and the I sland of Manaar.
There,under the dark waters,stretched the pintadine bank,an inexhaustible field of pearls,the length of which is more than twenty miles.
Captain Nemo,Ned Land,Conseil,and I took our places in the stern of the boat.The master went to the tiller;his four companions leaned on their oars,the painter was cast off,and we sheered off.
The boat went towards the south;the oarsmen did not hurry.I noticed that their strokes,strong in the water,only followed each other every ten seconds,according to the method generally adopted in the navy.
Whilst the craft was running by its own velocity,the liquid drops struck the dark depths of the waves crisply like spats of melted lead.
Alittle billow,spreading wide,gave a slight roll to the boat,and some samphire reeds flapped before it.
We were silent.What was Captain Nemo thinking of?Perhaps of the land he was approaching,and which he found too near to him,contrary to the Canadian's opinion,who thought it too far off.
As to Conseil,he was merely there from curiosity.
About half-past five the first tints on the horizon showed the upper line of coast more distinctly.Flat enough in the east,it rose a little to the south.Five miles still lay between us,and it was indistinct owing to the mist on the water.
At six o'clock it became suddenly daylight,with that rapidity peculiar 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 radiant orb rose rapidly.
I saw land distinctly,with a few trees scattered here and there.
The boat neared Manaar I sland,which was rounded to the south.
Captain Nemo rose from his seat and watched the sea.
At a sign from him the anchor was dropped,but the chain scarcely ran,for it was little more than a yard deep,and this spot was one of the highest points of the bank of pintadines.
"Here we are,M.Aronnax,"said Captain Nemo.
"You see that enclosed bay?Here,in a month will be assembled the numerous fishing boats of the exporters,and these are the waters their divers will ransack so boldly.
Happily,this bay is well situated for that kind of fishing.
It is sheltered from the strongest winds;the sea is never very rough here,which makes it favourable for the diver's work.
We will now put on our dresses,and begin our walk."I did not answer,and,while watching the suspected waves,began with the help of the sailors to put on my heavy sea-dress.Captain Nemo and my companions were also dressing.
None of the Nautilus men were to accompany us on this new excursion.
Soon we were enveloped to the throat in india-rubber clothing;the air apparatus fixed to our backs by braces.
As to the Ruhmkorff apparatus,there was no necessity for it.
Before putting my head into the copper cap,I had asked the question of the Captain.
"They would be useless,"he replied."We 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 attract some of the dangerous inhabitants of the coast most inopportunely."As Captain Nemo pronounced these words,I turned to Conseil and Ned Land.
But my two friends had already encased their heads in the metal cap,and they could neither hear nor answer.
One last question remained to ask of Captain Nemo.
"And our arms?"asked I ;"our guns?"
"Guns!What for?Do not mountaineers attack the bear with a dagger in their hand,and is not steel surer than lead?
Here is a strong blade;put it in your belt,and we start."I looked at my companions;they were armed like us,and,more than that,Ned Land was brandishing an enormous harpoon,which he had placed in the boat before leaving the Nautilus.
Then,following the Captain's example,I allowed myself to be dressed in the heavy copper helmet,and our reservoirs of air were at once in activity.An instant after we were landed,one after the other,in about two yards of water upon an even sand.
Captain Nemo made a sign with his hand,and we followed him by a gentle declivity till we disappeared under the waves.
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At about seven o'clock we found ourselves at last surveying the oyster-banks on which the pearl-oysters are reproduced by millions.
Captain Nemo pointed with his hand to the enormous heap of oysters;and I could well understand that this mine was inexhaustible,for Nature's creative power is far beyond man's instinct of destruction.
Ned Land,faithful to his instinct,hastened to fill a net which he carried by his side with some of the finest specimens.