Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by a sonorous agitation. Tonight, we'll read the next part to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer, Jules Verne. In the last episode, Aeronax, Conce, and Ned encounter, the Papouin people from the island and the people are unfriendly to the visitors. The three intruders retreat to the Nahnelis. And Aaron Ags tells Nemo about the natives, the captain is unconcerned. Soon the native people storm the vessel and try to get inside. However, Nemo has cleverly set up an electrified cable on the stairs so that anyone who touches it is merely shocked.

A papa wins retreat. The tide pushes the nautilus out to sea exactly as an evil-west

plan and the vessel continues its journey.

That's my cousin.

Close your eyes. Relax your body. Into the softness of your bed. Now, take a few deep breaths. After 22, I agree, Samnia. The following day, 10th January, the Nautilus continued her course between two seas, but with such remarkable speed that I could not estimate it at less than 35 miles an hour. The rapidity of her screw was such that I could neither follow nor count its revolutions. When I reflected that this marvelous electric agent, after having afforded motion, heat, and light to the notalless, still protected her from outward attack and transformed her into an arc of safety which no profane hand might touch without being thunderstricken.

My admiration was unbounded and from the structure it extended to the engineer who had called it into existence. Our course was directed to the west, and on the 11th of January we doubled Cape Wessel, situation in 135 degrees longitude and 10 degrees south latitude, which forms the east point of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The reefs were still numerous, but more equalized and marked on the chart with extreme precision. The notalless easily avoided the breakers of money to port and the Victoria reefs to Starboard, placed at 130 degrees longitude and on the 10th parallel, which we strictly followed. On the 13th of January, Captain Nemo arrived in the Sea of Timor and recognized recognized the island of that name in 122 degrees longitude. From this point, the direction of the Nautilus inclined towards the southwest, her head was set for the Indian Ocean. Where would the fancy of Captain Nemo carry us next? Would he return to the coast of Asia? Or would he approach again the shores of Europe? Improbable conjectures both to a man who fled from inhabited continents, then would he descend to the south? was he going to double the cape of good hope,

and Cape Horn, and finally go as far as the Antarctic Pole? Would he come back at last to the Pacific, where his not-alists could sail free and independently.

Time would show, after having skirted the sands of Hybernia, Seren Gopatom, and Scott, last efforts of the solid against the liquid element on the 14th of January, we lost sign of land altogether. The speed of the nautilus was considerably abated, and with a regular course, she sometimes swam in the bosom of the waters, sometimes floated on their surface. During this period of the voyage, Captain Nemo made some interesting experiments on the very temperature of the sea in different beds. Under ordinary conditions, these observations are made by means of rather complicated instruments, and with somewhat doubtful results. means of therm thermometric sounding leads, the glass is often breaking under the pressure of the water or an apparatus grounded on the variations of the resistance of metals to the electric currents. Results so obtained could not be correctly calculated. the contrary, Captain Nima went himself to test

a temperature in the depths of the sea, and his thermometer placed in communication with the different sheets of water gave him the required degree immediately and accurately. It was thus that, either by overloading her reservoirs or by descending

obliquely by means of her inclined planes, the non-alists successfully attained the depth

of three, four, five, seven, nine, and ten thousand yards.

And the definite result of this experience was that the sea preserved an average temperature of 4 degrees and a half at a depth of 5,000 fathoms under all latitudes.

On the 16th of January, the Nautilus seemed be combed only a few yards beneath the surface of the waves. Her electric apparatus remained inactive and her motionless screw left her to drift at the mercy of the currents. I supposed that the crew was occupied with interior repairs rendered necessary by the violence of the mechanical movements of the machine. My companions and I then witnessed a curious spectacle, the hatches of the saloon were open, and, as the beacon-light of the nautilus was not in action, a dim obscurity rained in the midst of the waters. I observed the state of the sea under these conditions, and the largest fish appeared to me no more and scarcely defined shadows when the Nautilus found herself suddenly transported into full light. I thought at first that the beacon had been lighted and was casting its electric radiance into the liquid mass. I was mistaken, and after a rapid survey perceived my error. The nautilus floated in the midst of a phosphorescent bed which, in this obscurity, became quite dazzling. It was produced by Marriots of luminous Anna McEuley, whose brilliancy was increased as they glided over the metallic hall of the vessel. I was surprised by lightning in the midst of these luminous sheets, as though they had been rivulets of lead melted in an ardent furnace, or metallic masses brought to a white heat, so that by force of contrast certain portions of light appeared to cast a shade in the midst of the general ignition, from which all shade seemed banished. No. This was not the calm heredation of our ordinary lightning. There was an unusual life and vigor. This was truly living light. In reality, it was an infinite, a glomeration of colored infusoria, a veritable globules of jelly provided with a thread-like tentacle, and of which, as many as 25,000 have been counted in less than two cubic half inches of water. During several hours, the nautilus floated in these brilliant waves, and our admiration increased as we watched the marine monsters, disporting themselves like salamanders. I saw there in the midst of this fire that burns not the swift and elegant porpoise, the indefatigable clown of the ocean, and some swordfish ten feet long.

Those prophetic heralds of the hurricane whose formidable sword would now and then strike the glass of the saloon. appeared the smaller fish, the ballista, the leaping macrole. Wolf thorn tails, and a hundred others which striped the luminous atmosphere as they swam. This dazzling spectacle was enchanting, perhaps some atmospheric condition increased the intensity of this phenomenon. Perhaps some storm agitated the surface of the waves. But at this depth of some yards, the non-alus was unmoved by its fury and reposed peacefully in still water. So we progressed, incessantly charmed by some new marvel. The days passed rapidly away, and I took no count of them. Ned, according to habit, tried to vary the diet on board.

Like snails, we were fixed to our shells, and that a claret is easy to lead a snail's life. Thus, this life seemed easy and natural, and we thought no longer of the life we led on But something happened to recall us to the strangeness of our situation. On the 18th of January, the Nautilus was in 105 degrees longitude and 15 degrees south latitude. The water was threatening. The sea rough and rolling. There was a strong east wind. The barometer which had been going down for some days foreboded a coming storm. I went up on the platform just as the second lieutenant was taking the measure of the angles and waited, according to habit, till the daily phrase was said. But on this day, it was exchanged for another phrase, not less incomprehensible. Most directly, I saw Captain Nemo appear with a glass looking towards the horizon. For some minutes he was a movable without taking his eye off the point of observation. and he lowered his glass and exchanged a few words with his lieutenant. The latter seemed to be a victim to some emotion that he tried and vain to repress. Captain Nemo, having more command over himself, was cool. He seemed, too, to be making some objections to which the lieutenant replied by formal assurances. At least I concluded so by the difference of their tones and gestures. For myself, I had looked carefully in the direction indicated without seeing anything. The sky and water were lost in the clear line of the horizon. However, Captain Nemo walked from one end of the platform to the other, without looking at me, perhaps without seeing me. His step was firm, but less regular than usual. He stopped sometimes, crossed his arms, and observed the sea. What could he be looking for on that immense expanse?

The nautilus was then some hundreds of miles from the nearest coast.

The lieutenant had taken up the glass and examined the horizon steadfastly, going and coming, stamping his foot, and showing more agitation than his superior officer. Besides, this mystery must necessarily be solved, and before long, for, upon an order from Captain Nemo, the engine, increasing its propelling power, made the screw turn more rapidly. Just then the lieutenant drew the captain's attention again. The latter stopped walking and directed his glass towards the place indicated. He looked long. I felt very much puzzled and descended to the drawing room, and took out an excellent telescope that I generally used. Then, leaning on the cage of the watchlight that jutted out from the front of the platform,

set myself to look over all the line of the sky and sea.

But my eye was no sooner applied to the glass than it was quickly snatched out of my hands.

I turned round. Captain Nemo was before me, but I did not know him. His face was transfigured. His eyes flashed solemnly. His teeth were set. His stiff body clenched fists and head shrunk between his shoulders. Betrayed the agitation that pervaded his whole frame, he did not move. My glass, fallen from his hands, had rolled at his feet. Had I unwittingly provoked him? Did this incomprehensible person imagine that I had discovered some forbidden secret? No. His eye was steadily fixed upon the impenetrable point of the horizon. At last, Captain Nemo recovered himself. His agitation

subsided. He addressed some words in a foreign language to his lieutenant, then turned to me. As your Aeronax, he said in a an impurious tone, I require you to keep one of the conditions that bind you to me. What is it, Captain? You must be confined with your companions until I think fit to release you. You are the master. I replied, looking steadily at him. What may I ask you one question? None, sir. There was no resisting this imperious command. It would have been useless. I went down to the cap and occupied by Nedland and Konsei, and told them the captain's determination. You made Javja this communication was received by the Canadian. But there was not time for altercation. Four of the crew waited at the door, and conducted us to the cell where we had passed our first night on board the nonless. That land would have remonstrated but the door should have shut upon him. Well, Master, tell me what this means, as Kansai, I told my companions what had passed. They were as much astonished as I, and equally at a loss how to account for it. Meanwhile, I was absorbed in my own reflections, and could think of nothing but the strange fear depicted in the captain's condonence.

I was utterly at a loss to account for it, when I was disturbed by these words from that land.

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