Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snewscast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by The Secrets of the Sea. 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, the submarine the Nautilus glides quickly through the Mediterranean Sea to the chagrin of Nedland, who is really hoping to make his escape. Aranacs and Kansai were less eager, but agreed to go with Ned. Soon, however, they find themselves in the rough seas of the Atlantic. Ned is not swayed and insists that they must make their break that night at 9 p.m. While Aeronax wrestles with conflicted feelings on this, he prepares himself to leave. As the time approaches, the submarine suddenly stops. There is no sign of Ned where Arnax waits.

Nemo suddenly appears and launches into an impromptu Spanish history lesson, where we will pick up the story.

Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softest of your head. Now, take a few deep breaths. At this moment, the door of the large saloon opened and Captain Nemo appeared. He saw me, and without further preamble, began an amiable tone. Ah, sir, I have been looking for you. Do you know the history of Spain? Now, one might know the history of one's own country by heart, but in the condition I was at the time, with troubled mind and had quite lost, I could not have said a word of it. Well, continued Captain Nemo, you heard my question, and do you know the history of Spain? Very slightly, I answered. Well, here are learned men having to learn. Send the captain. Come sit down and I will tell you a curious episode in the history. Sir, listen well. This history will interest you on one side, but will answer a question which doubtless you have not been able to solve. I listened Captain, said I, not knowing what he was driving at, and asking myself if this incident was bearing on our projected flight. Sir, if you have no objection, we will go back to 1702. You cannot be ignorant that your king, Louis XIV. Thinking that the gesture was sufficient to bring the Pyrenees under his yoke, had imposed the Duke of Anju, his grandson, on the Spaniards. The prince reigned more or less badly under the name of Philip V, and had a strong party against him abroad. Indeed, the preceding year, the royal houses of Holland, Austria, and England had concluded a treaty of alliance at the hagg, with the intention of plucking the crown of Spain from the head of Philip V and placing it on that of an archduke to whom they prematurely gave the title of Charles III. Spain must resist the coalition, which he was almost entirely unprovided with either soldiers or sailors. However, money would not fail them. that their ships laid in with gold and silver from America once interred their ports. And about the end of 1702, they expected a rich convoy, which France was escorting with a fleet of 23 vessels. The ships of the coalition were already beating the Atlantic. This convoy was to go to Cadise, but the admiral, hearing that an English fleet was cruising in those waters, resolved to make for a French port. The Spanish commanders of the Convoy objected to this decision. They wanted to be taken to a Spanish port. And if not Cadeez and Divico Bay situated on the northwest coast of Spain, and which was not blocked. The admiral had the rashness to obey this injunction and the ship's interdvico bay. Unfortunately, it formed an open road which could not be defended in any way. They must therefore hasten to unload before the arrival of the combined fleet, and time would not have failed them had not a miserable question of rivalry suddenly arisen. You are following the chain of events, asked Gaptun Nimo. Perfectly, said I, not knowing the end proposed by this historical lesson. I will continue. This is what passed, the merchants of Kadees had a privilege by which they had the right of receiving all merchandise coming from the West Indies. Now, to disembark these ingots at the port of Vigo was depriving them of their rights. They complained at Madrid and obtained the consent of the weak-minded Philip that the convoy, without discharging its cargo, should remain sequestered in the roads of Vigo until the enemy had disappeared. But whilst coming to this decision, on the 22nd of October 1702, the English vessels arrived in Vigo Bay, when the admiral, in spite of inferior forces, fought bravely, but seeing that the treasure must fall into the enemy's hands, he burnt and scuttled every ship which went to the bottom with their immense riches. Suddenly, Captain Nemo stopped. I admit I could not see yet why this history should interest me. Well, I asked. Well, Mesier Aeronax, a blood-capped Nemo, we are in that Vigo Bay, and it rests with yourself whether you will penetrate its mysteries. The Captain rose, telling me to follow him, I had time to recover, I obeyed. It was dark, but through the transparent glass, the waves were sparkling. I looked. For half a mile around the Nautilus, the waters seemed bathed in electric light. The sandy bottom was clean and bright. Some of the ships crew in their diving dresses were clearing away half rotten barrels and empty cases from the midst of the black and dredgs. From these cases and from these barrels escaped ingots of gold and silver, cascades of coins and jewels. The sand was heaped up with them, laden with their precious booty, the men returned to the nautilus, disposed of their burden, and went back to this inexhaustible fishery of gold and silver. I understood now. This was the scene of the battle of the 22nd of October, 1702. Here on this very spot, the galleons laid in for the Spanish government had sunk. Here Captain Nemo came, according to his wants, to back up those millions with which he burned into the Nondelus. It was for him and him alone America had given up her precious metals.

He was air-direct without anyone to share. In those treasures torn from the Incas and from the Concord, a fertile land courtes. you know, sir asked, smiling, that the sea contained such riches. I knew, I answered, that they value money held in suspension in these waters at two millions. Doubtless. But to extract this money, the expense would be greater than the profit. Here, on the contrary, I have but to pick up what man has lost, and not only in Vigo Bay, but in a thousand other ports where shipwrecks have happened, and which are marked on my submarine map. Can you understand now the source of the million's

I am worth? I understand, Captain, but allow me to tell you that in exploring Vigo Bay, you have only been beforehand with arrival society. And which? A A society which has received from the Spanish government the privilege of seeking those buried galleons. The shareholders are led on by the alertment of an enormous bounty for they value these rich shipwrecks at 500 million. 500 million, they were answered Captain Nemo, but they aren't so no longer. Just so said I, and a warning to those shareholders would be an act of charity, but who knows if it would be well received? What gamblers usually regret above all is less the loss of their money than of their foolish hopes. After all, I pity them less than the thousands of unfortunate stohom so much riches well distributed would have been profitable. Whilst for them they will be forever barren. I had no sooner expressed this regret than I felt that it must have wounded Captain Nemo. Baron, he exclaimed, with animation, do you think then, sir, that these riches are lost because I gather them? It is for myself alone, according to your idea that I take the trouble to collect these treasures. Who told you that I do not make a good use of it? Do you think I am ignorant that there are suffering beings in oppressed races on this earth, miserable creatures to console, victims to avenge. Do you not understand? Captain Nemo stopped at these last words, regretting perhaps that he had spoken so much, but I had guessed that whatever the motive which had forced him to seek independence under the sea, it had left him still a man. That his heart still beat for the sufferings of humanity, and that his immense charity was for oppressed races as well as individuals. And I then understood for whom those millions were destined, which were forrited by Captain Nem Nemo when the Nautilus was cruising

in the waters of Crete. after nine, a vanished continent.

The next morning, the 19th of February, I saw the Canadian into my room. I expected this visit. He looked very disappointed. Well, sir, said he. Well, Ned, fortune was against us yesterday. Yes. The captain stopped exactly at the hour we intended to leave his vessel. Yes, Ned. He had business at his bankers. His bankers or rather his banking house, by that I mean the ocean, where his riches are safer than in the chests of the state. I then related to the Canadian the incidents of the preceding night, hoping to bring him back to the idea of not abandoning the captain. But my recital at no other result, than an energetically expressed regret from Ned that he had not been able to take a walk on the battlefield of Viko on his own account. However, said he, all is not ended, it is only a blow of the harpoon lost. Another time we must succeed. And tonight, if necessary. In what direction is the model is going? I asked. I do not know. Replyed Ned. Well, that noon we shall see the point. The Canadian returned to Konsei. As soon as I was dressed, I went into the saloon. The compass was not reassuring. The course of the Nautilist was south-south-west. We were turning our backs on Europe. I waited with some impatience till a ship's place was pricked on the chart. At about half past eleven, the reservoirs were emptied and our vessel rose to the surface of the ocean. I rushed towards the platform. That land had preceded me.

No more land in sight. Nothing better than a men's sea. Some sails on the horizon. Doubtless, those going to San Roque and search of favorable winds for doubling the Cape of good hope. The weather was cloudy. A gale of wind was preparing. Ned raved and tried to pierce the cloudy horizon. He still hoped that behind all that fog stretched the land he so longed for. At noon, the sun showed itself, for an instant. The second profited by this brightness to take its height. Then the sea, becoming more billowy, we descended and the panel closed. An hour after, upon consulting the chart, I saw the position of the Nautilus was marked at 16 degrees, 17 minutes longitude, and 33 degrees, 22 minutes latitude. At 150 leagues from the nearest coast. There was no means of flight, and I leave you to imagine the rage of the Canadian when I informed him of our situation. For myself, I was not particularly sorry. I felt lightened of the load which had oppressed me, And I was able to return with some degree of calmness to my accustomed work. That night, about eleven o'clock, I received a most unexpected visit from Captain Nemo. He asked me very graciously if I felt fatigued from my watch of the preceding night. I answered in the negative. Then, Miss Your Aeronax, I propose a curious excursion. Proposed, Captain? You have, either to only visit the submarine depths by daylight, under the brightness of the sun. Would it suit you to see them in the darkness of the night? Most willingly, I warn you, the way we'll be tiring, we shall have far to walk and must climb a mountain. The roads are not well-capped. And you say Captain only high ends my curiosity. I am ready to follow you.

Come then, sir. We will put on our diving dresses. Arrived at the roving room. I saw that neither of my companions nor any of the ship's crew were to follow us on this excursion. Captain Nemo had not even proposed my taking with me either net or con say. In a few moments, we had put on our diving dresses. They placed on our backs. reservoirs abundantly filled with air, but no electric lamps were prepared. I called the captain's attention to the fact. They will be useless. He replied. I thought I had not heard all right, but I could not repeat my observation. For the captain's head had already disappeared in its metal case. I finished harnessing myself. I felt them put an iron pointed stick into my hand, and some minutes later, after going through the usual form, we set foot on the bottom of the Atlantic at a depth of 150 fathoms. Midnight was near. The waters were profoundly dark, but Captain Nemo pointed out in the distance a reddish spot, a sort of large light shining brilliantly About two miles from the Nautilus What this fire might be? What could feed it? Why and how it lit up the liquid mass I could not say? In any case, it did light our way. Vagely, it is true, but I soon accustomed myself to this peculiar darkness, and I understood, under such circumstances, the uselessness of the rumcorp apparatus.

As we advanced, I heard a kind of battering above my head, the noise redoubling, sometimes producing a continual shower. I soon understood the cause. It was rain falling and crisping the surface of the waves. Instinctively, the thought flashed across my mind that I should be wet through by the water in the midst of the water. I could not help laughing at the odd idea.

But indeed. in the midst of the water. I could not help laughing at the odd idea, but indeed in the thick diving dress, the liquid element is no longer felt, and one only seems to be in an atmosphere somewhat denser than the terrestrial atmosphere. Nothing more. After half an hour's walk, the soil became stony. I caught a glimpse of pieces of stone covered with millions of zoofights and masses of seaweed. My feet often slipped upon this sticky carpet of seaweed.

And without my iron-tipped stick, I should have fallen more than once. In turning round, I could still see the whitish lantern of the nautilus, beginning to pale in the distance. the ros rosy light which guided us increased and lit up the horizon. The presence of this fire under water puzzled me in the highest degree. Was I going towards a natural phenomenon as yet unknown to the savants of the Earth?

Or even, for this thought crossed my brain, had the hand of man ought to do with this conflagration? Had he fanned this way? Was I to meet in these depths companions and, and friends of Captain Nemo, whom he was going to visit? And who, like him, led this strange existence? Should I find down there a whole colony of exiles, who, wary of the miseries of this earth, had sought and found independence in the deep ocean. All these foolish and unreasonable ideas pursued me, and in this condition of mind, over excited by the succession of wonders, continually passing before my eyes, I should not have been surprised to meet at the bottom of the sea, one of those submarine towns of which Captain Nemo dreamed. Our road grew lighter and lighter. The white climber came and raised from the summit of a mountain about 800 feet high. But what I saw was simply a reflection developed by the clearness of the waters. The source of this inexplicable light was a fire on the opposite side of the mountain. In the midst of this stony maze, furrowing the bottom of the Atlantic, Captain Nemo advanced without hesitation. He knew this dreary road, doubtless he had often traveled over it, and could not lose himself. I followed him with unshaken confidence. He seemed to me like a genie of this sea, and as he walked before me, I could not help admiring his stature, which was outlined in black, onous horizon. It was one in the morning when we arrived at the first slopes of the mountain. But to gain access to them we must venture through the difficult paths of a vast corpse. Yes, a corpse of dead vast corpse. Yn yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n y