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You're built to win it. Welcome to Snewscast. The podcast is 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 Illuminous Horizon. Tonight, we'll read the next part to 20,000 leagues under the sea.

A class... luminous horizon. 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 accompanies Nemo on an expedition at night without lanterns or anyone else. The two walk in darkness toward a red light for a couple miles before they climb up a platform of man-made stones and pillars. Arenax realizes that the mountain they are climbing is of volcano still emitting lava.

They are visiting the fabled underwater ruins of Atlantis.

The two men contemplate the scene and the history while the moon rises,

before returning to the Nautilus as the sun rises. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. your body and the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. 10. Chapter 10 The Submarine Coal Mines The next day, the 20th of February, I awoke very late. the fatigues of the previous night had prolonged my sleep until 11 o'clock. I dressed quickly and hastened to find the course the notalless was taking. The instrument showed it to be still toward the south, with a speed of 20 miles an hour and a depth of 50 fathoms, the species of fishes here did not differ much from those already noticed. There were rays of giant size, five yards long, and endowed with great muscular strength, which enabled them to shoot above the waves. of many kinds, amongst others, one fifteen feet long, and whose transparency rendered it almost invisible in the water. Amongst Bonifish, Konsei noticed some about three yards long, armed at the upper jaw with a piercing sword. Other bright colored creatures known in the time of Aristotle by the name of the sea dragon with spikes on their back. About four o'clock, the soil generally composed of a thick mud mixed with petrified wood, changed by degrees, and it became more stony and seemed strewn with conglomerate. I thought that a mountainous region was succeeding along planes, and accordingly, after a few evolutions of the notalless, I saw the southernly horizon blocked by a high wall which seemed to close all exit. It's summit evidently past the level of the ocean. It must be a continent, or at least an island. One of the canaries, the bearings not being yet taken, perhaps designed atleast. I was ignorant of our exact position. In any case, such a wall seemed to me to mark the limits of that Atlantis, of which we had in reality passed over, only the smallest part. Much longer should I have remained at the window, admiring the beauties of sea and sky, but the panels closed. At this moment, the nautilus arrived at the side of this high perpendicular wall. What it would do, I could not guess. I returned to my room. It no longer moved. I laid myself down with the full intention of waking after a few hours sleep, but it was eight o'clock the next day when I entered the saloon. I looked at the monometer.

It told me that the non-alus was floating on the surface of the ocean. Besides, I heard steps on the platform. I went to the panel. It was open. But instead of broad daylight as I expected, I was surrounded by profound darkness. Where were we? Was I mistaken? Was it still night? No, not a star was shining, and night has not that utter darkness. I knew not what to think. One voice near me said, is that you, Professor? Ah, Captain, I answered. Where are we? Underground, sir. Underground, I exclaimed. And the notallist floating still? It always floats. But I do not understand. Wait a few minutes. Our lantern will be lit. And if you like light places, you will be satisfied. I stood on the platform and waited. The darkness was so complete that I could not even see Captain Nemo. But looking to the zenith exactly above my head, I seemed to catch an undecided gleam, a kind of twilight filling a circular hole. At this instant, a lantern was lit, and its vividness dispelled the faint light. I closed my dazzled eyes for an instant, and then looked again. The nodalist was stationary, floating near a mountain which formed a sort of K. The lake then, supporting it, was a lake imprisoned by a circle of walls, measuring two miles in diameter and six in circumference. Its level, the monometer showed, could only be the same as the outside level, for there must necessarily be a communication between the lake and the sea. The high partitions, leaning forward on their base, grew into a vaulted roof bearing the shape of an immense funnel turned upside down. The height being about five or six hundred yards at the summit was a circular orifice by which I had caught the slight gleam of light.

Evidently daylight. Where are we? I asked. In the very heart of an extinct volcano, the interior of which has been invaded by the sea after some great convulsion of the Earth. Most you are sleeping, Professor, the Nautilus penetrated to this lagoon by a natural canal, which opens about ten yards beneath the surface of the ocean. This is its harbor of refuge, a sure, comodious, and mysterious one sheltered from all gales. Show me if you can, on the coasts of any of your continents or islands, a road which can give such perfect refuge from all storms. Certainly, I replied, you are in safety here, Captain Nemo, who could reach you in the heart of a volcano. But did I not see an opening at its summit? Yes, its crater, formerly filled with lava, vapor, and flames, and which now gives entrance to the life-giving air we breathe. But what is this volcanic mountain? It belongs to one of the numerous islands with which this sea is strewn, to vessels a simple sandbank to us, an immense cavern, chance led me to discover it, and chance served me well. But of what use is this refuge, Captain? The Nautilus wants no port. No, sir, but it wants electricity to make it move, and the wherewithal to make, the electricity, sodium to feed the elements, coal from which to get the sodium, and a coal mine to supply the coal. And exactly on this spot, the sea covers entire forests and bedded during the ge periods, now mineralized and transformed into coal. For me, they are an exhaustible mine. You men follow the trade of miners here then, Captain. Exactly so. These mines extend under the waves like the mines of Newcastle. Here in their diving dresses, pickaxe and shovel in hand, my men extract the coal, which I do not even ask from the minds of the earth. When I burn this combustible for the manufacture of sodium, the smoke escaping escaping from the crater of the mountain, gives it the appearance of a still active volcano. And we shall see your companions at work? No. Not at this time, at least. For I am in a hurry to continue our submarine tour of the Earth. So I shall content myself with drawing from the reserve of sodium I already possess. The time for loading is one day only, and we continue our voyage. So if you wish to go over the cavern and make the round of the lagoon, you must take advantage of today, Missyre Aeronax. I think the captain and went to look for my companions who had not yet left their cabin. I invited them to follow me without saying where we were. They mounted the platform. Con say who was astonished at nothing seemed to look upon it as quite natural that he should wake under a mountain

after having fallen asleep under the waves. But Ned Land thought of nothing but finding whether the cavern had any exit. After breakfast, about ten o'clock, we went down onto the mountain. Here we are once more on land," said Kancei. I do not call this land," said the Canadian, and besides, we are not on it but beneath it. Between the walls of the mountains and the waters of the lake, Lake, Le lay a sandy shore which, at its greatest breadth, measured 500 feet. On this soil, one might easily make the tour of the lake, but the base of the high partitions was stony ground, with volcanic locks and enormous pomestones lying in picturesque keeps. All these detached masses covered with an amul, polished by the action of the subterraneous fires shown resplendent by the light of our electric lantern. The micodust from the shore, rising under our feet, flew like a cloud of sparks. The bottom now rose sensibly, and we soon arrived at long slopes, or inclined plains, which took us higher by degrees. But we were obliged to walk carefully among these conglomerates, bound by no cement, the feet slipping on the glassy crystal, fell spar, and quartz. The volcanic nature of this enormous excavation was confirmed on all sides, and I pointed it out to my companions. Picture to yourselves, said I, what this crater must have been when filled with boiling lava, And when the level of the inc-can-descent liquid rose to the orifice of the mountain, as though melted on the top of a hot plate. I can picture it perfectly," said Kahnzei. But, sir, will you tell me why the great architect has suspended operations, and how it is that the furnace is replaced by the quiet waters of the lake? Most probably, Kansai, because some convulsion beneath the ocean produced that very opening, which has served as a passage for the non-alice. Then the waters of the Atlantic rushed into the interior of the mountain. There must have been a struggle between the two elements, a struggle which ended in the victory of Neptune. But many ages have run out since then, and the submerged volcano is now a peaceable grotto. Very well, replied Ned Land. I accept the explanations, sir, but in our own interests, I regret that the opening of which you speak was not made above the level of the sea. "'But friend Ned,' said Kancei. "'If the passage had not been under the sea, the notillists could not have gone through it. We continued to sending. The steps became more and more perpendicular and narrow, deep excavations, which we were obliged to cross, them here and there. Sloping masses had to be turned. We slit upon our knees and crawled along. Conceased dexterity and the Canadian strength surmounted all obstacles. At a height of about 31 feet, the nature of the ground changed without becoming more practicable. To the conglomerate, succeeded black basalt. The first disparate in layers full of bubbles, the latter forming regular prisms, placed like supporting columns, the spring of the immense vault, an admirable specimen of natural architecture, between the blocks of basalt, bound long streams of lava, long since grown cold. And in some places, there were spread large carpets of sulfur. A more powerful light shone through the upper crater, shedding a vague glimmer over these volcanic depressions, forever buried in the bosom of this extinguished mountain. But our upward march was soon stopped at a height of about 250 feet by impassable obstacles. There was a complete vaulted arch overhanging us, and our scent was changed to a circular walk. At the last change, vegetable life began to struggle with the mineral. shrubs and even some trees grew from the fractures of the walls. I recognized some euphorbias with the caustic sugar come from them. Heliotropes quite incapable of justifying their name. Sadly, drooped their clusters of flowers, both their color and perfume have gone. Here and there, some chrissante mums grew timidly at the foot of an aloe with long, sickly looking leaves. But between the streams of lava I saw some little violets still slightly perfumed, and I admit that I smelt them with delight. Her fume is the soul of the flower, and sea flowers have no soul. We had arrived at the foot of some sturdy dragon trees, which had pushed aside the rocks with their strong roots. When Nettland exclaimed, Ah, sir. A hive. A hive. A hive. I replied.

With a gesture of incredulity. Yes, a hive! Repeated the Canadian, and bees humming around it. I approached and was bound to believe my own eyes. They are at a whole board in one of the dragon trees, where some thousands of these insects, so common in all the canaries, and whose produce is so much esteemed. Naturally enough, the Canadian wished to gather the honey, and I could not well oppose his A quantity of dry leaves mixed with sulfur, he lit with a spark from his flint, and he began to smoke out the bees, the humming ceased by degrees, and the hive eventually yielded several pounds of the sweetest honey, with which net land filled his haversack. When I have mixed this honey with the paste of the breadfruit, said he, I shall be able to offer you a succulent cake.

Upon my word, said Kansai, it will be gingerbread. Never mind the gingerbread," said I. Let us continue our interesting walk. At every turn of the path we were following, the lake appeared in all its length and breadth. The lantern lit up the whole of its peaceable which knew neither ripple nor wave.

The nautilus remained perfectly immovable on the platform and on the mountain.

The ship's crew were working like black shadows, clearly carved against the luminous atmosphere. We were now going round the highest crest of the first layers of rock, which upheld the roof. I then saw that bees were not the only representatives of the animal kingdom in the interior of this volcano. Birds of prey hovered here and there in the shadows,

or fled from their nests on the top of the rocks. There were sparrow hawks and castrels,

and down the slopes, scampered with their long legs, several fine fat busters. We were now obliged to descend toward the shore, the crest becoming impracticable. Above us, the craters seemed to gave like the mouth of a well. From this place the sky could be clearly seen, and clouds dissipated by the west wind, leaving behind them, even on the summit of the mountain. mistyy remnants certain proof that they were only moderately high for the volcano did not rise more than 800 feet above the level of the ocean. Half an hour after the Canadians last exploit, we had regained the inner shore. Here, the flora was represented by large carpets of marine crystal. A little plant very good to pickle, which also bears the name of pier stone and sea-final.

Konsei gathered some bundles of it.

As to the fauna, it might be counted by thousands of of Christaia, of all sorts,

mobsters, crabs,

chameleon shrimps,

and a large number of shells, rockfish, and limpets. Three-quarters of an hour later, we had finished our walk and were on board. The crew had just finished loading the sodium, and the non-alice could have left that instant. But Captain Nemo gave no order. Did he wish to wait until night and leave the submarine passage secretly?

Perhaps so. Whatever it might be, the next day, the nautilus, having left its port, steered clear of all land, and a few yards beneath the waves of the Atlantic. That day, the Nautilus crossed a singular part of the Atlantic Ocean. No one can be ignorant of the existence of a current of warm water known by the name of the Gulf Stream. After leaving the Gulf of Florida, we went in the direction of Spitzbergin, but before entering the Gulf of Mexico, about 45 degrees, North latitude, this current divides into two arms. principal one going towards the coast of Ireland in Norway,

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