Music Welcome to Snewscast, a podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. wanted to listen to 20,000 leaks under the sea, for example, as a playlist, so you could either start from the beginning or play multiple episodes from just that story in a row, so that you don't need to go searching through the catalog? In case you didn't know, dear listeners, besides the primary snooze cast show, we also produce standalone versions of many of our continuing stories as their own separate podcasts for your convenience. Just search for snooze cast presents to find all the options available. If you subscribe to snoozecast+. You get complete access to all these series, add free. To learn more, go to snoozecast.com slash plus. This episode is brought to you by Charming Pink Alcions. Tonight, we'll read the next part to 20,000 Leaks Under the Sea, a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, the novelist passes through the Sargaso Sea and underwater lake where currents meet, filled with aquatic plants. During this time, Aronax wonders if Nemo will ever release them. He sees little of Nemo and they spend much of their time on the surface. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. extra baloney into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. The nodalist was steadily pursuing its southerly course, following the 50th meridian with considerable speed. Did he wish to reach the pole? I did not think so. For every attempt to reach that point, had hitherto failed. Again, the season was far advanced. For in the Antarctic regions, the 13th of March corresponds with the 13th of September of northern regions, which begins at the Equinoxial Season. On 14th March, I saw floating ice in latitude 55 degrees. Mirally pale bits of debris from 20 to 25 feet long, forming banks over which the sea curled. The nautilus remained on the surface of the ocean. Nedland, who had fished in the Arctic seas, was familiar with its icebergs. But Konsei and I admired them for their first time. the atmosphere towards the southern horizon stretched a white dazzling band. English whalers have given it the name of ice-blink. However thick the clouds may be, it is always visible and announces the presence of an ice pack or bank. Accordingly, larger blocks soon appeared, whose brilliance changed with the caprices of the fog. Some of these masses showed green veins as if long, undulating lines had been traced with sulfate of copper. Others resembled enormous amacists with the light shining through them. Some reflected the light of day upon a thousand crystal facets. Others shaded with vivid, calcorous reflections resemble the perfect town of marble. The more we neared the south, the more these floating islands increased both in number and importance. At 60 degrees latitude, every pass had disappeared. But seeking carefully, Captain Nemo soon found a narrow opening through which he boldly slipped, knowing, however, that it would close behind him. Thus, guided by this clever hand, the noddle is passed through all the ice with a precision which quite charmed con say. Icebergs are mountains, ice fields are smooth plains, seeming to have no limits. Drift ice or floating ice packs, planes broken up, called palks when they are circular, and streams when they are made up of long strips. The temperature was very low. The thermometer exposed to the air marked two degrees or three degrees below zero, but we were warmly clad with fur at the expense of the seabare and seal. The interior of the non-alice warmed regularly by its electric apparatus to find the most intense cold. Besides, it would have only been necessary to go some yards beneath the waves to find a more bearable temperature. Two months earlier, we should have had perpetual daylight in these latitudes, but already we had had three or four hours of night. And by and by, there would be six months of darkness in these circummabolar regions. On the 15th of March, we were in the latitude of New Shetland and South Orchney. The captain told me that formerly numerous tribes of seals inhabited them before the English and American whalers came through. About eight o'clock on the morning of the 16th of March, the Nautilus following the 55th Meridian cut the Antarctic polar circle.

I surrounded us on all sides and closed the horizon, but Captain Nemo went from one opening to

another, still going higher. I cannot express my astonishment at the beauties of these new regions. The ice took most surprising forms. Here the grouping formed a town with innumerable mosques and minarets. There a fallen city thrown to the earth as it wore by some convulsion of nature. The whole aspect was constantly changed by the oblique rays of the sun, or lost in the grayish fog amidst hurricanes of snow. that nations and falls were heard on all sides. Great overthrows of icebergs, which altered the whole landscape, like a diorama. Often seeing no exit, I thought we were definitely prisoners. But instinct, guiding him at the slightest indication, Captain Nima would discover a new pass. He was never mistaken when he saw the thin threats of bluish water trickling along the ice fields, and I had no doubt that he had already ventured into the midst of these Antarctic seas before. On the 16th of March, however, the ice fields absolutely blocked our road. It was not the iceberg itself, as yet, but vast fields cemented by the cold. But this obstacle could not stop Captain Nemo. He hurled himself against. The nodalist interred the brittle mass like a wedge, and split it with loud crackings. It was the battering ram of the ancients hurled by infinite strength. The ice, thrown high in the air, fell, like hail around us. By its own power of emulsion, our apparatus made a canal for itself. Sometimes carried away by its own impetus, it lodged on the ice field, crushing it with its weight, and sometimes buried beneath it, dividing it by a simple pitching movement, producing large rents in it. Gales theailed us at this time, accompanied by thick fogs, through which, from one end of the platform to the other, we could see nothing. The wind blew sharply from all parts of the compass, and the snow lay in such hard heaps that we had to break it with blows of a pickaxe. The temperature was always at 5 degrees below zero. Every outward part of the nautilus was covered with ice. A rigged vessel would have been entangled in the blocked-up gorges, a vessel without sails, with electricity for its motive power, and wanting no coal could alone brave such high altitudes. At length, on the 18th of March, the Nautilus was positively blocked. It was no longer either streams, packs or ice fields, but an interminable and immovable barrier formed by the mountains pushed together. An iceberg said the Canadian to me. I knew that to netland as well as to all other navigators who had preceded us, this was inevitable obstacle. The sun appearing for an instant at noon, Captain Nemo took an observation as near as possible, which gave our situation at 51 degrees, 30 minutes longitude, and 67 degrees, 39 minutes of south latitude. We had advanced one degree more in this Antarctic region. Of the liquid surface of the sea, there was no longer a glimpse. under the spur of the non-alously stretched-of-ast plain, entangled with confused blocks. Here and there, sharp points and slender needles rising to a height of 200 feet. Further on a steep shore, hewn as it wore with an axe and clothed with grayish tints, huge mirrors reflecting a few rays of sunshine, half drowned in the fog, and over this desolate face of nature, a stern silence rained, scarcely broken by the flapping of the wings of petrels and puffins. Everything was frozen, even the noise. The The notalus was then obliged to stop in its adventurous course amid these fields of

ice. In spite of our efforts, in spite of the powerful means employed to break up the ice, the Nautilus remained a movable. Generally, when we can proceed no further, we have returned still open to us.

But here, return was as impossible as advance, for every pass had closed behind us.

And for the few moments when we were stationary, we were likely to be entirely blocked, which did indeed happen about two o'clock in the afternoon. The fresh ice forming around its sides with astonishing rapidity. I was obliged to admit that Captain Nemo was more than imprudent. I was on the platform at that moment. The captain had been observing our situation for some time past when he said to me, well sir, what do you think of this? I think that we are caught, Captain.

So, Monsieur Aeronax, you really think that the Nautilus cannot disengage itself? With difficulty, Captain, for the season is already too far advanced for you to reckon on the the breaking of the ice.

Ah, sir.

Said Captain Nemo in an ironical tone. "'You will always be the same. You see nothing but difficulties and obstacles. I affirm that not only can the Nautilus disengage itself, but also that it can go further still. Further to the south, I asked, looking at the captain. Yes, sir, it shall go to the pole. To the pole, I exclaimed, unable to repress a gesture of incredulity. Yes, reply the captain, coldly, to the Antarctic pole, to the unknown point from when spring's every meridian of the globe. You know whether I can do as I please with the Nautilus? Yes, I knew that. I knew that this man was bold, even to rashness. But to conquer those obstacles which bristled around the South Pole, rendering it more inaccessible than the North, which had not yet been reached by the boldest navigators, was it not a mad enterprise? One which only a maniac would have conceived? It then came into my head to ask Captain Nemo if he had ever discovered that pole which had never yet been trotted by a human creature. No, sir. He replied, but we will discover it together, where others have failed. I will not fail. I have never yet let my noddle is so far into southern seas, but I repeat, it shall go further yet. I can well believe you, Captain," said I, in a slightly ironical tone.

I believe you.

Let us go ahead.

There are no obstacles for us.

Let us smash this iceberg.

Let us blow it up and if it resists, let us give the notalless wings to fly over it. Over it, sir. Set Captain Nemo. No. Not over it. But under it. Under it, I exclaimed a sudden idea of the captain's projects flashing upon my mind. I understood the wonderful qualities of the Nautilus were going to serve us in this superhuman enterprise. I see we are beginning to understand one another, sir," said the captain, half smiling. You begin to see the possibility. I should say the success of this attempt, that which is impossible for an ordinary vessel is easy to the notilless. If a continent lies before the pole, it must stop before the continent. But if on the contrary, the pole is washed by open sea, it will go even to the pole. Certainly, said I, carried away by the captain's reasoning, if the surface of this sea is solidified by the ice, the lower depths are free by the providential law which has placed the maximum of density of the waters of the ocean one degree higher than freezing point. And, if I am not mistaken, the portion of this iceberg which is above the water is as one to four to that which is below. Very nearly sir, for one foot of iceberg above the sea, there are three below it. If these ice mountains are not more than 300 feet above the surface, they are not more than 900 beneath, and what are 900 feet to the non-alus? Nothing, sir. It could even seek at greater depths that uniform temperature of seawater and there brave with impunity the 30 or 40 degrees of surface cold. Just so, sir, just so, I replied, getting animated. The only difficulty, continued Captain Nemo, is that of remaining several days without renewing our provision of air. Is that all? The Nautilus has vast reservoirs. We can fill them, and they will supply us with all the oxygen we want. Well thought of, Mesier Aeronax replied the captain, smiling. But not wishing you to accuse me of rationalishness, I will first give you all my objections. you anymore to make? Only one. It is possible if the sea exists at the South Pole that it may be covered. And consequently, we shall be unable to come to the surface. Good, sir. But do you forget that the Nautilus armed with a powerful spur, and could we not send it diagonally against these fields of ice which would open at the shocks? Ah, you are full of ideas today, good, sir. Besides, Captain, I added, enthusiastically, why should we not find the sea open at the south pole as well as at the north? The frozen poles of the earth do not coincide either in the southern or in the northern regions. And until it is proved to the contrary, we may suppose either a continent or an ocean free from ice at these two points of the globe. I think so too, Missyre Aranaxe replied Captain Nemo. I only wish you to observe that after having made so many objections to my project, you are now crushing me with arguments in its favor. The preparations for this audacious attempt now began. The powerful pumps of the Nautilus were working air into the reservoirs and storing it at high pressure. About four o'clock, Captain Nemo announced the closing of the panels on the platform. I threw one last look at the massive iceberg which we were going to cross. The weather was clear. The atmosphere pure enough. The cold, very great. Being 12 degrees below zero. But the wind having gone down, this temperature was not so unbearable. About ten men mounted the sides of the Nautilus armed with pickaxes to break the ice around the vessel, which was soon free. The operation was quickly performed, for the fresh ice was still very thin. We all went below. The usual reservoirs were filled with the newly liberated water, and the nautilus soon descended. I had taken my place with con say in the saloon. Through the open window we could see the lower beds of the southern ocean. The thermometer went up, the needle of the compass deviated on the dial. At about 900 feet as Captain Nemo had foreseen, we were floating beneath the undulating bottom of the iceberg, but the nautilus went lower still. It went to the depth of 400 fathoms. the temperature of the water at the surface. The temperature of the water at the surface showed 12 degrees. It was now only 10. We had gained two. I need not say the temperature of the nautilus was raised by its heating apparatus to a much higher degree. Every maneuver was accomplished by the the Nautilus was raised by its heating apparatus to a much higher degree. "'Every maneuver was accomplished with wonderful precision. We shall pass it if you please, sir,' said Conze. "'I believe we shall,' I said, in a tone of firm conviction.

In this open sea, the Nautilus had taken its course direct to the pole

without leaving the 52nd Meridian. From 67 degrees, 30 minutes to 90 degrees,

22 degrees and a half of latitude remained to travel. That is about 500 leagues. The Nautilus kept up a mean speed of 26 miles an hour, the speed of an express train. If that was kept up in 40 hours, we should reach the pole. For a part of the night, the novelty of the situation kept us at the window. The sea was lit with the electric lantern, but it was deserted. Fishes did not sojourn in these imprisoned waters. They only found there a passage to take them from the Antarctic ocean to the open polar sea. Our pace was rapid. We could feel it by the quivering of the long steel body. About two in the morning, I took some hours' repose, and Konse did the same. In crossing the waste, I did not meet Captain Nemo. I supposed him to be in the pilot's cage. The next morning, the 19th of March, I took my post once more in the saloon. The electric log told me that the speed of the non-liss had been slackened. It was then going towards the surface, but prudently emptying its reservoirs very slowly. My heartbeat. We were going to emerge and regain the open polar atmosphere. No. A shock told me that the non-alice had struck the bottom of the iceberg, still very thick, judging from the dead and sound. We had indeed struck to use a sea expression, but in an inverse sense, and at a thousand feet deep, this would give three thousand feet of ice above us, one thousand being above the watermark. The iceberg was then higher than at its borders, not a very reassuring fact. Several times that day the Nautilus tried again and every time it struck the wall which lay like a ceiling above it. Sometimes it met with but 900 yards, only 200 of which rose above the surface. It was twice the height it was when the nautilus had gone under the waves. I carefully noted the different depths and thus obtained submarine profile of the chain as it was developed under the water. That night, no change had taken place in our situation. ice between four and five hundred yards in depth. It was evidently diminishing, but still, what a thickness between us and the surface of the ocean. It was then eight. According to the daily custom on board, the Nautilus, its air should have been renewed

four hours ago, but I did not suffer much, although Captain Nemo had not yet made any demand upon his reserve of oxygen. I rose several times.

The groping of the Nautilus continued.

About... I rose several times. The groping of the Nautilus continued. About three in the morning, I noticed that the lower surface of the iceberg was only about 50 feet deep. 150 feet now separated us from the surface of the waters. The iceberg was by degrees becoming a nice field. The mountain, a plane. My eyes never left the monometer. We were still rising diagonally to the surface, which sparkled under the electric rays. The iceberg was stretching both above and beneath into lengthening slopes. Mile after mile, it was getting thinner. length at six in the morning of that memorable day,

the 19th of March, the door of the saloon opened and Captain Nemo appeared. 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 gweld. Yn yw'n gweld. Yn yw'n gweld.

Yn yw'n gweld.

...