Music Welcome to Newscast, 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 Morning Mists. 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 sailors on the Abraham I'm a keen eye on the water searching for the sea monster. Every time someone thinks they might see something, a great rush of excitement washes over the ship, Only to subside into disappointment shortly after. The ship spends three months in the deep Pacific scouring every inch of the ocean. Eventually, Farragut announces that if the monster is still not found after three days, they will have to abandon the mission.

They are about to turn back on the final day. When Ned land, the Harpoon leader spots the object of their search. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your head. Now take a few deep breaths. The crew waited impatiently for their chiefs orders. The latter, after having observed the giant sea animal attentively, called the engineer. The engineer ran to him. Sir, said the commander. You have steam up? Yes, sir. Answered the engineer. Well, make up your fires and put on all steam. Three Haras greeted this order. The time for the struggle had arrived. Some moments after, the two funnels of the frigate released torrents of black smoke and the bridge quaked under the trembling of the boilers. The Abraham Lincoln propelled by her wonderful screw, went straight at the animal. The latter allowed it to come within half a cable's length. Then, as if disdaining to dive, it took a little turn and stopped a short distance off. This pursuit lasted nearly three quarters of an hour without the frigate gaining two yards on the cetacean. It was quite evident that at that rate we should never come up with it. Well, Mr. Land, asked the captain, do you advise me to put the boats out to sea? No, sir, reply netland, because we shall not take that beast easily. What shall we do then? Put on more

steam if you can, sir, with your leave, I mean to post myself, and if we get within harpooning distance, I shall throw my harpoon." Go Ned, send the captain, engineer, put on more pressure. Ned land went to his post, the fires were increased, the screw revolved 43 times a minute, and the steam poured out of the valves. We heaved the log and calculated that the Abraham Lincoln was going at the rate of 18 and a half miles an hour. But the accursed animal swam at the same speed. For a whole hour, the frigate kept up this pace without gaining six feet. It was humiliating for one of the swiftest sailors in the American Navy. A stubborn anger seized the crew. The sailors abused the monster who, as before, distained to answer them. The captain no longer contended himself with twisting his beard. He nodded. The engineer was called again. He have turned full steam on. Yes, sir, replied the engineer. The speed of the Abraham Lincoln increased. Its masts trembled down to their stepping-holes, and the clouds of smoke could hardly find way out of the narrow funnels. They heaved the log a second time. Well, asked the captain of the man at the wheel, 19 miles and 3-10sr, clap on more steam, the engineer obeyed. The manometer showed 10 degrees, but the situation grew through warm itself, no doubt. For without straining itself, it made 19 and 3 tens miles. What a pursuit. No, I cannot describe the emotion that vibrated through me. Nedland kept his post, our poo in hand. Several times the animal let us gain upon it. We shall catch it. We shall catch it." cried the Canadian. But just as he was going to strike, the cetaceans stole away with a rapidity that could not be estimated at less than 30 miles an hour. And even during our maximum of speed, it bullied the frigate, going round and round it, a cry of fury broke from everyone. At noon, we were no further advanced than at 8 o'clock in the morning. The captain then decided to take more direct means. Huh?" said he.

That animal goes quicker than the Abraham Lincoln. Very well. We will see whether it will escape these conical bullets. Send your men to the forecastle, sir. The forecastle gun was immediately loaded and slewed around, but the shock passed some feet above the citation, which was half a mile off. Another, more to the right, cried the commander, and five dollars to whoever will hit that infernal beast. An old gunner with a grey beard that I can see now, with steady eye and grave face, went up to the gun and took a long aim. A loud report was heard, with which were mingled the cheers of the crew. The bullet did its work. It hit the animal, and sliding off the rounded surface was lost in two miles depth of sea. The chase began again, and the captain, leaning towards me, said, I will pursue that beast till my frigate bursts up. Yes, answered I, and you will be quite right to do it. I wished the beast would exhaust itself, and not be insensible to fatigue like a steam engine, but it was of no use. Hours passed, without it showing any signs of exhaustion. However, it must be said in praise of the Abraham Lincoln that she struggled. I cannot reckon the distance she made under 300 miles during this unlucky day, November the 6th, but night came on and overshadowed the rough ocean. Now I thought our expedition was at an end and that we should never again see the extraordinary animal. I was mistaken. At ten minutes to eleven in the evening, the electric light reappeared three miles to windward of the frigate, as pure as intense as during the preceding night. The gnar wall seemed motionless, perhaps tired with its day's work, it slept, letting itself float with the undulation of the waves. Now was a chance of which the captain resolved to take advantage. He gave his orders. The Abraham Lincoln kept up half steam and advanced cautiously so as not to awake its adversary. The Canadian went to take his place again under the bowspread. The frigate approached noiselessly, stopped at two cable slinks from the animal and following its track. No one breathed, a deep silence rained on the bridge. We were not a hundred feet from the burning focus, the light of which increased and dazzled our eyes. At this moment, leaning on the four castle ball work, I saw below me Nedland, grappling the Martin Gale in one hand, brandishing his terrible harpoon in the other, scarcely 20 feet from the motionless animal. Suddenly, his arm strained, and the harpoon was thrown. I heard the sonorous stroke of the weapon, which seemed to have struck a hard body. The electric light went out suddenly, and two enormous waterspouts broke over the bridge of the frigate, rushing like a torrent from stem to stern, overthrowing men and breaking the lashings of the spars. A fearful shock followed, and thrown over the rail without having time to stop myself, I fell into the sea. Chapter 7 An Unknown Species of Whale This unexpected fall so stunned me that I have no clear recollection of my sensations at the time. I was at first drawn down to a depth of about twenty feet. I am a good swimmer, though without pretending to rival Byron or Edgar Poe, who are masters of the art. And In that plunge I did not lose my presence of mind. Two vigorous strokes brought me to the surface of the water. My first care was to look for the frigate. Had the crew seen me disappear. Had the Abraham Lincoln veered round. the captain put put out a boat? Might I hope to be saved. The darkness was intense. I caught a glimpse of a black mass disappearing in the east. It's beacon lights dying out in the distance. It was the frigate. I was lost.

Help. Help. I shouted, swimming towards the Abraham Lincoln and desperation. My clothes encumbered me. They seemed glued to my body and and paralyzed my movements.

I was sinking.

I was suffocating.

Help. and glued to my body and paralyzed my movements. I was sinking. I was suffocating. Help! This was my last cry. My mouth filled with water. I struggled against being drawn down into the abyss. Suddenly, my clothes were seized by a strong hand, and I felt myself quickly drawn up to the surface of the sea, and I heard, yes, I heard these words pronounced in my ear. If Master would be so good as to lean on my shoulder, Master would swim with much greater ease. I seized with one hand

my faithful con say's arm. Is it you? Said I, you? Myself answered con say and waiting master's orders. That shock through you as well as me into the sea. No, but being in my master's service I followed him. The worthy fellow thought that was but natural. And the frigate, I asked, the frigate replied, con say, turning on his back. I think that master had better not count too much on her. You think so? I say that at the time I threw myself into the sea, I heard the men at the wheel say the screw and the rudder are broken. Broken? Yes, broken by the monster's teeth. It is the only injury the Abraham Lincoln has sustained. But it is a bad look out for us. She no longer answers her helm. Then we are lost.

Perhaps so, calmly answered Kansai. However, we have still several hours before us, and one can do a good deal in some hours. Kansai's coolness set me up again. I swam more vigorously, but cramped by my clothes, which stuck to me like a lead-in weight, I felt great difficulty in bearing up. Con say saw this. Well, Master, let me make a slit. Said he, and slipping in an open knife under my clothes, he ripped them up from top to bottom very

rapidly, then he cleverly slipped them off of me while I swam for both of us. Then I did the same for Kansai, and we continued to swim near to each other. Nevertheless, our situation was no less terrible. our disappearance had not been noticed. And if it had been, the frigate could not tack, being without its helm. Konsei argued on this supposition and laid his plans accordingly. This quiet boy was perfectly self-possessed. then decided that, as our only chance of safety was being picked up by the Abraham Lincoln's boats, we ought to manage so as to wait for them as long as possible. I resolved then to husband our strength, so that both should not be exhausted at the same time. And this is how we managed, while one of us lay on our back, quite still, with arms crossed, and legs stretched out, the other would swim and push the other on in front. This towing business did not last more than ten minutes each, and relieving each other thus we could swim on for some hours. Perhaps till daybreak. Poor chance, but hope is so firmly rooted in the heart of man. Moreover there were two of us, Indeed, I declare, though it may seem improbable, if I sought to destroy all hope, if I wished to despair, I could not. The collision of the frigate with the cetacean had occurred about eleven o'clock in the evening before. I reckoned then we should have eight hours to swim before sunrise, an operation quite practicable if we relieved each other. The sea, very calm, was in our favor. Sometimes I tried to pierce the intense darkness that was only dispelled by the phosphorescence caused by our movements. I watched the luminous waves that broke over my hand, whose mirror-like surface was spotted with silvery rings. One might have said that we were in a bath of quick silver. Near one o'clock in the morning, I was seized with dreadful fatigue. My limbs stiffened under the strain of violent cramp. Conce was obliged to keep me up. And our preservation devolved on him alone. I heard the poor boy pant. His breathing became short and hurried. I found that he could not keep up much longer. Leave me. Leave me. I said to him. Leave my master. Never replied he. I would drown first. Just then, the moon appeared through the fringes of a thick cloud that the wind was driving to the east. The surface of the sea glittered with its rays. This kindly light reanimated us. My head got better again. I looked at all points of their horizon. I saw the frigate. She was five miles from us and looked like a dark mass, hardly discernible, but no boats. I would have cried out, but what good would it have been at such a distance? My swollen lips could utter no sounds. Conceit could articulate some words, and I heard him repeat at intervals, help, help. Our movements were suspended for an instant. We listened.

It might be only a singing in the ear, but it seemed to me as if a cry answered the cry from Konsei. Did you hear? I murmured. Yes, yes. And Konsei gave one more despair and cry. This time there was no mistake, a human voice responded to ours. Was it the voice of another unfortunate creature, abandoned in the middle of the ocean? Some other victim of the shock sustained by the vessel, or rather was it a boat from the frigate that was hailing us in the darkness? Conce made a last effort, and leaning on my shoulder, while I struck out in a desperate effort, he raised himself half out of the water, then fell back exhausted. What did you see? I saw, murmured he. I saw, put do not talk. Reserve all your strength. What had he seen? Then I know not why. The thought of the monster came into my head for the first time. But that voice. The time is passed for Jonas to take refuge in Wales, Bellys. However, Konsei was towing me again. He raised his head sometimes, looked before us, and uttered a cry of recognition, which was responded to by a voice that came nearer and nearer. I scarcely heard it. My strength was exhausted. My fingers stiffened. My hand afforded me support no longer. My mouth, convulsively opening, filled with salt water. Cold crept over me, I raised my head for the last time, then I sank. At this moment, a hard body struck me, I clung to it, then I felt that I was being drawn up, that I was brought to the surface of the water, that my chest

collapsed, I fainted. It is certain that I soon came too, thanks to the vigorous rubbings that I received, I half-opened my eyes. Conce, I murmured. Do you call me, asked Kansai, Just then, by the waning light of the moon which was sinking down to the horizon, I saw face which was not Kansai's and which I immediately recognized. NED, I cried. The same, sir, who was seeking his prize, replied the Canadian, were you thrown into the sea by the shock of the frigate? Yes, Professor, but more fortunate than you, I was able to find a footing almost directly upon a floating island. An island? Or more correctly speaking, on our gigantic normal. Explain yourself, Ned. Only I soon found out why my harpoon had not entered its skin and was blunted. Why, Ned? Why? Because, Professor, that beast is made of sheet iron.

The Canadian Slime... because, Professor, that beast is made of sheet iron. The Canadians' last words produced a sudden revolution in my brain. I regaled myself quickly to the top of the being, or object, half out of the water, which served us for a refuge. I kicked it. It was evidently a hard, impenetrable body, and not the soft substance that forms the bodies of the great marine mammalia. But this hard body might be a bony covering. And I should be free to class this monster among amphibious reptiles such as tortoises or alligators. Well, no. The blackish back that supported me was smooth, polished, without scales. cells, the blow produced a metallic sound, and incredible though it may be, it seemed I might say, as if it was made of riveted plates. There was no doubt about it, this monster, this natural phenomenon that had puzzled the learned world and overthrown and misled the imagination of semen of both hemispheres, it must be owned and was still more astonishing phenomenon in as much as it was simply human construction. We had no time to lose, however. We were lying upon the back of a sort of submarine boat, which appeared as far as I could judge, like a huge fish of steel. But Leanne's mind was made up on this this point. Con say and I could only agree with him. Just then a bubbling began at the back of this strange thing, which was evidently propelled by a screw, and it began to move. We had only just time to seize hold of the upper part, which rose above seven feet out of the water, and happily its speed was not great. As long as it sails horizontally, muddled netland, I do not mind, but if it takes a fancy to dive, I would not give two straws for my life. The Canadian might have said still less. It became really necessary to communicate with the beings, whatever they were, shut up inside the machine. I searched all over the outside for an aperture, a panel, or a manhole to use a technical expression, but the lines of the iron rivets, saltly driven into the joints of the iron plates, were clear and uniform. the moon disappeared then and left us in total darkness. At last, this long night passed. My indistinct remembrance prevents me from describing all the impressions it made. I can only recall one circumstance, during some lulls of the wind and sea. I fancied I heard several times vague sounds, a sort of fugitive harmony produced by words of command. What was then the mystery of this submarine craft, of which the whole world vainly saw an explanation? What kind of beings existed in this strange boat? What mechanical agent caused its prodigious speed? They break appeared. The morning mists surrounded us, but they soon cleared off. I was about to examine the hall, which formed on deck a kind of horizontal platform. When I felt it gradually thinking. Oh, can found it, cried Neth land, kicking the resounding plate. Open you in hospitable rascals. Happily, the sinking movement ceased, suddenly a noise. like ironworks violently pushed aside, came from the interior of the boat. One iron plate was moved, a man appeared, uttered an odd cry and disappeared immediately. Some moments after eight strong men with masked faces appeared noiselessly and drew

us down into their formidable machine.