Part 3 - The Secret of the Island: Chapter 18

by Jules Verne

　　At break of day the colonists regained in silence the entrance of thecavern, to which they gave the name of "Dakkar Grotto," in memory ofCaptain Nemo. It was now low-water, and they passed without difficultyunder the arcade, washed on the right by the sea.

　　The canoe was left here, carefully protected from the waves. Asadditional precaution, Pencroft, Neb, and Ayrton drew it up on a littlebeach which bordered one of the sides of the grotto, in a spot where itcould run no risk of harm.

　　The storm had ceased during the night. The last low mutterings of thethunder died away in the west. Rain fell no longer, but the sky was yetobscured by clouds. On the whole, this month of October, the first of thesouthern spring, was not ushered in by satisfactory tokens, and the windhad a tendency to shift from one point of the compass to another, whichrendered it impossible to count upon settled weather.

　　Cyrus Harding and his companions, on leaving Dakkar Grotto, had taken theroad to the corral. On their way Neb and Herbert were careful to preservethe wire which had been laid down by the captain between the corral and thegrotto, and which might at a future time be of service.

　　The colonists spoke but little on the road. The various incidents of thenight of October 15th had left a profound impression on their minds. Theunknown being whose influence had so effectually protected them, the manwhom their imagination had endowed with supernatural powers, Captain Nemo,was no more. His "Nautilus" and he were buried in the depths of the abyss.To each one of them their existence seemed even more isolated than before.They had been accustomed to count upon the intervention of that power whichexisted no longer, and Gideon Spilett, and even Cyrus Harding, could notescape this impression. Thus they maintained a profound silence duringtheir journey to the corral.

　　Towards nine in the morning the colonists arrived at Granite House.

　　It had been agreed that the construction of the vessel should be activelypushed forward, and Cyrus Harding more than ever devoted his time and laborto this object. It was impossible to divine what future lay before them.Evidently the advantage to the colonists would be great of having at theirdisposal a substantial vessel, capable of keeping the sea even in heavyweather, and large enough to attempt, in case of need, a voyage of someduration. Even if, when their vessel should be completed, the colonistsshould not resolve to leave Lincoln Island as yet, in order to gain eitherone of the Polynesian Archipelagoes of the Pacific or the shores of NewZealand, they might at least, sooner or later, proceed to Tabor Island, toleave there the notice relating to Ayrton. This was a precaution renderedindispensable by the possibility of the Scotch yacht reappearing in thoseseas, and it was of the highest importance that nothing should be neglectedon this point.

　　The works were then resumed. Cyrus Harding, Pencroft, and Ayrton,assisted by Neb, Gideon Spilett, and Herbert, except when unavoidablycalled off by other necessary occupations, worked without cessation. It wasimportant that the new vessel should be ready in five months--that is tosay, by the beginning of March--if they wished to visit Tabor Island beforethe equinoctial gales rendered the voyage impracticable. Therefore thecarpenters lost not a moment. Moreover, it was unnecessary to manufacturerigging, that of the "Speedy" having been saved entire, so that the hullonly of the vessel needed to be constructed.

　　The end of the year 1868 found them occupied by these important labors,to the exclusion of almost all others. At the expiration of two months anda half the ribs had been set up and the first planks adjusted. It wasalready evident that the plans made by Cyrus Harding were admirable, andthat the vessel would behave well at sea.

　　Pencroft brought to the task a devouring energy, and would even grumblewhen one or the other abandoned the carpenter's axe for the gun of thehunter. It was nevertheless necessary to keep up the stores of GraniteHouse, in view of the approaching winter. But this did not satisfyPencroft. The brave, honest sailor was not content when the workmen werenot at the dockyard. when this happened he grumbled vigorously, and, by wayof venting his feelings, did the work of six men.

　　The weather was very unfavorable during the whole of the summer season.For some days the heat was overpowering, and the atmosphere, saturated withelectricity, was only cleared by violent storms. It was rarely that thedistant growling of the thunder could not be heard, like a low butincessant murmur, such as is produced in the equatorial regions of theglobe.

　　The 1st of January, 1869, was signalized by a storm of extreme violence,and the thunder burst several times over the island. Large trees werestruck by the electric fluid and shattered, and among others one of thosegigantic nettle-trees which had shaded the poultry-yard at the southernextremity of the lake. Had this meteor any relation to the phenomena goingon in the bowels of the earth? Was there any connection between thecommotion of the atmosphere and that of the interior of the earth? CyrusHarding was inclined to think that such was the case, for the developmentof these storms was attended by the renewal of volcanic symptoms.

　　It was on the 3rd of January that Herbert, having ascended at daybreak tothe plateau of Prospect Heights to harness one of the onagers, perceived anenormous hat-shaped cloud rolling from the summit of the volcano.

　　Herbert immediately apprised the colonists, who at once joined him inwatching the summit of Mount Franklin.

　　"Ah!" exclaimed Pencroft, "those are not vapors this time! It seems to methat the giant is not content with breathing; he must smoke!"

　　This figure of speech employed by the sailor exactly expressed thechanges going on at the mouth of the volcano. Already for three months hadthe crater emitted vapors more or less dense, but which were as yetproduced only by an internal ebullition of mineral substances. But now thevapors were replaced by a thick smoke, rising in the form of a grayishcolumn, more than three hundred feet in width at its base, and which spreadlike an immense mushroom to a height of from seven to eight hundred feetabove the summit of the mountain.

　　"The fire is in the chimney," observed Gideon Spilett.

　　"And we can't put it out!" replied Herbert.

　　"The volcano ought to be swept," observed Neb, who spoke as if perfectlyserious.

　　"Well said, Neb!" cried Pencroft, with a shout of laughter; "and you'llundertake the job, no doubt?"

　　Cyrus Harding attentively observed the dense smoke emitted by MountFranklin, and even listened, as if expecting to hear some distantmuttering. Then, turning towards his companions, from whom he had gonesomewhat apart, he said,--

　　"The truth is, my friends, we must not conceal from ourselves that animportant change is going forward. The volcanic substances are no longer ina state of ebullition, they have caught fire, and we are undoubtedlymenaced by an approaching eruption."

　　"Well, captain," said Pencroft, "we shall witness the eruption; and if itis a good one, we'll applaud it. I don't see that we need concern ourselvesfurther about the matter."

　　"It may be so," replied Cyrus Harding, "for the ancient track of the lavais still open; and thanks to this, the crater has hitherto overflowedtowards the north. And yet--"

　　"And yet, as we can derive no advantage from an eruption, it might bebetter it should not take place," said the reporter.

　　"Who knows?" answered the sailor. "Perhaps there may be some valuablesubstance in this volcano, which it will spout forth, and which we may turnto good account!"

　　Cyrus Harding shook his head with the air of a man who augured no goodfrom the phenomenon whose development had been so sudden. He did not regardso lightly as Pencroft the results of an eruption. If the lava, inconsequence of the position of the crater, did not directly menace thewooded and cultivated parts of the island, other complications mightpresent themselves. In fact, eruptions are not unfrequently accompanied byearthquakes; and an island of the nature of Lincoln Island, formed ofsubstances so varied, basalt on one side, granite on the other, lava on thenorth, rich soil on the south, substances which consequently could not befirmly attached to each other, would be exposed to the risk ofdisintegration. Although, therefore, the spreading of the volcanic mattermight not constitute a serious danger, any movement of the terrestrialstructure which should shake the island might entail the gravestconsequences.

　　"It seems to me," said Ayrton, who had reclined so as to place his ear tothe ground, "it seems to me that I can hear a dull, rumbling sound, likethat of a wagon loaded with bars of iron."

　　The colonists listened with the greatest attention, and were convincedthat Ayrton was not mistaken. The rumbling was mingled with a subterraneanroar, which formed a sort of rinforzando, and died slowly away, as if someviolent storm had passed through the profundities of the globe. But noexplosion properly so termed, could be heard. It might therefore beconcluded that the vapors and smoke found a free passage through thecentral shaft; and that the safety-valve being sufficiently large, noconvulsion would be produced, no explosion was to be apprehended.

　　"Well, then!" said Pencroft, "are we not going back to work? Let MountFranklin smoke, groan, bellow, or spout forth fire and flame as much as itpleases, that is no reason why we should be idle! Come, Ayrton, Neb,Herbert, Captain Harding, Mr. Spilett, every one of us must turn to at ourwork to-day! We are going to place the keelson, and a dozen pair of handswould not be too many. Before two months I want our new 'Bonadventure '--for we shall keep the old name, shall we not?--to float on the waters ofPort Balloon! Therefore there is not an hour to lose!"

　　All the colonists, their services thus requisitioned by Pencroft,descended to the dockyard, and proceeded to place the keelson, a thick massof wood which forms the lower portion of a ship and unites firmly thetimbers of the hull. It was an arduous undertaking, in which all took part.

　　They continued their labors during the whole of this day, the 3rd ofJanuary, without thinking further of the volcano, which could not, besides,be seen from the shore of Granite House. But once or twice, large shadows,veiling the sun, which described its diurnal arc through an extremely clearsky, indicated that a thick cloud of smoke passed between its disc and theisland. The wind, blowing on the shore, carried all these vapors to thewestward. Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett remarked these somberappearances, and from time to time discussed the evident progress of thevolcanic phenomena, but their work went on without interruption. It was,besides, of the first importance from every point of view, that the vesselshould be finished with the least possible delay. In presence of theeventualities which might arise, the safety of the colonists would be to agreat extent secured by their ship. Who could tell that it might not provesome day their only refuge?

　　In the evening, after supper, Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, and Herbertagain ascended the plateau of Prospect Heights. It was already dark, andthe obscurity would permit them to ascertain if flames or incandescentmatter thrown up by the volcano were mingled with the vapor and smokeaccumulated at the mouth of the crater.

　　"The crater is on fire!" said Herbert, who, more active than hiscompanion, first reached the plateau.

　　Mount Franklin, distant about six miles, now appeared like a gigantictorch, around the summit of which turned fuliginous flames. So much smoke,and possibly scoriae and cinders were mingled with them, that their lightgleamed but faintly amid the gloom of the night. But a kind of luridbrilliancy spread over the island, against which stood out confusedly thewooded masses of the heights. Immense whirlwinds of vapor obscured the sky,through which glimmered a few stars.

　　"The change is rapid!" said the engineer.

　　"That is not surprising," answered the reporter. "The reawakening of thevolcano already dates back some time. You may remember, Cyrus, that thefirst vapors appeared about the time we searched the sides of the mountainto discover Captain Nemo's retreat. It was, if I mistake not, about the15th of October."

　　"Yes," replied Herbert, "two months and a half ago!"

　　"The subterranean fires have therefore been smoldering for ten weeks,"resumed Gideon Spilett, "and it is not to be wondered at that they nowbreak out with such violence!"

　　"Do not you feel a certain vibration of the soil?" asked Cyrus Harding.

　　"Yes," replied Gideon Spilett, "but there is a great difference betweenthat and an earthquake."

　　"I do not affirm that we are menaced with an earthquake," answered CyrusHarding, "may God preserve us from that! No; these vibrations are due tothe effervescence of the central fire. The crust of the earth is simply theshell of a boiler, and you know that such a shell, under the pressure ofsteam, vibrates like a sonorous plate. it is this effect which is beingproduced at this moment."

　　"What magnificent flames!" exclaimed Herbert.

　　At this instant a kind of bouquet of flames shot forth from the crater,the brilliancy of which was visible even through the vapors. Thousands ofluminous sheets and barbed tongues of fire were cast in various directions.Some, extending beyond the dome of smoke, dissipated it, leaving behind anincandescent powder. This was accompanied by successive explosions,resembling the discharge of a battery of machine-guns.

　　Cyrus Harding, the reporter, and Herbert, after spending an hour on theplateau of Prospect Heights, again descended to the beach, and returned toGranite House. The engineer was thoughtful and preoccupied, so much so,indeed, that Gideon Spilett inquired if he apprehended any immediatedanger, of which the eruption might directly or indirectly be the cause.

　　"Yes, and no," answered Cyrus Harding.

　　"Nevertheless," continued the reporter, "would not the greatestmisfortune which could happen to us be an earthquake which would overturnthe island? Now, I do not suppose that this is to be feared, since thevapors and lava have found a free outlet."

　　"True," replied Cyrus Harding, "and I do not fear an earthquake in thesense in which the term is commonly applied to convulsions of the soilprovoked by the expansion of subterranean gases. But other causes mayproduce great disasters."

　　"How so, my dear Cyrus?'

　　"I am not certain. I must consider. I must visit the mountain. In a fewdays I shall learn more on this point."

　　Gideon Spilett said no more, and soon, in spite of the explosions of thevolcano, whose intensity increased, and which were repeated by the echoesof the island, the inhabitants of Granite House were sleeping soundly.

　　Three days passed by--the 4th, 5th, and 6th of January. The constructionof the vessel was diligently continued, and without offering furtherexplanations the engineer pushed forward the work with all his energy.Mount Franklin was now hooded by a somber cloud of sinister aspect, and,amid the flames, vomiting forth incandescent rocks, some of which fell backinto the crater itself. This caused Pencroft, who would only look at thematter in the light of a joke, to exclaim,--

　　"Ah! the giant is playing at cup and ball; he is a conjurer."

　　in fact, the substances thrown up fell back again in to the abyss, and itdid not seem that the lava, though swollen by the internal pressure, hadyet risen to the orifice of the crater. At any rate, the opening on thenortheast, which was partly visible, poured out no torrent upon thenorthern slope of the mountain.

　　Nevertheless, however pressing was the construction of the vessel, otherduties demanded the presence of the colonists on various portions of theisland. Before everything it was necessary to go to the corral, where theflocks of musmons and goats were enclosed, and replenish the provision offorage for those animals. It was accordingly arranged that Ayrton shouldproceed thither the next day, the 7th of January; and as he was sufficientfor the task, to which he was accustomed, Pencroft and the rest weresomewhat surprised on hearing the engineer say to Ayrton--

　　"As you are going to-morrow to the corral I will accompany you."

　　"But, Captain Harding," exclaimed the sailor, "our working days will notbe many, and if you go also we shall be two pair of hands short!"

　　"We shall return to-morrow," replied Cyrus Harding, "but it is necessarythat I should go to the corral. I must learn how the eruption isprogressing."

　　"The eruption! always the eruption!" answered Pencroft, with an air ofdiscontent. "An important thing, truly, this eruption! I trouble myselfvery little about it."

　　Whatever might be the sailor's opinion, the expedition projected by theengineer was settled for the next day. Herbert wished to accompany CyrusHarding, but he would not vex Pencroft by his absence.

　　The next day, at dawn, Cyrus Harding and Ayrton, mounting the cart drawnby two onagers, took the road to the corral and set off at a round trot.

　　Above the forest were passing large clouds, to which the crater of MountFranklin incessantly added fuliginous matter. These clouds, which rolledheavily in the air, were evidently composed of heterogeneous substances. Itwas not alone from the volcano that they derived their strange opacity andweight. Scoriae, in a state of dust, like powdered pumice-stone, andgrayish ashes as small as the finest feculae, were held in suspension inthe midst of their thick folds. These ashes are so fine that they have beenobserved in the air for whole months. After the eruption of 1783 in Icelandfor upwards of a year the atmosphere was thus charged with volcanic dustthrough which the rays of the sun were only with difficulty discernible.

　　But more often this pulverized matter falls, and this happened on thepresent occasion. Cyrus Harding and Ayrton had scarcely reached the corralwhen a sort of black snow like fine gunpowder fell, and instantly changedthe appearance of the soil. Trees, meadows, all disappeared beneath acovering several inches in depth. But, very fortunately, the wind blew fromthe northeast, and the greater part of the cloud dissolved itself over thesea.

　　"This is very singular, Captain Harding," said Ayrton.

　　"It is very serious," replied the engineer. "This powdered pumice-stone,all this mineral dust, proves how grave is the convulsion going forward inthe lower depths of the volcano."

　　"But can nothing be done?"

　　"Nothing, except to note the progress of the phenomenon. Do you,therefore, Ayrton, occupy yourself with the necessary work at the corral.In the meantime I will ascend just beyond the source of Red Creek andexamine the condition of the mountain upon its northern aspect. Then--"

　　"Well, Captain Harding?"

　　"Then we will pay a visit to Dakkar Grotto. I wish to inspect it. At anyrate I will come back for you in two hours."

　　Ayrton then proceeded to enter the corral, and, while awaiting theengineer's return, busied himself with the musmons and goats which seemedto feel a certain uneasiness in presence of these first signs of aneruption.

　　Meanwhile Cyrus Harding ascended the crest of the eastern spur, passedRed Creek, and arrived at the spot where he and his companions haddiscovered a sulphurous spring at the time of their first exploration.

　　How changed was everything! Instead of a single column of smoke hecounted thirteen, forced through the soil as if violently propelled by somepiston. It was evident that the crust of the earth was subjected in thispart of the globe to a frightful pressure. The atmosphere was saturatedwith gases and carbonic acid, mingled with aqueous vapors. Cyrus Hardingfelt the volcanic tufa with which the plain was strewn, and which was butpulverized cinders hardened into solid blocks by time, tremble beneath him,but he could discover no traces of fresh lava.

　　The engineer became more assured of this when he observed all thenorthern part of Mount Franklin. Pillars of smoke and flame escaped fromthe crater; a hail of scoriae fell on the ground; but no current of lavaburst from the mouth of the volcano, which proved that the volcanic matterhad not yet attained the level of the superior orifice of the centralshaft.

　　"But I would prefer that it were so," said Cyrus Harding to himself. "Atany rate, I should then know that the lava had followed its accustomedtrack. who can say that it may not take a new course? But the danger doesnot consist in that! Captain Nemo foresaw it clearly! No, the danger doesnot lie there!"

　　Cyrus Harding advanced towards the enormous causeway whose prolongationenclosed the narrow Shark Gulf. He could now sufficiently examine on thisside the ancient channels of the lava. There was no doubt in his mind thatthe most recent eruption had occurred at a far-distant epoch.

　　He then returned by the same way, listening attentively to thesubterranean mutterings which rolled like long-continued thunder,interrupted by deafening explosions. At nine in the morning he reached thecorral.

　　Ayrton awaited him.

　　"The animals are cared for, Captain Harding,' said Ayrton.

　　"Good, Ayrton."

　　"They seem uneasy, Captain Harding."

　　"Yes, instinct speaks through them, and instinct is never deceived."

　　"Are you ready?"

　　"Take a lamp, Ayrton," answered the engineer; "we will start at once.

　　Ayrton did as desired. The onagers, unharnessed, roamed in the corral.The gate was secured on the outside, and Cyrus Harding, preceding Ayrton,took the narrow path which led westward to the shore.

　　The soil they walked upon was choked with the pulverized matter fallenfrom the cloud. No quadruped appeared in the woods. Even the birds hadfled. Sometimes a passing breeze raised the covering of ashes, and the twocolonists, enveloped in a whirlwind of dust, lost sight of each other. Theywere then careful to cover their eyes and mouths with handkerchiefs, forthey ran the risk of being blinded and suffocated.

　　It was impossible for Cyrus Harding and Ayrton, with these impediments,to make rapid progress. Moreover, the atmosphere was close, as if theoxygen had been partly burned up, and had become unfit for respiration. Atevery hundred paces they were obliged to stop to take breath. It wastherefore past ten o'clock when the engineer and his companion reached thecrest of the enormous mass of rocks of basalt and porphyry which composedthe northwest coast of the island.

　　Ayrton and Cyrus Harding commenced the descent of this abrupt declivity,following almost step for step the difficult path which, during that stormynight, had led them to Dakkar Grotto. In open day the descent was lessperilous, and, besides, the bed of ashes which covered the polished surfaceof the rock enabled them to make their footing more secure.

　　The ridge at the end of the shore, about forty feet in height, was soonreached. Cyrus Harding recollected that this elevation gradually slopedtowards the level of the sea. Although the tide was at present low, nobeach could he seen, and the waves, thickened by the volcanic dust, beatupon the basaltic rocks.

　　Cyrus Harding and Ayrton found without difficulty the entrance to DakkarGrotto, and paused for a moment at the last rock before it.

　　"The iron boat should be there," said the engineer.

　　"It is here, Captain Harding," replied Ayrton, drawing towards him thefragile craft, which was protected by the arch of the vault.

　　"On board, Ayrton!"

　　The two colonists stepped into the boat. A slight undulation of the wavescarried it farther under the low arch of the crypt, and there Ayrton, withthe aid of flint and steel, lighted the lamp. He then took the oars, andthe lamp having been placed in the bow of the boat, so that its rays fellbefore them, Cyrus Harding took the helm and steered through the shades ofthe grotto.

　　The "Nautilus" was there no longer to illuminate the cavern with itselectric light. Possibly it might not yet be extinguished, but no rayescaped from the depths of the abyss in which reposed all that was mortalof Captain Nemo.

　　The light afforded by the lamp, although feeble, nevertheless enabled theengineer to advance slowly, following the wall of the cavern. A deathlikesilence reigned under the vaulted roof, or at least in the anteriorportion, for soon Cyrus Harding distinctly heard the rumbling whichproceeded from the bowels of the mountain.

　　"That comes from the volcano," he said.

　　Besides these sounds, the presence of chemical combinations was soonbetrayed by their powerful odor, and the engineer and his companion werealmost suffocated by sulphurous vapors.

　　"This is what Captain Nemo feared," murmured Cyrus Harding, changingcountenance. "We must go to the end, notwithstanding."

　　"Forward!" replied Ayrton, bending to his oars and directing the boattowards the head of the cavern.

　　Twenty-five minutes after entering the mouth of the grotto the boatreached the extreme end.

　　Cyrus Harding then, standing up, cast the light of the lamp upon thewalls of the cavern which separated it from the central shaft of thevolcano. What was the thickness of this wall? It might be ten feet or ahundred feet--it was impossible to say. But the subterranean sounds were tooperceptible to allow of the supposition that it was of any great thickness.

　　The engineer, after having explored the wall at a certain heighthorizontally, fastened the lamp to the end of an oar, and again surveyedthe basaltic wall at a greater elevation.

　　There, through scarcely visible clefts and joinings, escaped a pungentvapor, which infected the atmosphere of the cavern. The wall was broken bylarge cracks, some of which extended to within two or three feet of thewater's edge.

　　Cyrus Harding thought for a brief space. Then he said in a low voice,--

　　"Yes! the captain was right! The danger lies there, and a terribledanger!"

　　Ayrton said not a word, but, upon a sign from Cyrus Harding, resumed theoars, and half an hour later the engineer and he reached the entrance ofDakkar Grotto.