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The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : June 22nd 1863

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:47:45 +0100
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

Blank(yawns) Oh I do apolgise, but I've been up half the night worrying.
Today is the formal start of our expedition and our base camp was at Stapi,
Hans hired the services of three Icelanders to do the duty of the horses in
the transport of the burdens under the understanding that as soon as we had
arrived at the crater these natives were to turn back and leave us to our
own devices which was clearly understood. My uncle now took the opportunity
to explain to Hans that it was his intention to explore the interior of the
volcano to its farthest limits. Hans merely nodded.

For my own part the incidents of the journey had hitherto kept me amused,
and made me forgetful of coming evils; but now my fears again were beginning
to get the better of me. But what could I do? The place to resist the
Professor would have been Hamburg, not the foot of a five thousand foot
volcano! One thought, above all others, harassed and alarmed me; it was one
calculated to shake firmer nerves than mine and I think you can guess what
it was.

The way I see it, two things could happen to us:

  1.. We get lost, which might not sound such a bad thing but when you
consider that we only have a set limit on supplies could lead to (gulps)
cannbalism or worse
  2.. Is Sneffels extinct? Yes, I know that the last eruption was in 1229
suggesting that it has been inactive for nearly 6½ centuries, but the same
was said of Mount Tambora near Java and that decided to blow up a mere 50 or
so years ago
I spent the whole night worrying about these two questions and decided there
was only one thing to do, ask my uncle.

"I was thinking of that," he replied with great simplicity which struck me
as most unusual (as he had given the impression he was all for the idea in
the first place), "I was thinking of that. Ever since we arrived at Stapi I
have been occupied with the important question you have just opened, for we
must not be guilty of imprudence. For six hundred years Snæfell has been
dumb; but he may speak again. Now, eruptions are always preceded by certain
well-known phenomena. I have therefore examined the natives, I have studied
external appearances, and I can assure you, Axel, that there will be no
eruption."

I just stood there (if you will pardon the English term) gobsmacked! How on
earth could someone be so confident about the most violent part of the
natural world? It turns out that he's been watching things and took me to a
nearby set of geysirs. He then explained that because the geysirs were
firing at regular intervals everything was in check, if they stopped firing,
that was the time to panic. Knowing that my uncle was probably right I went
back to bed and spent it in one constant nightmare; in the heart of a
volcano, and from the deepest depths of the earth I saw myself tossed up
amongst the interplanetary spaces under the form of an eruptive rock which
is when I woke up just now and decided to write this.

I shall just have to face facts I fear. My uncle is determined to prove Arne
right and I shall have to go along for the ride. I just hope that Doctor
Smith keeps his promise to look after me. It's Grauben I feel sorry for the
most.

Received on Mon 23 Jun 2008 - 00:48:12 IDT

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