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The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : August 13th 1863

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:59:22 +0100
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

BlankIt's fair to say that my uncle is a man of ideas. For instance, back in
1859 he came with the suggestion (during a very bad winter in Switzerland)
of adding sharpened metal blades to the undersides of my shoes so that I
could run his errands across Lake Geneva (and remain in contact with the
outside world during a science conference).

So I suppose it should have been no huge suprise when he commanded myself
and Hans to construct a boat (well, raft actually) using surturbrand. Now
you may be all scratching your heads thinking what on earth is surturbrand?
Well, to put it in simple terms coal. Yes, that's right we are making a raft
out of coal! You see, because of the content of this sea the wood of the
forest with the giant mushrooms has in effect turned to mineral and yet at
the same time had also undergone only the primary stage of being a fossil
meaning that it could float as well.

A mast was made of two poles spliced together, a yard was made of a third, a
blanket borrowed from our coverings made a tolerable sail. There was no want
of cordage for the rigging, and everything was well and firmly made. The
provisions, the baggage, the instruments, the guns, and a good quantity of
fresh water from the rocks around, all found their proper places on board;
and at six the Professor gave the signal to embark. Hans had fitted up a
rudder to steer his vessel. He took the tiller, and unmoored; the sail was
set, and we were soon afloat. At the moment of leaving the harbour, my
uncle, who was tenaciously fond of naming his new discoveries, wanted to
give it a name, and proposed mine amongst others. I thanked him for the
honour, but decided that it should be named after the person who wasn't
here. Grauben. The idea was duly accepted and we set sail from Port Grauben.

After about an hour, my uncle reckoned that we were travelling at about 6
knots which he reckoned would allow us to cross this ocean in a little over
24 hours. Deciding not to make any comments I took my role as lookout. About
twelve, immense shoals of seaweeds came in sight. I was aware of the great
powers of vegetation that characterise these plants, which grow at a depth
of twelve thousand feet, reproduce themselves under a pressure of four
hundred atmospheres, and sometimes form barriers strong enough to impede the
course of a ship. But never, I think, were such seaweeds as those which we
saw floating in immense waving lines upon the sea of Liedenbrock.

Evening came, and, as on the previous day, I perceived no change in the
luminous condition of the air. It was a constant condition, the permanency
of which might be relied upon. As I drifted off to sleep, I found myself
humming the following words: "I was sleeping under a coloured sky!"

Received on Wed 13 Aug 2008 - 15:59:34 IDT

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