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The Blog of Axel Lidenbrock : August 26th 1863

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:05:38 +0100
To: "Jules Verne Forum" <jvf~at~gilead.org.il>

BlankThank goodness, terra (well subterra) firma at last. I tell you I never
want to travel any body of water with a force 15 hurricane at my back ever
again. As you know two days ago we encountered a fireball which seemed to
have affected Hans as he was glowing. My inital thoughts were that he was
being electrified by the energy of the sky, turns out he was being
illuminated by what passes for the normal sky here (but not before that
storm threw us onto an island of some kind) which is where we currently are.

It's just gone half past ten and so suitably recovered we're going to do a
stocktake of what we have. Well, for starters the raft appears to be in one
piece (which is a blessing), the firearms were all intact (as was the
powder), and all of the instruments as well. Considering what we've been
through I think we've done remarkably well, And as for the food, well, we
have four months supplies left (although the idea of spending Christmas
underground is not the most promising idea I've ever had).

During breakfast (yes, I know a very late one), the issue arose of where
were we? Well, I knew from this box of tricks we were about 700,000 feet
below sea level, but where below sea level? My uncle reckoned that we were
about 3,200 miles south east of Rejkiavik and were more or less below Italy
(or Spain dependent on your viewpoint) as I thought we had veered slightly
from our standard south east course, but that's nothing a compass can't sort
out. Now, where did I put it? Ah, here we are, now which way's north? I've
never been able to work these things, perhaps my uncle can do better. Is
something the matter? No? Oh, no, not that.

An exclamation of astonishment burst from me. The north pole of the needle
was turned to what we supposed to be the south. It pointed to the shore
instead of to the open sea! I shook the box, examined it again, it was in
perfect condition. In whatever position I placed the box the needle
pertinaciously returned to this unexpected quarter. Therefore there seemed
no reason to doubt that during the storm there had been a sudden change of
wind unperceived by us, which had brought our raft back to the shore which
we thought we had left so long a distance behind us. Oh, DONNER UND BLITZEN!
(I'm sorry you had to hear that!)

Received on Tue 26 Aug 2008 - 23:05:45 IDT

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