5.  adventure!

No incident marked for some time to travel from Abraham Lincoln, although
He presented a circumstance that has underlined the wonderful ability to Ned Land and the mos-trophic
confidence could be placed on it.
Throughout the Falklands, June 30, the frigate came in contact with a
American whalers, who told us he had not seen the narwhal. But one of them,
the captain of the Monroe, knowing that Ned Land is-ba aboard the Abraham
Lincoln, required its support for ca-zar a whale they had in sight. Eager the
Commander Farragut seeing Ned Land at work, gave him permission to come aboard the Monroe.
And the chance was so conducive to our cana-dian instead of a whale harpooned two
with a double whammy, asestándoselo directly to the heart. He seized the other
after a chase of several minutes. Decidedly, if the monster reached
the have-with Ned Land's harpoon, I would not bet a penny for the monster.
The frigate ran along the southeast coast of America with prodigious speed. 3
July we were at the entrance of the Strait of Magellan, off Cape of
Virgins. But Commander Farragut would not aden-trate on the winding step
He maneuvered to round Cape Horn, a decision that was unanimously approved by the
crew, to the unlikelihood of finding the narwhal in this narrow strait. They were
many sailors thought that the montruo could not go through it, that "it was
de-masiado great for that. "
On July 6, around three in the afternoon, the Abraham Lincoln doubled to fifteen miles south
that lonely island, the lost rock at the extremity of the American continent, which the
Dutch sailors imposed the name of his hometown, Cape Horn. Are
He straightened out the Northwest and the next day, the propeller beating the frigate, finally, the
Pacific waters.
? Open your eyes! Open your eyes! ? Repeated the sailors of the Abraham Lincoln.
And they opened wide. The eyes and the glasses, a little dazzled, it is true,
by the prospect of two thousand dollars, they had not a moment's rest. Day and no-che
He is watching the ocean surface. The nyctalops, whose ability to see in the dark
posibili-ties increased its fifty percent advantage in playing with
conquest of the prize.
I was not the least attentive on board, without thereby incite me the lure of money.
He gave only a few minu-tos for meals and sleep for a few hours, indifferent
the sun or the rain, spend all my time on the bridge. Sometimes leaning over the
bulwark of the castle and other resting on the taffrail, I devoured with AVI-da
look foamy wake that whitened the sea to the limit of sight. How many
times I shared the excitement of general staff and crew when a capricious
ba-filled his dark rose back above the waves! When your-he ceded that the bridge was peopled
Frigate in an instant. Hatches spewed a torrent of sailors and officers,
who, overwhelmed with emotion, watching the whale's Stroke-tos. I watched,
He looked to exhaust my retina and go blind, which made him say to Conseil, always
phlegmatic, in calm tone:
? If Mr. forced under the eyes, she looks better.
Vain those emotions! The Abraham Lincoln modifi-Horse its course in pursuit of
Animal noted that re-sultaba be a simple whale or a common sperm whale that soon
They disappeared into a concert of imprecations.
The weather continued to be favorable and the trip was trans-resorting to the best
conditions. We were in-tonces in poor southern station, match the month
that area July to January in Europe, but the sea remained calm and
let easily observe a wide area.
Ned Land continued manifesting the incredible-dulidad tenacious to the point of showing
ostensibly their de-Sinteres by examining the surface of the sea when there is-Taba
service or when no whale was in sight. And yet, his wonderful
visual power we hu-Biera been very helpful. But every twelve hours, at least eight
stubborn Canadian spent reading or dur-miendo in his cabin. More than a hundred times you
reconvine for their indifference.
? Bah! ? Nothing ?, answered, Professor Aronnax, and even-that there was this animal, what
we are likely to see-what, running, as we are doing, adventure? It has been
said he saw the beast on the high seas Pacifi-co, I'm willing to
admit, but it's been over two months since the finding, and judging by the
tempera-ment of its narwhal not seem to like mildew in the same places. It seems
It is endowed with a prodigious faci-lity of displacement. And you know better than I,
professor, that nature does nothing without meaning; therefore, there would have been a
constitutionally slow animal the ability to move quickly if he had the need
to use that power. Then, if the beast exists, it must be far away.
I did not know what to say to that argument. It was evi-dent that we were blind. But
How could we do otherwise? True that our chances were very
limited. Nevertheless, no one doubted still aboard the suc-to, and there was a sailor
willing to bet against the pro-Xima appearance of narwhal.
July 20 crossed the Tropic of Capricorn to 1050 in length, and 27 thereof
month, Ecuador, along the meridian 110. The frigate then took a more determined
towards the west to the central co-Pacifi seas. Commander Farragut
I thought, with good reason, that it was better to frequent the deep waters and away from
continents and islands, near which seemed to have always avoided the animal, "without
probably because there was no water dema-siada for him, "said the boatswain. The frigate passed,
then along the Pomotous, Marquesas Islands Sandwich, cut the Tropic of Cancer to
Length 1320 and headed ha-ing the China Seas.
At last we were on stage last apari-ing Monster. From
then we can say that is no longer living on board. The hearts beating furiously,
incubating future incurable aneurysms. The entire crew suffered from overexcitement
nervous that I could not give a pale idea. He does not eat nor sleep. Twenty times
per day, an error of assessment, an optical illusion of some sailor perched a crow,
They are causing a sudden uproar, and these emotions, twenty times repeated, kept us in
a state of too violent eretismo to not cause a coming recession. And in
Indeed, the reac-tion was not long in coming. For three months, three months of each
day lasted a century, Abraham Lincoln sur-ed all northern seas
Pacific, running behind the whales identified, proceeding to sudden cam-bios
direction, veering suddenly from one to another board, suddenly stopping their machines,
redu-ciendo forcing or steam alternatively at risk of unbalance machinery, and
while an unexplored point from the shores of Japan to America. And nothing! Nothing
but the vastness of the empty waves! Anything resembling a giant narwhal,
or an underwater islet, or a wreck, or a fleeting obstacle or anything
supernatural.
The predictable reaction to both vacant enthusiasm inevitably pro-duced. Discouragement
All he seized and opened a gap to disbelief. A new feeling us
He seized all, a feeling that consisted of three tenths of shame seven
tenths of rage. You had to be stupid to be seduced by an illusion, and this
reflection increased our fury. Mountains ar-guments accumulated since made
unfortunately they collapsed one year. Each thought and only des-off,
in the hours of sleep and meals, the time had sacrificed so
stupidly.
With the inherent versatdidad the human spirit, it went from a surplus to extremely
opposite. Fervien-tes the supporters of the company became fatally in their
most ardent detractors. The reaction came from the funds of the ship, from the stalls
the trimmers to those of the officers, and certainly without the peculiar obstinacy
Captain Farragut, the frigate would definitely put forward the South.
However, it could not last much longer that wild goose chase. The Abraham
Lincoln had nothing to reproach himself, as he had done everything possible to achieve it.
Never a crew of a vessel-norteame-American navy had shown more
zeal and patience, and in no case could be imputed responsibility fraca-so.
All that remained was to return, and thus told the commander, who remained
firm in its intention to persist in their efforts. The sailors did not hide his Enton-ces
discontent, so the service suffered without this want to say that would produce an
Mutiny on the Bounty. Des-after a reasonable period of obstinacy, commanding-te
Farragut, like Columbus once called for three days of patience. If within that period not
the monster appeared, the helmsman would give three turns of wheel and the Abraham Lincoln would
towards the seas of Europe.
This promise was made on November 2, and resul-state was to immediately revive the
dejected crew. Back again he scrutinized the horizon with the greatest attention,
em-convicts every one in consecrating the last look that summarized the
I remember. The glasses to the horizon with feverish anxiety were noted. It was the highest
narwhal huge challenge, and it could not reasonably stop responding to this
call for "appearance."
They spent the first two days. The Abraham Lincoln sailed under reduced pressure. Are
They used all possible means to get attention or to stimulate apathy
animal, assuming they had gotten in these parts. They took to the sea in tow,
huge chunks of bacon, for the greatest satisfaction of sharks, I must say. Are
check-ron water several boats to explore in all directions, in a wide range
action, the sea around Abraham Lincoln, left to heave. But the night of 4
November lle-he goes without having been revealed the mystery submarine.
The next day, November 5, expired at noon within rigor. After fixing the
position, Major Farra-gut, true to his promise, was to head to the Southeast and
definitely aban-donate the northern regions of Pa-cific.
The frigate was then 310 15 'north latitude and 1360 42' east longitude. The
Japanese land me-we were far two hundred miles to leeward. It was approaching evening,
had just struck eight. Large clouds veiled the moon disc, then in its first
room. The sea-ba quietly undulates under the stem of the ship. I was ahead,
leaning against the starboard bulwark. Beside me, CONSED watched the horizon. Crew,
perched on the oben-ques, scanning the horizon was reduced and oscure-ciéndose
gradually. Officers scoured the crecien-te dark night with their telescopes.
Occasionally the dark ocean shone briefly under a moonbeam between two
clouds. Then the ray of light was fading back into the darkness.
Observing Conseil, I thought I saw that good boy had left spread a little
Mood gene-ral. Perhaps for the first time his nerves vibrated under the
feeling of curiosity.
? Come on, Conseil? I said ?, this is the last chance of pocketing two thousand dollars.
Let me tell M. that at no time have benefited from that premium, and
although they had not offered one hundred thousand US dollars so he would have been the poorest
go-ernment of the Union.
You're right, Conseil. After all, it's a Stupid-da adventure, and we have launched
she li-Gereza excessive. Lost much time and how many emotions inuti-les!
To think that we could be six months ago in France!
? In the house of the Lord, in the museum of the Lord. And I have already qualified fossils
sir. The babirussa-tariat of the Lord is already installed in its cage garden plants, and would be the
all the curious attraction of the capital.
? So, Conseil. And what's more, that is what I am afraid people will make fun of us.
? In effect? ​​He responded very calmly Conseil ?. I think they'll make fun of Mr.
And I can afford to say that ...?
Can you afford it, Conseil.
? Well, the gentleman has deserved.
? Really?
When it has the honor of being wise as Mr., you can not expose one to ...
Conseil could not finish his sentence. In the silence, a voice was heard. Ned Land. AND
Ned Land's voice shouting:
? Ohé! The thing in question, to leeward, to through!