A Second Enigma
: BOOK I.: Off On A Comet
Upon re-embarking, the bewildered explorers began to discuss the
question whether it would not now be desirable to make their way back
to Gourbi Island, which was apparently the only spot in their new world
from which they could hope to derive their future sustenance. Captain
Servadac tried to console himself with the reflection that Gourbi Island
was, after all, a fragment of a French colony, and as such almost like
a
point of being adopted, when Lieutenant Procope remarked that they ought
to remember that they had not hitherto made an entire circuit of the new
shores of the sea on which they were sailing.
"We have," he said, "neither investigated the northern shore from the
site of Cape Antibes to the strait that brought us to Gibraltar, nor
have we followed the southern shore that stretches from the strait to
the Gulf of Cabes. It is the old coast, and not the new, that we have
been tracing; as yet, we cannot say positively that there is no outlet
to the south; as yet, we cannot assert that no oasis of the African
desert has escaped the catastrophe. Perhaps, even here in the north,
we may find that Italy and Sicily and the larger islands of the
Mediterranean may still maintain their existence."
"I entirely concur with you," said Count Timascheff. "I quite think we
ought to make our survey of the confines of this new basin as complete
as possible before we withdraw."
Servadac, although he acknowledged the justness of these observations,
could not help pleading that the explorations might be deferred until
after a visit had been paid to Gourbi Island.
"Depend upon it, captain, you are mistaken," replied the lieutenant;
"the right thing to do is to use the Dobryna while she is available."
"Available! What do you mean?" asked the count, somewhat taken by
surprise.
"I mean," said Procope, "that the farther this Gallia of ours recedes
from the sun, the lower the temperature will fall. It is likely enough,
I think, that before long the sea will be frozen over, and navigation
will be impossible. Already you have learned something of the
difficulties of traversing a field of ice, and I am sure, therefore, you
will acquiesce in my wish to continue our explorations while the water
is still open."
"No doubt you are right, lieutenant," said the count. "We will continue
our search while we can for some remaining fragment of Europe. Who
shall tell whether we may not meet with some more survivors from the
catastrophe, to whom it might be in our power to afford assistance,
before we go into our winter quarters?"
Generous and altogether unselfish as this sentiment really was, it was
obviously to the general interest that they should become acquainted,
and if possible establish friendly relations, with any human inhabitant
who might be sharing their own strange destiny in being rolled away upon
a new planet into the infinitude of space. All difference of race, all
distinction of nationality, must be merged into the one thought that,
few as they were, they were the sole surviving representatives of a
world which it seemed exceedingly improbable that they would ever see
again; and common sense dictated that they were bound to direct all
their energies to insure that their asteroid should at least have a
united and sympathizing population.
It was on the 25th of February that the yacht left the little creek in
which she had taken refuge, and setting off at full steam eastwards,
she continued her way along the northern shore. A brisk breeze tended to
increase the keenness of the temperature, the thermometer being, on
an average, about two degrees below zero. Salt water freezes only at a
lower temperature than fresh; the course of the Dobryna was therefore
unimpeded by ice, but it could not be concealed that there was the
greatest necessity to maintain the utmost possible speed.
The nights continued lovely; the chilled condition of the atmosphere
prevented the formation of clouds; the constellations gleamed forth
with unsullied luster; and, much as Lieutenant Procope, from nautical
considerations, might regret the absence of the moon, he could not do
otherwise than own that the magnificent nights of Gallia were such as
must awaken the enthusiasm of an astronomer. And, as if to compensate
for the loss of the moonlight, the heavens were illuminated by a
superb shower of falling stars, far exceeding, both in number and in
brilliancy, the phenomena which are commonly distinguished as the August
and November meteors; in fact, Gallia was passing through that meteoric
ring which is known to lie exterior to the earth's orbit, but almost
concentric with it. The rocky coast, its metallic surface reflecting the
glow of the dazzling luminaries, appeared literally stippled with light,
whilst the sea, as though spattered with burning hailstones, shone with
a phosphorescence that was perfectly splendid. So great, however, was
the speed at which Gallia was receding from the sun, that this meteoric
storm lasted scarcely more than four and twenty hours.
Next day the direct progress of the Dobryna was arrested by a long
projection of land, which obliged her to turn southwards, until she
reached what formerly would have been the southern extremity of Corsica.
Of this, however, there was now no trace; the Strait of Bonifacio had
been replaced by a vast expanse of water, which had at first all the
appearance of being utterly desert; but on the following morning the
explorers unexpectedly sighted a little island, which, unless it should
prove, as was only too likely, to be of recent origin they concluded,
from its situation, must be a portion of the northernmost territory of
Sardinia.
The Dobryna approached the land as nearly as was prudent, the boat was
lowered, and in a few minutes the count and Servadac had landed upon
the islet, which was a mere plot of meadow land, not much more than
two acres in extent, dotted here and there with a few myrtle-bushes and
lentisks, interspersed with some ancient olives. Having ascertained, as
they imagined, that the spot was devoid of living creature, they were on
the point of returning to their boat, when their attention was arrested
by a faint bleating, and immediately afterwards a solitary she-goat came
bounding towards the shore. The creature had dark, almost black hair,
and small curved horns, and was a specimen of that domestic breed which,
with considerable justice, has gained for itself the title of "the poor
man's cow." So far from being alarmed at the presence of strangers, the
goat ran nimbly towards them, and then, by its movements and plaintive
cries, seemed to be enticing them to follow it.
"Come," said Servadac; "let us see where it will lead us; it is more
than probable it is not alone."
The count agreed; and the animal, as if comprehending what was said,
trotted on gently for about a hundred paces, and stopped in front of a
kind of cave or burrow that was half concealed by a grove of lentisks.
Here a little girl, seven or eight years of age, with rich brown hair
and lustrous dark eyes, beautiful as one of Murillo's angels, was
peeping shyly through the branches. Apparently discovering nothing
in the aspect of the strangers to excite her apprehensions, the child
suddenly gained confidence, darted forwards with outstretched hands, and
in a voice, soft and melodious as the language which she spoke, said in
Italian:
"I like you; you will not hurt me, will you?"
"Hurt you, my child?" answered Servadac. "No, indeed; we will be your
friends; we will take care of you."
And after a few moments' scrutiny of the pretty maiden, he added:
"Tell us your name, little one."
"Nina!" was the child's reply.
"Well, then, Nina, can you tell us where we are?"
"At Madalena, I think," said the little girl; "at least, I know I was
there when that dreadful shock came and altered everything."
The count knew that Madalena was close to Caprera, to the north of
Sardinia, which had entirely disappeared in the disaster. By dint of a
series of questions, he gained from the child a very intelligent account
of her experiences. She told him that she had no parents, and had been
employed in taking care of a flock of goats belonging to one of the
landowners, when one day, all of a sudden, everything around her, except
this little piece of land, had been swallowed up, and that she and
Marzy, her pet goat, had been left quite alone. She went on to say that
at first she had been very frightened; but when she found that the earth
did not shake any more, she had thanked the great God, and had soon made
herself very happy living with Marzy. She had enough food, she said, and
had been waiting for a boat to fetch her, and now a boat had come and
she was quite ready to go away; only they must let her goat go with her:
they would both like so much to get back to the old farm.
"Here, at least, is one nice little inhabitant of Gallia," said Captain
Servadac, as he caressed the child and conducted her to the boat.
Half an hour later, both Nina and Marzy were safely quartered on board
the yacht. It is needless to say that they received the heartiest of
welcomes. The Russian sailors, ever superstitious, seemed almost to
regard the coming of the child as the appearance of an angel; and,
incredible as it may seem, more than one of them wondered whether she
had wings, and amongst themselves they commonly referred to her as "the
little Madonna."
Soon out of sight of Madalena, the Dobryna for some hours held a
southeasterly course along the shore, which here was fifty leagues in
advance of the former coast-line of Italy, demonstrating that a new
continent must have been formed, substituted as it were for the old
peninsula, of which not a vestige could be identified. At a latitude
corresponding with the latitude of Rome, the sea took the form of a deep
gulf, extending back far beyond the site of the Eternal City; the
coast making a wide sweep round to the former position of Calabria, and
jutting far beyond the outline of "the boot," which Italy resembles.
But the beacon of Messina was not to be discerned; no trace, indeed,
survived of any portion of Sicily; the very peak of Etna, 11,000 feet as
it had reared itself above the level of the sea, had vanished utterly.
Another sixty leagues to the south, and the Dobryna sighted the
entrance of the strait which had afforded her so providential a refuge
from the tempest, and had conducted her to the fragmentary relic of
Gibraltar. Hence to the Gulf of Cabes had been already explored, and as
it was universally allowed that it was unnecessary to renew the search
in that direction, the lieutenant started off in a transverse course,
towards a point hitherto uninvestigated. That point was reached on the
3rd of March, and thence the coast was continuously followed, as it led
through what had been Tunis, across the province of Constantine, away
to the oasis of Ziban; where, taking a sharp turn, it first reached a
latitude of 32 degrees, and then returned again, thus forming a sort
of irregular gulf, enclosed by the same unvarying border of mineral
concrete. This colossal boundary then stretched away for nearly 150
leagues over the Sahara desert, and, extending to the south of Gourbi
Island, occupied what, if Morocco had still existed, would have been its
natural frontier.
Adapting her course to these deviations of the coastline, the Dobryna
was steering northwards, and had barely reached the limit of the bay,
when the attention of all on board was arrested by the phenomenon of a
volcano, at least 3,000 feet high, its crater crowned with smoke, which
occasionally was streaked by tongues of flame.
"A burning mountain!" they exclaimed.
"Gallia, then, has some internal heat," said Servadac.
"And why not, captain?" rejoined the lieutenant. "If our asteroid has
carried with it a portion of the old earth's atmosphere, why should it
not likewise retain something of its central fire?"
"Ah, well!" said the captain, shrugging his shoulders, "I dare say
there is caloric enough in our little world to supply the wants of its
population."
Count Timascheff interrupted the silence that followed this conversation
by saying, "And now, gentlemen, as our course has brought us on our
way once more towards Gibraltar, what do you say to our renewing our
acquaintance with the Englishmen? They will be interested in the result
of our voyage."
"For my part," said Servadac, "I have no desire that way. They know
where to find Gourbi Island; they can betake themselves thither just
when they please. They have plenty of provisions. If the water freezes,
120 leagues is no very great distance. The reception they gave us was
not so cordial that we need put ourselves out of the way to repeat our
visit."
"What you say is too true," replied the count. "I hope we shall show
them better manners when they condescend to visit us."
"Ay," said Servadac, "we must remember that we are all one people now;
no longer Russian, French, or English. Nationality is extinct."
"I am sadly afraid, however," continued the count, "that an Englishman
will be an Englishman ever."
"Yes," said the captain, "that is always their failing."
And thus all further thought of making their way again to the little
garrison of Gibraltar was abandoned.
But even if their spirit of courtesy had disposed them to renew their
acquaintance with the British officers, there were two circumstances
that just then would have rendered such a proposal very unadvisable. In
the first place, Lieutenant Procope was convinced that it could not be
much longer now before the sea would be entirely frozen; and, besides
this, the consumption of their coal, through the speed they had
maintained, had been so great that there was only too much reason
to fear that fuel would fail them. Anyhow, the strictest economy was
necessary, and it was accordingly resolved that the voyage should not be
much prolonged. Beyond the volcanic peak, moreover, the waters seemed to
expand into a boundless ocean, and it might be a thing full of risk to
be frozen up while the yacht was so inadequately provisioned. Taking
all these things into account, it was agreed that further investigations
should be deferred to a more favorable season, and that, without delay,
the Dobryna should return to Gourbi Island.
This decision was especially welcome to Hector Servadac, who, throughout
the whole of the last five weeks, had been agitated by much anxious
thought on account of the faithful servant he had left behind.
The transit from the volcano to the island was not long, and was marked
by only one noticeable incident. This was the finding of a second
mysterious document, in character precisely similar to what they had
found before. The writer of it was evidently engaged upon a calculation,
probably continued from day to day, as to the motions of the planet
Gallia upon its orbit, and committing the results of his reckonings to
the waves as the channel of communication.
Instead of being enclosed in a telescope-case, it was this time secured
in a preserved-meat tin, hermetically sealed, and stamped with the same
initials on the wax that fastened it. The greatest care was used in
opening it, and it was found to contain the following message:
"Gallia Ab sole, au 1 mars, dist. 78,000,000 l.! Chemin parcouru de fev.
a mars: 59,000,000 1.! Va bene! All right! Nil desperandum!
"Enchante!"
"Another enigma!" exclaimed Servadac; "and still no intelligible
signature, and no address. No clearing up of the mystery!"
"I have no doubt, in my own mind," said the count, "that it is one of a
series. It seems to me probable that they are being sent broadcast upon
the sea."
"I wonder where the hare-brained savant that writes them can be
living?" observed Servadac.
"Very likely he may have met with the fate of AEsop's abstracted
astronomer, who found himself at the bottom of a well."
"Ay; but where is that well?" demanded the captain.
This was a question which the count was incapable of settling; and they
could only speculate afresh as to whether the author of the riddles was
dwelling upon some solitary island, or, like themselves, was navigating
the waters of the new Mediterranean. But they could detect nothing to
guide them to a definite decision.
After thoughtfully regarding the document for some time. Lieutenant
Procope proceeded to observe that he believed the paper might be
considered as genuine, and accordingly, taking its statements as
reliable, he deduced two important conclusions: first, that whereas,
in the month of January, the distance traveled by the planet
(hypothetically called Gallia) had been recorded as 82,000,000 leagues,
the distance traveled in February was only 59,000,000 leagues--a
difference of 23,000,000 leagues in one month; secondly, that the
distance of the planet from the sun, which on the 15th of February had
been 59,000,000 leagues, was on the 1st of March 78,000,000 leagues--an
increase of 19,000,000 leagues in a fortnight. Thus, in proportion as
Gallia receded from the sun, so did the rate of speed diminish by which
she traveled along her orbit; facts to be observed in perfect conformity
with the known laws of celestial mechanism.
"And your inference?" asked the count.
"My inference," replied the lieutenant, "is a confirmation of my surmise
that we are following an orbit decidedly elliptical, although we have
not yet the material to determine its eccentricity."
"As the writer adheres to the appellation of Gallia, do you not think,"
asked the count, "that we might call these new waters the Gallian Sea?"
"There can be no reason to the contrary, count," replied the lieutenant;
"and as such I will insert it upon my new chart."
"Our friend," said Servadac, "seems to be more and more gratified
with the condition of things; not only has he adopted our motto, 'Nil
desperandum!' but see how enthusiastically he has wound up with his
'Enchante!'"
The conversation dropped.
A few hours later the man on watch announced that Gourbi Island was in
sight.
More
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Long and loud was the applause that rose above the Field of Jetan at Manator, as The Keeper of the Towers summoned the two Princesses and the victorious Chief to the center of the field and presented to the latter the fruits of his prowess, and then... A Telegraphic Dispatch
The great works undertaken by the Gun Club had now virtually come to an end; and two months still remained before the day for the discharge of the shot to the moon. To the general impatience these two months appeared as long as years! Hitherto t... A Telepathic Telegram
I left the room and hurried outside without any positive plan for my movements. My brain was in such a whirl I could form no connected train of thought. These men, whose conversation was a jargon fitting only for lunatics, had proved that they cou... A Third Machine
I confess that at first this letter dumfounded me. "Ohs!" and "Ahs!" slipped from my open mouth. The old servant stared at me, not knowing what to think. "Oh, sir! is it bad news?" I answered for I kept few secrets from this faithful soul... A Transmutation Of Muddles
An experienced horse-trader, bargain-haggler, and general swapper has a very special talent for turning two headaches into one aspirin pill.... The rugged little stellar scout ship flared down to the surface of Kappa Orionis VII about a mile ... A Vanished Continent
The next morning, the 19th of February, I saw the Canadian enter my room. I expected this visit. He looked very disappointed. "Well, sir?" said he. "Well, Ned, fortune was against us yesterday." "Yes; that Captain must needs stop exactly at... A Vigil In The Night
Although Lennard had always recognised the possibility of such a catastrophe as that which John Castellan threatened, and had even taken such precautions as he could to prevent it, still this direct menace, coming straight from the man himself, br... A Visit To The Panchronicon
At precisely eight o'clock that evening, a knock was again heard at the door of the Wise home, and Droop was admitted by the younger sister. She did not speak, and her face was invisible in the dark hall. The visitor turned to the right and entere... A Voyage
The sun was up when Felix awoke, and as he raised himself the beauty of the Lake before him filled him with pleasure. By the shore it was so calm that the trees were perfectly reflected, and the few willow leaves that had fallen floated without dr... A Voyage Of Discovery
It would be altogether impossible for me to give any idea of the utter astonishment which overcame the Professor on making this extraordinary discovery. Amazement, incredulity, and rage were blended in such a way as to alarm me. During the whol... A Walk On The Bottom Of The Sea
This cell was, to speak correctly, the arsenal and wardrobe of the Nautilus. A dozen diving apparatuses hung from the partition waiting our use. Ned Land, on seeing them, showed evident repugnance to dress himself in one. "But, my worthy Ned,... A Woman's Courage
Thus ended this memorable seance. That conversation threw me into a fever. I came out of my uncle's study as if I had been stunned, and as if there was not air enough in all the streets of Hamburg to put me right again. I therefore made for the bank... A Woman's Treachery
According to the agreement with Heideck, Brandelaar, on his return from Dover, was to put in at Flushing, and the Major had instructed the guardships at the mouth of the West Schelde to allow the smack to pass unmolested without detention. But he ... A World Called Crimson
When the starship Star of Fire collided with a meteor swarm six parsecs stellar north of the galactic hub in the year A.D. 2278, it lost its atmosphere within forty-five minutes. At first it was thought that every man, woman and child of the fou... Aboard The Lindner
James Medart was looking forward to his arrival in the Kingdom Systems. Another new culture to study, this time a group whose ancestors had fled the early Empire in an attempt to escape religious persecution. From Captain DeLayne's reports, that... Accident Or Incident?
The next day, the 22nd of March, at six in the morning, preparations for departure were begun. The last gleams of twilight were melting into night. The cold was great, the constellations shone with wonderful intensity. In the zenith glittered tha... Accidental Death
The most dangerous of weapons is the one you don't know is loaded. The wind howled out of the northwest, blind with snow and barbed with ice crystals. All the way up the half-mile precipice it fingered and wrenched away at groaning ice-slabs. ... Adrift Over Strange Regions
Presently Ghek pushed aside a door that opened from the stairway, and before them Tara saw the moonlight flooding the walled court where the headless rykors lay beside their feeding-troughs. She saw the perfect bodies, muscled as the best of her fat... Adumbrations
It was about this time that the warnings of coming events began to fall about us thick and fast. Ernest had already questioned father's policy of having socialists and labor leaders at his house, and of openly attending socialist meetings; and fat...