Chapter 6 The Start of an Adventure The waters remained calm and the skies stayed bright.
I could see no land on any side.
I did not know right away where we were resting.
A crewman stepped onto the deck and measured the height of the sun.
It was only a matter of seconds until we knew the time of day and our location.
I now leave you to your studies, Captain Nemo said.
There are maps below for you to follow and room for you to think.
I will be in my cabin.
I was surprised at the short amount of time the captain had spent with me, and yet I looked forward to the hours on my own.
I spent time on the deck and then went to the saloon below.
Here there were many maps waiting for me.
For a full hour, I did nothing but think.
I could hardly believe this adventure was true, but the entrance of my two friends made it all seem real.
Where are we? asked Ned.
My friends, I answered, you are on board the Nautilus.
We should consider ourselves lucky.
This is an amazing ship.
Lucky, Ned said loudly.
We're stuck here on a ship of nothing more than iron bars.
How could this possibly be lucky?
I spent the next few minutes trying to impress the man with the things I had seen.
I knew Ned couldn't possibly feel as I did.
I had seen the beauty and wonder firsthand, and yet I felt my stories were getting through to him at least a little bit.
Suddenly, darkness fell upon us.
I didn't feel the worry that I had when this happened before.
Instead, I waited.
I expected to see something wonderful when the light came back.
I wasn't disappointed.
For the next two hours, we were entertained by a show of color and grace.
Fish and other creatures I had never seen before swam beside our ship.
There were snakes six feet long.
Japanese salamanders were everywhere.
We couldn't believe the nature surrounding us.
I was so happy to see and study these animals in their own homes.
The glow of the ship drew in the fish.
I expected to see Captain Nemo again, but he didn't come back.
After some time, Ned and Conceal returned to their cabin.
I went to my chamber to eat dinner.
My meal was made up of turtle soup and a kind of fish that I did not recognize.
I spent the rest of the evening reading, writing, and thinking.
As the nautilus sped quickly through the Black River, I stretched myself out on the couch and fell asleep.
The next day was the 9th of November.
I awoke after a long sleep of 12 hours.
I dressed quickly and went to the library.
I studied everything I could get my hands on that day.
Time moved quickly.
The entire day passed without a visit from Captain Nemo.
The next day was the same.
I did not see one of the ship's crew.
Ned and Conceal spent the day with me.
They were as surprised as I was that the captain had not visited.
Was he sick?
Was he too busy to see us?
We were being fed well and were free to roam the ship.
I decided that the captain had not forgotten us.
The next day I was glad for a change.
I could tell by the fresh air spreading through the ship that we had come to the surface of the ocean.
I found the staircase and climbed to the platform.
It was six o'clock.
The weather was cloudy, but the gray sea was calm.
The sun made the fog disappear.
I was admiring the sunrise when I heard steps coming up to the platform.
I was ready to greet Captain Nemo.
Instead, I saw his assistant.
He looked at the sea, said a few words in German, and then left.
Five days went on like this.
Every morning I went to the platform.
Every day his assistant went through the same routine.
Captain Nemo did not appear.
I had made up my mind that I would never see the man again.
But when I returned to my room on the 16th of November, I found a note on the table.
It was written in clear, dark print.
The letter simply said to Professor Aronax on board the Nautilus.
Captain Nemo invites Professor Aronax to a hunting party tomorrow morning.
We will visit the forests of the island of Crespo.
He hopes nothing will stop the professor from coming.
He would be pleased to see him joined by his friends.
Captain Nemo, commander of the Nautilus, A hunt, exclaimed Ned.
And in the forest of the island of Crespo, added Conceal.
Let us first see where the island of Crespo is, I said.
I did not share their excitement.
We decided from our map that Crespo is a small island in the middle of the North Pacific.
We went to dinner and bed wondering what awaited.
On waking up the next morning, the 17th of November, I could tell the Nautilus was perfectly still.
I dressed quickly and entered the library.
Captain Nemo was waiting there for me.
He rose, bowed, and asked me if I was ready for my trip.
We entered the dining room where breakfast was served.
Captain Nemo again spoke about the workings of the ship.
Today he told me about the challenges of getting oxygen into the boat.
I listened with interest to his knowledge of the sea and the workings of this submarine.
After more talk of air and of the types of hunting guns that would work beneath the sea, Captain Nemo led me down the hall.
I called to my two friends as I passed their cabin.
They followed right behind us, not knowing what they were in for.
