Wonders Deep Within the Earth

At eight in the morning a ray of daylight came to wake us up. The thousand shining surfaces of lava on the walls received it on its passage, and scattered it like a shower of sparks.

At eight in the morning, a ray of daylight woke us. As it passed, it struck the thousand shining surfaces of lava on the walls. They scattered the light like a shower of sparks.

There was light enough to distinguish surrounding objects.

There was enough light to make out the objects around us.

"Well, Axel, what do you say to it?" cried my uncle, rubbing his hands. "Did you ever spend a quieter night in our little house at Königsberg? No noise of cart wheels, no cries of basket women, no boatmen shouting!"

"Well, Axel, what do you think?" cried my uncle, rubbing his hands. "Did you ever spend a quieter night in our little house in Königsberg? No rattling cart wheels, no cries from women selling baskets, no boatmen shouting!"

"No doubt it is very quiet at the bottom of this well, but there is something alarming in the quietness itself."

"There's no doubt it's very quiet at the bottom of this well. But the quiet itself is unsettling."

"Now come!" my uncle cried; "if you are frightened already, what will you be by and by? We have not gone a single inch yet into the bowels of the earth."

"Come on!" my uncle cried. "If you're already frightened, how will you feel later? We haven't gone a single inch into the depths of the earth yet."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we have only reached the level of the island, long vertical tube, which terminates at the mouth of the crater, has its lower end only at the level of the sea."

"I mean that we have only reached the level of the island. The long vertical tube ends at the mouth of the crater. Its lower end reaches only as far down as sea level."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Are you sure of that?"

"Quite sure. Consult the barometer."

"Quite sure. Check the barometer."

In fact, the mercury, which had risen in the instrument as fast as we descended, had stopped at twenty-nine inches.

In fact, the mercury in the instrument had risen as fast as we descended. It had stopped at twenty-nine inches.

"You see," said the Professor, "we have now only the pressure of our atmosphere, and I shall be glad when the aneroid takes the place of the barometer."

"You see," said the Professor, "we now have only the pressure of our atmosphere. I'll be glad when the aneroid replaces the barometer."

And in truth this instrument would become useless as soon as the weight of the atmosphere should exceed the pressure ascertained at the level of the sea.

And indeed, this instrument would become useless as soon as atmospheric pressure rose above the level measured at sea level.

"But," I said, "is there not reason to fear that this ever-increasing pressure will become at last very painful to bear?"

"But," I said, "shouldn't we worry that the growing pressure will eventually become very painful to bear?"

"No; we shall descend at a slow rate, and our lungs will become inured to a denser atmosphere. Aeronauts find the want of air as they rise to high elevations, but we shall perhaps have too much: of the two, this is what I should prefer. Don't let us lose a moment. Where is the bundle we sent down before us?"

“No. We’ll descend slowly, and our lungs will get used to the denser air. Balloonists find there is too little air as they rise to great heights, but we may have too much. Of the two, I would prefer too much. Let’s not waste a moment. Where is the bundle we sent down ahead of us?”

I then remembered that we had searched for it in vain the evening before. My uncle questioned Hans, who, after having examined attentively with the eye of a huntsman, replied:

Then I remembered that we had searched for it without success the previous evening. My uncle questioned Hans. Hans looked carefully, with a hunter's eye, and replied:

"Der huppe!"

"Up there!"

"Up there."

"Up there."

And so it was. The bundle had been caught by a projection a hundred feet above us. Immediately the Icelander climbed up like a cat, and in a few minutes the package was in our possession.

And so it was. The bundle had caught on a ledge a hundred feet above us. The Icelander immediately climbed up like a cat, and within minutes we had the bundle.

"Now," said my uncle, "let us breakfast; but we must lay in a good stock, for we don't know how long we may have to go on."

"Now," said my uncle, "let's have breakfast. But we must eat plenty, because we don't know how long we may have to keep going."

The biscuit and extract of meat were washed down with a draught of water mingled with a little gin.

The biscuit and meat extract were washed down with water mixed with a little gin.

Breakfast over, my uncle drew from his pocket a small notebook, intended for scientific observations. He consulted his instruments, and recorded:

After breakfast, my uncle took a small notebook for scientific observations from his pocket. He checked his instruments and recorded:

"Monday, July 1.

"Monday, July 1.

This last observation applied to the dark gallery, and was indicated by the compass.

This last observation applied to the dark passage and was confirmed by the compass.

"Now, Axel," cried the Professor with enthusiasm, "now we are really going into the interior of the earth. At this precise moment the journey commences."

"Now, Axel," cried the Professor enthusiastically, "we are really going into the earth. Our journey begins at this very moment."

So saying, my uncle took in one hand Ruhmkorff's apparatus, which was hanging from his neck; and with the other he formed an electric communication with the coil in the lantern, and a sufficiently bright light dispersed the darkness of the passage.

With that, my uncle took Ruhmkorff's apparatus, which hung around his neck, in one hand. With the other, he connected it electrically to the coil in the lantern. A sufficiently bright light dispelled the darkness in the passage.

Hans carried the other apparatus, which was also put into action. This ingenious application of electricity would enable us to go on for a long time by creating an artificial light even in the midst of the most inflammable gases.

Hans carried the other device, which was also switched on. This clever use of electricity would let us continue for a long time. It provided artificial light even amid the most flammable gases.

"Now, march!" cried my uncle.

"Now, march!" shouted my uncle.

Each shouldered his package. Hans drove before him the load of cords and clothes; and, myself walking last, we entered the gallery.

Each of us shouldered a package. Hans pushed the load of ropes and clothes ahead of him, and we entered the passage. I walked last.

At the moment of becoming engulfed in this dark gallery, I raised my head, and saw for the last time through the length of that vast tube the sky of Iceland, which I was never to behold again.

As the dark passage swallowed me, I looked up. Through the length of the vast tube, I saw the sky over Iceland for the last time. I would never see it again.

The lava, in the last eruption of 1229, had forced a passage through this tunnel. It still lined the walls with a thick and glistening coat. The electric light was here intensified a hundredfold by reflection.

During the last eruption in 1229, lava had forced its way through this tunnel. It still coated the walls in a thick, glistening layer. Reflections made the electric light a hundred times brighter here.

The only difficulty in proceeding lay in not sliding too fast down an incline of about forty-five degrees; happily certain asperities and a few blisterings here and there formed steps, and we descended, letting our baggage slip before us from the end of a long rope.

The only difficulty was avoiding sliding too fast down the slope, which was at about a forty-five-degree angle. Fortunately, rough patches and a few bumps here and there formed steps. We descended, letting our baggage slide ahead of us on the end of a long rope.

But that which formed steps under our feet became stalactites overhead. The lava, which was porous in many places, had formed a surface covered with small rounded blisters; crystals of opaque quartz, set with limpid tears of glass, and hanging like clustered chandeliers from the vaulted roof, seemed as it were to kindle and form a sudden illumination as we passed on our way. It seemed as if the genii of the depths were lighting up their palace to receive their terrestrial guests.

But what formed steps beneath our feet became stalactites overhead. The lava was porous in many places, and its surface was covered with small, rounded blisters. Crystals of opaque quartz, studded with clear drops of glass, hung in clusters like chandeliers from the vaulted ceiling. They seemed to light up suddenly as we passed. It was as if the spirits of the depths were lighting their palace to welcome their guests from above.

"It is magnificent!" I cried spontaneously. "My uncle, what a sight! Don't you admire those blending hues of lava, passing from reddish brown to bright yellow by imperceptible shades? And these crystals are just like globes of light."

"It's magnificent!" I cried without thinking. "Uncle, what a sight! Don't you admire how the colors of the lava blend? They change from reddish brown to bright yellow in shades too subtle to see. And these crystals look just like globes of light."

"Ah, you think so, do you, Axel, my boy? Well, you will see greater splendours than these, I hope. Now let us march: march!"

"Ah, you think so, Axel, my boy? Well, I hope you will see even more wonderful sights than these. Now let's march: march!"

He had better have said slide, for we did nothing but drop down the steep inclines. It was the facilis descensus Averni of Virgil. The compass, which I consulted frequently, gave our direction as south-east with inflexible steadiness. This lava stream deviated neither to the right nor to the left.

He should have called it a slide, because we did nothing but drop down the steep slopes. It was Virgil's facilis descensus Averni, the easy descent to the underworld. I checked the compass often, and it always showed us heading southeast. The lava stream never turned right or left.

Yet there was no sensible increase of temperature. This justified Davy's theory, and more than once I consulted the thermometer with surprise. Two hours after our departure it only marked 10° (50° Fahr.), an increase of only 4°. This gave reason for believing that our descent was more horizontal than vertical. As for the exact depth reached, it was very easy to ascertain that; the Professor measured accurately the angles of deviation and inclination on the road, but he kept the results to himself.

Yet there was no noticeable increase in temperature. This supported Davy's theory, and I checked the thermometer more than once in surprise. Two hours after we left, it read only 10° (50° Fahr.), an increase of just 4°. This gave us reason to believe that we were traveling more horizontally than vertically. It was easy to determine our exact depth. The Professor carefully measured the angles of deviation and inclination along the route, but he kept the results to himself.

About eight in the evening he signalled to stop. Hans sat down at once. The lamps were hung upon a projection in the lava; we were in a sort of cavern where there was plenty of air. Certain puffs of air reached us. What atmospheric disturbance was the cause of them? I could not answer that question at the moment. Hunger and fatigue made me incapable of reasoning. A descent of seven hours consecutively is not made without considerable expenditure of strength. I was exhausted. The order to 'halt' therefore gave me pleasure. Hans laid our provisions upon a block of lava, and we ate with a good appetite. But one thing troubled me, our supply of water was half consumed. My uncle reckoned upon a fresh supply from subterranean sources, but hitherto we had met with none. I could not help drawing his attention to this circumstance.

Around eight in the evening, he signaled us to stop. Hans sat down at once. We hung the lamps on a ledge of lava. We were in a kind of cavern with plenty of air. We felt occasional puffs of air. What atmospheric disturbance caused them? I could not answer that question just then. Hunger and fatigue made me unable to think. Descending for seven hours without stopping takes considerable strength. I was exhausted, so I was glad when he ordered us to 'halt'. Hans laid our provisions on a block of lava, and we ate with a good appetite. But one thing troubled me. We had used half our water supply. My uncle was counting on finding fresh water underground, but so far we had found none. I could not help pointing this out to him.

"Are you surprised at this want of springs?" he said.

"Are you surprised there are no springs?" he said.

"More than that, I am anxious about it; we have only water enough for five days."

"More than that, I'm worried about it. We only have enough water for five days."

"Don't be uneasy, Axel, we shall find more than we want."

"Don't worry, Axel. We'll find more than we need."

"When?"

"When?"

"When we have left this bed of lava behind us. How could springs break through such walls as these?"

"When we have left this bed of lava behind us. How could springs break through walls like these?"

"But perhaps this passage runs to a very great depth. It seems to me that we have made no great progress vertically."

"But perhaps this passage goes very deep. I don't think we have gone down very far."

"Why do you suppose that?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Because if we had gone deep into the crust of earth, we should have encountered greater heat."

"Because if we had gone deep into the Earth's crust, we would have felt more heat."

"According to your system," said my uncle. "But what does the thermometer say?"

"According to your system," said my uncle. "But what does the thermometer say?"

"Hardly fifteen degrees (59° Fahr), nine degrees only since our departure."

"Barely fifteen degrees (59°F), only nine degrees since we left."

"Well, what is your conclusion?"

"Well, what do you conclude?"

"This is my conclusion. According to exact observations, the increase of temperature in the interior of the globe advances at the rate of one degree (1 4/5° Fahr.) for every hundred feet. But certain local conditions may modify this rate. Thus at Yakoutsk in Siberia the increase of a degree is ascertained to be reached every 36 feet. This difference depends upon the heat-conducting power of the rocks. Moreover, in the neighbourhood of an extinct volcano, through gneiss, it has been observed that the increase of a degree is only attained at every 125 feet. Let us therefore assume this last hypothesis as the most suitable to our situation, and calculate."

"Here is my conclusion. Precise observations show that the temperature inside the earth rises by one degree (1 4/5° Fahr.) for every hundred feet. But local conditions may change this rate. At Yakoutsk in Siberia, for example, the temperature has been found to rise one degree every 36 feet. This difference depends on how well the rocks conduct heat. Near an extinct volcano, however, the temperature in gneiss has been observed to rise one degree only every 125 feet. Let us therefore assume that this last rate is the most suitable for our situation and calculate."

"Well, do calculate, my boy."

"Well, go ahead and calculate, my boy."

"Nothing is easier," said I, putting down figures in my note book. "Nine times a hundred and twenty-five feet gives a depth of eleven hundred and twenty-five feet."

"That's easy," I said, writing numbers in my notebook. "Nine times 125 feet gives a depth of 1,125 feet."

"Very accurate indeed."

"Very accurate indeed."

"Well?"

"Well?"

"By my observation we are at 10,000 feet below the level of the sea."

"According to my observations, we are 10,000 feet below sea level."

"Is that possible?"

"Is that possible?"

"Yes, or figures are of no use."

"Yes, or the numbers are useless."

The Professor's calculations were quite correct. We had already attained a depth of six thousand feet beyond that hitherto reached by the foot of man, such as the mines of Kitz Bahl in Tyrol, and those of Wuttembourg in Bohemia.

The Professor's calculations were correct. We had already gone 6,000 feet deeper than anyone had ever gone before. The deepest places people had reached were mines such as those at Kitz Bahl in Tyrol and Wuttembourg in Bohemia.

The temperature, which ought to have been 81° (178° Fahr.) was scarcely 15° (59° Fahr.). Here was cause for reflection.

The temperature should have been 81° (178° Fahrenheit), but it was barely 15° (59° Fahrenheit). This was something to think about.