Orakel Classics
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, prepared as a public-domain Orakel edition with 44 chapter-aware companion links.
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CHAPTER 1: MY UNCLE MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERY
CHAPTER 1: MY UNCLE MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Looking back to all that has occurred to me since that eventful day, I am scarcely able to believe in the reality of my adventures. They were truly so wonderful that even now I am bewildered when I think of
Open2CHAPTER 2: THE MYSTERIOUS PARCHMENT
CHAPTER 2: THE MYSTERIOUS PARCHMENT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. "I Declare," cried my uncle, striking the table fiercely with his fist, "I declare to you it is Runic--and contains some wonderful secret, which I must get at, at any
Open3CHAPTER 3: AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY
CHAPTER 3: AN ASTOUNDING DISCOVERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. "What is the matter?" cried the cook, entering the room; "when will master have his
Open4CHAPTER 4: WE START ON THE JOURNEY
CHAPTER 4: WE START ON THE JOURNEY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. "You see, the whole island is composed of volcanoes," said the Professor, "and remark carefully that they all bear the name of Yocul. The word is Icelandic, and means a glacier. In most of the lofty mountains of that region the volcanic eruptions come forth from icebound caverns. Hence the name applied to every volcano on this extraordinary
Open5CHAPTER 5: First Lessons in Climbing
CHAPTER 5: First Lessons in Climbing from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. At Altona, a suburb of Hamburg, is the Chief Station of the Kiel railway, which was to take us to the shores of the Belt. In twenty minutes from the moment of our departure we were in Holstein, and our carriage entered the station. Our heavy luggage was taken out, weighed, labeled, and placed in a huge van. We then took our tickets, and exactly at seven o'clock were seated opposite each other in a firstclass railway
Open6CHAPTER 6: Our Voyage to Iceland
CHAPTER 6: Our Voyage to Iceland from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The hour of departure came at last. The night before, the worthy Mr. Thompson brought us the most cordial letters of introduction for Baron Trampe, Governor of Iceland, for M. Pictursson, coadjutor to the bishop, and for M. Finsen, mayor of the town of Reykjavik. In return, my uncle nearly crushed his hands, so warmly did he shake
Open7CHAPTER 7: Conversation and Discovery
CHAPTER 7: Conversation and Discovery from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. When I returned, dinner was ready. This meal was devoured by my worthy relative with avidity and voracity. His shipboard diet had turned his interior into a perfect gulf. The repast, which was more Danish than Icelandic, was in itself nothing, but the excessive hospitality of our host made us enjoy it
Open8CHAPTER 8: THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER--OFF AT LAST
CHAPTER 8: THE EIDER-DOWN HUNTER--OFF AT LAST from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. That evening I took a brief walk on the shore near Reykjavik, after which I returned to an early sleep on my bed of coarse planks, where I slept the sleep of the just. When I awoke I heard my uncle speaking loudly in the next room. I rose hastily and joined him. He was talking in Danish with a man of tall stature, and of perfectly Herculean build. This man appeared to be possessed of very great strength. His eyes,
Open9CHAPTER 9: OUR START--WE MEET WITH ADVENTURES BY THE WAY
CHAPTER 9: OUR START--WE MEET WITH ADVENTURES BY THE WAY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The weather was overcast but settled, when we commenced our adventurous and perilous journey. We had neither to fear fatiguing heat nor drenching rain. It was, in fact, real tourist
Open10CHAPTER 10: TRAVELING IN ICELAND
CHAPTER 10: TRAVELING IN ICELAND from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. It ought, one would have thought, to have been night, even in the sixty-fifth parallel of latitude; but still the nocturnal illumination did not surprise me. For in Iceland, during the months of June and July, the sun never
Open11CHAPTER 11: WE REACH MOUNT SNEFFELS--THE "REYKIR"
CHAPTER 11: WE REACH MOUNT SNEFFELS--THE "REYKIR" from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Stapi is a town consisting of thirty huts, built on a large plain of lava, exposed to the rays of the sun, reflected from the volcano. It stretches its humble tenements along the end of a little fjord, surrounded by a basaltic wall of the most singular
Open12CHAPTER 12: THE ASCENT OF MOUNT SNEFFELS
CHAPTER 12: THE ASCENT OF MOUNT SNEFFELS from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The huge volcano which was the first stage of our daring experiment is above five thousand feet high. Sneffels is the termination of a long range of volcanic mountains, of a different character to the system of the island itself. One of its peculiarities is its two huge pointed summits. From whence we started it was impossible to make out the real outlines of the peak against the grey field of sky. All we could
Open13CHAPTER 13: THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS
CHAPTER 13: THE SHADOW OF SCARTARIS from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Our supper was eaten with ease and rapidity, after which everybody did the best he could for himself within the hollow of the crater. The bed was hard, the shelter unsatisfactory, the situation painful--lying in the open air, five thousand feet above the level of the
Open14CHAPTER 14: THE REAL JOURNEY COMMENCES
CHAPTER 14: THE REAL JOURNEY COMMENCES from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Our real journey had now commenced. Hitherto our courage and determination had overcome all difficulties. We were fatigued at times; and that was all. Now we were about to encounter unknown and fearful
Open15CHAPTER 15: WE CONTINUE OUR DESCENT
CHAPTER 15: WE CONTINUE OUR DESCENT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. At eight o'clock the next morning, a faint kind of dawn of day awoke us. The thousand and one prisms of the lava collected the light as it passed and brought it to us like a shower of
Open16CHAPTER 16: THE EASTERN TUNNEL
CHAPTER 16: THE EASTERN TUNNEL from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The next day was Tuesday, the 30th of June--and at six o'clock in the morning we resumed our
Open17CHAPTER 17: DEEPER AND DEEPER--THE COAL MINE
CHAPTER 17: DEEPER AND DEEPER--THE COAL MINE from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In truth, we were compelled to put ourselves upon rations. Our supply would certainly last not more than three days. I found this out about supper time. The worst part of the matter was that, in what is called the transition rocks, it was hardly to be expected we should meet with
Open18CHAPTER 18: THE WRONG ROAD!
CHAPTER 18: THE WRONG ROAD! from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Next day, our departure took place at a very early hour. There was no time for the least delay. According to my account, we had five days' hard work to get back to the place where the galleries
Open19CHAPTER 19: THE WESTERN GALLERY--A NEW ROUTE
CHAPTER 19: THE WESTERN GALLERY--A NEW ROUTE from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Our descent was now resumed by means of the second gallery. Hans took up his post in front as usual. We had not gone more than a hundred yards when the Professor carefully examined the
Open20CHAPTER 20: WATER, WHERE IS IT? A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT
CHAPTER 20: WATER, WHERE IS IT? A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. During a long, long, weary hour, there crossed my wildly delirious brain all sorts of reasons as to what could have aroused our quiet and faithful guide. The most absurd and ridiculous ideas passed through my head, each more impossible than the other. I believe I was either half or wholly
Open21CHAPTER 21: UNDER THE OCEAN
CHAPTER 21: UNDER THE OCEAN from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. By the next day we had nearly forgotten our past sufferings. The first sensation I experienced was surprise at not being thirsty, and I actually asked myself the reason. The running stream, which flowed in rippling wavelets at my feet, was the satisfactory
Open22CHAPTER 22: SUNDAY BELOW GROUND
CHAPTER 22: SUNDAY BELOW GROUND from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I Awoke on Sunday morning without any sense of hurry and bustle attendant on an immediate departure. Though the day to be devoted to repose and reflection was spent under such strange circumstances, and in so wonderful a place, the idea was a pleasant one. Besides, we all began to get used to this kind of existence. I had almost ceased to think of the sun, of the moon, of the stars, of the trees, houses, and towns;
Open23CHAPTER 23: ALONE
CHAPTER 23: ALONE from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. It must in all truth be confessed, things as yet had gone on well, and I should have acted in bad taste to have complained. If the true medium of our difficulties did not increase, it was within the range of possibility that we might ultimately reach the end of our journey. Then what glory would be ours! I began in the newly aroused ardor of my soul to speak enthusiastically to the Professor. Well, was I serious?
Open24CHAPTER 24: LOST!
CHAPTER 24: LOST! from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. No words in any human language can depict my utter despair. I was literally buried alive; with no other expectation before me but to die in all the slow horrible torture of hunger and
Open25CHAPTER 25: THE WHISPERING GALLERY
CHAPTER 25: THE WHISPERING GALLERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. When at last I came back to a sense of life and being, my face was wet, but wet, as I soon knew, with tears. How long this state of insensibility lasted, it is quite impossible for me now to say. I had no means left to me of taking any account of time. Never since the creation of the world had such a solitude as mine existed. I was completely
Open26CHAPTER 26: A RAPID RECOVERY
CHAPTER 26: A RAPID RECOVERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. When I returned to the consciousness of existence, I found myself surrounded by a kind of semiobscurity, lying on some thick and soft coverlets. My uncle was watching--his eyes fixed intently on my countenance, a grave expression on his face, a tear in his eye. At the first sigh which struggled from my bosom, he took hold of my hand. When he saw my eyes open and fix themselves upon his, he uttered a loud cry of joy.
Open27CHAPTER 27: THE CENTRAL SEA
CHAPTER 27: THE CENTRAL SEA from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. At first I saw absolutely nothing. My eyes, wholly unused to the effulgence of light, could not bear the sudden brightness; and I was compelled to close them. When I was able to reopen them, I stood still, far more stupefied than astonished. Not all the wildest effects of imagination could have conjured up such a scene! "The sea--the sea," I
Open28CHAPTER 28: LAUNCHING THE RAFT
CHAPTER 28: LAUNCHING THE RAFT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. On the morning of the next day, to my great surprise, I awoke completely restored. I thought a bath would be delightful after my long illness and sufferings. So, soon after rising, I went and plunged into the waters of this new Mediterranean. The bath was cool, fresh and
Open29CHAPTER 29: ON THE WATERS--A RAFT VOYAGE
CHAPTER 29: ON THE WATERS--A RAFT VOYAGE from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. On the thirteenth of August we were up betimes. There was no time to be lost. We now had to inaugurate a new kind of locomotion, which would have the advantage of being rapid and not
Open30CHAPTER 30: TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT
CHAPTER 30: TERRIFIC SAURIAN COMBAT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Saturday, August 15th. The sea still retains its uniform monotony. The same leaden hue, the same eternal glare from above. No indication of land being in sight. The horizon appears to retreat before us, more and more as we
Open31CHAPTER 31: THE SEA MONSTER
CHAPTER 31: THE SEA MONSTER from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Wednesday, August 19th. Fortunately the wind, which for the present blows with some violence, has allowed us to escape from the scene of the unparalleled and extraordinary struggle. Hans with his usual imperturbable calm remained at the helm. My uncle, who for a short time had been withdrawn from his absorbing reveries by the novel incidents of this sea fight, fell back again apparently into a brown study. His eyes
Open32CHAPTER 32: THE BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS
CHAPTER 32: THE BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Friday, August 21st. This morning the magnificent geyser had wholly disappeared. The wind had freshened up, and we were fast leaving the neighborhood of Henry's Island. Even the roaring sound of the mighty column was lost to the
Open33CHAPTER 33: OUR ROUTE REVERSED
CHAPTER 33: OUR ROUTE REVERSED from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Here ends what I call "My Journal" of our voyage on board the raft, which journal was happily saved from the wreck. I proceed with my narrative as I did before I commenced my daily
Open34CHAPTER 34: A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
CHAPTER 34: A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. 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
Open35CHAPTER 35: DISCOVERY UPON DISCOVERY
CHAPTER 35: DISCOVERY UPON DISCOVERY from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In order fully to understand the exclamation made by my uncle, and his allusions to these illustrious and learned men, it will be necessary to enter into certain explanations in regard to a circumstance of the highest importance to paleontology, or the science of fossil life, which had taken place a short time before our departure from the upper regions of the
Open36CHAPTER 36: WHAT IS IT?
CHAPTER 36: WHAT IS IT? from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. For a long and weary hour we tramped over this great bed of bones. We advanced regardless of everything, drawn on by ardent curiosity. What other marvels did this great cavern contain--what other wondrous treasures for the scientific man? My eyes were quite prepared for any number of surprises, my imagination lived in expectation of something new and
Open37CHAPTER 37: THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER
CHAPTER 37: THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. During this time, we had left the bright and transparent forest far behind us. We were mute with astonishment, overcome by a kind of feeling which was next door to apathy. We kept running in spite of ourselves. It was a perfect Right, which resembled one of those horrible sensations we sometimes meet with in our
Open38CHAPTER 38: NO OUTLET--BLASTING THE ROCK
CHAPTER 38: NO OUTLET--BLASTING THE ROCK from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Ever since the commencement of our marvelous journey, I had experienced many surprises, had suffered from many illusions. I thought that I was case-hardened against all surprises and could neither see nor hear anything to amaze me
Open39CHAPTER 39: THE EXPLOSION AND ITS RESULTS
CHAPTER 39: THE EXPLOSION AND ITS RESULTS from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The next day, which was the twenty-seventh of August, was a date celebrated in our wondrous subterranean journey. I never think of it even now, but I shudder with horror. My heart beats wildly at the very memory of that awful
Open40CHAPTER 40: THE APE GIGANS
CHAPTER 40: THE APE GIGANS from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. It is difficult for me to determine what was the real time, but I should suppose, by after calculation, that it must have been ten at
Open41CHAPTER 41: HUNGER
CHAPTER 41: HUNGER from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Hunger, prolonged, is temporary madness! The brain is at work without its required food, and the most fantastic notions fill the mind. Hitherto I had never known what hunger really meant. I was likely to understand it
Open42CHAPTER 42: THE VOLCANIC SHAFT
CHAPTER 42: THE VOLCANIC SHAFT from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Man's constitution is so peculiar that his health is purely a negative matter. No sooner is the rage of hunger appeased than it becomes difficult to comprehend the meaning of starvation. It is only when you suffer that you really
Open43CHAPTER 43: DAYLIGHT AT LAST
CHAPTER 43: DAYLIGHT AT LAST from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. When I opened my eyes I felt the hand of the guide clutching me firmly by the belt. With his other hand he supported my uncle. I was not grievously wounded, but bruised all over in the most remarkable
Open44CHAPTER 44: THE JOURNEY ENDED
CHAPTER 44: THE JOURNEY ENDED from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. This is the final conclusion of a narrative which will be probably disbelieved even by people who are astonished at nothing. I am, however, armed at all points against human
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