Excerpts from “Journey to the Center of the Earth” by Jules Verne
Chapter 14: We Continue Our Descent
“Now, Harry,” cried the Professor, in an enthusiastic tone of voice, “we are truly about to take
our first step into the interior of the earth, never before visited by man since the first creation of the
world. You may consider, therefore, that at this precise moment our travels really commence.”
As my uncle made this remark, he took in one hand the Ruhmkorff coil apparatus which hung
round his neck, and with the other he put the electric current into communication with the worm of
the lantern. And a bright light at once illumined that dark and gloomy tunnel!
The effect was magical!
Hans, who carried the second apparatus, had it also put into operation. This ingenious
application of electricity to practical purpose enabled us to move along by the light of an artificial day,
amid even the flow of the most inflammable and combustible gases.
“Forward!” cried my uncle. Each took up his burden. Hans went first, my uncle followed, and I
going third, we entered the somber gallery!
Just as we were to engulf ourselves in this dismal passage, I lifted up my head, and through the
tube-like shaft saw that Iceland sky I was never to see again!
Was it the last I should ever see of any sky?
The stream of lava flowing from the bowels of the earth in 1219 had forced itself a passage
through the tunnel. It lined the whole of the inside with its thick and brilliant coating. The electric light
added very greatly to the brilliancy of the effect.
The great difficulty of our journey now began. How were we to prevent ourselves from slipping
down the steeply inclined plane? Happily, some cracks, abrasures of the soil, and other irregularities,
served the place of steps; and we descended slowly, allowing our heavy luggage to slip on before, at
the end of a long cord.
But that which served as steps under our feet became in other places stalactites. The lava, very
porous in certain places, took the form of little round blisters. Crystals of opaque quartz, adorned with
limpid drops of natural glass suspended to the roof like lusters, seemed to take fire as we passed
beneath them. One would have fancied that the genii of romance were illuminating their
underground palaces to receive the sons of men.
“Magnificent, glorious!” I cried in a moment of involuntary enthusiasm, “what a spectacle,
Uncle! Do you not admire these variegated shades of lava which run through a whole series of colors,
from reddish-brown to pale yellow – by the most insensible degrees? And these crystals, they appear
like luminous globes.”
