lais to Madame Sand. But science composed the bulk of the works; books upon mechanics, balistics, hydrography, meteorology, geography, geology, &c., held a no less important place than works on natural history, which I fancied was the captain’s chief study. I perceived the complete writings of Humboldt, Arago, Foucault, Henry St. Claire Deville, Chasles, Milne-Edwards, Quatrefrages, Tyndall, Faraday, Berthelot, of the Abbé Secchi, Petermann, Commodore Maury, Agassiz, &c. The memoirs of the Academy of Science, the transactions of various geographical societies, &c., and, in a conspicuous position, those two volumes to which, perhaps, I was indebted for Captain Nemo’s clemency.
Amongst the works of Joseph Bertrand, his book entitled “Les Fondateurs de l’Astronomie,” gave me a fixed date, and as I knew that the book had appeared during the year 1865, I was enabled to arrive at the conclusion that the institution of the Nautilus had not been at a date more remote than that. Thus for three years or more Captain Nemo had led a submarine existence.
I was in hopes that more recent works would enable me to fix more definitely the exact period, but I had plenty of time before me, and did not wish to delay an exploration of the wonders of the Nautilus.
“I thank you,” said I to the captain, “for having placed this library at my disposal. There are some treasures of scientific research which I shall be able to profit by.”
“This is not only a library, it is also a smoking-room,” said he.
