Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea pt. 29

by

Jules Verne

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Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne.

In the last episode, Captain Nemo informs the crew that the weather is improving and plans to go ashore for observations. The narrator tries to bring Ned Land, but the Canadian refuses. After breakfast, they head to shore, traveling a league inland to a peak with observation instruments. During the journey, they see various southern whales. Reaching the summit after a difficult climb, Captain Nemo takes barometric readings and declares they are at the South Pole. He raises a black banner with a gold "N," claiming the land in his name.

The next day, preparations to depart are made. The Nautilus encounters an iceberg, and after a terrible collision, it becomes trapped at an angle. The crew works to free the submarine, eventually righting it, but still surrounded by ice. As they navigate through the icy tunnel, they are dazzled by the refracted light. After another collision and the realization that all exits are blocked, Captain Nemo confirms they are trapped by shifting ice.