45

We have now come to the end of a tale which many people, however determined to be surprised at nothing, will refuse to believe. But I am armed in advance against human scepticism. The Stromboli fishermen received us with the kindness due to those who...

43

Yes, mad! The needle was swinging round from direction to direction with sharp jerks, working its way through every successive point of the compass, as if completely dizzy. I knew that, according to the generally accepted theories, the Earth’s mineral crust is never in...

40

Since the beginning of our journey I had been astonished many times; I would have thought that I was immune to surprise and blasé at any new wonder. Nevertheless, at the sight of the two letters engraved on this spot three centuries ago, I...

39

For another half-hour we trampled over the layers of bones. We went straight ahead, forced on by a burning curiosity. What other wonders did this cavern hold, what treasures of science? My eyes expected every surprise, my mind every astonishment. The sea-shore had long since...

28

When I came back to life, my face was wet with tears. How long this state of unconsciousness had lasted, I cannot say. I no longer had any way of keeping track of time. Never had there been loneliness like mine, never such complete...

24

The following day, we had already forgotten about our difficulties. I was amazed at first not to feel thirsty, and wondered why. The stream flowing and gurgling at my feet gave me the answer. We ate and drank from the excellent ferrous water. I felt...

22

We set off again, this time down the other tunnel. Hans led the way as usual. We hadn’t gone further than 100 yards, when the professor, shining his lamp along the walls, bellowed: ‘These are Primitive terrains! We’re on the right route, come on, come...

20

Rationing was indeed essential. We didn’t have enough water left for more than three days, as I found out that evening at dinner-time. Nor could we have much hope of coming across an open spring in the ground of the Transition Era—a dismal perspective.... The...

15

Snæfells is 5,000 feet high. Its double cone marks the end of a trachytic strip which branches off the main relief system of the island. From our point of departure we couldn’t see its two peaks in profile against the greyish background of the...

13

It should have been dark, but on the 65th parallel, I was not surprised by light during the night in the Arctic regions: in June and July in Iceland the sun never sets. Nevertheless, the temperature had gone down. I was cold and above all...