In his desire to ascertain how far the picture of Iceland, drawn in the work of Jules Verne is a correct one, the translator hopes in the course of a mail or two to receive a communication from a leading man of science in the island, which may furnish matter for additional information in a future edition.
The scientific portion of the French original is not without a few errors, which the translator, with the kind assistance of Mr. Cameron of H. M. Geological Survey, has ventured to point out and correct. It is scarcely to be expected in a work in which the element of amusement is intended to enter more largely than that of scientific instruction, that any great degree of accuracy should be arrived at. Yet the translator hopes that what trifling deviations from the text or corrections in foot notes he is responsible for, will have done a little towards the increased usefulness of the work.
F. A. M.
The Vicarage,
Broughton-in-Furness
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CONTENTS
I THE PROFESSOR AND HIS FAMILY II A MYSTERY TO BE SOLVED AT ANY PRICE III THE RUNIC WRITING EXERCISES THE PROFESSOR IV THE ENEMY TO BE STARVED INTO SUBMISSION V FAMINE, THEN VICTORY, FOLLOWED BY DISMAY VI EXCITING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AN UNPARALLELED EXERCISE VII A WOMAN'S COURAGE VIII SERIOUS PREPARATIONS FOR VERTICAL DESCENT IX ICELAND, BUT WHAT NEXT? X INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH ICELANDIC SAVANTS XI A GUIDE FOUND TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH XII A BARREN LAND XIII HOSPITALITY UNDER THE ARCTIC CIRCLE XIV BUT ARCTICS CAN BE INHOSPITABLE, TOO XV SNÆFFEL AT LAST XVI BOLDLY DOWN THE CRATER XVII VERTICAL DESCENT XVIII THE WONDERS OF TERRESTIAL DEPTHS XIX GEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN SITU XX THE FIRST SIGNS OF DISTRESS XXI COMPASSION FUSES THE PROFESSOR'S HEART XXII TOTAL FAILURE OF WATER XXIII WATER DISCOVERED XXIV WELL SAID, OLD MOLE! CANST THOU WORK IN THE GROUND SO FAST? XXV DE PROFUNDIS XXVI THE WORST PERIL OF ALL XXVII LOST IN THE BOWELS OF THE EARTH XXVIII THE RESCUE IN THE WHISPERING GALLERY XXIX THALATTA! THALATTA! XXX A NEW MARE INTERNUM XXXI PREPARATIONS FOR A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY XXXII WONDERS OF THE DEEP XXXIII A BATTLE OF MONSTERS XXXIV THE GREAT GEYSER XXXV AN ELECTRIC STORM XXXVI CALM PHILOSOPHIC DISCUSSIONS XXXVII THE LIEDENBROCK MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY XXXVIII THE PROFESSOR IN HIS CHAIR AGAIN XXXIX FOREST SCENERY ILLUMINATED BY ELECTRICITY XL PREPARATIONS FOR BLASTING A PASSAGE TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH XLI THE GREAT EXPLOSION AND THE RUSH DOWN BELOW XLII HEADLONG SPEED UPWARD THROUGH THE HORRORS OF DARKNESS XLIII SHOT OUT OF A VOLCANO AT LAST! XLIV SUNNY LANDS IN THE BLUE MEDITERRANEAN XLV ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
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A JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH
CHAPTER I.
THE PROFESSOR AND HIS FAMILY
On the 24th of May, 1863, my uncle, Professor Liedenbrock, rushed into his little house, No. 19 Königstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the oldest portion of the city of Hamburg.
Martha must have concluded that she was very much behindhand, for the dinner had only just been put into the oven.
"Well, now," said I to myself, "if that most impatient of men is hungry, what a disturbance he will make!"
"M. Liedenbrock so soon!" cried poor Martha in great alarm, half opening the dining-room door.
"Yes, Martha; but very likely the dinner is not half cooked, for it is not two yet. Saint Michael's clock has only just struck half-past one."
"Then why has the master come home so soon?"
"Perhaps he will tell us that himself."
"Here he is, Monsieur Axel; I will run and hide myself while you argue with him."
And Martha retreated in safety into her own dominions.