placed in long layers, amongst which were deep holes to the end of which our electric light could not penetrate. These rocks were clothed with immense sea-grasses and weeds, hydrophytes worthy of a Titan world.
From speaking of enormous plants Ned and Conseil naturally turned to gigantic animals in the sea. The former were evidently intended to nourish the latter; while from the windows of the saloon I did not see any but the principal articulates of the division of brachiousa, long-footed lampreys, violet crabs, and clios, peculiar to the Antilles.
About 11 a.m. Ned Land directed my attention to the extraordinary amount of movement going on amongst the algæ.
“Well,” I said, “they are the regular caves of cuttle-fish, and I should not be surprised to see one of those monsters.”
“What!” cried Conseil, “calmars, simple calmars, of the class of cephalopods?”
“No,” I replied, “but cuttle-fish of enormous size. But perhaps friend Ned is mistaken, for I can perceive none of them.”
“I am sorry for it. I should like to see one of those ‘porpoises’ of which I have heard, which are able to drag ships under water. They are called krak———”
“It is a regular ‘cracker,’ altogether, I should think,” said Ned; “‘cracker’ will do !”
“Krakens!” replied Conseil, having got out the word without noticing his companion’s “chaff.”
“You will never make me believe that such animals exist,” said Ned.
“Why not?” exclaimed Conseil, “you believed Monsieur’s narwhal.”
“We were wrong, Conseil.”
“No doubt, but other people believe it still.”
