the　better。〃
  CHAPTER　XXII
  RECOVERED　FROM　THE　SEA
  The　spot　where　the　projectile　sank　under　the　waves　was　exactly
  known；　but　the　machinery　to　grasp　it　and　bring　it　to　the　surface
  of　the　ocean　was　still　wanting。　　It　must　first　be　invented；
  then　made。　　American　engineers　could　not　be　troubled　with
  such　trifles。　　The　grappling…irons　once　fixed；　by　their　help
  they　were　sure　to　raise　it　in　spite　of　its　weight；　which　was
  lessened　by　the　density　of　the　liquid　in　which　it　was　plunged。
  But　fishing…up　the　projectile　was　not　the　only　thing　to　be　thought　of。
  They　must　act　promptly　in　the　interest　of　the　travelers。　　No　one
  doubted　that　they　were　still　living。
  〃Yes；〃　repeated　J。　T。　Maston　incessantly；　whose　confidence
  gained　over　everybody；　〃our　friends　are　clever　people；　and　they
  cannot　have　fallen　like　simpletons。　　They　are　alive；　quite　alive；
  but　we　must　make　haste　if　we　wish　to　find　them　so。　　Food　and
  water　do　not　trouble　me；　they　have　enough　for　a　long　while。
  But　air；　air；　that　is　what　they　will　soon　want；　so　quick；　quick！〃
  And　they　did　go　quick。　　They　fitted　up　the　Susquehanna　for　her
  new　destination。　　Her　powerful　machinery　was　brought　to　bear
  upon　the　hauling…chains。　　The　aluminum　projectile　only　weighed
  19；250　pounds；　a　weight　very　inferior　to　that　of　the　transatlantic
  cable　which　had　been　drawn　up　under　similar　conditions。　　The　only
  difficulty　was　in　fishing　up　a　cylindro…conical　projectile；　the
  walls　of　which　were　so　smooth　as　to　offer　no　hold　for　the　hooks。
  On　that　account　Engineer　Murchison　hastened　to　San　Francisco；
  and　had　some　enormous　grappling…irons　fixed　on　an　automatic
  system；　which　would　never　let　the　projectile　go　if　it　once
  succeeded　in　seizing　it　in　its　powerful　claws。　　Diving…dresses
  were　also　prepared；　which　through　this　impervious　covering　allowed
  the　divers　to　observe　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　　He　also　had　put　on
  board　an　apparatus　of　compressed　air　very　cleverly　designed。
  There　were　perfect　chambers　pierced　with　scuttles；　which；　with
  water　let　into　certain　compartments；　could　draw　it　down　into
  great　depths。　　These　apparatuses　were　at　San　Francisco；　where
  they　had　been　used　in　the　construction　of　a　submarine　breakwater；
  and　very　fortunately　it　was　so；　for　there　was　no　time　to
  construct　any。　　But　in　spite　of　the　perfection　of　the　machinery；
  in　spite　of　the　ingenuity　of　the　savants　entrusted　with　the　use
  of　them；　the　success　of　the　operation　was　far　from　being　certain。
  How　great　were　the　chances　against　them；　the　projectile　being
  20；000　feet　under　the　water！　　And　if　even　it　was　brought　to　the
  surface；　how　would　the　travelers　have　borne　the　terrible　shock
  which　20；000　feet　of　water　had　perhaps　not　sufficiently　broken？
  At　any　rate　they　must　act　quickly。　　J。　T。　Maston　hurried　the
  workmen　day　and　night。　　He　was　ready　to　don　the　diving…dress
  himself；　or　try　the　air　apparatus；　in　order　to　reconnoiter　the
  situation　of　his　courageous　friends。
  But　in　spite　of　all　the　diligence　displayed　in　preparing　the
  different　engines；　in　spite　of　the　considerable　sum　placed　at
  the　disposal　of　the　Gun　Club　by　the　Government　of　the　Union；
  five　long　days　（five　centuries！）　elapsed　before　the　preparations
  were　complete。　　During　this　time　public　opinion　was　excited　to
  the　highest　pitch。　　Telegrams　were　exchanged　incessantly
  throughout　the　entire　world　by　means　of　wires　and　electric　cables。
  The　saving　of　Barbicane；　Nicholl；　and　Michel　Ardan　was　an
  international　affair。　　Every　one　who　had　subscribed　to　the　Gun
  Club　was　directly　interested　in　the　welfare　of　the　travelers。
  At　length　the　hauling…chains；　the　air…chambers；　and　the
  automatic　grappling…irons　were　put　on　board。　　J。　T。　Maston；
  Engineer　Murchison；　and　the　delegates　of　the　Gun　Club；　were
  already　in　their　cabins。　　They　had　but　to　start；　which　they　did
  on　the　21st　of　December；　at　eight　o'clock　at　night；　the　corvette
  meeting　with　a　beautiful　sea；　a　northeasterly　wind；　and　rather
  sharp　cold。　　The　whole　population　of　San　Francisco　was　gathered
  on　the　quay；　greatly　excited　but　silent；　reserving　their　hurrahs
  for　the　return。　　Steam　was　fully　up；　and　the　screw　of　the
  Susquehanna　carried　them　briskly　out　of　the　bay。
  It　is　needless　to　relate　the　conversations　on　board　between
  the　officers；　sailors；　and　passengers。　　All　these　men　had　but
  one　thought。　　All　these　hearts　beat　under　the　same　emotion。
  While　they　were　hastening　to　help　them；　what　were　Barbicane　and
  his　companions　doing？　　What　had　become　of　them？　　Were　they　able　to
  attempt　any　bold　maneuver　to　regain　their　liberty？　　None　could　say。
  The　truth　is　that　every　attempt　must　have　failed！　　Immersed　nearly
  four　miles　under　the　ocean；　this　metal　prison　defied　every　effort
  of　its　prisoners。
  On　the　23rd　inst。；　at　eight　in　the　morning；　after　a　rapid
  passage；　the　Susquehanna　was　due　at　the　fatal　spot。　　They　must
  wait　till　twelve　to　take　the　reckoning　exactly。　　The　buoy
  to　which　the　sounding　line　had　been　lashed　had　not　yet
  been　recognized。
  At　twelve；　Captain　Blomsberry；　assisted　by　his　officers　who
  superintended　the　observations；　took　the　reckoning　in　the
  presence　of　the　delegates　of　the　Gun　Club。　　Then　there　was　a
  moment　of　anxiety。　　Her　position　decided；　the　Susquehanna　was
  found　to　be　some　minutes　westward　of　the　spot　where　the
  projectile　had　disappeared　beneath　the　waves。
  The　ship's　course　was　then　changed　so　as　to　reach　this　exact　point。
  At　forty…seven　minutes　past　twelve　they　reached　the　buoy；　it　was
  in　perfect　condition；　and　must　have　shifted　but　little。
  〃At　last！〃　exclaimed　J。　T。　Maston。
  〃Shall　we　begin？〃　asked　Captain　Blomsberry。
  〃Without　losing　a　second。〃
  Every　precaution　was　taken　to　keep　the　corvette　almost
  completely　motionless。　　Before　trying　to　seize　the　projectile；
  Engineer　Murchison　wanted　to　find　its　exact　position　at　the
  bottom　of　the　ocean。　　The　submarine　apparatus　destined　for　this
  expedition　was　supplied　with　air。　　The　working　of　these　engines
  was　not　without　danger；　for　at　20；000　feet　below　the　surface　of
  the　water；　and　under　such　great　pressure；　they　were　exposed　to
  fracture；　the　consequences　of　which　would　be　dreadful。
  J。　T。　Maston；　the　brothers　Blomsberry；　and　Engineer　Murchison；
  without　heeding　these　dangers；　took　their　places　in　the
  air…chamber。　　The　commander；　posted　on　his　bridge；　superintended
  the　operation；　ready　to　stop　or　haul　in　the　chains　on　the
  slightest　signal。　　The　screw　had　been　shipped；　and　the　whole
  power　of　the　machinery　collected　on　the　capstan　would　have
  quickly　drawn　the　apparatus　on　board。　　The　descent　began　at
  twenty…five　minutes　past　one　at　night；　and　the　chamber；
  drawn　under　by　the　reservoirs　full　of　water；　disappeared
  from　the　surface　of　the　ocean。
  The　emotion　of　the　officers　and　sailors　on　board　was　now
  divided　between　the　prisoners　in　the　projectile　and　the
  prisoners　in　the　submarine　apparatus。　　As　to　the　latter；　they
  forgot　themselves；　and；　glued　to　the　windows　of　the　scuttles；
  attentively　watched　the　liquid　mass　through　which　they　were　passing。
  The　descent　was　rapid。　　At　seventeen　minutes　past　two；　J。　T。
  Maston　and　his　companions　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　Pacific；
  but　they　saw　nothing　but　an　arid　desert；　no　longer　animated　by
  either　fauna　or　flora。　　By　the　light　of　their　lamps；　furnished
  with　powerful　reflectors；　they　could　see　the　dark　beds　of　the
  ocean　for　a　considerable　extent　of　view；　but　the　projectile　was
  nowhere　to　be　seen。
  The　impatience　of　these　bold　divers　cannot　be　described；　and
  having　an　electrical　communication　with　the　corvette；　they　made
  a　signal　already　agreed　upon；　and　for　the　space　of　a　mile　the
  Susquehanna　moved　their　chamber　along　some　yards　above　the　bottom。
  Thus　they　explored　the　whole　submarine　plain；　deceived　at　every
  turn　by　optical　illusions　which　almost　broke　their　hearts。
  Here　a　rock；　there　a　projection　from　the　ground；　seemed　to　be
  the　much…sought…for　projectile；　but　their　mistake　was　soon
  discovered；　and　then　they　were　in　despair。
  〃But　where　are　they？　where　are　they？〃　cried　J。　T。　Maston。　　And　the
  poor　man　called　loudly　upon　Nicholl；　Barbicane；　and　Michel　Ardan；
  as　if　his　unfortunate　friends　could　either　hear　or　answer　him
  through　such　an　impenetrable　medium！　　The　search　continued　under
  these　conditions　until　the　vitiated　air　compelled　the　divers　to　ascend。
  The　hauling　in　began　about　six　in　the　evening；　and　was　not　ended
  before　midnight。
  〃To…morrow；〃　said　J。　T。　Maston；　as　he　set　foot　on　the　bridge　of
  the　corvette。
  〃Yes；〃　answered　Captain　Blomsberry。
  〃And　on　another　spot？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  J。　T。　Maston　did　not　doubt　of　their　final　success；　but　his
  companions；　no　longer　upheld　by　the　excitement　of　the　first
  hours；　understood　all　the　difficulty　of　the　enterprise。
  What　seemed　easy　at　San　Francisco；　seemed　here　in　the　wide
  ocean　almost　impossible。　　The　chances　of　success　diminished　in
  rapid　proportion；　and　it　was　from　chance　alone　that　the　meeting
  with　the　projectile　might　be　expected。
  The　next　day；　the　24th；　in　spite　of　the　fatigue　of　the　previous
  day；　the　operation　was　renewed。　　The　corvette　advanced　some
  minutes　to　westward；　and　the　apparatus；　provided　with　air；　bore
  the　same　explorers　to　the　depths　of　the　ocean。
  The　whole　day　passed　in　fruitless　research；　the　bed　of　th