"Jules Verne. Off on a Comet. WORKS" - читать интересную книгу автора

the bridge completely disappeared, but the river itself no longer existed.
Of the left bank there was not the slightest trace, and the right bank,
which on the previous evening had bounded the yellow stream, as it murmured
peacefully along the fertile plain, had now become the shore of a tumultuous
ocean, its azure waters extending westwards far as the eye could reach,
and annihilating the tract of country which had hitherto formed the district
of Mostaganem. The shore coincided exactly with what had been the right
bank of the Shelif, and in a slightly curved line ran north and south,
whilst the adjacent groves and meadows all retained their previous positions.
But the river-bank had become the shore of an unknown sea.

Eager to throw some light upon the mystery, Servadac hurriedly made
his way through the oleander bushes that overhung the shore, took up
some water in the hollow of his hand, and carried it to his lips.
"Salt as brine!" he exclaimed, as soon as he had tasted it.
"The sea has undoubtedly swallowed up all the western part of Algeria."

"It will not last long, sir," said Ben Zoof. "It is, probably,
only a severe flood."

The captain shook his head. "Worse than that, I fear, Ben Zoof," he replied
with emotion. "It is a catastrophe that may have very serious consequences.
What can have become of all my friends and fellow-officers?"

Ben Zoof was silent. Rarely had he seen his master so much agitated;
and though himself inclined to receive these phenomena with
philosophic indifference, his notions of military duty caused
his countenance to reflect the captain's expression of amazement.

But there was little time for Servadac to examine the changes which a few
hours had wrought. The sun had already reached the eastern horizon,
and just as though it were crossing the ecliptic under the tropics,
it sank like a cannon ball into the sea. Without any warning,
day gave place to night, and earth, sea, and sky were immediately
wrapped in profound obscurity.



CHAPTER VI

THE CAPTAIN MAKES AN EXPLORATION


Hector Servadac was not the man to remain long unnerved by any
untoward event. It was part of his character to discover the why
and the wherefore of everything that came under his observation,
and he would have faced a cannon ball the more unflinchingly
from understanding the dynamic force by which it was propelled.
Such being his temperament, it may well be imagined that he was
anxious not to remain long in ignorance of the cause of the phenomena