During the night of December 27th, the Nautilus left Vanikoro. It moved very fast toward the south-west. In three days, the ship traveled a long distance. It reached the south-east part of Papua on January 1st.
Early on New Year's Day, Conseil came to the platform. Conseil wished Professor Aronnax a happy New Year. Professor Aronnax thanked Conseil. But Professor Aronnax wondered if they would be free this year. Or would they stay on this strange journey?
Conseil did not know the answer. Conseil said he was not bored. For two months, they saw many amazing things. Every day was more exciting than the day before. Conseil wanted to see everything in the ocean.
On January 2nd, they were near the coast of Australia. They were in a dangerous area with many rocks. Long ago, in 1770, Captain Cook’s ship hit a rock here. A piece of coral (a hard substance made by small sea animals) saved his ship. It broke off and filled the hole in the ship.
Professor Aronnax wanted to see the long reef (a long line of rocks or coral under the water). But the Nautilus went very deep into the water. Professor Aronnax could not see the coral walls. He only saw the fish in the nets.
He saw many mackerel and other small fish. Some fish had lights on their bodies. On dark nights, these fish looked like stars in the water. Professor Aronnax also found many beautiful sea plants in the nets.
On January 4th, they saw the coast of Papua. Captain Nemo told Professor Aronnax his plan. He wanted to go into the Indian Ocean. To do this, he must pass through the Torres Straits (a narrow area of water between two pieces of land).
The Torres Straits are very dangerous. There are many small islands and sharp rocks. It is very hard to sail a ship there. Captain Nemo was very careful. The Nautilus moved slowly through the water.
Professor Aronnax, Ned Land, and Conseil went onto the platform. The sea moved very fast around the ship. The waves hit the coral rocks. Ned Land said this was a very bad sea. He was worried about the ship.
The Nautilus moved through many small islands. At three o’clock in the afternoon, the tide (the regular rise and fall of the level of the ocean) began to go out. Suddenly, the ship hit a rock. The Nautilus stopped moving.
Professor Aronnax fell down when the ship hit the rock. Captain Nemo and his officer came onto the platform. They looked at the sea and the ship. They spoke in their own secret language.
The Nautilus was two miles from an island called Gilboa. The ship was stuck on the coral rocks. The water was not deep enough to lift the ship. This was a big problem for the Nautilus.
Captain Nemo walked toward Professor Aronnax. Professor Aronnax asked if this was an accident. Captain Nemo was very calm. He said it was only an "incident." He did not seem worried.
Captain Nemo said he would not stay on the land. He said the Nautilus was not lost. He told Professor Aronnax that the voyage was just beginning. Captain Nemo wanted Professor Aronnax to stay with him.
Professor Aronnax said the tides in the Pacific were not very strong. But Captain Nemo explained his plan. In five days, the moon would be full. A full moon makes the tide higher. The water would rise and lift the ship.
Captain Nemo went back inside the ship. The Nautilus did not move at all. Ned Land came to Professor Aronnax. Ned Land thought the ship was broken. He thought it was time to leave Captain Nemo.
Professor Aronnax said it was too dangerous to leave. They were near Papua. The people on the islands might be dangerous. But Ned Land wanted to go to the island. He wanted to walk on the ground and eat meat.
Conseil agreed with Ned Land. Conseil wanted to walk on the land again. Professor Aronnax asked Captain Nemo for permission to visit the island. Surprisingly, Captain Nemo said yes. He was very kind.
The next morning, they left the Nautilus. They took guns and tools with them. Professor Aronnax and Conseil rowed the small boat. Ned Land steered the boat toward the island.
Ned Land was very happy to leave the ship. He was hungry for real meat. He wanted to hunt animals in the forest. He said he would even eat a tiger!
Professor Aronnax was a bit afraid. He knew there might be dangerous animals in the forest. But Ned Land was ready to hunt. At half-past eight, the boat reached the sand of Gilboa Island.