At that time, Pierre Aronnax had just finished a research trip. Pierre Aronnax was a professor at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The French government sent Pierre Aronnax to Nebraska in the United States. Pierre Aronnax spent six months there. He collected many plants and rocks. He arrived in New York at the end of March. He planned to go back to France in May. Pierre Aronnax was busy with his collection when the Scotia accident happened.
Pierre Aronnax knew everything about the mystery. He read all the American and European newspapers. The mystery was very confusing. Pierre Aronnax changed his mind many times. But he knew the monster was real. People could see the hole in the Scotia. That was a real fact.
In New York, everyone talked about the monster. Some people thought the monster was a moving island. Other people thought it was a large piece of a broken ship. But these ideas were not good. An island or a piece of wood cannot move very fast. The object in the ocean moved with great speed.
There were only two possible answers. Some people believed the object was a giant animal. Other people believed it was a submarine (a ship that travels under the water). The second idea was interesting. But it was difficult to believe. Who could build such a big ship in secret?
A private person could not build a submarine easily. It was a very expensive project. A government could build it. Governments often build new weapons for war. But all the major governments said no. England, France, Russia, and America all made statements. They did not have a secret submarine.
Pierre Aronnax was a famous scientist. He wrote a book called "Mysteries of the Great Submarine Grounds." Because of this book, people asked for his help. The New York Herald newspaper asked Pierre Aronnax for his opinion. Pierre Aronnax wrote a long article for them.
In his article, Pierre Aronnax explained his ideas. He said the deep ocean is a mystery. Humans do not know what lives deep in the water. Maybe there are giant animals there. If the monster is an animal, Pierre Aronnax had a theory. He thought the monster was a giant narwhal (a whale with a large tusk [a very long, sharp tooth] like a sword).
A normal narwhal is sixty feet long. Pierre Aronnax said this monster was ten times bigger. A giant narwhal would be very strong. It would have a tusk like steel. This tusk could pierce the iron plates of a ship. It could move at twenty miles an hour. This speed would cause a big accident.
Pierre Aronnax ended his article carefully. He was a professor and he did not want people to laugh at him. But he admitted the monster was likely a giant animal. Many people read his article and liked his idea. They began to believe in the giant narwhal. The idea was exciting for the public.
Insurance companies were worried about the monster. They wanted the sea to be safe for ships. The United States decided to act first. They prepared a fast frigate (a fast warship) in New York. The ship was named the Abraham Lincoln. Commander Farragut was the captain of the ship.
At first, the monster did not appear. For two months, no one saw it. People began to wait. Then, on July 2nd, new news arrived. A ship saw the monster in the North Pacific Ocean. The Abraham Lincoln prepared to leave immediately. The crew put more coal and food on the ship.
Three hours before the ship left, Pierre Aronnax received a letter. It was from J.B. Hobson, the Secretary of Marine. The letter invited Pierre Aronnax to join the expedition. The United States government wanted a French scientist on the ship. Commander Farragut had a room ready for him. Pierre Aronnax had to decide quickly.