On January 29, the island of Ceylon disappeared. The Nautilus moved at twenty miles an hour. It traveled between many small islands near India. Captain Nemo stayed in the deep water. The boat was now 16,220 miles away from its starting point in Japan.
The next day, the Nautilus came to the surface of the ocean. There was no land in sight. It moved toward the sea between Arabia and India. Ned Land came to see Professor Aronnax. Ned Land was not happy. He asked Professor Aronnax where the boat was going.
“We go where Captain Nemo wants to go, Ned Land,” Professor Aronnax said.
“He cannot go very far,” Ned Land replied. “This sea has no exit. If we go in, we must come out again.”
Professor Aronnax told Ned Land about the Red Sea. Ned Land said the Red Sea was also closed. He said there was no path to Europe. Professor Aronnax said he did not want to go to Europe yet. Professor Aronnax wanted to see more wonders under the sea.
For four days, the Nautilus moved through the Sea of Oman. It moved at different speeds and depths. Sometimes it seemed lost. On one afternoon, we saw the town of Muscat. It was a strange place with black rocks and white houses.
I saw the round tops of the mosques (buildings where people go to pray). I saw the tall towers of the minarets (thin towers on buildings). It was a beautiful sight. But soon, the Nautilus went under the waves again. We moved along the coast of Arabia. We saw old ruins on the mountains.
On February 5, we entered the Gulf of Aden. This is a large area of water that leads to the Red Sea. On February 7, we reached the Straits (a narrow area of water that connects two seas) of Bab-el-Mandeb. In the Arab language, this name means "The Gate of Tears."
The passage was very narrow. Many other ships were on the water there. Captain Nemo was very careful. He kept the Nautilus deep under the water. He did not want the other ships to see us. At noon, we were finally in the Red Sea.
I liked being in the Red Sea. Sometimes the Nautilus was on the surface. Sometimes it dived deep to avoid other ships. I sat by the window and watched the water. It was very clear.
On February 8, we saw the town of Mocha. It was an old town with many ruins. Then the Nautilus moved near the coast of Africa. The water was as clear as glass. I saw many beautiful things through the window.
I saw large bushes of coral (a hard substance made by small sea animals). The coral was bright and beautiful. There were also many green algae (plants that grow in the water) on the rocks. I spent many hours at the window. I used the light from the boat to see the fish and the plants.
On February 9, the Nautilus was in the widest part of the Red Sea. Captain Nemo went up to the platform. I went to talk to him. He offered me a cigar and smiled.
“Do you like the Red Sea, Professor Aronnax?” Captain Nemo asked. “Have you seen the fish and the forests of coral?”
“Yes, Captain,” Professor Aronnax replied. “Your boat is very smart. It is perfect for study.”
“Yes,” Captain Nemo said. “The Nautilus is very strong. It does not fear the storms or the rocks here.”
We talked about the history of the sea. In the past, people were very afraid of the Red Sea. Their ships were made of wood. They did not have tools to find their way. Many ships sank in the storms. But Captain Nemo said modern ships have steam power. They are much safer now.
I asked Captain Nemo about the name of the sea. He said the name comes from the water. Sometimes, very small plants make the water look red. He once saw the water look as red as blood.
Then we talked about the story of Moses. Captain Nemo said the water in that spot is now very shallow. The water is too low for the Nautilus. He said there are many old Egyptian tools under the sand there.
I told Captain Nemo about the Suez Canal (a river made by people for ships). A French man named Monsieur Lesseps was building it. It would connect the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Captain Nemo said the canal was good for the world.
“I cannot take you through that canal,” Captain Nemo said. “But we will be in the Mediterranean Sea the day after tomorrow.”
“The Mediterranean!” I cried. “How is that possible? We must go around all of Africa!”
“Who said we are going around Africa?” Captain Nemo asked.
“We cannot sail on the land,” I said.
“No,” Captain Nemo said quietly. “But we can sail under it. There is a secret tunnel under the isthmus (a narrow piece of land that connects two larger areas of land).”
I was very surprised. Captain Nemo told me he found the tunnel by watching the fish. He saw the same fish in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. He caught some fish and put rings on them. Later, he found the same fish with rings in the other sea.
Captain Nemo called this path the Arabian Tunnel. It was a secret way under the land. Soon, the Nautilus would go through it. We were going to Europe.