That evening, the Nautilus floated on the surface of the sea. It was near the coast of Arabia. Professor Aronnax saw the city of Djeddah. It was a very important place for trade. Many ships were in the water near the city.
The sun was low in the sky. The white houses of the town looked very bright. Outside the city, there were small cabins made of grass. Soon, the sun went down. The Nautilus went under the water again.
The next day was February 10. Several ships passed us. At noon, Ned Land, Conseil, and Professor Aronnax went to the platform. The coast of Arabia looked like a gray shadow in the fog.
Ned Land looked at the sea. Suddenly, he pointed his hand at a spot in the water. He asked Professor Aronnax if he saw anything. Professor Aronnax looked closely. He saw a long, black object near the surface.
The object was a giant dugong (a large sea animal that eats grass). Ned Land was very excited. He was a fisherman, and he wanted to catch it. His eyes were bright, and his hands were ready.
Captain Nemo came onto the platform. He saw the animal and he saw Ned Land. Captain Nemo asked Ned Land if he wanted to hunt the creature. Ned Land said yes. Captain Nemo told him to be careful.
“The dugong is dangerous,” Captain Nemo said. “It can turn and flip a boat. But I know you are a good fisherman, Ned Land.”
Seven men from the crew came to the platform. One man carried a harpoon (a long spear used to hunt large sea animals). The men put a small boat into the water. Ned Land, Conseil, and Professor Aronnax got into the boat.
The men rowed the boat toward the dugong. It was two miles away. When they were close, the men rowed silently. Ned Land stood at the front of the boat with his harpoon.
The dugong was very large. It was seven yards long. It did not move. It was sleeping on the waves. This made the hunt easier. The boat was only six yards away from the animal.
Ned Land threw the harpoon with great strength. But the animal moved quickly. The harpoon hit the water. Ned Land was very angry. He shouted because he missed.
“No!” Professor Aronnax said. “The animal is hurt. Look at the blood.”
The animal was wounded, but it was still very fast. The men rowed the boat after it. The dugong dived under the water. Then it came up to breathe. For one hour, the hunt continued.
Suddenly, the dugong stopped. It turned around and attacked the boat. It was a very big animal. It came very close to the side of the boat. Then it jumped.
The boat almost flipped over. A lot of water came inside. The animal grabbed the side of the boat with its teeth. It lifted the boat out of the water! But Ned Land was fast. He hit the animal in the heart with his harpoon.
The dugong died and fell back into the sea. The men took the heavy animal back to the Nautilus. It was very heavy. The crew used a machine to lift it onto the boat.
The next day, the crew caught some sea birds for food. They also saw the mountains of Arabia. Professor Aronnax saw Mount Sinai. This is the mountain where Moses talked to God.
At night, the Nautilus was near the city of Suez. The water looked red again. Professor Aronnax went to the platform. He wanted to see the secret tunnel. He saw a light in the distance.
“That is the light of Suez,” Captain Nemo said. “We are near the tunnel now. I must steer the boat myself.”
Captain Nemo took Professor Aronnax to the pilot’s cage (a small, dark room where a person steers the boat). It was a small room with windows on all sides. Inside, there was a large wheel. A strong man held the wheel.
Captain Nemo used electric wires to talk to the engine room. He told the crew to slow down. The Nautilus moved near a high wall of rock. Professor Aronnax watched through the window.
At ten o’clock, Captain Nemo took the wheel. A large, dark hole appeared in the rock. It was the entrance to the tunnel. The Nautilus went inside the hole.
The water moved very fast. It was like a strong river. The water pushed the Nautilus through the tunnel. Professor Aronnax saw bright lines of light on the walls. The boat was moving very quickly.
Professor Aronnax was a little afraid. His heart beat fast. The boat moved like an arrow. After twenty minutes, Captain Nemo turned to Professor Aronnax. He had a smile on his face.
“The Mediterranean Sea!” Captain Nemo said.
The Nautilus was successful. It had traveled under the land. In a very short time, they had moved from the Red Sea to a new ocean.