Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Jules Verne

Cover image: Kubilay Sak

Translation: Google, Gemini

E-isbn (İng): 978-625-6020-54-2

Year of Printing: 2025

It cannot be reproduced, published or distributed without permission from the publishing house, except for short quotations for promotional purposes, provided that the source is cited.

Publication and Distribution: Özlem Publishing House

Yenibati Mahallesi Uğrak İş Merkezi No: 61

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Publisher Certificate: 53253

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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

In 1866, incredible and astonishing accidents occurred in the seas. Sailors who had been involved in these strange accidents and returned alive from their voyages reported the presence of a peculiar creature in the ocean. According to their accounts, this creature was exceptionally large and equally fast. Moreover, it could emit light and spout water.

The first sighting of what the sailors called a monster was on July 20, 1866, by those aboard the Governor Higginson. The ship's captain, spotting this strange object five miles off the coast of Australia, initially mistook it for a charted island. However, upon seeing this supposed island spout water 50 meters high and move with incredible speed, he concluded that it could only be a monster.

A second similar object was seen on July 23, 1866, by the crew of the Colombos, about 700 miles away. This indicated one of two things: either this monster was not alone, or it possessed terrifying speed.

Later, the same floating monster was sighted in various parts of the world. According to the sailors' descriptions, its length exceeded 100 meters. Considering that the largest whale ever hunted was around 53 meters long, this had to be a giant whale.

In 1867, the ship Scoita, carrying passengers, collided with an unknown object. The crew could not understand why the ship had struck rocks in the middle of the sea. When they went below, they were astonished to find hold number five filled with water. Divers later sent down discovered a two-meter hole where the fifth hold was located. The ship arrived in Liverpool Harbor half-sunk, three days behind schedule. This latest incident brought the monster phenomenon back into focus. The monster had now started attacking ships.

This situation, which excited the world, also put governments on alert. Leaders of various countries tried to take measures against this sea monster.

Newspapers and magazines endeavored to inform the public about this unknown monster with thrilling news and articles, but their reporters knew nothing about the creature either. What they wrote was merely a slightly exaggerated version of the victims' accounts. All the narratives combined suggested that a gigantic monster lived in the sea and was attacking ships.

At this time, I had completed my research in America and was about to return to my home country, France. Despite being a scientist, I found myself both doubting the existence of this monster, asserting its impossibility, and fearing an encounter with it on my upcoming journey.

Authorities were divided on the matter. One group argued that the object was a giant sea monster, while another group of scientists claimed it was a very powerful ship that could travel underwater at the same speed. However, there was a fact that refuted this second view: no such ship had been built in the shipyards of either continent. It could only be a secret state weapon.

My article, "Unknown Secrets of the Seabed," published in one of the best-selling newspapers, had garnered more interest than I had hoped. In my article, I had noted that seahorses and ocean depths had not been explored until then. I stated that we had no information about what kinds of creatures lived underwater, and furthermore, even land animals had not been fully examined, let alone those in the sea. I emphasized that a sea rhinoceros was 20 meters long and a whale 50 meters long, explaining that a creature 100 meters long with extraordinary speed could exist, capable of attacking ships and tearing their armor like tin pieces. I had also mentioned in my article that a giant swordfish could do these things.

Upon the publication of my article, public debate intensified. The idea that this entity was a monster began to gain traction. People started avoiding sea travel. As long as there was a monster in the seas, ships and their passengers were considered to be in great danger. Gradually, the theory that this monster must be eliminated prevailed in society.

Public pressure began to be felt increasingly by national governments.

As incidents escalated, the American Government commissioned the Abraham Lincoln, the fastest warship of its time, to destroy this monster. The interesting part was that, following the publication of my article, the Ministry of Marine invited me to join this expedition, given my status as a natural scientist and an authority in my field. The letter from the U.S. Department of the Navy stated that by participating in the Abraham Lincoln's research voyage, I would represent France in this American endeavor and, in turn, be able to provide a scientific explanation to the public. My devoted companion and servant, Conseil, who had worked with me for ten years, and I immediately decided to join the trip, as the Abraham Lincoln was set to depart in just three hours.

Upon our arrival at the Abraham Lincoln, there was an anxious buzz on board. We were greeted by the ship's commander, Farragut.

"Welcome, Mr. Pierre Aronnax. I presume you'd like to settle into your cabin immediately."

"Thank you. You are very kind," I replied.

After a brief conversation, I realized the ship's commander was an extremely dedicated man. Interestingly, the ship's personnel were as brave as their captain, sworn to defeat the monster. They performed their duties diligently and enthusiastically.

Everything needed for the monster hunt had been prepared on board. Hand-thrown harpoons, spikes, rifles that could launch arrows from a distance, deck cannons that could fire five-kilogram shells ten miles away, and many other tools and equipment whose purpose I couldn't quite decipher. Frankly, this discipline and dedication to duty convinced me that the assigned mission would be successful.

As we settled into our cabin, the Abraham Lincoln set sail. It was a magnificent ship, capable of 18.5 miles per hour, but would we be able to catch the monster with it? No one knew.

After dinner, we went for a stroll on deck. If we also accounted for Ned Land, renowned as the King of Harpooners, in addition to the special weapons and equipment on our ship, the monster was in for a rough time. Ned Land was a legendary figure in fishing taverns. He could harpoon enormous fish from a great distance without boasting about it. He spoke very little and was quick to anger. Once angered, he was inconsolable.

We met Ned Land. He was 1.80 meters tall, around forty years old, a large and athletic man. We became friends. Like everyone else, we started talking about the monster, but Ned didn't believe in its existence. He had chased hundreds of monsters to date. He found the idea of a creature as described by the sailors absurd. He wasn't entirely wrong. Ned Land didn't believe that any living creature in the sea could be powerful enough to pierce a ship's armor.

Our journey continued without incident. Our ship was speeding south. The captain constantly warned the lookouts and crew. Moreover, the captain had offered a two-thousand-dollar reward to whoever sighted the monster first. Now, everyone on board had their eyes on the sea. If we saw a dark shape on the surface, we would immediately get excited and think it might be the monster.

One day, as Conseil, Ned Land, and I were debating whether the monster was a figment of imagination, the Abraham Lincoln was sailing at extraordinary speed two hundred miles off the coast of Japan. Ned Land's eyes suddenly widened:

"Hey, hey! Look over there! Four hundred meters ahead of us! My God! This is impossible!" I heard him exclaim, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

When I looked in that direction, I saw the monster. The sea where the monster was located was sparkling. All the ship's crew had come to our side. Shortly after, the captain, having been informed of the incident, ordered everyone back to their stations.

It was night when the harpooner saw the monster. I couldn't understand how Ned Land had managed to see the monster in such darkness. Suddenly, sirens blared, and the crew scurried here and there. The ship instantly turned into a frenzy, but everyone knew what to do.

At that moment, the monster's lights vanished first, and then the monster itself. Everyone looked at each other with questioning eyes. Every gaze was filled with the same question: What was that?

Ned Land, harpoon in hand, scanned the sea. He was like a coiled spring, ready to hurl his harpoon the moment he saw it. Suddenly, he shouted:

"There! It's there!"

Indeed, the monster was sailing fifty meters ahead of us. The Abraham Lincoln was moving at top speed. This monster was also moving at the same speed right beside us. It was making terrifying noises and leaving white foam in its wake. We were all astonished.

The first to shake off the astonishment among us was the captain:

"Silence!" he roared, then rattled off his orders. "Helm to leeward, full astern!"

The ship turned back in a semi-circle. To our astonishment, we were abandoning the monster we had been searching for days. As soon as I recovered from my initial shock, I found the captain. I asked him why we were moving away from the monster.

The captain was extremely cautious.

"Monsieur," he said, "I cannot attack this creature without knowing what it is. And in this darkness, our chances of success are very slim. First and foremost, I must consider the passengers and crew. Since we've found it, it's best to wait until morning and then take action."

The captain and I discussed what the monster was. However, we couldn't agree on its nature.

Around midnight, the monster disappeared. Just as we decided it had escaped, we heard a roar, similar to a whistle, very close by. Water began to spout into the air right next to us. Ned Land was very close to it:

"My God!" I heard him exclaim, "I've never encountered a monster like this before!"

The monster was directly in front of us. It was moving fast. There was still a long time until morning. The captain ordered full speed to pursue the monster. The ship quickly reached full speed. We were tracking it; it was right ahead of us. We could see its black back, but we still couldn't determine what it was.

The ship's captain suddenly made a decision. Perhaps he believed he wouldn't get such an opportunity again. He warned the crew to go to their battle stations. We were going to attack the monster. The cannons were prepared. Ned Land, harpoon in hand, was like a tiger ready to strike. With the captain's command, four explosions were heard. The fired shells had found their targets but had ricocheted off and fallen into the water. We were all horrified. The monster shot away from us like an arrow, and everything happened in an instant. This time, it turned with incredible agility and attacked us. The water it spouted 30-40 meters high covered the deck from end to end. We were all drenched, preoccupied with our own predicament. Then, with a violent crash, our ship shook. We tumbled to the floor. The monster had shaken the huge ship like a matchbox. In an instant, I found myself in the cool waters of the ocean.

When I fell into the sea, I sank three fathoms deep. I quickly regained my composure and surfaced. My first priority was to look for the ship. Had those on board noticed me falling into the sea in all that chaos and darkness?

If I weren't a good swimmer, I would have sunk straight to the bottom. My clothes grew heavier as they absorbed water. I felt myself being pulled down. I called out to the ship for help, but those on board were in no condition to hear me and were moving further and further away. Just then, I heard the voice of my loyal friend, Conseil, right beside me.

"You must take off your clothes, professor. Otherwise, you'll sink. I'll help you get rid of your clothes now."

Conseil swiftly cut my clothes with the knife he carried, freeing me from the weight. I did the same for him.

"How did you get here? Did you fall too?" I asked.

"I wanted to save you."

I was touched. My loyal friend, realizing I had fallen into the sea, had thrown himself in after me. Indeed, my trust in him had grown even stronger. As we struggled with the waves, we talked:

"They'll come back and rescue us anyway," I said.

"They can't," said Conseil. "When I jumped in, the helmsman was shouting that the rudder was completely destroyed. Right now, the Abraham Lincoln is drifting aimlessly! And I don't think they've even noticed our absence in all that commotion."

I was terrified. How far, and in what direction, would we swim? And how could we endure this continuous swimming pace? We swam for about an hour in the dark. My arms were getting heavy, and my strength was failing. Suddenly, I seized up with a violent cramp. This was the end for me!

My loyal friend Conseil didn't want to leave me. I told him to look out for himself. I didn't want him to die with me, but no matter what I did, he could only live a couple of hours longer than me at most. In the darkness, I thought I heard a sound. I must have been losing my mind. Finally, I fainted.

I came to as two strong arms rubbed my body.

"Conseil!" I groaned.

"I'm here, sir!"

Looking carefully, I saw two friendly faces. Conseil and Ned Land were directly in front of me. I was lying stretched out on a hard object.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Where else would we be?" said Ned Land. "We're currently on whatever that thing we thought was a monster is."

Indeed, the surface we were on was made of steel and was gliding through the water at an incredible speed. I immediately stood up. I kicked the surface beneath me with all my strength. It was covered with a hard shell, tougher than a sea turtle's or a crocodile's hide, and it made a metallic sound. That's when I decided it was a huge, man-made ship. A steel, fish-shaped underwater vehicle.

To our astonished gazes, a hatch opened on the hull, and a head emerged. It startled at the sight of me, shrieked, and disappeared. Then, about eight men emerged from the same spot. They were all burly sailors. They wore masks to avoid being recognized. They pushed us roughly into the place they had come from. Meanwhile, Ned Land was shouting and raging in anger. When we saw the interior, we were stunned. This was a ship. A ship with cabins and a crew. Then they locked us in a cell. Looking out the cell window, Conseil exclaimed in surprise:

"We're sinking! We're being submerged!"

But no, we weren't sinking. This was a magnificent ship. Its captain must have been able to make it float underwater whenever he wished.

Ned Land's anger hadn't subsided:

"Whoever you are, whatever you are, show yourselves, you villains, you pirates!" he shouted.

I urged him to calm down:

"Take it easy, my friend," I said. "Perhaps they're listening to us right now. We don't know who they are, what they are, or what their intentions are. I think it's better to first learn the identities of those who manage this ship."

About half an hour passed. Suddenly, the cell door opened, and a crew member brought us food. He began to set the table without any explanation. First, he laid a clean tablecloth on the table. Then, he carefully arranged the dishes covered with silver lids. We received no answers to any of the questions we asked him in various languages. As we ate, the napkins caught my attention. They were embroidered with a large "N."

Now, I had no doubt. We were in the hands of civilized people. The water was fresh and clean. The food was incredibly delicious. They had cooked delicious fish for us. The only things missing from the table were bread and wine. None of us could figure out what the "N" on the napkins meant.

Once we were full, we relaxed. We were very tired. Inevitably, we couldn't defy the laws of nature and fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I felt extremely refreshed. It was as if I had become ten years younger all at once.

The "N" on the napkins bothered me again. I decided that this letter was the initial of the name of the man who managed the ship.

Ned Land was extremely angry. Waiting to see what would happen to us on this ship, where we didn't know if we were prisoners or guests, was truly nerve-wracking. When the bolt of our cell door was drawn from the outside, Ned sprang up with the agility of a cat. He grabbed the man who entered the door by the throat.

As Conseil and I moved to free the man from Ned's grasp, we heard a strong voice, accustomed to giving orders.

"Calm down, Mr. Land! And you too, Professor."

From the clothes of the man who spoke these