I rise before the sun and saunter down to the lagoon. Not a single
object is floating on its calm surface.
The work on the tunnel through the side of the cavern goes on, and at
four o'clock in the afternoon on September 23, Engineer Serko blows
away the last rock obstructing the issue, and communication with the
outer world is established. It is only a very narrow hole, and one
has to stoop to go through it. The exterior orifice is lost among the
crannies of the rocky coast, and it would be easy to obstruct it, if
such a measure became necessary.
It goes without saying that the passage will be strictly guarded. No
one without special authorization will be able either to go out or
come in, therefore there is little hope of escape in that direction.
_September 25._--This morning the tug rose from the depth of the
lagoon to the surface, and has now run alongside the jetty. The Count
d'Artigas and Captain Spade disembark, and the crew set to work to
land the provisions--boxes of canned meat, preserves, barrels of wine
and spirits, and other things brought by the _Ebba,_ among which are
several packages destined for Thomas Roch. The men also land the
various sections of Roch's engines which are discoid in shape.
The inventor watches their operations, and his eyes glisten with
eagerness. He seizes one of the sections, examines it, and nods
approval. I notice that his joy no longer finds expression in
incoherent utterances, that he is completely transformed from what he
was while a patient at Healthful House.
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