Page:Twenty Thousand Verne Frith 1876.pdf/275

 and not more than $7⁄1000$ of an inch in length. Some of these animals adhere to each other for many leagues.”

“For many leagues!” exclaimed Conseil.

“Yes, and do not seek to ascertain the number of these infusoria. You will never arrive at it, for, if I do not mistake, people have sailed through these milk seas for more than forty miles.”

I do not know whether Conseil attended to my advice, but he seemed to be deep in thought, seeking, no doubt, to calculate how many $7⁄1000$s of an inch were contained in forty square miles. I continued to observe the phenomenon. For many hours the Nautilus drove through these white waves, but towards midnight the sea resumed its usual appearance, but behind us, as far as we could see, the sky, tinged by the reflection from the waves, seemed to be covered with the indistinct gleams of the aurora borealis.