InsteadofdiggingroundtheNautiluswhichwouldhaveinvolvedgreaterdifficulty,CaptainNemohadanimmensetrenchmadeateightyardsfromtheport-quarter.Thenthemensettoworksimultaneouslywiththeirscrewsonseveralpointsofitscircumference.
Presentlythepickaxeattackedthiscompactmattervigorously,andlargeblocksweredetachedfromthemass.Byacuriouseffectofspecificgravity,theseblocks,lighterthanwater,fled,sotospeak,tothevaultofthetunnel,thatincreasedinthicknessatthetopinproportionasitdiminishedatthebase.
Butthatmatteredlittle,solongasthelowerpartgrewthinner.
Aftertwohours\'hardwork,NedLandcameinexhausted.Heandhiscomradeswerereplacedbynewworkers,whomConseilandIjoined.
ThesecondlieutenantoftheNautilussuperintendedus.