sure down here, you will notice that this inland sea rises and falls
with as much regularity as the Atlantic itself."

As my uncle spoke, we reached the sandy shore, and saw and heard the
waves breaking monotonously on the beach. They were evidently rising.

"This is truly the flood," I cried, looking at the water at my feet.

"Yes, my excellent nephew," replied my uncle, rubbing his hands with the
gusto of a philosopher, "and you see by these several streaks of foam
that the tide rises at least ten or twelve feet."

"It is indeed marvelous."

"By no means," he responded; "on the contrary, it is quite natural."

"It may appear so in your eyes, my dear uncle," was my reply, "but all
the phenomena of the place appear to me to partake of the marvelous. It
is almost impossible to believe that which I see. Who in his wildest
dreams could have imagined that, beneath the crust of our earth, there
could exist a real ocean, with ebbing and flowing tides, with its
changes of winds, and even its storms! I for one should have laughed the
suggestion to scorn."

"But, Harry, my boy, why not?" inquired my uncle, with a pitying smile;
"is there any physical reason in opposition to it?"

"Well, if we give up the great theory of the central heat of the earth,
I certainly can offer no reasons why anything should be looked upon as
impossible."

"Then you will own," he added, "that the system of Sir Humphry Davy is
wholly justified by what we have seen?"

"I allow that it is--and that point once granted, I certainly can see no
reason for doubting the existence of seas and other wonders, even
countries, in the interior of the globe."

"That is so--but of course these varied countries are uninhabited?"

"Well, I grant that it is more likely than not: still, I do not see why
this sea should not have given shelter to some species of unknown fish."

"Hitherto we have not discovered any, and the probabilities are rather
against our ever doing so," observed the Professor.

I was losing my skepticism in the presence of these wonders.

"Well, I am determined to solve the question. It is my intention to try
my luck with my fishing line and hook."

"Certainly; make the experiment," said my uncle, pleased with my
enthusiasm. "While we are about it, it will certainly be only proper to
discover all the secrets of this extraordinary region."

"But, after all, where are we now?" I asked; "all this time I have quite
forgotten to ask you a