Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, Part 2, Chapter 11 summary

What happens

1. Captain Nemo keeps the Nautilus below the Sargasso Sea’s thick vegetation to prevent its screw from becoming tangled.
2. The narrator describes floating debris and supports Maury’s explanation of how the circular current gathers it.
3. During the Atlantic crossing, the narrator considers requesting freedom but fears making Nemo suspicious.
4. Nemo works privately, annotates the narrator’s scientific writing, and avoids pursuing whalers by diving.
5. On March 13, the Nautilus descends to 16,000 yards, where its structure strains under immense pressure.
6. Nemo arranges a photograph of the underwater landscape, then sends the vessel rapidly back to the surface.

In this chapter

What to notice

Nemo recognizes a limit to the vessel’s extraordinary capabilities. His warning ends the exploration and prompts the sudden ascent.

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