All the images of his past life floated upon his memory;
his thoughts sped away to his native France, only to return again
to wonder whether the depths of ocean would reveal any traces
of the Algerian metropolis.

"Is it not impossible," he murmured aloud, "that any city
should disappear so completely? Would not the loftiest
eminences of the city at least be visible? Surely some
portion of the Casbah must still rise above the waves?
The imperial fort, too, was built upon an elevation of 750 feet;
it is incredible that it should be so totally submerged.
Unless some vestiges of these are found, I shall begin to suspect
that the whole of Africa has been swallowed in some vast abyss."

Another circumstance was most remarkable. Not a material object
of any kind was to be noticed floating on the surface of the water;
not one branch of a tree had been seen drifting by, nor one spar
belonging to one of the numerous vessels that a month previously had
been moored in the magnificent bay which stretched twelve miles across
from Cape Matafuz to Point Pexade. Perhaps the depths might disclose
what the surface failed to reveal, and Count Timascheff, anxious that
Servadac should have every facility afforded him for solving his doubts,
called for the sounding-line. Forthwith, the lead was greased and lowered.
To the surprise of all, and especially of Lieutenant Procope, the line
indicated a bottom at a nearly uniform depth of from four to five fathoms;
and although the sounding was persevered with continuously for more than two
hours over a considerable area, the differences of level were insignificant,
not corresponding in any degree to what would be expected over the site
of a city that had been terraced like the seats of an amphitheater.
Astounding as it seemed, what alternative was left but to suppose