I had made up my mind that I should never see him again, when, on the 16th November, on returning to my room with Ned and Conseil, I found upon my table a note addressed to me. I opened it impatiently. It was written in a bold, clear hand, the characters rather pointed, recalling the German type. The note was worded as follows— 16th of November, 1867. TO PROFESSOR ARONNAX, On board the Nautilus. Captain Nemo invites Professor Aronnax to a hunting-party, which will take place to-morrow morning in the forests of the island of Crespo. He hopes that nothing will prevent the Professor from being present, and he will with pleasure see him joined by his companions. CAPTAIN NEMO, Commander of the Nautilus. “A hunt!” exclaimed Ned. “And in the forests of the island of Crespo!” added Conseil. “Oh! then the gentleman is going on terra firma?” replied Ned Land. “That seems to me to be clearly indicated,” said I, reading the letter once more. “Well, we must accept,” said the Canadian. “But once more on dry ground, we shall know what to do. Indeed, I shall not be sorry to eat a piece of fresh venison.” Without seeking to reconcile what was contradictory between Captain Nemo’s manifest aversion to islands and continents, and his invitation to hunt in a forest, I contented myself with replying— “Let us first see where the island of Crespo is.” I consulted the planisphere, and in 32° 40′ north lat.