A Journey into the Interior of the Earth | Jules Verne | Chapter 6

"A Journey into the Interior of the Earth" Chapter 6 covers the voyage from Copenhagen to Iceland and the first impressions of Reykjavik. The narrator, Axel, describes the departure on the schooner Valkyrie, the ten-day sea crossing, and his uncle Professor Lidenbrock's severe seasickness—which prevents him from questioning the captain about Iceland. Once ashore, the professor is eager to begin his descent into the earth, while Axel is more concerned about how they will get back up. The episode also details the town of Reykjavik, its simple wooden and stone buildings, the melancholy inhabitants, and the bleak landscape of volcanic peaks and lava fields.

The Voyage to Iceland

The chapter opens with the departure from Copenhagen on the schooner Valkyrie, a vessel carrying a cargo of coal, furniture, pottery, woolen clothing, and corn. The crew is small, with only five men handling the work. Professor Lidenbrock is impatient, asking the captain how long the voyage will last. The captain replies, "Well, I should think about ten days," but adds that a northeast gale among the Faroe Islands could cause delay. The professor, restless, is assured there will be "no very considerable delay." The voyage proceeds without notable incident, but the professor suffers badly from seasickness. As the narrator notes, "This mal de mer troubled him the more that it prevented him from ques