Notes Class 7 Chapter 2.6 English Balbharati Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – Balbharati English Class 7

Chasing the Sea Monster

About the Author:

Jules Verne: A French writer born in 1828, often called the “Father of Science Fiction.”
He wrote exciting stories about inventions and adventures that didn’t exist in his time, like space travel, rockets, and submarines.
This passage comes from his famous novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, published in 1870.
In this book, people on a ship think a submarine (a machine that goes underwater) is a mysterious sea animal, which shows how Verne mixed science with imagination.

Summary of the Chapter:

The chapter describes a tense and exciting chase between a warship, the Abraham Lincoln, and a strange, glowing object in the ocean. The crew, including Professor Aronnax, Commander Farragut, and Ned Land, believes it’s a giant sea monster because it’s fast, powerful, and mysterious. They try to hunt it with harpoons and cannons, but it’s too quick and strong. The chase happens over a whole night and day, filled with suspense, fear, and amazement. At the end, the “monster” fights back, and Professor Aronnax falls into the sea. (Later, we learn it’s not a monster but a submarine called the Nautilus.)

Detailed Characters:

Professor Aronnax:

A scientist and the narrator who tells the story.
He’s curious and observant, watching everything closely and talking to the commander.
He gets thrown into the sea at the end, showing how dangerous the chase becomes.

Commander Farragut:

The leader of the Abraham Lincoln.
Usually calm and serious, but this strange creature surprises him.
He makes smart decisions, like waiting for daylight and using cannons when speed isn’t enough.

Ned Land:

A strong, brave harpooner who hunts whales for a living.
He’s excited to catch the “monster” and stays ready with his harpoon.
He thinks it’s a whale because of the loud noise it makes.

The Crew:

Sailors on the ship who work together during the chase.
They cheer, prepare weapons, and stay awake all night, showing teamwork and determination.

The Sea Monster:

The mysterious object everyone is chasing.
It glows with “electric light,” moves faster than the ship, and makes loud hissing sounds.
The crew doesn’t know it’s a submarine yet, so they think it’s a living creature, like a whale or something even stranger.

Detailed Events (Step-by-Step):

The Chase Starts at Night:

The Abraham Lincoln, a fast warship, is sailing at night when a strange object approaches.
This object moves twice as fast as the ship and wraps it in glowing “sheets of electricity” that look like shiny dust.
The crew is too shocked to move or speak-they’re amazed, not just scared.
The “monster” circles the ship playfully, as if teasing them, and could crash into it at any moment.

Commander Farragut’s Reaction:

Professor Aronnax notices the ship is running away instead of fighting, which surprises him.
He asks Commander Farragut why. The commander, usually emotionless, looks astonished.
Farragut says he doesn’t know what this creature is and doesn’t want to risk the ship in the dark.
He plans to wait for daylight to see it clearly and fight it properly.

The Crew Stays Awake:

The whole crew stays on deck all night, too excited and nervous to sleep.
The ship slows down because it can’t match the monster’s speed.
The creature copies the ship’s movements, staying close but not leaving, like it’s playing a game.

The Monster Vanishes:

Around midnight, the glowing object suddenly disappears, like a giant glowworm turning off its light.
The crew wonders if it ran away, feeling both scared (it might return) and hopeful (maybe it’s gone).
At 12:53 AM, a loud, hissing sound-like water shooting out powerfully-echoes through the air, adding to the mystery.

Ned Land’s Guess:

Professor Aronnax, Farragut, and Ned Land stand on the back of the ship (the afterdeck), staring into the dark.
Ned, an expert on whales, says the hissing sounds like a whale blowing water from its blowhole, but much louder.
He’s sure it’s a whale, but its size and speed make it unlike any whale he knows.

The Light Returns:

At 2 AM, the glowing light reappears, but it’s 5 miles away from the ship.
The crew watches it, waiting for morning to act.
They prepare whaling tools-harpoons, blunderbusses (guns that shoot harpoons), and duck guns with exploding bullets.
Ned sharpens his harpoon, eager to hunt this “dreadful” creature.

Morning Comes:

At 6 AM, the sun starts rising, but the monster’s glow disappears with the daylight.
By 7 AM, a thick mist covers the sea, and even the best spyglasses (binoculars) can’t see through it.
The crew feels frustrated and angry because they can’t spot the monster.

The Monster is Spotted:

At 8 AM, the mist clears, and the sea becomes visible again.
Ned Land shouts, “There’s the thing in question, astern to port!” (behind the ship, on the left).
Everyone looks and sees a long, black object, 1 meter above the water, 1.5 miles away. Its tail moves fast, making waves.

Full Speed Ahead:

Commander Farragut orders the ship to sail at full speed toward the creature.
The crew cheers three times, excited that the battle is starting.
The Abraham Lincoln races forward, but the monster stays calm and lets them get closer-then speeds up just enough to keep its distance.

A Long, Frustrating Chase:

The chase lasts 45 minutes, but the ship can’t catch up.
The monster matches the ship’s speed perfectly, never getting closer or farther.
The Abraham Lincoln goes so fast its masts (tall poles holding sails) shake, but it’s no use.
Professor Aronnax feels thrilled and nervous, while Ned waits with his harpoon.

Using the Cannon:

After an hour, Farragut decides speed won’t work and orders the crew to use the ship’s cannon.
The first shot is fired but misses, flying over the monster and landing in the sea.
Farragut calls for a better shooter, offering $500 (a big reward) to anyone who hits the “infernal beast.”
An old gunner with a gray beard aims carefully and fires. The shell hits the monster but bounces off its hard, rounded surface and sinks 2 miles away.

The Hunt Goes On:

The old gunner is mad, saying the creature must have “six-inch armor plate” (a thick, hard covering).
The chase continues for hours, and the crew keeps trying, never giving up even though the monster doesn’t tire.

A New Chance:

At 10:50 PM, the glowing light appears again, 3 miles away, bright and strong.
The monster seems still, maybe sleeping or resting on the waves.
Farragut sees this as a chance and orders the ship to sneak closer quietly.
The Abraham Lincoln stops just 100 feet from the blazing light, and the crew stays silent, holding their breath.

The Final Attack:

Ned Land leans over the front railing (forecastle), only 20 feet from the monster, holding his harpoon.
He throws it with all his strength. It hits, making a loud “ringing” sound, like metal hitting metal.
Suddenly, the light goes out, and two huge waves (waterspouts) crash onto the ship, knocking people over and breaking parts of the deck.
The ship collides with something hard, and Professor Aronnax is thrown overboard into the sea.

Detailed Themes:

Mystery and Curiosity:

The crew doesn’t know what the “monster” is, which makes them both scared and eager to find out.
This shows how humans are drawn to explore the unknown.

Man vs. Nature:

The crew tries to hunt the creature with tools and weapons, thinking they can control it, but it’s too strong and smart.
It’s really a machine (submarine), showing how science can challenge nature.

Courage and Determination:

Ned Land, Farragut, and the crew never give up, even when the chase seems impossible.
They face danger bravely, showing teamwork and strength.

Expanded Vocabulary with Meanings:

Frigate: A fast, strong warship used for fighting or chasing.
Unearthly: So strange it doesn’t seem like it belongs on Earth.
Luminous Dust: Bright, glowing particles that shine like light.
Cetacean: A sea mammal like a whale or dolphin that breathes air.
Harpoon: A long spear thrown by hand to catch whales or big fish.
Blunderbusses: Old-fashioned guns that shoot big objects like harpoons.
Duck Guns: Long guns with bullets that explode on impact.
Astern to Port: Behind the ship, on the left side (port is left, starboard is right).
Forecastle: The front deck of the ship where cannons and railings are.
Armour Plate: A thick, hard layer (like metal) that protects against attacks.
Waterspouts: Tall bursts of water, like a fountain or geyser.
Spyglasses: Handheld tools (like binoculars) to see far away.
Infernal: Something evil or extremely annoying.
Quivering: Shaking or trembling quickly.
Cable Lengths: A unit of distance at sea (about 600 feet).