In the Abyss:

by H.G. Wells

The lieutenant stood in front of the steel sphere and gnawed a piece of pine splinter. "What do you think of it, Steevens?" he asked. "It's an idea," said Steevens, in the tone of one who keeps an open mind. "I believe it will smash-flat," said the lieutenant. "He seems to have calculated it all out pretty well," said Steevens, still impartial. "But think of the pressure," said the lieutenant. "At the surface of the water it's fourteen pounds to the inch, thirty feet down it's double that; sixty, treble; ninety, four times; nine hundred, forty times; five thousand, three hundred-that's a mile-it's two hundred and forty times fourteen pounds; that's-let's see-thirty hundredweight-a ton and a half, Steevens; a ton and a half to the square inch. And the ocean where he's going is five miles deep. That's seven and a half"- "Sounds a lot," said Steevens, "but it's jolly thick steel."

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Audiobook, Fantasy, 19th Century

26 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Herbert George Wells was born to a working class family in Kent, England. Young Wells received a spotty education, interrupted by several illnesses and family difficulties, and became a draper's apprentice as a teenager. The headmaster of Midhurst Grammar School, where he had spent a year, arranged for him to return as an "usher," or student teacher. Wells earned a government scholarship in 1884, to study biology under Thomas Henry Huxley at the Normal School of Science. Wells earned his bachelor of science and doctor of science degrees at the University of London. After marrying his cousin, Isabel, Wells began to supplement his teaching salary with short stories and freelance articles, then books, including The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).

Wells created a mild scandal when he divorced his cousin to marry one of his best students, Amy Catherine Robbins. Although his second marriage was lasting and produced two sons, Wells was an unabashed advocate of free (as opposed to "indiscriminate") love. He continued to openly have extra-marital liaisons, most famously with Margaret Sanger, and a ten-year relationship with the author Rebecca West, who had one of his two out-of-wedlock children. A one-time member of the Fabian Society, Wells sought active change. His 100 books included many novels, as well as nonfiction, such as A Modern Utopia (1905), The Outline of History (1920), A Short History of the World (1922), The Shape of Things to Come (1933), and The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind (1932). One of his booklets was Crux Ansata, An Indictment of the Roman Catholic Church. Although Wells toyed briefly with the idea of a "divine will" in his book, God the Invisible King (1917), it was a temporary aberration. Wells used his international fame to promote his favorite causes, including the prevention of war, and was received by government officials around the world. He is best-remembered as an early writer of science fiction and futurism.

He was also an outspoken socialist. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction". D. 1946.

More: http://philosopedia.org/index.php/H._...

http://www.online-literature.com/well...

http://www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells

Reviews

[Amr Mohamed · Rating 2 out of 5]

قصة قصيرة ظريفة تضيع بها وقت عن رحلة شخص لاعماق البحر وصعوده ليحكي شاف ايه من عالم موجود تحت الاعماق

[Rob Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Abyss" is a short story by English writer H. G. Wells, first published in 1896.

Elstead has invented an apparatus by which a person can travel to great depths and observe the life on the sea bed. It is a steel sphere, about nine feet in diameter, intended to withstand immense pressure. Weights attached to the sphere by a cable take it to the sea bed. The explorer makes observations through the window in the sphere, oxygen inside being replaced by a fictitious "Myers apparatus". A clockwork mechanism cuts the cable after a certain time, and the buoyancy of the sphere takes it back to the surface.

The sphere is to be lowered into the water from the Ptarmigan, which has sailed to a region where the water is five miles deep. The organization behind the project (perhaps funded by a scientific body, or by Elstead) is not specified.

The details of the sphere, and of Elstead's plan to use it to view the ocean floor, are made clear in the conversations of Elstead and the officers of the Ptarmigan; because of the immense pressure at the depth to be explored, the officers have their doubts about the apparatus working to plan, and about Elstead's likelihood of survival.

The sphere does not return on schedule. While the ship's officers wait, "the December sun was now high in the sky, and the heat very considerable." By midnight, they are fearing the worst; then they spot the re-emergence of the sphere. It is eventually retrieved at dawn.

After a week, Elstead has recovered enough to tell his experiences. He relates the eventful descent, lasting several minutes, during which the sphere became unexpectedly hot. On the sea bed, after observing the unusual species of fish and invertebrates, he sees "a strange vertebrated animal.... The vertical pitch of its face gave it a most extraordinary resemblance to a human being.... It was a biped; its almost globular body was poised on a tripod of two frog-like legs and a long thick tail." This creature, together with others, tow the sphere to a kind of altar in their city; the inhabitants prostrate themselves before Elstead, and chant. He observes this for several hours: eventually the cable breaks and the sphere returns to the surface.

The narrator has talked to eminent scientists, who think such a civilization is quite possible; he further speculates: "We should be known to them, however, as strange, meteoric creatures, wont to fall catastrophically dead out of the mysterious blackness of their watery sky. And not only we ourselves, but our ships, our metals, our appliances, would come raining down out of the night.... One can understand, perhaps, something of their behaviour at the descent of a living man...."

Elstead never writes an account of his experience; after making improvements to the sphere, he makes another descent, but (like The Time Traveller in Wells's The Time Machine), he does not return from his second adventure.

A decently written short story. Worth your time.

[Benjamin Uke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explorer and scientist Elstead embarks to become the first person to descend five miles beneath the ocean's surface in a specially constructed steel sphere. Despite his companions' skepticism, he believes in the success of his bold experiment.

However far stranger things in the dark depths.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

A deep-sea expedition encounters some strange creatures that inhabit the unknown depths. Elstead designs a sphere capable of exploring the seabed for the first time. What he finds amazes him.
HG Wells’ story was first published in 1896.

Read by Timothy Kightley.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story by H.G.Wells, published in 1896 nearly a century before a film The Abyss starring Ed Harris who discovers an alien race living deep in the sea, who give off bio luminescence exactly as described in this fascinating short story.
Well worth my time this afternoon.
3.5*

[Mai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfulfilling (2.5⭐️)

Not the best of H.G. Wells.

The story is straightforward: a team ventures into the depths of the ocean, and the man who descends discovers an entirely new civilization. He returns to the surface to tell others about it, then later goes back again—this time never returning. Whether he merged with them or perished in pursuit of his curiosity is left unknown.

One of my favorite moments is when the protagonist stays underwater far longer than expected, and everyone assumes he’s dead. Wells then shifts into a reflection on the fragility of the human body and our ego—the way we believe we can conquer everything, even the forces of nature itself.

Another highlight is the description of the darkness, coldness, and deep loneliness underwater. I only wish Wells had focused more on these emotional elements; the few lines he gave us were incredibly vivid.

Overall, the story is decent, but it lacks the layered meaning and deeper symbolism I usually find in Wells’ work.

[Morts. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

An undersea civilisation that neglected to learn how to swim (!).

I find H.G. a captivating and refreshingly noncynical writer, considering even the passing of 130 years.

I wonder when ocean-bound cities will cycle back into literature and cinema again, seems to have been a noticeable abstention since the Gungan metropolis on Naboo. (I havent read any Ray Nayler - which may or may not include such things).

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 4 - Extra Debut:
A deep-sea expedition encounters some strange creatures that inhabit the unknown depths.

Elstead designs a sphere capable of exploring the seabed for the first time. What he finds amazes him.

HG Wells’ story was first published in 1896.

Read by Timothy Kightley.

Producer: Pamela Howe

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1978.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This story, published in 1896, has a similar structure as The Time Machine, where the time traveller travels to the future, then comes back, tells us what had happened to him, goes again to the future and never returns.

On the other hand, this story is also similar to The Argonauts of the Air, where a new technology is tested (airplanes in that case, bathyscaphes in this one) with catastrophic results. Of course, the depths of the sea and its mysteries provide better range for imagination than the atmosphere where airplanes go through.

ESPAÑOL: Este cuento, publicado en 1896, tiene una estructura similar a La máquina del tiempo, donde el viajero del tiempo viaja hacia el futuro, luego regresa, nos cuenta lo que le ha pasado, vuelve al futuro, y no regresa más.

Por otro lado, esta historia también se parece a The Argonauts of the Air, donde se prueba una nueva tecnología (aviones en ese caso, batiscafos en este) con resultados catastróficos. Por supuesto, las profundidades del mar y sus misterios proporcionan mayor alcance para la imaginación que la atmósfera atravesada por los aviones.

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of LibriVox Short Science Fiction Collection 048. A classic SF story written in 1896 about a daring exploration to the least known part of the Earth. His ability to mix cutting edge science with a descriptive imagination produced this fantastical tale. Although eventually taking a turn away from hard SF towards fantasy that is not really to my taste HG certainly proved to have the qualities required for a master of SF that has stood the test of time.
Also Mindwebs audiobook 31. First published 1897 in “30 strange stories”, this version from the Dover publication “The Best Science Fiction Stories of H.G. Wells “.

Also Mindwebs audiobook 75.

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free online: https://www.libraryofshortstories.com...

The science behind this century-old underwater exploration story hasn't aged well, but the fun and adventure behind it were still A+ in my book. I enjoyed the visual of the underwater capsule rising so quickly from 5 miles beneath the sea, that it rocketed up into the sky and splashed back down in a steaming hot mess. I also really enjoyed the bipedal amphibian race at the bottom of the ocean floor. Great imagination! H. G. Wells is definitely worth reading.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

18 MAR 2019 - a recommendation for a new lunch-time listen-to through Dear Bettie. WooHoo and Thank You!

Listen here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

20 MAR 2019 - a good, fun listen-to. Imagine building a sphere, descending into the ocean, and discovering a new underwater world! Fun!

[Farah Dhaher · Rating 4 out of 5]

قراتها في الباص لان الطريق كان ٤٥ دقيقة كانت رفقة جميلة، انصح بها

[Khalil Mel]

It was an absolute thrill to read! H.G. Wells crafts a vivid and eerie vision of the deep sea, making it feel both breathtakingly beautiful and hauntingly unknown (right up my alley). The descent is tense, but once Elstead reaches the ocean floor, the story truly comes alive. The glowing, enigmatic creatures, the shimmering darkness, and the surreal underwater world pull you into a dreamlike state. There’s a perfect blend of wonder and unease, keeping you hooked till the end. The pacing is sharp, the descriptions are mesmerizing, and the whole experience is just pure sci-fi adventure fun. Definitely a fantastic short read!

[Solomon Baltazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, H.G. Wells manages to captivate the attention of the reader through an amazing story. The manner in which he writes the details about the iron ball slowly sinking into the cold abyss of the sea or what discoveries are found at the bottom is something to be fascinated by. In his fashion, the author leaves some space for interpretation, which is part of his charm.

[Alex T · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had an influence on Lovecraft so obviously I like it - minus 1 star because it took me a few reads to get some sentences into my brain but that might be because I read it at 4am on night shift.

[Lana Amir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listening to these little short stories by H.G. wells lately, has really helped with calming down my anxiety a bit. Also they give me a little push into the whimsical parts of my brain in a way!

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

weird, scifi, horror by a master

[Janne Wass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering the wealth of Pre-Twentieth Century speculative fiction exploring space, the bowels of the Earth, uninhabitable spots like Antarctica and even alternate dimensions, it is interesting to note how few early SF stories there are involving undersea adventure. Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870) is one of the very few exceptions of a 19th century novel concerning primarily action below sea level. But even so, stories in which human explorers would meet intelligent underwater dwellers of civilisations were practically non-existent. One early novel that does stand out is André Laurie's "The Crystal City Under the Sea" (1895), which I will report about here shortly. This was probably the first Lost Atlantis-themed story in which the lost continent and its living inhabitants are actually discovered at the bottom of the sea. ⁠

The novel was translated from French to English in 1896 and it may or may not have been familiar to H.G. Wells when he wrote his short story "In the Abyss" - a story which would become almost a template for a subgenre: the bathysphere adventure. ⁠

The protagonist of the story sets out to explore the depths of the ocean in a bathysphere -- a sort of fully enclosed diving bell attached to a wire from a ship. When reaching the bottom of the sea at five miles deep, he finds himself confronted by some sort of bipedal, clearly intelligent species, who snatch away his bathysphere and carries it off to their dwelling place, where they begin chanting, as if worshipping him, inside his diving bell, like a deity. Finally the cable snaps and he floats to the surface. After being rescued and recovered, his friends make him look at the incident from the bottom dwellers' perspective: All their lives they have seen ships, debris and even bodies float down "from the sky", wondering what strange, divine creatures live up there. Then finally, as a living being descends in strange craft, it is no wonder they should treat it like a god. ⁠

[howie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this short story is so interesting. i think this is the oldest book ive ever read. oh wait nevermind. bitch, shakespeare. that was crazy. anyways i am so interested in the ocean right now, and i love the super dated exploration. ive been meaning to find a book on arctic exploration from long ago too. now this book obvious reads pretty hard. its from sooo long ago i mean they just spoke and wrote differently. this is amplifyed by the fact that the internet has shaped my speech to the point where i feel like my internal dialouge is incomprehensible some people in my family. still, the point of the paragraphs came through and heres what i liked. i liked how elstead had some time in the deep ocean. to him, the outlandish fish and the fish people are equally as plausable. because they had never seen those fish before, just like the fish people. i honestly really like the idea of seeing these creatures for myself. not that i think the fish people will find me and worship me in their city like elstead. but i wouldnt be surprised if that was the case. im basically the number one fish prophet walking on land. anyways i really liked this and im glad i read it. because honestly ive read some shit books based in modern times and i am sick of it (the lifeguards). this book is a toot! it is hot as fuck

[Ⰰⱃⰿⰰⱀⰴ Ⱆⰾⰴⰵⱃⰻⰽⱁ Ⱅⰵⱄⰾⰰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penguin books, 2007.
Very vivid language, descriptive and world building.
It's not written in the journalistic genre, like many Well's short stories, the language is really artistic.
The narration is cyclical, the story begins and ends with a homodiegetic narrator, while the central and majority part of the story is presented by an autodiegetic narrator.
It's the "found manuscrit" topos.
The theme is the deepsea civilization topos.
Clark Ashton Smith influences are obvious in the thematic sense of the text.
It reminded me of an old Cartoon Network cartoon with fish detectives.
Hasta luego mis murciélagos!

[Van Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up From the Depths

H.G. Wells’ short story about a man in a diving bell of sorts may have served as the prototype for his immensely entertaining novel “The First Men in the Moon.” Am intrepid explorer descends in a sphere several miles down into the murky deep and discovers another race of underwater denizens in a watery empire. Chance enables him to escape from them, but his curiosity lured him back to the deep for more with his sphere modified. Well-written hokum.

[Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not that interesting. The story of a man who explores deep in the ocean in a sphere designed to withstand the pressure of the depths. It does not return on schedule, and when it finally does return he is exhausted and takes a week to recover. He explains what he sees, most importantly an underseas civilization of humanoid beings. He is unable to write of his experiences or describe them in much detail.

Story just seems to be lacking anything that hooks me in.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always liked H.G. Wells’ work, and this one was no exception it’s absorbing and eerily atmospheric. It manages to feel both claustrophobic and epic, which is impressive in such a short piece. While I’m naturally drawn to ocean stories and anything by Wells, this deserves as much recognition as his better-known works. It perfectly balances scientific detail with a creeping sense of horror, feeling at once factual, dreamlike, and strangely poetic.

[William Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neat little short story. Ahead of its time in terms of the tech used (Bathyspheres wouldn't be invented until the 1930s), the idea (again playing into Wells's background in biology), and the kind of horror. Another example of Wells's creativity. I LOVE THE PUBLIC DOMAIN!

[Catrinel Caitanovici · Rating 4 out of 5]

Were it a full-length novel, it would've kinda bored me, but as a novella, it hits all that my guilty pleasures were craving: hp. lovecraft meets jules verne.

you either love this or you hate it, it's so nieche.

(audio, english & german)

[Kakha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not remember very well the content of this story, but I remember that I extremely liked every short stories of this author that I read.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed this in a collected edition here: http://www.skjam.com/2019/11/16/book-...

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad scifi story that was written in 1896.

[DW · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sea explorer (Elstead) traverses the ocean floor in a steel sphere and is kidnapped and then worshiped by strange vertebrated animals.