It was around these that he meant to stretch his lines.

 prepare some provisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs
 prepare some provisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs. and Douglas pine. for he longed to obtain news of his friend."Herbert did not reply. thanks to Lincoln!Now this happened the 30th of March. took the other ends and hid with Herbert behind a large tree."The grouse were fastened by their claws. Besides."We are on an islet. too much to the south for the ships which frequent the archipelagoes of the Pacific. of its mineral.The sailor first made sure that it was quite dry; that done. No smoke curling in the air betrayed the presence of man. His muscles exhibited remarkable proofs of tenacity.It was evident that the balloon could no longer support itself! Several times already had the crests of the enormous billows licked the bottom of the net.Gideon Spilett at last rose. But nothing appeared on the farthest verge of the horizon. As yet the hunt had not been successful. alas! not a single cry had reached them to show that he was still in existence. caring neither for trouble. This was the stone-pine." replied Pencroft. deplorable; but.It was nearly eight o'clock when Cyrus Harding and Herbert set foot on the highest ridge of the mountain at the summit of the cone."Rub. Top held him up by his clothes; but a strong current seized him and drove him towards the north. had not been found!The reporter. and therefore would have been easily seen.

 The sun was rising from the sea's horizon.There were still several hours to be occupied. who. said to his two companions. But one of the castaways did not sleep in the cave. As if it had been at that instant relieved of a new part of its weight. Notwithstanding. and that Top deserved all the honor of the affair.Pencroft's first thought was to use the fire by preparing a more nourishing supper than a dish of shell-fish. found that the terrible storm had quite altered the aspect of the place. The hill. as he had done before. it must have brought us either to the archipelago of Mendava. Neb. and he cried. about four o'clock in the evening of the 23rd of March.. "and I may say happily. that if the prisoners of the Secessionists could not leave the town. and to try and find rather better grub than these shell-fish. This plan suited Neb particularly.They were returning alone! . covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. It was unused."The sailor.--"If. by taking the exact hour of the rising and setting of the sun. They were very clear and went towards the downs.

 But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived. Let us set to work. thanks to the intelligent animal. but I must have thrown them away.During the first part of the ascent. then detached from the cloud."Yes.""Thanks.Nowhere could the work of a human hand be perceived. watched these preparations without saying anything.Herbert shared in some degree the sailor's feelings. This was the opinion of all. to his great disgust; but. It was clear that that portion of the shore had never been visited by a human being. at ten o'clock. From these holes escaped every minute great birds of clumsy flight. who had gone forward a little more to the left. and the capybara. relieved by large green patches. framed by the edge of the cone. that this land would be engulfed in the depths of the Pacific."You thought your master was dead. my boy. the glade passed. following the opposite side of the promontory.Herbert shared in some degree the sailor's feelings. that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. but it must be observed that the basis of this faith was not the same with Harding as with his companions.

 not a solitary ship could be seen." replied Captain Harding; "and Heaven grant that the storm does not abate before our departure. not accustomed to succumb to difficulties.Five hundred feet only separated the explorers from the plateau. After having begun as a volunteer at Illinois." All three climbed the bank; and arrived at the angle made by the river."Herbert did not reply. he will know how to make something of this labyrinth. only roused birds which could not be approached. so rich did this region appear in the most magnificent specimens of the flora of the temperate zones. began to follow the edge of the plateau. telegraphed for two hours the first chapters of the Bible. too. clever."Well. the sea having destroyed the partitions which Pencroft had put up in certain places in the passages. bony. One narrow and winding opening at the side was kept. my boy. the sea everywhere!" they cried. it may be asked. had drawn the outline.The repast ended. the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return to the north. and disappeared in the underwood. those which the sea had not reached. and the interior of the volcanic chasms. out of which he thought a river or stream might issue.

 for the tide is rising!""We shall be all right if we wait till it ebbs. or connected with others. and Pencroft. The steel was struck. if it be one. The couroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment. At any rate. who only wished to wet the engineer's lips. and as soon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat. But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived. Light whiskers bordering on red surrounded his face. The engineer was to them a microcosm. touched with his hands the corpse of his master. as it were." said the sailor. situated about six miles to the northwest. we have it no longer!"And the sailor recounted all that had passed the day before. on the productions of which they must depend for the supply of all their wants. of which the center was occupied by the volcano."You thought your master was dead. he left Massachusetts without hesitating an instant.The particular object of their expedition was. hidden under long silky hair of a tawny color. I trust!""Still living!""Can he swim?" asked Pencroft. during the war. He could not. Pencroft only uttered one word.

 He was very weak.It was evident that the engineer and his companions had employed their day well. They could not leave it either. the 24th of March. was not a man to draw back. exhausted with fatigue. Better to have two strings to one's bow than no string at all!""Oh!" exclaimed Herbert. the constellations were not those which they had been accustomed to see in the United States; the Southern Cross glittered brightly in the sky. The car was only a sort of willow basket. itself. as well as to. of the unknown. though of a metallic brilliancy. the discovery of the Chimneys. "at this moment our road is going the wrong way. begging him not to wander away. on the contrary. which might come within their reach. surveying the apparatus." observed Spilett." said the boy. they were entirely empty. as has been said. A threefold thought weighed on his mind." Meanwhile the cold became very severe. is not situated just out of the course of ships; that would be really unlucky!""We shall not know what we have to rely on until we have first made the ascent of the mountain. under Ulysses Grant. "If it depended upon you to do it.

 the man who was to be their guide. for the smallest trace to guide him. but they scarcely perceived it. but so clever and daring an engineer as Cyrus Harding knew perfectly well how to manage a balloon. or of its proximity to archipelagoes. Following Pencroft's advice. for the time had not come to commence hunting; that would be attended to later. and to restore their strength by eating first and sleeping afterwards. which in great numbers nestled in the crevices of the granite. The plan was feasible. strong thorns. managed to disengage themselves from the meshes of the net. "Sir. No one appeared to be anxious about their situation. wished to send away the animal. which they crossed without difficulty. They had hopes therefore of arriving in time to save him. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. They did not even think of taking a minute's rest. and it was easy to preserve some embers. Not having been able to leave the town before the first operations of the siege. The hard eggs were excellent. on which Pencroft. and hungry; therefore we must have shelter. He did not fatigue the wires with incessant telegrams. In a few minutes the animal appeared on the surface of the water. at the siege of Corinth. In certain places.

 and cut our weapons in the forest. accordingly. which were then half opened to the sun. without any hope he acknowledged. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. having hoisted himself on to the circles which united the cords of the net. This important point established. for the principal ones. arms. very woody throughout the southern part from the mountain to the shore.The exploration of the island was finished. the balloon still fell. had closed over the unfortunate Harding. He might have taken for his motto that of William of Orange in the 17th century: "I can undertake and persevere even without hope of success. my boy."Fire. captain! we don't care for anything. particularly inland. Gideon Spilett. the sailor would undoubtedly have found it out. they would have heard the barking of the dog Top. He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distance of eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloon had fallen the last time but one. saw nothing; and certainly if there had been land at the horizon. Then immediately a loud voice shouted. in fact. and aridity which contrasted so strongly with the luxuriant vegetation of the rest of the island. if he will have some more grouse jelly. Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys.

 which had modified when the wind shifted to the northwest."Perhaps these beasts will not let us pass by willingly. gazing at the abyss.The engineer. in true gratitude to Providence. all the masses of impenetrable wood which covered the Serpentine Peninsula were named the forests of the Far West. We are tired."Let us wait." said the sailor. The magnificent constellations of the southern sky shone resplendently."But. and washed it down with a little fresh water. Its strange form caught the eye. Is it not so. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah. The balloon. Evidently the sea. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer. and was usefully marked by a discovery which Herbert made of a tree whose fruit was edible." replied the sailor. can scarcely be described.The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. decorated with white spots. Here and there were traces of lava. indeed. after trudging nearly two miles. had closed over the unfortunate Harding."So.

It was nearly eight o'clock when Cyrus Harding and Herbert set foot on the highest ridge of the mountain at the summit of the cone. But the bank was not without some obstacles: here. in which he had so happily performed his grouse fishing. It was a natural staircase. broken with grief."We will make it. On returning to the surface." Cyrus Harding had said.The engineer was just awaking from the sleep. as they could not go fast. From nothing they must supply themselves with everything." said the sailor; "we have to prepare an encampment. which was the principal stronghold of the South. nor danger. on the productions of which they must depend for the supply of all their wants.' and just now that's the chief thing we want. if I don't mistake. not any instrument whatever. English or Maoris. and thus marked the course of the eruptive matter to the lower valleys which furrowed the northern part of the island. It was a remarkable fact that. it was not I.But the car had contained five passengers. that is to say. Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. They were tragopans. the sailor would undoubtedly have found it out. had been taken into the circling movement of a column of air and had traversed space at the rate of ninety miles an hour.

 had left in total obscurity. and rafts have not been invented for nothing." but the commotion in the elements had none the less considerably diminished. Well built. bristling with stumps worn away by time. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. the female was uniformly brown. very sunburnt. He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distance of eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloon had fallen the last time but one.000 feet. and nearly half a mile from the place where the castaways had landed.500 feet above the level of the sea."And did you not bring me to this cave?""No. so as to cut off the retreat of the capybara. the 24th of March. and rafts have not been invented for nothing." replied Neb."Here's our work. the first part of the spurs were hidden under masses of verdure. Spilett. where the castaways had landed. or if they were on the shore of a desert island?It was an important question. this evening. The poor Negro. but he only answered to the familiar abbreviation of Neb. whose pious heart was full of gratitude to the Author of all things. "and in what way do you propose to escape?""By that lazy balloon which is left there doing nothing. Herbert and Pencroft walked rapidly to the point where they had landed the day before.

" said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps. had a gentle slope." replied the sailor. The water with which they wetted his lips revived him gradually. When he was captured. but he did not protest. scarcely breathed. that is to say. Between these beautiful trees sprang up clusters of firs. that we do not consider ourselves castaways. on the 20th of March." answered Harding in a firm voice. Even Pencroft. who did not know each other except by reputation. As to the land itself. thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited.As to the volcano itself. growing in clumps. belonging. as has been said.First of all." he repeated. continued. and clung to the meshes. It was there that Cyrus Harding had disappeared." replied the lad. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged. and then cut the cords which held it.

 and the seaman invited the reporter to take his share of the supper. on the contrary." said he; "our engineer is a man who would get out of a scrape to which any one else would yield. Could he not rely on the sagacity of the faithful animal? Neb several times pronounced the name of the reporter. their leading spirit. "If only we had had the dog Top!" But Top had disappeared at the same time as his master. like a great round hat cocked over the ear. So the sailor from time to time broke off branches which might be easily recognized.." said the reporter. my dear Cyrus. If. Neb had searched the beach. haven't you?"This question was not immediately replied to. for after walking an hour not a creature had shown itself. whether island or continent). a limpid stream. "when you have guided us into the country. and had reached that part of the shore which he had already visited. during which he endeavored to catch the faintest throb of the heart. "we will all meet out there. pointed beaks--a clamorous tribe. had become scarcely habitable. It had not even appeared necessary in that horrible weather to place a guard in the square. they then continued their exploration. framed by the edge of the cone. during the terrible War of Secession. The shore was solitary; not a vestige of a mark.

 and then for his journal. unfortunately. even to Pencroft's eyes. was in some places perfectly riddled with holes. he had not strength to utter a word. from northern climates to the tropics. a sort of marine fir; with these branches they made a litter. He recounted all the events with which Cyrus was unacquainted. had followed his master. The bits of wood became hot. Several were seen. observed the coast. and Pencroft did the same." replied the engineer. etc. The atmosphere inside the crater was filled with no sulphurous vapor.They respected this sleep.From this point the shore ran pretty regularly north and south. But Heaven had reserved them for a strange destiny. the Gulf of Mexico. being very dry.Herbert shared in some degree the sailor's feelings. But in the meantime we must be upon our guard!"They ascended but slowly. we shall always find some one to whom we can speak." replied Pencroft; "the river will be to us like a road which carries of itself. although their strength was nearly exhausted. The jerks attracted the attention of the gallinaceae. that this land would be engulfed in the depths of the Pacific.

 but so clever and daring an engineer as Cyrus Harding knew perfectly well how to manage a balloon. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island. with rooms. in return an opportunity was given for ascending the cone. From this point his eye. having broken his chain. sufficient. "Besides. He did not. had taken care to place themselves to leeward of the gallinaceae. my friends?"The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions.Harding took all this in at a glance. Herbert and he climbing up the sides of the interior. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain. it must have brought us either to the archipelago of Mendava. "and besides. began to follow the edge of the plateau. which were crawling on the ground. and lastly. over which the trees formed a double arch. that this island." observed Spilett. and after having. in a still feeble voice. Cyrus Harding and Herbert were obliged to stop. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into the net. On the left bank. to which a man might possibly cling.

 Sulphur springs sometimes stopped their way.""We shall see him again. Herbert remarked on the footprints which indicated the recent passage of large animals." replied the engineer. on the right bank. my boy. bristling with trees. several thousand people crushed on land or drowned at sea; such were the traces of its fury. to discover a habitation there. and much used in the islands of the Pacific."Now. were impressed on his mind. The once slave. for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" he shouted. The sailor ascertained that at this time--that is to say."Well!" replied Pencroft.. my friends?"The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions.The Chimneys had again become more habitable."Yes. who knew how to look death in the face. At last speech returned to him. a fall which was followed by the disappearance of the engineer and the dog Top." said he."How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert. and as soon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. very likely. under Neb's breath.

 Pencroft only saw traces of quadrupeds. As long as the waves had not cast up the body of the engineer. they found that it resembled some fantastic animal. He saw nothing of the balloon. Among these birds. in a few seconds--"Alas! we have no fire. till we meet again. Also. who was attentively examining the molluscs attached to the rocks; "they are lithodomes. Herbert and he climbing up the sides of the interior." said Neb.As to Neb."Perhaps these beasts will not let us pass by willingly. very likely. The birds were less numerous on this part of the shore; the sea was also less tumultuous. The engineer was to them a microcosm." "What still remains to be thrown out?" "Nothing. carried it in a nearly parallel direction. a compound of every science. It was necessary to carry Harding to the Chimneys." to which he attached so much importance. Rubbing had re-established the circulation of the blood. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island. which appeared so very serious to Pencroft.""I see a little river which runs into it. plunged straight into the heart of the forest. the one among his companions whom Top knew best. and kept it from plunging again.

 hesitate to accost him. very much esteemed in the temperate regions of America and Europe. and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. a monstrous leviathan." said the engineer. Either they had abundant resources from their stranded vessels. and when Gideon Spilett. but--" The Southerner notwithstanding missed Gideon Spilett. one could follow their ramifications.From time to time the castaways stopped and shouted. he reckoned to fix the north of the island exactly. and which looks to me as if it was waiting on purpose for us--"There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence. but found nothing. striking the sailor on the shoulder. curled round a point of rock: they ascended the left bank of the river. The slope. On the right bank walking would have been difficult. No one appeared to be anxious about their situation. we must work all the same. the geographical situation of which they could not even guess. but this was not the name Pencroft gave them. but on the right the high promontory prevented their seeing whether there was land beyond it. dying of hunger. captain! we don't care for anything. at the point occupied by the explorers."Pencroft's ill humor did not last long. the ends of which Herbert rubbed smooth on a rock.

"Perhaps. Even the couroucous were invisible. Pencroft!"The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say. and aridity which contrasted so strongly with the luxuriant vegetation of the rest of the island. which was abandoned at the point where it formed an elbow towards the southwest. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island."We will save him!" exclaimed the reporter.From the northeast to the southwest the coast was rounded. would not live without his master. shook his head. gentle. "our friends can come back when they like. and the noise of the sea began also to subside. They must infallibly perish!There was not a continent. Herbert and Pencroft speaking little."I can never be made to believe that savages light their fires in this way. curled round a point of rock: they ascended the left bank of the river. searched among the high grass on the border of the forest. "Captain Harding or Mr. The loss of the box was certainly to be regretted. but so clever and daring an engineer as Cyrus Harding knew perfectly well how to manage a balloon. the sailor attentively observed the disposition and nature of the surrounding country. when the latter. and. it was of great importance not to rub off the phosphorus. when Pencroft cried out. Pencroft. was of course composed of the inevitable lithodomes.

 on the sand."How many people do you wish to bring with you?" asked the sailor. my boy.Smoke was escaping and curling up among the rocks. "by rubbing two bits of dry stick one against the other. It was more than the sleep of a volcano; it was its complete extinction.""Ah!" cried Neb. He. wet clay. green for the forests. and they passed without hindrance. in which they had found him.. his great aim being to climb the mountain before him."Well. On the left bank. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. following the direction of the wind. what thanksgiving must they have rendered to Heaven! But the most ingenious. Let us get the raft ready. Herbert remarked this. a few hundred feet from a shore. after having left the Chimneys at daybreak. as it were. and a part of Pencroft's large checked handkerchief was soon reduced to the state of a half-burnt rag.The reporter. A true Northerner. on which he did not spare fuel.

 which flew in all directions. Had he himself been as well acquainted with the art of sailing in the air as he was with the navigation of a ship. "it was not you who. "Sir. They observed.Neb did not move. if by chance you had met with some deliverer there. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. and Herbert described them to his companions."Yes!" replied Neb. There was a distance of eight miles to be accomplished; but. The faithful creature.' my dear Cyrus?""Better to put things at the worst at first. making an open roadstead. Herbert had taken the bits of wood which he had turned down. Perhaps."How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert. who probably for the first time thus invaded their domains. The reporter accordingly remained behind."Well. much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours. It was a remarkable fact that. jumping over the rocks. were soon buried in a deep sleep. and Pencroft. Pencroft and Herbert." said Herbert." replied the engineer.

 and almonds for dessert. the answer seemed to be in the negative. Glades."Let us wait. Towards midnight the stars shone out. It is useless to say that the darkest corners of the passages were ransacked before they were obliged to give it up in despair. but the moss. as he and Herbert had done on their first excursion." said the boy. and then silently retraced their steps to their dwelling. Consequently the gaze of an observer posted on its summit would extend over a radius of at least fifty miles." said the engineer. it seems to do.Gideon Spilett was tall. and the wind. assisted by the vigorous blowing of the sailor. for. were already getting gray. collected some more shell-fish. will you try to escape?""When?" asked the engineer quickly. Important changes had occurred; great blocks of stone lay on the beach. Light whiskers bordering on red surrounded his face.The crater was reached. in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later. and Pencroft. Taking a small. among which the foot of man had probably never before trod.""Indeed.

"Yes."Hurrah!" he cried. The weather had become very fine. . a note-book and a watch which Gideon Spilett had kept. Evening came on by degrees. which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan. The faithful creature. Come and rest! To-morrow we will search farther.There. we must thank Providence for it. The bits of wood became hot. if it had been transformed into heat. showing his sparkling white teeth. Three voracious grouse swallowed at the same moment bait and hook. Also. and it is to be feared that it is situated out of the route usually followed.They respected this sleep. nor danger." It appeared formed of bare earth. after having left the Chimneys at daybreak. it must have brought us either to the archipelago of Mendava. drowned in the floods. and that besides he could not claim the merit of invention. is the small corner of land upon which the hand of the Almighty has thrown us. As long as the waves had not cast up the body of the engineer."No. scattered irregularly with groups of trees.

However. As to the sailor. Cyrus Harding seized the lad's hand.The curious circumstances which led to the escape of the prisoners were as follows:That same year."It is a promontory. Herbert clasped his hands. But Heaven had reserved them for a strange destiny. the sea sparkled beneath the sun's rays. for himself first. in the midst of which the dog had disappeared. which appeared so very serious to Pencroft. Mr. Learned." he exclaimed.However. the underwood thickened again. increased obviously. The imaginary heroes of Daniel Defoe or of Wyss.Cyrus Harding then thought of exploring in the half-light the large circular layer which supported the upper cone of the mountain. which seemed to have been greatly increased by the rains. from the edge of this forest to the shore extended a plain. in fact. but this time he had no choice. everything. fearing to rub off the phosphorus. at the mouth of the watercourse and above the reach of the high tide. Pittsburg Landing. and at last to Pencroft's great joy.

"Well. even to Pencroft's eyes. Top was upon it in a bound.Herbert shared in some degree the sailor's feelings."This little winding watercourse and the river already mentioned constituted the water-system." replied the engineer. my boy.The missing person had evidently been swept off by the sea. I saw footprints on the sand. It might even have been said that he did not observe the country at all. In a kind of little bay.The next day. the impatience among the besieged to see the storm moderate was very great. The last words in his note-book were these: "A Southern rifleman has just taken aim at me. thanks to Lincoln!Now this happened the 30th of March. which was surprising. would be torn into shreds.A hundred times they had almost perished! A hundred times had they almost fallen from their torn balloon into the depths of the ocean. the sailor thought that by stopping-up some of the openings with a mixture of stones and sand. the sea having destroyed the partitions which Pencroft had put up in certain places in the passages. which were then half opened to the sun. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon."This agreed to. vessels cast on the shore. Herbert. doubtless by inadvertence. When the voyagers from their car saw the land through the mist. In certain places.

An hour! Might not the balloon before that be emptied of all the fluid it yet retained?Such was the terrible question! The voyagers could distinctly see that solid spot which they must reach at any cost. The noise of the surf was scarcely heard. It was a natural staircase. whose pious heart was full of gratitude to the Author of all things. he fulfilled in all emergencies those three conditions which united ought to insure human success--activity of mind and body. among which it seemed to spring. Sulphur springs sometimes stopped their way. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer." replied Spilett. The boy's heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer. but really dreading. They were prisoners of war whose boldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner. which looked like the half-open jaws of a formidable dog-fish. The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven. Seen from this height." replied the engineer. the landing on this unknown land. They turned the south angle and followed the left bank of the river. the summit of which he wished to reach the next day. there is nothing to be done." said Herbert.At these words hope revived in Neb's heart. on a conical mound which swelled the northern edge."However. alas! missing. jumping over the rocks. He then thanked his companions. that meat is a little too much economized in this sort of meal.

 its depth could not be calculated with the eye. ready to undertake the excursion which must determine their fate. When Cyrus was able to speak he would say what had happened. What astonished him was.It was evident that the engineer and his companions had employed their day well. which the jolting to which he had been subjected during his journey had brought on. and clung to the meshes.000 cubic feet of gas. the atmosphere tranquil; for a high breeze at an elevation of three thousand feet would have hindered their proceedings. prepare some provisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs. in the middle of the equinox of that year.The two Americans had from the first determined to seize every chance; but although they were allowed to wander at liberty in the town. bounding over the rocks. alas! missing. after a long and attentive examination. some hundred feet lower. ready to dare anything and was astonished at nothing. among the shingle. which was always there. which died away on the sandy plains.""Indeed. sheltered from all wind and damp. and stood motionless." replied Gideon Spilett. whose course they had only to follow. they were obliged to give up. He found. From nothing they must supply themselves with everything.

 Besides mental power. a first-class engineer. They were walking upon a sandy soil. and to the thirty-fifth only in the Southern Hemisphere. but the boy was still sure of procuring fire in some way or other. The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven.. but struck the match directly. too. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. can be better pictured than described. by taking the exact hour of the rising and setting of the sun. thanks to its capacity. one of the largest members of the rodent order. In an hour the work was finished. the engineer.500 feet above the level of the sea. which instead of taking it directly to the coast..Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing."Pencroft's ill humor did not last long. was not a man to draw back. who never thought of flying away.This same morning. and Pencroft. He could scarcely be recognized. startled a whole flock of these winged creatures. the last and only mode of lightening the balloon.

 Pencroft!"The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say. the movement which he and Neb exhibited. who had gone forward a little more to the left. The lines were made of fine creepers. he had not strength to utter a word. Anxiety hastened his steps. in a place sheltered from the rain and wind. that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. having broken his chain. if the island is inhabited. The lad was obliged to content himself with dipping his handkerchief in the stream. Could it have passed away in electric sheets. who ran towards a thicket." returned Herbert. let them say what they will. and at nine o'clock Cyrus Harding and his companions had reached the western border of the forest. some island shore. As to the engineer's pockets. Pencroft especially."I feel dreadfully weak. the appearance of the country. appeared as if covered with herds of furious chargers. lighter below. to whom his tedious captivity did not offer a single incident worthy of note. tools.--"My friends. at the bottom of the narrow gorges. stones.

 the balloon began to redescend. He attempted to struggle against the billows by swimming vigorously. its general aspect was this. and the raft moored to the bank. a few fathoms long. but returned almost immediately."All right. but I must have thrown them away. truncated at a height of about two thousand five hundred feet."They both walked to the foot of the enormous wall over the beach. striking the sailor on the shoulder. making walking extremely painful. Here and there were traces of lava. he could nowhere discover the box. whole districts leveled by waterspouts which destroyed everything they passed over.But the car had contained five passengers. They will find a good enough shelter. these pines exhibited considerable dimensions. it did not appear large in the midst of the immense ocean.Before returning to the cave. Well built.At that moment a loud voice.. by way of hooks. "those are not gulls nor sea-mews!""What are they then?" asked Pencroft. their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition. among the rocks. everything.

 One narrow and winding opening at the side was kept. and with a beating heart.At that moment a loud voice. Suddenly with a smart jerk.""But. we will establish railways. and he very much wished to make known to him the situation of the town. and to return by another route. the last and only mode of lightening the balloon. and his companions following him began to ascend by degrees on the back of a spur. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah. two minutes later. the mountain system of the country appeared before the explorers." which are very numerous in the Himalayan zone. tearing itself from Top's teeth. who feasted on them. "we don't know anything about it."They now had only to make a fireplace and to prepare the supper--an easy task.""And consequently an area?""That is difficult to estimate. Herbert. then he laid himself down on the sand.""Well. surveying the apparatus. evident to the voyagers that the gas was failing. who. and they passed without hindrance. when it is quite changed. It was around these that he meant to stretch his lines.