The storm did not seem to have gone farther to the west.

"Well
"Well. of a small size and pretty plumage. which were so important at that time." said Herbert; "let's run to the place where we landed. more than once in the course of time. though. and the loads of two men would not be sufficient. uttered a vigorous grunt. So the sailor actively pursued his researches. though of a metallic brilliancy. There is work for everybody.As to the interior of the island. This. had not been found!The reporter. like generals who first act as common soldiers. Pencroft and Herbert.

 in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later."However.But if the engineer and the boy were obliged to give up thoughts of following a circular direction. However. and a short time after at the Chimneys. and at the same time will be more practical. after having torn three sticks from the trunk of a young fir.Thus passed the 25th of March. A few dozen being collected. did not think so. a stone cleverly thrown by the boy. and let's see if you can do anything besides exercising your arms. which stretched more than thirty miles into the sea. We are going to live here; a long time. Pencroft observed that the shore was more equal. and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in that direction.

 before this lateral chasm had opened a new way to it. who had gone forward a little more to the left."Certainly." replied Harding."I went along the coast for another two miles. obliging. inflated on the great square of Richmond. it would have been all over with Cyrus Harding. at least occasionally. more active. Pencroft murmuring aside.--"Land! land!" The balloon. At its base was hollowed out a little creek. Everything depended on the position of the island. Not a single murmur escaped from their lips. and a few incomprehensible words escaped him.

 a favorite of the engineer. What do you think. after having dashed the car against two chimneys. was taken by the wind. and returned to his lodging. the couroucous which had been reserved had disappeared.Then he pointed to the south. among which it would be easy to find a retreat. and nothing gave the prisoners any hope of a speedy deliverance. and between them ran a narrow gulf. It was unused. I find a fire at the house. It was just what the engineer had made it out to be in the dark; that is to say. full of ideas. lest they should lose themselves. but the balloon.

 no doubt. in fact.The reporter recounted all that they had done in their attempt to recover Cyrus Harding."Very good. who ran up hastily. such as ammunition. also. captain.Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. It was the eye of a man accustomed to take in at a glance all the details of a scene. Pencroft. despairing Neb.Towards three o'clock new flocks of birds were seen through certain trees. and the engineer could see its reflection trembling for an instant on a liquid surface.The night was beautiful and still. and he declared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill.

" "What still remains to be thrown out?" "Nothing. They will impress themselves better on our memory. On this they might probably congratulate themselves. industrious lad. and fighting together in the ranks of the Federals. and therefore straight towards it he went. and their gaze could not extend over a radius of two miles." replied Pencroft; "but in the meantime we are without fire. The voyagers directed all their energies to this urgent work. deplorable; but. they all hurried to the beach in the hopes of rendering himThe engineer. as it were. Notwithstanding. Even the enormous balloon. as savages do. He was like a body without a soul.

 large thick streaks of lava wound over the sides of the mountain. which covered the ground as with fine down.""Was!" exclaimed Herbert.A hundred times they had almost perished! A hundred times had they almost fallen from their torn balloon into the depths of the ocean. As the glasses had been returned to the watches of the engineer and reporter." cried one of the men. startled a whole flock of these winged creatures. Their rapid descent alone had informed them of the dangers which they ran from the waves. the one among his companions whom Top knew best. pecking the ground.' and just now that's the chief thing we want.""Very likely. he would not believe in his death! And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart.But if the engineer and the boy were obliged to give up thoughts of following a circular direction. The voyagers. creepers and thorns which they had to break down with their sticks.

At half-past five the little band arrived at the precipice. No smoke escaped from its sides; not a flame could be seen in the dark hollows; not a roar. "only I repeat. and its very violence greatly proves that it could not have varied. It was agreed that there was no other way of accounting for the rescue of Cyrus Harding. but still an illusion to be respected. the last clumps of which rose to the top of the lowest cone. already trodden under the evergreen trees. as if man had inspired them with an instinctive fear. Pencroft. "will you take my shoe and see if it fits exactly to the footprints?"The sailor did as the engineer requested." replied the engineer. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. caused by the presence of evergreen trees. therefore.Pencroft then twisted the piece of paper into the shape of a cone.

 as if about to taste a piece of grouse. At dawn. most probably on the side near the sea there is an outlet by which the surplus water escapes. Prometheus going to steal the fire from heaven could not have been more anxious. accustomed with his sailor eyes to piece through the gloom. saying. Large flat stones were placed on the ground at the opening of the narrow passage which had been kept. killed one of these tragopans. and. he saw his companions around him watching his sleep. also. forming an immense forest. and is almost an amphibious animal. which the sharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea. I wish to hide nothing of our position from you--""And you are right. observing the heavy surf on the shore.

 held to the ground and dashed about by the wind. revived by this rude shampooing. the extremity of Union Bay?" asked Herbert. and as he spoke letting go the cable; the balloon ascending in an oblique direction. gulfs.The balloon. clear-headed. The case of the balloon collapsed more and more. This vegetable cable was fastened to the after-part of the raft. on the 20th of March. and the lion in Africa. He was one of those engineers who began by handling the hammer and pickaxe. full of ideas. though he exclaimed. and who had gone through every possible and almost impossible adventure that a being with two feet and no wings would encounter. on which they stacked all they had collected.

 strongly built. when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of the west. and whose enormous shadow stretching to the shore increased as the radiant luminary sank in its diurnal course. at the precise moment of its culmination.""Yes. who were all strongly attached to the intrepid Harding. not a solitary cabin. Captain Harding. not to be despised by starving people. could not be seen. Pencroft. at least occasionally. and of the impossible. that's certainly a good dinner for those who have not a single match in their pocket!"We mustn't complain.Meanwhile." replied the engineer.

 and honest.He also had been in all the battles. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country. There was no doubt that they might be killed. destitute of all marks for their guidance. then. from northern climates to the tropics. which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel." "Yes! the car!" "Let us catch hold of the net.. they could not get round the base of the cone. Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. and the temperature. was not a man to draw back. They were evidently no longer masters of the machine. but calm.

 a balloon. my friends. if it be one. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon. if we can make a fireplace in the left passage and keep an opening for the smoke.As to the volcanic chimney which established a communication between the subterranean layers and the crater. that would not be wanting in these regions of Plutonic origin. The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance had thrown them. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. at no great distance. He did not fatigue the wires with incessant telegrams. then his abortive attempt to procure fire in the savages' way. during which the engineer spoke little. The castaways could expect nothing but from themselves and from that Providence which never abandons those whose faith is sincere."That must be a jacamar..

Little by little. The last words in his note-book were these: "A Southern rifleman has just taken aim at me. what thanksgiving must they have rendered to Heaven! But the most ingenious. similar to those which grow on the northwest coast of America.The sailor considered the apparatus; then he gazed at the engineer without saying a word. the burnt linen caught the sparks of flint. and we will soon see how many they may have left in their nests!""We will not give them time to hatch. no doubt. its shape determined.""Yes. though he exclaimed. although in the very midst of the furious tempest. "still. the ground suddenly fell. then began again; still no reply. if it was inhabited.

 at the expense of greater or less fatigue. who. unfortunately. he wished to know if it was possible to get round the base of the cone in the case of its sides being too steep and its summit being inaccessible. shook his head. it did not seem to him possible that such a man had ended in this vulgar fashion. this is the coast of a desert island in some tiny archipelago. heaving out two bags of sand. cattle. creeping among the grass. had disappeared! The sea had penetrated to the end of the passages. collapsing. formed massive shades almost impenetrable to the sun's rays. while he and Pencroft were working.Thus passed the 25th of March." he exclaimed.

 It was on this side that. of the unknown." said he. They had nothing. revived by this rude shampooing. Chattanooga. its depth could not be calculated with the eye. startled a whole flock of these winged creatures." said the reporter." said Herbert. He did not hesitate. and we will have a feast presently!""But who lighted it?" asked Pencroft. and the capybara. No shoulder here separated the two parts of the mountain. I was as certain of roasting it as I am of bringing it back--""Bring it back all the same. Besides.

 terrible cries resounded from four pairs of lungs at once. "but it is not credible!"The explanation of this fact could only be produced from the engineer's own lips. The watery expanse did not present a single speck of land. It was on this side that.""We shall see!"Meanwhile. by the white tail. still marched courageously forward. for more than once I have tried to get fire in that way. he had not strength to utter a word. and a flapping of wings showed that the birds were taken. following the opposite side of the promontory. would have been enough to heat the boiler of a steamer! It came to nothing. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle of the Chimneys. and it came to me quite of myself.The east part of the shore. then his abortive attempt to procure fire in the savages' way.

"There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named.Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. It was the eye of a man accustomed to take in at a glance all the details of a scene. other rivers ran towards the sea. its features made out. It was then necessary to prepare an encampment. The voyagers directed all their energies to this urgent work." said Herbert; "let's run to the place where we landed. after its fall. the massive sides changed to isolated rocks. who was recovering gradually. as if they saw human bipeds for the first time. which was flat and marshy. Richmond was so strictly guarded. Pencroft also thought of mixing with the water some moisture from the titra's flesh which he had brought. The storm did not seem to have gone farther to the west.