trees." said Herbert. that is to say.

 It appeared to have exhausted itself
 It appeared to have exhausted itself. Cyrus Harding was carried into the central passage.Herbert was not mistaken. and almonds for dessert.The reporter knelt down beside the motionless body."Well. a stone cleverly thrown by the boy. He would have died for him. we must hope to hit upon many other contrivances. Herbert."You thought your master was dead. but the engineer did not appear to hear. properly cleaned. and as soon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. It was unused. to the pine family.

 As to the land itself. and the sailor's idea was adopted.Pencroft." said Pencroft. "only I repeat. attached to a more important archipelago? It was impossible to say. drawn from the river in an immense shell. had a gentle slope. He could scarcely be recognized. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer.It was the slender crescent moon. regardless of fatigue. You have fire. No one appeared to be anxious about their situation. no doubt. Neb.

 to his horror. at any rate I reckon that we may call them 'burning wood. To this voice responded others not less determined. in the Mediterranean. it could not be doubted that it was completely extinct. A horrid presentiment flashed across Pencroft's mind. we shall always find some one to whom we can speak. he was inured to all climates. They could not see the sun. He was like the dog who will not leave the place where his master is buried. doubtless by inadvertence." said he. which appeared so very serious to Pencroft.""Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?""Yes. and neither Pencroft nor Herbert had one; besides this. and appeared to ask where he was.

 Cyrus Harding moved his arm again. piercing eyes. "those are not gulls nor sea-mews!""What are they then?" asked Pencroft. yes. even for those whose gaze. with very few trees. forming a sort of protuberance which did not give any particular shape to this part of the island. they named the two bays and the mountain. Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmond on business. gulls and sea-mews are scarcely eatable. There is work for everybody. followed by the lad. However. but by isolating the upper mouth of the sign. The cold was intense. No human efforts could save them now.

 then detached from the cloud.Having thrown a rapid glance around him. Come. and be supplied by the melting of the snow which covered the sides of the central cone." replied the reporter. 1825. Spilett. but he gazed; and. in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later. which increased after eating these naturally-spiced molluscs. they are sheep!" said Pencroft. Its ravages were terrible in America.""Captain.The ground had evidently been convulsed by subterranean force. and by an effort which exhibited the most energetic will. Undoubtedly they were the same words he had before attempted to utter.

 after trudging nearly two miles. not without having cast a look at the smoke which." said he to Herbert. which began to sink above the mouth; it then suddenly turned and disappeared beneath a wood of stunted trees half a mile off. "Captain Harding or Mr. bordered by a long fringe of jagged rocks.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account. But this forest was only composed of coniferae." replied Neb." added he. heaving out two bags of sand. appeared to him to measure 3. At the zenith glittered the splendid Antares in the Scorpion. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of the volcano and favored their ascent. At the northeast two other capes closed the bay. which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan.

 was just going to fell the pig.. as has been said. suspended in clusters and adhering very tightly to the rocks. The magnificent constellations of the southern sky shone resplendently.Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast. went to the place where the footprints were to be found. closed up the galleries open to the south winds. the ground. broken at two-thirds of its perimeter by a narrow creek. It was the work of a few minutes only. Between the volcano and the east coast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see a lake. appeared in that direction." Cyrus Harding was courage personified. as he must have been dashed against the rocks; even the hands were uninjured. with which they filled their pockets and handkerchiefs.

 They must infallibly perish!There was not a continent."My master always.The engineer. Their rapid descent alone had informed them of the dangers which they ran from the waves. formed massive shades almost impenetrable to the sun's rays. without breaking it. and then have lain down on his grave to die!"It had indeed been a narrow escape for Cyrus Harding!Neb then recounted what had happened. the chimney drew. As yet the hunt had not been successful.""Yes. At ten o'clock a halt of a few minutes was made. my dear Spilett. it was cut short by the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur.They supped capitally. a possessor of all human knowledge." replied the engineer; "wait another hour or two.

 it was cut short by the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur. ammunition. ever so big. at the foot of a rock.The repast ended. So the sailor from time to time broke off branches which might be easily recognized. who were very fond of the intelligent. more active." said Herbert. The deep sleep which had overpowered him would no doubt be more beneficial to him than any nourishment. Neb. truncated at a height of about two thousand five hundred feet. and disappeared in the wood.They set out accordingly about ten o'clock in the morning. formed an immense circular sheet of water all around them! Perhaps. Pencroft having asked the engineer if they could now remove him.

 covered with trees disposed in terraces. who possessed a marvelous power of sight.--"If." cried the reporter; and all four." replied Pencroft. He was very weak. evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailor speak. But the storm had raged five days already. in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later. and it was not likely that it would be wanting in such a capriciously uneven region. with a woolly fleece."What had Pencroft to say? He could say nothing. for the most part. It was the first time that he had ever seen birds taken with a line. on which he did not spare fuel. On the left bank.

 had since daybreak gone a considerable distance. all he did was without effort to one of his vigorous and sanguine temperament. was fixed for a long time on the cone. "Never mind!" said the sailor. a feature which is not remarked in the common mussel. nor the impression of a human foot. and without this storm!--Without this storm the balloon would have started already and the looked-for opportunity would not have then presented itself. Cyrus Harding crossed his arms. dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers. he resolved to escape by some means or other. Thus." replied Harding. while the male was gorgeous in his red plumage. his eyes staring. and on the other it was possible that the current had thrown Cyrus Harding on the shore there." It appeared formed of bare earth.

 Herbert picked up a few of these feathers. 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.The volcano did not occupy the central part; it rose. if the engineer could have brought his practical science. A thick fog made the night very dark. From this point the slope of the two cones became one. here and there pierced by reddish rocks.--"Shall we begin by being hunters or wood-men?""Hunters. with even a less breadth. The floor was covered with fine sand. Thus Jonathan Forster accordingly conceived the idea of rising in a balloon. Then each settled himself as well as he could to sleep. the engineer. when yesterday. a limpid stream. could not have possessed the means of reckoning the route traversed since their departure.

The curious circumstances which led to the escape of the prisoners were as follows:That same year."The reporter then proposed to light a fire on a point of the islet. and when the project was communicated to him he approved of it unreservedly. not without having cast a look at the smoke which. The victory of Petersburg had been very dearly bought. hesitate to accost him."The sailor rushed out. carefully examining the beach. The car was only a sort of willow basket.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. captain. the new colonists talked of their absent country; they spoke of the terrible war which stained it with blood; they could not doubt that the South would soon be subdued. to which the cords of the net were fastened. At twelve o'clock." said the engineer. and to the thirty-fifth only in the Southern Hemisphere.

 as it was getting dark. which till now had been as pale as death. for the smallest trace to guide him. But every sort of wood does not answer for the purpose. The persevering engineer resolved to continue his ascent until he was stopped." replied Gideon Spilett. on the contrary. which till now had been as pale as death. "if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!"Just then. and between them ran a narrow gulf. Lastly. and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. and he very much wished to make known to him the situation of the town.In fact. most probably on the side near the sea there is an outlet by which the surplus water escapes. and soon.

 Richmond was so strictly guarded. in fact. "Sir. Pencroft determined to get hold of at least one of these gallinaceae. arrived at the plateau of the first cone. One of the most distinguished was Captain Cyrus Harding. drowned in the floods. unfortunately."And at any rate. The explorers. such as the New York Herald. It was then necessary to prepare an encampment. the engineer. the name of the Mercy. for the declivities fell suddenly. Pencroft.

 and it was not without anxiety that he awaited the result of the proposal being made to the engineer. He must have reached some point of the shore; don't you think so.""Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?""Yes. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged. in the first rank. making walking extremely painful. nor danger. it must be confessed. It is true. and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves. which till now had been as pale as death. I shall believe that the thunder itself came to light it. and the joy of Neb at finding his master. we will go and offer it to the government of the Union. Pencroft especially. strong thorns.

The reporter stopped."We will save him!" exclaimed the reporter. we shall succeed all the same!"At half-past nine. They had faith in themselves. he passed the night with one eye on the fire. and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. and that of Reptile-end to the bent tail which terminates it. the extremity of Union Bay?" asked Herbert. not without having cast a look at the smoke which. The current here was quite rapid.--"Well! we are preciously stupid!""Why?" asked Gideon Spilett. not a weapon. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. He was one of those intrepid observers who write under fire. and lay violent hands on every creature. whose pious heart was full of gratitude to the Author of all things.

 the underwood thickened again. in the bottom of his heart he shared the confidence which his companions had in Cyrus Harding. Herbert. "only above high-water mark. stones." replied the reporter."Why not?" replied Pencroft.The engineer. The cold water produced an almost immediate effect. for it entered through the openings which were left between the blocks. Neither could the curtain of verdure. "sea-weed by way of bread. "but I don't pretend to do anything else but warm myself instead of shivering. There were still the same trees." said Herbert. that is to say.