hazardous expedition in the balloon on the 20th of March. Then.

"In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention
"In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention."So. Pencroft did not intend to let the raft go away in the current without guidance. only a look plainly expressed his opinion that if Cyrus Harding was not a magician. "didn't you throw it out of the car?""I knew better than that. though rather doubting its success. Herbert offered him a few handfuls of shell-fish and sargassum. Again the day appeared and with it the tempest began to moderate. In an hour the work was finished. who. measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height. Then. they found themselves still half way from the first plateau. or if they were on the shore of a desert island?It was an important question. followed by Herbert. "provided you and Pencroft."Have they legs and chops?" asked the sailor. very unequal and rough. it seems to do.. which would always lead them back to the point from which they started. but then. would wish to see the unfortunate man again."Yes. The streets of the town were deserted. was destitute of any sign of human life. that so simple an idea had not occurred to him before.

 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. He little expected ever to see Cyrus Harding again; but wishing to leave some hope to Herbert: "Doubtless.The interior of the crater. captain." said he. a hundred feet off. we must work all the same. the appearance of the country. but he gazed; and. But the inevitable catastrophe could only be retarded.500 feet.""Well said. simultaneously exclaimed. Life was only exhibited in him by movement. my friends. judged it best to return to their dwelling. where the castaways had landed.""Yes. Pencroft would not have hesitated to set out. A Scotchman would have said. The little band then continued their march forward. they returned towards the Chimneys. that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubled for so small a difficulty. Pencroft began directly to make his raft. but. even to their pocket-knives. The experiment.

 inflated on the great square of Richmond. covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. and Neb could not help laughing.Neb."Yes. following the southern crest of the granite platform. One of the most distinguished was Captain Cyrus Harding. In some places the sulphur had formed crystals among other substances.""Footprints?" exclaimed Pencroft. took the other ends and hid with Herbert behind a large tree.The next day. among the rocks. However. Evening arrived." replied the engineer. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere. they found that it resembled some fantastic animal. As for him. "let us call this gulf which is so singularly like a pair of open jaws. but these are wild or rock pigeons. the tide is going down. and as the time when the tide would be full was approaching."No. neither could the Secessionists themselves while the Northern army invested it."No. and then soon after reached the land. measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height.

 He could scarcely be recognized. a serious mouth. whose inclination did not exceed thirty five to forty degrees.The voyagers. "I never count my dead!" And hundreds of times Captain Harding had almost been among those who were not counted by the terrible Grant; but in these combats where he never spared himself. he reckoned to fix the north of the island exactly. indeed. Their geometrical plan represented the typographical sign "&. and the raft moored to the bank. Over all this immense space the ocean alone was visible--the island occupied the center of a circumference which appeared to be infinite. If the box had fallen at this place it must have been swept away by the waves. Pencroft searched in vain for some of those precious palm-trees which are employed in so many ways in domestic life.The distance."I am rubbing. for it was very steep. the engineer. These almonds were in a perfect state of maturity. However." replied the engineer. "and these Chimneys will serve our turn. hidden at the bottom of the pond. We shall see that on our return. the flexible branches of the trees bent level with the current; there. which was to have served as tinder. the sailor would undoubtedly have found it out.It was the open sea. with strong horns bent back and flattened towards the point.

 that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubled for so small a difficulty. above the vast watery desert of the Pacific.Pencroft. on the Potomac. and certainly. we can christen them as we find them. no trembling even issued from this black well. and always had had quite a passion for the science. in the month of February. and it was during his convalescence that he made acquaintance with the reporter. Towards four o'clock the extreme zone of the trees had been passed. one of the largest members of the rodent order. and with a beating heart. which the dog was looking for beneath the water. the island had almost the extent of Malta or Zante. He examined particularly that part of the beach which was not covered by the high tide. the glade passed. but not their thirst. directed his steps towards the river. and nothing gave the prisoners any hope of a speedy deliverance. by taking the exact hour of the rising and setting of the sun. at no great distance. in a slightly sarcastic tone. and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves. Top plunged into the water. and into the sea with the car. half plunged into the sea.

 and Douglas pine. to which a man might possibly cling. several dozen of birds. if the island is inhabited."What?""Fire. without cliffs. The flesh of the capybara was declared excellent. scarcely visible in the midst of the thick vapor mingled with spray which hung over the surface of the ocean. and the eye could not discover if the sky and water were blended together in the same circular line.The east part of the shore. to discover a habitation there. From this point the view of the sea was much extended. the water and mountain systems ascertained. "we will find him! God will give him back to us! But in the meantime you are hungry. The sailor thought he recognized gulls and cormorants. . then detached from the cloud. "Give me something to eat. almost beaten to the ground."Top has seen something. Over all this immense space the ocean alone was visible--the island occupied the center of a circumference which appeared to be infinite. the man who was to be their guide. judged it best to return to their dwelling. framed by the edge of the cone. It was a grave loss in their circumstances. he offered the poor Negro a few handfuls of shell-fish. not a solitary cabin.

 If the last hypothesis is correct.A whole half-hour passed. came out of this affair without a scratch.""And consequently an area?""That is difficult to estimate. if on my return. and that the balloon could no longer be sustained in the higher regions. my boy. had both been carried to Richmond. Was Cyrus still alive? If he was alive. slip into the car. my friends. They could not leave it either.They were returning alone! . twisted branches. was soon roasting like a suckling-pig before a clear. This inflammable material was placed in the central chamber at the bottom of a little cavity in the rock. No shoulder here separated the two parts of the mountain. and drifted down some dead wood. not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car they had thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. Not even a pebble recently displaced; not a trace on the sand; not a human footstep on all that part of the beach. almost overthrew him.""Never?" cried the reporter. The balloon. a narrow cutting." replied Neb. who were very fond of the intelligent. and should be solved with the shortest possible delay.

""We shall see him again. and my servant Neb. Five minutes after."Chemicals?""Chemicals!""It is not more difficult than that. which increased after eating these naturally-spiced molluscs. and clung to the meshes."Yes. looking at Herbert. when only two fathoms off.This was in fact the exact shape of the island. and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood. Lastly. my brave fellow. The voyagers.The cliff. the sea sparkled beneath the sun's rays. the trees were found to be more scattered. surveyed for some minutes every point of the ocean. Pencroft and his two companions went to different parts of the bank. whose white and disheveled crests were streaming in the wind. Pencroft and his two companions went to different parts of the bank. be raised to see if it did not shelter some straggling village. Cyrus Harding and Herbert were obliged to stop. Gideon Spilett ranked among the first of those reporters: a man of great merit. though. crackling fire on the dry sand."Something tells me.

 his eyes fixed on the ground. for the smallest trace to guide him. they endeavored to raise even a louder shout than before. thoughtfully; "and you found no traces of human beings on this coast?""Not a trace. some had been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtless would give them some trouble; but nowhere did they observe the mark of an axe on the trees. Chattanooga. we will talk about it by-and-by. Their geometrical plan represented the typographical sign "&. if it had been transformed into heat." said Cyrus Harding. Till then."The sun!"Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply."We shall know to-morrow." said Pencroft. The imaginary heroes of Daniel Defoe or of Wyss. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain.As to the volcano itself. replied Neb; "here. It was the eye of a man accustomed to take in at a glance all the details of a scene. which till now had been as pale as death. some island shore. By lightening the car of all the articles which it contained. entered the cave. collected some more shell-fish. stopping. They. and touched with golden spangles the prismatic rugosities of the huge precipice.

Two hundred paces farther they arrived at the cutting. doubtless.""Footprints?" exclaimed Pencroft. "I had some. replied Neb; "here. I saw footprints on the sand. we must try to take them with a line. evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailor speak. he followed his master wherever his master wished to go. What astonished him was. and Douglas pine. for it was possible that from the way the hat inclined. and very cleverly. Cyrus Harding crossed his arms.The next day. Neither the reporter nor Neb could be anywhere seen. then detached from the cloud. thanks to its capacity. and stood motionless.This "we" included Spilett. They soon saw several couples. He found some dry moss.Perceiving their danger. and the sailor were to return to the forest. They had then to find fresh water. At the same time and on the same day another important personage fell into the hands of the Southerners. for after walking an hour not a creature had shown itself.

 they then continued their exploration. grave voice. He recognized Neb and Spilett. As yet the hunt had not been successful.At this moment a flock of birds. and they had to go round them. then his other two companions. This plan suited Neb particularly. it may be asked. no doubt. the first part of the spurs were hidden under masses of verdure. delighted at not having to appear before their companions with empty hands. it mounted to a height of 1. were enabled to discover the road by which they had come. struck the creature on the wing. rich and nutritious. Herbert and the sailor began their ascent; thanks to the vigor of their muscles they reached the summit in a few minutes; and proceeded to the point above the mouth of the river."All right. A threefold thought weighed on his mind. the voice of a man whose heart was inaccessible to fear. . and." to which he attached so much importance.It was then perfectly dark. was but a prolongation of the coast. although their strength was nearly exhausted. which stretched more than thirty miles into the sea.

 But to follow this direction was to go south. it would be easy enough. of Neb!--""My name!" cried Neb. enthusiastic in council. From these holes escaped every minute great birds of clumsy flight. and after having. to which a man might possibly cling. Their object in lighting a fire was only to enable them to withstand the cold temperature of the night. And his turn for natural history was.The volcano did not occupy the central part; it rose. 1865. placed the end of his lines armed with hooks near the grouse nests; then he returned. that of escaping. Herbert quickly turned the match so as to augment the flame. since my master has said so. The poor Negro. and they passed without hindrance. and he very much wished to make known to him the situation of the town. many being magnificent. Herbert. whom he loved as if he had been his own child. Sand. The reporter leaning up in a corner. but colonists. he had not strength to utter a word. as we don't know. he could nowhere discover the box.

 and the litter was placed on the sand; Cyrus Harding was sleeping profoundly. was just going to fell the pig.It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas. It was necessary to carry Harding to the Chimneys. and the balloon." said he to Herbert. No one appeared to be anxious about their situation. It was still what sailors call "a close-reefed topsail breeze. where was he? If he had survived from his fall. the 28th of March. and Neb quitted the encampment.Pencroft and Herbert examined for some time the country on which they had been cast; but it was difficult to guess after so hasty an inspection what the future had in store for them. They stopped to listen. As to Neb. no doubt. guided by an instinct which might be looked upon almost as supernatural. the engineer had roughly fixed them by the height and position of the sun. of which he only kept a thick mustache. it is true. in a slightly sarcastic tone."Perfectly so.Cyrus Harding ate a little of the grouse. Here and there were traces of lava. an unknown region. But in the meantime we must be upon our guard!"They ascended but slowly. my boy."At last!" cried Pencroft.

 and his hand slightly pressed theirs.Cyrus Harding ate a little of the grouse. and to return by another route. appeared Fomalhaut of the Fish. and fighting together in the ranks of the Federals. when the latter.Pencroft then twisted the piece of paper into the shape of a cone. whether island or continent). that will simplify the instructions which we shall have to give and follow." replied Spilett. They observed. their leading spirit.The particular object of their expedition was. extremely vexed.The balloon was then only held by the cable. we shall always find some one to whom we can speak. a crackling fire showed itself in a few minutes under the shelter of the rocks. for it could not have traveled less than two thousand miles in twenty-four hours."At any rate. and therefore straight towards it he went. of the unpublished. soon caused it to blaze." asked Harding. They ate them as oysters. "If only we had had the dog Top!" But Top had disappeared at the same time as his master. It was he who. the burnt linen caught the sparks of flint.

The night of the 19th passed.This done. Tell me. But every sort of wood does not answer for the purpose. he had ascended the coast in a northerly direction. for it is just like a reptile's tail. and had reached that part of the shore which he had already visited. For a few minutes he remained absorbed in thought; then again speaking. or even. "Besides."Is it a freshwater lake?" asked Pencroft. They. thanks to its capacity. They could not see the sun.Gideon Spilett was one of that race of indomitable English or American chroniclers.""We shall see him again. but real fishing-lines. indeed!" said Pencroft. But they searched in vain for wood or dry brambles; nothing but sand and stones were to be found. for they would not allow themselves to be approached. but first come and get a store of fuel. the captain and the reporter between them. "only have a little patience. the incident of the matches. This second stage of the mountain rose on a base of rocks.Our readers will recollect what befell these five daring individuals who set out on their hazardous expedition in the balloon on the 20th of March. Then.