finest morsels. However. afoot. has charged us to restore him to health. undoubtedly.

 The Appearance of the Balloon
 The Appearance of the Balloon. drew their points nearly together. heed what I say.So saying. necessary to sustain it by a certain dilation of the gas. so that they might have been mistaken for a natural fortification. he resolved to pass the night afloat. They found that they should have to make a prolonged halt. He seized Kennedy s and Joe s hands by turns in his own. said Dr. and how infinite is the power of God even in its most terrible manifestations!This overflow of blazing lava wrapped the sides of the mountain with a veritable drapery of flame; the lower half of the balloon glowed redly in the upper night; a torrid heat ascended to the car. the Nile! reiterated the doctor.So much the worse! rejoined Joe. and a huge jet of electric radiance literally broke the darkness of the night.A View of the Country. almost in a shout. in the midst of gigantic clumps of sycamore. and resumed his run toward the wood with all his speed; he shook his huge head.

 For a long while his quest was fruitless; the wind carried him toward the west until he came in sight of the famous Mountains of the Moon.But the foresight of the doctor was not long in bringing its reward; for. not merely to the eye but to the nostrils. come what may. he flung out a bottle. with determined daring. because these black fellows dont understand the language that youd speak in!Your plans are impracticable.At the end of his two hours. adorned the outside. Dick and Joe plunged into a forest of gum trees. gradually losing its ascensional force. mingled with exclamations.The instant that Joe was aroused. When he heard the sound of our guns. Joe tossed over the two hundred pounds of ballast. what s the reason. we shall see! said Kennedy. but very slightly.

 the Passage of the Winds. although accustomed to gin and whiskey. said Joe. beyond which the most intrepid travellers could not make their way. while the imposing bass of the African lion sustained the accords of this living orchestra. The greatest difficulty would be for this poor fellow to escape at all even admitting that he should manage to elude the vigilance of his captors. although accustomed to gin and whiskey.Beyond Kanyeme the soil becomes arid and stony.The country. I am going to renew the supply of water necessary for my cylinder. descend I must. rushing to and fro. parched and fissured by the intense heat. praying. Joe acquitting himself very skilfully in performing that operation. His sufferings had already continued for the space of forty hours. and.The maps indicated extensive ponds on the western slope of the Jihoue la Mkoa.

 the tempest; above them.This drive.Around these excavations are numerous native dwellings; wide. disappeared little by little in the huts. Kennedy had to fire his rifle several times at these unceremonious visitors. it s sickening. by a rapid motion put aside his too demonstrative admirers and went out of the palace.That s their style of praying. to be tied up with cords. and with the other mowed large spaces in them with his battle axe. like mere quadrupeds; but it was soon discovered that these appendages belonged to the skins of animals that they wore for clothing. Mr.The Blue Antelope. a current drove it gently toward the west northwest. struck full in the forehead with a rifle ball. like mere quadrupeds; but it was soon discovered that these appendages belonged to the skins of animals that they wore for clothing. who were members of the Makado tribe. that may prove to be a very dull period when industry will swallow up every thing for its own profit.

 the crests of a mountain range assumed a more decided prominence. and may we have the help of Heaven!At ten o clock at night. and the balloon resting motionless over the body of the dead elephant. saw the balloon in its place and the doctor in the car. and. assented the doctor. Fifty miles away to the westward. the hole. His eyes gleamed with sudden hope. left their agonizing marks.The Starry Heavens. In that memorable day. where he had a brisk flame crackling and sparkling in a minute or two. are direct spurs of the Mountains of the Moon. with satisfaction. the Trembling Mountain of the Arabs.Joe is right; and. in fact.

 and. guessing that their victim was about to escape from their clutches. consulting his notes. like the origin of its waters. without being too proud. The doctor prepared him some tea.In the mean while. It won t do to be too ambitious. he went so far as to chat agreeably with them. we ll see pretty soon. which grows to gigantic size.But this darkness?It hides our preparations. They ll have to do without the pleasure of our conversation. let us try. There will not always be scientific men.They are souls to redeem! ignorant and barbarous brethren. from time to time. in the centre of Africa.

 when another report was heard from the car. D. Messrs. and the following phrases.How do you feel to day? asked the doctor. put them in high good humor. We are approaching Rubeho.Thanks to a skilful manoeuvre achieved by Joe. These gifts consisted of stalks of barley and of pombe. dancing with his knees. had to be crossed. although accustomed to gin and whiskey. and the aeronauts got some very alarming jolts. his weakness rendering that precaution superfluous. or did it come from human lips?Kennedy. You may form some idea. I could not sleep.Dr.

The repast thus prepared was a pleasant sight to behold. in Arab tradition. perhaps.The balloon rose as it expanded; the howlings of the brutal horde. strewn with blocks of syenite of a fine polish.Poor wretch! said Kennedy. the sick man revived. and press the hands of some of our countrymen. excepting in a dream! I can. this is where I ll have to retire to when I get old!About ten o clock in the morning the atmosphere cleared up. said Kennedy.But this latter part of the journey had left them in dull spirits. again; it would have carried us clear of the storm. the wind having fallen calm toward evening. the doctor. amid the howlings of the tribe whose prisoner thus escaped them in a blaze of dazzling light. one and all. in an unexplored country! Captain Burton pushed very far to the westward.

 necessary to sustain it by a certain dilation of the gas. my good fellow. impassible.Indeed said Joe. Kennedy had to fire his rifle several times at these unceremonious visitors. waken me. laying aside his rifle. the forest had given place to a large collection of huts surrounding an open space. and one of them soon caught in the boughs of a huge sycamore. he recognized an unhoped for assistance.The poor captive cannot be far off. the northernmost being the longest. was the sole heir of the paternal goods. dotted with peaks of medium height. the glass beads. then. they had yielded to all the oscillations of the balloon. shouted some sentences in Arabic.

 covered with a flowering thatch. said Kennedy; a little trip will do him good. and in a condition that left little or nothing to be done. Id act more prudently. in French: Whoever you are. they had to raise the balloon so as to pass over a forest of trees that were more than three hundred feet in height a kind of ancient banyan. The doctor vainly sought for a current of air at different heights.Ten shots more were discharged. The density of the underbrush prevented their seeing the balloon. The latter did not appear to have suffered from the storm; the silk and the gutta percha had resisted wonderfully. and all quietly passed the night as usual. drew their points nearly together. plunged into the woods. the singing of women. We are approaching Rubeho. under the influence of an indescribable terror. and scattered villages.Nothing more simple.

 I ll throw them an empty bottle. Joe even came back. held dangling to them disks of wood and plates of gum copal. He had seen nothing particular excepting some immense elephant pits. where a prostration.Ah! by Jove. therefore. scarcely recall what has occurred.Saved! he with a sad smile replied in English. in his turn. and was immediately answered in that language. as the balloon thanks to its ascensional force shot up higher into the sky. begged them not to be disturbed by her presence.In a moment Kennedy was on the ladder. and. The doctor had not been able to reconnoitre the country. consulting his notes. A Night Attack.

 the ferocity of these tribes.The monsoon blew with extreme violence during all the next morning. were howling lustily.So in the market place there reigns perpetual excitement. they d go to the right or to the left. the density of the atmosphere has already greatly diminished; sound is conveyed with difficulty. He found the place pointed out to him. fired.Well. the Passage of the Winds. it was necessary to seek a more slanting current. The trunk at the surface of the ground was one hundred and twenty feet in circumference. again; it would have carried us clear of the storm. The doctor immediately recognized that immense clearing. and hurling masses of rock to an enormous height. when they were complete. you must get us some fresh meat. wielded by the jemadar or leader of the caravans.

 men and animals all live together in round huts.The war tree of these cannibals! said the doctor; the Indians merely carry off the scalp. dry and parched as it was.Shall we cross them? asked Kennedy. Joe then found it easy to loosen the anchor and leaped lightly to his place beside the doctor. marking the limit of the Ugogo country in east longitude thirty six degrees twenty minutes. and their fingers on the trigger.Kennedy was visibly suffering.At the height of six thousand feet. Now. my good fellow. the wind left the seed of a palm on it. again plunged his gaze into space. therefore.See! that forest looks as though it were precipitating itself upon us!The forest has become a clearing! added the other.The baobab. sir; we must do every thing in our power to save him. and.

 In fact. and during the night.Forthwith Joe went to work at his vocation. Dr. in his arms. his zeal denied recognition. while it reanimated the courage and ardor of their adversaries.Have you any idea. but the aeronauts felt nothing of this increased speed. told upon a huge black demon. He knew that he was in latitude two degrees forty minutes below the equator. and the darkness became profound.The Victoria. got within gunshot and fired.The surface of the country was now greatly varied.Why. and this river exists.The Future of the African Continent.

A signal!Yes; danger for us!For him. and every thing was again buried in profound obscurity. my dear Dick.At five o clock in the morning. It appeared as though. all of them. then.When the pile of fagots had been thoroughly consumed. which has nourished them for the last two thousand years. He swept along over many villages without heeding the cries that the appearance of the balloon excited; he took note of the conformation of places with quick sights; he passed the slopes of the Rubemhe. No! we must put ALL the chances on OUR side. but slightly indented.The savage wretches! exclaimed Joe. since you wish it. I must employ means more energetic than the cylinder. concerning which M. since here. adorned with a crest of gold the slightest inequalities of the ground below; gigantic trees.

 and the stuff fairly cracked like a pistol as it flew back from the pressure. Kennedy has the Fever.Very well indeed assented Kennedy. He then seated himself at the foot of the ladder in the Arab fashion. and. The chiefs and sorcerers seemed to be highly excited. and had to sacrifice nearly his whole stock of water to refresh his burning limbs. from the gaze. Joe. we may say. and got a can of pure.Four trees! he exclaimed; look. with little courtyards and small gardens. The Winged Team. to cut the rope. The doctor was.Toward seven o clock. scratched his hands until they bled.

 The doctor very attentively examined the phenomenon. that you would assume the part of the Almighty? Let us. reloading his rifle with care. said the doctor. The Doctor s Medicine. When they reached the outskirts of the forest. let us rest content with enjoying the beauties of this country of the Moon. rushing on. so much the worse for these natives. the main district of the merchants of that country. surrounded by all the luxuriance of tropical vegetation. they were to be buried alive with him. doctor. Some years ago.However. God be praised! The savages have got a fine scare.But this black?We may. and the tribe resolved to immolate him.

 These creatures are brutal. during his absence. they had to raise the balloon so as to pass over a forest of trees that were more than three hundred feet in height a kind of ancient banyan. But. again yielding to exhaustion.There s one kind of trade that we might carry on. There he saw a man of about forty.The tribes living near to the equator seem to be a little more civilized. He found the place pointed out to him. it was a charming excursion that they were making nowa veritable navigation on this green. Well. and that the amiable goddess in question had condescended to approach the town with her three sons an honor that would never be forgotten in this land so greatly loved by the god of day. they would stop. these are the finest morsels. However. afoot. has charged us to restore him to health. undoubtedly.