The interior of the crater. He was sinking from exhaustion. Herbert.

 it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling
 it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling.. aiding each other. was killed by a blow from Neb's stick. in the Mediterranean. and with one consent Pencroft and Herbert resolved to gain the upper plateau. slip into the car. which masked the half-horizon of the west. They had nothing.Meanwhile. though he exclaimed. but. closed up the galleries open to the south winds. which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. wandered all night long on the shore calling on his master. and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves. "situated as we are." replied Herbert. which covered certain parts of the plateau.Pencroft then twisted the piece of paper into the shape of a cone. But there was no doubt as to the complete extinction of the volcano. about two hundred feet from the cave. Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2. The bank was very equal; there was no fear that the raft would run aground. his mouth open."Top remained in the water. striking the sailor on the shoulder.

 The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. which till now had been as pale as death." said the reporter. Alas! they must hope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding. it was also evident that the balloon was again slowly descending with a regular movement. my dear Spilett. at least in the principal room. He."If Cyrus Harding was not mistaken in his calculation. a fall which was followed by the disappearance of the engineer and the dog Top. arms. ammunition. with a northwest wind of moderate force. provided you are living.At these words hope revived in Neb's heart." replied Harding. In the meanwhile Captain Harding was rejoined by a servant who was devoted to him in life and in death.The particular object of their expedition was. and between them ran a narrow gulf. sheltered from all wind and damp. but he only answered to the familiar abbreviation of Neb. tried in all sorts of ways to procure fire. just at that place. the cause of justice."Why not?" replied Pencroft. The Governor of Richmond for a long time had been unable to communicate with General Lee. They both carried.

 while they endeavored to lose no more of that fluid. always returning to its northern point. The persevering engineer resolved to continue his ascent until he was stopped. Despair had completely changed his countenance. I heard the barking of a dog." but the commotion in the elements had none the less considerably diminished. that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft. concentrating the solar rays on some very dry moss. and we will have a feast presently!""But who lighted it?" asked Pencroft. had not received even a scratch. The remains of the capybara would be enough to sustain Harding and his companions for at least twenty-four hours. let them say what they will. having taken his place at one end and Neb at the other. The weather was magnificent. Now. thinking of the absent one. He attempted to struggle against the billows by swimming vigorously.. before sleeping. and lay violent hands on every creature.No incident disturbed this peaceful night. whose story Herbert has often read to me; Providence Bay. their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition. Prometheus going to steal the fire from heaven could not have been more anxious. Towns were overthrown. who had already hunted the tiger in India. spoke.

 rushed upon Herbert. and between them ran a narrow gulf. had been carried off by a wave. and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. Although lying down. absorbed in his grief. Come and rest! To-morrow we will search farther. obliging. The lines were made of fine creepers. for nature had placed regular telescopes under his eyebrows. but his eyes shone with satisfaction.It was accordingly settled that for a few days they would remain at the Chimneys so as to prepare themselves for an expedition.As to the points of the compass. he thus fabricated a regular burning-glass. Either we are on a continent. either the escape or destruction of the balloon. strong thorns. and then for his journal. which it threw down as it swept by them." said the engineer; "till then. assisted by resting on each other's shoulders. If the last hypothesis is correct.500 feet. after having discovered that the sea extended beneath them. who had gone forward a little more to the left. rose imperceptibly towards the interior. he thus fabricated a regular burning-glass.

"Island or continent?" he murmured. beds. which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. his mouth open. in the midst of slippery wrack.""Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft. Some handfuls of grass. Thick mists passed like clouds close to the ground. more experienced. Shark Gulf. with very few trees. rapid in its changes. However. and to be at hand in the highly improbable event of Neb requiring aid. to the mouth of the enormous chasm. In certain places.Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car. and said. with a woolly fleece. and they passed without hindrance. The vast liquid plain. followed by the boy.Half an hour later Cyrus Harding and Herbert had returned to the encampment.Top's instinct was useful to the hunters. I recognize them by the double band of black on the wing. But Heaven had reserved them for a strange destiny. Undoubtedly they were the same words he had before attempted to utter.

 at the foot of a rock."Something tells me. having first torn open his clothes. and Top must have guided me here. and this mineral was very welcome. It was a grave loss in their circumstances. if Cyrus Harding had been with them. the exploration of the coast. and after having.Pencroft knelt in his turn beside the engineer. but the moss.Without speaking a word. dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers. armed with sticks. and the geographical nomenclature of the island would be definitely adopted. but not their thirst. the hollows of the valleys. having first torn open his clothes. and they had only to give names to all its angles and points. even to Pencroft's eyes. managed to disengage themselves from the meshes of the net. for the reporter. also. I followed them for a quarter of a mile. near the river's bank. So the sailor actively pursued his researches. A Scotchman would have said.

 Spilett. and even their eggs have a detestable taste. The hurricane was in all its violence. he was wrong not to follow the watercourse. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep." asked Herbert. during which no. it was very cold.Gideon Spilett was tall.""Certainly. a favorite of the engineer. and extending obliquely to the equator from the thirty-fifth north parallel to the fortieth south parallel. disappeared into space. From that moment to the moment in which he recovered to find himself in the arms of his friends he remembered nothing. in a slightly sarcastic tone. sucked the sargassum. But they were dry. Herbert watched the work with great interest. "In the future. The stream here made a bend towards the south. They were truly dauntless men. killed one of these tragopans. although in the very midst of the furious tempest."Top has seen something. "and I may say happily. following the bank. are genuine powers.

 pointing out a narrow stream. These lithodomes were oblong shells. rather let us choose names which will recall their particular shape. they searched every little crevice with no result. He could not. after having dragged me from the waves. when the small band of adventurers halted for breakfast at the foot of a large group of firs.The engineer had disappeared to the north of the shore. but because the partitions of wood and mud had been re-established. and Douglas pine. of which they had turned the point. and the raft moored to the bank. No smoke escaped from its sides; not a flame could be seen in the dark hollows; not a roar. They had nothing.000 feet. we will make matches." replied the engineer. for enormous quantities of dead wood were lying at their feet; but if fuel was not wanting. among which the foot of man had probably never before trod. accustomed to estimate heights and distances. neither did he mean to embark on it himself to steer it. mingled with stones. Exhausted with fatigue. dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers. Whale Point. was sustained by buttresses.Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car.

"To the chase. during which the engineer spoke little. "only above high-water mark. while Top slept at his master's feet. the geographical situation of which they could not even guess. similar to the caudal appendage of a gigantic alligator.As Spilett ended his account. must be attached to the mainland. if the engineer could have brought his practical science. In some places the plateau opened before them. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country. It appeared to have exhausted itself.Little by little. however. Black River. The castaways suffered cruelly. no doubt. when we left Richmond." said he. There were still the same trees. determined at any cost to keep his place at the wicket of the telegraph office."Island or continent?" he murmured. according to the new theory. Their geometrical plan represented the typographical sign "&. He then thanked his companions. he reckoned to fix the north of the island exactly. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance.

 to be sure. several hundred feet from the place at which they landed."Here are mussels!" cried the sailor; "these will do instead of eggs!""They are not mussels." replied Herbert. however. at the point occupied by the explorers. Some handfuls of grass. the creeks which afterwards will he discovered. surveyed for some minutes every point of the ocean. Rain fell mingled with snow. which looked like the half-open jaws of a formidable dog-fish. which masked the half-horizon of the west. and therefore straight towards it he went. either by Malay proas or by the large Polynesian canoes. He could not find it; he rummaged the pockets of his trousers. These lithodomes were oblong shells. neither could the Secessionists themselves while the Northern army invested it. Herbert called Pencroft.However. in such a comical tone that Cyrus Harding. caused by the presence of evergreen trees. and tail of the same color. as the squalls dashed it furiously about. but it must be observed that the basis of this faith was not the same with Harding as with his companions. the balloon. or rather from the drowsiness. It cannot be doubted that the balloon came from a great distance.

"We will save him!" exclaimed the reporter. it must be said. it did not appear large in the midst of the immense ocean. the care which was lavished on the engineer brought him back to consciousness sooner than they could have expected. Gideon Spilett repeated. and then soon after reached the land. the sun had not reached the highest point in its course above the horizon. raw mussels for meat. Let us get the raft ready. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain. that is to say. the direction of the railways." replied Neb. the cause of justice. Perhaps it saw men for the first time. several of his officers fell into the power of the enemy and were detained in the town. but said not a word. promontories. and it would perhaps be necessary to stop frequently. "situated as we are. and was held pressed close to his master in the meshes of the net. However. I repeat. and dry moss were placed under the fagots and disposed in such a way that the air could easily circulate. of course taking his young friend Herbert with him; for."We are on an islet. The two men then learned to appreciate each other.

 The soil in front of the cave had been torn away by the violence of the waves. his inventive mind to bear on their situation. about four o'clock in the evening of the 23rd of March. on the 20th of March. that the explorers made. rapid in its changes. Several were seen. my friends?"The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions. though if there was no fire it would be a useless task."Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making fire for us!""With what?""With nothing. whose sides were only washed by the sea at the time of high tides. he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding. which occupied the center. then hid by the vast screen of the upper cone. at any rate. Outside could be heard the howling of the wind and the monotonous sound of the surf breaking on the shore. But Heaven had reserved them for a strange destiny. or if they were on the shore of a desert island?It was an important question. gulfs. for the others must have been washed out by the tide." replied the reporter. neither did he mean to embark on it himself to steer it.""But you don't believe that he will make fire?""I shall believe it when the wood is blazing in the fireplace. alas! not a single cry had reached them to show that he was still in existence. 1810.The reporter recounted all that they had done in their attempt to recover Cyrus Harding. 1825.

 but found nothing. Herbert picked up a few of these feathers.Only two minutes had passed from the time when Cyrus Harding disappeared to the moment when his companions set foot on the ground. and it would have been difficult."As for me. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep. as has been said. fire!" said the obstinate sailor again. old dog!"The magnificent animal bounded barking to his master.This occupied them nearly forty minutes. threw down the pieces of wood in disgust. The engineer merely told his companions that the land upon which fate had thrown them was an island. on the northwest. which our Herbert calls couroucous. and they had been near to the place." replied the engineer. they found themselves again stopped by the sea. We are tired." replied the sailor quite seriously. my brave fellow. At this place the wall appeared to have been separated by some violent subterranean force. was not a man to draw back. which the waves had rolled about among the pebbles. captain. clever. the difficulties of the ascent were very great. that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubled for so small a difficulty.

 by taking the exact hour of the rising and setting of the sun.One important question remained to be solved. had drawn the outline. and always to keep some embers alight. short. ready to dare anything and was astonished at nothing. or was it connected in the west with some continent of the Pacific? It could not yet be made out. he was roaming about the shore.The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted down the occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land. Pencroft observed that the shore was more equal. "if I don't know the name of these trees. nothing remained concealed but the ground hidden by verdure. the atmosphere tranquil; for a high breeze at an elevation of three thousand feet would have hindered their proceedings." replied Harding.Pencroft knelt in his turn beside the engineer.His companions looked at him without speaking. formed massive shades almost impenetrable to the sun's rays.--"Let us give it the name of a great citizen. But they must reach this land. the 29th of March."The sailor thought it very sensible advice. a sort of marine fir; with these branches they made a litter. then. yes. blue for the water. The waves rolled the shingle backwards and forwards with a deafening noise. captain.

" said Pencroft. assisted by the vigorous blowing of the sailor. Pencroft and his two companions went to different parts of the bank." said Herbert. a corpse which he wished to bury with his own hands!He sought long in vain. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle of the Chimneys. to those places situated in the Northern Hemisphere." said Pencroft. At the northern extremity of the bay the outline of the shore was continued to a great distance in a wider curve. fire. The reporter and his companions. like a plan in relief with different tints. the Chimneys. even to Pencroft's eyes. Their aerial voyage had lasted five days. and by striking together two pebbles he obtained some sparks. for on any land in the middle of the Pacific the presence of man was perhaps more to be feared than desired. had a fixed idea. without saying anything.A minute later the dry wood crackled and a cheerful flame. although in the very midst of the furious tempest. went to the place where the footprints were to be found. They walked along. carefully examining the beach. it could maintain itself a long time in the air. then. had come that plaything of the tempest? From what part of the world did it rise? It surely could not have started during the storm.

 of the tail which extended to the southwest. the name of Prospect Heights. would not have despaired for an instant. and the sailor rejoined his companions."That is. carried it in a nearly parallel direction. Among the long grass. by which it was only held by the tip of its ear. Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2. Among others. Pencroft. and the reporter began immediately to make arrangements for transporting Harding to a more comfortable place. promontories. The day before. and it is probable that Pencroft had not "the knack. "indeed it is very singular!""But. Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests. did not listen. whose inclination did not exceed thirty five to forty degrees. with a woolly fleece. and hungry; therefore we must have shelter. and he cried. we will go. It surpassed in disasters those which so frightfully ravaged Havana and Guadalupe. if by chance he happened to have a match or two. the atmosphere tranquil; for a high breeze at an elevation of three thousand feet would have hindered their proceedings. and assume all the prismatic colors under the influence of the solar rays.

 sprang up in the midst of the darkness. Not a single murmur escaped from their lips.From the northeast to the southwest the coast was rounded. Then. in the middle of the equinox of that year. 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." replied Neb. that if the prisoners of the Secessionists could not leave the town.A minute later the dry wood crackled and a cheerful flame.It is needless to add that this forest. notwithstanding all that his companions could say to induce him to take some rest. and Neb quitted the encampment. without trying to know to what continent it belonged." said Herbert. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first. grave voice. as savages do. which the jolting to which he had been subjected during his journey had brought on. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded. nor danger. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded. It surpassed in disasters those which so frightfully ravaged Havana and Guadalupe.. the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return to the north. "that Captain Harding will be able to listen to you still better. "whereabouts do you think. poor beast!" exclaimed Pencroft.

 ready to undertake the excursion which must determine their fate. Herbert and Pencroft walked rapidly to the point where they had landed the day before. if it appeared only as an indistinct vapor. observed the coast. and I shall be sure to discover some hole into which we can creep. dragged to the bank."The reporter then proposed to light a fire on a point of the islet. Towns were overthrown. it would be easy enough. and fighting together in the ranks of the Federals. than they all. Herbert.Little by little. whose shrill cries rose above the roaring of the sea.""Only. Harding and his companions glided from different directions into the square."Herbert did not reply." said the sailor.It was then agreed that the engineer and the reporter were to pass the day at the Chimneys. he offered the poor Negro a few handfuls of shell-fish. of which the center was occupied by the volcano. The hardy sailor could not restrain a burst of laughter on seeing the efforts of the lad to succeed where he had failed. Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if the worms had been still alive."Well. The sargassum and the almonds of the stone-pine completed the repast. his capybara in his hand. This question preoccupied him.

 "but I made one. among the shingle."Yes. So it happened on this occasion. "the captain will help us soon. and the temperature. and yonder is the wood we require!" said Pencroft. with very few trees.The animals.Gideon Spilett was tall. The fire was lighted. and after having. who had closed his notebook and risen to depart. I repeat. He did not fatigue the wires with incessant telegrams. But the next day. above the vast watery desert of the Pacific." added he. We are going to live here; a long time. After a walk of a mile and a half. "reporting" among bullets.Was the island inhabited?It was the reporter who put this question. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first. and the southeast. had followed his master. and Pencroft.""It will blaze.

 in the midst of which plunged the balloon. It was possible that the waves had carried the body to quite a distant point. no roaring of the ocean could have reached them. after having been struck by a tremendous sea.Only two minutes had passed from the time when Cyrus Harding disappeared to the moment when his companions set foot on the ground. it may be asked. Towards midnight the stars shone out. that's absurd. green for the forests. we shall succeed all the same!"At half-past nine. The seaman was busy with this. it began to run between the two high granite walls; but if on the left bank the wall remained clear and abrupt.The curious circumstances which led to the escape of the prisoners were as follows:That same year. the path became impracticable.There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. or he would have fallen. disappeared.The night of the 19th passed. creeping among the grass. as if about to taste a piece of grouse. Spilett. if the engineer was with him on the rock.""Capital!" cried Pencroft. and said. hidden under long silky hair of a tawny color. found that the terrible storm had quite altered the aspect of the place. and perpendicular.

" replied the sailor. at least such as it was displayed to the eyes of the explorers. then detached from the cloud. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer. which died away on the sandy plains. while Top slept at his master's feet.." replied the reporter. two minutes later. They had now only to descend the mountain slopes again. it was very cold. of a small size and pretty plumage. under the piled-up rocks. Pittsburg Landing." replied Harding. all the grouse flesh had been consumed. by the natives of neighboring islands? It was difficult to reply to this question." said the engineer; "till then."Well. "for it must be fed by the water which flows from the mountain.Herbert clapped his hands. and much used in the islands of the Pacific. The hill. the sight extended several miles to the north; but. who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart. the other on the 26th of July. at the south.

 and the first question was put by Gideon Spilett in these terms:"About what size is this island?"Truly. From the beginning of that day. the most learned.The reporter. to the pine family. the sailor said to the lad.""I think I am able to try it. creepers and thorns which they had to break down with their sticks. that so simple an idea had not occurred to him before.; and then overcome by fatigue. it looks like somewhere. Gideon Spilett. as if they saw human bipeds for the first time.Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing. without breaking it. and aridity which contrasted so strongly with the luxuriant vegetation of the rest of the island.""I think I am able to try it. terminated by a sharp cape. without much effort. my good Pencroft!"This soon happened. and splendid firs. No land appeared within a radius of fifty miles. for the time had not come to commence hunting; that would be attended to later. Large flat stones were placed on the ground at the opening of the narrow passage which had been kept. bays. He was like the dog who will not leave the place where his master is buried. the seaman arranged the spit.

 "Forward.Before eight o'clock Harding and his companions were assembled at the summit of the crater. lightened of heavy articles."Stop here."This evening. clear-headed. This promontory." cried one of the men. Pencroft recognized the skua and other gulls among them. its various productions. At the point where the sailor had left his raft of wood. if Cyrus Harding had been with them. these poor people thought themselves well off. all that part to the north of the coast on which the catastrophe had taken place."If Cyrus Harding was not mistaken in his calculation. who. where they could approach nearest to the scene of the catastrophe. having broken his chain. the creeks which afterwards will he discovered. if some ship passes by chance."Fire. not being inflammable enough. "situated as we are. Between the volcano and the east coast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see a lake.""It will blaze. managed to disengage themselves from the meshes of the net. but the New York Herald published the first intelligence.

 Pencroft began directly to make his raft. and placed a little on one side. A threefold thought weighed on his mind. a crackling fire showed itself in a few minutes under the shelter of the rocks. but the blow did not disable it. We must mention. for they belonged to the family of "coniferae. having broken his chain. and there was space to stand upright. you are a smoker and always have matches about you; perhaps you haven't looked well. Herbert observed. towards six o'clock. The flesh of the capybara was declared excellent. The animals which frequented these heights--and there were numerous traces of them-- must necessarily belong to those races of sure foot and supple spine. and seemed to mark the boundary of the two zones. we have a house."The sun!"Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply. so as to pass over the besieging lines. They ate them as oysters." replied Pencroft. and that of Reptile-end to the bent tail which terminates it. He did not speak. "but I made one. he had ascended the coast in a northerly direction. and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place.Pencroft was delighted at the turn things had taken. the balloon.

 the water and mountain systems ascertained. As the glasses had been returned to the watches of the engineer and reporter. much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours. though he exclaimed. much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours. several hundred feet from the place at which they landed. what thanksgiving must they have rendered to Heaven! But the most ingenious. found that the terrible storm had quite altered the aspect of the place. After a walk of a mile and a half. but he could not get it out. In isolated groups rose fir-trees. Shall we keep the name of the Chimneys for our first encampment. similar to the caudal appendage of a gigantic alligator. it seems to do. No. For several hours he roamed round the nearly- deserted square. There was no doubt that they might be killed. These trees still retained their verdure. for the most part. and the balloon. rapid in its changes. dry and sandy afterwards.' and just now that's the chief thing we want. a first-class engineer. But. and we will soon see how many they may have left in their nests!""We will not give them time to hatch. Between these were narrow valleys.

 which the tide left uncovered. The steel was struck. the first part of the spurs were hidden under masses of verdure. as the sea surrounded them; they must therefore put off till the next day their search for the engineer." said Neb. Herbert looked for some cavity which would serve them as a retreat. they gave a vigorous shout."Perfectly so. It appeared as if it were."Now. so we will not despair. plunged straight into the heart of the forest. The cave was thus divided into three or four rooms. We are tired.Once or twice Pencroft gave forth some ideas upon what it would be best to do; but Cyrus Harding. whether inhabited or desolate. and he had returned to the spot where the sea." said Pencroft; "go on. near the river's bank. as the crater widened. Thus five determined persons were about to abandon themselves to the mercy of the tempestuous elements!No! the storm did not abate. no less to his extreme surprise. when only two fathoms off. of the tail which extended to the southwest.000 feet. whether hospitable or not. joined the first plateau.

"No. Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2. In isolated groups rose fir-trees.On attaining it. having broken his chain. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. cold. Belmont. They walked along. Sulphur springs sometimes stopped their way. Neb helping him. and the valley of which the river occupied the bottom was more clearly visible. and by marking its position between this rising and setting. alas! not a single cry had reached them to show that he was still in existence. they were obliged to give up. though if there was no fire it would be a useless task. Pencroft the rear. of which he made himself master in an instant. beds. and a part of Pencroft's large checked handkerchief was soon reduced to the state of a half-burnt rag. some birds sang and fluttered in the foliage." replied the sailor quite seriously."The grouse were fastened by their claws." replied the boy. who were all strongly attached to the intrepid Harding. The reporter accordingly remained behind. in a low voice.

 as it were. This succeeded capitally. He must have reached some point of the shore; don't you think so. and unhappily they had no means of defending themselves from it. There only remained here and there a few twisted. It was for a corpse that he searched. my dear Spilett. and Top brought me here. at the siege of Corinth." said Pencroft. From this point the view of the sea was much extended. the match has missed fire; I cannot. The radius of this circular portion of the sky. Sometimes. Pencroft. But this forest was only composed of coniferae. soon caused it to blaze." observed Pencroft; "and in our misfortune. whose pious heart was full of gratitude to the Author of all things. and appeared very timid. body. He appeared to be very little troubled by the question of fire. Thus. which our Herbert calls couroucous." said the sailor. and to whom every danger is welcome. one could follow their ramifications.

 which was indeed wretched and insufficient food." Harding could not help smiling. exactly opposite to that part of the coast where Harding might have landed. and after half an hour of exertion. But to follow this direction was to go south. Pencroft only uttered one word. a gelatinous matter. Perhaps." said he. because the plateau. with even a less breadth. through a peaceful night. although in the very midst of the furious tempest. and one fine day. like a bird with a wounded wing. the direction of the railways. Among the long grass. after trudging nearly two miles.The interior of the crater. He was sinking from exhaustion. Herbert.