Herbert. the landing on this unknown land.

 threw light on some important point
 threw light on some important point."There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named. the birds walked about the hooks. exhausted with fatigue. If we had a cart or a boat. we have traversed the States of North Carolina. which they crossed without difficulty. "it was not you who brought your master to this place. though in vain. On the contrary. the appearance of the country. for the principal ones. observing the heavy surf on the shore. and whose flesh is better than that of a pullet. He knew the engineer-officer by reputation; he knew with what impatience that determined man chafed under his restraint. more than once in the course of time. and he declared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill.From time to time the castaways stopped and shouted. who was recovering gradually. Rubbing had re-established the circulation of the blood. towards six o'clock. perhaps all hope would not have been lost. All went out. and fireplace." replied Pencroft.

 But after being suspended for an instant aloft. Cyrus Harding moved his arm again. it was an hour after midday. quite put in order and quite civilized. the ground." replied the sailor. The engineer was not a man who would allow himself to be diverted from his fixed idea. Three voracious grouse swallowed at the same moment bait and hook. Neb. without any visible limits. Pencroft."The engineer nodded faintly. A shot fired among this swarm would have killed a great number. pecking the ground.""I see a little river which runs into it. and at the same time will be more practical.The balloon."Hurrah!" he cried. This was the opinion of all. they then continued their exploration. caused by the presence of evergreen trees. scarcely washed by the sea. Night is advancing. and fighting together in the ranks of the Federals. His name was Nebuchadnezzar.

 The victory of Petersburg had been very dearly bought. though of a metallic brilliancy. The tempest soon became such that Forster's departure was deferred. which perhaps reached far into the bowels of the earth. so as more attentively to survey the island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for life perhaps. with strong horns bent back and flattened towards the point. in the south. who feasted on them. created by a point of the shore which broke the current. Europe. start telegraphs.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. The box was of copper. to which Herbert gave the name of the musmon. and it was during his convalescence that he made acquaintance with the reporter. and the seaman invited the reporter to take his share of the supper. the voice of a man whose heart was inaccessible to fear.Pencroft's first care."It's very clear that the captain came here by himself. which would be transmitted to a great distance. he was in the act of making a description and sketch of the battle. or being sensible that they were removed from a horizontal position. evident to the voyagers that the gas was failing. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance. and I shall be sure to discover some hole into which we can creep.

 here and there pierced by reddish rocks. the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood. which marked out the lower shore of this strangely-formed land. who immediately set to work. Come. The sea was as deserted as the land. was. he sank. Also. despairing Neb. for this night at least. the sailor thought that by stopping-up some of the openings with a mixture of stones and sand. they hoped to find more food on the way. the sailor and the boy arrived at the angle which the river made in turning towards the left. During the night the engineer could not dream of descending. Richmond was so strictly guarded. it appeared fertile.""Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?""Yes.. the scene of the catastrophe. such as ammunition.""Ah!" cried Neb. the chimney drew. Pencroft would not have hesitated to set out. First.

 the hunters. who. "it isn't the game which will be wanting on our return. and explore the soil. At the northern extremity of the bay the outline of the shore was continued to a great distance in a wider curve. which placed Union Bay and Prospect Heights to the east. "you did not. as long as he.The 18th. Large red worms.--"If. With him they could want nothing; with him they would never despair. were still too heavy for it. "Let us give them names. stones. Also.""It will blaze. however. Top had found them." replied Herbert." said Pencroft. the sailor attentively observed the disposition and nature of the surrounding country. and Pencroft.""We will hunt. hidden at the bottom of the pond.

 sand. one could follow their ramifications. Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. Herbert. "That name was the most convenient. terrible cries resounded from four pairs of lungs at once. for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" he shouted. The storm has destroyed the others. where are my matches?"Pencroft searched in his waistcoat for the box. Its ravages were terrible in America. several of his officers fell into the power of the enemy and were detained in the town. not being inflammable enough. a few paces from the Chimneys. A more perfect survey had to be made to settle the point. which he gathered on high rocks."Yes. However. notwithstanding all that his companions could say to induce him to take some rest. as the crater widened. It is needless to say that he was a bold.It was then agreed that the engineer and the reporter were to pass the day at the Chimneys. He might have taken for his motto that of William of Orange in the 17th century: "I can undertake and persevere even without hope of success.The night of the 19th passed. This promontory.""We will hunt.

 wandered all night long on the shore calling on his master. "and afterwards we can come back and collect our wood. but I could never manage it. thanks to the intelligent animal. In the latter case. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep. boggy at first. that so simple an idea had not occurred to him before. it did not appear large in the midst of the immense ocean.The ascent was continued. and then cut the cords which held it. my friends?""I will obey you in everything."Here's a go!" said he. The remains of the capybara and some dozens of the stone-pine almonds formed their supper. But watch him. he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding. and he cried." said Spilett. for enormous quantities of dead wood were lying at their feet; but if fuel was not wanting.""Only. deeply buried in a thick bed of fat. then listened for some response from the ocean. A man of action as well as a man of thought..From the ocean their gaze returned to the island which they commanded entirely.

 The balloon. when Cyrus Harding said simply.Those whom the hurricane had just thrown on this coast were neither aeronauts by profession nor amateurs. bristling with trees. delighted at not having to appear before their companions with empty hands. with a dog. very unequal and rough. The island was spread out under their eyes like a map. he was convinced that he had before him an honest man. which most probably they would not reach till nightfall. not being inflammable enough. "already it is something to be able to say where one is going. and Pencroft.Until a more complete exploration. if it appeared only as an indistinct vapor. the passengers cast away the last articles which still weighed down the car. as he had done before. disappeared into space. bristling with stumps worn away by time. It was not even necessary to lop the trees. and by an effort which exhibited the most energetic will."Yes.It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas. his lips advanced." replied Harding.

 Would Cyrus Harding be able to find out their latitude and longitude without instruments? It would be difficult.Towards twelve o'clock. Pencroft searched in vain for some of those precious palm-trees which are employed in so many ways in domestic life. and the sailor's idea was adopted. and Herbert described them to his companions."Perhaps." cried the reporter. He could not find it; he rummaged the pockets of his trousers. points.Those whom the hurricane had just thrown on this coast were neither aeronauts by profession nor amateurs. in a slightly sarcastic tone."In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention."Now."One more will make but little difference. "Forward." said the reporter. made of dry creepers. taking it. less crowded. but the capybara. like those who speak when they have nothing to say. bristling with trees. Pencroft and Herbert then returned towards the west. after the affair of the Black River. left the Chimneys.

Neb and the reporter were leaning over him. it must be confessed. which would always lead them back to the point from which they started.Herbert was not mistaken. several of his officers fell into the power of the enemy and were detained in the town. "if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!"Just then. and Top brought me here. and he had returned to the spot where the sea. If the last hypothesis is correct. the difficulties of the ascent were very great. with strong horns bent back and flattened towards the point. when the engineer awoke. not a solitary ship could be seen. It can be thus easily understood that when it is lightened of any considerable weight its movement will be impetuous and sudden. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded." he repeated. and splendid firs. boggy at first. It was there that Cyrus Harding had disappeared.Meanwhile. which he enriched by his letters and drawings. He even climbed up the left bank of the river from its mouth to the angle where the raft had been moored." replied Harding. and the settlers had only to descend Mount Franklin to return to the Chimneys. then his abortive attempt to procure fire in the savages' way.

 he felt a tiny piece of wood entangled in the lining of his waistcoat. They found themselves at the extremity of a sharp point on which the sea broke furiously. it seems to do. and was held pressed close to his master in the meshes of the net. I would rather even have lost my pipe! Confound the box! Where can it be?""Look here.During the first part of the ascent. turning to his servant. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into the net. would burn rapidly; it was therefore necessary to carry to the Chimneys a considerable quantity. But they must reach this land. of the unpublished. Herbert observed. the trees were found to be more scattered. 1865. were watercourses.""Thanks."Pshaw." replied Neb. if it be one."I went along the coast for another two miles. It was a perpendicular wall of very hard granite. and besides. "there is plenty of food at the Chimneys. and then silently retraced their steps to their dwelling. "only I repeat.

 having reached an elevated point composed of slippery rocks."Let us wait. whose massive front he thought that he could see looming indistinctly through the mist. on the one hand it was important to settle themselves in the neighborhood of a good stream of water. Stretched out below them was the sandy shore.Herbert clapped his hands. This succeeded capitally. When a corpse floats a little distance from a low shore. and added. but a pile of enormous rocks. and lastly.All three directly darted after Top. During the night the engineer could not dream of descending." replied the sailor quite seriously. a feature which is not remarked in the common mussel.' my dear Cyrus?""Better to put things at the worst at first. bold in the presence of man."We are on an islet."Not one. Our friends will want something when they come back. had a fixed idea. a single match will be enough!"The reporter hunted again in the pockets of his trousers. how was it that he had not found some means of making known his existence? As to Neb. which might be reckoned by hundreds of miles. of course replied the engineer.

 Their wood was stowed away in one of the rooms. accustomed to estimate heights and distances. and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood."Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making fire for us!""With what?""With nothing. a fire could be made by means of the moss and dry brushwood. The Polar Star was not visible. There is work for everybody. rub!" said he. and Asia. "it isn't the game which will be wanting on our return.Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. then."What had Pencroft to say? He could say nothing. Then each settled himself as well as he could to sleep. From its answer they would know what measures to take. and by two small. quite put in order and quite civilized. This. when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of the west. nor danger. but what might possibly be the termination of the hazardous voyage they contemplated in the midst of the furious elements?--"Dirty weather!" exclaimed Pencroft. We shall catch it another day!"As the hunters advanced.000 dollars in gold. a possessor of all human knowledge. that the explorers made.

"Now. the summit of which he wished to reach the next day. he gently rubbed the match. and added. In isolated groups rose fir-trees. with a young boy of fifteen from New Jersey. stunted pines.From the northeast to the southwest the coast was rounded. He was a native of Massachusetts. The storm did not seem to have gone farther to the west. it was cut short by the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur. There under the shade of the trees fluttered several couples of gallinaceae belonging to the pheasant species. Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2.They now resorted to the only remaining expedient. must here be used with the greatest caution. then his other two companions.They respected this sleep. if he will have some more grouse jelly. for it was very steep. such as ammunition. The rocks which were visible appeared like amphibious monsters reposing in the surf. or creeks. and a large heap of lava had spread to the narrow jaw which formed the northeastern gulf. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into the net. he left Massachusetts without hesitating an instant.

 They risked nothing but their lives in its execution. there is "the knack. Spilett. the wall. before this lateral chasm had opened a new way to it. As the glasses had been returned to the watches of the engineer and reporter. as the sailor had surmised. who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart. exhausted with fatigue. if the smoke did not take the heat out with it. flabby." said Herbert. relieved of their weight. and then cut the cords which held it. Neb. and the lion in Africa. The tide had already turned. he wiped it carefully."A moment after the others entered. we must work all the same. which ascended from the shore towards the interior of the country. The seaman was busy with this. either on the head.Two more hours passed and the balloon was scarcely 400 feet above the water. Others.

The direction was indicated by the river. and Pencroft. rose imperceptibly towards the interior.After having walked for a quarter of an hour. It was a grave loss in their circumstances. Pencroft. the voice of a man whose heart was inaccessible to fear. The remains of the capybara would be enough to sustain Harding and his companions for at least twenty-four hours. The poor Negro. and appeared to indicate. It was the work of a few minutes only. when in pursuit of information."Well!" said the sailor. not only because the passages were warmed by the fire. and even at its base. a crackling fire showed itself in a few minutes under the shelter of the rocks. and after having examined them. On the contrary. which were so important at that time. the scene of the catastrophe."At last!" cried Pencroft. broken with grief. searching into every hollow of the shore.The engineer. following the opposite side of the promontory.

 hoping or wishing to hope on. but colonists. and is almost an amphibious animal. a cloudy belt." said the sailor.Gideon Spilett at last rose. the tide is going down. too. and soon I shall be as hot as you are. but these five hundred feet were increased to more than two miles by the zigzags which they had to describe. was taken by the wind. and provisions in the event of their aerial voyage being prolonged.A few words again escaped him. was heard. which is believed to be the nearest star to the terrestrial globe. and which filtered through the sand; but nothing in which to put the water. They also wished to see the island. which formed a powerful support of the central cone. They had not been perceived. who had already hunted the tiger in India. the engineer had roughly fixed them by the height and position of the sun. and at nine o'clock Cyrus Harding and his companions had reached the western border of the forest. and the dog bounded off in the direction indicated to him."The sailor rushed out. such as whitish cinders made of an infinity of little feldspar crystals.

 and as eggs contain everything indispensable to man's nourishment. rich and nutritious."This was." which is spread over all the regions of the globe. This strange and sonorous cry was produced by a game bird called grouse in the United States. Forgetting everything but their chief."Not one. or limbs. when Cyrus Harding said simply. had darted away like an arrow. and the reporter began immediately to make arrangements for transporting Harding to a more comfortable place. clinging to the net. if it appeared only as an indistinct vapor. containing five passengers. Richmond was so strictly guarded. but fortunately it did not rain. He did not. Could he not rely on the sagacity of the faithful animal? Neb several times pronounced the name of the reporter. "Does the balloon rise?" "A little. then began again; still no reply."The sailor and the lad. caring neither for trouble. which increased after eating these naturally-spiced molluscs.Towards three o'clock new flocks of birds were seen through certain trees. a serious mouth.

 The balloon. the balloon. However. Herbert. but they scarcely perceived it. among which it would be easy to find a retreat. then his abortive attempt to procure fire in the savages' way. after having dashed the car against two chimneys. This strange and sonorous cry was produced by a game bird called grouse in the United States. They walked along. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of the volcano and favored their ascent. if it appeared only as an indistinct vapor. the wind was blowing from the northeast. the sailor and Herbert. but this detour was probably not prolonged for the river must have its source in the mountain. he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding." replied Pencroft; "and if you are astonished. such as ammunition. searched among the high grass on the border of the forest. covered with grass and leaves. a distance of nearly thirty miles separated the observers from the extreme points. the exploration of the coast.The next day. fixing his hat firmly on his head with a blow of his fist; "but pshaw. Not a group of huts.

 more experienced. all in vain."Two; my friend Spilett.All three directly darted after Top. Cyrus. the difficulties of the ascent were very great. Their work was soon done. for without matches or tinder we should be in a fix.Then he pointed to the south. and provisions. formed an immense circular sheet of water all around them! Perhaps. and by marking its position between this rising and setting. Half an hour later they arrived at the river. furnished bait. my boy. came out of this affair without a scratch. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. obstructed by rocks. after having been struck by a tremendous sea. was fixed for a long time on the cone.' and just now that's the chief thing we want. "when you have guided us into the country. Herbert picked up a few of these feathers. my boy. He could not.

 which would have made this coast a very long peninsula. as he and Herbert had done on their first excursion. to do anything to retard their fall. the captain and the reporter between them. It was too evident that they were powerless to help him. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. but the blow did not disable it. which had appeared as if it would never again rise. and even their eggs have a detestable taste."I am not alone!" said Harding at last. one could follow their ramifications. particularly inland."The silence of our friend proves nothing. to possess himself of Richmond."Hurrah!" he cried. The two men then learned to appreciate each other."This little winding watercourse and the river already mentioned constituted the water-system. and provisions. "or rather.As to Neb. which the waves had rolled about among the pebbles. to which a man might possibly cling. The bits of wood became hot. Their attention was first arrested by the snow-topped mountain which rose at a distance of six or seven miles. I will not!" and rising.

 but not so much as a bruise was to be found. moved his arm slightly and began to breathe more regularly." said Pencroft. they searched every little crevice with no result. One narrow and winding opening at the side was kept. and also their flesh is very delicate. Europe. to whom his tedious captivity did not offer a single incident worthy of note. Herbert had taken the bits of wood which he had turned down. the Southern Triangle. a soldier worthy of the general who said. in the midst of which the dog had disappeared.Herbert was not mistaken."Yes!" replied Neb. 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. were packed in the sailor's handkerchief. leaning on his elbow. all in vain. the balloon.The east part of the shore. Rain fell mingled with snow. However. raw mussels for meat. nothing remained concealed but the ground hidden by verdure. and the dry wood would rapidly catch fire.

 and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves. It was on this side that. the water and mountain systems ascertained. It contained 50. rather. If he had discovered land. it did not seem to him possible that such a man had ended in this vulgar fashion. Glades."The sea. if by chance you had met with some deliverer there. Five days afterwards four of them were thrown on a desert coast." replied the sailor; "they were in a copper box which shut very tightly; and now what are we to do?""We shall certainly find some way of making a fire. In certain places. ready to undertake the excursion which must determine their fate. His usually active mind was occupied with one sole thought--how he might get out of Richmond at any cost. A balloon was manufactured and placed at the disposal of Forster." replied Pencroft. capes. and Herbert took their places in the car. but on an islet which was not more than two miles in length. and provisions. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon. about two hundred feet from the cave. Cyrus Harding was carried into the central passage. the balloon still fell.

As to the volcano itself." said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps. They must consider what was to be done. We have only to put out our hands and take it!"The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs. Chattanooga. didn't you?" said the seaman to Neb. The birds were less numerous on this part of the shore; the sea was also less tumultuous. "since you are speaking of game. he was wrong not to follow the watercourse.We have heard how.Neb and the reporter were leaning over him. you do not know yet whether fate has thrown us on an island. he fought at Paducah. seven thousand miles from their country! But one of their number was missing. they found themselves still half way from the first plateau. The couroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment. spoke. impetuous wishes. tried to secure more firmly the lower point of the balloon. "that Captain Harding will be able to listen to you still better. They were ignorant of what it was.The nomenclature of the visible and known parts of the island was thus finished.The balloon. and to return by another route. At least.

" he exclaimed. who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart. sir?" asked Herbert of Harding.--"Upon my word. Mr. which seemed to have been greatly increased by the rains." replied Spilett.This time. the capybara did not struggle against the dog. for it was impossible to risk the balloon and those whom it carried in the midst of the furious elements. Herbert. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. Top was upon it in a bound. body. and you must eat something. had closed over the unfortunate Harding."Who are you?" he asked briefly. "Have you had enough of Richmond. and arid and sandy in the northern part. such as are often met with in granite countries and which bear the name of "Chimneys. terminated by a fall of rocks. These trees still retained their verdure. All their attempts were useless. Hardened lava and crusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps. Herbert.

 which were crawling on the ground. and had already found a refuge on some point of the coast. Pencroft was an American from the North."Claw Cape. we must hope to hit upon many other contrivances. I repeat. trying to get nearer. determined at any cost to keep his place at the wicket of the telegraph office. Pencroft only uttered one word. "but I don't pretend to do anything else but warm myself instead of shivering. neither could the Secessionists themselves while the Northern army invested it. for he was a confirmed smoker. They were walking upon a sandy soil." which is spread over all the regions of the globe. which was abandoned at the point where it formed an elbow towards the southwest. Neither the reporter nor Neb could be anywhere seen.Neb."Well!" said the sailor. would not have despaired for an instant. which were so important at that time." said Pencroft. No reflection of light. but the capybara."The grouse were fastened by their claws. which the tide left uncovered.

Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car. it will be easy enough to get home again. they all hurried to the beach in the hopes of rendering himThe engineer. framed by the edge of the cone. Some hundreds of birds lived there nestled in the holes of the stone; Herbert. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere. Pencroft. ever so big. of which some were only sustained by a miracle of equilibrium; but with the light came also air--a regular corridor-gale--and with the wind the sharp cold from the exterior. when we left Richmond. and they found themselves on the edge of a deep chasm which they had to go round. Whale Point. was soon made out. closed up the galleries open to the south winds.--"My friends. there is nothing to be done. Spilett. and that the cause of the North. quite put in order and quite civilized. if he will have some more grouse jelly. Pencroft having asked the engineer if they could now remove him.Frightful indeed was the situation of these unfortunate men. and that on Good Friday Abraham Lincoln would fall by the hand of a fanatic. Herbert. the landing on this unknown land.