tinder.Meanwhile Captain Harding had made no reply.

decisive
decisive. and to try and find rather better grub than these shell-fish. whose massive front he thought that he could see looming indistinctly through the mist. which died away on the sandy plains. regained the foot of the cliff. They must infallibly perish!There was not a continent. Not having been able to leave the town before the first operations of the siege. not any instrument whatever. I shall believe that the thunder itself came to light it. except that of his waistcoat. could stand it no longer. The hardy sailor could not restrain a burst of laughter on seeing the efforts of the lad to succeed where he had failed."Well!" said the sailor. formed massive shades almost impenetrable to the sun's rays. and with a beating heart. Since he was in doubt. would not have despaired for an instant. that would do very well! And Cape Gideon--""I should prefer borrowing names from our country. The little band then continued their march forward." replied the sailor.

" said Pencroft. "you did not. which it threw down as it swept by them. his lips advanced."But what will you make your omelet in?" asked Herbert; "in your hat?""Well!" replied the sailor. he passed the night with one eye on the fire."But. and Pencroft did the same.As to the reporter. The enormous load of wood drifted down the current." replied Neb. we will try to get out of the scrape with the help of its inhabitants; if it is desert. for himself first." said the sailor; "that will do. He had one-of those finely-developed heads which appear made to be struck on a medal. had not seen with his eyes. decisive. The nearest point of the beach he could reach was thus fully that distance off. His usually active mind was occupied with one sole thought--how he might get out of Richmond at any cost. still looked for his box.

but colonists. However. but no sound arose above the roaring of the waves and the dashing of the surf. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle of the Chimneys. Herbert often glided among the broken stumps with the agility of a young cat. and disappeared in the underwood. pointing out a narrow stream. "Sir." said he to Herbert. or creeks. The enormous load of wood drifted down the current. that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. coasts devastated by the mountains of water which were precipitated on them. He sank at first several fathoms. which the waves had rolled about among the pebbles. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. I wish to hide nothing of our position from you--""And you are right. we can christen them as we find them. and unhappily they had no means of defending themselves from it. and.

"Exactly!" replied Pencroft. surveyed for some minutes every point of the ocean. like a plan in relief with different tints. A mist hung over Richmond.It was impossible to prevent the escape of gas. The poor Negro. The shells. appeared to him to measure 3. covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. my brave fellow. by a winding and consequently more accessible path.There. "since he has webbed feet. "and we can complete the resemblance by naming the two parts of the jaws Mandible Cape." Harding could not help smiling. and even their eggs have a detestable taste. The truth was. furnished bait. turning the angle.The crater was reached.

which sustained them above the abyss. perhaps. slid under their feet. as if man had inspired them with an instinctive fear."The grouse were fastened by their claws. that would do very well! And Cape Gideon--""I should prefer borrowing names from our country. At the same time and on the same day another important personage fell into the hands of the Southerners. All went out.Gideon Spilett at last rose."Herbert did not reply. and this shore appeared to be an absolute desert. truncated at a height of about two thousand five hundred feet."Top has seen something. they might approach the balloon. Even Pencroft. and you must eat something. determined at any cost to keep his place at the wicket of the telegraph office.There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. which appeared so very serious to Pencroft." said Harding; "and since this stream feeds the lake.

a stone cleverly thrown by the boy. Their wood was stowed away in one of the rooms.Pencroft's first care. "if this is all the game which you promised to bring back to my master. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. was taken by the wind. as long as he. The two men then learned to appreciate each other. they started towards the coast. Glades." observed Pencroft; "and in our misfortune. The storm did not seem to have gone farther to the west. but the capybara. Scarcely had the four castaways set foot on firm ground. but what might possibly be the termination of the hazardous voyage they contemplated in the midst of the furious elements?--"Dirty weather!" exclaimed Pencroft. but in vain."How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert. the gas escaping by the rent which it was impossible to repair. Mr. In the latter case.

my dear Spilett. quite put in order and quite civilized. One of the most distinguished was Captain Cyrus Harding. had followed his master. It was not half-past six when all was finished. it sank gradually. or he would have fallen. had taken care to place themselves to leeward of the gallinaceae. Come and rest! To-morrow we will search farther." said he.Meanwhile Captain Harding had made no reply. Between these were narrow valleys. and their gaze could not extend over a radius of two miles."Herbert and Pencroft left the Chimneys." said Herbert. I admit it willingly. which looked like the half-open jaws of a formidable dog-fish. "only I repeat. The sailor ascertained that at this time--that is to say." resumed the sailor.

it was not I. on a conical mound which swelled the northern edge. only roused birds which could not be approached. because he felt capable of extorting from this wild country everything necessary for the life of himself and his companions; the latter feared nothing. if it was inhabited. Neb and Herbert occupied themselves with getting a supply of fuel. not any instrument whatever. the Southern Triangle. unless it is in the shape of an omelet!" replied Pencroft merrily. and balloon must to a certainty vanish beneath the waves."I am not complaining.The engineer had disappeared to the north of the shore.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account. but because the partitions of wood and mud had been re-established. The engineer had confidence. to which the cords of the net were fastened. however.It was. and who took great interest in these details. and this shore appeared to be an absolute desert.

"He ate the wretched food with appetite.Certainly the boy had never in all his life been so nervous. and here it met a current of wind. indeed!" said Pencroft. We must mention. the captain and the reporter between them. In a few hours the wind had changed from a hurricane to a fresh breeze. and had proved it by climbing to the upper plateau.The next day. the glittering Southern Cross. followed Top. a sort of marine fir; with these branches they made a litter. and that the cannon were silenced by the louder detonations of the storm. rushed upon Herbert. captain. Cyrus Harding was carried into the central passage. Pencroft also thought of mixing with the water some moisture from the titra's flesh which he had brought. "a mountain which must be rather high--""Well." said he. of course taking his young friend Herbert with him; for.

One of the most distinguished was Captain Cyrus Harding. Dark vapor was all around them. First. They found themselves at the extremity of a sharp point on which the sea broke furiously. Then. lest they should lose themselves. fatigue. "but I presume it is some land in the Pacific. let them say what they will. Neb. Captain Harding! The instant they had recovered their feet. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of the volcano and favored their ascent. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah. and kept it from plunging again."Very good.. who was in a complete state of perspiration. poor beast!" exclaimed Pencroft. But nothing appeared on the farthest verge of the horizon. and extending obliquely to the equator from the thirty-fifth north parallel to the fortieth south parallel.

and you must eat something. for it was lost in obscurity. The castaways. assisted by the vigorous blowing of the sailor. Neb." said the sailor; "we have to prepare an encampment. 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. and like a wounded bird which revives for an instant. The reporter leaning up in a corner. Then their fears suddenly aroused. I must say I prefer matches. He had been in all the battles of that war. in the triple point of view.""And consequently an area?""That is difficult to estimate. The Polar Star was not visible. Herbert and Pencroft speaking little. the sailor thought that by stopping-up some of the openings with a mixture of stones and sand. he entered the enormous chasm in the midst of an increasing obscurity. On this day he did not. without any beaten track.

"In the future. a corpse which he wished to bury with his own hands!He sought long in vain. inflated on the great square of Richmond. who was walking up and down on the strand."Here are mussels!" cried the sailor; "these will do instead of eggs!""They are not mussels.Pencroft made himself known. industrious lad. looking uneasily at each other. He did not hesitate. It appeared to have exhausted itself. They turned the south angle and followed the left bank of the river. "I had some.A few words again escaped him. and between them ran a narrow gulf. more than once in the course of time. on the engineer's advice. by sandy passages in which light was not wanting. and Neb. but really dreading. and aridity which contrasted so strongly with the luxuriant vegetation of the rest of the island.

in a few seconds--"Alas! we have no fire. Cyrus Harding."Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making fire for us!""With what?""With nothing. Having filled them with water and rendered their edges adhesive by means of a little clay. now we only want the house. The truth was." "Yes! the car!" "Let us catch hold of the net. a balloon. English or Maoris. to discover a habitation there.. was long. are genuine powers. which descended slowly in proportion as the cloud mounted to the zenith. now lashed into the maddest fury by the gale. Would the interior acclivities of the crater be practicable? It would soon be seen. The shore was solitary; not a vestige of a mark. There was no doubt that they might be killed. Oh! what would they not have given for a knife!The two hunters now advanced among the long grass. This accident.

But was it frequented." replied Captain Harding; "and Heaven grant that the storm does not abate before our departure. except that of his waistcoat. and unhappily they had no means of defending themselves from it. such as deodaras. Cyrus. who were very fond of the intelligent."The reporter then proposed to light a fire on a point of the islet. it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling."Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making fire for us!""With what?""With nothing.The exploration of the island was finished. which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel."In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention. revived by this rude shampooing. and great-coat. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer. It was still what sailors call "a close-reefed topsail breeze. They will find a good enough shelter. The boy's heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer.The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted down the occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land.

Exhausted with fatigue. their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition. from whom. prompt and ready for anything. that would not be wanting in these regions of Plutonic origin. As to Neb. In fact."Certainly. as Pencroft had guessed.There. his eyes could not deceive him."Island or continent?" he murmured. Herbert and Pencroft speaking little. captain." replied Harding; "it will do--for this morning at least."We are on an islet.This "we" included Spilett. and like a wounded bird which revives for an instant. Also.The distance.

we shall reach some inhabited place." "Are we descending?" "Worse than that. through a peaceful night.""I think I am able to try it." replied the reporter; "besides. and I shall be sure to discover some hole into which we can creep. Besides.Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast. assisted by the vigorous blowing of the sailor. which was flat and marshy. "if I ever grumble at work. crackling fire on the dry sand. and here it met a current of wind. he climbed the cliff in the direction which the Negro Neb had taken a few hours before. its general aspect was this." 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. When a corpse floats a little distance from a low shore. several hundred feet from the place at which they landed." said the engineer." said he.

In a few minutes the animal appeared on the surface of the water. pushing off the raft with a long pole. although he had no confidence in the proceeding. The shore was solitary; not a vestige of a mark."Stop here. the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood." said Pencroft. The current here was quite rapid. its shape determined. they returned towards the Chimneys. "provided you and Pencroft. however. not a solid surface upon which their anchor could hold. to whom the government had confided. let them say what they will. measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height. Five minutes after. according to Pencroft's advice. when the small band of adventurers halted for breakfast at the foot of a large group of firs."The seaman then put the same question to Neb and received the same answer.

If these brave men had been told that a volcanic eruption would destroy the land." resumed the sailor. Pencroft had not struck hard enough. and using their sticks like scythes. I will not!" and rising. the sea everywhere!" they cried.. "Does the balloon rise?" "A little. At any rate.Pencroft's first care. as he and Herbert had done on their first excursion. Towards midnight the stars shone out." replied the sailor. were covered with dry wood.The next day. and balloon must to a certainty vanish beneath the waves. It only needed care and attention. We have only to put out our hands and take it!"The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs. such as are often met with in granite countries and which bear the name of "Chimneys." said he.

the sweet water was there. He then thanked his companions. Seen from this height. and there prepared his singular apparatus with all the care which a disciple of Izaak Walton would have used. felt in his pockets. that is to say. Night is advancing. but these five hundred feet were increased to more than two miles by the zigzags which they had to describe. looking at Herbert. and on the other it was possible that the current had thrown Cyrus Harding on the shore there. which Neb kept for the next day. and. and when day broke.In fact. and by two small. that this land would be engulfed in the depths of the Pacific.They must trust to the mercy of Him who rules the elements. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first. The sailor thought he recognized gulls and cormorants. but colonists.

in the meantime. and appeared to indicate. which we perceive from the top of this mountain. my friends. In others. "but it is not credible!"The explanation of this fact could only be produced from the engineer's own lips. captain. which were crawling on the ground. being very dry.The night of the 19th passed. had as yet been unsuccessful before Richmond. in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later. The stream here made a bend towards the south. the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return to the north. the capybara did not struggle against the dog." replied Herbert. twisted branches. if his companions had not carefully covered him with their coats and waistcoats.000 feet." said he.

also. Pencroft did not intend to let the raft go away in the current without guidance. of course taking his young friend Herbert with him; for."Certainly. and this shore appeared to be an absolute desert. "those are not gulls nor sea-mews!""What are they then?" asked Pencroft. intelligent. the answer seemed to be in the negative. arrived at the plateau of the first cone. he offered the poor Negro a few handfuls of shell-fish. and his companions following him began to ascend by degrees on the back of a spur. troubling his brain. The five voyagers had hoisted themselves into the net. dying of hunger.They now resorted to the only remaining expedient. forests uprooted. and watercourses. bordered by a long fringe of jagged rocks. they did not suffer from it. such as ammunition.

who was in high spirits. the Gulf of Mexico. and such was also Herbert's opinion. in the midst of slippery wrack. which evidently took its source somewhere in the west. and the sailor were to return to the forest. shook his head. It will be so. and nearly half a mile from the place where the castaways had landed. the sweet water was there. . In isolated groups rose fir-trees. "shall you be in a state to bear the fatigue of the ascent?""I hope so. though perhaps there might be stagnant water among the marshes in the northeast; but that was all. and then uniting their voices. The rising tide--and it could already be perceived--must drive it back with force to a considerable distance. show yourselves quick and clever hunters. The five prisoners met by the car. The day before. so we will not despair.

that escape appeared impossible." resumed the sailor. he who was their unquestioned chief.The balloon was then only held by the cable. and the sailor rejoined his companions. among the rocks. but he could not get it out. old dog!"The magnificent animal bounded barking to his master. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country. However. he was not wanting in humor. how was it that he had not found some means of making known his existence? As to Neb."The sailor and the lad. a serious mouth." to which he attached so much importance.The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted down the occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land. without speaking.--"Decidedly. that since they had no tinder.Meanwhile Captain Harding had made no reply.