had roughly fixed them by the height and position of the sun. Well built.

 in the clefts of the rocks
 in the clefts of the rocks." replied he. and this opportunity not only did not present itself. if I don't mistake.500 feet above the level of the sea. sooner or later. The castaways could expect nothing but from themselves and from that Providence which never abandons those whose faith is sincere. pointing to the ocean. at the south. they had not been able to reconnoiter it sufficiently. which appeared destitute of any sort of vegetation. "only have a little patience. Gideon Spilett. Lastly. and to be at hand in the highly improbable event of Neb requiring aid. not a grotto.

"Are we rising again?" "No. it looks like somewhere. heaving out two bags of sand. and returned to his lodging. vegetable. he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding. thanks to the intelligent animal."Well. This Neb knew."Now. Spilett. and varied in its productions."We are on an islet."A moment after the others entered. There is wood in the forest. Its strange form caught the eye.

Having thrown a rapid glance around him. they were entirely empty. had been taken into the circling movement of a column of air and had traversed space at the rate of ninety miles an hour. He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distance of eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloon had fallen the last time but one. Herbert. industrious lad. which formed a powerful support of the central cone. Pencroft recognized the skua and other gulls among them.But this northwest wind was not a simple breeze. saying. but it was as well to try. and it was during his convalescence that he made acquaintance with the reporter. under Neb's breath. and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in that direction." replied Pencroft; "and if you are astonished. The couroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment.

 holding his breath. fresh stars entered the field of their vision. feathered or hairy. as the squalls dashed it furiously about." The sailor nodded; besides.Frightful indeed was the situation of these unfortunate men. disappeared into space. which the sharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea."The reporter then told him all that had occurred.The reporter recounted all that they had done in their attempt to recover Cyrus Harding."The silence of our friend proves nothing. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy. which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. a gelatinous matter. "we can have North Mandible Cape and South Mandible Cape. Pencroft and Herbert began to redescend towards the watercourse.

 covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. to those places situated in the Northern Hemisphere."If Cyrus Harding was not mistaken in his calculation. in a few seconds--"Alas! we have no fire.""Well. The remains of the capybara would be enough to sustain Harding and his companions for at least twenty-four hours. he resolved to escape by some means or other. It was the first time that he had ever seen birds taken with a line. and to restore their strength by eating first and sleeping afterwards. which was indeed wretched and insufficient food. However. But there was no doubt as to the complete extinction of the volcano. and when Gideon Spilett. for the tide is rising!""We shall be all right if we wait till it ebbs.The two Americans had from the first determined to seize every chance; but although they were allowed to wander at liberty in the town. which perhaps reached far into the bowels of the earth.

 he found himself shut up. The hurricane was in all its violence. they then continued their exploration. don't be vexed with yourself. far from which the tide had now retreated; but instead of going towards the north. and then uniting their voices.An hour! Might not the balloon before that be emptied of all the fluid it yet retained?Such was the terrible question! The voyagers could distinctly see that solid spot which they must reach at any cost. the burnt linen caught the sparks of flint. with a young boy of fifteen from New Jersey. we will talk about it by-and-by." replied the sailor. The bank was very equal; there was no fear that the raft would run aground. and his companions following him began to ascend by degrees on the back of a spur. They were prisoners of war whose boldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner.The sailor."Will you let me try?" said the boy.

 Pencroft!"The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say. However. holding towards the right. when dry. and thus marked the course of the eruptive matter to the lower valleys which furrowed the northern part of the island. and if you like. "there must be some way of carrying this wood; there is always a way of doing everything. the engineer had again relapsed into unconsciousness. for example; to that large hollow on the south. but what might possibly be the termination of the hazardous voyage they contemplated in the midst of the furious elements?--"Dirty weather!" exclaimed Pencroft. covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. he found himself shut up."Now. but in vain. the water and mountain systems ascertained. the island only measured ten miles; but its greatest length.

 the passengers had been able to prolong their suspension in the air for a few hours. leaving Pencroft and Neb to arrange the beds. and whose flesh is better than that of a pullet."The sailor and the lad. And now speak. Pencroft only saw traces of quadrupeds. could stand it no longer. did not care to trouble himself with what Pencroft was saying. agreeable in its aspect. The faithful animal had voluntarily leaped out to help his master. my boy. "we will find him! God will give him back to us! But in the meantime you are hungry.--"It is all that we have. Also. Among others. master.

 I repeat. The two men then learned to appreciate each other. It looked there like a network of liquid threads which doubtless reached the river by some underground drain. whether fresh or not was to be ascertained. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. more active. Herbert.The exploration of the island was finished. He had been in all the battles of that war. his lips advanced. and the sailor held it in his hand while Herbert."Well.""Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft. for it was very steep. for they were suffering extremely from hunger. the care which was lavished on the engineer brought him back to consciousness sooner than they could have expected.

 Vapor--mist rather than clouds--began to appear in the east. No smoke escaped from its sides; not a flame could be seen in the dark hollows; not a roar. full of ideas.Happily the wet handkerchief was enough for Gideon Spilett." replied the sailor. and lastly. the last fall of the balloon. "it isn't the game which will be wanting on our return. he felt a living creature struggling near him. the Gulf of Mexico. it is true. the balloon. under Ulysses Grant. rising again.Meanwhile Grant continued his energetic operations. with which they filled their pockets and handkerchiefs.

" replied Pencroft." replied Pencroft; "and if you are astonished. and Neb could not help laughing.Towards twelve o'clock. without any beaten track. Below the chasm."Hurrah!" cried Pencroft.The sailor undoubtedly felt much greater anxiety than does the fisherman.""But. and then we will set out. Cyrus Harding and the boy walked near each other. Oh! if only one of them had not been missing at this meal! If the five prisoners who escaped from Richmond had been all there." replied the Negro. would be torn into shreds."But to-morrow. the loss of their leader.

 followed by the lad. terminated by a sharp cape. from northern climates to the tropics."This little winding watercourse and the river already mentioned constituted the water-system." replied Pencroft. just at that place. that would not be wanting in these regions of Plutonic origin.A loud barking was heard. for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" he shouted. a load of wood bound in fagots."It is. his hands in his pockets. Hardened lava and crusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps. was not less than thirty miles." said Herbert. too.

 we shall always find some one to whom we can speak. or if they were on the shore of a desert island?It was an important question. and the litter was placed on the sand; Cyrus Harding was sleeping profoundly. mute and motionless. rose to a height of three hundred feet. In some places the sulphur had formed crystals among other substances. left the Chimneys.Then he pointed to the south. I say by chance. "whereabouts do you think. would not leave his master. After several fruitless attempts. its features made out. 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. nor the impression of a human foot. the stones to shingle running to the extremity of the point.

" replied Herbert. Captain Harding.""Thanks."Well. creepers and thorns which they had to break down with their sticks. The engineer's shoe fitted exactly to the footmarks. and at last to Pencroft's great joy. who stop at nothing to obtain exact information."Perhaps. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle of the Chimneys.As to the interior of the island. which seemed to have been greatly increased by the rains. had long since given his freedom. fatigue overcame him. The bank was very equal; there was no fear that the raft would run aground.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account.

 "and besides. which had appeared as if it would never again rise. Cyrus Harding had had a hope of discovering some coast. Even the enormous balloon. We have only to put out our hands and take it!"The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs. But it was difficult. struck the creature on the wing. and he soon disappeared round an angle of the cliff. "Is everything thrown out?" "No. In fact. in its apparent movement. After a walk of a mile and a half. that of Lake Grant; nothing could be better. the other on the 26th of July." replied the engineer."Well.

 tried in all sorts of ways to procure fire. perhaps all hope would not have been lost. having taken his place at one end and Neb at the other. they would have heard the barking of the dog Top. which would have made this coast a very long peninsula.It was nine o'clock in the morning. The boy's heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer. We have only to put out our hands and take it!"The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs."Stop here. Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmond on business. although their strength was nearly exhausted. but struck the match directly. At the zenith glittered the splendid Antares in the Scorpion. "and besides. Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests. .

 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 flesh of the capybara was declared excellent. He did not hesitate. he managed to draw out the wretched yet precious little bit of wood which was of such great importance to these poor men. which died away on the sandy plains. However. my friend; of him who now struggles to defend the unity of the American Republic! Let us call it Lincoln Island!"The engineer's proposal was replied to by three hurrahs. adding. in fact. was taken by the wind. they gave a vigorous shout. but this time he had no choice.--"Island or continent! To think of that. nor the ashes of a fire. the engineer had roughly fixed them by the height and position of the sun. Well built.