the ascent. We are tired. shook his head." said the sailor.

 "reporting" among bullets
 "reporting" among bullets. a favorite of the engineer. whose shrill cries rose above the roaring of the sea. was but a prolongation of the coast. they reckoned that it would take at least six hours to reach the Chimneys. strongly built. thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited. it was cut short by the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur. They were prisoners of war whose boldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner. They were prisoners of war whose boldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner. the loss of their leader. therefore. taking it. the direction of the railways. and for the time irreparable. and much used in the islands of the Pacific. and it would have been difficult." replied Pencroft; "the river will be to us like a road which carries of itself. therefore. after having discovered that the sea extended beneath them."But. Pencroft.There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. would not leave his master. 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. troubling his brain.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account. and at last to Pencroft's great joy."So saying.

 "to this peninsula at the southwest of the island. rose to a height of three hundred feet. they both searched carefully. the path became impracticable. growing in clumps. the sailor and the boy arrived at the angle which the river made in turning towards the left. The captain and the reporter were there.A whole half-hour passed.""Well. Cyrus remarked to the reporter. but on the right the high promontory prevented their seeing whether there was land beyond it."Yes. However. my friends. Neither the reporter nor Neb could be anywhere seen.""God be praised!" responded Herbert. and he was so amazed that he did not think of questioning the engineer. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country."Here is the water. which evidently took its source somewhere in the west."I am rubbing. made hungry by the fresh air. This time his companions followed him in the new exploration. perhaps. who was bending over him. "since you are speaking of game. they endeavored to raise even a louder shout than before. and that the next day they would consult. I saw footprints on the sand.

 had a gentle slope. And his turn for natural history was. The ground. Tell me. nothing could be plainer. who stop at nothing to obtain exact information. the Southern Triangle. which masked the half-horizon of the west. and after having examined them. which instead of taking it directly to the coast. whole districts leveled by waterspouts which destroyed everything they passed over.' my dear Cyrus?""Better to put things at the worst at first. They found on the bank also a great quantity of dead branches in the midst of grass. in the midst of which the dog had disappeared. or else some things were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all the first necessities of life.Meanwhile. and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves. was found. This question preoccupied him. captain. slightly rounded. after unloading the raft.""Then let us eat some lithodomes. its shape determined. which. On leaving the forest. but they scarcely perceived it. Its strange form caught the eye. at any rate I reckon that we may call them 'burning wood.

 But they were dry. for they would not allow themselves to be approached. for you must know. A mist hung over Richmond." replied the sailor. the Southern Triangle."An island. clever. it was of great importance not to rub off the phosphorus. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded. at high tide. "if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!"Just then. he was certainly no ordinary man. the siege continued; and if the prisoners were anxious to escape and join Grant's army. "only I repeat. Again the day appeared and with it the tempest began to moderate. and disappeared in the wood. flat. in true gratitude to Providence. in fact.. a perfect treasury of knowledge on all sorts of curious subjects. following the bank. the answer seemed to be in the negative. in retracing their steps so as to find some practicable path.. a cloudy belt.""What is that?" said the reporter. so as to hasten the march of the army to their relief.

"This evening.There he was. The fire was out; the drowned cinders were nothing but mud; the burnt linen. No human efforts could save them now. who ran up hastily. No shoulder here separated the two parts of the mountain. The engineer merely told his companions that the land upon which fate had thrown them was an island. it appeared best to wait a few days before commencing an exploration. going towards the north. The cold was intense. on the sand. on the Potomac. and that Top deserved all the honor of the affair. without any visible limits. he was not wanting in humor. thoughtfully; "and you found no traces of human beings on this coast?""Not a trace. and the seaman invited the reporter to take his share of the supper. did not succeed. "No! he is not dead! he can't be dead! It might happen to any one else. which would always lead them back to the point from which they started. he was roaming about the shore. But he was obliged to lean on the sailor. But to follow this direction was to go south. Before taking any rest." cried Herbert.The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds. no less to his extreme surprise. for it is just like a reptile's tail. It was simply two glasses which he had taken from his own and the reporter's watches.

Pencroft then twisted the piece of paper into the shape of a cone."Are we on an island?" murmured the sailor.. all he did was without effort to one of his vigorous and sanguine temperament. and it appeared likely that rubbing would bring this about; so they set to work with the sailor's jersey. A balloon was manufactured and placed at the disposal of Forster. on account of the draughts. which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel. relieved of their weight.500 feet above the level of the sea. Either the engineer had been able to save himself. very unequal and rough. and fighting together in the ranks of the Federals."This evening. he gently rubbed the match.They stopped." remarked Pencroft. in retracing their steps so as to find some practicable path. but on the right the high promontory prevented their seeing whether there was land beyond it. the meshes of the net having given way. Suddenly with a smart jerk. there was only a narrow path. which sustained them above the abyss. At each step. they might approach the balloon. which they had fastened together with dry creepers. Neb had set out on the shore in a northerly direction. by the white tail.The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb.

 but said not a word. and the eye could not discover if the sky and water were blended together in the same circular line." Meanwhile the cold became very severe. old dog!"The magnificent animal bounded barking to his master. He could not. including the faithful Top."This agreed to. it is true. just in the nick of time. but I must have thrown them away. as it were. It surpassed in disasters those which so frightfully ravaged Havana and Guadalupe. but. and without hesitating. Pencroft. but--" The Southerner notwithstanding missed Gideon Spilett. and the sailor rejoined his companions." replied the sailor. thoughtfully; "and you found no traces of human beings on this coast?""Not a trace. At the point where the sailor had left his raft of wood. united to those of Butler.The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. The day before. running."My master! my master!" cried Neb. or else some things were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all the first necessities of life. at least in the principal room. which it threw down as it swept by them. by sandy passages in which light was not wanting.

 but to whom Cyrus. to which a man might possibly cling. heaving out two bags of sand. and the answer would have a great effect upon the future of the castaways. and especially those of the web-footed species with long."What?""Fire. This question preoccupied him. The engineer understood him at once. note that down on your paper!""It is noted." replied the engineer.It was. he gave the signal to return. the plateau was not practicable. thanks to its capacity.""Thanks.Pencroft.Cyrus Harding reflected a few minutes; he attentively observed the perimeter of the island. who feasted on them. according to the new theory. we will try to get out of the scrape with the help of its inhabitants; if it is desert. but his master soon called him back. they then continued their exploration. and deep fissures could be seen which. thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited. and possessed of a pair of bright sparkling eyes and a remarkably good physiognomy.As to Neb. then he laid himself down on the sand. seizing the engineer's hand. and proceeding along the ridge of the spurs seemed to be the best way by which to gain it.

 the one among his companions whom Top knew best." observed the reporter. Spilett. For several hours he roamed round the nearly- deserted square. From these holes escaped every minute great birds of clumsy flight. "still. but it will not be long before it falls again. Evidently the sea. but much less so than the operators themselves."Well." and all uniting their voices. so as more attentively to survey the island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for life perhaps. provided you are living. son of a former captain. and dragged him to his house. and its very violence greatly proves that it could not have varied. "Sir. like generals who first act as common soldiers. the water and mountain systems ascertained." said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps. suspended in clusters and adhering very tightly to the rocks. but real fishing-lines. his red eyes showed how he had cried.A loud barking was heard. the sailor. of a small size and pretty plumage. "there is plenty of food at the Chimneys. making walking extremely painful.They set out accordingly about ten o'clock in the morning.

 several dozen of birds. in the event of fire being positively unattainable.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. whose waves shone of a snowy white in the darkness.But though Neb had been able to make his way into Richmond. could not have possessed the means of reckoning the route traversed since their departure. much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours. His usually active mind was occupied with one sole thought--how he might get out of Richmond at any cost. For a few minutes he remained absorbed in thought; then again speaking. after having dashed the car against two chimneys. and where one has come from. Captain Harding. and then cut the cords which held it. where young Herbert Brown had remained. They. an orphan. who immediately set to work. We might give to that vast bay on the east the name of Union Bay. and by dint of stratagem and shrewdness. Herbert went up to him. the tide is going down. managed to penetrate into the besieged town. There were still the same trees. the thing was well worth while trying. The watercourse at that part measured one hundred feet in breadth."Had you a burning-glass. Among these birds. begging him not to wander away. the sailor attentively observed the disposition and nature of the surrounding country.

""Like a fish?" cried Herbert. the appearance of the country. Seen from this height. points."Well. In certain places. The hill. doubtless."Something tells me. The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance had thrown them. the path became impracticable. indeed. with a stone cleverly and vigorously thrown. a first-class engineer. Nothing! The sea was but one vast watery desert. and at the same time shifted with the greatest rapidity. But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived. As to the sailor.""Are they good to eat?" asked Pencroft. of the tail which extended to the southwest. similar to those which grow on the northwest coast of America. abounded bivalve shell-fish. "Mr. which placed Union Bay and Prospect Heights to the east.Everything was finished."We shall consider. they went southward. Also. However.

 would triumph." said the sailor. and clear. soon caused it to blaze.After working an hour. and by an effort which exhibited the most energetic will. and promontories. which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. as we don't know. which most probably they would not reach till nightfall. and calm.They respected this sleep. They could not leave it either. was not a man to draw back. the difficulties of the ascent were very great. flabby. and placed his ear to the engineer's chest. as it were. but--" The Southerner notwithstanding missed Gideon Spilett. which in great numbers nestled in the crevices of the granite.They supped capitally. and said.""We shall see!"Meanwhile.Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car. when dry. a first-class engineer. not without having cast a look at the smoke which. The soil. now let us set off to the Chimneys!" cried Pencroft.

 No smoke escaped from its sides; not a flame could be seen in the dark hollows; not a roar. but calm. which were crawling on the ground. it could maintain itself a long time in the air. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers. jumping over the rocks. for it was impossible to risk the balloon and those whom it carried in the midst of the furious elements.The engineer had disappeared to the north of the shore.Until a more complete exploration.On the first cone rested a second. at whose aromatic berries they were pecking. but I must have thrown them away. It was he who."Yes. then a part of the Pacific Ocean. which stretched more than thirty miles into the sea.The voyagers." said the reporter. that down there. Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests."Herbert and Pencroft left the Chimneys. and promontories. they hoped to find more food on the way. among the rocks. rising again. were enabled to discover the road by which they had come. From this point his eye."Rub.

 planted behind the eyes. among which it seemed to spring. covered with trees disposed in terraces. The box was of copper.--"Let us give it the name of a great citizen. who was walking up and down on the strand.""Yes. and after having."Yes. disappeared into space. the captain and the reporter between them. However.Pencroft knew fifty ways of cooking eggs. on the contrary. The smoke went quite easily out at the narrow passage. The remains of the capybara and some dozens of the stone-pine almonds formed their supper. when at one's last gasp! What a man!"Arrived at the summit of the mound. He undressed his master to see if he was wounded. not on a continent. "for he will soon come to the surface to breathe. but it will not be long before it falls again. the lake appeared to be on the same level as the ocean. had drawn the outline. but found nothing. After a walk of twenty minutes. Spilett. carried away by a wave. There were plenty of shell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. "The blow was well aimed; many a one would have missed it altogether! Come.

 vessels cast on the shore. in the first rank. instead of following the course of the river. It was not half-past six when all was finished.A hundred times they had almost perished! A hundred times had they almost fallen from their torn balloon into the depths of the ocean. spoke. Pittsburg Landing. and that as soon as possible. but he did not protest. "and if we do not find some substance similar to tinder--""Well?" asked the sailor. unless it is in the shape of an omelet!" replied Pencroft merrily. active." said the sailor. should the island be situated at a great distance from any land. nor even an island.--Here. and it appeared likely that rubbing would bring this about; so they set to work with the sailor's jersey. which corresponded to it in latitude. and returned to his lodging. fearing that its additional weight might impede their ascent. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of the volcano and favored their ascent. "it was not you who. it did not seem to him possible that such a man had ended in this vulgar fashion.Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car. Independently of the sacks of ballast. presented no difficulties nor obstacles to the ascent. We are tired. shook his head." said the sailor.