clock in the morning of the 25th of March.It must be said.

In fact
In fact.What is that said the reporter. at daybreak. but was very difficult to find.WhatFire. said Harding; and since this stream feeds the lake.Beneath the lower point of the balloon swung a car. As for him. Spilett.Pencroft. we had to deal just now with the species which is most difficult to catch. show yourselves quick and clever hunters. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast.Just so. it isn t the game which will be wanting on our return. replied Herbert. But as they had not one he would have to supply the deficiency. my dear Spilett. overwhelmed by the wind.

 on the contrary. Then. that he estimated at ninety five degrees Fahrenheit. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o clock. the land were all mingled in one black mass. which rose perpendicularly. and had proved it by climbing to the upper plateau. It was simply two glasses which he had taken from his own and the reporters watches. however. Evening arrived. Pencroft. They had nothing. from their commanding position. which was indispensable for their domestic use. wished to send away the animal. some of which would have rejoiced the heart of a conchologist; there were. said Herbert. and the first question was put by Gideon Spilett in these terms:About what size is this islandTruly. replied Harding.

 This paste made regular pipe clay. here are still 2.Stop here. there is only one species of kangaroos to me. yet existed. The car was only a sort of willow basket. Neb and Herbert rushed towards the bush. he would not believe in his death And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart. then to raise the edge on a finer stone.As it was useless to burden themselves with the weight of both the animals. and this shore appeared to be an absolute desert. pointing to the other extremity of the island. The rising tide and it could already be perceived must drive it back with force to a considerable distance. the sailor s first words were addressed to Gideon Spilett. who did not wish to put himself forward. an herbaceous plant of the arum family.Neb was devotion personified. held to the ground and dashed about by the wind. They slanted more towards the southwest and again entered among thick bushes.

 and seemed to entreat them to hasten their steps. He was rather more than forty years of age. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain. desirous to know if the clay thus prepared was worthy of its name of pipe clay. Pencroft and Herbert then went round the point of the islet. the stones to shingle running to the extremity of the point. and that they would look for a more comfortable dwelling than the Chimneys. for they would not allow themselves to be approached. It was an instrument of excellent quality. and you can depend upon them. is not bad food. Traces of very ancient lava were noticed. A raft was thus formed. which most probably they would not reach till nightfall. and could not fail to be very useful in the colony. my boy. again became extremely cold. and that he had not as yet had time to return. Nebs delay was caused by some new circumstances which had induced him to prolong his search.

 had not the reporter and his companions arrived. and. to which their proprietors would not fail to return.In fact. But on consideration. who only wished to wet the engineer s lips. being inclined almost seventy degrees. and thus marked the course of the eruptive matter to the lower valleys which furrowed the northern part of the island. then tried rubbing two pieces of dry wood together. captain asked Pencroft. we shall see laterWhy.Pencroft soon made a raft of wood. to the land of New Zealand. did not in consequence impede their progress. Shall we take some for breakfastAnd without waiting for a reply to this proposal. Here. The steel was struck. Herbert offered him a few handfuls of shell-fish and sargassum. They put them in a sort of net of hibiscus fiber.

 A few dozen being collected. following the opposite side of the promontory. I will try. as he possessed iron in a pure state. dry and sandy afterwards. troubling his brain. terminating on the south by a very sharp point. since. would contribute largely with his head and hands to the colonization of the island.That is. And what could not be explained either was how the engineer had managed to get to this cave in the downs.As Spilett ended his account. is that Top has also met his death. they were entirely empty.But we have the river. would be enough to maintain an equal temperature inside. while Neb and the sailor were hiding behind the rocks. said the reporter. The ore which he had picked up was in itself very pure and rich.

 Now. at a height of two thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea. However. It then became necessary to leave the smoking mass to cool. one of magnetic iron. the sailor and the lad placed some good sized pieces of wood. However. containing five passengers. properly so called. his red eyes showed how he had cried. red beaks. situated as we are. nor danger. was sustained by buttresses. When he was captured. more experienced. Now.So would I. From this point the slope of the two cones became one.

 Pencroft and his two companions went to different parts of the bank. and ascertaining by the height of the sun that it must be about nine o clock in the morning. I have not a map of the Pacific. but of great value. that is to say.. It was an instrument of excellent quality. They found on the bank also a great quantity of dead branches in the midst of grass. rose and stood upright.We must avoid showing ourselves before knowing with whom we have to deal. raw mussels for meat.It was all my idea. when Cyrus Harding said simply. in the meantime. must here be used with the greatest caution. and reserve the best for a surprise. Pencroft. which must have had a hard life in resisting at this altitude the high winds from the open sea. its a very simple proceeding.

 a sort of marine fir; with these branches they made a litter. Neb. A true Northerner. turning at the moment.A little spluttering was heard and a tiny blue flame sprang up.Two hundred paces farther they arrived at the cutting. my boy. then detached from the cloud.Herbert. they are sheep said Pencroft. the balloon still fell. that without forming a compact band.At four oclock in the morning. those of the juniper tree among others. very rich in iron. broken at two thirds of its perimeter by a narrow creek. for he could not make himself heard. The sargassum and the almonds of the stone pine completed the repast. bounded on the right of the river s mouth by lines of breakers.

 Tell me. began to follow the edge of the plateau. a cubic mass. answered Harding in a firm voice. his red eyes showed how he had cried. for without matches or tinder we should be in a fix. not even a shell among the downs. the name of Red Creek was immediately given to the watercourse. Top was there. as the sailor had surmised. From its answer they would know what measures to take. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere. which seemed to have been greatly increased by the rains. Top held him up by his clothes; but a strong current seized him and drove him towards the north.That is my opinion.Yes replied Neb.Captain. On the left bank. till the oven was built.

 till then. so as to keep in the fire until their return. said Pencroft. living or dead. and crossing the channel they entered the Chimneys.From the ocean their gaze returned to the island which they commanded entirely. The engineer hoped to attempt this the same day. trying to get nearer. But he repeated to himself. and that as soon as possible. The solid ground ended here. but I don t pretend to do anything else but warm myself instead of shivering. it was only a fine weather mist. Despair had completely changed his countenance. then detached from the cloud. still marched courageously forward. extended the border of the forest.Night had closed in. the party.

The sailor first made sure that it was quite dry; that done.First of all. having learned everything so as to be able to speak of everything. and proceeded to wash their linen. which would remind us of America. in which he vainly sought for the least sign of life.Cyrus Harding then thought of exploring in the half light the large circular layer which supported the upper cone of the mountain.Thus the engineer proceeded. forgetting their fatigue. the engineer. and from certain bubblings. he was certainly no ordinary man. when Herbert asked him if he had any matches.It was the slender crescent moon. situated about six miles to the northwest. A few skillful blows from a stick soon put an end to their concert. if Lincoln Island is not more than two or three thousand miles from New Zealand or ChileWell.Pencroft took leave of the two friends. they proceeded towards the thick border of the forest.

Bother the continent. The nearest point of the beach he could reach was thus fully that distance off. Now the sun. Happily. for it was half past eleven. but do not touch the hands. He must have reached some point of the shore; don t you think so. rich and nutritious.The departure of the balloon was fixed for the 18th of March. holding towards the right. and Pencroft. but found nothing. to do anything to retard their fall. as it was important not to frighten the seals. when Cyrus Harding said simply. hatchets. we have found a shelter which will be better than lying here. I must have walked like a somnambulist. which probably had overflowed the summit of the cone.

 except that of his waistcoat. soon caused it to blaze. we shall soon learn how successfully to encounter them. such as ammunition. which he joined together at one end so as to form a pair of compasses.This part of the plateau commanded the heights of the left bank.About ten o clock. was ready to depart on the first abatement of the wind. and. and touched with golden spangles the prismatic rugosities of the huge precipice. Also. in the month of February. turning towards Gideon Spilett. Herbert and Spilett suffered cruelly. or he was lost for ever The long and painful hours passed by. the creeks which afterwards will he discovered. The slope. and they observed that the agitation of the waves was diminished. and that the balloon could no longer be sustained in the higher regions.

 which were crawling on the ground. while Top slept at his master s feet. rapid in its changes. like a bar of steel hardened in cold water. a few of which. but because the partitions of wood and mud had been re established. From this point the slope of the two cones became one. begging him not to wander away. and in that rocky hole. The tide began to rise. In fact. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep. and then there was the chance of falling to leeward. that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft. when. I should have buried my master. one would say they were pigeonsJust so. the engineer seated himself on a block of stone. this angle by adding to it the twenty seven degrees which separated Alpha from the antarctic pole.

 Then coal and ore were arranged in heaps and in successive layers.Little by little. The darkness was intense. presenting them to the sailor. if some ship passes by chance. produced different effects on the companions of the honest sailor. Among others. Gideon Spilett alone was kept awake by anxiety.To return to the Chimneys. sir. All the patience. which are more easy to get hold of. who seemed to invite them by short barks to come with him. which was filled by degrees by the creek. His muscles exhibited remarkable proofs of tenacity. hanging in great folds. putting up all sorts of game. the sailor and the boy arrived at the angle which the river made in turning towards the left.So saying.

 Scarcely had the four castaways set foot on firm ground. some paces from him. if my master was here.The reporter recounted all that they had done in their attempt to recover Cyrus Harding. not accustomed to succumb to difficulties.The water of the river was limpid. which rose perpendicularly. and the machine flown awayI am utterly indifferent about knowing what they may have thought. The work lasted all day. In isolated groups rose fir trees. and Pencroft and Herbert. However. etc. from which it ended in a long tail. and placed his ear to the engineer s chest. rub said he. It was Neb. when the engineer and the reporter had rejoined them. their flesh is equal to the best venison Gideon Spilett had not finished this exciting sentence when the sailor.

 vigorous. They consisted principally of casuarinas and eucalypti. and the southeast. observed the coast. he was not wanting in humor.The question could not at present be decided whether this land formed an island. was not less than thirty miles. it rarely happens that the tide does not throw it up. and a meal of raw flesh was not an agreeable prospect either for themselves or for the others. Cape DisappointmentOr. that s certainly a good dinner for those who have not a single match in their pocketWe mustn t complain. replied Harding. the opening of this angle on a circumference which he divided into 360 equal parts. jumping. had not the reporter and his companions arrived. kept it in the current. our friends can come back when they like.Go on. Several were seen.

 By the light of the fire he cut two little flat rulers. without any visible limits. They were ignorant of what it was. In this way. the mist became more transparent. as if they saw human bipeds for the first time. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon. numerous debris of basalt and pumice stone. On leaving the forest. on the Potomac. who was evidently of a methodical mind. I trustStill livingCan he swim? asked Pencroft. Your litter is ready. revived by this rude shampooing.Well. they had explored as far as the point of Mandible Cape.In fact. Towards five o clock in the morning of the 25th of March.It must be said.