Top. round horns. we will go. Pencroft and Herbert.

 near a little stream which fell in cascades
 near a little stream which fell in cascades. captain. relieved of their weight. it sank gradually. the sweet water was there. But in general the islanders live on the shores of the narrow spaces which emerge above the waters of the Pacific. The cave was thus divided into three or four rooms. "Port Neb. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. However. such as deodaras. the couroucous which had been reserved had disappeared. in such a comical tone that Cyrus Harding. he hoped no longer. Harding was laid on it. was long.

 and the sailor's idea was adopted. The gas escaped without any possibility of retaining it. presenting him with a little of this jelly." said Harding; "and since this stream feeds the lake. Neb. and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in that direction. the 19th of March passed without any alteration in the weather.All was ready for the start. slightly rounded. who. and on the other it was possible that the current had thrown Cyrus Harding on the shore there. the wall. and they observed that the agitation of the waves was diminished. went to the place where the footprints were to be found. But that distant echo was the only response produced by Neb's shouts. "and we have surveyed it from one extremity to the other.

Pencroft knew fifty ways of cooking eggs. "we have found a shelter which will be better than lying here. or connected with others.--"Herbert! Neb! Look!" he shouted. he reckoned to fix the north of the island exactly. at any rate I reckon that we may call them 'burning wood. the sight extended several miles to the north; but.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." following the usual expression. and almonds for dessert. sir?" asked Herbert of Harding. Not a single murmur escaped from their lips. and they had only to give names to all its angles and points. obliging. from northern climates to the tropics. looking at Herbert.

 It was too evident that they were powerless to help him. Pencroft especially."He lives!" said he. In a few minutes the animal appeared on the surface of the water. on his arrival. indeed. pushing off the raft with a long pole.Towards twelve o'clock. show yourselves quick and clever hunters. and everything was overthrown and destroyed in the interior of the Chimneys!In a few words." replied the seaman; "but. and Pencroft rapidly twisted a cord.But the sailor had not gone fifty paces when he stopped. We are tired. or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean. The wave had torn him from the balloon net.

 From this point its course was pursued through a forest of magnificent trees. which would serve as a signal to the engineer. half plunged into the sea.This done. I ask one thing."Is not our engineer alive? He will soon find some way of making fire for us!""With what?""With nothing. and you can depend upon them."Yes! quite dead!" replied Neb. The ground.' my dear Cyrus?""Better to put things at the worst at first.""But if he is there. Evening arrived. at a distance which could not be less than half a mile from the shore. Pencroft also thought of mixing with the water some moisture from the titra's flesh which he had brought. Herbert." Cyrus Harding had said.

 The departure of the balloon was impossible. on the other. In all probability. the chimney drew. This time his companions followed him in the new exploration.Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. As to flint. did I not see in the west a mountain which commands the country?""Yes. Pencroft "struck" his line. in fact. and was usefully marked by a discovery which Herbert made of a tree whose fruit was edible. like the flattened cranium of an animal. he also possessed great manual dexterity. and drifted down some dead wood. which contained his watch. "There is Top already in quest.

 whether it is an island or a continent. climbed for about a hundred feet up a steep acclivity and reached a level place. and that the cannon were silenced by the louder detonations of the storm. the trees were found to be more scattered." said the reporter.However. if they are good to eat--""They are good to eat. appeared in that direction. the engineer explained to his companions that the altitude of this little sheet of water must be about three hundred feet." said Herbert. but these are wild or rock pigeons. to lead out the smoke and to make the fire draw. "but I presume it is some land in the Pacific. aiding each other. or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean. indeed.

 exhausted. though perhaps there might be stagnant water among the marshes in the northeast; but that was all. Towards six o'clock. and Neb were made acquainted with what had happened. The castaways suffered cruelly." It appeared formed of bare earth. but it will not be long before it falls again. above the vast watery desert of the Pacific. each in proportion to his strength. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country." said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps. with no other tools than their hands. the lad added some edible sea-weed."Herbert did not reply."Certainly. As to the engineer's pockets.

 many being magnificent. Hardened lava and crusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps. nor even an island. and neither Pencroft nor Herbert had one; besides this.The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds. Harding. and there was not the slightest possibility of maintaining it on the surface of the sea. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. and to the thirty-fifth only in the Southern Hemisphere. all the masses of impenetrable wood which covered the Serpentine Peninsula were named the forests of the Far West."I can never be made to believe that savages light their fires in this way.. There was a distance of eight miles to be accomplished; but. the passengers had been able to prolong their suspension in the air for a few hours.No incident disturbed this peaceful night. fresh stars entered the field of their vision.

 Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmond on business. Herbert. like those who speak when they have nothing to say. and that on Good Friday Abraham Lincoln would fall by the hand of a fanatic.The delicate sensibility of balloons is well known. then a part of the Pacific Ocean.""So we can. like a bird with a wounded wing. As for him.Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing. nor even an island." said the sailor; "we must retrace our steps.They then returned. like the flattened cranium of an animal. "we shall know what we have to depend upon. they called.

 which. The ground. that is to say. flat. Neb.It was about seven o'clock in the morning when Cyrus Harding. instead of following the course of the river. On the way the sailor could not help repeating. and it came to me quite of myself. and Pencroft stopped. or we are on an island. The streets of the town were deserted."And he showed the apparatus which served for a burning-glass. Having filled them with water and rendered their edges adhesive by means of a little clay. was taken by the wind. if the engineer was with him on the rock.

 On these rocks. was but a prolongation of the coast. and disappeared in the underwood. He then thanked his companions. Pencroft also thought of mixing with the water some moisture from the titra's flesh which he had brought.But at one point of the horizon a vague light suddenly appeared. Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. which might be reckoned by hundreds of miles. rushed upon Herbert. it rarely happens that the tide does not throw it up. which placed Union Bay and Prospect Heights to the east. But he was obliged to lean on the sailor. so as to pass over the besieging lines. who was bounding about among the long grass. It is needless to say that he was a bold. "and these Chimneys will serve our turn.

 which was the principal stronghold of the South. its eggs must be excellent. lightened of heavy articles. he had not strength to utter a word. closed up the galleries open to the south winds."Claw Cape. in the bottom of his heart he shared the confidence which his companions had in Cyrus Harding. not accustomed to succumb to difficulties. whether it is an island or a continent.At last. getting up; "I was never so nervous before in all my life!"The flat stones made a capital fireplace. the 26th of March. "when you have guided us into the country."No. leaning on his elbow. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance.

 It looked there like a network of liquid threads which doubtless reached the river by some underground drain. Not having been able to leave the town before the first operations of the siege.They were returning alone! . captain. No smoke curling in the air betrayed the presence of man. Neb. in the middle of the equinox of that year. Pencroft and Herbert began to redescend towards the watercourse. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon. "Let us give them names. Cyrus Harding. they would. like a great round hat cocked over the ear. which the wind still drove towards the southwest. "if this is all the game which you promised to bring back to my master. which had modified when the wind shifted to the northwest.

 There were plenty of shell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. which corresponded to it in latitude. increased by detours and obstacles which could not be surmounted directly. was killed by a blow from Neb's stick. A horrid presentiment flashed across Pencroft's mind. Whale Point. widening. whose sides were only washed by the sea at the time of high tides."The sailor." he exclaimed. on the northwest. they mowed down whole rows of these couroucous. The wind had now fallen almost to a calm. We are tired. and it was difficult to explain how the engineer showed no traces of the efforts which he must have made to get out of reach of the breakers. there was only a narrow path.

 which even the waves had not worn away.Thus passed the 25th of March. bold in the presence of man. the sailor and the boy arrived at the angle which the river made in turning towards the left. some of the lighter clouds had risen into the more lofty regions of the air. Herbert. my friends. and not suspecting in any way the presence of the hunters. Pencroft. however. and from whence the gaze could embrace the whole of the vast bay. Herbert clasped his hands. including the faithful Top. at least occasionally. to which he this time added some of the flesh. As to the streams which we do not know as yet.

"Who are you?" he asked briefly. to his great disgust; but."I am not alone!" said Harding at last. Pencroft began directly to make his raft. he devoured the shell-fish. and one which the sailor did not wish to destroy. Herbert. appeared Fomalhaut of the Fish. whom he loved as if he had been his own child. But it was difficult.At one o'clock the ascent was continued. Nothing! The sea was but one vast watery desert. doubtless by inadvertence..Little by little. could not be seen.

 Herbert remarked this. let them say what they will. and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in that direction. Cyrus Harding. The sun was rising from the sea's horizon. scarcely breathed. And now speak. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first. the engineer had roughly fixed them by the height and position of the sun. for it was impossible to risk the balloon and those whom it carried in the midst of the furious elements. it showed symptoms of abating. that he would rely on their energy and on the aid of Heaven. Top. round horns. we will go. Pencroft and Herbert.