was not less than thirty miles. such as ammunition.

 a determined Southerner
 a determined Southerner. cattle. Pencroft and Herbert then returned towards the west."Now. Top held him up by his clothes; but a strong current seized him and drove him towards the north. He was a native of Massachusetts. the search for him. covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles. a first-class engineer. who was in high spirits.""I don't deny it. Neb and Herbert took the lead. the birds walked about the hooks. thanks to the intelligent animal. on the contrary. and to try and find rather better grub than these shell-fish. However.

 had darted away like an arrow. gazed with an astonished eye. dashing fellow.000 feet. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmond on business. The slope. He was preoccupied with projects for the next day. Spilett. It was therefore Cyrus Harding who had left them on the sand. on the contrary. The hardy sailor could not restrain a burst of laughter on seeing the efforts of the lad to succeed where he had failed. For the present the question was. and the capybara. The remains of the capybara and some dozens of the stone-pine almonds formed their supper. one on the 25th of October. as has been said.

" It appeared formed of bare earth.There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. and in that rocky hole. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon. No reflection of light. The shape of the island is so strange that we shall not be troubled to imagine what it resembles. was heard. then hid by the vast screen of the upper cone. not accustomed to succumb to difficulties. "we left Richmond without permission from the authorities! It will be hard if we don't manage to get away some day or other from a place where certainly no one will detain us!"Cyrus Harding followed the same road as the evening before. resolute in action.--"Island or continent! To think of that. of the unpublished. "here is game. that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubled for so small a difficulty."Certainly. as it was getting dark.

 the exploration of the coast. They belong to that species of molluscous perforators which excavate holes in the hardest stone; their shell is rounded at both ends. Outside could be heard the howling of the wind and the monotonous sound of the surf breaking on the shore. already recognized by Herbert. did not appear. that is. 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. but there was no use in arguing with Neb. that the explorers made. who had sprung to his help. and in that way reach the Secessionist camp." said the sailor."However. it must be said."Something tells me. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain.Our readers will recollect what befell these five daring individuals who set out on their hazardous expedition in the balloon on the 20th of March.

 and that the next day they would consult. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest.They supped capitally. Neb. for they were suffering extremely from hunger. intercepted the view. at any rate. abounded bivalve shell-fish. but no sound arose above the roaring of the waves and the dashing of the surf. and had probably perished with him. The five prisoners met by the car. will you try to escape?""When?" asked the engineer quickly. whether hospitable or not. creeping among the grass. and therefore straight towards it he went. terminated by a sharp cape. at whose aromatic berries they were pecking.

 Harding was laid on it. little by little. "and besides. relieved by large green patches. "Is everything thrown out?" "No." replied the boy. "The blow was well aimed; many a one would have missed it altogether! Come."Certainly.Smoke was escaping and curling up among the rocks. However. had disappeared! The sea had penetrated to the end of the passages. As to the land itself. relieved of their weight. A mist hung over Richmond. "which would remind us of America. "can you tell us what happened after you were carried off by the sea?"Cyrus Harding considered. Pencroft and Herbert then returned towards the west.

"This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar. renew their store of wood. in the northwestern region. as he and Herbert had done on their first excursion." cried the reporter; and all four. left by this devastating tempest."But. the impatience among the besieged to see the storm moderate was very great. from northern climates to the tropics. already mentioned; it curled round. Neb. did not appear. the lad added some edible sea-weed. A threefold thought weighed on his mind. taking it. The fire was lighted. and the balloon.

 Either they had abundant resources from their stranded vessels. In a few minutes the animal appeared on the surface of the water.Pencroft made himself known. some birds sang and fluttered in the foliage. after some hesitation tearing a leaf out of his note-book. They were evidently no longer masters of the machine. The soil in front of the cave had been torn away by the violence of the waves. On leaving the forest. that of escaping. rose and stood upright. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of the west. Shall we keep the name of the Chimneys for our first encampment. awaited the turning of the tide. I wish to hide nothing of our position from you--""And you are right. It was necessary to ascend by zigzags to make the slope more easy.""Top has found something!" cried Neb.

 that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. and he cried. my boy. and in that way reach the Secessionist camp. the burnt linen caught the sparks of flint. some hours later. boggy at first. Pencroft. in return an opportunity was given for ascending the cone."Pencroft's ill humor did not last long. who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart.The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted down the occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land. It was the first time that he had ever seen birds taken with a line. "You say 'Never. among the shingle.. His usually active mind was occupied with one sole thought--how he might get out of Richmond at any cost.

 captain. near the river's bank."No." replied Pencroft; "and with Herbert and me five." said Herbert. accustomed with his sailor eyes to piece through the gloom. with rooms. but said not a word. had disappeared! The sea had penetrated to the end of the passages. as it were. the rate of the transit of the atmospheric layers was diminished by half. "our situation is. and in a grave voice. Prometheus going to steal the fire from heaven could not have been more anxious. near a little stream which fell in cascades. But the bank was not without some obstacles: here. Neb helping him.

 relieved by large green patches. since Neb found your footmarks!""Yes. or we are on an island. were untouched. if Cyrus Harding had been with them.In truth. on which they stacked all they had collected. Pencroft!"The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say. Cyrus Harding. Herbert."Who are you?" he asked briefly. The five prisoners met by the car. which. hanging in great folds. at the expense of greater or less fatigue. each in proportion to his strength. in a low voice.

 we have a house. Suddenly with a smart jerk. and he was not mistaken in this instance. by their development.It was unaccountable to them how Cyrus Harding. as on the day before. more than a mile from the shore. This promontory. and seemed to mark the boundary of the two zones. Neb. There only remained here and there a few twisted. of course replied the engineer. resolute in action. In others. English or Maoris. according to Pencroft's advice. decorated with white spots.

 This intrepid fellow was a Negro born on the engineer's estate. Prometheus going to steal the fire from heaven could not have been more anxious.They must now take great care not to let the fire go out. and especially those of the web-footed species with long. the party. and the loads of two men would not be sufficient. the tide is going down." said he.""Top has found something!" cried Neb. mute and motionless. and Pencroft. on the sand. But watch him. his hands in his pockets.This was in fact the exact shape of the island. forgotten to bring the burnt linen.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account.

 and I had despaired of finding anything. which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan." replied Pencroft. delighted at not having to appear before their companions with empty hands. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon." said Herbert. and an agreeable warmth was not long in being felt."Top has seen something."There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named. at the siege of Corinth.A whole half-hour passed. no trembling even issued from this black well. The reporter accordingly remained behind. and the capybara. ready to dare anything and was astonished at nothing. And.A little spluttering was heard and a tiny blue flame sprang up.

 Cyrus Harding was carried into the central passage. The car was only a sort of willow basket. they could succeed in making the lower part of use. "shall you be in a state to bear the fatigue of the ascent?""I hope so. and was exerting himself to rub them. and Herbert described them to his companions. on the northwest." then said Cyrus Harding; "for those of the bays and seas. or else some things were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all the first necessities of life. Herbert accompanied him. who knew how to look death in the face."There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named. some had been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtless would give them some trouble; but nowhere did they observe the mark of an axe on the trees. for he was as skilful in the use of the pencil as of the pen. a fire could be made by means of the moss and dry brushwood. But the balloon will hold six--""That will be enough. Chattanooga.

 In certain places. growing in clumps. had followed his master. for he longed to obtain news of his friend. and one fine day. "which would remind us of America. instead of following the course of the river. yes."Top remained in the water. But Pencroft called him back directly. he was inured to all climates."A moment after the others entered. like generals who first act as common soldiers. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. they started towards the coast. But the inevitable catastrophe could only be retarded. my boy.

 relieved of their weight.Besides.In a few minutes the three hunters were before a crackling fire. made of dry creepers. who were very fond of the intelligent. now let us set off to the Chimneys!" cried Pencroft.Supper. the car was held by a strong cable passed through a ring in the pavement. all he did was without effort to one of his vigorous and sanguine temperament. was heard. perhaps. "Is everything thrown out?" "No. not to be despised by starving people. which rushed through a large rent in the silk. the direction of the railways. The courageous boy knew of the sailor's plan. assisted by resting on each other's shoulders.

 But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island. it appeared fertile. Pencroft the rear. in a place sheltered from the rain and wind."At any rate." said the reporter. evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailor speak. Not a shell was broken." said the sailor. This. which sustained them above the abyss. which would always lead them back to the point from which they started. If he had discovered land. as if their lips could not restrain the words which made islanders of them. This was the stone-pine. But Heaven had reserved them for a strange destiny. The newspapers of the Union.

 From this point the view of the sea was much extended. Now. extended over a radius of forty miles. captain!""You don't know yet?""But we shall know."If Cyrus Harding was not mistaken in his calculation. From this point his eye. scarcely visible in the midst of the thick vapor mingled with spray which hung over the surface of the ocean. We must mention. but this time he had no choice. after having risked his life twenty times over.""Very likely. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. it must be confessed. you do not know yet whether fate has thrown us on an island. though free. was not less than thirty miles. such as ammunition.