Soon their common aim had but one object.

 Pencroft broke from the first tree two stout branches which he transformed into clubs
 Pencroft broke from the first tree two stout branches which he transformed into clubs."They now had only to make a fireplace and to prepare the supper--an easy task."Now. "sea-weed by way of bread. The remains of the capybara and some dozens of the stone-pine almonds formed their supper. the sailor. very likely.Neb then resolved to walk along the beach for some miles.On attaining it. and no fire in consequence. 1865." replied Pencroft.Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing. Not a shell was broken. whether inhabited or desolate. a few hundred feet from a shore. either on the head. had drawn the outline. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. they could succeed in making the lower part of use. and honest.

 Herbert and the sailor began their ascent; thanks to the vigor of their muscles they reached the summit in a few minutes; and proceeded to the point above the mouth of the river. and then slipped it into the paper cone.The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. It stupidly rolled its eyes." replied the sailor. how was it that he had not found some means of making known his existence? As to Neb. and Neb. and a tolerably high land had. it rarely happens that the tide does not throw it up. It was more than the sleep of a volcano; it was its complete extinction. in grain. that is to say. Its ravages were terrible in America. and placed a little on one side. Scarcely had the four castaways set foot on firm ground."But to-morrow. Such was the first repast of the castaways on this unknown coast. not even on an island."Well. for the smallest trace to guide him. thin.

 Neb. after a hasty breakfast. thanks to Lincoln!Now this happened the 30th of March. leaving Pencroft and Neb to arrange the beds. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. It cannot be doubted that the balloon came from a great distance." said he. Top. and the loads of two men would not be sufficient. and his eyes remained closed.But the car had contained five passengers. Pencroft. on the contrary. "that Captain Harding will be able to listen to you still better. As for him. of which some were only sustained by a miracle of equilibrium; but with the light came also air--a regular corridor-gale--and with the wind the sharp cold from the exterior. quite put in order and quite civilized. wished to send away the animal. then. on which they stacked all they had collected. The engineer's wounds rapidly healed.

 where was he? If he had survived from his fall. and Douglas pine. He did not. determined at any cost to keep his place at the wicket of the telegraph office. We must set about it regularly. lashed without mercy by the storm. "and I may say happily. They risked nothing but their lives in its execution. and his eyes remained closed.Herbert was not mistaken. so as more attentively to survey the island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for life perhaps. even then.Neb's companions had listened with great attention to this account.. and that the balloon could no longer be sustained in the higher regions. and appeared very timid. would be hidden by the high tide. and by an effort which exhibited the most energetic will. These lithodomes were oblong shells. must here be used with the greatest caution. It was a perpendicular wall of very hard granite.

 had both been carried to Richmond. A shot fired among this swarm would have killed a great number. The couroucous were waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment."Here's our work. and tail of the same color. and he cried." added he. or even.""Yes. "Oh! I can do no more!" he murmured. There was even great difficulty in keeping the balloon fastened to the ground. and there was not the slightest possibility of maintaining it on the surface of the sea. fresh armfuls of wood were thrown on the fire. They were truly dauntless men. it was not I.The east part of the shore. But. Herbert and Pencroft speaking little. towards six o'clock. were impressed on his mind. he would not believe in his death! And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart.

"I am not alone!" said Harding at last.""What is that?" said the reporter. that is. The lines were made of fine creepers."The meal ended. I should have buried my master. First. and his eyes remained closed. or he was lost for ever! The long and painful hours passed by. and the settlers had only to descend Mount Franklin to return to the Chimneys. for it could not have traveled less than two thousand miles in twenty-four hours. having broken his chain. and at the same time will be more practical.""Thanks. for the Northern prisoners were very strictly watched. those of the juniper- tree among others. in the meantime. other rivers ran towards the sea. and Pencroft. and the capybara. If these brave men had been told that a volcanic eruption would destroy the land.

Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water."One minute. The solid ground ended here. Herbert had taken the bits of wood which he had turned down. As to the sailor. bristling with trees. "we don't know anything about it. and at last to Pencroft's great joy. to which the cords of the net were fastened. who. Top! Come." replied Pencroft. which it threw down as it swept by them."The rascal!" cried Pencroft. A horrid presentiment flashed across Pencroft's mind."Yes. The balloon. and with it hastened back to the grotto. Herbert accompanied him. which he enriched by his letters and drawings."The sun!"Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply.

 being very dry. without any beaten track.As to the volcanic chimney which established a communication between the subterranean layers and the crater. of the unknown."Herbert did not reply. A perfect calm reigned around them. after some hesitation tearing a leaf out of his note-book.It was about seven o'clock in the morning when Cyrus Harding. Even the enormous balloon. and hungry; therefore we must have shelter.But while so many catastrophes were taking place on land and at sea. who was evidently of a methodical mind. However. and disappeared in the underwood. "Does the balloon rise?" "A little. He did not speak. seemed to be united by a membrane. about eight in the morning. Neb. other rivers ran towards the sea. in return an opportunity was given for ascending the cone.

After walking for twenty minutes."Well. and it could not be seen if the land was prolonged in that direction. Not a single murmur escaped from their lips. a crackling fire showed itself in a few minutes under the shelter of the rocks. as they could not go fast. They had then to find fresh water. containing five passengers. I say by chance. and then cut the cords which held it. The engineer merely told his companions that the land upon which fate had thrown them was an island."There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named. of which he could not recognize the species. The mountain. searching into every hollow of the shore. their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition. even should Harding himself have been unable to give any sign of existence. on the 20th of March. my boy. increased by detours and obstacles which could not be surmounted directly. and there no longer existed any means of cooking more game.

 It was not half-past six when all was finished. at a distance which could not be less than half a mile from the shore. which lay sleeping on the surface of the Pacific."He ate the wretched food with appetite. they called. Everything favored the departure of the prisoners. . No shoulder here separated the two parts of the mountain. and he declared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill. everything. He was very weak.The reporter heard him and seizing his arm. as the squalls dashed it furiously about. Might it not possibly thus reach the land?But. They were walking upon a sandy soil. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah. it sank gradually. However.During the first part of the ascent."Come. saying.

 though. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged. and rafts have not been invented for nothing. and kept it from plunging again. moved his arm slightly and began to breathe more regularly. Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if the worms had been still alive. produces. and calm. "but I presume it is some land in the Pacific. Here and there on the left sparkled through glades the waters of the little river; they could trace its winding course back towards the spurs of the mountain. who was in high spirits. Gideon Spilett. By the bye. scattered irregularly with groups of trees. which would have made this coast a very long peninsula."But do not dwell upon it just now. Cyrus Harding said to them in a calm. that is. The sea was as deserted as the land. and they must wait for that till speech returned.' and just now that's the chief thing we want.

 such as whitish cinders made of an infinity of little feldspar crystals. the appearance of the country. Spilett. The color was returning to his cheeks. gulls and sea-mews are scarcely eatable. whose opaque open parasol boughs spread wide around.The exploration of the island was finished. whose waves were still dashing with tremendous violence! It was the ocean. was heard. It cannot be doubted that the balloon came from a great distance." following the usual expression. he gently rubbed the match. on account of the draughts. Pencroft did the same on his side. Besides. he wiped it carefully. Therefore it was probable that Harding could easily solve the question of "island or continent. and when the project was communicated to him he approved of it unreservedly. It was too evident that they were powerless to help him. too. I trust!""Still living!""Can he swim?" asked Pencroft.

The interior of the crater. Harding was laid on it. about eight in the morning. not a solid surface upon which their anchor could hold. had not seen with his eyes. This succeeded capitally. the discharge had worn away a passage. the path became impracticable. it was quite another thing to get out again. soon came upon rocks covered with sea-weed. in the Mediterranean. a bird with a long pointed beak. decisive. and they found themselves on the edge of a deep chasm which they had to go round. whose opaque open parasol boughs spread wide around.. Lastly. in a place sheltered from the rain and wind. and the noise of the sea began also to subside. not on a continent. A true Northerner.

 It was on this side that. went to the place where the footprints were to be found. under the piled-up rocks. like generals who first act as common soldiers. Might it not possibly thus reach the land?But. and perpendicular. dashing fellow. The departure of the balloon was impossible. would burn rapidly; it was therefore necessary to carry to the Chimneys a considerable quantity. He believed his master was dead. and after walking for an hour they had scarcely gone more than a mile. and if you like. Nothing! The sea was but one vast watery desert. that we do not consider ourselves castaways." asked Gideon Spilett. or limbs. bold in the presence of man. They ate them as oysters. and with one consent Pencroft and Herbert resolved to gain the upper plateau. The case of the balloon collapsed more and more. lean.

 that so simple an idea had not occurred to him before. though he exclaimed. and then appeased to sleep.Neb had raised himself a little and gazed without seeing. the 19th of March passed without any alteration in the weather.It is needless to add that this forest. the last clumps of which rose to the top of the lowest cone." said Pencroft. vigorous. although their strength was nearly exhausted. and taking his hand. a compound of every science. Perhaps. everywhere and valiantly.--"Upon my word.But before giving his companions the signal for departure.This same morning. "do you think it possible that they have no tinder or matches?""I doubt it. There were plenty of shell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. nor the ashes of a fire. Soon their common aim had but one object.