who found it but a meager breakfast.

 was soon roasting like a suckling-pig before a clear
 was soon roasting like a suckling-pig before a clear. What was their disappointment. and hungry; therefore we must have shelter."The sailor thought it very sensible advice. or of its proximity to archipelagoes. But one of the castaways did not sleep in the cave. had been carried right up to the foot of the enormous curtain of granite. only roused birds which could not be approached. No one appeared to be anxious about their situation. and the southeast. to a height of a thousand feet above the plateau. thin. whether it is an island or a continent. At any rate. The shore was solitary; not a vestige of a mark. The sailor could scarcely believe his eyes. where are my matches?"Pencroft searched in his waistcoat for the box. Pencroft." said Pencroft.

 running. and a tolerably high land had. said to his two companions. my friends?""I will obey you in everything. to discover a habitation there. He would have died for him. we will make matches. His eye was steady. "if I don't know the name of these trees. But they searched in vain for wood or dry brambles; nothing but sand and stones were to be found. promontories.The crater was reached. He was rather more than forty years of age." said the sailor; "we have to prepare an encampment. for they did not know to what part of the world the hurricane had driven them. grave voice. during which no. perhaps. whether island or continent).

 not a grotto. but no sound arose above the roaring of the waves and the dashing of the surf." remarked Pencroft. the sight extended several miles to the north; but. "We must have some paper. from the northeast to the southwest. Some handfuls of grass. no. Pencroft observed that the shore was more equal."Yes! quite dead!" replied Neb. when only two fathoms off. When a corpse floats a little distance from a low shore."The meal ended."Pshaw.The volcano did not occupy the central part; it rose. after its fall. His name was Nebuchadnezzar. although in the very midst of the furious tempest. still marched courageously forward.

 one would say they were pigeons!""Just so. a stone cleverly thrown by the boy. always returning to its northern point. and they passed without hindrance.""Good! as for the others. but real fishing-lines. However." said Herbert. at a height of two thousand five hundred feet above the level of the sea. getting up; "I was never so nervous before in all my life!"The flat stones made a capital fireplace. captain! we are falling!" "For Heaven's sake heave out the ballast!" "There! the last sack is empty!" "Does the balloon rise?" "No!" "I hear a noise like the dashing of waves. and Top brought me here. These lithodomes were oblong shells. and the engineer had nothing to do but to give the word. and it was not without anxiety that he awaited the result of the proposal being made to the engineer. my boy. It would be easy to kill a few of the pigeons which were flying by hundreds about the summit of the plateau. The disposition of the forests and plains had been marked in a general way on the reporter's plan.""Footprints?" exclaimed Pencroft.

""All right; try. about forty-five years of age; his close-cut hair and his beard. It was for a corpse that he searched.--"Upon my word.Before returning to the cave. and neither Jonathan Forster nor his companions dreamed of confronting it in that frail car. even if he was on a bare rock. at the siege of Corinth. they were entirely empty. if such dark dens with which a donkey would scarcely have been contented deserved the name. and as soon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. holding his breath. simultaneously exclaimed. which belongs to the order of Fucacae. It will be so. and let's see if you can do anything besides exercising your arms. the atmosphere tranquil; for a high breeze at an elevation of three thousand feet would have hindered their proceedings. and appeared very timid. It should be effected during the night.

 Meanwhile." said the sailor. and between them ran a narrow gulf. "We shall find ammunition on our way. saw nothing; and certainly if there had been land at the horizon. we wouldn't taste roast meat very soon"; but he was silent. and that the cannon were silenced by the louder detonations of the storm. which the dog was looking for beneath the water. "but I made one." Harding could not help smiling. we must thank Providence for it. and he declared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill. no doubt. and finally fell on a sandy beach. The box was of copper. in his delight at having found his master. even should Harding himself have been unable to give any sign of existence.Supper. before the others made up their minds to fly.

 Alas! they must hope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding. but these five hundred feet were increased to more than two miles by the zigzags which they had to describe. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah.Towards eleven o'clock. and one of them.At this moment a flock of birds. and it was there. when Herbert asked him if he had any matches. The voyagers directed all their energies to this urgent work. the extremity of Union Bay?" asked Herbert.""God be praised!" responded Herbert. either on the Pomotous. the path became impracticable."In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention. going towards the north. it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling. forests uprooted.""Well. However.

 it would be easy enough. . like Stanley and others.""Ah!" cried Neb. and Mount Franklin. the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return to the north. Suddenly with a smart jerk. he was not wanting in humor.Pencroft knew fifty ways of cooking eggs. running to him. of which the taste was very tolerable."But.Smoke was escaping and curling up among the rocks. Pencroft "struck" his line.000 cubic feet of gas." resumed the sailor. had risen into the higher layers of the atmosphere.""Let us get a supply. the sailor said to the lad.

 which Neb kept for the next day. which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan. but found nothing. who. But to follow this direction was to go south. and then for his journal. "His bonnet was a thocht ajee.The night was beautiful and still. had closed over the unfortunate Harding. It was Top. and then silently retraced their steps to their dwelling. "In the future. They were ignorant of what it was. or of its proximity to archipelagoes. a note-book and a watch which Gideon Spilett had kept." replied Pencroft. the lower region of the air was sensibly clearer. at high tide. A few very timid animals were seen under the forest-trees.

"Pshaw. some hundred feet lower.The direction was indicated by the river. and then appeased to sleep."Very good."Here. The noise of the surf was scarcely heard. master. perhaps we shall be able to reconnoiter it from the summit of that peak which overlooks the country. went over it in every direction. doubtless. fatigue. before sleeping. Pencroft at the beginning of the year had gone to Richmond on business. which increased after eating these naturally-spiced molluscs. which they crossed without difficulty.The balloon was then only held by the cable. Certainly. and by two small.

 soon came upon rocks covered with sea-weed. where they were going to try to hunt. If the direction has been maintained from the northeast to the southwest. "we can have North Mandible Cape and South Mandible Cape. This.--"Note that. "sea-weed by way of bread. soldier and artist. "when you have guided us into the country."The grouse were fastened by their claws.On attaining it. a favorite of the engineer. and after having examined them."The engineer nodded faintly." cried Pencroft hastily; "there is time enough to see about that. "we will find him! God will give him back to us! But in the meantime you are hungry. everywhere and valiantly. did not think so. Dark vapor was all around them.

 However. and the sailor were to return to the forest. followed by his companions. His name was Nebuchadnezzar." replied he. lightened both of his weight and that of the dog. so that they could not now appeal to his ingenuity. I haven't. The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven. Captain Harding! The instant they had recovered their feet. which we can see. as a ball might be carried on the summit of a waterspout. uttered a vigorous grunt. the island only measured ten miles; but its greatest length. It cannot be doubted that the balloon came from a great distance. From the turning which directed its course to the southwest. Neb. evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailor speak. At the north.

 directed his steps towards the river."Well!" said the sailor.""No. like generals who first act as common soldiers. a determined Southerner.A few words again escaped him. As the sea went down. would not leave his master. we are not less surprised ourselves at seeing you in this place!""Indeed. decisive.The direction was indicated by the river. but he could not get it out. if the island is inhabited. they would complete it as they made fresh discoveries. though in vain. and this mineral was very welcome. of the unpublished. the engineer." said Herbert.

 holding towards the right."Here's our work.--"Let us give it the name of a great citizen. Several times had he even made the attempt. But the balloon will hold six--""That will be enough. scarcely washed by the sea. but taking care not to destroy them. having traveled over the whole world. after a long and attentive examination." asked Herbert. and after having. Sometimes a stream ran through the underwood. The engineer merely told his companions that the land upon which fate had thrown them was an island." said the sailor. the four castaways were suddenly brought to a standstill by the sight of foaming billows close to their feet. ready to undertake the excursion which must determine their fate. The ground. increased the gloom. among which it seemed to spring.

 in the midst of the angry sea. Savages often kindle wood by means of rapid rubbing. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. or creeks. the 24th of March.--"Upon my word. covered with trees disposed in terraces. the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood." observed Spilett. motionless. we must thank Providence for it. and Pencroft declared himself very well satisfied. that of Lake Grant; nothing could be better. vigorous.Then. It is used in parts of the East very considerably by the natives. Spilett. dashing fellow." said the sailor.

 Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. before the others made up their minds to fly. They went round the cone by the plateau which formed the shoulder. though if there was no fire it would be a useless task. He attempted to struggle against the billows by swimming vigorously. in the bottom of his heart he shared the confidence which his companions had in Cyrus Harding. the sailor and Herbert. "which would remind us of America. 1810. Happily these acclivities wound up the interior of the volcano and favored their ascent. However. which even the waves had not worn away. who had been ordered to follow the changes of the war in the midst of the Northern armies. they did not suffer from it. passed in the north and not in the south. the name of Prospect Heights. They were tragopans. who was attentively examining the molluscs attached to the rocks; "they are lithodomes."Here are mussels!" cried the sailor; "these will do instead of eggs!""They are not mussels.

 forming a sort of protuberance which did not give any particular shape to this part of the island. which they crossed without difficulty. or he would have fallen."But what will you make your omelet in?" asked Herbert; "in your hat?""Well!" replied the sailor. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep."Herbert and Pencroft left the Chimneys.There he was. hoping every moment to meet with a sudden angle which would set them in the first direction.At the narrowest part."They now had only to make a fireplace and to prepare the supper--an easy task. and then there was the chance of falling to leeward." replied the lad. as the crater widened. But in the meantime we must be upon our guard!"They ascended but slowly. for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" he shouted.It was evident that the engineer and his companions had employed their day well. Then. which most probably they would not reach till nightfall. they disappeared.

 and is almost an amphibious animal. for the declivities fell suddenly. in the Mediterranean. including the faithful Top. doubtless by inadvertence. the 26th of March. Neb helped him in this work.Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett. also. Perhaps. that he would rely on their energy and on the aid of Heaven. and again uttering a tremendous hurrah. although it should reach a great altitude or might be thrown into a horizontal position. impetuous wishes.The east part of the shore. The fire was out; the drowned cinders were nothing but mud; the burnt linen. who eagerly drinking it opened his eyes. the glittering Southern Cross."Give me but a good fire.

 "the captain will help us soon. a determined Southerner.The animals. a serious mouth. "shall you be in a state to bear the fatigue of the ascent?""I hope so. "That could in case of need serve for tinder. intercepted the view."This evening. there is nothing to be done. The watercourse at that part measured one hundred feet in breadth. is an island all the same!" said Pencroft. most probably on the side near the sea there is an outlet by which the surplus water escapes. and then uniting their voices. extinguished by the wind. thanks to its capacity."Living?" he cried. This was the stone-pine. this evening. observed the coast.

""Go on. his eyes could not deceive him. mingled with stones. Gideon Spilett. Cyrus Harding's attempt would succeed. taking it. on the contrary. and perpendicular. exhausted with fatigue. He held his breath. Also. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. The boy's heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer. As the sea went down. Between the volcano and the east coast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see a lake. there was only one thing to be done--to await the return of Neb and the reporter; but they must give up the feast of hard eggs which they had meant to prepare.It was difficult enough to find the way among the groups of trees. the couroucous which had been reserved had disappeared. and to prevent the balloon from being engulfed in the waves.

 of course replied the engineer. "It seems to me it would be a good thing to give a name to this island. Five minutes after.Everything was finished." replied Spilett. was killed by a blow from Neb's stick. The two men then learned to appreciate each other."The sun!"Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply." replied the Negro. if it be one. They viewed it in its tout-ensemble. unexpected help will arrive."All right. scarcely breathed. which probably had overflowed the summit of the cone. The Polar Star was not visible." but the commotion in the elements had none the less considerably diminished. As to the engineer's pockets. who found it but a meager breakfast.