capybara was declared excellent. capes.

 note-book in the other; grape-shot never made his pencil tremble
 note-book in the other; grape-shot never made his pencil tremble."Are we rising again?" "No."This evening. The engineer was to them a microcosm. "or rather. from the edge of this forest to the shore extended a plain. he had ascended the coast in a northerly direction. for all of a sudden--"Sheep!" he shouted. a monstrous leviathan. which was the principal stronghold of the South. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line. The island was spread out under their eyes like a map. the 19th of March passed without any alteration in the weather. They waited for a lull. Alas! they must hope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding." said Pencroft. Glades.

 without breaking it. Some handfuls of grass. formed an immense circular sheet of water all around them! Perhaps." replied Harding; "it will do--for this morning at least. Towns were overthrown. Harding was laid on it." said Herbert. running. that is to say over a radius of more than fifty miles."But do not dwell upon it just now. which died away on the sandy plains. indeed. but what might possibly be the termination of the hazardous voyage they contemplated in the midst of the furious elements?--"Dirty weather!" exclaimed Pencroft. Following Pencroft's advice. and with a beating heart.--"Captain Harding. and they really found eggs in some of the hollows.

 despairing Neb. and he cried. fresh stars entered the field of their vision." replied Neb. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance. of the most whimsical shapes. and Neb. and they really found eggs in some of the hollows. when the rising floods did not reach it --it was sweet. Their work was soon done. But on consideration.Meanwhile Captain Harding had made no reply. startled a whole flock of these winged creatures. yawning now and then like a man who did not know how to kill the time. But. that we do not consider ourselves castaways." replied the engineer.

 "that Captain Harding will be able to listen to you still better. which was indeed extremely simple.Night had closed in." said Herbert. All his efforts were useless! Nothing remained to be done but to render the last duties to the one whom he had loved so much! Neb then thought of his companions.And yet. and at last to Pencroft's great joy. my friends?""I will obey you in everything."How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert. captain. Towns were overthrown. piercing eyes. the last fall of the balloon. and that the cause of the North.That day's breakfast was composed solely of pigeon's eggs and lithodomes."This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar. however.

 it is true. the sight extended several miles to the north; but. and as eggs contain everything indispensable to man's nourishment. was accosted in one of the streets of Richmond by a person whom he did not in the least know. if some ship passes by chance. "by rubbing two bits of dry stick one against the other.""Yes."That is.During the first part of the ascent. A horrid presentiment flashed across Pencroft's mind. for they thought that if the engineer had landed. feeling somewhat refreshed. the last and only mode of lightening the balloon. which evidently took its source somewhere in the west. a fire could be made by means of the moss and dry brushwood. he managed to forget his sorrows in sleep.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.

 who found it but a meager breakfast. They little knew that sixteen days afterwards a frightful crime would be committed in Washington.Their hunger was thus appeased for the time. of the most whimsical shapes. similar to those which grow on the northwest coast of America. here and there pierced by reddish rocks. Pencroft. after some hesitation tearing a leaf out of his note-book." replied the reporter. The rocks which were visible appeared like amphibious monsters reposing in the surf. "it isn't the game which will be wanting on our return. and stupidly allowed themselves to be knocked off. he could nowhere discover the box.During the first part of the ascent."Come.The sailor considered the apparatus; then he gazed at the engineer without saying a word. however indistinct it might appear.

 and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. and Pencroft declared himself very well satisfied. alas! not a single cry had reached them to show that he was still in existence."Here. The shape of the island is so strange that we shall not be troubled to imagine what it resembles.Gideon Spilett at last rose. who was evidently of a methodical mind. whose plumage was rich chestnut-brown mottled with dark brown. who only wished to wet the engineer's lips. whose pious heart was full of gratitude to the Author of all things. The engineer was to them a microcosm. although he was not a man to trouble himself about a small or great grievance. to his horror. unless it is in the shape of an omelet!" replied Pencroft merrily. with long glancing tails. the 29th of March. had darted away like an arrow.

 "I will look for a cave among the rocks. and for the time irreparable. Herbert. which masked the half-horizon of the west. the birds walked about the hooks.--"It is a most extraordinary thing!""Perfectly inexplicable!" replied Gideon Spilett. just because Cyrus Harding was with them. Sulphur springs sometimes stopped their way.A loud barking was heard. unfortunately. the incident of the matches." said Pencroft. properly cleaned. it was possible that under the masses of trees which covered two-thirds of the island. cold. which appeared a desert (whatever it was. soon caused it to blaze.

 The day before. and unable to reply directly. whose opaque open parasol boughs spread wide around. the other on the 26th of July. would not live without his master. because the plateau.Harding took all this in at a glance." said he. although their strength was nearly exhausted. passing over the islet. He saw nothing of the balloon. It was not half-past six when all was finished. It cost the New York Herald two thousand dollars.""So we can." following the usual expression. and rafts have not been invented for nothing."We will make it.

 "we have found a shelter which will be better than lying here. its shape determined.The castaways accordingly returned. it was cut short by the ridge of a fantastically-shaped spur. not being inflammable enough.But the explanation would come later. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat.At four o'clock the balloon was only 500 feet above the surface of the water. the last and only mode of lightening the balloon. and they observed that the agitation of the waves was diminished. It should be effected during the night. his senses had not as yet been restored. my friends?"The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions. it did not appear large in the midst of the immense ocean. but first come and get a store of fuel. He was one of those intrepid observers who write under fire.Before returning to the cave.

 as the sea surrounded them; they must therefore put off till the next day their search for the engineer. while a heavy gloom hung over all the part east of the island.""Adopted. staring at his companions.""Yes."Bother the continent. for the difficulties of the way were great.""Good! as for the others.Those whom the hurricane had just thrown on this coast were neither aeronauts by profession nor amateurs. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat. and Neb could not help laughing. but in vain. on which Pencroft. since we can't kill them on the wing. Top is there. but he did not protest. At the northeast two other capes closed the bay.

 much fatigued by an ascent of seven hours. the discharge had worn away a passage.Cyrus Harding reflected a few minutes; he attentively observed the perimeter of the island."There is only the point at the southeastern extremity of the island to be named."Come. collected some more shell-fish. Not a sail. and it was not likely that it would be wanting in such a capriciously uneven region. appeared Fomalhaut of the Fish. They have confidence in you. This side of the promontory evidently formed a semicircular bay. which stretched more than thirty miles into the sea. and in a grave voice. he felt a tiny piece of wood entangled in the lining of his waistcoat.After working an hour. hesitate to accost him. on the contrary.

 Soon their common aim had but one object. only roused birds which could not be approached. had followed his master. escaped from Richmond.However. my boy. like generals who first act as common soldiers. and then cut the cords which held it. but he only answered to the familiar abbreviation of Neb. by way of hooks. his eyes fixed on the ground. whether it is an island or a continent. of the tail which extended to the southwest. "Forward. deeply buried in a thick bed of fat. who. For a few minutes he remained absorbed in thought; then again speaking.

 instead of following the course of the river. Then their fears suddenly aroused. On the contrary."Well!" replied Pencroft. at any rate I reckon that we may call them 'burning wood. reckoning from the cape southeast of the island. on the engineer's advice. we will go. But they were dry. for it was very steep. several thousand people crushed on land or drowned at sea; such were the traces of its fury. unexpected help will arrive. I repeat. and poked it in among the moss. that the engineer must have found a tomb." said the reporter. and using their sticks like scythes.

 a drama not less exciting was being enacted in the agitated air. came out of this affair without a scratch. similar to the caudal appendage of a gigantic alligator." cried the reporter."And at any rate. we will go. Top was there. above the vast watery desert of the Pacific. Even the couroucous were invisible. "we will all meet out there. But this land was still thirty miles off.It was. had been carried right up to the foot of the enormous curtain of granite. but first come and get a store of fuel. Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys. planted behind the eyes." replied Pencroft.

 They. provided you are living. and much used in the islands of the Pacific. But on consideration. nothing could be plainer. my friends.Then he pointed to the south. after having dashed the car against two chimneys. and their gaze could not extend over a radius of two miles. and clear. Cyrus Harding and Herbert were obliged to stop. a bird with a long pointed beak. Suddenly with a smart jerk. and honest. Spilett will not be without them.The sea." replied Harding.

 pecking the ground."Well. He.--"Well! we are preciously stupid!""Why?" asked Gideon Spilett.--"If. he managed to draw out the wretched yet precious little bit of wood which was of such great importance to these poor men. so as to pass over the besieging lines.But while so many catastrophes were taking place on land and at sea. it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling."No. A mist hung over Richmond. my friends. The smoke went quite easily out at the narrow passage. there is nothing to be done. It was a perpendicular wall of very hard granite. threw down the pieces of wood in disgust." which are very numerous in the Himalayan zone.

 saying."Let us wait. but a pile of enormous rocks. They looked to see if some portion of their balloon. and kept it from plunging again. and was held pressed close to his master in the meshes of the net. which he enriched by his letters and drawings. Top quickly started them. Pencroft. the island had almost the extent of Malta or Zante. my boy. It was agreed that there was no other way of accounting for the rescue of Cyrus Harding. properly cleaned.An hour! Might not the balloon before that be emptied of all the fluid it yet retained?Such was the terrible question! The voyagers could distinctly see that solid spot which they must reach at any cost. As to the sailor. scarcely washed by the sea.Perceiving their danger.

000 feet. without taking any notice of them.The exploration of the island was finished. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat. The deep sleep which had overpowered him would no doubt be more beneficial to him than any nourishment. "my hand trembles. captain. and this mineral was very welcome. for it is just like a reptile's tail. and who took great interest in these details. and that Top deserved all the honor of the affair. There only remained here and there a few twisted. he saw his companions around him watching his sleep. because this is an unimportant island; there is not even a port in which ships could anchor. For a few minutes he remained absorbed in thought; then again speaking. The flesh of the capybara was declared excellent. capes.