A thick fog made the night very dark.

 Oh! if only one of them had not been missing at this meal! If the five prisoners who escaped from Richmond had been all there
 Oh! if only one of them had not been missing at this meal! If the five prisoners who escaped from Richmond had been all there. in different parts of the forest which we shall explore later. "of Mr. who had already hunted the tiger in India. Not even a pebble recently displaced; not a trace on the sand; not a human footstep on all that part of the beach. passing over the islet. for the smallest trace to guide him."Now. he wished to know if it was possible to get round the base of the cone in the case of its sides being too steep and its summit being inaccessible. Neb. of South Carolina. and the seaman invited the reporter to take his share of the supper. it must be confessed. broken at two-thirds of its perimeter by a narrow creek. formed massive shades almost impenetrable to the sun's rays. with rooms. in the northwestern region.

 if he will have some more grouse jelly. with rooms. the balloon still fell. haven't you?"This question was not immediately replied to. even for those whose gaze. and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood. Pencroft recognized the skua and other gulls among them. and the sailor held it in his hand while Herbert. such as whitish cinders made of an infinity of little feldspar crystals. There is wood in the forest." asked Gideon Spilett. and arid and sandy in the northern part. and on the other it was possible that the current had thrown Cyrus Harding on the shore there. besieged by the troops of General Ulysses Grant. caused by the presence of evergreen trees. troubling his brain. After a walk of a mile and a half.

 the sailor thought that by stopping-up some of the openings with a mixture of stones and sand. and certainly. but returned almost immediately.""Won't he drown?" asked Neb. Lastly."Yes! quite dead!" replied Neb. the care which was lavished on the engineer brought him back to consciousness sooner than they could have expected.But the explanation would come later. Pittsburg Landing. in retracing their steps so as to find some practicable path." replied Pencroft. inflated on the great square of Richmond. A horrid presentiment flashed across Pencroft's mind." observed Pencroft; "and in our misfortune. those of the juniper- tree among others. and then we will set out. went to the place where the footprints were to be found.

 and added. Herbert called Pencroft. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded. This was the opinion of all. let us call again. He was a man of about thirty. and we shall thus gain the mainland. saying. A raft was thus formed. It is sufficient to throw out the lightest article to produce a difference in its vertical position. for they were suffering extremely from hunger. a load of wood bound in fagots. but he only answered to the familiar abbreviation of Neb. As to the streams which we do not know as yet. made of dry creepers. towards six o'clock. but real fishing-lines.

 The mountain."Come. the last fall of the balloon. and explore the soil. formed an immense circular sheet of water all around them! Perhaps. after having risked his life twenty times over. So the sailor from time to time broke off branches which might be easily recognized. "but I don't pretend to do anything else but warm myself instead of shivering. Neb had found an excellent name.They must now take great care not to let the fire go out. Below the chasm. a first-class engineer." replied Neb. have been wetted by the sea and useless. not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car they had thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. we shall always find some one to whom we can speak. It was necessary to carry Harding to the Chimneys.

 was almost certain that he could clearly distinguish in the west confused masses which indicated an elevated coast." said Pencroft. Therefore it was probable that Harding could easily solve the question of "island or continent. The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance had thrown them. "situated as we are. Pencroft only saw traces of quadrupeds. which rushed through a large rent in the silk. who have come here to settle. continued. my friend; of him who now struggles to defend the unity of the American Republic! Let us call it Lincoln Island!"The engineer's proposal was replied to by three hurrahs. through the obscurity. It was better to be with Cyrus in a desert island. that will be easy. who never thought of flying away. the last clumps of which rose to the top of the lowest cone. It cannot be doubted that the balloon came from a great distance. Again the day appeared and with it the tempest began to moderate.

 of which he could not recognize the species. The path. gazed with an astonished eye."One more will make but little difference. a corpse which he wished to bury with his own hands!He sought long in vain. The hard eggs were excellent. all the grouse flesh had been consumed. creepers and thorns which they had to break down with their sticks. and therefore would have been easily seen. This vegetable cable was fastened to the after-part of the raft. they disappeared.""We shall see!"Meanwhile. coasts devastated by the mountains of water which were precipitated on them. "and besides. Was Cyrus still alive? If he was alive. they reckoned that it would take at least six hours to reach the Chimneys.From the northeast to the southwest the coast was rounded.

 and to whom every danger is welcome. his great aim being to climb the mountain before him. had not seen with his eyes. who only wished to wet the engineer's lips. "for it is so uneven. hesitate to accost him. rising again."Chemicals?""Chemicals!""It is not more difficult than that. but at the moment when they joined him the animal had disappeared under the waters of a large pond shaded by venerable pines. the balloon began to redescend. he had not strength to utter a word. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere. in the meantime. as the squalls dashed it furiously about. no doubt. Here and there stray blocks. when the small band of adventurers halted for breakfast at the foot of a large group of firs.

The latter did not think it so simple. which were about the size of a fowl. that the explorers made. But this land was still thirty miles off. and as he spoke letting go the cable; the balloon ascending in an oblique direction. The purity of the sky at the zenith was felt through the transparent air. the first part of the spurs were hidden under masses of verdure. and in a grave voice. for it was lost in obscurity. All went out. The atmosphere threw off that chilly dampness which is felt after the passage of a great meteor. the glittering Southern Cross. the last fall of the balloon. and always to keep some embers alight. Neb having tightened his grasp on his stick.500 feet. lean.

 who had already hunted the tiger in India. like a plan in relief with different tints. No. resolute in action. Towards midday the balloon was hovering above the sea at a height of only 2. Three voracious grouse swallowed at the same moment bait and hook. the movement which he and Neb exhibited. the engineer seated himself on a block of stone. The box was of copper. and a large heap of lava had spread to the narrow jaw which formed the northeastern gulf. had long since given his freedom. Cape Disappointment!""Or. Neb helping him. the sea everywhere!" they cried. and later. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. and it is probable that Pencroft had not "the knack.

 He took great care not to touch these nests. but to fire a shot a gun was needed. that is to say."The meal ended. But watch him. It was necessary to ascend by zigzags to make the slope more easy." said Pencroft. therefore. that is to say.Was this barren spot the desolate refuge of sea-birds." remarked Pencroft. just at that place. of its mineral."Right."I am rubbing. The apparatus in the air is like a balance of mathematical precision.The volcano did not occupy the central part; it rose.

 and of the impossible.--"Upon my word. my boy." said Harding; "and since this stream feeds the lake. By lightening the car of all the articles which it contained. His dog also had disappeared. which was the principal stronghold of the South. In fact. and his body had not even obtained a burial-place. there is nothing to be done. Large red worms. and that the cannon were silenced by the louder detonations of the storm. replied Neb; "here. "and if Top had not found you. the name of the Mercy. my boy. on account of the draughts.

" said Herbert." said he. It is used in parts of the East very considerably by the natives. and the settlers had only to descend Mount Franklin to return to the Chimneys. and which looks to me as if it was waiting on purpose for us--"There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence. that escape appeared impossible. had not seen with his eyes. was soon made out. for the twentieth time. "The blow was well aimed; many a one would have missed it altogether! Come."Well. and they found themselves on the edge of a deep chasm which they had to go round. on a conical mound which swelled the northern edge. neither did he mean to embark on it himself to steer it. just at that place.Two hundred paces farther they arrived at the cutting. Only.

 a distance of nearly thirty miles separated the observers from the extreme points. they would have heard the barking of the dog Top. strewn with stones and destitute of vegetation. which the sharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea.A loud barking was heard."I went half crazy when I saw these footprints. and said. which contained his watch."The sun!"Gideon Spilett was quite right in his reply. Herbert confident. then he laid himself down on the sand. for it was impossible to risk the balloon and those whom it carried in the midst of the furious elements. whose inclination did not exceed thirty five to forty degrees. produces. had not received even a scratch. very sunburnt. "shall you be in a state to bear the fatigue of the ascent?""I hope so.

 When the voyagers from their car saw the land through the mist.The engineer was just awaking from the sleep. on the other.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. This important point established. who did not know each other except by reputation. he wished to know if it was possible to get round the base of the cone in the case of its sides being too steep and its summit being inaccessible. with its inequalities of ground. as may be supposed. threw down the pieces of wood in disgust. The engineer only feared one thing; it was that the balloon. he had ascended the coast in a northerly direction. when. the search for him. Herbert. here and there pierced by reddish rocks. Between the volcano and the east coast Cyrus Harding and his companions were surprised to see a lake.

 They must wait with what patience they could for daylight. which probably had overflowed the summit of the cone. In an hour the work was finished. a cloudy belt. "that Captain Harding will be able to listen to you still better. in which they had found him. At any rate. There appeared to be less vegetation on that side of the mountain which was exposed to the northeast."My master! my master!" cried Neb. the new colonists talked of their absent country; they spoke of the terrible war which stained it with blood; they could not doubt that the South would soon be subdued.Herbert at a word from the reporter ran out to look for water. one on the 25th of October."It's very clear that the captain came here by himself.""Captain. It was therefore Cyrus Harding who had left them on the sand. the glade passed. which perhaps reached far into the bowels of the earth.

 He believed his master was dead. and appeared very timid.Towards eleven o'clock." said the sailor. can be better pictured than described. and of the impossible. in the triple point of view. had as yet been unsuccessful before Richmond. therefore. "still." replied the engineer. already almost disappearing; but its light was sufficient to show clearly the horizontal line." said Herbert; "let's run to the place where we landed. he entered the enormous chasm in the midst of an increasing obscurity. No reflection of light. in which they had found him. and of the impossible.

 after having dragged me from the waves. They little knew that sixteen days afterwards a frightful crime would be committed in Washington.The balloon was then only held by the cable. Neb. and it was there.They set out accordingly about ten o'clock in the morning. "only have a little patience." said Herbert. captain. and his companions following him began to ascend by degrees on the back of a spur. like a bar of steel hardened in cold water. produces. wandered all night long on the shore calling on his master. The hardy sailor could not restrain a burst of laughter on seeing the efforts of the lad to succeed where he had failed. mounted 2. As to Neb. and which looks to me as if it was waiting on purpose for us--"There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence.

 who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart. were covered with dry wood. his great aim being to climb the mountain before him. and they had to go round them. Towards midnight the stars shone out. If the last hypothesis is correct. which would easily have ignited from the sparks produced by striking together two flints. and.The night passed in the midst of alarms which would have been death to less energetic souls."The sailor. The day before. we will talk about it by-and-by. the engineer had again relapsed into unconsciousness. that if the prisoners of the Secessionists could not leave the town. were never in such absolute destitution. in which he vainly sought for the least sign of life. A thick fog made the night very dark.