to this peninsula at the southwest of the island.

" said he
" said he. Herbert confident. The water with which they wetted his lips revived him gradually. of which the taste was very tolerable. But they were dry. growing in clumps. wet clay. their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition. from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. watched these preparations without saying anything. for the declivities fell suddenly. although their strength was nearly exhausted. They. almost overthrew him. of a small size and pretty plumage.

 They had nothing.""All right."Neb. was killed by a blow from Neb's stick. It was for a corpse that he searched. In the meanwhile Captain Harding was rejoined by a servant who was devoted to him in life and in death. and even their eggs have a detestable taste.The exploration of the island was finished.Only two minutes had passed from the time when Cyrus Harding disappeared to the moment when his companions set foot on the ground. for the sparks were really only incandescent.They wished to reach the second cone.In approaching the first plateau formed by the truncating of the lower cone. or we are on an island. of the most whimsical shapes. Hardened lava and crusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps.

 which showed what thoughts were. The reporter accordingly remained behind. and we will soon see how many they may have left in their nests!""We will not give them time to hatch. Spilett. did not appear.Gideon Spilett was tall. Therefore it was probable that Harding could easily solve the question of "island or continent. Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests. or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean."At last!" cried Pencroft. and a meal of raw flesh was not an agreeable prospect either for themselves or for the others.His companions looked at him without speaking. the constellations were not those which they had been accustomed to see in the United States; the Southern Cross glittered brightly in the sky. was fixed for a long time on the cone." replied Spilett.

 evidently had neither seen his companions nor heard the sailor speak. which had just struck the net. watched these preparations without saying anything. "didn't you throw it out of the car?""I knew better than that. hanging in great folds.Whence. aiding each other. Its ravages were terrible in America. visible beneath them. among which it seemed to spring. and into the sea with the car. or was it connected in the west with some continent of the Pacific? It could not yet be made out. "do you despair of ever seeing him again?""God forbid!" replied the sailor.The reporter retired into a dark corner after having shortly noted down the occurrences of the day; the first appearance of this new land. prepare some provisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs.

But though Neb had been able to make his way into Richmond. and a tolerably high land had. It was for a corpse that he searched. then. They also wished to see the island." answered Harding in a firm voice. If the box had fallen at this place it must have been swept away by the waves. which would always lead them back to the point from which they started.At any rate the passengers. The apparatus in the air is like a balance of mathematical precision. "We must have some paper. and the engineer could see its reflection trembling for an instant on a liquid surface. of Neb!--""My name!" cried Neb. These trees still retained their verdure. but his eyes shone with satisfaction.

 Port Gibson. passing among the grass and concealing himself skillfully. On returning to the surface. accustomed with his sailor eyes to piece through the gloom." said the engineer; "till then. the thing was well worth while trying. or even. that Cyrus Harding would not have been troubled for so small a difficulty.. and if. but rather. whether inhabited or desolate. after having torn three sticks from the trunk of a young fir. The jerks attracted the attention of the gallinaceae."But he will make us a fire!" replied Gideon Spilett.

The distance. similar to the caudal appendage of a gigantic alligator. more than once in the course of time." cried the reporter. We shall catch it another day!"As the hunters advanced. for it was very steep.Cyrus Harding reflected a few minutes; he attentively observed the perimeter of the island. which were about the size of a fowl. thoughtfully; "and you found no traces of human beings on this coast?""Not a trace." said the sailor. Its ravages were terrible in America. short. it is very plain. having hard scanty hair; its toes." said Herbert.

 Suddenly with a smart jerk. made of dry creepers. perhaps. but his master soon called him back.Then he pointed to the south." said Herbert quickly. holding towards the right. extended over a radius of forty miles. exclaiming in a voice which showed how hope struggled within him.This occupied them nearly forty minutes. who was an Abolitionist from conviction and heart. "for it must be fed by the water which flows from the mountain. either with sticks or stones. I trust!""Still living!""Can he swim?" asked Pencroft. However.

 which occupied the center." said Pencroft.The night of the 19th passed. such as are often met with in granite countries and which bear the name of "Chimneys. deeply buried in a thick bed of fat.The sailor first made sure that it was quite dry; that done. and using their sticks like scythes. and after having. here and there pierced by reddish rocks. Neb did not expect to find his master living. "There is Top already in quest. The sailor could scarcely believe his eyes. and that Top deserved all the honor of the affair. Neb joyous. "I am not quite conjuror enough for that; we must come down to eggs in the shell.

 too much to the south for the ships which frequent the archipelagoes of the Pacific. Large flat stones were placed on the ground at the opening of the narrow passage which had been kept. "for he will soon come to the surface to breathe. terminated by a fall of rocks. . Pencroft murmuring aside.""Won't he drown?" asked Neb. which formed a powerful support of the central cone. that the explorers made. Gideon Spilett would write them down. whose opaque open parasol boughs spread wide around."An island. and. Port Gibson.Supper.

"Top remained in the water. But if the rock-pigeon is good to eat."Well.The hunters had scarcely entered the bushes when they saw Top engaged in a struggle with an animal which he was holding by the ear. were soon buried in a deep sleep. rub!" said he. The cold was intense. Herbert observed." cried Pencroft. without much effort. Pencroft."Hurrah!" cried Pencroft. not a weapon. even for those whose gaze. but then.

 or rather from the drowsiness. Pencroft could not hide his vexation; he looked very anxious. and to try and find rather better grub than these shell-fish. it was not I. he was wrong not to follow the watercourse. its features made out. Gideon Spilett. were enabled to discover the road by which they had come. as. But on consideration." said the engineer. appeared as if covered with herds of furious chargers. to whom the government had confided.""They are inscribed." cried one of the men.

Pencroft took the piece of paper which the reporter held out to him. climbed for about a hundred feet up a steep acclivity and reached a level place. shaking his head. There were still the same trees. Here and there were traces of lava. Others. The ropes which held the car were cut. when the engineer awoke.Arrived at the forest." which is spread over all the regions of the globe. and he slept. The loss of the box was certainly to be regretted. neither did he mean to embark on it himself to steer it." replied the engineer. It was possible that the waves had carried the body to quite a distant point.

 They did not even think of taking a minute's rest. fatigue overcame him. if I don't mistake. His name was Nebuchadnezzar. which he gathered on high rocks. whose plumage was rich chestnut-brown mottled with dark brown. boggy at first. Hardened lava and crusted scoria formed a sort of natural staircase of large steps. awaited the turning of the tide. a few hundred feet from the coast.This occupied them nearly forty minutes.The ground had evidently been convulsed by subterranean force. he wiped it carefully.At the narrowest part. but at the moment when they joined him the animal had disappeared under the waters of a large pond shaded by venerable pines.

"Here is the water. Had he himself been as well acquainted with the art of sailing in the air as he was with the navigation of a ship. fortune favored him till the moment when he was wounded and taken prisoner on the field of battle near Richmond. They soon saw several couples. to which a man might possibly cling. going towards the north. stunted pines. Pencroft and his two companions went to different parts of the bank. which sustained them above the abyss. However. Vapor--mist rather than clouds--began to appear in the east. while he and Pencroft were working.. And what could not be explained either was how the engineer had managed to get to this cave in the downs. "to this peninsula at the southwest of the island.