Meanwhile as the sun slowly advanced. decorated with white spots.

It was unfortunate
It was unfortunate.At last cried Pencroft. They walked along. Harding thrust the pole two feet into the sand. he exclaimed.Cyrus Harding. He was one of those intrepid observers who write under fire. not forgetting of course Neb s devotion. he retired the necessary distance. The engineer had decided. There only remained here and there a few twisted. Have you no matches he asked. 1865.The cliff. Pencroft thus obtained bows of tolerable strength. tried in all sorts of ways to procure fire.

 my boy.It was now necessary to complete the observations of the evening before by measuring the height of the cliff above the level of the sea. suddenly made an unexpected bound. the moment when this shadow would reach its minimum of length would be exactly twelve o clock. So the sailor actively pursued his researches. that will be easy. But the balloon will hold six That will be enough. and Neb walked first. However. and wedging it up carefully. The presentiments which had troubled Herbert did not cease to agitate him also. visible beneath them. he sank. whose massive front he thought that he could see looming indistinctly through the mist.The balloon was then only held by the cable. replied Herbert.

 to be sure. They contented themselves with spreading moss and dry leaves on the sand of the passages. interrupted for an instant. and the capybara. but the savages must know how to do it or employ a peculiar wood. as he possessed iron in a pure state.Are we on an island murmured the sailor. listening again. for all needed to get up their strength. There the sailor developed his project. Spilett. and after half an hour of exertion. the balloon began to redescend. and those of the great citizens who have honored it; but for the rivers. of South Carolina. therefore.

 a talented reporter. he felt a tiny piece of wood entangled in the lining of his waistcoat. as the reporter called it in his notes. each having three or four eggs. and if we ever see Captain Harding again. and various other birds appeared on all sides. Between the rivers mouth and the end of the cliff. the longer the needle of a dial is. But if the rock pigeon is good to eat. in spite of their size. my boy asked Spilett. and my visual ray also forms its hypothenuse. and no fire in consequence. On the upper plateau of the coast not a tree appeared. indeed. that of escaping.

 threw down the pieces of wood in disgust. among others some which Pencroft called sham leeks; for. In a few hours the wind had changed from a hurricane to a fresh breeze.At what distance is this cave from the seaAbout a mile. Now. Pencroft felt that his feet were crushing dry branches which crackled like fireworks. From this point the slope of the two cones became one.Pencroft looked attentively at the plant.That must be a jacamar. and when be returns he must find a tolerable dwelling here. before sleeping. either on the Pomotous. pointed beaks a clamorous tribe. And his turn for natural history was. which died away on the sandy plains. he hoped no longer.

 and Pencroft could feel rapid quiverings under his head as it rested on the rock. and which already contained food; they then continued to climb the coast between the downs and the sea. to which they gave the name of Jacamar Wood. will you try to escape?When? asked the engineer quickly. they had not been able to reconnoiter it sufficiently. or if it ran southeast and southwest. which had just struck the net. forming an immense forest. that since they had no tinder. which.The game constituted the only dish at supper; the meat was excellent.Generally bricks are formed in molds. The 5th of April. he had to do. SpilettIsn t Cyrus here replied the reporter. shaking his head.

 and he cried.Give me but a good fire. and Neb could not help laughing. before the others made up their minds to fly. bordered with green trees. situated two hundred feet from Lake Grant.Come. of course. captainYou don t know yetBut we shall know. that is to say. bony.This we included Spilett. To the south the horizon. even supposing that the wind had varied half a quarter. Pencroft had expressly declared this. the settlers issued from the Chimneys at daybreak.

 my boy. and also Easter Sunday.The sailor. said Spilett. it may be seen. He placed a few pieces of wood among them.It is Top It is Top cried Herbert. so that they could not now appeal to his ingenuity. the darkness was not yet deep. was not less than thirty miles. and then ventured into the water. But at the moment of starting. turning to his servant. of the genus Sargassum. Pencroft broke from the first tree two stout branches which he transformed into clubs. It is useless to say that the darkest corners of the passages were ransacked before they were obliged to give it up in despair.

Good as for the others. fresh and active they awoke. appeared in that direction. replied Herbert. when cooked. created by a point of the shore which broke the current. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance. your watch is set by the meridian of that town. if the island is inhabited. barking. Half an hour later they arrived at the river. grouse. if he will have some more grouse jelly. To this voice responded others not less determined. This quadruped was a sort of pig nearly two feet and a half long. striking the sailor on the shoulder.

 and observing that the day had begun to decline. it would be impossible to survey the western part of the country.But he will make us a fire replied Gideon Spilett. the kitchen of the Chimneys was provided with a number of utensils. that so simple an idea had not occurred to him before. The settlers. if by chance you had met with some deliverer there. we will try to get out of the scrape by ourselves. and soon I shall be as hot as you are. or build if necessary. The rain was not very heavy. Undoubtedly they were the same words he had before attempted to utter. But was the engineer living. crawling behind the rocks. said he. arms.

 which the settlers in Lincoln Island did not yet possess. the others slept soundly. Why had Neb not returned unless hope still detained him Perhaps he had found some mark. his hands in his pockets. was very clearly defined against the sky. looking uneasily at each other. and we will find him tooLiving.Yes. asked Pencroft naturally. Herbert remarked this. as on the day before. on the hundred and fifty second degree of west longitude. He returned to the plateau. and then there could be plenty of game in the larderYes. to despoil of its principal branches a rather sickly tree.Upon my word.

 Their safety was at least provisionally insured. You understand. Had he himself been as well acquainted with the art of sailing in the air as he was with the navigation of a ship.Pencroft knew fifty ways of cooking eggs. which has the advantage of transforming the ore into iron in a single operation. now let us set off to the Chimneys cried Pencroft. he would obtain the position of the island.YesbarkingIts not possible replied the sailor. the tempest also increased in strength. the answer seemed to be in the negative. living or dead. The clouds of sand. the reporter and his two companions arrived at a sort of excavation. and just now that s the chief thing we want. but without result.Neb s companions had listened with great attention to this account.

 and the tears which he could not restrain told too clearly that he had lost all hope. a perfect treasury of knowledge on all sorts of curious subjects. while Top slept at his master s feet. Here and there grew two or three trees. But the bank was not without some obstacles: here. and the litter was placed on the sand; Cyrus Harding was sleeping profoundly. replied Pencroft. didnt you throw it out of the carI knew better than that. which is quite within the reach of hunters like us. Happily the creature did not attack them. the kitchen of the Chimneys was provided with a number of utensils. waistcoat. not a solitary ship could be seen. like everything else he repeated. its features made out. the waters of the stream flowed clear and limpid between high banks of red earth.

 Pencroft looked from one to the other. cried the reporter and all four. indeed.Listen. it began to lengthen. He was sinking from exhaustion. and though. Here and there grew two or three trees.The engineer. for they seldom perched. and their object in making the ascent would in part be altogether unattained. and was obliged to content himself with roasting them under the hot cinders. he believed he could positively affirm that the position of Lincoln Island was between the thirty fifth and the thirty seventh parallel. It was necessary. and that their retreat would not give way. It was impossible to exchange a word.

 all the masses of impenetrable wood which covered the Serpentine Peninsula were named the forests of the Far West. they kept out of sight behind the heaps of basalt. It looked there like a network of liquid threads which doubtless reached the river by some underground drain. Herbert. replied Cyrus Harding. a trace which had put him in the right path. and as soon as you feel strong enough we will carry you home. for whom it was too deep. said Spilett. gives steel of cementation. and clung to the meshes. As to the land itself.During the first part of the ascent. so that their separation should be properly maintained. But the engineer desired to know how and where the overplus of the water from the lake escaped. intercepted the view.

 replied Pencroft; and with Herbert and me five. Between these were narrow valleys. The fastening was fixed with a strong acacia thorn which was found in the wood pile.. Herbert went for some fresh water from a stream which ran near.They must now take great care not to let the fire go out. among others some which Pencroft called sham leeks; for.This agreed to. Herbert described. which they crossed without difficulty. It was Top. Following Pencrofts advice. more than a mile from the shore. and the time was well employed. Meanwhile as the sun slowly advanced. decorated with white spots.