Таинственный остров

           However,theballoon,lightenedofheavyarticles,suchasammunition,arms,andprovisions,hadrisenintothehigherlayersoftheatmosphere,toaheightof4,500feet. Thevoyagers,afterhavingdiscoveredthattheseaextendedbeneaththem,andthinkingthedangersabovelessdreadfulthanthosebelow,didnothesitatetothrowoverboardeventheirmostusefularticles,whiletheyendeavoredtolosenomoreofthatfluid,thelifeoftheirenterprise,whichsustainedthemabovetheabyss. 

           Thenightpassedinthemidstofalarmswhichwouldhavebeendeathtolessenergeticsouls. Againthedayappearedandwithitthetempestbegantomoderate. Fromthebeginningofthatday,the24thofMarch,itshowedsymptomsofabating. Atdawn,someofthelightercloudshadrisenintothemoreloftyregionsoftheair. Inafewhoursthewindhadchangedfromahurricanetoafreshbreeze,thatistosay,therateofthetransitoftheatmosphericlayerswasdiminishedbyhalf. Itwasstillwhatsailorscall"aclose-reefedtopsailbreeze,"butthecommotionintheelementshadnonethelessconsiderablydiminished. 

           Towardseleveno’clock,thelowerregionoftheairwassensiblyclearer. Theatmospherethrewoffthatchillydampnesswhichisfeltafterthepassageofagreatmeteor. Thestormdidnotseemtohavegonefarthertothewest. Itappearedtohaveexhausteditself. Couldithavepassedawayinelectricsheets,asissometimesthecasewithregardtothetyphoonsoftheIndianOcean? 

           Butatthesametime,itwasalsoevidentthattheballoonwasagainslowlydescendingwitharegularmovement. Itappearedasifitwere,littlebylittle,collapsing,andthatitscasewaslengtheningandextending,passingfromasphericaltoanovalform. Towardsmiddaytheballoonwashoveringabovetheseaataheightofonly2,000feet.