Таинственный остров

           Itcontained50,000cubicfeetofgas,and,thankstoitscapacity,itcouldmaintainitselfalongtimeintheair,althoughitshouldreachagreataltitudeormightbethrownintoahorizontalposition. 

           Perceivingtheirdanger,thepassengerscastawaythelastarticleswhichstillweigheddownthecar,thefewprovisionstheyhadkept,everything,eventotheirpocket-knives, andoneofthem,havinghoistedhimselfontothecircleswhichunitedthecordsofthenet,triedtosecuremorefirmlythelowerpointoftheballoon. 

           Itwas,however,evidenttothevoyagersthatthegaswasfailing,andthattheballooncouldnolongerbesustainedinthehigherregions. Theymustinfalliblyperish! 

           Therewasnotacontinent,norevenanisland,visiblebeneaththem. Thewateryexpansedidnotpresentasinglespeckofland,notasolidsurfaceuponwhichtheiranchorcouldhold. 

           Itwastheopensea,whosewaveswerestilldashingwithtremendousviolence! Itwastheocean,withoutanyvisiblelimits,evenforthosewhosegaze,fromtheircommandingposition,extendedoveraradiusoffortymiles. Thevastliquidplain,lashedwithoutmercybythestorm,appearedasifcoveredwithherdsoffuriouschargers,whosewhiteanddisheveledcrestswerestreaminginthewind. Nolandwasinsight,notasolitaryshipcouldbeseen. Itwasnecessaryatanycosttoarresttheirdownwardcourse,andtopreventtheballoonfrombeingengulfedinthewaves. Thevoyagersdirectedalltheirenergiestothisurgentwork. But,notwithstandingtheirefforts,theballoonstillfell,andatthesametimeshiftedwiththegreatestrapidity,followingthedirectionofthewind,thatistosay,fromthenortheasttothesouthwest.