Таинственный остров

           Anhour! Mightnottheballoonbeforethatbeemptiedofallthefluidityetretained? 

           Suchwastheterriblequestion!Thevoyagerscoulddistinctlyseethatsolidspotwhichtheymustreachatanycost. Theywereignorantofwhatitwas,whetheranislandoracontinent,fortheydidnotknowtowhatpartoftheworldthehurricanehaddriventhem. Buttheymustreachthisland,whetherinhabitedordesolate,whetherhospitableornot. 

           Itwasevidentthattheballooncouldnolongersupportitself! Severaltimesalreadyhadthecrestsoftheenormousbillowslickedthebottomofthenet,makingitstillheavier,andtheballoononlyhalfrose,likeabirdwithawoundedwing. Halfanhourlaterthelandwasnotmorethanamileoff,buttheballoon,exhausted,flabby,hangingingreatfolds,hadgasinitsupperpartalone. Thevoyagers,clingingtothenet,werestilltooheavyforit,andsoon,halfplungedintothesea,theywerebeatenbythefuriouswaves. Theballoon-casebulgedoutagain,andthewind,takingit,droveitalonglikeavessel. Mightitnotpossiblythusreachtheland? 

           But,whenonlytwofathomsoff,terriblecriesresoundedfromfourpairsoflungsatonce. Theballoon,whichhadappearedasifitwouldneveragainrise,suddenlymadeanunexpectedbound,afterhavingbeenstruckbyatremendoussea. Asifithadbeenatthatinstantrelievedofanewpartofitsweight,itmountedtoaheightof1,500feet,andhereitmetacurrentofwind,whichinsteadoftakingitdirectlytothecoast,carrieditinanearlyparalleldirection. 

           Atlast,twominuteslater,itreproachedobliquely,andfinallyfellonasandybeach,outofthereachofthewaves.