23 chapters
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23 chapters
Chapter I MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS
Chapter I MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS
BANG! Bang! The pistol shots were almost simultaneous. A cow peacefully grazing fifty yards away received one of the bullets in her back. She had nothing to do with the quarrel all the same. Neither of the adversaries was hit. Who were these two gentlemen? We do not know, although this would be an excellent opportunity to hand down their names to posterity. All we can say is that the elder was an Englishman and the younger an American, and both of them were old enough to know better. So far as r
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Chapter II AGREEMENT IMPOSSIBLE
Chapter II AGREEMENT IMPOSSIBLE
"And the first who says the contrary—" "Indeed! But we will say the contrary so long as there is a place to say it in!" "And in spite of your threats—" "Mind what you are saying, Bat Fynn!" "Mind what you are saying, Uncle Prudent!" "I maintain that the screw ought to be behind!" "And so do we! And so do we!" replied half a hundred voices confounded in one. "No! It ought to be in front!" shouted Phil Evans. "In front!" roared fifty other voices, with a vigor in no whit less remarkable. "We shall
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Chapter III A VISITOR IS ANNOUNCED
Chapter III A VISITOR IS ANNOUNCED
The many experiments made during this last quarter of the nineteenth century have given considerable impetus to the question of guidable balloons. The cars furnished with propellers attached in 1852 to the aerostats of the elongated form introduced by Henry Giffard, the machines of Dupuy de Lome in 1872, of the Tissandier brothers in 1883, and of Captain Krebs and Renard in 1884, yielded many important results. But if these machines, moving in a medium heavier than themselves, maneuvering under
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Chapter IV IN WHICH A NEW CHARACTER APPEARS
Chapter IV IN WHICH A NEW CHARACTER APPEARS
"Citizens of the United States! My name is Robur. I am worthy of the name! I am forty years old, although I look but thirty, and I have a constitution of iron, a healthy vigor that nothing can shake, a muscular strength that few can equal, and a digestion that would be thought first class even in an ostrich!" They were listening! Yes! The riot was quelled at once by the totally unexpected fashion of the speech. Was this fellow a madman or a hoaxer? Whoever he was, he kept his audience in hand. T
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Chapter V ANOTHER DISAPPEARANCE
Chapter V ANOTHER DISAPPEARANCE
This was not the first occasion on which, at the end of their stormy discussions, the members of the Weldon Institute had filled Walnut Street and its neighborhood with their tumult. Several times had the inhabitants complained of the noisy way in which the proceedings ended, and more than once had the policemen had to interfere to clear the thoroughfare for the passersby, who for the most part were supremely indifferent on the question of aerial navigation. But never before had the tumult attai
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Chapter VI THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY SUSPEND HOSTILITIES
Chapter VI THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY SUSPEND HOSTILITIES
A bandage over the eyes, a gag in the mouth, a cord round the wrists, a cord round the ankles, unable to see, to speak, or to move, Uncle Prudent, Phil Evans, and Frycollin were anything but pleased with their position. Knowing not who had seized them, nor in what they had been thrown like parcels in a goods wagon, nor where they were, nor what was reserved for them—it was enough to exasperate even the most patient of the ovine race, and we know that the members of the Weldon Institute were not
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Chapter VII ON BOARD THE ALBATROSS
Chapter VII ON BOARD THE ALBATROSS
"When will man cease to crawl in the depths to live in the azure and quiet of the sky?" To this question of Camille Flammarion's the answer is easy. It will be when the progress of mechanics has enabled us to solve the problem of aviation. And in a few years—as we can foresee—a more practical utilization of electricity will do much towards that solution. In 1783, before the Montgolfier brothers had built their fire-balloon, and Charles, the physician, had devised his first aerostat, a few advent
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Chapter VIII THE BALLOONISTS REFUSE TO BE CONVINCED
Chapter VIII THE BALLOONISTS REFUSE TO BE CONVINCED
The President of the Weldon Institute was stupefied; his companion was astonished. But neither of them would allow any of their very natural amazement to be visible. The valet Frycollin did not conceal his terror at finding himself borne through space on such a machine, and he took no pains whatever to hide it. The suspensory screws were rapidly spinning overhead. Fast as they were going, they would have to triple their speed if the "Albatross" was to ascend to higher zones. The two propellers w
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Chapter IX ACROSS THE PRAIRIE
Chapter IX ACROSS THE PRAIRIE
In one, of the cabins of the after-house Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans had found two excellent berths, with clean linen, change of clothes, and traveling-cloaks and rugs. No Atlantic liner could have offered them more comfort. If they did not sleep soundly it was that they did not wish to do so, or rather that their very real anxiety prevented them. In what adventure had they embarked? To what series of experiments had they been invited? How would the business end? And above all, what was Robur g
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Chapter X WESTWARD—BUT WHITHER?
Chapter X WESTWARD—BUT WHITHER?
The next day, the 15th of June, about five o'clock in the morning, Phil Evans left his cabin. Perhaps he would today have a chance of speaking to Robur? Desirous of knowing why he had not appeared the day before, Evans addressed himself to the mate, Tom Turner. Tom Turner was an Englishman of about forty-five, broad in the shoulders and short in the legs, a man of iron, with one of those enormous characteristic heads that Hogarth rejoiced in. "Shall we see Mr. Robur to-day?" asked Phil Evans. "I
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Chapter XI THE WIDE PACIFIC
Chapter XI THE WIDE PACIFIC
Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans had quite made up their minds to escape. If they had not had to deal with the eight particularly vigorous men who composed the crew of the aeronef they might have tried to succeed by main force. But as they were only two—for Frycollin could only be considered as a quantity of no importance—force was not to be thought of. Hence recourse must be had to strategy as soon as the "Albatross" again took the ground. Such was what Phil Evans endeavored to impress on his irasc
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Chapter XII THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS
Chapter XII THROUGH THE HIMALAYAS
During the night the fog cleared off. There were symptoms of an approaching typhoon—a rapid fall of the barometer, a disappearance of vapor, large clouds of ellipsoid form clinging to a copper sky, and, on the opposite horizon, long streaks of carmine on a slate-colored field, with a large sector quite clear in the north. Then the sea was smooth and calm and at sunset assumed a deep scarlet hue. Fortunately the typhoon broke more to the south, and had no other result than to sweep away the mist
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Chapter XIII OVER THE CASPIAN
Chapter XIII OVER THE CASPIAN
The engineer had no intention of taking his ship over the wondrous lands of Hindustan. To cross the Himalayas was to show how admirable was the machine he commanded; to convince those who would not be convinced was all he wished to do. But if in their hearts Uncle Prudent and his colleague could not help admiring so perfect an engine of aerial locomotion, they allowed none of their admiration to be visible. All they thought of was how to escape. They did not even admire the superb spectacle that
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Chapter XIV THE AERONEF AT FULL SPEED
Chapter XIV THE AERONEF AT FULL SPEED
If ever Prudent and Evans despaired on escaping from the "Albatross" it was during the two days that followed. It may be that Robur considered it more difficult to keep a watch on his prisoners while he was crossing Europe, and he knew that they had made up their minds to get away. But any attempt to have done so would have been simply committing suicide. To jump from an express going sixty miles an hour is to risk your life, but to jump from a machine going one hundred and twenty miles an hour
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Chapter XV A SKIRMISH IN DAHOMEY
Chapter XV A SKIRMISH IN DAHOMEY
At this point in the circumnavigatory voyage of the "Albatross" it is only natural that some such questions as the following should be asked. Who was this Robur, of whom up to the present we know nothing but the name? Did he pass his life in the air? Did his aeronef never rest? Had he not some retreat in some inaccessible spot in which, if he had need of repose or revictualing, he could betake himself? It would be very strange if it were not so. The most powerful flyers have always an eyrie or n
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Chapter XVI OVER THE ATLANTIC
Chapter XVI OVER THE ATLANTIC
Yes, the Atlantic! The fears of the two colleagues were realized; but it did not seem as though Robur had the least anxiety about venturing over this vast ocean. Both he and his men seemed quite unconcerned about it and had gone back to their stations. Whither was the "Albatross" bound? Was she going more than round the world as Robur had said? Even if she were, the voyage must end somewhere. That Robur spent his life in the air on board the aeronef and never came to the ground was impossible. H
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Chapter XVII THE SHIPWRECKED CREW
Chapter XVII THE SHIPWRECKED CREW
Next day was the 24th of July; and the 24th of July in the southern hemisphere corresponds to the 24th of January in the northern. The fifty-sixth degree of latitude had been left behind. The similar parallel in northern Europe runs through Edinburgh. The thermometer kept steadily below freezing, so that the machinery was called upon to furnish a little artificial heat in the cabins. Although the days begin to lengthen after the 21st day of June in the southern hemisphere, yet the advance of the
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Chapter XVIII OVER THE VOLCANO
Chapter XVIII OVER THE VOLCANO
The sea was as rough as ever, and the symptoms became alarming. The barometer fell several millimeters. The wind came in violent gusts, and then for a moment or so failed altogether. Under such circumstances a sailing vessel would have had to reef in her topsails and her foresail. Everything showed that the wind was rising in the northwest. The storm-glass became much troubled and its movements were most disquieting. At one o'clock in the morning the wind came on again with extreme violence. Alt
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Chapter XIX ANCHORED AT LAST
Chapter XIX ANCHORED AT LAST
When the "Albatross" was high in the air the island could be seen to be of moderate size. But on what parallel was it situated? What meridian ran through it? Was it an island in the Pacific, in Australasia, or in the Indian Ocean? When the sun appeared, and Robur had taken his observations, they would know; but although they could not trust to the indications of the compass there was reason to think they were in the Pacific. At this height—one hundred and fifty feet—the island which measured abo
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Chapter XX THE WRECK OF THE ALBATROSS
Chapter XX THE WRECK OF THE ALBATROSS
It was then twenty minutes after midnight. Five or six shots had been fired from the aeronef. Uncle Prudent and Frycollin, supporting Phil Evans, had taken shelter among the rocks. They had not been hit. For the moment there was nothing to fear. As the "Albatross" drifted off from Pitt Island she rose obliquely to nearly three thousand feet. It was necessary to increase the ascensional power to prevent her falling into the sea. When the look-out man had got clear of his gag and shouted, Robur an
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Chapter XXI THE INSTITUTE AGAIN
Chapter XXI THE INSTITUTE AGAIN
Some weeks before, on the 13th of June, on the morning after the sitting during which the Weldon Institute had been given over to such stormy discussions, the excitement of all classes of the Philadelphia population, black or white, had been much easier to imagine than to describe. From a very early hour conversation was entirely occupied with the unexpected and scandalous incident of the night before. A stranger calling himself an engineer, and answering to the name of Robur, a person of unknow
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Chapter XXII THE GO-AHEAD IS LAUNCHED
Chapter XXII THE GO-AHEAD IS LAUNCHED
On the following 19th of April, seven months after the unexpected return of Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans, Philadelphia was in a state of unwonted excitement. There were neither elections nor meetings this time. The aerostat "Go-Ahead," built by the Weldon Institute, was to take possession of her natural element. The celebrated Harry W. Tinder, whose name we mentioned at the beginning of this story, had been engaged as aeronaut. He had no assistant, and the only passengers were to be the presiden
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Chapter XXIII THE GRAND COLLAPSE
Chapter XXIII THE GRAND COLLAPSE
It was indeed the "Albatross!" It was indeed Robur who had reappeared in the heights of the sky! It was he who like a huge bird of prey was going to strike the "Go-Ahead." And yet, nine months before, the aeronef, shattered by the explosion, her screws broken, her deck smashed in two, had been apparently annihilated. Without the prodigious coolness of the engineer, who reversed the gyratory motion of the fore propeller and converted it into a suspensory screw, the men of the "Albatross" would al
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