d world must be about
350 miles to the north, and the Antarctic about 350 miles to the south
of the island. Compare these calculations with the map, and it is at
once apparent that the northernmost limit barely touched the coast of
Provence, while the southernmost reached to about lat. 20 degrees
N., and fell in the heart of the desert. The practical test of these
conclusions would be made by future investigation, but meanwhile
the fact appeared very much to strengthen the presumption that, if
Lieutenant Procope had not arrived at the whole truth, he had made a
considerable advance towards it.

The weather, ever since the storm that had driven the _Dobryna_ into the
creek, had been magnificent. The wind continued favorable, and now under
both steam and canvas, she made a rapid progress towards the north,
a direction in which she was free to go in consequence of the total
disappearance of the Spanish coast, from Gibraltar right away to
Alicante. Malaga, Almeria, Cape Gata, Carthagena. Cape Palos--all were
gone. The sea was rolling over the southern extent of the peninsula, so
that the yacht advanced to the latitude of Seville before it sighted any
land at all, and then, not shores such as the shores of Andalusia, but
a bluff and precipitous cliff, in its geological features resembling
exactly the stern and barren rock that she had coasted beyond the site
of Malta. Here the sea made a decided indentation on the coast; it ran
up in an acute-angled triangle till its apex coincided with the very
spot upon which Madrid had stood. But as hitherto the sea had encroached
upon the land, the land in its turn now encroached upon the sea; for a
frowning headland stood out far into the basin of the Mediterranean,
and formed a promontory stretching out beyond the proper places of
the Balearic Isles. Curiosity was all alive. There was the intensest
interest awakened to determine whether no vestige could be traced of
Majorca, Minorca, or any of the group, and it was during a deviation
from the direct course for the purpose of a more thorough scrutiny, that
one of the sailors raised a thrill of general excitement by shouting, "A
bottle in the sea!"

Here, then, at length was a communication from the outer world. Surely
now they would find a document which would throw some light upon all the
mysteries that had happened? Had not the day now dawned that should set
their speculations all at rest?

It was the morning of the 21st of Februar