nse of tumbled rocks, been
afforded them in an almost miraculous manner. Two days after the
earthquake, the current carried ashore within a few hundred yards of
their cavern a boat which had drifted from the island group on the
south-west.

Without the delay of even one day, the boat was laden with as much
of the remaining provisions as it could contain, and the six men
embarked in it, bidding adieu for ever to the now uninhabitable
island.

Unfortunately a very strong breeze was blowing; it was impossible to
resist it, and the boat was driven southwards by that very same
current which had caused our iceberg to drift to the coast of
Halbrane Land.

For two months and a half these poor fellows were borne across the
open sea, with no control over their course. It was not until the
2nd of January in the present year (1840) that they sighted
land--east of the _Jane_ Sound.

Now, we already knew this land was not more than fifty miles from
Halbrane Land. Yes! so small, relatively, was the distance that
separated us from those whom we had sought for in the antarctic
regions far and wide, and concerning whom we had lost hope.

Their boat had gone ashore far to the south-east of us. But on how
different a coast from that of Tsalal Island, or, rather, on one how
like that of Halbrane Land! Nothing was to be seen but sand and
stones; neither trees, shrubs, nor plants of any kind. Their
provisions were almost exhausted; William Guy and his companions
were soon reduced to extreme want, and two of the little company,
Forbes and Sexton, died.

The remaining four resolved not to remain a single day longer in the
place where they were doomed to die of hunger. They embarked in the
boat with the small supply of food still remaining, and once more
abandoned themselves to the current, without having been able to
verify their position, for want of instruments.

Thus had they been borne upon the unknown deep for twenty-five days,
their resources were completely exhausted, and they had not eaten
for forty-eight hours, when the boat, with its occupants lying
inanimate at the bottom of it, was sighted from Halbrane Land. The
rest is already known to the reader of this strange eventful history.

And now the two brothers were at length reunited in that remote
corner of the big world which we had dubbed Halbrane Land.

CHAPTER XXV.
"WE WERE THE FIRST."

Two days later not one of the survivors from the two schooners, the
_Jane