n the north,
we may find that Italy and Sicily and the larger islands of the
Mediterranean may still maintain their existence."

"I entirely concur with you," said Count Timascheff. "I quite think we
ought to make our survey of the confines of this new basin as complete
as possible before we withdraw."

Servadac, although he acknowledged the justness of these observations,
could not help pleading that the explorations might be deferred until
after a visit had been paid to Gourbi Island.

"Depend upon it, captain, you are mistaken," replied the lieutenant;
"the right thing to do is to use the _Dobryna_ while she is available."

"Available! What do you mean?" asked the count, somewhat taken by
surprise.

"I mean," said Procope, "that the farther this Gallia of ours recedes
from the sun, the lower the temperature will fall. It is likely enough,
I think, that before long the sea will be frozen over, and navigation
will be impossible. Already you have learned something of the
difficulties of traversing a field of ice, and I am sure, therefore, you
will acquiesce in my wish to continue our explorations while the water
is still open."

"No doubt you are right, lieutenant," said the count. "We will continue
our search while we can for some remaining fragment of Europe. Who
shall tell whether we may not meet with some more survivors from the
catastrophe, to whom it might be in our power to afford assistance,
before we go into our winter quarters?"

Generous and altogether unselfish as this sentiment really was, it was
obviously to the general interest that they should become acquainted,
and if possible establish friendly relations, with any human inhabitant
who might be sharing their own strange destiny in being rolled away upon
a new planet into the infinitude of space. All difference of race, all
distinction of nationality, must be merged into the one thought that,
few as they were, they were the sole surviving representatives of a
world which it seemed exceedingly improbable that they would ever see
again; and common sense dictated that they were bound to direct all
their energies to insure that their asteroid should at least have a
united and sympathizing population.

It was on the 25th of February that the yacht left the little creek in
which she had taken refuge, and setting off at full steam eastwards,
she continued her way along the northern shore. A brisk breeze tended to
increase the keenness of the temperatu