in is very high. It was there in the zone of the clouds that he must
seek some peak, emerging from the vapors of the horizon.

Several times Tom and his companions were deceived by false indications
of land. They were only vapors of an odd form, which rose in the
background. It happened sometimes that these honest men were obstinate
in their belief; but, after a certain time, they were forced to
acknowledge that they had been dupes of an optical illusion. The
pretended land, moved away, changed form and finished by disappearing
completely.

On the 6th of April there was no longer any doubt possible.

It was eight o'clock in the morning. Dick Sand had just ascended into
the bars. At that moment the fogs were condensed under the first rays
of the sun, and the horizon was pretty clearly defined.

From Dick Sand's lips escaped at last the so long expected cry:

"Land! land before us!"

At that cry every one ran on deck, little Jack, curious as folks are at
that age, Mrs. Weldon, whose trials were going to cease with the
landing, Tom and his companions, who were at last going to set foot
again on the American continent, Cousin Benedict himself, who had great
hope of picking up quite a rich collection of new insects for himself.

Negoro, alone, did not appear.

Each then saw what Dick Sand had seen, some very distinctly, others
with the eyes of faith. But on the part of the novice, so accustomed to
observe sea horizons, there was no error possible, and an hour after,
it must be allowed he was not deceived.

At a distance of about four miles to the east stretched a rather low
coast, or at least what appeared such. It must be commanded behind by
the high chain of the Andes, but the last zone of clouds did not allow
the summits to be perceived.

The "Pilgrim" sailed directly and rapidly to this coast, which grew
larger to the eye.

Two hours after it was only three miles away.

This part of the coast ended in the northeast by a pretty high cape,
which covered a sort of roadstead protected from land winds. On the
contrary, in the southeast, it lengthened out like a thin peninsula.

A few trees crowned a succession of low cliffs, which were then clearly
defined under the sky. But it was evident, the geographical character
of the country being given, that the high mountain chain of the Andes
formed their background.

Moreover, no habitation in sight, no port, no river mouth, which might
serve as a harbor for a vess