In X Island, Robur, a man of immense wealth, had established a shipyard in which he built his aeronef.

There he could repair it, and even rebuild it.

In his warehouses were materials and provisions of all sorts stored for the fifty inhabitants who lived on the island.
When Robur had doubled Cape Horn a few days before his intention had been to regain X Island by crossing the Pacific obliquely.

But the cyclone had seized the "Albatross," and the hurricane had carried her away to the south.

In fact, he had been brought back to much the same latitude as before, and if his propellers had not been damaged the delay would have been of no importance.
His object was therefore to get back to X Island, but as the mate had said, the voyage would be a long one, and the winds would probably be against them.