Herbert and the sailor began their ascent; thanks to the vigor of their muscles they reached the summit in a few minutes; and proceeded to the point above the mouth of the river.
On attaining it, their first look was cast upon the ocean which not long before they had traversed in such a terrible condition.

They observed, with emotion, all that part to the north of the coast on which the catastrophe had taken place.

It was there that Cyrus Harding had disappeared.

They looked to see if some portion of their balloon, to which a man might possibly cling, yet existed.

Nothing! The sea was but one vast watery desert.