"You must lower, Doctor! The strain upon the rods is tremendous! The outside atmospheric resistance is so slight at this elevation that we shall certainly explode if you ascend any higher."
"Then we will descend and anchor at the first favorable spot, and there await a south wind. There seems to be a great demand for air at the equator just now. Well, let them have it," said he grimly, "but we are sure to get a regurgitation in our direction before many days. So down we go to study Russian habits and customs."
The upper and lower traps were opened in the air chamber, and they rapidly descended to within five or six hundred feet of the earth. They could plainly see that the foliage was being thrashed with great violence by the gale.
"How shall we manage to safely anchor in this awful wind, Doctor?" asked Will anxiously.
"Do you see that high range of hills just ahead?"
"Yes."
"Well, they run east and west. We will drop immediately upon the other side of them. There it must be comparatively calm. But sharp is the word! We are there now!"
Downward dropped the great ship behind the sheltering crest of the hills, and she, in a moment or two, was skimming quite easily along, just above the treetops. In what appeared to be a great park, the anchor was dropped into the top of a tree. It held securely, and Will and Denison descended in the cage and made a very strong aluminum cable fast about the trunk of the tree. After all was made secure, Dr. Jones and Professor Gray also descended. The little company then began looking around for signs of life.
"I see a large stone building down this avenue," cried Will.
"The Professor and I will prospect the place, while you two had better remain here until our return," said the Doctor.