Chapter XVII. The Fortune of WarPreparations for the next winter. - Proposal Briant. - Departure Briant, of Jacques and Moko. - Crossing Family-lake. - The East-river. - A small port at the mouth. - The sea in the east. - Jacques and Briant. - Back to French-den.
Eight days after beginning the year 1861, and for this part of the southern hemisphere, it was in the heart of the summer as the New Year began.
There were almost ten months that young survivors of the Schooner were thrown on their island, eighteen hundred leagues from New Zealand !
During this period, we must recognize their situation had gradually improved. It even seemed that they were now assured to meet all the needs of the material life. But it was always dropping in an unknown land! Relief from the outside -
