简介：DuringtheUSCivilWar,UnionPOWsescapeinaballoonandendupstrandedonaSouthPacificisland,inhabitedbygiantplantsandanimals.Theymustusetheiringenuitytosurvivethedangers,andtodeviseawaytoreturnhome.Sequelto'20,000LeaguesUndertheSea'.WrittenbyStewartM.Clamen<clamen@cs.cmu.edu>In1865,duringthesiegeofRichmond,Virginia,theunionsoldiersPOWCaptainHarding,NebandHerbertescapeinaballoonduringastormwithtwoconfederateprisoners,SergeantPencroftandthejournalistSpilett.TheuncontrollablewindtakestheballoontoamysteriousislandintheSouthPacificintheareaofNewZealand.CaptainHardingself-proclaimstheleaderofthegroupandtheylookforfood;soonertheydiscoverthattheyarestrandedinanisland.Further,theyareattackedbyagiantcrabthatbecomestheirfirstmeal.Alongthedays,theybuildashelterandfindsthattheislandisinhabitedbygiantanimals.Acoupleofdayslater,theyfindtwocastawaysonthebeach,thearistocraticLadyMaryFairchildandhersexynieceElena.Latertheyfindatrunkwithweaponsandinstrumentslikesextantandshelterwithajournalofamanleftalonein