about seven o’clock in the morning
The next day , the 30th of March , after a hasty breakfast , which consisted solely of the roasted tragopan , the engineer wished to climb again to the summit of the volcano , so as more attentively to survey the island upon which he and his companions were imprisoned for life perhaps , should the island be situated at a great distance from any land , or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean . This time his companions followed him in the new exploration . They also wished to see the island , on the productions of which they must depend for the supply of all their wants . It was about seven o'clock in the morning when Cyrus Harding , Herbert , Pencroft , Gideon Spilett , and Neb quitted the encampment . No one appeared to be anxious about their situation . They had faith in themselves , doubtless , but it must be observed that the basis of this faith was not the same with Harding as with his companions . The engineer had confidence , because he felt capable of extorting from this wild country everything necessary for the life of himself and his companions ; the latter feared nothing , just because Cyrus Harding was with them .